Garage/Shop Wish List

I've finally found a home for my cars. It's unheated and uninsulated and there's no water (or drain) but it is in a nice area with quick access to two major highways, and the floor is nice concrete and not cracked and split all to heck, and free electricity as long as I don't get stupid (welding OK, electric heaters not OK). And I could afford it.

Now, I need to populate it. I have... my old Matco toolbox as a hand-me-down since I just bought a new double-height box for work. And some hand tools.

I've already decided that I don't want air tools, Li-Ion batteries make electrics so painless that I've already started down that path, although air tools still rule for porting. I'm also going to invest in a set or two of vehicle dollies so I can move cars around by myself. The garage lighting is minimal and I am going to look into what LED strip lighting would cost, for energy-saving reasons.

A lift would be awesome but jackstands and a good high-lift floorjack allows the space to be more versatile. Also, money.

So GRM, those of you who HAVE cool garages, if you were to do things differently/better if starting from a blank slate, what would you do?

In for answers, also what seemingly small thing did you do that in hindsight has made all the difference for the better.

I don't have it (yet), but Slat wall. One of my neighbors just lined his entire garage.

Costco has a twin-pack LED 4' light for $25...pretty bright at 2700 Lumens. I'm going back for more.

The steel 7' retired shop cabinets are wonderful for hiding things as well.

What would I start off with cheaply?

• Drywall all walls/ceilings and paint with a washable white paint.
• Coat the floor
• insulate better
• Can never have too much light
• More electrical outlets
• Electrical sub breaker box in garage (I did this, best decision ever)
• Rolling tool stands (Toolboxes, saws, etc. keep it all mobile)

Also...

• Beverage fridge. Very important.

Forgot to mention: I didn't make any measurements, but eyeball-judging it versus the storage locker that is currently housing two of my cars, the space is about 15-20 feet wide by 30-35 feet deep, with a small extra space maybe 3' deep by 8' long on one side. Ceiling maybe 8-9' up.

The two cars do NOT fit end to end in the 10x30 locker, so I ended up removing the bumpers on one for space reasons. Thus the desire for rollaround casters, I think they'd fit better sideways then endwise. At least, I'd be able to stuff a long term car sideways in the back and still have room up front (double width garage door) for two cars.

It is also possible that my storage locker isn't 30' deep. Fortunately, one of the big cars is going away not long after I get organized and the weather warms up enough to work unheated, so I'll just have the one Quantum, the RX-7, and the GTI..

Grtechguy wrote: I don't have it (yet), but Slat wall. One of my neighbors just lined his entire garage. Costco has a twin-pack LED 4' light for $25...pretty bright at 2700 Lumens. I'm going back for more. The steel 7' retired shop cabinets are wonderful for hiding things as well. What would I start off with cheaply? * Drywall all walls/ceilings and paint with a washable white paint. * Coat the floor * insulate better * Can never have too much light * More electrical outlets * Electrical sub breaker box in garage (I did this, best decision ever) * Rolling tool stands (Toolboxes, saws, etc. keep it all mobile) Also... * Beverage fridge. Very important.

I'm going to meet with the landlord today to sign the lease paperwork. At that time, I'll ask if he minds if I put anything up on the walls, which are currently just empty framework. (I'd LOVE to insulate them) In the interim, I was planning on hanging tarps up over the walls to keep them from getting dirty, and putting more tarp under the cars to keep the concrete from getting stained. It's good enough for WRC service crews

I figure, worse case, he'll want to oversee/do the work himself, which is totally fine by me. It's his property and his investment, after all.

One nice thing is that the outside facing walls have outlets every three feet. I don't know what current they can handle, though.

Light. White pegboard on the upper 4' of the walls so you can hang stuff to keep it off benches and make room in tool boxes.

Light, cleanliness and shelving. Enclosed shelving if you're going to be grinding/welding a lot.

I'll say it too: lights, bright surfaces, and being organized.

After that being comfortable will help. Whether it's a heater or a/c unit, or something like a mini fridge and a rocking stereo.

While I do not have a sweet garage, I have worked in a number of them, and have learned a few things about them along the way.

Lights. I've never been in a garage that had too much lighting.

White. The whiter the walls, the brighter the shop. Yes, it shows dirt. But the illumination gain is worthwhile. The opposite is a the likes of a black shop. Doesn't matter how many lights you have, it's dark.

Polished concrete floors. Best thing I've ever worked on. It does absolutely nothing, which is perfect. As opposed to painted floors and such which peel and cause all kinds of problems. Tiled is the worse.

Outlets. Just can't have too many. All the way around all the walls.

Work benchs. Can't have too many of these either.

work bench with mounted vise. 110v impact gun, beer fridge, somewhere to pee after too many beers...

Knurled wrote: ... those of you who HAVE cool garages...

Well then... I guess I'll sit down.

Internet, though these days it's typically WIFI. Important for placing parts orders before you forget, researching parts, watching F1, or wasting the entire day watching cat videos on YouTube (probably a good reason Not to have it).

And, if not streaming radio, a real radio, with real speakers. I've listened to practically the entire 40+ years of a Prairie Home Companion and it's great shop entertainment.

I don't have a cool garage but I was just offered an old 7up vending machine...

I think you need a Subaru or Mercedes to decorate properly.

I'm nearing completion of wiring my workshop.

I added switched "bling" outlets near the tops of the walls for lighted memorabilia. Beer signs and whatnot.

I added an outlet high on a wall for a TV, also ran coax and ethernet to it, as well as two other ethernet drops.

In the house garage, the compressor (I love air) is in an insulated extension out the back side, pilot switch on the inside so I can kill it easily (lights up when powered up). The new shop will eventually have its own separate enclosure outside.

