Garage / Workshop

Tony Eeds · Nov 14, 2002

I have enjoyed the random photo generator and the proudly posted photos of peoples shops and garages.

As some of you know, I spend my day pushing pixels around a screen drawing small pictures of big buildings. In any case, on to my muse ....

What would your ideal shop building have in it?
How big would it be?

I am designing a new shop building for my soon to be purchased place in the country and would love to hear ...
what you have that you like,
what you have that you don't,
what you wish you had,
what you have that you wish you didn't,
what you hate,
or any other catagory of input that you can imagine.

I always tell my clients that I am not the architect, my job is to translate your ideas onto paper. Help me with the ideas and I'll do the drawing and we'll figure out how to get copies out to y'all if you want them once I am done.

Tony

IrishEKU · Nov 14, 2002

Tony,
A few things on my wish list are:

Steam Parts Washer (Looks Like An Over Sized Dish Washer)
Hydralic Press
Bench with an Oil Sump
Oxy Acetelyne Set Up
Stick And Mig Welders
Hydro Bike Lift
Exaust Ventalator
Pnumatic Oil Service
Pneumatic Tire Machine
Snap On Coming to the door onece a week

Gary B. · Nov 14, 2002

My likes-
as big an area as you can have/afford
flouresent lights, lots of 'em
smooth, light colored floor
solvent tank
lots of electrical outlets
220v air compressor
clean, quiet heating system
a sturdy workbench with a quality vise
cable TV
alarm system
it would be really cool to have an indoor wash bay with a floor drain and pressure washer
plenty of cabinets or shelving

Jeez! I feel like Bob Vila. Now just send over Norm Abrams and the checkbook! :eek:

Papakeith · Nov 14, 2002

loading dock. So you don't need the ramps first thing in the morning, or last thing at night.
Bench vice. or a vice inside a sink. For suspension work.
Room for an air compressor.

TwinSpar · Nov 14, 2002

Used Washer & Dryer for shop towels/rags
Indoor bike wash stall
Big solvent based parts washer

biglou · Nov 14, 2002

Carmen Elektra... :eek:

IrishEKU · Nov 14, 2002

Originally posted by BigLou
Carmen Elektra... :eek:

:) :thumb:

VintageDirt · Nov 14, 2002

From the front it would look like an ordinary 3-car garage. Except that one of the overhead doors would be tall enough for an RV. Once inside you would find that it is actually large enough to hold at least 6 cars. Also there is an identical set of overhead doors that lead into the plush and well-groomed backyard. There you will find a large covered concrete pad, Olympic size swimming pool, miniature golf, barcheque grill, wet bar, tropical landscape, and an absolutely astounding motorcycle bone yard. Oh, and a real mean dog.

The garage of course has every thing that Snap-On has to offer, plus everything mentioned in the other posts. And some stuff that I don’t know about yet but will need when I do hear about it.

Of course I will have to be richer than a foot up a bull’s ass to buy all this crap and even richer than that so that I can stay home and enjoy it.

One more thing, there is also a bedroom and bathroom in the garage because I ain’t never coming out of there except to go riding. On second thought, the whole thing is more like Dan Tanner’s house in that TV show “Vegas”. You know the one where he just drove his car right in to the kitchen. Yeah that’s the ticket.

GETMETOCA · Nov 14, 2002

Tony, my Dad had a pretty awesome garage at the house I grew up in and one of the houses I owned had some great garage features. Some of the things I remember:

*A "walk in" style refrigerator with meat hooks to hang deer/lamb/beef etc.
*RV height garage doors
*Bathroom
*Large stainless sink
*Lots of Custom Cabinetry
*Dog enclosure with exterior access so the dogs could come in out of the cold but stay in their own space

I really like Papakeiths ramp idea and Twinny's washer/dryer idea.

bluerider125 · Nov 14, 2002

well, howzabout i list what my uncle has. it is the perfect garage for him, but he desn't ride bikes. just a utility kwad. :)

-60x40'
-VERY large engine crane-the support mast is over three feet in diameter and about 12' high. :eek:
two hydraulic presses, one 10-ton and one monster:25-ton
two drill presses
two-story garage with bed in top, in case he's in the doghouse :scream:
bathroom
all six garage doors tall enough for an RV with a small car on top, three on each side, for easy load in, load out of dead cars he fixes.
two hose spigots
i think he said twelve normal 110v outlets, and two for the compresser, industrial metal bandsaw, and both drill presses.
a woodburning stove with a fan that blows all that hot air around, plugs into 110 outlet.
all cieling lights are flourescent, bathroom light is incandescent.
thats about it, i guess.
i would add a place to back your truck so you just roll your bike(s) onto it, a parts washer, and a bike lift.

oops i forgot uncle phil also has 3bench vises attached to the built-in benches. built-in benches would be NICE! :cool:

Patman · Nov 14, 2002

My current setup is still in the development stages, so far we have

Medium sized upright compressor
Old 'fridge for sodas and such
Large tub style sink
White melamine(sp?) cabinents mounted high so there's plenty of floor space and the floor is easy to clean.
Reconfigurable track system for hanging ramps, hoses, little bins, etc...
Heavy duty wire shelving mounted 20" from the ceiling for boxes, gear bags, etc...
Greenway metal storage trunk for large items that can be stored at a exterior project site and locked.

I don't really have anything I don't like except that bigger is always better so more room would be nice. I've got an idea for a killer workbench that will be built this winter and I'm willing to share the idea :)

I also plan to use an industrial floor coating on the floor, hang my Asterisk, Dr. D & FMF banners, wire up the stereo then call it done for a while. :)

On my next time around list.

