Between 485 & 705 SQ/FT The **** Shack

[bdbecker]

Welcome to The **** Shack build thread!

View media item 107845
I started this thread in July 2016 to document the transition of my 24’x24’ standard suburban detached garage from a decades-neglected building that was just used to store junk into a workspace I could enjoy. This is a long term project that advances as time and finances allow. Like many build threads on GJ, progress on the garage itself sometimes takes a back seat to house projects and random side projects along the way. As of this update (November 2020) I am still not done with the garage, but I have made some good progress.

To start, here are some pics of how things used to be. These photos were taken in December 2015. I would not actually start making any real progress until late June of 2016. If you can believe it, the mess actually got worse before it got better.

View media item 65353
View media item 65352
View media item 65351
Yeah, it was bad. On the bright side, once you hit the bottom, the only way to go is up. Here is a sample of some of the projects I’ve done along the way.

First big cleanup:
View media item 62415
New workbench:
View media item 65315
Saw cart and weld/fab table:

View media item 65689
View media item 66764
Wood storage rack and pivoting sheet storage cart:

View media item 67346
New roof:

View media item 62792
Motobench:

View media item 67937
Sheeted and insulated the ceiling, and installed new lighting:

View media item 98495
Welder cart:

View media item 100946
Here is a sample of a few of the side projects I’ve worked on over the years:

Built a gas firepit:

View media item 89315
Restored some axes:

View media item 69409
Rehabbed my deck and back patio:

View media item 104456
View media item 104877
View media item 105895
There are plenty of more projects not covered in this first post, and many more to come. I hope you enjoy your time reading about my shop that I’ve lovingly named “The **** Shack”. Thanks for stopping by!

-------------------------
ORIGINAL 1st POST

Well, I figured it was time to start my build thread. Sorry for the lengthy introduction, I get a little windy sometimes...

Where to begin… I found Garage Journal awhile back while researching tool chests. I joined when I found the famous 12 Gauge Garage thread, inspired to improve my workspace. I’ve since read through dozens of build threads finding all sorts of great ideas to incorporate into my garage.

View media item 61690
The garage is a 24’x24’ stick built on slab from the early 80’s. Other than a poorly applied paint job right before we purchased the property, the previous owners have done nothing to maintain the building. The roof leaks (pretty sure they are the original shingles), the siding is rotted, the slab is cracked and settling, garage door opener only works when it feels like it… I could keep going, but basically everything is in pretty crappy shape.

A few weeks ago, while tripping around and crawling over stuff in my garage, it hit me – in the two years since we moved in, I haven’t really done anything to improve my workspace. Sure, I had all these great ideas rolling around my head, but I had implemented none of them. Why?

I will cut myself a little slack, we did have our first kid 9 months ago, so there was time spent getting a few projects done around the house and getting used to being parents, but the main reason was really my own obsession with perfection.

Example Thought Process:
Why haven’t I organized and put things away? Because I haven’t built/installed shelves yet. Why no shelves? Because I really should insulate and sheet the walls before I build shelves in front of them. Why haven’t I insulated/sheeted the walls? Because I should really upgrade the electrical first. Why haven’t I upgraded the electrical? I’ll need to run a new line from the house and add a panel and breakers, and that is not in the budget right now.

In industry, we call this “analysis paralysis”. I had become so focused on getting things perfect and doing them right the first time that I’d never taken action on anything. What’s funny is that I don’t have this problem in my professional life because I have deadlines to meet and people depending on my ability to make a decision so they can move forward with projects. When it comes to my garage, I don’t have deadlines (because I don’t set them) and the only person it really affects is me (wife has her own single car attached garage).

Before I even got started on my first major project, I got a reality check when I got quotes to get the concrete pad leveled by hydraulic jacking (aka mudjacking).

View media item 61692
View media item 61691
The first quote came in right around $7500 for a product called “polylevel”. As I would soon figure out, that is the “we’re not interested in doing this job” price when I contacted a few more contractors. Without even coming to look, one company said that they would only mudjack the garage (not use polylevel), it would cost at least $1000, and they wouldn’t guarantee/warranty the work. Another told me that they were not interested in doing the work at all (I now appreciate the honesty). A third company stopped replying to my emails when I gave them more specifics about the job. The writing was on the wall, if the most reputable companies in town didn’t want to touch this job, the slab probably will need to be replaced completely.

