Stocking my garage, what tools to get?

[Keith]

In my experience, you always need a bigger hammer. :blank:​

 

[Jack]

Keith is referring to the "BIG VEE" theory, where anything can be made to fit into anything with a large jar of vaselene and a big enough hammer!

 

[John Fitzpatrick]

A wall-mount CO2 fire extinguisher.

 

[TrevS]

Also make sure the Electricity supply is up to the job or you risk tripping the whole house in the middle of Neighbours! (Or Worse)

Oh, and lots of light. Shadows are a pain

So I've been in the garage today doing a final check on space etc and checking the power supply. The garage has full power, big strip light and 3 wall sockets. The fuse box says its 240V and 40mA. Will that be good enough to power all of the equipment and tools Ill need to use?

Thanks

Trevor

 

[Ian Anderson]

In my opinion a single strip light is not sufficient

Probably also worth mounting 4 by 4 foot strips on the walls too - either on main switch or separate switches - or you will end up working in shadow.

40amps should cope unless you are running fan heaters!

IAn

 

[Dalton Veitch]

Trev said 40mA, not 40 amps. I don't think that is correct, or you'd better not switch the lights on!

 

[Neal]

40" Plasma TV!

 

[Mark]

So I've been in the garage today doing a final check on space etc and checking the power supply. The garage has full power, big strip light and 3 wall sockets. The fuse box says its 240V and 40mA. Will that be good enough to power all of the equipment and tools Ill need to use?

Thanks

Trevor

40 amps should be fine. I had a seperate fusebox fitted for the garage and had to beef it up to cope with the Mig Welder. If you are buying a kit such as the Tornado, you probably won't have any welding to do.

3 wall sockets is no way enough in my experience. I have sockets at shoulder level at the front, middle and back of the garage, plus four doubles over the work bench. Helps avoid trailing leads all over the place. You'd be amazed how easy it is to trip and bash your bonce on something hard and sharp!

I echo the post recommending strip lights on the walls as well as the ceiling. I haven't done this and wish I had. No time now, too busy building the car!!!

 

[Andy Sheldon]

Trevor

Mark is correct there is absolutely no welding to do.

Thanks

Andy

 

[Paolo-LoveGT40 Modelworks]

dont forget a small radio to listen to some good music in the night !

 

[Howard Jones]

Four times as much light as you think you need. Paint the walls and ceiling white. Beer frig, music, nice chair to sit in when thinking, and twice as much money as you think you need to spend on tools.

Quality electric drills. Both 3/8 and 1/2 and a 3/8 portable battery type. The cheep ones will wear out for sure.
Air powered rivet tool.
Big compressor, not a cheep oil less loud screaming piece of shit.
One good torque wrench 0-125 ft lbs
All the hand tools.
Heat gun
Air board (sanding tool)
Orbital sander
Big Vise, mounted on heavy steel bench.
Big table. Make from a 4X8 sheet of plywood for top.

You could also use a nice small grinder, drill press, sander, reciprocating saw, and chop saw if you like to make things yourself.

Lastly a tig welder. 225 amps AC, DC+ DC-
And if you have gone this far, a combo lathe,mill.

 

[TrevS]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I have a full list now of every tool required and am hoping to place my order this weekend which will give me a couple of months to stock the garage with everything I need.

Also I am going to logging my progress on a website which I am busy building at the moment to keep as a build diary and document my progress as a complete novice. The site will record everything from stocking the garage right the way through the build process and hopefully to completion.

Thanks

Trev

 

[Mark]

I wish you the best of luck and look forward to following your progress.

 

[Chris Liddiard]

Hi Trev,

I have a single width garage and had a 4ft wide window half way down. I took the window out and with grinder cut down to the floor and fitted a pair of wickes 4ft french doors. Hey presto infinate "garage width". Means you can also open the car door and drive the car in and out.

Good luck

Chris

 

[TrevS]

Garage Floor tiles

Hi all

Can anyone recommend any UK companies that offer tough floor tile systems for garages? The tiles need to be strong enough to support my kits build table.

Thanks

Trev

 

[Keith]

I would have thought a smooth concrete floor sealed with an epoxy style floor sealer much more durable for a garage use than floor tiles?

And cheaper to lay and cheaper to maintain... :thumbsup:

 

[TrevS]

I would have thought a smooth concrete floor sealed with an epoxy style floor sealer much more durable for a garage use than floor tiles?

And cheaper to lay and cheaper to maintain... :thumbsup:

True, but my problem is that the garage is rented and my thinking is that it would be quicker and easier to fit a tiled floor. This also means I can take it with me to my next garage when we move.

Trev

 

[Keith]

Got it! In the Event and Concert business we used ArmorDeck, HexaDeck and stuff like that.

I think FastDeck would be good for your needs. Problem is I think they're all made in the USA but many UK based Concert Hire people stock them (for hire only) so any serious Event Company could assist you tracking down a UK supply but you could try this Uk based Garage specialist:

All about Garages.co.uk - garage floor covering black white

 

[RobGT]

Does no one use air drills as well as rivet guns? A pneumatic gun for your pop rivets is also pretty handy, not only quicker and saves your hand from cramp with all those rivet, but they also give a nice consistant well formed rivet.