This is going to the first winter that the Cutlass spends outside, at least part of the winter. I'm insulating my 2 car garage, putting up some drywall and and would like to create some good storage and works space. And of course add a TV and refrigerator. I've been looking[IMG][/IMG] at the walls trying to come up with some efficient ideas for shelves and storage. The garage is only 20' X 20' and about 8-1/2' tall. I'm hoping my CO brothers and sisters can give me some Ideas, I'm no decorator. Storage ideas that look clean (if there is such a thing). Work benches anything along those lines. Pictures would be great. It's not going to be the Taj Mahal but it will be a place to go hide, hang out and work on the car. Might even be able to call it a "man cave" when it's finished.






Thanks,

Mike

 

Looks like my garage right now :-). My cutlass has been sleeping outside for the last few days while I tear down my old shelves and build new ones. Im building a wall-o-shelves using 2x3 studs and plywood. Each shelf is 2ft wide to fit tubs. Im building the shelves around my compressor, rolling tool box and welders. If you want pics of it I can post some. Keep in mind im halfway done and building it on my spare time between kids soccer, work, etc.

 

Well, the more stuff you can get up in the air, and out of the way, the better off you'll be with floor space! If you can, put the compressor outside in a little shed and run some plumbing. Fold down work benches work good also!

The key is to get as much floor available to work!

Good luck!

 

Pictures would be great. It sounds like we are in the same boat. If i can find a few hours a week to work on it if I'm lucky. At this rate the Cutlass might never see the inside of the garage again.

 

Pics are not that great. They are what I had on my phone. I never thought about putting my compressor outside. Ill have to look into that and it will give me more space :-).

*First Pic*
half of my shelf unit. It is going to span the entire side of that wall. To the left will be my compressor, tool box and welders. Above them will be 3 shelves connecting to the unit. To the right which you cant see in the pic is another 10ft of wall that I still need to build shelves on. On the VERY TOP shelf to the left is my rarely used supplies for tuneups, oils, cleaners, and hard chemicals, thinners,ets.
IMG_20110922_090914.jpg

*Second Pic*
this is going to be my small shelves for waxes, buffers, anything to clean wax and make my cars look sexy. Next to it on the left is going to be shelves for my welding supplies and compressor tools.
IMG_20110922_091217.jpg

*third pic*
shameless pic of a couple of my girls :-)

IMG_20110922_091434.jpg

 

Here are a few pics of mine.
X2 on overhead storage

 

Thanks NorCalSS, oldcutlass, Jamesbo
I like the idea of putting the compressor outside. The shelves high up for items that don't get used that often is now on the list. Shallow shelves for paint is a good idea, those will have to go in an area where my Cutlass door will swing open.
The "fold down work benches" sound cool but then I wouldn't have a place to start the mess all over again . Getting the extra tires and rims off the floor is now part of the plan. I think the first thing I need to do is get is a poster like the one Jamesbo has up over the broom!
Jamesbo, is that PVC pipe being used as your air lines? Can that setup handle the pressure, it would be nice if I could have a few quick couplers around the perimeter and not have the hose wedged under the tires all the time.
Thanks,
I'll post some pictures of my progress now that I'm inspired!

 

X3 on utilizing overhead storage (really like jamesbo's wheel rack)
lotso lights and white paint
more power & outlets, even 220 if possible
sealed/epoxy floor
exhaust vent
all can be done DIY on a budget, but absolute dream would include a lift :-)

 

Yes it is/was. Don't use it. Richard sent me a pic of one blow apart. One of my many mistakes. I never had any problems but those are old pics [with the 69 H/O. ] I'm going to re do it. Use metal pipe or hoses and be sure to install a drain at the bottom of the lines to let moisture drain out.

Glad you like my "nieces"
I love to decorate.

Another thing we used to do back in the old days building retail stores. Is double up some of the 2x4 studs where you might hang or attach anything extra heavy.

 

Those woman have clothes on, whats with that???

 

Jamesbo and anyone else with PVC air lines - PVC is rated for the pressure but fails explosively with lots of plastic shrapnel when damaged. Protect and contain it with cheapo foam pipe insulation and duct tape until you upgrade.

 

I put my compressor in the celler (attached garage) and ran the lines out to the garage.

More space in garage
less noise in garage
temp and humidity stable environment (my dehumidifier is right next to the comp and the cellar is heated)
I live in mass so like the OP we can see -20 to +100 ° temp swings thru a year

 

This is a family site and Sandy made be reading this thread. Sorry guys. my other nieces posters will have to remain incognito.

Below, If you stare at the pic long enough you will notice the importance of having a Fire Extinguisher in you new shop/garage.So much for overhead storage.

 

Took me a minute to find the fire extinguisher. Kept getting distracted by the upper and lower body panels to the right of the door .....

Seriously I have 2 fire extinguishers in the garage, but I don't feel twice as safe. Also, if you do have FE's they need to be recertified every 3 years (up here) and the tank tested every 6 to recieve their new stickers.

 

Great thread and great ideas! Keep em coming.

New to my list.
*BEER*
1. Wheel and tire rack. My extra set is taking up too much space.
*BEER*
2. foldable work bench. << I like that idea.
*BEER*
3. possible relocate compressor outside (have to build small room for it)
*BEER*
4. Need more electrical and finish running 220 for one of my welders.
*WATER*
5. Run pipe or hose for air connections around garage
*BEER*
6. mount and possibly have to use fire extinguisher from beer and building.
*BEER*

 

Foldable workbench - saw one once that was simply an old solid core door with the hinges screwed to the wall and some folding legs added. Keep thinking I want to add one for extra workspace when needed. It ain't redneck, it's PC green recycling.

