New House - New Garage - Thoughts and Ideas Appreciated

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OK, so it's a used house

but new to me.  It has a 2 car garage that my "shop" half shares with the missus car.  I'm a part time hobbyist at best - yard art and the odd repair once in a while.  But now that I have a dedicated area to call my own, I'd like to make user friendly instead of setting up and tearing down every time I want to use it.

The red tool cart is my welding cart/table/grinding station, etc.  The white cabinet was left by the previous owners - it's on wheels and I can roll it out if I want (the nut/bolt stack is attached to the wall - not the table).  Tool box is mine and immovable (too damn heavy).  The wooden upper shelves and peg wall was left by the previous owner as well.I have another metal shelf unit that has most of my hand tools (grinders, saws, etc) so they're pretty squared away.

I'm thinking of making this my primary fabrication/work table by adding a a sheet steel top to it.  Nothing crazy thick, but be able to ground to it if needed, able to use magnets to hold stuff, things like that.  Dumb idea or is a steel topped work surface for welding useful enough to justify doing it?Need to add a closer overhead light and better organize that wooden shelf with the coolers and junk.  Maybe put the extension cords in the white cabinet and use that shelf for metal storage.Anyways - I'm a noob, wanted to share what I have, and if you have an idea about something, point me to other threads with storage ideas, and whatnot, I'm always appreciative.

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Reply:Looks like you're off to a good start, and with all that Snap-on stuff, you obviously like quality tools.What part of AZ are you in?  I have a brother in Glendale who is also partial to Snap On tools.Miller Trailblazer Pro 350DMiller Suitcase MIGMiller Spectrum 2050Miller Syncrowave 250DXLincoln 210MP
Reply:

Originally Posted by scsmith42

Looks like you're off to a good start, and with all that Snap-on stuff, you obviously like quality tools.What part of AZ are you in?  I have a brother in Glendale who is also partial to Snap On tools.
Reply:I would put as many receptacles in as you can so you don't end up running extensions everywhere. That's exactly what I'm going to try to do on a shop/home I'll be building.Plan out for your machines and welder(s) and make sure you have the proper receptacles.
Reply:You can put a piece of 1/8" plate on top of your grey cabinet. Since you will normally not be welding to it, it won't warp. I did something similar and put a sheet on top of my table saw until I could get my real welding table. Since your space is at a premium, I would put more shelves or storage space above the pegboard area. Can you put up a small shed out back to help de-clutter the work area?If you look in some of the scrap metal thread pics, you can see my shop was very full until I was able to get a storage container.Millermatic 252 MIGMiller Dynasty 200DX TIGMiller Spectrum 625 PlasmaAltas 12x36 Metal LatheBridgeport Milling Machinewww.psacustomcreations.com
Reply:

Originally Posted by TraditionalToolworks

I would put as many receptacles in as you can so you don't end up running extensions everywhere. That's exactly what I'm going to try to do on a shop/home I'll be building.Plan out for your machines and welder(s) and make sure you have the proper receptacles.
Reply:I hadn't thought about being able to tack to the top until you and one of my customers mentioned it.  They both recommended 3/16" at a minimum if I plan to.  Heading to the metal supply house to look for a 32" x 72" piece, as well as some 1" square tubing for the chop saw stand - that's this weekends project and am very psyched up for it!RE: the shed idea - I put in a 8' x 14' TuffShed on the other side of the house but it's stocked with garden, Xmas, and camping gear.  It's organized well and if push comes to shove I can squeeze a little more in it, but for now I'll wait until the garage setup and layout get's closer to what I will keep for a long time.Not keen on extending that shelving, I already bash my head into that corner enough!  That reminds me, get a pool noodle for padding that sucker

Cleared the floor, looks so much better.

