Shop Tools And Setup

[toodeep 1,758]

Close, electrical fire in the attic. We had a tornado a couple years before that damaged the building and some electrical must have been overlooked. We was just getting done with the remodel when the fire started. It was during the day so I was there but where we thought it was and was fighting it, it proved us wrong. Once we figured out it spread through the attics it was too late and nothing left to do but watch. It just happened to be the coldest day we had that winter and pumps/hoses was freezing up and everything froze to the ground instantly so we had a hard time removing machines from the outside.

[retro 4,048]

I'm glad you recovered from that disaster.

[Mac102004 426]

4 hours ago, jeepwm69 said:

I'm not posting pictures of my shop, because...well it's a nightmare.  I recently started cleaning some stuff out because I have so much space taken up storing parts that I no longer have a place to work.

 

That said, I got two big 41" toolboxes (top and bottom) made by Waterloo that were some of my Walmart closeout scores, and they'll hold my tools.  Finally got my great grandfather's old drafting desk moved out to the farm shop so I had room for toolboxes and can finally get my parts washer set up. 

 

Hoping I get a couple of hours to work out there this weekend.  I gotta make getting my shop clean a priority, but life keeps getting in the way. 

 

As far as tools, a compressor and impact have helped me more than anything.  Makes everything SO much faster and easier.

 

Sounds like my shop and why I'm not sharing pics lol I need a week to clean the place out first. Like I said I haven't been able to get there to work much and it's becoming a catchall for everything I don't feel like dealing with at the moment. lol

[mrbb 103]

well MY # 1 would have to just be a EXTRA large shop that is insulated, heated AC, and well great lighting, NO super lighting!

I'm tired of needing light when working on things

 and a few bays, one for welding, one for washing, and one that is rather clean for more detailed work!

 never have enough dam room in a shop IMO
after the size of shop

 Guess, all the basic tools, in NICE cabinets,  preferably on wheels, so you can move them as needed without dropping a nut!

this way also, so things can be found when needed and NOT scattered all over, making you curse to find things that AIN"T where you thought they were!

like any thing, only thing you don't need will be what you cannot afford, ain't every heard anyone actually complain about having a  ODD tool when they needed it!

 things I like to keep on hand, is a LARGE selection of extra nuts bolts and washers, is countless sizes and materials(grade 5-8, stainless steel, galvanized and such) and in both SAE and Metric!

 as cannot tell you how many times I have dropped one and it to go MIA  , into some black hole into space far far away never to be found again LOL

  and need a replacement!

 

 and a nice big cabinet full of assorted chemicals, like carb cleaner, brake cleaner, oils, wd -40  and so on, never seem to have enough at times of one  of em!

 

 many times its the small things than can make  a shop nicer to be in!

 

 

[David13 84]

I have one shed like Shadetrees for the motorcycle.  My plan is to get another one for the atv. 

 

As far as tools I don't think I will ever have enough. 

 

One tool I had that I left behind in Los Angeles was the 12 ton press.

 

I see some of you have the 20 ton press.  I had the Harbor Freight 12 ton, and I think I want to get another one of those, but I'm wondering if it is big enough, or if I should get the 20 ton. 

 

The 12 ton seemed to be enough for wheel bearings, etc.

 

What would I need the 20 ton for?

 

Thanks

dc

[shadetree 5,864]

33 minutes ago, David13 said:

I have one shed like Shadetrees for the motorcycle.  My plan is to get another one for the atv. 

 

As far as tools I don't think I will ever have enough. 

 

One tool I had that I left behind in Los Angeles was the 12 ton press.

 

I see some of you have the 20 ton press.  I had the Harbor Freight 12 ton, and I think I want to get another one of those, but I'm wondering if it is big enough, or if I should get the 20 ton. 

 

The 12 ton seemed to be enough for wheel bearings, etc.

 

What would I need the 20 ton for?

 

Thanks

dc

you never know !!!. if you time it right ?, you can almost buy the 20 ton for about the price of the 12 ton, better to have too much, then not enough !..lol.

[SlammedRanger 1,556]

Heck there is times my 20ton isnt enough. I bent the press table trying to do the wheel bearings on one of our ford transit connects we have in our fleet. I had it red hot and it snapped the spindle in half and bent the press table. When it snapped it sounded like a bomb went off. No joke.

[Fishfiles 20,145]

I got lots of tools  but no shop , a 20 x 16  roof only lean to and a 20 ft sea can is my shop ----- been wanting to build a pole barn , friends drive pilings and said they would stick the poles for the cost of the poles , the concrete is the killer , about $5K 

[retro 4,048]

Thats where I'm at too... got no shop here yet... and my tools are stored in two different sheds, plus more inside my shack where I keep the temperature sensitive & electronic stuffs. I keep thinking that I'm gonna build a shop (plans are all drawn up, lumber is onsite) but I always seem to run out of summer before I get caught up. Someday it'll happen tho.... gotta be patient... by then I'll have given all of my best tools away and be incapable of holding anything smaller than a beer can in my hand anyway. 🙂

[shadetree 5,864]

5 hours ago, retro said:

Thats where I'm at too... got no shop here yet... and my tools are stored in two different sheds, plus more inside my shack where I keep the temperature sensitive & electronic stuffs. I keep thinking that I'm gonna build a shop (plans are all drawn up, lumber is onsite) but I always seem to run out of summer before I get caught up. Someday it'll happen tho.... gotta be patient... by then I'll have given all of my best tools away and be incapable of holding anything smaller than a beer can in my hand anyway. 🙂

shoot, I used to do all my work on my carport, then when I built my back deck, I started doing it there, problem with that was.it always got too wet out in the open, sooooo..I told myself..i'm gonna build me a 12x16 shop, make it like a barn style, have plenty of space in the loft where I could stand all the way up, and walk all around up there, sooooooo..I did it !. made ramps to roll/drive in and out, a ramp for the side door for smaller stuff, then I decided it was best to put a lean-too roof over the side door, standing in the rain while unlocking the door sucked !..lol.

