The Weekender: Tune-Up

[tfreer85]

Here's my introduction. I've got a 19.5x18.5 (interior dimension) attached garage. Since, my wife and I moved in about 2 years ago, the garage has been a place for furniture boxes and JUNK. Switched positions where I work to have more free time at home. One of the first places to tackle was the garage. The first pictures are past the first weekend of projects. A lot of boxes thrown away and the shelving and lockers painted rustoleum carnival red. I only work in the garage during the weekend right now. The goals are:

True Workbench
Cabinetry (better than whats there)
Epoxy type Flooring & Wall Paint
Tools & More Tools
Then build the Detached garage.

Anyways onward to the pictures I say!

After this weekends work.

Still a work in progress.

 

[Thruxton]

You've got a nice space and a good start- you'll get plenty of inspiration here to keep things moving, the payback is to keep us posted!

 

[rickairmedic]

Looks like a great start if your free next weekend you can come straighten my mess up .


Rick

 

[tfreer85]

Thanks guys!! This forum has put more ideas in my head for the garage than you can imagine. Both of you are serving as inspiration, lots of great work on here, and much more work for me to be done!

 

[tfreer85]

Quick little google sketchup of where I'd like to be going.

 

[tfreer85]

Okay so here's this weekends update. No real garage changes, but a completely FREE haul, thanks to my Dad. The craftsman cart was originally his grandfathers and the OTC tool box was originally his. Both pieces will receive overhalls to match the rest of the garage. Both are in need of a lot of TLC and grease for the sliders. The bottom portions of the newer craftsman box were mine that were in storage hell for a while. Some of the tools are ok, some of them seem like great old quality tools in need of clean-up. So far my total cost for garage is around $20 (mostly in paint and CLR). Let me know what you think!

 

[tfreer85]

So no major updates. Took the grandfathers toolbox and applied (brushed on) the first coat of Safety Coat Red. It will look good, however, I think I should have stuck with Carnival red, I think it's a better color match. Next weekend I will sand it down with 420 grit and spray it with an HVLP. New compressor will be in next week so it'll be its first project.

Additionally, added some lights. Unfortunately in my rush I didn't see if they had a pull chain and got them up and installed. What this means is plugging them in and out whenever I need them. When my electrician buddy helps me wire in all the outlets we'll make sure this will coincide with the regular light switch.

That's is all for this weekends update.

 

[tfreer85]

So I was on the fence about to buy or to build a workbench. After talking to the wife (and getting encouraged) I built my own. This is the first "woodworking" I've ever done if you can call it that. This is one of two: you can see the lumber for the second in the background. There will be two @ 6ft (72 inch) long x 2ft (24 inch) deep x 42-3/4 inch tall. I would have gone longer, but transportation issues prevented it (PT Cruiser). Construction is 2x6 for all support beams, 4x4 for legs, and 3/4" birch plywood top. I had all the lumber precut at Home Depot, however, I got to use my router for the first time to apply a 1/2" beveled edge! I feel like a real man now

Total cost $150, including 3" deck screws, a combination level, all the cuts, and 1 Orange Fanta.

Add an additional: $42 for water based semi-gloss polycrylic which hasn't been applied yet.

Thanks for looking!

 

[Red Leader]

Wow, EXCELLENT tool grab! Quite a bit of value there. I am still working on my meager hand tool collection. The Craftsman rolling cart is great. Is that top box Craftsman? If not, it may have been made by the same folks who made Craftsman boxes...very similar.

My garage is just a foot or so bigger in dimensions...very similarly sized. It takes a bit of creativity to work with our size of garage, but that is also what makes it fun.

The big boys have a huge warehouse of space to randomly locate stuff 'here' or locate stuff 'there'.

We, my friend, have feng shui

 

[tfreer85]

Wow, EXCELLENT tool grab! Quite a bit of value there. I am still working on my meager hand tool collection. The Craftsman rolling cart is great. Is that top box Craftsman? If not, it may have been made by the same folks who made Craftsman boxes...very similar.

My garage is just a foot or so bigger in dimensions...very similarly sized. It takes a bit of creativity to work with our size of garage, but that is also what makes it fun.

The big boys have a huge warehouse of space to randomly locate stuff 'here' or locate stuff 'there'.

We, my friend, have feng shui

Thanks Red Leader!! From here I'm going to start to try and get things "UP" off the ground and to use all my wall space. Definitely requires more regular scrutiny of floor space etc. Here shortly I'm hoping to have a Taig or Sherline lathe and mill setup on one of the workbenches, because well a full scale in CA runs 30% higher than elsewhere from what I've seen. My wife read the feng-shui thing and responded "Feng-shui ALL THE THINGS!!" which seems to be a common catch phrase for our family lately thanks to this.

In regards to the top box, it is not made by Craftsman, it is an OTC (Ottowana Tool Company) that I can't find much information about. It is about 1/2 - 1" wider than the Craftsman rolling cart and will require a LOT more work to get it back to "new" condition (frame needs straightened out and so do the rails). In my personal opinion, its not a well made box in comparison to the older Craftsman box. Its feel pretty flimsy, and flexes / bends very easily (i.e. pull a drawer to quickly and bend the front of the drawer when EMPTY ). For the time being I cleaned it all up and applied a couple to coats of hand-rubbed polycrylic to keep the paint in the same condition and provide a little "fresh wax" look to it. I'm hoping to fill it with mill and lathe stuff and use it for light duty.

Thanks for reading!
Tyson

 

[tfreer85]

Today's progress, not 100% but its getting better and better. Here are the pictures, still need to paint the walls, do pegboard, and build over the bench storage.

Thanks for looking!
Tyson