Between 265 & 485 SQ/FT The Scooter Workshop
- Thread starter Modern Jess
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Workspaces sized between 265 and 485 squarefeet.
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Modern Jess
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My Father just emailed me the details of it and it is a 1966 SS180, just out of curiosity what sort of money are they? Barn fresh and Restored, cheers for any info
Score!
The SS180 is a special bike. It was the last of the piston-ported engines, and I believe the largest displacement of that series as well. The engine is mostly identical to one of the other most collectible Vespas -- the GS160, one of the most desirable of all Vespas. It's a really special engine with a really characteristic sound. It's got more of the classic pa-pa-pa-pa-pa sound than the ringdingding-a-dingadingding sound of later engines. The unique engine is both a blessing and a curse, as some of the engine parts are made of unobtanium and only exist on the SS180 or the even-harder-to-get GS160.
I should warn you, though: desirable or not, there's not a lot of money in vintage Vespas. You could easily put a bunch of money into restoring one and not manage to get all that money back out. Vintage Vespas in the US are one of the last great mostly-untouched enthusiast markets where crazy money has (mostly) not taken over the market. This is because (again, in the US -- I can't really speak to the AU market) the vintage Vespa community is fairly small and fairly tight-knit. A lot of the players have decided that vintage Vespa prices should be relatively low, and get bent out of shape when bikes start selling for more than they think is appropriate. To a lot of these old-guard scooterists in the US -- I'm not actually one of them, but I know who they are -- buying old Vespas out of barns and restoring them is supposed to be a cheap endeavor. With that in mind, the commonly accepted price in the US for a a fully restored SS180 is around $6k-ish, possibly a bit more. There's an emergent group of restorers who are selling them for more than that, though. The market is slowly starting to change.
The "barn fresh" price really depends on how complete it is, and whether the engine is salvageable. Without a complete engine, it's really just a frame with some wider-than-normal cowls, and so the price (again in the US) would be $100 - $1000. With the engine intact, more like $1000 - $2000, depending on condition. I bought my cosmetically-ugly but mechanically-sound fully-running SS180 for $3500 from a friend of mine.
And again, the AU market may be entirely different.
Here's what they look like in all their glory:
1965 Vespa SS180 #31 Photoshoot by: www.creativeimagesbyallison.com by www.greentreescooters.com, on Flickr
Here's mine, in a photo taken by the previous owner:
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Modern Jess
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Great space! Thanks for sharing all your wonderful work and ideas!!
Thank you, gentlemen. Happy to share my slow progress on my humble shop with such an enthusiastic group.
andyaus
Well-known member
Hey mate thanks for enlightening me I did hear it run about 25 years ago so the motor is complete, I will do a complete rebuild on her regardless of cost (to a degree) It's more of a sentimental thing so unlikely I'd sell her. I have built a couple of custom bikes so I know you put more in financially than you get back but I do it for the love
I did hear it run about 25 years ago so the motor is complete, I will do a complete rebuild on her regardless of cost (to a degree) It's more of a sentimental thing so unlikely I'd sell her. I have built a couple of custom bikes so I know you put more in financially than you get back but I do it for the love
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Modern Jess
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I will do a complete rebuild on her regardless of cost (to a degree) It's more of a sentimental thing so unlikely I'd sell her. I have built a couple of custom bikes so I know you put more in financially than you get back but I do it for the love
Then you're definitely doing it for all the right reasons. And you'll have a really great example of a Vespa when you're done as well, so all the better.
Great garage! I love the Sortimo systems. Saw them for the first time on Mythbusters. Tried to forget about them forever. Ended up finding something close by Stack-On. Husky and Stanley have some similar setups. But ended up getting these ones. Filled up a whole 36" wide metal shelf with them.
10 Cup organizer
17 Cup Organizer
10 Cup organizer
17 Cup Organizer
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Modern Jess
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Yep. I have a few of the Stack-On and Stanley models. I literally bought one of every single type of removable cup organizer in my attempt to find an alternative to the Sortimo T-Boxx.
