Essential tools/equipment

Jalopnik asked this last week. My answer there was

• lots of lights
• lots of outlets
• large air compressor
• several rolling carts
• two post lift
• big tool box
• engine stand(s)
• engine hoist/crane
• MIG, TIG and Stick welders
• angle grinder
• horizontal band saw
• paint booth
• Air conditioning so you don't have to open the door and invite mosquitos inside while you're working on projects

Also, the following metal working stuff:

• layout table

• frame rotisserie

• shrinker/stretcher

• bead roller

• slip roller

• ring roller

• english wheel

• beverly shear

A lift. Or radiant heat flooring. Or both. Working in a cold garage in winter just sucks.

I am going to differ from everyone and say a small air compressor that can run a paint gun and fill tires and buy quality cordless impacts/drills...ect.

Air tools are noisy, require regular maintenance and have a big bulky nuisance of an air hose connected to them. I rarely turn on my compressor any more.

I would also offer up that an electric impack wrench, even the HF cheapie, will open most of the doors an air one will at a much lower initial buy-in.

I honestly don't know what I would do without my plasma torch. It, my stick welder, and my tire machine are the only tools I can say have made me more money directly than I spent on them. With the stick welder and the plasma torch I can turn a $200 mobile home frame into a $2500 35' gooseneck trailer in a weekend.

Pallet racking is one of the best investments I ever made, along with a $150 "walkie" forklift. By going vertical with even engines and other heavy stuff I can get more into a 10x20 storage unit than three 25' U-haul trucks can haul.

triumph5 wrote: A FLAT smooth floor. No doubt.

With a floor sloped toward a drain, or toward the garage door, so it can be easily hosed out.

Just to bring some relevance to the topic.

26x40xreally tall.

It already has a center post lift. (Though after talking with some people, it seems like it would be in my best interest to replace it with a 2-post.)

It is already insulated, but the insulation is not covered. One section of concrete still has to be poured. (Will take care of that asap.)

Sock the ideas to me. How much should it cost for me to treat the floors?

Anyone have plans or instructions on how to build work benches? Any nifty ideas for walls? (wood paneling would be THE BUSINESS in my opinion.)

Great start, wish I had the cash to build a separate "shop".

I wouldn't go with wood paneling....any welding and next thing ya know there is a fire.

I would say start with lots of lighting....my garage lighting is better now than it was a month ago but the lights are sorta placed all over the place. I would go buy some nice shop lights and space them every 6-8'.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my two post lift. The jack stands stay under the bench and are only used to support an engine or subframe or something while the car is on the lift.

A nice welder is a great thing. I am "borrowing" a smaller 110 miller MIG right now and it has increased my ability to make anything. I am in the market for a nice 220 unit now.

Build some high up shelves to get things that you never use or are storing out of the way and off the floor. Your garage is just a bit bigger than mine (24 x 36) and the more you can get up and out of the way the more room you will have. Maybe even a loft because yours is so high....a 4' deep loft 4' or so from the ceiling and then along one wall would be nice. Then put your bench below the loft with lights on the bottom of the loft to light your bench.

Another thing that I really like in my garage and was dirt cheap is a center pull paper towel dispenser. The ones you see in public restrooms. You can get them pretty cheap (I got mine at staples with 2 rolls for like $30). It is nice to have something to clean up with and it never moves.

I just picked up some used kitchen cabinets from a buddy that will be used for my next garage project. The best part about them is they are metal!! The doors, drawers, shelves, everything. One of them even has this sweet pull out shelf thingy. Where it pulls out and then swings up and locks in. The plan is to make them all into a fab/welding table.

All this talk makes me want to reorganize my garage.....

Post some pictures of the inside of your work space!!!! Looks like it will be nice.

Here's mine...

Start at: 9/16" ratchet wrench.

Fill in the blanks.........

Finish at:

Milling Machine and Lathe.

You really need to give an indication of how MANY of your dollar$ we are watching. Myself, I would budget 10k to outfit your shop for comprehensive automotive hobby work.

If you don't have 10k, then start at the beginning and buy what you need when you need it. That is what I did and that is how I ended up with 10k worth of tools in the garage!

