Share Your Shop Tips

So we're working on a feature story for Classic Motorsports on how to make an awesome shop. Basically the story is comprised of a lot of single tips by shops we work with and readers (all are credited for their tips.) As such, I'd like to hear your $0.02 on what helps to maximize the functionality of your shop. It could be anything from lighting to the color of your floor or organization tips.

Let's hear it.

If you have an exceedingly tiny garage (like I do), don't be afraid to use every inch of available space. The space between your cabinets and the ceiling is perfect for awkward things you don't use very often.

If you're doing any electrical work on the garage, don't just put outlets every 12 feet like a home builder. Instead, add an outlet right next to each parking spot. This makes using a Battery Tender easy, and gives you a handy place to plug in a droplight, drill, etc. when you're working on something.

If you need a drill press, bench grinder, bench sander, and/or any other bench-mounted tool, but have limited space, then use clamps and switch out tools whenever you need them. Don't take up your entire bench with tools you only use occasionally. The exception to this rule, at least for me, is a vice–you should have that permanently mounted and easily accessible.

Be honest with yourself: if you really only do oil changes and the occasional tire rotation, there's no reason to keep your welder front-and-center in the garage. Put tools you use most near your workspace, and put the rest further away.

Shelf height. No one thinks about their reach when hanging shelves, the highest shelf should be only as high as you can reach without climbing over things or standing on something, that's how people and things get damaged. If you have tall ceilings a higher shelf might be practical but make sure it's deep storage not something you are likely to climb on top of a pile of parts to reach something in a hurry.

I have 3 heights of shelves in my garage. Due to the lack of wall space for large items the lowest is at work height, Large items mostly on wheel store under this shelf. The next is at eye height so I can easily see to the back then the top is at the maximum height I can reach without standing on something.

Wire shelves. I have pallet rack type shelves with wire shelves. This allows light to pass through all the spaces not filled with my crap. It really brightens things up.

Separate tools for parts. Seems silly now but it took me a long time to completely separate my tools form parts and materials. It also pays to have a good bit of storage set aside for small parts, it's amazing how much space you can save when you plan out small part storage.

Bolt your bench down. My bench is bolted to the floor as well as through the wall. I can clamp anything in my vice and beat the crap out of it and my bench will never move. I can also use my bench as an anchor point for winching cars in.

Receiver hitches in the bench. You can have secure mounting for large tools then unplug them and put them away.

I built a shop tool "lazy susan" on top of a rolling tool cart. Found a heavy-duty rotating platform at the local Home Depot, cut some MDF, screwed it all together and mounted the tools to it.

Hole in the center is for dust collection using a plastic gutter elbow feeding into a shop vac with the cords routed through the hole. Where the cords pass through the ducting, they are sealed with duct tape.

Works well for my little 2-car garage (which has room for only 1 car because I have too much junk in there).

I built overhead shelving to store parts and holiday decorations and a large bench along the wall where the car parks to hold totes for in progress projects and things I need access to more often (like home repair stuff). The bench holds the small parts washer I use for cleaning greasy parts and my miter saw (haven't figured out a better place for it yet).

I lined the floor between the benches and where the car parks with interlocking foam sheets to reduce fatigue and when I use the engine crane, I can pull them up and set them out of the way.

I have a couple of folding office tables that I can use for extra surface area when working on an involved project (like rebuilding the turbo in my 944 turbo). When they're not needed they fold up and can be stored overhead.

Since the walls were already finished I added wiring for lights and outlets on top of the wall using THHN and conduit. I've not had any issues with circuit overloading even with a fridge running on the circuit. I also don't run any large tools like welders or air compressors.

Lights are mounted under the shelving over the bench area and controlled with their own switch.

I do have a retractable flourescent drop light and a retractable extension cord mounted to the ceiling above the car.

Upcycled an old 22" LCD monitor by mounting it to the wall and building a Home Theater PC for the garage from old PC parts gathered over the years, now I can work in the shop and catch up on IMSA, PWC, Bathurst or SCCA racing or just watch some random documentaries on Youtube/Hulu/PBS, etc.

I should be getting an upright compressor from my Dad pretty soon so I've mounted a retractable hose reel to the wall in preparation. My little airbrush compressor can't really do much more than blow some air or fill up some tires. Being able to run an air ratchet would be kinda nice, but then I enjoy not making a ton of noise while in the garage so I can work really early or really late without pissing off the neighbors or especially the wife.

If at all possible, find a remote location to install your air compressor. I have mine in the basement and then just run the air hose up through the wall. Now I can use my air tools without the constant noise from the compressor deafening me and echoing through the neighborhood.

