Decided to build a garage. Now the fun begins.

[OutlawDrifter]

That is an awesome shop you have there!! I’m envious!!

I’d love to have a woodworking shop like that, but I’ll have to make do with a much smaller space, in a barn. That said, you‘ve definitely given me some ideas for it.

Since you and @OutlawDrifter mentioned internet access, I’ll add it to the list. I have to test out the starlink system to see if it will reach. If not, I have a spool of Cat 5 that I might use.

A larger screen would be nice. I’ll, but I don’t want to buy a computer just yet, and I don’t own a laptop. Maybe when I upgrade my Mac mini I’ll move it to the garage.

Thanks for the ideas and encouragement!

I run all my stuff through a NUC box, its smaller than a can of pop, but does all the web browsing I need.

 

[Orpedcrow]

I was trying to figure out how best to mount the task lighting, since it needs to be closer to the workstation. Not necessarily an easy thing in a metal building. A wood building seems much easier to hang lights in; it’s simpler to build a wall attachment out of wood than it is out of metal. At least along the back wall, where I’m thinking most of the workstations will go, I have an idea of how to do it.

I put those cheap, stamped, L-shaped shelf brackets into the metal studs with sheet metal screws. (The kind that was strewn about the outside of your shop ) then hung the fixtures with the provided chains.

If you zoom in on the left you can see them.

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That’s also a 4’ led fixture, hardwired to an old extension cord being used as the best drop light ever under the truck.

You’ll notice the shadow cast from the highbay lights that run down the center of dads shop too. Task lighting is mandatory because my head and shoulders cast a shadow over the workbenches that run long the side of the shop.

And here’s the cart with the lamp.

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[termite]

I used to use a Dewalt emglo compressor, roughly 6 gal hot dog tanks at if memory serves ~150 psi in tbe tanks (edit: as playingwithTBI pointed out below, set a regulator for what the tool is rated for to avoid busting them). It worked for busting a set of 8 lugs loose if they weren't seized before having to wait for a recharge. Definitely not enough volume for grinders or sustained impact use.

Currently have a Craftsman 30gal unit that is a major improvement but still insufficient for die grinders any longer than a minute at a time.

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

I used to use a Dewalt emglo compressor, roughly 6 gal hot dog tanks at if memory serves ~150 psi in tbe tanks. It worked for busting a set of 8 lugs loose if they weren't seized before having to wait for a recharge

A word to the wise @South VA if you go that route or similar (you probably already know) make sure you have secondary regulator to keep your pressure <100 PSI for your nail guns - they have a tendency to self destruct with higher pressures plus, you can't get an even nail set depth.

Currently have a Craftsman 30gal unit that is a major improvement but still insufficient for die grinders any longer than a minute at a time.

I have a used 5HP compressor that draws ~30 Amps with a 220 Volt service. It keeps up with my smallish die grinder and impact gun. For bigger stuff I use the hose reel and 1/2" hose.

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For remote nailing I have this little "pancake" compressor (lower arrow). The air tank (upper arrow) is plumbed to the big compressor, at the other end) for added capacity and friction loss in the lines.

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[PlayingWithTBI]

BTW - you may want to locate your air compressor next to/near a roll-up door so you can fill a flat tire on the apron rather than having to move a vehicle or add 100' of hose to reach

 

[GrimsterGMC]

Well, I intended to get the cardboard cut today yesterday, but it just didn’t happen. It’s looking like tomorrow this afternoon.

And you’re correct, I really don’t have to nail down completely where everything goes, beyond my informed best guess. Thanks to casters.

Which, btw, hadn’t occurred to me to put on a workbench, until hearing it from you a while back. Makes perfect sense. At this point, even my first two sets of shelves will be on casters.

The main reason for wanting to sort out locations at this point is for task lighting.

I wouldn't get too hung up on the task lighting, if you have plenty of power outlets spread around the walls then you can attach lighting to the walls were you need them and just plug them in, that way the switch is next to the workspace when you need to turn them on and off without walking across the workshop to the main lighting switch panel. Makes it easy to move them with your benches etc when you reorganise the layout, which you will do several times before it all works right for you.