Now I had to come to terms with the reality of the situation. Creating the “perfect” garage using my existing structure is probably going to be a lot more expensive than I initially planned. Quick math tells me that it would be pretty easy to spend $5k replacing the siding, roofing, doors, and windows on my current structure. At that point I might as well start over completely, spend a little more, and get exactly what I want. Since I don’t have an extra $20k lying around, I guess I needed a new plan...

“We are not retreating - we are advancing in another direction.”
-Douglas MacArthur

So my new plan is to do what I can to make my space better without spending a bunch of money. The slab is probably just going to stay the way it is. I’ll probably put three-tab shingles on the roof instead of steel. I’ll probably just patch in a few new boards on the siding and slap a good coat of paint on it. The Re-Store and Craigslist will be my new best friend for finding things like windows and a new door.

Coming to this realization has been very freeing for me. Since I might end up tearing it all down in 10 years anyway, I really don’t have to worry about making everything absolutely perfect from the start. Do it, and if I don’t like it, change it. At least I’ll learn something and have a better idea of what works and what doesn’t.

With that new mindset, I grabbed a beer and started getting things cleaned up and organized. I used some scrap boards I had laying around and made the tote brackets along the back wall/ceiling to get them off the floor. I also re-arranged my equipment against the walls. For the first time in a long time, I can walk into my garage without having to dodge something.

View media item 61693
That is what this thread will be about… polishing my turd of a garage which I have lovingly named “The **** Shack”. This will be a budget build of sorts. Practice for the “someday” garage. And, since I know too well that temporary fixes often become permanent solutions, it’s not about cutting corners or half-assing things, it’s about defining what is truly necessary and implementing it. And so it begins…

 

[Pack Rat]

You lucky man. I wish I had a **** shack like yours.
I'd fix it all up until it was the finest polished turd in the neighborhood.
Lots of great potential there. It's already on site and no permits for repairs.

 

[sbd4de3]

Dude!! This is awesome! Your thread has been subb'd!!

Good luck brother, looking forward to your progress and updates!

 

[bdbecker]

I got to play around in the garage today. Wife wanted something to hold silverware and straws for the party tomorrow so I came up with this.

View media item 61721

 

[Outlander]

I got to play around in the garage today. Wife wanted something to hold silverware and straws for the party tomorrow so I came up with this.

View media item 61721

Mrs Outlander would love that! I could even use it for cigars when the boys come over!

 

[Zeke]

If you read ALL of the "12 Gauge Garage" then you know you'll be making these holders for the PTA soon.

Glad you got it going. I got it going 18 years ago and still have the same nasty floor as you. And I'm still organizing. Somethings are being organized for the 10th time. There is no 'finish' to this.

Just ask Jack.

 

[LXCam]

Well that was quit the introduction. So count me in getting in line to see the progression of a very long line of **** mitigation. Good luck brutha!

 

[bdbecker]

I cleared off my workbench for the first time since I moved in. I also got my old Sony stereo hooked up. Pretty awesome having real tunes in the garage now.

View media item 61722

 

[captain14]

Keep producing those little projects and she will grant you more time to spend out in the shop!

Just organize a little everyday and it will make it easier to find your tools.

 

[bdbecker]

Something that has always bugged me is the TV right in my face when working. The PO left it when he moved out, it still works, but I don't ever watch it.

View media item 61726
So I took it out and replaced it with a shelf. I was originally going to make the shelf wide enough for the toolbox, but when I started digging for some screws I got the idea to make it the full length so I could also store some bolt trays as well.

View media item 61727
Did a little more cleaning and now have about half of the space cleared up. Good enough for my buddies to hang out tonight.

View media item 61728
Hope everyone has a safe and happy 4th!

 

[ProTinkerer]

Nice everyday man's garage.

