Garage Feng Shui?

[Huw Powell]

> Anyone recommend any good books or sources for inspiration for setting 
> up garage workspaces for working on cars?   I've been searching around 
> for books on the subject and come across a plethora of ones that have 
> some great ideas for woodworking shops but none on auto shops.  
> Basically I'm looking for ideas that I could implement to take my garage 
> from "pretty decent" to "godlike" in the way everything is laid out, 
> stored, and organized.

I think I searched on the web for something like that once, and mostly 
only came up with businesses selling outrageously expensive shop-type 
equipment (shelves, toolboxes, etc.).  One or two sites where people 
desccribed what they did, but more at a construction level than 
organization.  Similar to what I found when I was looking for home 
studio ideas (there's that **** fans topic covered!)

But here is my take on the subject... Although we tend to build our 
shops (etc.) in an "organic" fashion, just adding stuff and sticking it 
wherever it fits, once in a while it's nice to rip it all down and 
rearrange it.  At that point you have the key ingredient - experience. 
You know what you use the most or the least, what was awkward, what 
tools or projects could have been easier, etc.

So my first recomendation would be shelves (or cabinets).  Lots of them. 
  2 or 3 times more of them than you think you'll need, floor to 
ceiling, at varying spacings.  Nothing like being able to just grab 
stuff without digging under piles for it.  Junky old kitchen cabinets 
can be great for that.

Get a decent tool box that is also too big.  The Craftsman ball bearing 
drawer ones are pretty good, and don't cost a fortune.

Categorize stuff, especially by "what gets used together" if you can. 
IE, keeping your oil, filters, funnel and filter wrench in the same 
place makes sense.  Label anything that isn't easy to see (ie, cabinet 
doors, etc) clearly, so anyone can find stuff quickly.

A sheet of paper that lists many common bolt sizes is cool to have, too 
- like the oil drain, brake bolts, the stuff you do over and over again 
but might forget the size.

Get a lot of light.  Fluorescents overhead, tripod work lights, drop 
lights.  Add lots of outlets for electricity and compressed air 
(although, air works well if it is coming from one of those nice wall 
mounted spools).  All "godlike" shops have compressed air.

Try to give yourself a good three feet all around the car before hitting 
shelves and stuff, if you can.  Keep jackstands and wheelchocks in the 
corners, so you never have to move them far.  Paint the floor a light 
color so goo doesn't soak in and it's easier to find dropped bolts.

Put a phone where it is easy to get to, perhaps have a desk like area 
for a PC that can get dirty, manuals, etc.

And last, to add to your stock of ideas, visit as many friends setups as 
you can, and pay attention to how professional work areas are laid out, 
to see how things are arranged, everyone has a few good ideas that you 
can steal.

-- 
Huw Powell

http://www.humanspeakers.com/audi

http://www.humanthoughts.org/