Between 485 & 705 SQ/FT The **** Shack
- Thread starter bdbecker
- Start date
Workspaces between 485 and 705 squarefeet.
Hawk136439
Well-known member
Yours and your dad's shops are both looking very good! I would love to see more of that sportster too! Been dreaming of fun bobber project a lot lately and would love in site into one and what it takes to get to a bike like yours.
Oh no, that was not my intention at all. I know exactly what you mean about worn lathes, in fact, most of the lathes I've ever ran were exactly as you described, but this one really does need some work. It was a HS shop class lathe for its entire life and was included as a parts donor to sweeten the deal for some mill tooling my dad was interested in. Its in a safe place for now, and Dad knows that he can't get rid of it without talking to me first.
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bdbecker thanks for sharing the pics of your Dads shop, a home away from home by the sounds of it..
Regards
It sure is - that's where I grew up. Because I know my brother checks in this thread (dude, seriously, just get an account already) I should mention that a big, driving force in turning that garage into a workable space was his doing. I think he was bored one summer during high school and decided to clean the garage. Next thing you know, there's an electrician installing a phase converter for the mill.
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Great shop. On the bandsaw wood made a great job
Thanks Vieux!
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Thanks Hawk! I'd be happy to share what (little) I know - shoot me a PM with any questions you might have. Luckily, right now is a really good time to get a Sportster. 10 years ago, we were right in the middle of the motorcycle/chopper craze, so there are a lot of 10-15 year old bikes on the market going for pretty cheap. I've nearly called on a couple of low mile, $3000 bikes, but I need another project like I need another hole in my head.
bargainhuntingking
Well-known member
Love the write up so far. Amazing bench! You are skilled and resourceful at scoring good deals! Thanks for sharing.
Not a lot to show for this week's update other than some sore fingers and arms, and some clean(ish) bits of motorcycle. A little background - I never understood the obsession with having a spotless bike, so I never really wash or polish mine. This is literally the cleanest these parts have been in 10 years.
Part of the refresh plan includes a new paint scheme, so this weekend was devoted to cleaning and paint prep. I scrubbed aluminum for what seemed like an eternity, and also stripped and DA'd my rear fender. Don't worry about the tire, it's bald and will be replaced. I also made a cardboard ring to cover the braking surface of the disc.
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The wheels, disc, and pulley are getting a coat of satin black paint. As for the fender and tank, I'm not exactly sure what I want to do just yet. I have several ideas, it's just a matter of picking one. I wanted to do the primer for the black stuff today since it was so warm, but it kept looking like rain, so I didn't risk it. They're calling for 70 tomorrow, so maybe I can sneak it in after work.
Part of the refresh plan includes a new paint scheme, so this weekend was devoted to cleaning and paint prep. I scrubbed aluminum for what seemed like an eternity, and also stripped and DA'd my rear fender. Don't worry about the tire, it's bald and will be replaced. I also made a cardboard ring to cover the braking surface of the disc.
View media item 68758
The wheels, disc, and pulley are getting a coat of satin black paint. As for the fender and tank, I'm not exactly sure what I want to do just yet. I have several ideas, it's just a matter of picking one. I wanted to do the primer for the black stuff today since it was so warm, but it kept looking like rain, so I didn't risk it. They're calling for 70 tomorrow, so maybe I can sneak it in after work.
Because I need another project, I bought an axe to restore yesterday, which as it turns out, is actually a match to and axe I picked up last fall to restore.
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More details here:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=6365365#post6365365
View media item 68787
View media item 68788
More details here:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=6365365#post6365365
we always need another project, nice job on the ban saw
oldironfarmer
Well-known member
TrueTemper sure made some good axes. Those are worth using!
sublime68charger
Well-known member
So now you have 2 unrestored axes?
The bigger questions is due you know where the first axe is at?
If this was me I'd spend half a day cleaning and searching for the first axe to get a picture of the pair of axes!
The bigger questions is due you know where the first axe is at?
If this was me I'd spend half a day cleaning and searching for the first axe to get a picture of the pair of axes!
Thanks guys!
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I almost didn't buy the single bit because I associate the name "True Temper" with Walmart garden tools, it was only when I did a little more research later that night that I learned about their reputation.
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Correction... I now have two axe heads soaking in white vinegar and a pair of handpicked AA grade handles on order from House Handle Company. I actually did know exactly where the other axe was at, but I can totally relate to that "I know its here somewhere" feeling.