Last edited by Shootr; 05-20-2020 at 10:33 AM.
Reply:

Originally Posted by Shootr

Also Glendale, 51st Ave/Cactus.  I confess, I was a dealer for 12 years in Safford and Morenci so when a good trade in came in I'd keep it for myself!
Reply:

Originally Posted by Shootr

Also Glendale, 51st Ave/Cactus.  I confess, I was a dealer for 12 years in Safford and Morenci so when a good trade in came in I'd keep it for myself!
Reply:

Originally Posted by scsmith42

Do you know Fred Ferguson?  He's a Snap-on dealer in Phoenix an a close friend of my brother's.  I think that Fred has been a dealer for 8 years or so.
Reply:

Originally Posted by TimmyTIG

I worked in Morenci welding for Brown and Root way back in '86. Pretty cool job, sure was hot.
Reply:I don't like that table as a working table.  You can't scoot under the top, which means that you will likely lean forward and rest your body weight on your arms, which is no bueno for welding.   I feel it's best to suspend yourself mostly with your core so you can have more agility.  Just something to think about, IMO.  Unless you just plan to stand up, but from the looks of that stool, it doesn't look like it.

Also, you're gonna need a bigger A/C than that little window unit up in the corner.  Doubt it will suffice.  



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Reply:Well this was worth the price of admission

!  Went to a steel supply place I'd never been to - wound up getting a 76" x 36" 13ga steel sheet for $25.  I guess it was a cutoff or something.  20' of 1" square tubing for another $20 and I left there a happy camper.The original top is 72" x 32" so I trimmed the width, and left a 4" overhang on one side.  Man, I'm a happy camper now - looks great and should do all I need it to do.


Reply:

Originally Posted by Oscar

I don't like that table as a working table.  You can't scoot under the top, which means that you will likely lean forward and rest your body weight on your arms, which is no bueno for welding.   I feel it's best to suspend yourself mostly with your core so you can have more agility.  Just something to think about, IMO.  Unless you just plan to stand up, but from the looks of that stool, it doesn't look like it.

Also, you're gonna need a bigger A/C than that little window unit up in the corner.  Doubt it will suffice.  


Reply:

Originally Posted by Shootr

Well this was worth the price of admission

!  Went to a steel supply place I'd never been to - wound up getting a 76" x 36" 13ga steel sheet for $25.  I guess it was a cutoff or something.  20' of 1" square tubing for another $20 and I left there a happy camper.The original top is 72" x 32" so I trimmed the width, and left a 4" overhang on one side.  Man, I'm a happy camper now - looks great and should do all I need it to do.
Reply:

Originally Posted by Shootr

Also Glendale, 51st Ave/Cactus.  I confess, I was a dealer for 12 years in Safford and Morenci so when a good trade in came in I'd keep it for myself!
Reply:It looks like great shop.In some homes your may need more power. If do a 60 amp sub panel will do great for all needs.I put a sub panel for the kitchen and used parts for the garage.In my garage I put insulation in for summer and winter. It also cut down any sounds you make .My wife just got 2020 car so now I am setting a location for parts of my shopDave

Originally Posted by Shootr

OK, so it's a used house

but new to me.  It has a 2 car garage that my "shop" half shares with the missus car.  I'm a part time hobbyist at best - yard art and the odd repair once in a while.  But now that I have a dedicated area to call my own, I'd like to make user friendly instead of setting up and tearing down every time I want to use it.

The red tool cart is my welding cart/table/grinding station, etc.  The white cabinet was left by the previous owners - it's on wheels and I can roll it out if I want (the nut/bolt stack is attached to the wall - not the table).  Tool box is mine and immovable (too damn heavy).  The wooden upper shelves and peg wall was left by the previous owner as well.I have another metal shelf unit that has most of my hand tools (grinders, saws, etc) so they're pretty squared away.

I'm thinking of making this my primary fabrication/work table by adding a a sheet steel top to it.  Nothing crazy thick, but be able to ground to it if needed, able to use magnets to hold stuff, things like that.  Dumb idea or is a steel topped work surface for welding useful enough to justify doing it?Need to add a closer overhead light and better organize that wooden shelf with the coolers and junk.  Maybe put the extension cords in the white cabinet and use that shelf for metal storage.Anyways - I'm a noob, wanted to share what I have, and if you have an idea about something, point me to other threads with storage ideas, and whatnot, I'm always appreciative.
Reply:I finished up my third attempt to make a chop saw stand for my portaband saw.  Version 1 was horrible - springy hinges and dodgy mounting:

Version 2 was better, but still had play in the hinge and never could get the saw to stay still with the mounting I was trying:

Then I joined this forum, and by chance of a different post - another member shared pics and drawings of one he built so I could try to make one myself.Started by welding the frame together out of 1" square tube (twice, as my first attempt led to rushing and the resulting rectangles were all sort of racked and warped...)