One of the better alternatives that I found was the Allit model, which has very similar removable cups to the Sortimo -- even following the same color scheme. They're also (somewhat more) reasonably priced, at $18.50 for the "Economy" model.
Ultimately, I found something to dislike about every single alternative. The Stack-On models are way too limited in cup size. The Stanley (and Harbor Freight knock offs) are similarly limited in cup size, and also limited in the way the cups can be configured. The Allit cases are too small, and some of the room in the case is taken up by a nonstandard filler piece, which limits the configuration options. And none of them are as well built as the Sortimo, though the Stack-On gets a nod for being very rugged for heavier loads.
What I really needed was a large case for lots of small parts, i.e. an entire selection of M6 or 1/4" fasteners in a wide variety of lengths, types, and materials. I also wanted the flexibility to store specialty tools in the case with the parts, such as a pop rivet gun in the case with a selection of pop rivets.
The Sortimo met all of those needs, even though it utterly fails on "cost".
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Modern Jess
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I've read a few threads here on GJ about the dangers of leaving rechargeable batteries plugged in for long periods of time, and strict advice against it. Some anecdotal incidents, even. I'm not sure I completely buy into the fear -- modern lithium ion chargers do shut off / go into maintenance mode when the battery is full, without exception. That said, any electrical appliance can fail -- sometimes catastrophically -- and turning them off when they're not in use certainly can't hurt. Of course, I'm not nearly disciplined enough to remember to unplug them after they've charged. It's just not going to happen.
Enter the Belkin Conserve Socket. You press a button, and it turns on whatever is plugged into it for a set amount of time -- either half an hour, three hours, or six hours -- and then turns completely off. For my DeWalt Li-Ion batteries, I've got the switch set at three hours, which seems to be more than enough time to charge.
I can remember to hit the button when I change the battery. I'll never, ever remember to turn it off again before I turn off the lights in the shop.
Enter the Belkin Conserve Socket. You press a button, and it turns on whatever is plugged into it for a set amount of time -- either half an hour, three hours, or six hours -- and then turns completely off. For my DeWalt Li-Ion batteries, I've got the switch set at three hours, which seems to be more than enough time to charge.
I can remember to hit the button when I change the battery. I'll never, ever remember to turn it off again before I turn off the lights in the shop.
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Modern Jess
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Okay, time to thicken the next wall. I think I can paint a clearer picture of how this process works this time, now that I (ahem) kind of know what I'm doing, in stark contrast to the first two walls.
Here's my starting point: this wall used to be a tilt-up garage door, and it's been filled, stucco'd on the outside, and I've put Roxul between the studs on the inside.
Next up, I lay out the first line for the top of the inset Wiremold channel. This line is referenced from the channel on the other side of the room to keep things perfectly straight.
This spot will be a complex intersection -- the Wiremold will transition from horizontal to vertical via a "T" fitting, and a piece of strut channel running just below the Wiremold will do an "L" down toward the floor. I'll need to put some blocking here, but the Roxul doesn't compress very well:
Fortunately, it carves really well. Much better than fiberglass:
Blocking in place:
More layout lines, this one for the edge of the vertical Wiremold channel:
No, seriously. I could not do this task without my laser level. It is very much indispensable. I can almost always find some convenient piece of metal to stick it to. If not, I set up the tripod.
First furring strips go up:
More layout lines, this one for the lower horizontal furring strips. I run the furring strips horizontally for the portion of the wall that lies below the Wiremold channel, which gives better thermal and acoustic (but mostly thermal) performance.
Here's some detail on that complex intersection that I installed blocking for:
And finally, the finished structure of the wall is complete. The furring strips are run vertically on the upper portion of the wall to make it easier to hang cabinets and such later on down the road. Most mounting systems rely on vertical studs, and I don't have enough foresight to install horizontal blocking in the right spot for cabinets I haven't even picked out yet. I lose a little bit of R value this way (wood has an R value of 1 per inch) but so be it.
