Garage project!

Malt_Vinegar · 4 Nov 2008 at 15:33

Got some tool racking installed last night.

Also, the last bits of edging on the floor, its now like this..

Lob a few more things into the loft area, and i will be laughing, I know i keep saying this, but the car should be in by this weekend!!

Malt_Vinegar · 4 Nov 2008 at 15:43

suarve said:
Not entirely sure why, but garage project threads always interest me.

I am the same, There are a couple of good ones up on Retro-rides forum in the "other modifications" sub-forum

Malt_Vinegar · 4 Nov 2008 at 15:58

Dup said:
I hate people with garages!

[/endgaragenvy]

Looking good so far. Seriously lacks special posters and calendars.

Hehe, I will be covering the walls, but got to get them finished before I start putting up posters and the like

That weird face is coming down next, i think I will reverse it, and screw it to the end wall. Screw in a few hooks and it should give me somewhere to hang my powertools

Dogbreath said:
I was going to get some of those floor tiles for my basement, but if they are fairly soft I suspect a trolley jack would ruin it very quickly?

I wheeled over my tool chest with a bike engine on the shelf, and plenty of bottles of fluids. It left a temporary impression, but seemed to cope ok.

The great thing with the flooring is that individual tiles can be lifted if needed. However, with the limited space, jacking up will only happen outside the garage, the ramps will allow me under it when in the garage as well as spead the weight over a large area!

Malt_Vinegar · 6 Nov 2008 at 12:13

bledd. said:
i know you're pretty agile mate, but will you be able to open the door when the car is in the garage? or will you be exiting via the boot

lol, i should be ok, with some nice soft carpet on the walls, to stop me destroying the door when i open it

I could get the old e34 doors open, and climb in, so this should be a bit easier!!

Malt_Vinegar · 11 Nov 2008 at 22:54

Well, a bit more clearing, and I was close to getting my motor in!

Little bit of time later, and i was ready for driving it in! The way things are now is not final, this is just to see what space I can use with the car in the garage.

Its a bit tight!!!

But it does fit!!

So...
Tommorrow i need to see where i can fit shelving and make more space to allow the car a bit more room!

Malt_Vinegar · 24 Mar 2009 at 11:12

An update!! This kinda got side-tracked after my prelude issues meant it was in bits in the garage

Looking in...

The shelving, for keeping things out of the way of cars going in and out.,

Debating continuing the paint theme, or just painting the walls white all over..

Blurry Closeup of business end!

Looking out!

Very happy with it. Its a huge difference being able to move around in there, and find everthing quickly. Looking at perhaps installing a thin-client with monitor on the end wall, and mounting a wireless adaptor in the roof to try and get some signal in there

Malt_Vinegar · 24 Mar 2009 at 16:03

Nice, wish I had as much space!!

Badgerpoo said:
Man I need to do this. My garage resembles your before shots at the moment .

Beware! once you start, its addictive

Malt_Vinegar · 24 Mar 2009 at 17:02

Shimmyhill said:
Man my garage makes your original pics look tidy

How did you get on with the extra joist support ? I have a big ladder on mine at the moment and hadnt considered boarding it for storage - i like the idea !!

I didnt add any in the end, I spoke to a mate of my dads in the building trade, and he said, I could just prop up the outer beams if get any sagging, but that it was not worth doing for the amount of weight i was going to be adding

I have a load of stuff up there, even during the heavy snow fall, not so much as a creak, or sag from anything

Malt_Vinegar · 27 Mar 2009 at 19:10

Managed to build up a crappy PC to install in the corner of the garage

Here it is...

Oh, then there was the problem of getting wireless signal in there. Seems my Linksys router was not quite up to the job.... What to do?

Whats that then???

Yes, I made a wireless aerial booster thingy from a frying pan and long USB cables

Ghetto-tastic wireless booster. Now i have a solid wireless(ish) connection in there too

Malt_Vinegar · 27 Mar 2009 at 19:28

GeX said:
i would've just run some cat5e next to the power cable.

luckily, my garage is linked to the house, i took the chance when i had the kitchen out to run a pair of cat5e links into it - the wireless just about catches it as well.

My router is at the front of my house, and the entrance to the garden/garage is out the back, so would have to run the cable through my lounge and kitchen too.

Besides, its not nearly as much fun playing with a wireless booster

Malt_Vinegar · 2 Apr 2009 at 10:26

I am going to paint the walls properly soon, just need to get my bum in gear, and get some time to get it done

So, full view from outside.

My "Desk" with the adapted aquarium lighting

Lighting installed (probably should have taken this with the light off, but it was getting dark!

The power blocks. These are to be plugged into a dual switched wall socket which will replace the cable wheel that us powering everything at the moment.

I used a few hooks to get some things off the floor. My bike was one of these

So, remaining to do yet...
Sort the power out properly to get rid of the cable wheel.
Paint the walls fully.
More shelving
Strengthen up the loft beams (double them up) for peace of mind

Malt_Vinegar · 6 Apr 2009 at 13:54

Thomas. PLease. said:
Looks like its come a long way. Good job

Cheers

Its a revelation when I actually need to do anything now. I have all my tools to hand, power plumbed in, and space to do it

Ok, some more small steps.

Got the power sorted now. Power is run into the double socket on the wall. Then I run the extensions off that. I even have the lighting run from this. So i can turn off the entire lot at the wall and make sure nothing is on when I close it up

I also cleared down the rest of the loft area, and am considering installing either some more flooring, or some drop compartments for more storage.

I even started to put up a few bits of decoration too

Malt_Vinegar · 6 Apr 2009 at 14:45

You could look at Epoxy flooring.
Very hard and looks cool, but you will need to treat the concrete first

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=12 - lots of advice available here

Malt_Vinegar · 6 Apr 2009 at 15:03

bledd. said:
garage / porn den, for the win

when can I move in?

lol, I think swmbo is already thinking I might be moving out

She said I am not allowed a TV in there, or she will never see me!!

eXor said:
Are those two garages yours? If so, why on earth is there a dividing wall instead of just one big space?

Only one is mine

Malt_Vinegar · 19 May 2009 at 12:26

Some more work done. Some stuff moved out and got rid of. Moved the PC install to its final resting place. I have also de-ghettod the wireless. I now have an old sattelite dish installed on the fence at the back, with the receiver replaced with the original wifi usb stick

Massive increase in wireless signal, and loads more reliable. (Forgot to get pics)

PC with its new desktop, and moved to correct position.

Car ready to go in, note the bit of wood outside, i use this to help me line up. Tolerances are pretty tight in there!

There it is! In!

Yup - pretty tight!!

Very happy with how its turned out. Almost sad its finished really. Might not look like much, but it's made working in the garage and getting stuff done a lot easier.