 

[Sunbimmer]

Looks nice and well organized

 

[bdbecker]

Thank you all the kind words so far.

Keep producing those little projects and she will grant you more time to spend out in the shop!...

Wife knows me better than I care to admit. Half the time I think she asks me to make her stuff just so that I have to go out there and tinker around - she says I'm easier to get along with after I've had time to "play with my toys".

If you read ALL of the "12 Gauge Garage" then you know you'll be making these holders for the PTA soon. ...

Part of the motivation for getting my space in shape is that I've been rolling around the idea of starting a side business for awhile now, so having a space to work will be very important. I'm not looking to quit my day job or anything, but a few extra bucks wouldn't be bad.

Everything I've built so far has been for our own use or given away as gifts, but when people see the completed projects, invariably there are a few who ask if I'm selling them (the first comment when wife posted that jar holder on facebook was is if I was taking orders). I think its time to start capitalizing on the opportunity. I really enjoy coming up with creative solutions like the one pictured above, so it will probably be a limited run/bespoke type operation - I have no interest in mass production.

You lucky man. I wish I had a **** shack like yours.
I'd fix it all up until it was the finest polished turd in the neighborhood.
Lots of great potential there. It's already on site and no permits for repairs.

If I have learned anything in life, its to not take anything for granted. I apologize if I came across as ungrateful in my original post, that was not my intention at all. I just wanted to describe how I arrived at the current plan for my space so that, hopefully, I didn't have to explain to someone later on why I didn't insulate the walls or upgrade the electrical right away.

 

[bdbecker]

Looks nice and well organized

Thank you... there is a madness to my method, but it works for me.

By the way, I've actually been through your neck of the woods. About 10 years ago I toured a factory in Oss and another in Frankfurt. If my memory serves me right (and it often does) I think we stopped near Limburg for fuel.

 

[bdbecker]

Tonight's update... new garage door seal. The old one has definitely seen its better days.

View media item 61810
So I picked up a new one from Home Depot. It was a pretty easy system to install and I like that the rubber is easily replaceable now that the aluminum track is installed. There is still a gap at each end of the door because the slab is high in the middle, but it should be a lot better than what I had.

View media item 61811
Jammed out to Burlap Wolf King tonight... I love cranking this album and enjoying a cold one after a long week.

https://myspace.com/burlapwolfking/music/songs

View media item 61812

 

[Cave Creek Ray]

BD!

Great project with awesome potential!

I am just finishing up "the remodel from hell" and have cut my slab in 8 places, cut out a huge chunk of my patio and then poured new patio areas that are mechanically pinned to the old slab. In a barn I have, I had three 12x12 horsey stalls that were stinky gravel. I poured those stalls and the transformation is stunning. That said, I am no engineer. But, I sure know how it shouldn't be done.

Your slab clearly sits on material that was not compacted properly, or at all, before pouring. Additionally, the concrete crew omitted any steel in the pour which just might have held those two concrete icebergs together with nary a crack. They didn't bother so now you have to. They are gone after getting their money. You are left doing what they should have done.

Its hard to tell from the pictures but, is there any water pooling around the slab? Could the settling be the result of water run-off adjacent to your slab from behind the garage? That, or simply the moist-dry-moist-dry cycles you see through the year could eventually crack the slab, especially if the ground is largely clay. Clay is waterproof but, if it sits in enough moisture long enough, it will swell and that could cause heaving.

Whatever cause the slab to disintegrate, you want to get it fixed -and for good. As with my remodel, I ended up having to consult with knowledgeable contractors and then chart a course of action whereby I did some or all of the work. This may work for you.

I think you could remove that garage floor for under $1000, including beer as an attractant to a few friends. Forget "construction parties" as everyone wants to be the supervisor and in short order, everyone gets drunk and nothing gets done. Just get a couple good friends who will donate a couple of Saturdays. Burn them some steaks on Sunday and they will be eager to come back the next week.