 

[South VA]

I put those cheap, stamped, L-shaped shelf brackets into the metal studs with sheet metal screws. (The kind that was strewn about the outside of your shop ) then hung the fixtures with the provided chains.

If you zoom in on the left you can see them.

You must be registered for see images attach

Great idea. I’ll have to dig around here to see if I have any L-brackets that are large enough.

My thought was to mount the 4’ or 8’ fixtures 18” away from the wall, hanging them, with chains, from these angled brackets along the back wall. That’s where I believe the action will be.

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But my method wouldn’t drop them very far below the truss; and I’m wondering if the fixtures would be close enough to the work surface to be a proper task light.

That’s also a 4’ led fixture, hardwired to an old extension cord being used as the best drop light ever under the truck.

That’s pretty slick! I could see making something like that to have handy.

You’ll notice the shadow cast from the highbay lights that run down the center of dads shop too. Task lighting is mandatory because my head and shoulders cast a shadow over the workbenches that run long the side of the shop.

And here’s the cart with the lamp.

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That cart looks really functional. Large enough to hold stuff but compact enough to move around and get around. Or at least I would imagine so.

And I have a lamp exactly like that one, that I’m not using at the moment. Hmmm.

 

[Trio]

My understanding is that the minimum standard for garage lighting is 50 lumens/sf. I’d like to go beyond that, which means having a bunch of fixtures. Fortunately LED shop lights are not too expensive.

For reference, one of my shops is 1000 SF. I have 8 of the 8-foot fixtures, 8200 lumens each, spaced between bays and flush mounted on trusses 15 feet above the shop floor. Calculates out to 65.6 lumens per SF. White walls, white ceiling, and gray epoxy high-gloss floor. It is a LOT of light, but no where close to TOO MUCH light. There are times I still need mobile task lights.

 

[South VA]

It's OK to be brutally honest with yourself, but like others have shared don't be too hard
on yourself. Using myself as an example, here's some perspective on all this.

1) First off, after several iterations of 20/20 hindsight over the years, I've come to the realization
that once Road Trip starts a project, this photo says it all:

'Press on Regardless'

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(credit: Found long ago, Unknown)

That is an excellent photo!
Saved for future use, thank you very much!

Let's just say that the desire to push a project over the finish line often places me mentally in a situation

where I get the tunnel vision, and I no longer take full advantage of what I've learned
(the hardest possible way) over the years. :0)

You know, where the desire to 'get it done' starts to outweigh rational thought about 'getting it right'.
I think it says a lot that you are stopping and re-evaluating before instead of after. I'd call this Large Project
Maturity, and by your actions you're obviously ahead of me in this area. (!)

Thanks. Part of my motivation for hitting the Pause button was that I found myself in the weeds, overwhelmed by the details. Instead of having fun and enjoying the project, it had became work, in a ‘trying to fight my way out’ sort of way, if that makes sense. It’s happened to me before and often leads to avoidance. So I mashed that Pause button. Maturity, or self preservation? I’m not sure which.

Years ago I actually had a mentor share with me a phrase that puts all this into proper perspective:

"Quality is the Constant, and Time is the Variable."

When I was younger, there was no time for philosophical nonsense like that. But now that I'm working on
stuff that will (hopefully) remind others of what I was like before I checked out, I find that phrase puts
everything into the proper perspective for yours truly. I actually wash everything against this statement
to make sure that my project eyes aren't larger than my project stomach.

Words to live by.

To the point where if I can't use that mindset on what I'm currently working on (normally due to lack of
planning turning into serious time constraints by others) ...then I'm working on the wrong stuff. And these
days I'll hear myself saying, "This is not a good use of my time", followed by actually disentangling
myself from that project. (Even better when I decline an invitation at the outset to work on something
when I *know* that the owner of the project lives the "Time is the Constant, and Quality is the Variable"
philosophy.

So much less frustration in life since adopting Step #1 fully.

