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New Workshop suggestions needed

1K views 9 replies 8 participants last post by  techinspector1 
#1 ·
I am in the process of buying a house that has a workshop in addition to the garage. It is a 24x36ft building with 12ft ceilings and one 9ft single garage door. It has heating, A/C, & water.

I have the following tools:

-wrench & ratchet sets
-soldering iron
-wire strippers
-pliers & vice grips
-bench mounted vice
-screw drivers
-shopvac
-1.5 ton floor jack with 2 ton jack stands
-sawzall
-battery powered drill and nut driver
-small chop saw
-orbital sander
-circular saw
-30 gal Harbor Freight air compressor
-Husky air tools (impact, ratchet, cut off wheel, angle grinder)
-Engine Lift
-various coarse & fine alignment devices (hammers)​

i am planning on buying the following:

-4 post lift - Bendpak HD-9XW
-bigger Air Compressor - Trying to see if the home seller will part with his 60 gal compressor for a reasonable price. If he doesn't then a Quincy 2V41C60VC 15.4CFM 60 gal tank
-Welder - Hobart 190 MIG
-Plasma Cutter - Klutch 375i
-soft jaws for the vice
-Hand held grinder
-drier setup for new air compressor - ???​

Will get one day:

-big tool box - ???
-better air tools - ???
-overhead crane (trying to price it out now)
-mill
-lathe
-shear
-brake​

In addition to the items I am planning to buy, I have about $1500 to spend on other tools that I will need and have forgotten about so any suggestions are appreciated.
 
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#2 ·
Be aware that Craftsman tools do not have the money back guarantee that they used to have. There are still tools that have that guarantee so buy them if you can find what you need.

Tools you don't list:
Grinder
Buffer
Press; at least a big arbor press and in addition to that at least a 20 ton press
Transmission jack
Electrical tools; a good multi-meter, test light, and if you plan on rebuilding starters you need a growler
load leveler for your engine hoist
vacuum brake bleeder
master gauges for oil pressure, vacuum and fuel pressure

That will give you a good start on your shop. It sounds like it will be big enough to have room to work on a car and still have storage for tools and bench space. You can make your own benches if you have a table saw and some basic accessories.
If you like I can give you plans and pictures of my benches.
 
#5 ·
hcompton,


Good point about the vice. Right now I've got a $75 home depot special. If that breaks I'll definitely look on ebay for some old vices.

OldTech,

Thanks for the suggestions. I will definitely add a grinder/buffer to the list. Along with a transmission jack. I'll have to see if I can pick up a used one.

As far as the multi meter and engine leveler, I've already got those just forgot to list them.

I had planned on making one or two roll around tables for welding and general use. I plan on making receiver ports in each corner so that I can make a quick change setup for a vice, shrinker/stretcher, planishing hammer or any other tool I plan on getting in the future. I'd like to see a picture of your bench setup.

cgates/hp246,

Very good point, I guess I forgot about that...

The shop will primarily be to work on cars to varying extents. The immediate need is for finishing the turbo LS 5.3 swap and rewire of my 1954 Chevy C3100 pickup. Additionally, I previously built a car from scratch and want to have the ability to do it again when I can (or build motorcycles if the wife will let me...)

I've attached some pictures of my 54 pickup and homebuilt car.

Regarding the paint booth, yes I will have to think about it. In addition to the workshop, the house has a 6 car garage, so I may turn one of those bays into a booth(drop heavy plastic sheeting from the ceiling).

On the air drops, yes I will. The previous homeowner already ran an air line from the workshop to the garage so I will run 2-3 legs down each side in both the garage and workshop along with a retractable hose from the ceiling.
 

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#6 ·
hcompton makes a lot of sense and has a good list there. When you have most of the other basic stuff and you get into a car the best tool I have for restoration is a rotisserie. Try to pick one up used but you can get a good new one for around 1400. It makes life simpler and faster, everything is within reach.
 
#7 ·
This has nothing to do with tools but ask anyone with a shop no matter how big it is and they'll ALL tell you, I need more space, so the one thing you can do to get the most out of what you have is shelves and cabinets from the ceiling down to about 8' get everything off the floor there's a ton of storage up there with 12" ceilings
 
#8 ·
commercial pallet racks

I bought some used commercial pallet racking. I have 16 ft walls, You don't list an oxy-acety torch, I still like my torch for some things. I have lincoln sp 200 mig, 255 square wave tig-stick , and an old ac tombstone. If you have a lift will you really need a crane. I have a 2 post lift, but built a roll around gantry crane tall enough and wide enough so my case 580 backhoe will fit under it, I use my milwaukee portaband a lot more than the stationary saws. also a 6 x 48 belt sander with the side disc , A rotten leonard manual type plasma tracer is handy to fab smaller pieces.
.Plasma-Tracer.
I made one years ago for my oxy-acety powered with a windshield wiper motor.
 
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