Everything needs to be on wheels.

Cupboards, dude. Lots of them. 12 gauge garage motto: the floor isn't storage.

I've made stands using about a 3' section of sch40 pip welded to an old rim. Makes things stable yet moveable. Vice on a post. Grinder on a post. Bead roller on a post. Grand.

Retractable extension cord on the ceiling is good.

Retractable air line on the ceiling is good (I love air).

Vertical storage - BIG plus juan for pegboard and slatwall storage. Also, modular steel shelves are pretty cheap, easy to find at just about every big box home improvement emporium, and not permanently mounted to walls if thats something the landlord frowns upon.

Second, a section of workbench/flat surface with room for a stool underneath, and a task light/desk lamp dedicated to that space – fidgeting with small part assemblies is easier when it's lighted, and you’re seated versus standing at the bench.

Speaking of benches, have somewhere for others to sit. This could be as simple as 4 steelies in 2 stacks of 2, with a 2x10 stretched between. I hate going to a buddies shop, and when there's downtime where 2 people under the hood is 1 too many, I have nowhere to take a load off. Sounds lazy, but I am who I am.

Lastly, an auto-retracting reel for an extension cord. Incredibly useful, and compact. I can't stand trying to roll something around, and have to stop, and wind up/kick/scoot a cord out of the way.

SkinnyG wrote: Retractable air line on the ceiling is good (I love air).

Did you come up with a nifty way to cut down on the noise of the compressor? I rarely run mine because it is LOUD.

I renovated my 25x40 shop 18 months ago. The key points were as follows:

Wiring - outlets every 4 feet on the wall. Illuminated light switches that are easy to see in the dark. 1,500 watts of light. I hate shadows.

Insulation - Heat kept is heat you don't have to make. My shop averages 10 degrees above ambient in the winter without a constant heat source. When I'm in there I use a propane trash can heater and it's 55 degrees in no time.

Drywall and white paint - Semi-gloss everywhere. It cleans easier and reflects more light.

Work spaces - 16' of workshop table and racks to get things off the floor. It's more efficient to use vertical space. Tire racks, metal racks, lumber racks and floor to ceiling shelving.

Big air compressor - the more I use it the more I love it. Mine is a 60-gallon Devilbiss with a replacement harborfreight pump. Quiet and makes a ton of air for painting, sanding and rotary tools.

Things on wheels - mobile work stations, tool boxes etc. Nesting work stations are even better for getting things out of the way.

+1 on stuff that retracts. I have a air hose reel mounted up in the rafters where it's (way) out of the way, with the end hanging just within reach. Placed it so that the 50 ft of air hose reaches outside into the driveway as well. Also bought one of those extension cord reels and admit it works pretty well. Again, it gets it up off the floor and out of the way. I don't like manually coiling wires because it puts twists in it.

paranoid_android74 wrote:

SkinnyG wrote: Retractable air line on the ceiling is good (I love air).

Did you come up with a nifty way to cut down on the noise of the compressor? I rarely run mine because it is LOUD.

Mine is mounted in an isolation chamber:

DIY option? Rubber mount the base and build a plywood case around it. inside walls covered with 1/2" foam. Include an exhaust fan. with an air intake from the floor.

paranoid_android74 wrote:

SkinnyG wrote: Retractable air line on the ceiling is good (I love air).

Did you come up with a nifty way to cut down on the noise of the compressor? I rarely run mine because it is LOUD.

Mine is in a different room, I just close the door and it is much quieter.

In reply to EvanB:

I wish I had a garage like yours- that extra room with a door is a great setup!

My garage is pretty much a 1.5 car shoe box, so If the compressor isn't in it it is outside.

Grtechguy, you might be on to something. This I shall ponder...

This is what I get the most use out of:

Wrenches, wrenches, and more wrenches.

A digital caliper.

A big-ass bench vise, and a crap load of clamps.

A giant selection of bolts, nuts, screws, wire, connectors, and zip ties.

A genuine high-torque impact wrench. Might as well buy a compressor to run it, because a good battery version will cost over $300 anyway. But if you want a battery version, the new Dewalt 20V is the real deal, hands down.

A suitable respirator, and a full-face protection shield.

A decent 220V MIG welder with gas, an angle grinder, and a benchtop 12" disc sander.

A weldable steel stockpile of angle iron, box tubing, round tubing, flat stock, and sheet metal.

Some sort of welding table, even if it's jury-rigged plywood and sheet metal.

A chop saw or better yet a band saw is really nice, but you can get away with the angle grinder for cutting things a little proud and then sanding them down to the precise side with the disc sander.

Some facility to clean, strip, and repaint parts.

JBasham wrote: ... if you want a battery version, the new Dewalt 20V is the real deal, hands down...

Not trying to hijack this thread, but is it? It lists as "1500 in-lbs", or 125 ft-lbs, which seems kinda "meh" for getting off lug nuts tightened by the tire monkeys in the shops. I guess for more normal torque levels on your own car it's probably perfect.

Lots of good ideas on here. I really, reallt need more outlets in my garage - made it 15 years with just one outlet. I need to check out those CostCo lights!

Most importantly, when is the garage warming party?

Edit - that compressor box idea is gold!

EvanB wrote: I don't have a cool garage but I was just offered an old 7up vending machine... I think you need a Subaru or Mercedes to decorate properly.

I have enough cars, that's the problem, that's why my earmarked car payment money is now renting a garage instead Anyway I thought you sold the Mercedes.

Speaking with the owner, any renovations would have to be done to his standards with my monetary input. As I'm going to be broke for a while with other financial obligations happening, I'd have to hold off on all that for the time being.

I DO want to see how cheaply I can get expanses of dry erase board.