Next up: days and days of shimming the furring strips to get the right reveal on the Wiremold channel. Fun!
Here's my starting point: this wall used to be a tilt-up garage door, and it's been filled, stucco'd on the outside, and I've put Roxul between the studs on the inside.
Next up, I lay out the first line for the top of the inset Wiremold channel. This line is referenced from the channel on the other side of the room to keep things perfectly straight.
This spot will be a complex intersection -- the Wiremold will transition from horizontal to vertical via a "T" fitting, and a piece of strut channel running just below the Wiremold will do an "L" down toward the floor. I'll need to put some blocking here, but the Roxul doesn't compress very well:
Fortunately, it carves really well. Much better than fiberglass:
Blocking in place:
More layout lines, this one for the edge of the vertical Wiremold channel:
No, seriously. I could not do this task without my laser level. It is very much indispensable. I can almost always find some convenient piece of metal to stick it to. If not, I set up the tripod.
First furring strips go up:
More layout lines, this one for the lower horizontal furring strips. I run the furring strips horizontally for the portion of the wall that lies below the Wiremold channel, which gives better thermal and acoustic (but mostly thermal) performance.
Here's some detail on that complex intersection that I installed blocking for:
And finally, the finished structure of the wall is complete. The furring strips are run vertically on the upper portion of the wall to make it easier to hang cabinets and such later on down the road. Most mounting systems rely on vertical studs, and I don't have enough foresight to install horizontal blocking in the right spot for cabinets I haven't even picked out yet. I lose a little bit of R value this way (wood has an R value of 1 per inch) but so be it.
Next up: days and days of shimming the furring strips to get the right reveal on the Wiremold channel. Fun!
andyaus
Well-known member
Nice progress
WxDude10
Active member
Nice job. I used Roxul for my basement that I am finishing. What's nice is being able to carve it. So much better than fiberglass. Worth every penny over the cost of fiberglass. Keep up the good work.
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my58
Well-known member
Glad to see an update, keep us posted, we enjoy following along.
sakurama
Well-known member
Nice update.
Gregor
Gregor
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Modern Jess
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Thanks guys! Even though I'm in the shop almost every day, visible progress is slow. Nice to be able to show a set of photos that demonstrates I'm doing something in there.
sunsation288
Well-known member
Well done Jess , great idea here , you can be proud of your work
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Modern Jess
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Thanks!
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Modern Jess
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Change Of Plans
One of the up-sides of a slow build is that you have plenty of time to think of what to do and how to do it. Of course, the downside is that you also have plenty of time to change your mind. This weekend, I got to thinking (big mistake) and before you know it, I'm building a wall.
This should give me a "landing" of sorts, a countertop just inside the door where I can set stuff down. It'll also have a couple of base cabinets and some upper cabinets for storage. On the other side of the wall, I'm still left with a nook about 8 feet wide, which will just about fit the Tormach mill that I have my heart set on. I think this is going to work.
I also got four more recessed cans installed in the "ceiling" on this side of the shop. I put ceiling in quotes because it's really the underside of a little loft I built up above the front-most rafter tie.
That ventilation boot you see to the left in the picture above is part of my overly-complex ventilation system. I designed this (replacing the old squirrel cage fan that had been there for 40 years) in order to prevent noise from leaking out of the shop. Sound doesn't like to change direction very well, and the flexible insulated duct should do wonders to allow air to flow without sound following.
The fan itself is a Panasonic inline multi-room ventilator, which moves 430cfm through 8" ducting. Less air than the old squirrel cage, but a lot quieter and probably a lot more energy efficient as well.
(It looks really wonky in this picture, but I promise it's not nearly as camel-shaped as that).