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I wanted to get the heads soaking in vinegar so I could play around with them this weekend, so I snuck out to the garage after everyone went to bed last night. The double bit handle was a breeze to remove - I pulled the wedge, gave the head a few taps with a wood mallet, and the head came right off.
The single bit was another story.
There were two metal wedges that I could see from the top side, but no matter what I did, I couldn't get them to budge. I was trying to save/reuse the handle, but it became pretty apparent after about 45 minutes that there was little hope for saving it, so I cut it off to get access from the handle side of the eye. I used a drill to remove as much wood as I could, and then used a punch to drive out the wedges. The "wedges" were in fact washers (yes, washers like you'd use with a bolt and nut) and there ended up being three of them stuffed in there. There were also a couple of nails and a sheet metal screw in there too. Admittedly the washer/wedge technique is a little unorthodox, but no judgement here - sometimes when you're out in the boonies, you have to get creative and find a way to make it work.
I then knocked all the loose stuff off both heads with a wire cup brush (yes, I decided to remove the red paint), raided the kitchen of its entire stockpile of white vinegar, and got the heads soaking. I'm looking forward to doing a little file work this weekend.
oldironfarmer
Well-known member
Something to be said for a head attachment scheme that you can't remove. I may have to try flat washers next time.
Enjoyed reading through your thread. I will subscribe for you future endeavors. Although it's probably gonna cost me 20 bucks. I have a wood burner in my shop, and got an outdoor unit for my house this year. So I will probably by the firewood book you mentioned.
Something to be said for a head attachment scheme that you can't remove. I may have to try flat washers next time.
Ha! Yeah, just make sure you hold it all in with a sheet metal screw!
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Glad you enjoyed my meanderings! You won't regret getting that book, I promise.
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I cleaned up the heads tonight and am really happy with how they turned out. This is the first time I've ever used a vinegar bath to remove rust, but I will say that it won't be the last. Super easy and very effective. Plus, the "waste" vinegar can actually be used as a wood stain.
After the vinegar bath:
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After wire brush:
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After two rounds of cold blue:
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In person, both heads are a really nice antique brown/black color, but I'll be darned if I can get my cell phone to get a decent picture of them. I'll bust out the DSLR for the final pics so you can get a real idea of how they look. I always panic a little after I cold blue something because it's always blotchy and blue/green, but as soon as I buff it with oil and steel wool, I'm always happy with the results. Handles are set to arrive on Monday.
And in case anyone is wondering, I haven't given up on the Sportster, it's just been too cold to get anything painted so I'm kind of stalled out for now.
Grumblebum
Well-known member
Wow they came up nice, how long was the vinegar soak roughly ?
Cheers GB
Cheers GB
I had them in there for 2 days. I didn't add salt to the vinegar as some people suggest - supposedly that speeds up the process. I also did a baking soda soak for about 10 minutes to neutralize any of the acid that was still on the heads - some people don't mention that step either.
oldironfarmer
Well-known member
I've really got to try vinegar cleaning. Thanks!
HCNDM
Well-known member
I bought the house I live in four years ago with my wife. By Dutch standards it has a decent yard and a nice little shed. Not a single bay garage or anything that large but a shed nonetheless which in one of the most densely populated countries in Europe isn't bad. Especially considering I live in suburbia. Whilst I would like larger it's simply not in the budget.
When we first moved in I did my best to build some benches on a very limited budget and turn my new shed into into a clean organized functional shop. A full house renovation and four years later the shed had turned into a pig sty. Flat surface disease had struck.
Motivation was completely gone especially after some minor flooding issues due to the shed being the lowest point on the property grade.
Furthermore I have had to OK from the misses to tear it down and build something more functional with a proper concrete floor for two years. I can't because my shed shares its roof with the neighbors shed and I have to get them onboard to tear my half down... something that may take another year.
All in all pretty much killed my motivation and my QST.
Saturday morning I remembered your very first post and went back and read it. I was stuck in dreamland and analysis paralysis as you so eloquently put it. Doing nothing because I wanted something I currently can't have.
Long story short I emptied the entire shed Saturday every nut bolt and tool and reorganized the whole lot. It ain't pretty or perfect but it's a working space again and it will do whilst I can have fun and tinker!
That's on you! Motivating me to make do and simply enjoy rather than dream pointlessly.
The time will come when it becomes more but for now I am happy as a pig in s&@! Simply having my little space back!
Thankyou!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
When we first moved in I did my best to build some benches on a very limited budget and turn my new shed into into a clean organized functional shop. A full house renovation and four years later the shed had turned into a pig sty. Flat surface disease had struck.
