Garage workbench setups??

[armourbl]

I'm finally getting a house with a garage, and while the completion date is months away I'd like to start getting ideas from you all about your garages.

My garage will not be for parking the cars, it will be a workshop for my bikes. I still remember my lessons from wood/metal shop in middle and high school.

So, anyone got any nifty ideas for an awesome garage?

Or how about websites that host this kind of info.

ben

[KerryT]

You might want to paint the floor with that concrete sealer. That way oil spills are easy to clean up. Do that first thing BEFORE you start spilling oil!

[thumper4life]

cabinents, definitly cabinents...and a roller toolbox ? and some stools with a nice long work table along the wall with a stereo on top of the cabinents

[Brian_in_Long_Beach]

www.ultimategarage.com

A bit on the upper scale end of things but that site has lots of good info.

Brian

[Merfman]

I mounted my stereo on one of the wall arm TV mounts then mounted my speakers in the ceiling, over my bench.

Other ideas:

110V electrical every 10', at least 2/wall, with 3-4 at the front.

220V electrical on each wall.

I used 1" PVC and ran compressed air from my compressor every 8' around my shop. PVC is NOT the recommended conduit but it works for me, YMMV.

18" workbench for holding parts, carbs, etc, with it's own air supply.

2 4' florescent lights with low-temp ballasts over my work area.

Cheapo parts washer.

My work area is also covered with removeable indoor/outdoor carpet. Easier on the feet/back.

Merf

[Ron_in_SoCal]

Don't forget the dyno!

[blue_beast_wins]

dont forget an office chair with wheels makes it easy to work on your bike, a fridge and a nice comfortable chair is required so you can drink yourself into stupidity when you've finished.

[Snapper]

bench with a metal top is sweet for cleaning and keeping track of bits. Also a back board so bits don't disapear down the back.

Pretty much everything else has been covered (fridge, carpet, stereo, computer terminal)- a little air compressor is good and i like shadowboards myself. Good lights are the biggest priority.

I get my shed carpet from the carpet wharehouses about once a year - they rip it up from houses when replacing and just dump it. Keeps your feet warm, saves cleaning up oil and stops little parts like jets bouncing away.

[jschner]

For a glance at a clean garage goto this site and check out the garage freestyle pics. When your done laughing your butt off look at how clean the garage is. Maybe it will give you a couple ideas.

Enjoy,

http://www.singletracker500.com/

[yamaha.dude]

Plenty of natural or other light, well ventilated... roll cab is great too... other essentials are the fridge, some sounds, and a T1 link to the Internet - so if you have a jetting question, then you can log-on and search the TT archives as fast as you like... you will also need a good offset engineers vice... running water... a metal bench... If you can, a shower and toilet would be great, then you don't have to go inside and get an earful for walking mud and grease through the place...

You don't say where you live... do the winters get cold - then old carpet will be nice, and maybe insulate the door as well...

You don't say what your budget is... but sure sounds like an excuse to buy some big tools if you haven't already got them... compressor, bike workstand, need a TIG welder for all those fiddly alloy bits... I think someone else mentioned the dyno...

How about putting in a web cam so we can watch you change jets and adjust your valves... ?

Good luck...

David

[ May 20, 2002: Message edited by: yamaha.dude ]

[armourbl]

I love the outrageous suggestions. I think the web cam and T1 line will have to wait until I get the rest of the garage in shape.

I already plan to seal the floor first thing, maybe even before I move in.

Ultimately I see it having a minimum of the following. Workbench that covers at least the length of one wall, probably about 50" high since I'm tall, with a metal top. Air compressor, with the full gambit of related tools. At least one hydraulic bike lift. Probable a couple of rolling tool boxes. Plenty of light. Somekind of cooling/heating option. Plenty of cabinets. Maybe a sink (non-standard addition for the home plans). Most definately a stereo, but maybe just a cheap one for now. Computer with internet access maybe, just depends on space. A vice. And probably plenty more..

Just going to take time since I don't have a budget to run out and purchase everything at once..

I'd love to hear more suggestions...

ben

[Tim_Heslip]

I loved that web site http://www.singletracker500.com

I laughed my butt off. That sound effect on the splash page had me in tears.

As far as the garage goes. Don't forget a target on a wall so you have something to aim at when you have the urge to throw something. ?

Tim Heslip

[Firemnwhyt]

Sealing the concrete floor is a great idea, but why not take it a step further. Paint it White. This will help enable you to clean up the oil easier (like sealer) but when you drop something,(screws, jets, etc.) its easier to find it. It also makes the garage brighter so you need less lighting fixtures. And since your looking for suggestions, A hot tub would be nice ?

[armourbl]

The sealer I plan to use is basically a paint. It will probably be a very light grey, white will be too much to keep clean...

Hot Tub? Maybe if I had a 3 car garage, but just not enough room in a 2 car garage.

Anyone know if you it possible to drill into the concrete floor and bolt in some kind of device to lock your bike to. I plan to keep my bikes locked up in the garage to better prevent them from walking away.

ben

[Merfman]

Originally posted by armourbl:

The sealer I plan to use is basically a paint.

Anyone know if you it possible to drill into the concrete floor and bolt in some kind of device to lock your bike to. I plan to keep my bikes locked up in the garage to better prevent them from walking away.

ben

Two comments: Use the two-part epoxy paint. I used the cheapy one part and it's already coming up.

There was bolt-it-to-a-concrete floor review in one of the AMA mags about a year ago. I know such a device exists but I don't remember the name, sorry.

Merf

[Buckholz]

Built my house about 7 yrs ago.

Once garage floor had cured for 30 days, mild etched it and coated it with this product

http://www.rustoleum.com/ibg/Literature/Rust-O-Poxy/rustopoxy3.htm

Ordered it from Granger, put two coats of sky blue. Now, 7 years later, the only place that isn't perfect is where I spun the studded tires on my one ton pickup, trying to launch too hard to make it outta my driveway in 3' of snow.

Don't seal the floor silver/grey, hard to find parts, pick a light color.

Spills clean up amazingly easy, and I pressure wash the floor every now and then, looks still brand new.

Remember, series 9100 Rustoleum High Performance Epoxy. I used about $200 of epoxy when I did my floor.

NO REGRETS!

[Buckholz]

Me again. I went Marlin Blue (no such thing as sky).

Here's the color chart and specs.

http://www.rustoleum.com/ibg/products/9100/default.asp

BTW, My snowmobile's carbides have not cut thru the epoxy.

I bought and used a coupla jugs of the Rustoleum 108 Etching and Cleaning solution prior to painting.

Here's the website for Grainger's 9100 paint.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/productdetail.jsp?xi=xi&ItemId=1611618166

Looks like mid $60 for gallon of paint, and another $49 for the Activator. So, price is $110 per two gallons. Suspect you could do your garage with the two gallons. I used maybe 3 gallons to do my 25' x 23' floor twice.

[armourbl]

Very cool, thanx Buck for the thorough response. This stuff is expensive. I wonder if I might be able to find it cheaper locally.

ben

[Bamster]

An old sofa is a good idea if you have room.That way if your buddies drop by after riding you can

entertain right there without tracking dirt through the house. Also if the wife gets mad at you its a good place to crash.Make sure you put the frige close by for easy access to the beer.

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