And finally, because the whole area up above the "ceiling" is getting mighty complex (wiring, ventilation, etc) I added an access door to make it easier to get to some of the J-boxes that I've tucked into the various corners.
I could probably have done without the access door, as the space above the rafter tie is still open. However, it seemed like a giant pain in the *** to balance over the top of the rafter tie on a ladder while stuffing myself into a corner to get at a J-box. The access panel seemed like it would make my life easier down the road.
That's all for this (three-day) weekend. Tune in next time to see what crazy ideas I can come up with to inflict on myself!
One of the up-sides of a slow build is that you have plenty of time to think of what to do and how to do it. Of course, the downside is that you also have plenty of time to change your mind. This weekend, I got to thinking (big mistake) and before you know it, I'm building a wall.
This should give me a "landing" of sorts, a countertop just inside the door where I can set stuff down. It'll also have a couple of base cabinets and some upper cabinets for storage. On the other side of the wall, I'm still left with a nook about 8 feet wide, which will just about fit the Tormach mill that I have my heart set on. I think this is going to work.
I also got four more recessed cans installed in the "ceiling" on this side of the shop. I put ceiling in quotes because it's really the underside of a little loft I built up above the front-most rafter tie.
That ventilation boot you see to the left in the picture above is part of my overly-complex ventilation system. I designed this (replacing the old squirrel cage fan that had been there for 40 years) in order to prevent noise from leaking out of the shop. Sound doesn't like to change direction very well, and the flexible insulated duct should do wonders to allow air to flow without sound following.
The fan itself is a Panasonic inline multi-room ventilator, which moves 430cfm through 8" ducting. Less air than the old squirrel cage, but a lot quieter and probably a lot more energy efficient as well.
(It looks really wonky in this picture, but I promise it's not nearly as camel-shaped as that).
And finally, because the whole area up above the "ceiling" is getting mighty complex (wiring, ventilation, etc) I added an access door to make it easier to get to some of the J-boxes that I've tucked into the various corners.
I could probably have done without the access door, as the space above the rafter tie is still open. However, it seemed like a giant pain in the *** to balance over the top of the rafter tie on a ladder while stuffing myself into a corner to get at a J-box. The access panel seemed like it would make my life easier down the road.
That's all for this (three-day) weekend. Tune in next time to see what crazy ideas I can come up with to inflict on myself!
BlackSheepSpeedShop
Well-known member
Great work!
andyaus
Well-known member
Nice mate, Yip Thinking leads to doing Dangerous
Dangerous
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Modern Jess
Well-known member
Attachments
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4t64rd
Well-known member
#1 What did you do with these deco-looking light fixtures?
#2 Do you still have them?
#3 If you do, would you sell them?
#4 if you don't have/want to sell them, what brand are/were they?
#2 Do you still have them?
#3 If you do, would you sell them?
#4 if you don't have/want to sell them, what brand are/were they?
Zedexseven
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- Joined
- Nov 2, 2013
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Looking good, I'm slowly turning my garage into a motorcycle workshop, I still have a ways to go buy I'm getting there
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Modern Jess
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No idea what brand that was. I believe it went into the metal recycling pile, sorry. FWIW, that photo makes it look a lot nicer than it really was.
I did have some very old articulating-arm lights that I managed to give to someone who liked that kind of stuff. Those were definitely worth saving.
(I'm probably biased, though -- I hate fluorescents with a vengeance).
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Modern Jess
Well-known member
This will be a quickie. I've got a whole bunch of parallel projects going on right now, but none ready for show and tell quite yet.
I spend entirely too much time on the "research" aspect of almost any project I touch. This workshop build is no exception. Often, in my perambulations around the web, I find "The Perfect Product" to solve a particular problem -- and sometimes those products actually turn out to be genuinely useful.
Here's one of my discoveries. As with everything I mention in this thread, I have no affiliation with the company whatsoever. I'm just enthusiastic.