Motivation was completely gone especially after some minor flooding issues due to the shed being the lowest point on the property grade.
Furthermore I have had to OK from the misses to tear it down and build something more functional with a proper concrete floor for two years. I can't because my shed shares its roof with the neighbors shed and I have to get them onboard to tear my half down... something that may take another year.
All in all pretty much killed my motivation and my QST.
Saturday morning I remembered your very first post and went back and read it. I was stuck in dreamland and analysis paralysis as you so eloquently put it. Doing nothing because I wanted something I currently can't have.
Long story short I emptied the entire shed Saturday every nut bolt and tool and reorganized the whole lot. It ain't pretty or perfect but it's a working space again and it will do whilst I can have fun and tinker!
That's on you! Motivating me to make do and simply enjoy rather than dream pointlessly.
The time will come when it becomes more but for now I am happy as a pig in s&@! Simply having my little space back!
Thankyou!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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It doesn't hurt to dream about the future as long as it doesn't prevent us from enjoying today. Glad I could give you a little motivation to get your space back in shape after so many fellow GJ members have done the same for me. We're all in it together!
oldironfarmer
Well-known member
My wife tells me it's OK to dream as long as I don't touch...
Knyte Tyne
Well-known member
BD, For the Vinegar Soak... Is it any Specific Vinegar, (apple or Grape etc white or Balsamic)
I take it you would need to remove all old Paint before Soaking it? Would it have any effect on helping soften and Remove any (Very) old Paint?
I have a +- 1970 Delta Rockwell Jointer I've just stripped and was going to go the route of Electrolysis. Its been Living Somewhere damp for awhile before I got it and the complementary rats nest that comes with such finds... Problem is I still need to build it (the Tank). Whereas I reckon I have a 5lt Vinegar in shop already (its White Apple Vinegar) so I could Start pre-soaking while I build the Electro-Tank, If even still Necessary...
Does the Baking Soda Soak afterwards also Neutralise the Vinegar smell? Not one of my favourite things in the world and wouldn't want it stinking up the shop in days afterwards...
Apologies if these seem like silly questions, I'm sure I could Google all this info but its nice to hear from those who have actually done it.
Thanks Bud.
I take it you would need to remove all old Paint before Soaking it? Would it have any effect on helping soften and Remove any (Very) old Paint?
I have a +- 1970 Delta Rockwell Jointer I've just stripped and was going to go the route of Electrolysis. Its been Living Somewhere damp for awhile before I got it and the complementary rats nest that comes with such finds... Problem is I still need to build it (the Tank). Whereas I reckon I have a 5lt Vinegar in shop already (its White Apple Vinegar) so I could Start pre-soaking while I build the Electro-Tank, If even still Necessary...
Does the Baking Soda Soak afterwards also Neutralise the Vinegar smell? Not one of my favourite things in the world and wouldn't want it stinking up the shop in days afterwards...
Apologies if these seem like silly questions, I'm sure I could Google all this info but its nice to hear from those who have actually done it.
Thanks Bud.
I'm not sure if other vinegar types can be used or not, but everything I researched called for good old fashioned white distilled cooking vinegar you find at the grocery store for $2 a gallon, so that's what I used. Heinz makes a "cleaning" vinegar for $3.50/gallon that has 1% higher acidity level. While 1% might not seem like a lot, it actually makes the vinegar solution 20% stronger. I might give it a try the next time around to see if it makes any difference.
From what I saw, the vinegar had no effect on paint. There were a few deep scratches in the axe head where I didn't remove the paint with the wire brush. I thought the vinegar might soften it up so I left it, but I ended up having to use a pick to scrape it out because it was still there after the soak.
Side note - as I was wire brushing the paint off in preparation for the vinegar bath, I noticed these scratches were filled with paint, which leads me to believe that the head had probably been repainted at some point in its life. I no longer felt bad about removing the paint because it was not original.
You want to keep an eye on your parts because I read that if you leave them in there too long, it can turn them black. I was checking the parts twice a day to make sure I wasn't overdoing it.
Whatever you do for the soak, make sure it covers the part completely. I saw a guy had partially filled a container and only covered half the part on purpose to show the "half treated, half un-treated" side by side comparison. It created a distinct line down the middle of the part. Anything you leave exposed won't be affected by the vinegar. Also, don't mix it with water because it will just dilute the solution and take longer to work.