2)


I absolutely agree with this. Especially when tackling something outside my comfort zone, I used to
beat myself up when I didn't get something 100% right on the first try. Using math and a more reasonable
90% improvement for each pass at a project, you end up with:

1st pass: 90% of the goal
2nd pass: 90% improvement (10% remaining x 90% = 9% gain = 99% of goal)
3rd pass: 90% improvement (1% remaining x 90% = 0.9% gain = 99.9% of goal)

Math majors refer to this as an asymptote function. (Definition) I refer to this as there's
always room for improvement...but that's OK, and this math function absolves me of
having to feel bad when a signature piece is never quite done. :0)

A perfect project is rarely an achievable outcome, but striving for it, in iterative fashion as you describe, is a worthy and effective goal. You put it very well.

3) What do I focus on before starting a project?

Using the hobby of engine building as an example, once I had fixed enough of my
own stuff to have enough confidence to help others with their engines, I successfully
put together a lot of powerplants that achieved the initial (oversimplified) goals we had
in mind, but at the same time none of us were very happy to actually live with the results?

The bottom line is that back then we were always chasing a single HP number. (A greedy,
unrealistic number at that. :0) Essentially when making that HP, the engine was great.
The rest of the time it was a ill-behaving diva that made driving a chore instead of a reward
in the real world.

Instead, when we changed our focus to building to a (more end goal specific) desired torque curve**
...this allowed us to build towards something to be enjoyed for how *we* were going to use it
in the real world -- instead of building to some HP number that only made us feel good while
bench racing.

We actually ended up Trying Easier, spending less money chasing the dream, etc, etc. In this
area, by your comments I think that you are actually in a good place with your garage build.

Your example reminded me of my doing essentially that same thing a few years ago when I decided to change my bone stock ‘14 Dodge Charger R/T AWD into a sleeper, capable of embarrassing a Scat Pack or a Mustang GT.

Since I had never done such a thing on a V8, I took it to a shop who supposedly did a fine job of building performance cars. One of the first questions they asked me was “how much horsepower are you looking for?”

At that point I should have thanked them for their time and left. Then gone back to researching and learning what I really needed to understand before proceeding with the project.

But no, I instead gleefully signed on the dotted line, and anxiously waited months for the car to be done. This was during COVID. The result was many thousands of dollars, a beast of a car that I couldn’t drive like I wanted to on the street, and, eventually, a blown engine.

I’d learned some in the process, particularly about torque curves, and had the engine rebuilt to withstand even more power and torque. When it was stock I loved that car. Once modified, particularly the second time, I grew to hate driving and owning it. I never really put the work into figuring out what the car actually needed, within its drivetrain and suspension limitations, to become a fun, fast daily driver. That fact is that I went about it all wrong. And should have left the car stock and purchased a Scat Pack for a bit less money.

It actually frightened me at times, as it was a real handful, even with AWD. I knew it was only a matter of time before I got into serious trouble with it. So I sold it early last year, for a fraction of what I had into it.

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That was truly an expensive bit of tuition!

****

I could go on & on, but IMHO I would consider you still in the sweet spot of this project, especially
if you take the long term view.

Thanks again. It feels like I’m in the right place.

My AWD DD has developed an exhaust leak in the midpipe that may not
stay together until spring...and it's snowing, so of course I'm deferring maintenance until I get a
dry day to get under there and fix it in the driveway. So from my perspective you have some
fantabulous problems to solve.

I feel your pain.

Thanks for once again helping me keep this project in perspective.

Cheers --

**(especially when we included the transmission + rear end gearing & ending up with a better
idea of how much sheer overall push there was. Or how much improvement at a specific mph in
each of the usable gears at that speed. Or how much would it be better able to climb a specific
section of road featuring a significant grade that was driven regularly.)

 

[South VA]

I used to use a Dewalt emglo compressor, roughly 6 gal hot dog tanks at if memory serves ~150 psi in tbe tanks (edit: as playingwithTBI pointed out below, set a regulator for what the tool is rated for to avoid busting them). It worked for busting a set of 8 lugs loose if they weren't seized before having to wait for a recharge. Definitely not enough volume for grinders or sustained impact use.

Currently have a Craftsman 30gal unit that is a major improvement but still insufficient for die grinders any longer than a minute at a time.

Yeah, there’s probably a larger compressor in my future. No rush, though, so hopefully a deal for a used one will present itself at some point.