This is The Mighty Nailer, a nifty little hunk of metal that minimizes the wood blocking necessary for attaching drywall in corners. Usually, less blocking = more insulation, which is the main focus of this project. I've found these nailers to be effective and very easy to use, albeit a little on the expensive side. They work on any corner -- walls or ceilings.
The product video is pretty entertaining, too:
I spend entirely too much time on the "research" aspect of almost any project I touch. This workshop build is no exception. Often, in my perambulations around the web, I find "The Perfect Product" to solve a particular problem -- and sometimes those products actually turn out to be genuinely useful.
Here's one of my discoveries. As with everything I mention in this thread, I have no affiliation with the company whatsoever. I'm just enthusiastic.
This is The Mighty Nailer, a nifty little hunk of metal that minimizes the wood blocking necessary for attaching drywall in corners. Usually, less blocking = more insulation, which is the main focus of this project. I've found these nailers to be effective and very easy to use, albeit a little on the expensive side. They work on any corner -- walls or ceilings.
The product video is pretty entertaining, too:
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Modern Jess
Well-known member
Okay, big update. I've been working steadily on the front wall of the shop, and especially the entryway. Because of my extra-thick walls, the transition from thickened wall to doorway (where the wall and the door frame have to conform to standard 2x4 wall dimensions) is awkward, to say the least. And the wall is kind of funky -- i.e. not quite straight -- which makes it especially difficult. I spent a good week (on and off) just shimming around the door so that the drywall would end up flush with the metal door frame. I'll eventually put some trim over the top of the drywall / door frame transition.
The conduit helps me with most of the transition -- on one side the wall is thick, and on the door-side, I can just abruptly change to standard thickness. But the conduit doesn't go all the way to the floor, so I still have to deal with the weird thickness transition in places.
I also decided to wall-in a small section between the "ceiling" and the roof. It'll hide the ventilation and various infrastructure (audio amplifier, WiFi router, etc). Speaking of WiFi, I spent pretty much all of today pulling ethernet, going from my office, through the attic, into the garage, under the concrete between the shop and the garage, up the wall, and into the little attic nook. And it was 100° today. It sucked, but it's done. And it works. I can finally put a computer (an older iMac I had lying around) out in the shop. Nice to have my whole audio collection on tap.
So let's get to the photos already!
LED under cab lighting, left over from our kitchen remodel
On the left is a USB wall power outlet. On the right is a Niles Audio Cat5 balun that runs to the amp
Niles Audio speaker volume controls. One for the patio, the other for the shop
I built in a nook between the base cabs and the wall. Eventually, the countertop will go all the way to the wall
Airport Express up in the "attic", which drives the Russound amp via AirPlay
The conduit helps me with most of the transition -- on one side the wall is thick, and on the door-side, I can just abruptly change to standard thickness. But the conduit doesn't go all the way to the floor, so I still have to deal with the weird thickness transition in places.
I also decided to wall-in a small section between the "ceiling" and the roof. It'll hide the ventilation and various infrastructure (audio amplifier, WiFi router, etc). Speaking of WiFi, I spent pretty much all of today pulling ethernet, going from my office, through the attic, into the garage, under the concrete between the shop and the garage, up the wall, and into the little attic nook. And it was 100° today. It sucked, but it's done. And it works. I can finally put a computer (an older iMac I had lying around) out in the shop. Nice to have my whole audio collection on tap.
So let's get to the photos already!
LED under cab lighting, left over from our kitchen remodel
On the left is a USB wall power outlet. On the right is a Niles Audio Cat5 balun that runs to the amp
Niles Audio speaker volume controls. One for the patio, the other for the shop
I built in a nook between the base cabs and the wall. Eventually, the countertop will go all the way to the wall
Airport Express up in the "attic", which drives the Russound amp via AirPlay
Wow, you're doing great work. Your hard work is certainly paying off. I bet plugging in that Mac made you forget the day of pulling the Ethernet lines.