 

X2 Great list I don't get a lot of time lately in the garage so I will use some of your list and modify it a little so I can make the best use of time and space..

*BEER*
*BEER*
*BEER*
*BEER*
*BEER*

Toilet......

and an egg carton for storing the bolts after I make hard boiled eggs to have with the beer.....

ohhhhhh and a standing Fan with high flow capacity for after the beer and hard boiled eggs

J/k excellent thread

 

Jamesbo, this is the kind of stuff my wife is not allowed to see, if was up to her everything in my garage would have labels and be organized alphabeticaly and numericaly. She puts coasters under my beer when it is sitting on the work bench, puts plug in air fresheners near the air compressor, wipes off the beer fridge door handle etc....

 

You let her in the garage??? Retaliate: tell her you'll 'organize' her kitchen....(duck, drop and roll for cover!!! that sounded like a nuclear bomb going off..)

Well that part I can live with. Gotta love a woman who knows the importance of a cold beer!!

 

When you get old and forget where you put stuff. It's helpful to see what's where.

 

I knew u had it in ya!!! oh yea, a fire extinguisher is necessary!!

 

outlet(s) in ceiling for battery tenders...else you'll be tripping over extension cords all winter long.

I ran air hoses in the walls with outlets front, back and sides - built a copper pipe manifold near the compressor to be able to isolate the "zones" if I needed to.

wall outlets...wall outlets...wall outlets...I thought I put too many but there's never one accessible when I need one between fenders leaning on the wall, bikes in the way, shelves, dogs, Jamesbo-like posters, beer stockpiles, wish lists...

 

Your first problem is only a 2 car garage... Sell house, get bigger garage

Next, keep stuff off of the floor!

High wall mount storage for least used stuff. Arms reach storage for highly used stuff. I HATE dust, so everything will be enclosed when I'm done, and nothing on the floor!

For everything else, mobile storage. Rolling boxes, etc. You can move them where you need them for what you're working on, and they house tools, etc. I'm currently setting up my garage all mobile, and enclosed storage. I'll post pics when I get further along. Meanwhile, check out: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/

Not to bust anyone's chops, but... The shelves that y'all posted are great for putting lots of "junk" and "dust collecters" on. This time around, in my garage, I ripped out all my shelves, and sold all of my industrial shelving. I'm going all mobile and enclosed.

 

Mines an unfinished garage with no plans to finish it at all so my "junk" shelves are just fine for me. As far as dust, im not that **** about it, its just dust and nothing an air hose and fan cant get rid of.

 

My attached garage is only 18'W x 20'D, so not much room for shelving. The previous owner was a real tinkerer though, as fully dry walled, several electrical outlets w/230v, hose bib and heat A/C vent tied into the home system. I put a booster fan on the heat A/C vent, and with an insulated door, not to bad. There is some single level shelving up 7', and have a small step ladder handy on the wall. Actually had to take some of the overhead shelving down, when getting a 4 post lift. There is a small shelf up front, for cleaners, motor oil and such. The basement stairs are right there, and have 2'D x 16'W 4 level industrial shelving accross the whole wall, you can climb on. I do have a few items on the garage floor like floor jacks, but not much. Luckily, have a 10' x 10' shed off the patio for lawn equipment, barbecue, ext. It's all about packaging efficiency around here.

 

Here are some "considerations".
Make all of your .outlets high. As you get older you'll have fewer "bendovers" per day.

Put outlets and lights on separate breakers. Don't want to be holding a spinning power tool with no lights when said tool pops breakers. All outlets should be on a gfi protected circuit.

Careful with the fold up workbench idea. Remember that as you put stuff on the workbench, you'll have to remove the stuff to fold it up. Also, you may have to beat something into submission with the BFH. Hinges, legs and benchtop must be strong enough to handle it.

Build a small but strong dedicated shelf for your grinder with a chunk of sheet metal on the wall behind it to catch sparks. Grinders on workbenches make a lot of dirt and dust.

Make a place for your shopvac and it's hoses.

A good rule to live by is "NOTHING on the floor" except for obvious things like welder and rolling tool box. Even five gallon cans should be shelved. Consider what you will shelve and make the shelf the right height and depth so you can see and touch without moving a lot crap to "find" something.

Hope this helped!

 

johns59super88, great ideas.
The dedicated grinder bench with the sheet metal backer is a must have. Just dawned on me why I have never been able to buff out all the scratches on my stainless steel trim, the buffer is next to my stinking bench grinder!!!!

Thanks to everyone else for all the help so far.

Here's some shelves on the first wall to be dry walled and painted. Made some shelves with slotted tracks along the front and put some 1/8" hardboard panels in there. Now I can hide the clutter!
Also, my walls were 8' 8" so I left space at the bottom, painted some 1 x's black and screwed them to the wall below the drywall. Looks like trim but can be removed for easy access for adding air, speaker, video and electrical connections.

Now to clear some space along the front wall so I can tackle that next. That's the wall that will have the tire (and rim) rack at the top.

 

Wow! when I first saw that I'd thought I'd gone back to the 50's. Then I realized what it was. Looks like you have a plan and are on your way to an organized cave. Keep it up!