Work benches: 4x4s + carriage bolts + thick strong plywood, you can toss a motor on it if you have to

Ideally you're going to need some storage racks, maybe see if a business is closing in your area, in the back the might be selling off industrial steel racks for a song, those are worth their weight (get a big truck)

floor treatment? what kind? are you wanting a fancy epoxy job or a cheap DIY fix it again later type? the former = $$$ think hundreds of dollars, the latter = 1/$ but you get what you pay for...

why not plywood walls? definitely not the prettiest but you can drill it/hang stuff off it, beat it and it won't damage like drywall, as an example:

show pics of this thing, if it's that tall, why not an overhead crane?

EDIT: OH I forgot, since you're pouring concrete you should add concrete pull-pot anchors, the pre-pour kind, then you can do frame straightening

Also, a set of at least 4 wheel dollys($) or dolly jacks ($$$)

I just added both of these, OMFG the make life soooooooooooo much easier...

Hrmm.... i dig the plywood idea. A lot, actually. May have some friends come by the graffiti it if i go that route.

You've all given me some thoughts.

The storage loft was already on my mind. As well as possibly a SMALL bathroom. (Already has water run out to it.) Thinking about one of those big sink dealies for miscellaneous washing purposes.

Lighting is already in planning stages, i learned that earlier.

How about you'se guy'ses thoughts on center post lifts?

We're going to walk into this house with about $6k in our pocket free to spend. The first two things on the list are blowing in insulation in a couple rooms in the house (~$500) and getting the concrete finished in the garage. (~$500.) After we get appliances and everything else SWMBO needs for the house, i'm probably looking at about $2k available to me immediately.

However, once we're in there for a month or two and get a handle on exactly what the monthly costs of the place are going to be, depending on what i see, i may consider taking out a small line of equity to finish outfitting the garage and do a few cosmetic improvements on the property as well.

But let's say even if that doesn't happen, i'll have about $2k immediately, and about an additional $3k throughout the winter to throw at it. Spend my money! (Assume that i don't have any major accumulation of tools or equipment. I have SOME, but i'd like to start from scratch and just use what i have for mobile junkyard work and such.)

In my opinion, the somewhat large amount of money you can spend on the following REALLY pays for itself if you work on cars a lot like i do.

1. Impact wobble sockets. Mine are from Matco. I have 10-19mm, paid 260 for the set, retails for over 300, but probably the single best investment i have ever made in tools.

2. A strong impact with GOOD TRIGGER CONTROL, like my IR Titanium. Not only is having a strong impact good because its strong, but having one with good trigger control means you can use it for all sorts of delicate things like 8mm bolts and hose clamps. Basically, the good trigger control allows me to use my impact on EVERYTHING. I paid 300 for mine brand new.

3. Flex-headed ratcheting gearwrenches. I paid i think 120 for my set 8-19mm. Those things are worth their weight in gold and have lifetime warranty from wherever you bought them. Ive only had to warranty 2, and both were from serious abuse and misuse.

Basically, if you have a nice light strong impact with good trigger control, a bunch of extensions, and really strong, versatile wobble sockets, you can pretty much do most of the fasteners in an engine bay without even bending over, and everything you cant get with a bunch of wobbles and extensions, you can get with a flex-head ratchet wrench.

And all of the stuff i mentioned you can get for less if you try.

Just to clarify, THESE are BAD. Dont put those on an impact unless you're wearing eye protection.

These are GOOD. In 3 years of abuse the only ones ive had to replace were because i lost them, and they are 3/8 drive that i run exclusively on a 1/2 impact. I dont even own a 3/8 impact, having a super nice 1/2 makes it superfluous.

Fridge.

