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A Dream Garage

8

84blazerwhoopee

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Feb 13, 2004
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Location
Minneapolis, MN
Well guys.....I am buying a house FINALLY, and it is gonna be great for me, the ball and chain, and the little monsters....but here's what I'm here for:

I have 6, yes, 6 garages! :) A 2 car attached to the house which is the ball and chain's, by her decree, and I have a 3 car and a one car garage at the back of the lot.

Tha 3 car is 24' deep, 32' wide and has a one car garage door and a 2 car door. The single garage is smaller, 18' deep and 12' wide.

I have currently an AC/DC welder, small gas set-up, air compressor, sand blaster, table saw, 12" radial arm saw, drill press, router, 2 rollaways with tools, and I want a tig or mig welder (I don't know which yet), a welding table, a tubing bender, and a lift. Other stuff if I can make it all fit.....

Anyone got any ideas how to set this up? I have always had space or tools but not both, and I want to do this right. When Carol gets a job I may actually have some money to buy tools!!!!!

I appreciate the input...... :confused:

Randy mcLain
 
When you say tablesaw and router, im guessing you do some woodworking. I would put the woodworking stuff in the small garage, and leave the bigger one for more fab room for the welder, OxyAcetene Setup and tub benders.
 
Yeah, keep the saw dust away from the grease. Only precaution I would take is the right place for the tube bender. I don't know if you have spent much time using one, but you need to allow plenty of space to swing the tube in the bender. Last thing you want to do is start bending a hoop for a roll cage and run into the wall with the other end of the tube. I only say this because I have been there. We did not have the room, so we measured out the bolts in the floor the same so we could rotate the bender in such a situation. It is kind of a pain, but it beats working outside in the rain.
 
dream garage

You and Drey make good points...maybe i'll do that and keep the wood-working seperate.

It's a simple garage and un-insulated....and I have to wire it first.

I'm in MN here...any suggestions on heat? I have natural gas to the house but it's almost 90 feet back to the garages....

Randy
 
If your 3-bay is built similar to mine, then the double-door area is a single span. Make that single door bay your 'fab shop' because a fullsize truck is probably a tight fit (i.e. you could park it, but not work on it). Use the double as your service bay. Then you have room around the sides, maybe even a bench along one side.

Use the single garage for your woodwork shop.
 
Since the walls are unfinished. Invest in a vac system, layout so you suck the wood dust up when you use your tools. and with the tools you have and want I would sire for a security system. also wire a phone and cable in both areas....

Instead of a mig welder you may want to look in a saddle bag wire feed since you have an AC/DC welder. I have an older model that this Miller Suitcase. I just don't have an AC/DC welder any more so mine just sits.
 
Modine (Racine, WI) makes a garage heater that can run off Natural Gas... I think they have Propane and Electric versions as well... but they totally rock... they are aptly named, Hot Dogs.... Cograts on your new purchase... maybe soon I can build my dream garage too.... though I would be better off just buying a run down mech shop...
 
The one car garage seems like a good welding shop/paint booth. You could keep all flammables out of it so it would be safer for the cutting torch and welding. I never weld in mine because it's attached to the house and has oil, atf and other flammables in it, so one accident could burn down the house. But since yours is seperate & you have the 3car to do the routine oil changes, etc, the 1car would be a good hot shop. And it could double as a paint booth when needed. :grin:
 
As for heating your garage, your can run a flexible gas line underground to the building. If you have any friends in the plumbing or heating biz, they can tell you about the codes on dig depth etc. for your area. If you don't feel good about it, talk to someone that can install it for you but save the money and dig the ditch yourself. most of the time it needs to be about 12-15" deep. As for the heater, I would suggest that you use a ceiling hung heater. It's required by code that any gas burning appliance be at least 18" off the floor to keep from blowing you up if there is a gas leak ( gas is heavier than air). Look at REZNOR or Modine unit heaters.
If your going to drywall the ceiling, you may want to consider using infa-red type heaters on your ceiling. They work good to.
Other things to consider:
Air lines in walls with multipule locations.
220V line to garage
tall garage doors
lots of lighting
cable TV & phone
DSL cable to house
Low voltage wire for intercom (Dinners Done!)
Fridge
and much, much more.
Just remember that a house is a wifes home and the garage is your place so treat it like your home.
I wish I would have put the 45" TV in the garage and the 19" in the house.
Oh yeah! don't forget speaker wiring. :D
 
Try wood pellet fuel- You can buy it in the summer when its cheaper. Last time I got some it was about 3.50 a bag. they come in 40 lb bags, and burn very clean. Someone else can chime in on this, I just used it for heating experiments...
 
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