Very impressive, and I still love that bamboo ceiling.
How was the temperature inside on the 100* day? Have you noticed a difference from last year?
Sidenote: Is that the remains of a Belgian beer on the counter?
Very impressive, and I still love that bamboo ceiling.
How was the temperature inside on the 100* day? Have you noticed a difference from last year?
Sidenote: Is that the remains of a Belgian beer on the counter?
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Modern Jess
Well-known member
Not completely. That's what the beverage was for.
Thanks! I don't notice it as much as I did when I first installed it, but I am occasionally reminded that it's a darn nice ceiling. I have to wonder why I was so reluctant at first to go with something unconventional there. Glad I did.
It was hot, but still tolerable. I just had to keep the door shut, as the front of the shop is a Western exposure and gets the full punishment of the afternoon sun. It was certainly nicer in the shop than the garage, which has no insulation in the ceiling and only a thin metal garage door. Clearly, the insulation in the workshop is doing its job.
That's a good guess, and the glass is about the right shape, but your scale is off. Here's a photo from earlier in the thread to give you a better sense of scale:
sakurama
Well-known member
Looks great! That's gotta feel good to get that entrance done.
Gregor
Gregor
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Modern Jess
Well-known member
Small update today: finally got the counter top installed. I bought a piece of butcher block from MacBeath, which came pre-finished. I wanted a 1/4" round over on the exposed edges, though, so ended up stripping it down and refinishing it. The countertop is by the door and so will be one of the few parts of the shop that actually sees direct sunlight, so I went with a UV-protecting spar urethane.
In other news, I **** at applying finishes. It's an aspect of woodworking that I never really mastered. I did manage to sand out most of the brush marks, and finished the finish with some scotch brite to break any remaining gloss and give it a nice uniform texture.
In other news, I **** at applying finishes. It's an aspect of woodworking that I never really mastered. I did manage to sand out most of the brush marks, and finished the finish with some scotch brite to break any remaining gloss and give it a nice uniform texture.
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Modern Jess
Well-known member
Another small project: I am constantly in need of more storage space, and had a bare corner on the one complete wall that seemed like it could be put to better use. I picked up this Hercke Overhead Cabinet after seeing it here at GJ and elsewhere around the web. I'm suitably impressed. The unit is very well designed, and you can tell that someone put a lot of effort into making it that way. The way all the pieces fit together (everything is metal) is really clever, and uses a minimum of parts yet is still very strong. And of course the minimum of parts means that it's really straightforward to put together, too.
If I was going to fill up a wall with cabinets, I would seriously consider using these.
If I was going to fill up a wall with cabinets, I would seriously consider using these.
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1/2 Cup
Member Emeritus
Great job on the counter top.
Your service ducts ( moduline duct out here) are a great idea giving flexibility to you socket outlet locations future proofing your layout as well.
Regards
Your service ducts ( moduline duct out here) are a great idea giving flexibility to you socket outlet locations future proofing your layout as well.
Regards
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Modern Jess
Well-known member
Great job on the counter top.
Thanks!
Your service ducts ( moduline duct out here) are a great idea giving flexibility to you socket outlet locations future proofing your layout as well.
Yeah, I'm really liking that part. I'm afraid to commit to the placement of anything, anywhere, and so the conduit allows me the relative freedom of not having to make those commitments. Of course, it also makes the whole build process much, much slower, but I'm mostly okay with that.
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Modern Jess
Well-known member
Okay, this is actually a really big update, though it won't seem like it to most of you.
The shelf below is empty. At one point, I had four of these shelves in my workshop, each loaded to the hilt with Costco bins. After I got the first suspended shelf up, I was able to empty one of these rolling shelves and get it out of my workshop, which brought me down to three. Today, I started really looking hard at what was on the remaining three shelves and decided that I could consolidate some more, and actually got to the point of emptying an entire shelf. So I'm now down to two.