Beg, borrow, or steal a little Brother label maker and label each drawer and cabinet. You're not really doing it for yourself, but it's a lot easier to explain to a helper where to find the tool you need them to bring you if they just have to find the label that says "Metric Ratcheting Wrenches" than "okay, I think it's the second chest from the top, third drawer -- er, no, maybe the fourth drawer..."

Little coin envelopes from your favorite office supply store are cheap and great for keeping little parts from getting lost.

If you have heavier tools that would benefit from being floor-mounted, use a large masonry bit to drill holes in the floor and then use a good concrete adhesive/epoxy to sink threaded sleeve into the floor. You can use either threaded rod with a slot cut in the end for a screwdriver or hex bolts to keep the threads clean when not in use and then easily bolt and unbolt the tool when you need it.

Wheels and casters - I like being able to move work tables, tools, welders, projects where I want them easily. Stuff tucks away for storage in garage mode. Move out the DD cars and the shop can come to life with everything able to get moved around quickly. End of the weekend and it goes back to garage/storage mode.

^ I like that lazy susan idea. Thanks for sharing!

I've found that a well organized work place, including a sorted tool box, helps save time. When you can find the tools you need, things go smoothly. Plus its relaxing to clean up and put everything back when the project is finished.

New LED bulbs make fantastic trouble lights. Buy a cheap socket, wire up a plug and screw in the bulb. Use a 40w equivalent bulb and they stay cool enough to set on anything in the engine compartment. Slide it under the car to light up dark areas from the bottom. Total cost is somewhere between $10 and $12.

".....when the project is finished."

HAHAHAHAHAHA!

I keep an old mover's blanket in the garage, to toss on the ground, for those quick "Oh berk, I need to lay down under the car/truck, but don't feel like dragging the jack, stands and creeper out." moments.

There really is something to be said for every garage needs an additional cold storage space (ie shed or lean-too). There is no point in story goods inside that you don't plan on using in a year while taking up valuable space. A brand new shed is cheap, hell, in Canuckland the hutterites will come and build you one for under $1k and those things are built strong!

Great tips so far guys. Thanks for contributing.

And the "lazy susan" is brilliant.

Take the amount of wall plugs you think you will need, and double it.

I have an upright vacuum cleaner in the shop. Got it free from someones trash so if it blows up no big deal...I see 5 a week in my travels.

EdHigginbotham wrote: Great tips so far guys. Thanks for contributing. And the "lazy susan" is brilliant.

Thanks. Here's some "better" pics:

Use the ceiling. I have air hoses and extension cords on reels so they're easy to access and always out of the way. One of each is by the door and 50' long so I can use it in the driveway, and there's another set back by the workbench.

Get a tool roll for your wrenches. You can hang it up on the wall for easy access, which also allows you to do an immediate check of any that are missing. If you need to go somewhere, just pull it off the wall and roll it up. Heck, get two and use one for SAE and one for metric if you're bi-measurement.

Also, if you put your sockets on rails, you have the same attributes. Harbor Freight sells plastic rails with removable socket mounts in two colors, so you can mix and match different size drives if desired. They also come in two colors. I use grey for metric and black for SAE. All the extensions and adapters are on another rail. Again, easy to check for missing tools, easy to access and easy to grab a rail if you're working out in the driveway or something.

You can see the rolls and the socket rails in the background here.

If you move around (go to the junkyard, track or work somewhere else), then keep a list of your tool load in your portable toolbox. Makes it easy to load up for a trip to the track so you don't forget anything. Since all your sockets are on rails and your wrenches are in tool rolls, they're easy to toss into the box. Some people buy two sets of cheap tools, I prefer to get good tools and only pay for them once. You don't want to break a cheap wrench when you're away from home. The tool rolls and socket rails mean it's easy to ensure nothing gets left.

As mentioned in another thread: baggies and sharpies.

^^^^^^Neat idea!!!

Is there some way to lock that lazy susan in place so that it doesn't rotate? I can see some issues with that platform swinging one way or the other, say, as you're using the drill press or the grinding wheel.

In reply to orphancars:

There's enough weight on it that it hasn't moved on me at all. The cart below it moves more than the rotating platform does.

I've done plenty of grinding, drilling, sanding and polishing with that setup and I've not had any issues with undue movement. Especially compared to my Grandpa's old grinding stand that was a sitting on a length of driveline welded to an old drum brake, that mofo would walk around.

That said, it wouldn't be hard to drill some holes in the wooden platform for a pin to drop through into the cart/stand below it.

Here's the base I used:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-6-in-Lazy-Susan-Turntable-49548/203661089

I didn't lubricate it since I figured it would get used and abused with swarf, etc. and the grease would hold it in place and ruin it that much faster and it isn't as if I'd be rotating it that quickly.

Thanks for the tips, Keith.

turboswede, I think I might have a go at creating one of those myself someday. Thanks for the info.