Option: If you have reliable 110v in the garage, rent a jack hammer (or even buy one used and then re-sell it when you are done -Harbor freight $400 on sale with a 90-day warranty. If it survives a week, you are golden!) and hammer out the existing floor. Short of removal, anything you do will be lipstick on a piggie and money down the drain in your search for perfection. Hammering that floor into slabs will take a couple long days or a week of evenings. Wear headphones and drink a lot of water.

Once you get the floor shattered, invite your buddies over for a "removal operation" where the bits get chucked into a dumpster for haul away. Beware, most dumpster companies will impose a weight limit but some have smaller dumpsters that are designed especially for concrete and will haul out up to 30 tons per load. Hopefully, you can get the dumpster close but nowhere near your driveway, which is probably made out of the same "schlockcrete" that the garage was poured from. Big wheelbarrows are in order.

Once free of the old concrete, you can compact the existing floor properly and then water settle it some more. with the floor gone, you can inspect the footings the walls were built upon...assuming there are any. If the brainiacs who did the garage only laid the wall upon the slab you should immediately set the building on fire and only call the fire folks once the blaze is well underway.

Seriously, if you have no stem walls, your only choice is to cut the floor, as close to the wall, and as straight, close to the footer as possible. Once exposed, you can jack a wall at a time and pour footings underneath it. Making friends with a buddy who has one of those cool self-leveling roto-lasers would be a good thing.

Once the wall untidiness is resolved, import some ABC gravel for back fill and lay some 3/8" steel matting down. For more insurance, you can install 12" long 1/2" rebar on wire stand-ups collocated with your center expansion joint so, if it cracks in the future, it won't move one bit.

Pouring inside is easier for beginners because you have the stem walls to use for leveling. If you re-pour yourself, make sure you have one guy there who has done plenty of concrete work (pay him to help if need be) and have a couple extra helpers. Pour on a cool day in a wet bed and get it screeded off ASAP. Tamp in the aggregate and get finishing ASAP. If that is too daunting, pay someone to do it after you have compacted and prepared the rebar. I like watching concrete be worked.

Ripping the old stuff out and pouring new should run you under $3000 if you do a lot yourself.

Keep the pictures coming and good luck!

Ray

 

[bdbecker]

Wife and I were out and about today and I picked up this vise at the Habitat ReStore for $15.

View media item 61818
View media item 61817
I tried doing some research on it and couldn't come up with much other than an old Ebay listing of an Ace Hardware branded version that looks strikingly similar.

View media item 61819
View media item 61820
Mine doesn't have the Ace logo on the side, instead, it's just a blank spot where a sticker probably used to be. Mine also says "No. 03 1/2" where the Ace one says "No. 3 1/2". Probably a china knock-off, but I'll do some more digging. I figured worse case, I've got a neat little vise to put on my daughter's future workbench.

 

[bdbecker]

Thanks for that info Ray. Lifting the structure and pouring stem walls might be a good option. That might let me get the additional height I want too!

 

[bdbecker]

I like to incorporate oddball stuff into my projects and have a pile of random items in the back of the garage. Originally it was all contained in an old laundry basket, but the basket was no longer cutting it. I made a box out of scrap boards I had laying around. I also threw some casters on it so I can move it around easily.

View media item 61830
All told, I spent about $5 on a couple 2x4's, the rest of the materials I had laying around.

View media item 61831
Had a good supervisor while I was sorting through the pile.

View media item 61832
Today's update brought to you by David Allan Coe.

View media item 61833

 

[bdbecker]

Between nearing completion of a big project at work and my daughter cutting her first tooth, things have been a little hectic around here lately. I spent what time I did have this week mostly sorting and cleaning up another section of the garage. Nothing major, but all worthwhile.

I made a trip to Costco yesterday which inspired me to solve a problem I've been dealing with for over 10 years now. I got this old fridge in college from a buddy who had graduated. When I was helping him pack up for his move across the country, the fridge didn't fit in his Honda, so he told me to put it in the dumpster. I took it home instead, but it's never had shelves. No big deal until I started buying the 48 packs of Costco's finest light beer. So I found a sheet of 1/4" OSB and made a few shelves for the fridge.

View media item 61977
I also picked up a fire extinguisher while I was there too.