Vigo wrote: In my opinion, the somewhat large amount of money you can spend on the following REALLY pays for itself if you work on cars a lot like i do. 1. Impact wobble sockets. Mine are from Matco. I have 10-19mm, paid 260 for the set, retails for over 300, but probably the single best investment i have ever made in tools. 2. A strong impact with GOOD TRIGGER CONTROL, like my IR Titanium. Not only is having a strong impact good because its strong, but having one with good trigger control means you can use it for all sorts of delicate things like 8mm bolts and hose clamps. Basically, the good trigger control allows me to use my impact on EVERYTHING. I paid 300 for mine brand new. 3. Flex-headed ratcheting gearwrenches. I paid i think 120 for my set 8-19mm. Those things are worth their weight in gold and have lifetime warranty from wherever you bought them. Ive only had to warranty 2, and both were from serious abuse and misuse. Basically, if you have a nice light strong impact with good trigger control, a bunch of extensions, and really strong, versatile wobble sockets, you can pretty much do most of the fasteners in an engine bay without even bending over, and everything you cant get with a bunch of wobbles and extensions, you can get with a flex-head ratchet wrench. And all of the stuff i mentioned you can get for less if you try.

Cool, thank you!

I had the flex-head ratchet wrenches on my list already, but missed the wobbleheads.

MTN: Fridge will be a given. And a nice loud stereo.

Am I the only one that hates air ratchets? Don't get me wrong, I LOVE me some impacts, but with my wrists, air ratchets are the devil. Loud, they're easily set off accidently, they rip out of your hand when they start to torque down... ugh. No thank you.

ReverendDexter wrote: Am I the only one that hates air ratchets? Don't get me wrong, I LOVE me some impacts, but with my wrists, air ratchets are the devil. Loud, they're easily set off accidently, they rip out of your hand when they start to torque down... ugh. No thank you.

Ehhh... i don't HATE them, but i don't consider them to be real necessary most of the time, either. I use them to remove things, not install. I'll buy one or two just to have around, but i doubt they'll get a ton of use.

I'm more excited about cut-off wheels.

Am I the only one that hates air ratchets? Don't get me wrong, I LOVE me some impacts, but with my wrists, air ratchets are the devil. Loud, they're easily set off accidently, they rip out of your hand when they start to torque down... ugh. No thank you.

I find them to be too crappy to be worth using. The things that suck about them outweigh any minor benefits of using them. Plus, an impact and two wobbles stuck together on the end of an extension makes a 90* bend in about the same radius

Air ratchets.... Mixed emotions on hating or loving them. When I first had the chance, I bought a decent 3/8" Matco for probably too much $$$. It's eh in performance, especially after I got a used traded in SnapOn 3/8" impact. Typically, if I needed the ratchet, I could get by with the SnapOn and an impact swivel. Using the SnapOn I can take off a 4.7 front dress and cover in about a hour, if i used the rachet for everything else I'd still be there.

Now, I also have a 1/4" drive SnapOn ratchet, which I don't know how I lived without! It makes quick easy work of anything involving interior work. I also used to take off and reinstall multiple intake manifolds, rocker arms, valve covers, spark plugs, etc..

Brian

Angle grinder

I have a decent assortment of hand tools...probably above avg but no way approaching what some of the techs have...and I think there's about nothing I can't do automotive-wise.

Sometimes I have to struggle with what I have, I've had to buy some specialty tools here and there.

But I've done engine swaps, head gasket on a Jaguar, VW Clutch, and all manner of lesser auto work on what I have.

So my advice on that front is buy a Good set and add tools as necessary.

My weakness is fab equipment.

Start with an angle grinder, 220V MIG and a Lathe and you can make just about anything. (It's all downhill from there).

-James

Used electric oven, that starts at 150 degrees- perfect for heat treating, baking powder coats, and melting glue on headlights.

Locking MAC tools extensions -I'm the guy that looses sockets at the junk yard, these have helped me not to do that. I LOVE THEM

mtn wrote: Fridge.

BEER fridge.

I'm digging the oven idea. I've been wanting to start powdercoating for a long time now, and a used oven should be really cheap. Hell, i could probably just take the one that's in the house right now for zero investment.

And yes... BEER fridge. How can you have a bigass garage without that?

When I renovate the kitchen, the fridge becomes the garage beer fridge, the oven becomes the garage powdercoating oven, and the cabinets become tool/parts storage. That's probably half the motivation for the kitchen remodel :).