Let's see your garage setup..
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Senior Member
Joined: 07-09-06
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From: Kansas City
Let's see your garage setup..
I am about to buy a house, just starting the paperwork process. Just turned 25 and I figure it's time. I am overly excited about finally having my own garage and have been looking around at garage gear; workbenches, shelving, toolboxes, misc storage, etc. I am doing this on a pretty tight budget since I have to buy a million other things. I just need the basic garage stuff, not $10,000 tool sets or anything like that. Considering building some of my own.
Let's see some garage setup pics to get some ideas..
Let's see some garage setup pics to get some ideas..
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Joined: 05-07-07
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From: Rochester, NY
If your willing to do some building yourself, go to Home Depot and buy some half inch thick Particleboard. It makes a great workbench. I made a twenty foot workbench at my old house fairly cheap, and it held up for years with no problems. Still holding strong last I heard.
\/ that too. Impact tools are a necessity that every mechanic should have.
\/ that too. Impact tools are a necessity that every mechanic should have.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: 07-09-06
Posts: 607
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From: Kansas City
I actually drove by harbor freight the other day, and it reminded me that I need to go there soon..
What did you use for legs? I think I would like a metal base, but it doesn't matter too much. They have a pretty hefty craftsman workbench at sears for 129 that I like, but if I can do it cheaper woot.
cheap shelves to put some crap ->
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...0-71464e1f822a
If your willing to do some building yourself, go to Home Depot and buy some half inch thick Particleboard. It makes a great workbench. I made a twenty foot workbench at my old house fairly cheap, and it held up for years with no problems. Still holding strong last I heard.
What did you use for legs? I think I would like a metal base, but it doesn't matter too much. They have a pretty hefty craftsman workbench at sears for 129 that I like, but if I can do it cheaper woot.
cheap shelves to put some crap ->
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...0-71464e1f822a
the best advice I can probably offer you is this:
nowadays most people let their garages turn into messy storage rooms;
keep it organized so that you can always work in there.
I made my own work benches in my garage, I also moved into my house when I already had a ton of tools, and even more car "crap"...
If you're going to make your own work benches, get either a hand saw or (if you know how to safely use it) a skillsaw.
For the benchtop:
- you'll find that even OSB (the board that looks like it's made of big thin wood scraps) is pricey - but don't get anything thinner than either 23/32" or 3/4" (5/8" is cheap, but it can't hold as much weight).
- plywood is the best, but it's most expensive (if you opt for plywood, again don't go thinner than 23/32" or 3/4").
- do not buy that MDF (I'm not sure if that's the name - it's the sheeting made of sawdust) - you canot see actual wood, or any grain in this product, and it is pretty much the cheapest one to buy; this product is not intended to actually hold any load, and when subject to moisture will swell and come apart.
My first work bench was made out of re-arranged DIY pine bookshelves, with plywood top shelf.
The second book shelf was made of 2x4's and plywood.
You can most certainly do this on the cheap - and if this isn't preemptive, congratulations!
I moved into my first house when I was almost 28, and even then I couldn't afford the house by myself; I went half in with my brother (and his wife), it was kinda cool the mortagage was written up like a spousal mortgage, because we're brothers (this was the only way either of us could afford a place of our own).
It worked out great because a little while after we bought in, the local market spiked...
nowadays most people let their garages turn into messy storage rooms;
keep it organized so that you can always work in there.
I made my own work benches in my garage, I also moved into my house when I already had a ton of tools, and even more car "crap"...
If you're going to make your own work benches, get either a hand saw or (if you know how to safely use it) a skillsaw.
For the benchtop:
- you'll find that even OSB (the board that looks like it's made of big thin wood scraps) is pricey - but don't get anything thinner than either 23/32" or 3/4" (5/8" is cheap, but it can't hold as much weight).
- plywood is the best, but it's most expensive (if you opt for plywood, again don't go thinner than 23/32" or 3/4").
- do not buy that MDF (I'm not sure if that's the name - it's the sheeting made of sawdust) - you canot see actual wood, or any grain in this product, and it is pretty much the cheapest one to buy; this product is not intended to actually hold any load, and when subject to moisture will swell and come apart.
My first work bench was made out of re-arranged DIY pine bookshelves, with plywood top shelf.
The second book shelf was made of 2x4's and plywood.
You can most certainly do this on the cheap - and if this isn't preemptive, congratulations!
I moved into my first house when I was almost 28, and even then I couldn't afford the house by myself; I went half in with my brother (and his wife), it was kinda cool the mortagage was written up like a spousal mortgage, because we're brothers (this was the only way either of us could afford a place of our own).
It worked out great because a little while after we bought in, the local market spiked...
Senior Member
Joined: 07-27-09
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From: Proctorville OH
we buy harbor freight for tools we use only like once in a blue moon, a bench press, pipe bender stuff like that.. but we also have frame tools(pullers and pressers) that we use on almost every car we do.. we have floor pots to tie the car down to lol..
as for the work bench leftover cinderblocks cemented together.. and 2 by 6's and stuff with plywood for the back 2 hang tools from
as for the work bench leftover cinderblocks cemented together.. and 2 by 6's and stuff with plywood for the back 2 hang tools from
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Joined: 09-16-09
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From: Spokane WA
First thing I did was install surround sound, insulate, and drywall when I bought my house this summer. I also installed 8 more electrical outlets, Two 8' ft high output lights, and 4-4' ft lights to go over the bench, also a 240 volt for future air compressor and pressure washer.
Yesterday just got a free thick oak work bench from the airforce base. I need to paint the stuff!
Yesterday just got a free thick oak work bench from the airforce base. I need to paint the stuff!
Last edited by pistol_junior23; Mar 14, 2010 at 03:19 PM.
Haz l33t wheelz.
Joined: 09-14-07
Posts: 18,883
Likes: 3
From: Costa Mesa CA
And you live in Hawaii, so no complaints there either haha. How about some pics of the car in the garage?!? That's what it's for right?
Well, here's my garage as of today. It's a bit dirty right now and as you can tell it's been nothing but rain here. I'm going to be living at home for the next 4 years while I go to college, so I'm going to be doing some major work to make it nicer. I hate living in a damn condo, it's too SMALL! 
First of all it needs a major cleaning and moving the larger stuff up to the attic. In the spring, cabinets are going in, and my smaller toolbox and workbench are getting moved up to the front. I'm either putting in canned lighting or flourescents, two single light bulbs is no where near enough light to work by. I'm also thinking of doing that grey epoxy coating on the floor. Has anyone used that? What's it like?
First of all it needs a major cleaning and moving the larger stuff up to the attic. In the spring, cabinets are going in, and my smaller toolbox and workbench are getting moved up to the front. I'm either putting in canned lighting or flourescents, two single light bulbs is no where near enough light to work by. I'm also thinking of doing that grey epoxy coating on the floor. Has anyone used that? What's it like?
Last edited by TommyP; Mar 18, 2010 at 03:22 PM.