View media item 61978
I re-discovered this old metal first aid kit box that I dug out of a scrap bin a long time ago. Other than a few scratches in the paint, the thing is like new. I need to find a good spot for it yet, but I was pretty happy to find this back.

View media item 61979
And finally, since I know you are all thinking about it, the Costco light beer is actually pretty decent. I put it somewhere between Bud Light and Coors Light as far as flavor goes. I don't want to hear the old "life's too short to drink crappy beer" nonsense. I love craft beers and I love cheap crappy beers too. There is a time and place for everything and in my opinion, a cold Grain Belt topped with a little sawdust is just about right in the garage.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Looks like you are making progress! Using the floor as-is may work better than you thought. You also might consider using some floor patch concrete short-term to get the offset smoothed over.

The refrigerator shelves look to be doing the job. You might consider drilling some ventilation holes in them if you find only part of the beer is cold, like the cans in the back. Air circulation is good in refrigerators.

I like your helper.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Yes on the air circulation, You might go back to restore and buy used bigger shelving and cut it down. Most of the little reefer's like that don't have enough circulation.
Wow you have came a long way on your garage.
I would worry about your totes folding up and falling.
Good luck and keep posting pictures. Richie

 

[bdbecker]

Thanks for you comments guys!

I unintentionally considered the airflow when I made the shelves. The grooves for the shelves that are molded into the plastic sides on the fridge end about 1.5" from the back wall of the fridge. The shelves I made are just simple rectangles that only fill these grooves, leaving that gap along the whole back wall in between each level. Really, it was just simpler than cutting them deeper and notching them, but ended up being a happy accident (to borrow a term from Bob Ross). The beer was nice and cold when I did a quality audit yesterday afternoon.

If there was any real weight in any of the totes, folding and falling would be a real concern. I currently use the them to hold frequently used items like shop rags, wood chips for my smoker, and motorcycle helmets - nothing really over 15 pounds. I like how handy they are, but am not in love with the overall system. A shelf would offer more piece of mind and flexibility long term.

Its funny how the first project I did to kick off my build (the tote brackets) will probably be the first thing I rework once I get through everything else. But, like I said in my first post, that is what this thread is going to be about... not worrying so much about having everything perfect and just going for it. Implement a solution, and if it doesn't work, try again.

 

[Motoman1100]

.-.. --- ...- . / - .... . / -... ..- .. .-.. -.. / .- -. -.. / - .... . / -. --- -.. / - --- / --- .-.. -.. / ... -.-. .... --- --- .-.. / -- --- .-. ... . / -.-. --- -.. . .-.-.- / -.-. .... . . .-. ...

 

[rattle_snake]

Example Thought Process:
Why haven’t I organized and put things away? Because I haven’t built/installed shelves yet. Why no shelves? Because I really should insulate and sheet the walls before I build shelves in front of them. Why haven’t I insulated/sheeted the walls? Because I should really upgrade the electrical first. Why haven’t I upgraded the electrical? I’ll need to run a new line from the house and add a panel and breakers, and that is not in the budget right now.

I live in a similar world. I call it a curse. Wife asks a simple question. I respond with 13 layers of related problems.

Life will always prevent everything from being perfect. Sometimes it's fun to build stuff with what you have instead of worrying about ruining expensive materials and things not turning out as planned. Enjoy phase 1 of your garage transformation.

 

[duwem]

Unless you keep the contents light, those green totes are going to deform over time and fall. Wouldn't take much to run a board across the bottom to hold them up by something other than the top lip.

 

[-Brent-]

Example Thought Process:
Why haven’t I organized and put things away? Because I haven’t built/installed shelves yet. Why no shelves? Because I really should insulate and sheet the walls before I build shelves in front of them. Why haven’t I insulated/sheeted the walls? Because I should really upgrade the electrical first. Why haven’t I upgraded the electrical? I’ll need to run a new line from the house and add a panel and breakers, and that is not in the budget right now.

This may be the truest thing I have read in a long while. It's also why my shop was nothing more than storage for the past few years. Tired of that reality, I have taken on the project - head on.