Floor sink or drain to wash the floor down.
Full bath with standing shower.
AC & heat (hey why not dream big?)
Minimum size of 60'x60'.
TIG welder.

MrLuckey · Nov 14, 2002

Along with the air compressor it would need to be piped along the side walls and at least one drop into the center of the shop somewhere.

At the back end I would want a separate office for books, manuals, computer with high speed internet connection and stereo equipment.

Gorilla racks down the center with a couple of those revolving parts bins.

A large cabinet for hanging gear up.

1/2 bath.

washer & dryer

tire rack

SKYLIGHTS - I'd want as much natural light as possible

Ventilation fan in ceiling

and of course many of the things already mentioned.

Zoomer · Nov 14, 2002

In my old shop, I had a hydralic table that would go down to floor level, so when not in use, it was not in the way. roll the bike ( lawn mower/tractor or what ever) :yeehaw: on and push the lever!

Tony Eeds · Nov 14, 2002

Keep the ideas coming ... We're past a few thousand feet, but what the heck ... I'm serious about drawing these up, and I will make the shell work with the configuration we come up with for the interior. That way it can be a metal building, wood studs, block, or ...

I like VDs comments regarding appearance vs utility, but don't agree on the swimming pool suggestion. It wouldn't be long before it would be full of kids and one of us would try to jump it.

Zoomer - How did it work? Sounds like a great idea.

bluerider125 · Nov 14, 2002

after reading some of the replies, i have revised my dream garage.

skylights
lots of windows with rolling plywood on tracks w/locks to close up with over windows
large compressor with pvc piping everywhere
the flush hydraulic table, but hollow in the middle for draining oil
cabinet for gear
bike hydraulic table
1/2 bath
bathtub converted to parts washer

bluerider125 · Nov 14, 2002

oh yeah at least 60x60' like someone else said :)

Tony Eeds · Nov 14, 2002

Originally posted by bluerider125
after reading some of the replies, i have revised my dream garage.

large compressor with pvc piping everywhere

FYI - Most building codes (actually none to my recollection) do not allow the use of PVC for air line piping, for very good reasons. There have been catastrophic failures of PVC piping in many occasions and people hurt and even killed (if I remember correctly). I know it is easy and cheap, but I recommend black iron pipe and fittings (Except below slabs, where I use copper). For that matter copper is good everwhere, rigid above the slab and soft below.

There will also be electrical in the floor as well.

VintageDirt · Nov 14, 2002

Jeez Tony, I guess if I can't use PVC compressed air lines in my dream garage, then I can't afford to build it. :confused:

http://www.lascofittings.com/Technical/CompresAir.htm

Thump · Nov 14, 2002

Still under construction

Things I have:
My floor was epoxy coated by Armor Deck. It is solid non-skid and not a paint. This stuff is about 1/4 inch thich and is gunned on like they do the inside of a pool. Best investment I ever made bar none.

Lots of cabinet space.

Old fridge is a must in TX heat.

Good stereo/cd system

Lots of power outlets

Phone

13 double flourecent lights... like daylight!

Attic fan mounted in the garage celing to cool in the summer, crack a garage door and flip it on and it sucks the hottest air out of the garage (near the celing) and pumps it into the attic, and it pulls the coolest air from outside (near the ground) into the garage, which also cools the attic. An engineer buddy of mine told me this trick and it lowered the temp in the garage from 108 to 87 last summer on one of the hot days.

Wanted:
2 workbenches, one that is tall one that is standard height.
TV/VCR and satallite
Stools and chairs
More bikes than I can possibly ride... ever
HVAC
Internet connection
More tools
air compressor
Parts washer!
???

Okiewan · Nov 14, 2002

Cool thread, lot's of ideas ... one of these days, one of these days! Humm. Sell all the stuff, buy a chunk of land (20 acres, agricultural) in OK with a moderate house and then... :cool:
I'll add to the excellent list:

RV Doors
1 RV door in the back, (drive thru)
Large compresser OUTSIDE in a "closet" on pad
Radiant heat floor
2 story with loft (office, TV, etc)
cieling fans / exhaust fans
MX track in the back

VintageDirt · Nov 14, 2002

Originally posted by Okiewan
... in OK...

In that case you better make sure and build a place to keep the Milk. :moon:

a454elk · Nov 14, 2002

A lock so's the Mrs. can't get in.;)

XRpredator · Nov 14, 2002

My old man has a pretty decent shop (actually, 2 -- one for all the junk and one for actual workin'), but as for me, I'd settle for my brother getting his crap out of my garage so I could see the floor, and maybe actually do some work in there. :(

slo' mo · Nov 14, 2002

cool thread. I do a lot of woodworking also and I find I move most of my tools to the garage instead of the shop. So here's a few on my list:

1) 10 ft. ceilings in the garage.
2) service bay where you could get below the vehicles
3) an extra bay that you could have a loading dock
4) garage slab at least 6" above grade to prevent TX thunderstorm flooding
5) upright compressor (outside in closet as Okie said) with air piped to all areas
6) stackable washer/dryer
7) huge workbench w/integrated parts cleaner system including a 5' tub
8) vacuum system to all my woodworking tools
9) paint/stain booth w/ventilation
10)cabinets on all walls
11) HVAC
12) wired for sound and TV
13) mini fridge & microwave
14) covered carport entrance for those times when you want to work outdoors but not in rain or sun (Texans will understand)
15) MX test track outside

biglou · Nov 14, 2002

Don't forget, raging, stadium concert sound system and keg taps for those "After riding get togethers". :)

Garage / Workshop

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