The vinegar smell did not stick around once I washed the parts. The process I used was as follows: soak in vinegar for 48 hours, rinse with plain water while brushing away the rust, soak in baking soda solution for 15 minutes, rinse with plain water again, dry completely. You'll then either want to coat the part with oil, or paint, or whatever to prevent flash rust.
I know I'm in the minority, but I don't mind the smell of vinegar at all because, all my life, vinegar has been used for cleaning so my brain associates the smell of vinegar as the smell of "fresh and clean". On a somewhat related but completely impertinent note, I can't stand the smell of Lysol spray because, every time I was sick, my Mom would spray it around the house constantly to "kill germs". To this day, whenever I smell any variation of Lysol, I get a sick feeling in my stomach.
No apologies needed, I'm happy to help!
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Wife booted me out of the house tonight... she knew that I was itching to work with the axe handles so she told me to head out to the garage as soon as Stinkerpot went to bed. I really love that woman. Here's a purposely over edited, non-descript teaser pic of the single bit.
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I started fitting the double bit, but soon realized that I only had the patience to fit one handle today, and didn't want to force it or make a mistake I would regret. Instead, I cracked a second beer, sat down next to the kerosene heater, and enjoyed a little peace and quiet while admiring my new axe handle.
View media item 68968
I started fitting the double bit, but soon realized that I only had the patience to fit one handle today, and didn't want to force it or make a mistake I would regret. Instead, I cracked a second beer, sat down next to the kerosene heater, and enjoyed a little peace and quiet while admiring my new axe handle.
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You made leaps and bounds with those axes. The single bit is looking great. I picked up an old maul at an estate sale last year. It needs a new handle, but I have used it a little. I may have to go try to get in some garage therapy, but I have to put a new gasket in the wood stove before I use it again. It never sealed great, and it pretty much isn't sealing up at all currently. Which means it chews through the wood, and runs WAY hot.
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the photo editing makes a nice touch
Edit:
the photo editing makes a nice touch
oldironfarmer
Well-known member
Great detailed response on vinegar cleaning.
Handle looks good, do you have an axe to grind?
Handle looks good, do you have an axe to grind?
Grumblebum
Well-known member
Nice axe pic BD. It is a great thing to sit with an ale quietly and admire your work at night after all are asleep.
I'm going to try some vinegar soaks soon, have some vises to cleanup. Had figured I would try an e-bath, but I just don't have that weekend time to set it up at the moment.
GB
I'm going to try some vinegar soaks soon, have some vises to cleanup. Had figured I would try an e-bath, but I just don't have that weekend time to set it up at the moment.
GB
HCNDM
Well-known member
For items that don't need to be pretty I tend to leave them in the vinegar until black and then neutralize with soda.
The black is an awesome rust deterant. Kind of like mill scale.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The black is an awesome rust deterant. Kind of like mill scale.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'll chime in on the vinegar cleaning. I have cleaned countless parts on my truck restoration that were to hard to sandblast. For instance the headers I soaked for about a week. There was no way to avoid flash rust after rinsing them so I just lightly hit them with the sandblaster.
I have left stuff in vinegar for several months(by accident). It is really good for cleaning rusty bolts if you have a weeks time.
One thing I did have trouble with is cast iron. I soaked a brake drum and it reacted to vinegar and it basically ruined it.
Some photos of the headers I soaked. They were in pretty rough shape.
DSCN8106 by bjohnson388, on Flickr
I was able to get all the heavy rust all inside the tubes which would have been impossible sandblasting.
DSCN8118 by bjohnson388, on Flickr
They came out pretty good considering all I spent was time and some header paint.
20150606_165508 by bjohnson388, on Flickr
Sorry BD not meaning to hijack. Just my experiences.
Bret
I have left stuff in vinegar for several months(by accident). It is really good for cleaning rusty bolts if you have a weeks time.
One thing I did have trouble with is cast iron. I soaked a brake drum and it reacted to vinegar and it basically ruined it.
Some photos of the headers I soaked. They were in pretty rough shape.
DSCN8106 by bjohnson388, on FlickrI was able to get all the heavy rust all inside the tubes which would have been impossible sandblasting.
DSCN8118 by bjohnson388, on FlickrThey came out pretty good considering all I spent was time and some header paint.
20150606_165508 by bjohnson388, on FlickrSorry BD not meaning to hijack. Just my experiences.
Bret
oldironfarmer
Well-known member
I'll say those headers look good!
rmalkow2
Well-known member
Thanks for the details on rust removal with vinegar. I've tried E-tank and, Evaporust so far and will pick up some vinegar at the store to try next. From all the replies and pictures here it seems to work really well and a lot cheaper than Evaporust.