Keep up the good work. You represent exactly what most of the GJ readership faces.

 

[bdbecker]

Major score on the way home tonight. I went to fill up a low tire and figured I'd stop by the ReStore since its on the same block as the gas station. I walk in the door and I swear there was a heavenly beam of light shining on a set of heavy duty bolt together shelves. More good news when I checked the price tag... they only wanted $10 each. I headed straight for the counter and bought all three of them.

View media item 62049
Shelving was literally the next step in the clean up process. I guess the decision to make or buy something has been resolved. There are a couple of bent shelves, but I don't think I'll end up needing them by the time I reconfigure them and get them setup. They measure out to be 4' wide, 7' tall, and 18" deep. 16 gauge shelves and 12 gauge uprights, they are definitely heavy.

View media item 62050
Yes, they were only $10 each...

 

[theoldwizard1]

Something that has always bugged me is the TV right in my face when working. The PO left it when he moved out, it still works, but I don't ever watch it.

View media item 61726

Anything with a CT belongs in the dump or a museum !

 

[bdbecker]

Oh, that bad boy isn't going to the dump... I've got a plan for it.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Wow! Great buy on the shelves. Care to double your money?

 

[bdbecker]

Wife us out of town this weekend, so it's just the kid and me. I was still able to get a lot done during nap times today, despite the 100+ degree heat index.

The next phase of the cleanup is setting up shelving so I can reclaim the floorspace in the other half of my garage. The PO had built a large suspended shelf conglomeration in the rear corner. Besides being sketchy in how it was built and tied into the garage structure, it took up way too much space, so it had to go.

View media item 62111
I was absolutely soaked in sweat by the time I got done tearing it out, but it's gone.

View media item 62112
I also took apart the shelving so I can scuff it up and give it a fresh coat of paint before I reinstall it. I ended up setting aside 6 of the shelves because they were bent, 3 of them I can probably straighten out pretty easily if needed.

View media item 62113
Today's jams brought to you by Shakey Graves. We caught his show last night... phenomenal!

View media item 62114
Another fun fact, despite drinking over a gallon of water and eating lunch, I sweated off 2.5lbs in the heat today. Really looking forward to the mid-80's they're calling for this week.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Looking fantastic bdbecker

Great score on the shelving, now that's a bargain...

Regards

 

[bdbecker]

Some really good news, my garage no longer smells like mouse droppings! This past winter I had a bit of a mouse infestation and killed 6 or 7 over the course of a week and a couple more in the following months. I haven't caught one in several months now, but I could always smell them. When I was tearing out the shelves, I found a good concentration of **** and an old nest. I believe that was the source of the lingering smell. I have a very keen sense of smell - no joke, I can smell a downed deer from quite a distance if the conditions are right, its come in handy a few times in the southern Iowa brush and ravines. Not having to be bombarded with that every time I open the door is just a huge relief. Sometimes its the little things that can bring joy to life...

...Life will always prevent everything from being perfect. Sometimes it's fun to build stuff with what you have instead of worrying about ruining expensive materials and things not turning out as planned. Enjoy phase 1 of your garage transformation.

I am definitely having a lot more fun with it now that I'm not taking things so seriously.

Unless you keep the contents light, those green totes are going to deform over time and fall. Wouldn't take much to run a board across the bottom to hold them up by something other than the top lip.

No issues yet, but they also don't have much weight in them at all. I will probably go back and replace them with an actual shelf once I tackle a few other things.

This may be the truest thing I have read in a long while. It's also why my shop was nothing more than storage for the past few years. Tired of that reality, I have taken on the project - head on.

Keep up the good work. You represent exactly what most of the GJ readership faces.

I debated even starting a build thread because there are so many intimidatingly awesome spaces on the forum. One of the deciding factors was that I think there should be more guys sharing their low/no-budget, everyday builds on here. Don't get me wrong, I love reading through the big budget, high end builds, and if I had the money I would be doing the same thing. However, only seeing these types of builds skews the perception of what is normal and can be discouraging if you don't have a lot of extra cash lying around.