[shadetree 5,864]

then I had to run power to it from my house breaker box, about 80-90 feet of digging, under my deck for the most part, then got to my shop, installed a 150 amp main breaker ( more than enough to run what I planned for ), ran all my outlets, lights. complete build myself, she's not much ?, but I love it !.

[Fishfiles 20,145]

I was talking to my friend yesterday , he is a big time oyster fisherman and was a millionaire before the B.P. spill  , his metal shop / barn at his second 100 + acre home in Alabama is unbelievable and he was telling me it got bigger this week , he added a little awning off the back of the main building , 20 wide by 40 long 20 foot high , his shop is 40 x 90 x 30 ft high  and has two awning off the sides already that are 20 x 90 , and a front 20 by 40 awning , so he is like 80 by 130 now and the concrete extends beyond that foot print , what I could do with that !!!! ----I got the land , the desire , just not the denaros or enough stuff to fill it 

[Fishfiles 20,145]

I seen this custom home made tool at the flea market yesterday , I didn't buy it or into it  ...... Redneck Engineering 

[Fishfiles 20,145]

Two man redneck pipe wrench pic'ed above ^ , if you think about the physics of it , the second person pushing on the crescent side would actually be opening the other jaw to help make it slip , but who am I to speculate what's going to happen 

[oldmxrider 71]

Tools You can never own enough !

 

My favorites would be the modified HF lift table that is recessed in My garage floor it will accommodate atv's with the side extensions and My china made modified 20 ton press repowered to 35 ton . I rebuild My own MX crankshafts and 20 ton will not do it !

 

Have a suspension bench for and shocks and forks

 

It is only 12' x 21'  Try to make the most out of it !

[KoolBreeze 62]

I don't have a shop currently. Forced to work on stuff out of my 2 car garage. I set up portable tables and such for bigger projects, then take them down once I'm done. It's much better than working on things out in the driveway for sure but I'd love to have a 2 bay shop with a 2 post lift. I work on my old cars more than I do ATVs and I'm getting too old to be putting them up on jack stands and rolling around on creepers. Haha! Some day maybe.

 

I do have a pretty good collection of older US made Craftsman hand tools, a 60 gallon compressor, a stick welder and etc. For hand tools I've needed to buy lately, I've been SK Tools and have been pleased with them so far.

[toodeep 1,758]

I was messing around this weekend and tripping over some scrap iron so I decided to build a push bar for the foreman. Working by myself most of the time moving dead machines around can be a pain. I use a length of rope to steer the dead machine and it works good. Easy on/off so the machine isn't tied to being just a pusher. It works a lot better than a tire strapped on like I have done in the past. 

[jeepwm69 7,605]

On 12/24/2019 at 7:24 PM, oldmxrider said:

Tools You can never own enough !

 

My favorites would be the modified HF lift table that is recessed in My garage floor it will accommodate atv's with the side extensions and My china made modified 20 ton press repowered to 35 ton . I rebuild My own MX crankshafts and 20 ton will not do it !

 

Have a suspension bench for and shocks and forks

 

It is only 12' x 21'  Try to make the most out of it !

 

Your organization and cleanliness makes me nauseous. 

[shadetree 5,864]

2 hours ago, jeepwm69 said:

 

Your organization and cleanliness makes me nauseous. 

haha..well..clean your shop up !. but really, mines a mess too !..lol.

[Wheeler 2,525]

Mine actual needs to be tidied up. Too much stuff on the benches, baseboards still out there etc.... But this is where it all happens...

[retro 4,048]

I envy you guys. All of my buildings are filled up with stuff that I hoard and store. I work on my ATV and project bikes outdoors.

[jeepwm69 7,605]

1 hour ago, shadetree said:

haha..well..clean your shop up !. but really, mines a mess too !..lol.

 

I'm working on it!  Got my parts washer put together, desk moved out, toolboxes moved in, and shelves set up in the back. 

[jeepwm69 7,605]

9 minutes ago, retro said:

I envy you guys. All of my buildings are filled up with stuff that I hoard and store. I work on my ATV and project bikes outdoors.

 

That's what I've been doing too, but that limits me to working when I have daylight, and with a newborn that doesn't happen.  If I get my shop where I can work in it, I can get up before dawn when the womenfolk are still asleep and work then.

[retro 4,048]

That plan sounds a bit too ambitious to me Jeep. I can't function in the mornings until I've put down a quart of coffee, so I'd have to get out of bed at 3:00 AM to make it out the door by 5:00. Ain't gonna happen.

[jeepwm69 7,605]

I don't do it every day.  Just every once and awhile.  With 4 women in the house with me that's the only time I can work uninterrupted for more than 10 minutes.  LOL