Is it one time use only or do you strain out the sediment and re-use the vinegar?
Is it one time use only or do you strain out the sediment and re-use the vinegar?
Knyte Tyne
Well-known member
Holy Fish and Chips Batman... Wasnt expecting that kind of reply... Thank you everyone 
Will take notes and Give it abash next time Im Shop side. Im a little worried about the cast Iron Mention... I think Parts on the Old Jointer may in fact be cast... Ill need to look into that
Will take notes and Give it abash next time Im Shop side. Im a little worried about the cast Iron Mention... I think Parts on the Old Jointer may in fact be cast... Ill need to look into that
rmalkow2
Well-known member
Awesome, I will give that a try, thank you.
Thanks JP. I'm definitely going to be on the prowl for more axes to restore, I've really been having fun with this.
Before you hang a new handle on that maul, I would suggest doing a little research online. There is certainly no shortage of information about how to properly hang an axe head, along with that, there seems to be several versions of the "right" way of doing it. The only thing I can be sure of is that its a little more complicated than just knocking the old handle off and pounding a new one in.
FWIW, I already have a few things I'm going to do differently when I hang the double-bit. While I was marginally successful on the single-bit, but I'm not 100% happy with how it turned out (more on that when I do a write up on the finished product). Its okay though, its no fun when you get it right the first time.
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No grinding, but plenty of filing and honing! I've been practicing my file work on my camping axe and now have it blowing scraps of 2x4 apart in my garage with almost no force applied beyond the weight of the axe head itself. This axe (a modern, non-US made Collins) has never cut better! I probably should have figured out how to do this years ago, it would have saved a lot of work splitting wood at the campsite.
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Thanks GB... I'm slowly learning to stop and enjoy the moment after a project is finished instead of just plowing on to the next thing.
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That is interesting... the next time I'm at the ReStore, I'm going to pick up a random $2 hammer or something and try it out.
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No worries Bret - your insight (and pics of that beautiful car) is always welcome here!
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Would you mind reporting back here, or maybe making a new thread on what your take is on all three processes once you've had time to mess around with the vinegar? I'd be really curious to see which one seems to work the best.
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Holy Fish and Chips Batman... Wasnt expecting that kind of reply... Thank you everyone
You gotta watch out for these guys - turn your back for one day and you'll get more information than you ever expected!
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Thanks big bake!
I'd like to have the insulation and OSB done before next winter. Part of the hold up is that I want to remove the window along the south side of the garage while the studs are still exposed. Removing it also means patching in siding and painting, and I didn't want to tear into that while we're still seeing freezing weather and getting rain/snow on a regular basis. Once it gets warmer, I'll pull that window and start the next phase of garage improvements.
I'd like to have the insulation and OSB done before next winter. Part of the hold up is that I want to remove the window along the south side of the garage while the studs are still exposed. Removing it also means patching in siding and painting, and I didn't want to tear into that while we're still seeing freezing weather and getting rain/snow on a regular basis. Once it gets warmer, I'll pull that window and start the next phase of garage improvements.
oldironfarmer
Well-known member
I remember you sounding pretty discouraged when you first started the thread. Your garage has come a long way, baby! Now you're looking at insulation, OSB, new missing window!!
I remember you sounding pretty discouraged when you first started the thread. Your garage has come a long way, baby! Now you're looking at insulation, OSB, new missing window!!
I was initially discouraged when I had to come to terms with the fact that I would not be able to do what I had been building up in my mind. I started this thread on the tail end of that discouragement, so some of that negativity probably seeped through. Right now, I'm very happy with how things have been going, and where they're heading.
Since we're on the subject of "Phase 2", here are my main garage improvement goals for spring/summer/fall (in no particular order):
-Repair fascia boards
-Install gutters
-Install soffit vents
-Remove south window
-Install new windows on north side
-Replace man-door
-Repair/patch in siding
-Paint exterior
-Insulate
-Install OSB
-Paint interior
-Update interior lighting
-Update exterior lighting
The list looks long when you itemize it out like that, but some of those projects will only take a few hours. I'm also looking at some sort of air exchange/ventilation system so I can **** the hot air out and pull the cold air in at night during the summer - it'll all depend on what the budget allows, but I'm leaning towards a small, whole house fan approach if I can find one small enough for my space. I also have some house related projects that need to happen this year as well, so its going to be a busy summer (as usual).