I have a feeling that we are in a similar situation. Once I get everything cleaned up, I will post some actual "before" photos of what I started with... it was basically a cow path to my toolbox. I'm still a little embarrassed about how bad I let it get to share with everyone right now.

Wow! Great buy on the shelves. Care to double your money?

I would consider a trade for an Allis B if you have one floating around... Dad has a Deere A and an International M from the late 1940's that he's planning on restoring when he retires in a few years, an Allis of a similar vintage would round out the collection nicely.

Looking fantastic bdbecker

Great score on the shelving, now that's a bargain...

Regards

Thanks 1/2 Cup... I will admit that I have not made it all the way through your thread yet, but I did subscribe so I didn't forget about it after reading through your stove build.

 

[sbd4de3]

That's awesome Becker! Now you should rename your garage the "No **** shack"

 

[bdbecker]

After a late night Friday night and finally sneaking some time this evening, I'm happy to report that all the shelves are now sanded and painted. Since mother nature and the local weather forecasters couldn't decide if it was going to rain or not, I ended up making a temporary drying rack out of the shelf frames I tore out last weekend.

View media item 62226
So I now have a total of $55 and about 10 hours of my time into these shelves. Not bad for something that looks new from 10 feet away.

I painted the bottoms of the shelves last night and the tops and sides tonight.

View media item 62227
Ended up brushing on Rustoleum gloss smoke gray enamel. Not exactly my favorite color, but I figure that it will be easy to touch up in the future if needed. I haven't spent much time working with brushing enamel paint, but finally got the hang of it. The paint job is not going to win any awards, but the metal is protected now.

View media item 62228

 

[Wanna Ride]

I enjoy garage builds/refurbs like this, more than the big fancy garage-mahals. I got a decent garage, but it's the result of a build I started twenty years ago. Not the kind of place you'd find a magazine photoshoot of a Lambo, but a damn-nice place to spend the day, building stuff.

Good for you. Looks like you're enjoying yourself.

 

[oldironfarmer]

I would consider a trade for an Allis B if you have one floating around... Dad has a Deere A and an International M from the late 1940's that he's planning on restoring when he retires in a few years, an Allis of a similar vintage would round out the collection nicely.

Like this?

I've also got an unrestored one.

Great job on the shelves. If you need a bent shelf you can't straighten, a plywood liner underneath can support the shelf and help hold it straight while not being obvious if you install it toward the bottom of the unit.

 

[bdbecker]

Wife and I went out to dinner and saw Jim Gaffigan tonight. We took the "back" way home to dodge some of the traffic. Cruising through a residential neighborhood, I spotted this gem on the curb. All the drawers slide nice and latch, and it's real office duty quality, not the cheap home use construction. After wrestling it into the back of the Jeep, I thanked my wife for putting up with my shenanigans, especially on date night.

View media item 62256
I guess I've got some more sanding and painting to do, but the price was right.

 

[bdbecker]

I enjoy garage builds/refurbs like this, more than the big fancy garage-mahals. I got a decent garage, but it's the result of a build I started twenty years ago. Not the kind of place you'd find a magazine photoshoot of a Lambo, but a damn-nice place to spend the day, building stuff.

Good for you. Looks like you're enjoying yourself.

I am enjoying it, thank you! That is the goal - a decent place to call my own... sip some coffee and tinker away a Saturday morning.

Speaking of cars... A goal that I set for myself is to have the shelves up and all my stuff sorted and organized in the next two weeks. My Dad and Brother are going to help me hang some new shingles on the 13th. Then, I'll finally be able to drag my '64 F100 project out of storage and work on her this winter - its been in mothballs since we moved back to Iowa four years ago. I think a 52 year old truck will look just about right sitting in my garage. Besides, Lambos are overrated according to David Freiburger.

Like this?

I've also got an unrestored one.

Great job on the shelves. If you need a bent shelf you can't straighten, a plywood liner underneath can support the shelf and help hold it straight while not being obvious if you install it toward the bottom of the unit.

I figured you'd have a couple lying around Andy! That plywood insert suggestion has got my wheels turning...