This time I made the hinge out of 7/16" all thread and rod connector nuts - finally - no slop in the hinge system!

To mount the saw, I needed to drill two holes in the bottom, and I used longer bolts on the from existing housing to secure the front:


Reply:The mount tabs were my biggest F'up... Since I really didn't know what I was doing and eyeballed everything - in the end the blade was out of plumb and not straight.

I took a break, had a cigar, a Guinness, and a good nights sleep and figured out a work around for now (until I get the urge to try for verion #4).This morning I figured out how much to incline the vise, welded it all down, and packed a bunch of JB Weld putty in like bondo to camouflage as much as possible the results


Ground and sanded the entire frame and put a coat of industrial gray on it to finish it up.



The real bonus is when the saw is upright, I can bolt a horizontal table to it for a small vertical band saw!And the results-cuts like buttah!!!
Reply:Why yes, I did reorganize my peg wall


My OCD is having a good day lol...
Reply:how do ya cut miters? vice or saw needa pivot.. just wanted to toss a MAC wrench at your OCD from Tucson

Last edited by monsoon-mech; 05-24-2020 at 08:40 PM.
Reply:

Originally Posted by monsoon-mech

how do ya cut miters? vice or saw needa pivot.. just wanted to toss a MAC wrench at your OCD from Tucson


Reply:

Originally Posted by Shootr

For the miters I just clamped the tube in a vise and free handed them.
Reply:To celebrate what I hope are the final weeks of 100+degree temps, decided to do a healthy shop (garage) cleanup and reorganize.Messy, always moving this to work with that (including the missus' car), etc...

Need to make the mount plate for the vise for the stand - be nice to have it mobile.  (And of course the grinder/buffer switch took a dump)  Adjustable stool would be nice too...

Using Harbor Freight furniture dollys to make a compressor center and scrap/drops/cutoffs home for all the crap I seem to find.  Nice to have the hose on a reel finally and all the accessories in one place.  Can keep track of my junk collection too.


Pretty pleased with how it's coming along, little by little...

Yeswelder MIG-205DS(3) Angle Grinders at the ReadyJust a hobbyist trying to improve
Reply:I checked out that Bauer portaband saw, but both that I tried had a serious wobble on the drive wheel; had to return both.  Does yours run true?

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Originally Posted by Oscar

I checked out that Bauer portaband saw, but both that I tried had a serious wobble on the drive wheel; had to return both.  Does yours run true?
Reply:Hmm that looks very familiar to me, one for me and one for my daughter




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Reply:

Originally Posted by Oscar

I checked out that Bauer portaband saw, but both that I tried had a serious wobble on the drive wheel; had to return both.  Does yours run true?
Reply:

Originally Posted by acourtjester

Hmm that looks very familiar to me, one for me and one for my daughter



Reply:

Originally Posted by John T

A friend of mine had the same exact problem with that model. I have the previous version made by Chicago electricIt works great but the motor sounds like a box of rocks.... compared to my Milwaukee.
Reply:

Originally Posted by Shootr

Yeah, mine runs true and strong - probably 10+ blades and hundreds of cuts and still working well.  If I ever learn to stop bending blades when I jam it on a cutoff I'd be really happy but otherwise good to go.
Reply:Sounds like needs new ball bearings Dave

Originally Posted by Oscar

Sucks for me.  Both that I tried had a serious wobble on the drive wheel, other than that seemed like a decent little unit.
Reply:If I could give one piece of advice, it would be to strip everything off the walls and install a french cleat system.  It's a bit more work to make up all your individual holders for whatever you have, but you'll love the adjustability and cleanliness of it.  You never have to worry about something not fitting on the shelves because you can make the shelves to fit whatever needs stowed away.



I've never met anyone that's put up a french cleat system and come to regret it.  The only real downside to them is that you can't simply go to the store and buy different organizer add-ons like you can with track board and peg board.  The upside is that they are infinitely stronger, better looking and functional than the mass produced sheet goods.
Reply:clean garage the sign of a sick mind

that aside very nice setup

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Reply:

Originally Posted by whtbaron

I'm still trying to read her T shirt...
Reply:

Originally Posted by ronsii

I had to 'digitally enhance it' for you