Garage Must Have's !!

[stanhope55]

Gang.

Just completed a new garage.

I thought it would be interesting to pick ya all's brain.

If you were gathering tools for restoration projects what would be your MUST HAVES.

At present have a blast cabinet, welder, grinder, sockets, wrenches etc..... most of the general stuff....

Thought it would be neat to here about some of the specialty stuff you all have or have created ?

I will post a final list of MUST HAVES if I get enough responses and maybe it can help someone else.

Gimme your best ideas !

 

[Aussie Coronet]

A small parts washer can be handy, get the type that operates on water based degreaser, that way you never have to worry about it bursting into flames if a spark gets in it because it will contain a lot of fluid that you don't want going up beside your project!

A beer fridge!

And you must have one of these..

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[benno440]

definetly a beer fridge, a hoist is also handy, a vise, tables to work on, nude pinup calendar on the wall, a stereo, a chair next to the fridge so you can sit, drink and stare at your mopar

 

[70Gtx]

Posters for inspiration, Farah Faucet, Daisy Duke and Dick Landy and maybe King Richard before he Jumped Ship!

 

[gdrill]

One thing I hate is coiling up dirty air hoses after use. I put 3, 50ft retractable hoses up in my shop 8' off the floor. It's 32' X 54' that's why I used 3. They are located so I have one that will reach every inch of the shop and one is by the overhead door, so it reaches 50ft outside. When I'm done, give it a pull and let it coil in. I must say this is probably the handiest thing I've put in there. A urinal is the next best thing!!

 

[stanhope55]

Keep it coming gang..... we are off to a good start... I am taking notes... :VB toast:

 

[A383Wing]

A stop light traffic signal & crosswalk signal was on my list...and yes, both function and work like they are supposed to. I bought the controllers off ebay to make them work

I also have videos on Photobucket

Bryan

 

[306Doba]

A good surround sound stereo system with satellite radio and speakers mounted to or hanging from the ceiling

 

[Deleted member 214]

In Ohio, a heater and insulation were a must for my garage. Lots of shelving. Epoxy coating on the floor.

 

[ws27]

Plenty of work benches with vises because flat surfaces seem to fill up on their own. Heat and AC. Some of these may be pricey, but I'll throw them out anyway. Epoxy floor to clean up spills easier. Basic tire balance just to double check when you remove wheels for other reasons. Of course lifts. Plenty of lighting. A dock light to shine where ever you want near the lift. Something safe to keep waste oil in, metal, and not necessarily big. Ultrasonic cleaner as big as you wallet will allow.

 

[Lowhound]

Retractable air hose reels are a must. Specialty tools Ive added,metal brake,parts washer,blast cabinet,welder. Also added a lift,but it was more of a want than a need. Also a good idea to have a pressure washer. Plus I need to finish the bathroom. In my opinion the worst thing you could ad to a garage is a fridge & a TV. If you put those in there you mite as well stay in your living room. However I plan on adding them once the Bee is finished.

 

[451Mopar]

A few years ago I bought a Bendpak 4-post car lift, trans jack, and some of the other accessories. I bought it "AFTER" having my transmission in/out of the car about six or more times in a month because of various problems. The lift sure makes transmission work and oil changes easy, plus it adds another parking space, but you need a tall celing in the garage. What blast cabinet do you have, been thinking of getting one?
Also plenty of shelving!

 

[Adam Nathan]

Big compressor, impact gun, air ratchet, big vice, plenty of mobile lighting, proper pipe flaring tool, good trolley jack and axle stands X 4, timing light, multi meter, ratchet crimper and plenty of various sized lugs and crimps, heat shrink tubing, soldering iron, crows feet wrenches, sockets 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 inch drive, extensions of same size, deep impact sockets, shop vac, waste oil drum, bench grinder, pillar drill, magnetic tool holders and parts trays, disposible gloves, spanners - ratchet, stubby, open and ring type, hand drill with plenty of HSS drill bits of all sizes, rivets and gun, grease gun, LOADS of WD40, brake cleaner, rolls of paper towels, hand wipes, brake bleeding kit, retractable air line, spare air line, air blowers - stubby and long, pliers, grips, hammers, copper and rubber mallets. And as stated above by so many others a fridge stocked with plenty of beer. Job done.

 

[biginch=bigfun]

By far the best thing I ever put in my garage has been the urinal!!!! no more trcking in dirt or leaving grease smudges on the door handles while in the middle of a project to go "inside". You'll never regret putting one in!

Oh yeah, just wanted to be clear it is hooked up to the sewar & not just draining on the yard! LOL

 

[Richard Cranium]

A stripper pole will pay for itself in no time.

 

[2059]

The guy we bought the place from had a 33 x 66 shop already built. It's nice, 14' ceiling, bathroom (basically just a toilet and a laundry sink which got a remodel). We added a 30 x 40 barn off the side and made it into a small apartment so we would have a place for us while we remodeled the main house. Anyway, i find having a place for a coffee pot, toaster and, as mentioned earlier, a fridge comes in very handy as I like to hit the shop early on the weekend to work on the cars. Probably not a necessity, but this is sure a "niceity". If nothing else, I would definitely plumb for a wash-up area (laundry sink or nicer) and a small countertop for food stuff. Have fun decking out the shop!! BTW over the years I've gotten a few things from these guys. http://www.garageart.com

 

[stanhope55]

On the lift topic we have 11 1/2 ft ceiling... is there a lift that could accomodate this height ? Would it be two or four post ?

454 Mopar..... just getting my cabinet piped into the Rapid Air system i put in, not sure if this Rapid Air product is any good but it's gotta be better than hoses all over the place..... the cabinet is Sandy Jet from Northern Tool... 36inch.... no clue if its any good but i am sure it will do just fine....

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Keep the info coming this is great !

 

[Aussie Coronet]

If you have limited ceiling height, go for one of these,



Gets your car about 4 feet up, so not without its limitations. Mine is a Max Jax and I think they are out of the USA. Comes with a little chair on wheels that whizz around on under the car. Fantastic for underbody work, pulling out fuel tanks, detailing the undercarriage, ripping out fuel tanks, diffs, changing wheels, repairing sills, doing services etc.

Check your concrete slab, must be 100mm minimum thickness and your overhead trusses on the shed, otherwise the roof of the car might hit them.

I'd be screwed without mine.

 

[kidmopar]

put a tv in there so u can watch overhaulin or horsepower tv and get ideas while u are in the shop or even watch cool car videos like two lane blacktop

 

[Cranky]

Mo room!