Some garage upgrades

techy101 · #1 05-20-2008, 03:03 AM

Last week I was in my garage, and decided that it needed more light. I had replaced the lone 60w bulb with a standard dual 55w 8-foot fluorescent fixture a while back, but it just wasn't making the grade. Also, it didn't work very well in the winter when it's nice and cold. So, after a trip to Lowes and a VERY careful drive back I spent a few hours moving the original fixture, and adding a pair of dual 110W High Output 8-foot fluorescent fixtures.

It's like the sun invaded my garage. Makes working so much easier.

Then another new addition to the garage that I've been futzing with for the past couple of days. A cheap 22" monitor hung on the wall, my extra sat. box spitting out HDMI and converting to DVI for the monitor, and a cheap old computer running Windows XP

The comp's got just enough power to play a DVD, and it's got the service manuals for the cars, as well as one click access to the alldata info on both cars.

Now all I need is a fridge and a couch

Oh, and eventually I'll paint the little sat box shelf to match, but for now it's staying ugly.

I have also begun the long process of actually organizing all of my tools into that tool chest and the peg board I have up on the wall, and making a full inventory with prices and whatnot for insurance.

Here's how the peg board used to look. Now it's getting anything that doesn't fit easily into the tool chest. In some of the other pictures you can see a small cabinet thing hanging on the left wall. That's now housing all of my not-so-safe chemicals (solvents, etc...)

All in all, it's a garage on a major budget, but suits my needs quite well, even if it is a little small. (With a 2005 Forester XT and the SVX in there it gets a bit cramped.

Wikedjuggalo · #2 05-20-2008, 05:52 AM

Looks awesome! I wish I had a garage to work in -.-;; There are 2 people living in my garage

JaySVX · #3 05-20-2008, 11:47 AM

My workbench has NEVER been that clean. I haven't seen the top of it in years. I'm actually not sure if I've ever seen the top of it. Come to think of it, I'm not sure if there actually is a workbench under the crap...

techy101 · #4 05-20-2008, 11:50 AM

^^
Hah, I had to "man up" and tackle cleaning the garage this last week. Ended up with six 38-gallon trash bags plus the normal dumpster trash can thing. It was a HUGE undertaking. At the time I could barely fit one car in

I'm sure in time it will get like that again though.

newsvx · #5 05-20-2008, 07:47 PM

Techy,
Looks great. I like the stool too.

A garage is an evolving work. I love doing the little things to improve it as I go along.

Keep up the good work!
Harry

techy101 · #6 05-20-2008, 08:42 PM

Thanks about the stool! It's real aluminum trussing like what's used to hang lights and whatnot at concerts. I saw them at a stage-lighting store and got myself three. I don't really use them so I figured I'd move one out there where it will get real use.

newsvx · #7 05-20-2008, 09:26 PM

You mentioned wanting a "couch" for the garage. You might want to consider a couple of bucket seats. I have a pair of seats from a '94 SVX that I built a base for and put casters on that worked out really well. Two great seats THAT RECLINE. And they take up less space than a couch.

Harry