Aquaticbob
Well-known member
I've been debating for awhile on whether or not to post to the gallery. I decided it can't hurt anything to put out there what I've worked pretty hard on getting going! I'll start off where the shop is currently, and then the next couple posts will be the lead up to getting the shop to where it currently sits.
So, some of you might be wondering what I mean when I say it's a shared garage. Well, it's a Self-Service garage, AKA Do it Yourself Shop, aka I share my shop with the public. Yes, this is a business, just the same as a self-service storage unit. I offer a safe, well equipped environment to those who A. Can't afford their own shop, like some of the bad *** shops that are posted here, B. Don't have the space to create their own bad *** shop, C. Just don't have a need for a shop all the time. I was A and B when the idea popped into my head about starting one of these up. I was sitting in my college dorm room, needing to work on my truck, loathing the fact I was going to have to do it in a snowy parking lot. So 2 years later, I sit writing this post, simply excited about the shop finally being usable
The shop has 6 lifts available for rent at one time. There are 3 XPR-10a's all in the wide configuration. There is 1 XPR-10, and 2 HD-9St's. Both the HD-9ST's have the bendpak RJ-45 rolling jacks available to go in at anytime. We usually have one of them with the rolling jacks in, while the other doesn't as it's main task is oil changes, and quick inspections.
The 6 bays all have 2 air drops (one with a 30ft zillareel, the other 20ft soft hose), an oil catch dolly, a garbage bucket, a 5hp 12 gallon shop vac, a 450 piece tool box, a 6ft wood work bench, and a lift. There is an Ingersoll Rand 1/2" drive impact gun in each box, as well as an IR 3/8" drive air ratchet. There is metric and standard in 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2", as well as combo wrenches. There are 6 points, and specialty sockets in all sizes, deep and shallow. 3/8" and 1/2" have 12 points, and 8 points as well.
The majority of the tools in the box are Craftsman USA purchased a few years ago, so they are all pretty solid tools. Unfortunately, now it's basically impossible to get USA C-man, and even when you can, most of it is still **** steel anyway. I have had to warranty a couple tools from customers improperly using them, and the replacements all don't last very long. This has led me to think about replacing whole sets in the future.
On top of the tool boxes, we have a large range of specialty tools, diagnostic tools, and tools I simply just couldn't afford for every box. We also keep our Ingersoll Rand rotary screw compressor, shop sink, and desk in the same place.
The shop is just under 6,000 square feet in size for the shop portion. There is an office with bathrooms, and a break area. The air supply is all copper, 1" on the main trunk, then 3/4" on the T, and 1/2" on the drops from the T. Sadly I wasn't able to get my rapid air system put in. I have about 1000 feet of it, and 2 port manifolds for each bay, just sitting currently. I plan to install it, just don't want to mess with the copper currently as it gets the job done.
We also have a range of heavier equipment on site. There is a vise, a 20 ton press, a tig and mig welder, chop saw, bench grinder, miter saw, and I'm adding more each day. Once our jeep project rolls out the door I'll be adding in quite a few more goodies.
This is how the shop currently sits, and it is always changing to our customers demand, and what we think will work best. Overall I'm pretty happy with it, and enjoy coming into work every single day. I get to hang out in a shop, and see some pretty cool cars come in to get worked on. In the next couple posts I'll begin with where it all started and work our way to the present!
So, some of you might be wondering what I mean when I say it's a shared garage. Well, it's a Self-Service garage, AKA Do it Yourself Shop, aka I share my shop with the public. Yes, this is a business, just the same as a self-service storage unit. I offer a safe, well equipped environment to those who A. Can't afford their own shop, like some of the bad *** shops that are posted here, B. Don't have the space to create their own bad *** shop, C. Just don't have a need for a shop all the time. I was A and B when the idea popped into my head about starting one of these up. I was sitting in my college dorm room, needing to work on my truck, loathing the fact I was going to have to do it in a snowy parking lot. So 2 years later, I sit writing this post, simply excited about the shop finally being usable
The shop has 6 lifts available for rent at one time. There are 3 XPR-10a's all in the wide configuration. There is 1 XPR-10, and 2 HD-9St's. Both the HD-9ST's have the bendpak RJ-45 rolling jacks available to go in at anytime. We usually have one of them with the rolling jacks in, while the other doesn't as it's main task is oil changes, and quick inspections.
The 6 bays all have 2 air drops (one with a 30ft zillareel, the other 20ft soft hose), an oil catch dolly, a garbage bucket, a 5hp 12 gallon shop vac, a 450 piece tool box, a 6ft wood work bench, and a lift. There is an Ingersoll Rand 1/2" drive impact gun in each box, as well as an IR 3/8" drive air ratchet. There is metric and standard in 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2", as well as combo wrenches. There are 6 points, and specialty sockets in all sizes, deep and shallow. 3/8" and 1/2" have 12 points, and 8 points as well.
The majority of the tools in the box are Craftsman USA purchased a few years ago, so they are all pretty solid tools. Unfortunately, now it's basically impossible to get USA C-man, and even when you can, most of it is still **** steel anyway. I have had to warranty a couple tools from customers improperly using them, and the replacements all don't last very long. This has led me to think about replacing whole sets in the future.
On top of the tool boxes, we have a large range of specialty tools, diagnostic tools, and tools I simply just couldn't afford for every box. We also keep our Ingersoll Rand rotary screw compressor, shop sink, and desk in the same place.
The shop is just under 6,000 square feet in size for the shop portion. There is an office with bathrooms, and a break area. The air supply is all copper, 1" on the main trunk, then 3/4" on the T, and 1/2" on the drops from the T. Sadly I wasn't able to get my rapid air system put in. I have about 1000 feet of it, and 2 port manifolds for each bay, just sitting currently. I plan to install it, just don't want to mess with the copper currently as it gets the job done.
We also have a range of heavier equipment on site. There is a vise, a 20 ton press, a tig and mig welder, chop saw, bench grinder, miter saw, and I'm adding more each day. Once our jeep project rolls out the door I'll be adding in quite a few more goodies.
This is how the shop currently sits, and it is always changing to our customers demand, and what we think will work best. Overall I'm pretty happy with it, and enjoy coming into work every single day. I get to hang out in a shop, and see some pretty cool cars come in to get worked on. In the next couple posts I'll begin with where it all started and work our way to the present!