You have no idea how happy this makes me.
The shelf below is empty. At one point, I had four of these shelves in my workshop, each loaded to the hilt with Costco bins. After I got the first suspended shelf up, I was able to empty one of these rolling shelves and get it out of my workshop, which brought me down to three. Today, I started really looking hard at what was on the remaining three shelves and decided that I could consolidate some more, and actually got to the point of emptying an entire shelf. So I'm now down to two.
You have no idea how happy this makes me.
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Modern Jess
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Brian R
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I think I do. I was recently going through boxes of stuff stored in the attic and cut 5 boxes down to 3. I walked away for a day and then looked at boxes and said i can do better and got down to 2. Then I really felt i accomplished something.Okay, this is actually a really big update, though it won't seem like it to most of you.
The shelf below is empty. At one point, I had four of these shelves in my workshop, each loaded to the hilt with Costco bins. After I got the first suspended shelf up, I was able to empty one of these rolling shelves and get it out of my workshop, which brought me down to three. Today, I started really looking hard at what was on the remaining three shelves and decided that I could consolidate some more, and actually got to the point of emptying an entire shelf. So I'm now down to two.
You have no idea how happy this makes me.
I love the story of your Scooter Workshop and the skill you put into it (and of course all 2 wheeled things) - thanks for posting.
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Modern Jess
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My pleasure, and thanks for the note!
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Modern Jess
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I think this should win an award for "most ridiculously specific customization ever". I'm putting in this recess in the wall for reasons that will eventually become clear. There is maybe one person on this forum that will know exactly what this is for, and I'm not entirely sure he has ever read this thread.
lonestarky
Well-known member
Hi Modern Jess-
As an amateur woodworker myself, I also struggle applying finishes. I've learned a few tricks however-and these may not be 100% applicable with SPAR urethane.
1)I actually bought the minwax specific brushes for poly and stain, they clean easily with mineral spirits. Your brush looks to be at least 50% of the problem.
2)Wipe with mineral spirits before any finishing.
3)pre stain conditioner for stain helps, but depending on the darkness of the color you want, can prevent some of the stain from soaking in.
4)When polyurethaning, temperature and humidity make a much bigger difference than anything else, cool dry days are best, so a basement in the summer time with a dehumidifier running and adequate ventilation is your best bet.
5)Several thin coats dry faster and look better, the brush will help with this.
6)For non SPAR finishes, I find the rub on urethane is fantastic, you may be able to do the same thing with SPAR by thinning and rubbing on by hand with a t-shirt cotton rag (jersey mat'l like you can buy cut up in boxes at HF or menards/HD/Lowes).
I find worrying about all of these things is a lot easier than sanding the finish after application. I don't care for all the sanding. if the temp/humidity is right, the finish should self level and the brush marks will disappear on their own.
As an amateur woodworker myself, I also struggle applying finishes. I've learned a few tricks however-and these may not be 100% applicable with SPAR urethane.
1)I actually bought the minwax specific brushes for poly and stain, they clean easily with mineral spirits. Your brush looks to be at least 50% of the problem.
2)Wipe with mineral spirits before any finishing.
3)pre stain conditioner for stain helps, but depending on the darkness of the color you want, can prevent some of the stain from soaking in.
4)When polyurethaning, temperature and humidity make a much bigger difference than anything else, cool dry days are best, so a basement in the summer time with a dehumidifier running and adequate ventilation is your best bet.
5)Several thin coats dry faster and look better, the brush will help with this.
6)For non SPAR finishes, I find the rub on urethane is fantastic, you may be able to do the same thing with SPAR by thinning and rubbing on by hand with a t-shirt cotton rag (jersey mat'l like you can buy cut up in boxes at HF or menards/HD/Lowes).
I find worrying about all of these things is a lot easier than sanding the finish after application. I don't care for all the sanding. if the temp/humidity is right, the finish should self level and the brush marks will disappear on their own.