Steve from SoCal Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 I saw this on another forum, In these times where we are hunkered down the folks with shops take some pics and share your gadgets with the group. I know someone is going to say the boogie man is watching, don't list you address just show us what you have to make the time pass. I will start, some of you have seen my shop. It is a mix of machines, science lab and disaster relief warehouse. Quote 2005 Peterbilt 387-112 Baby Cat 9 speed U-shift 1996/2016 remod Teton Royal Atlanta 1996 Kentucky 48 single drop stacker garage project Pulls like a train, sounds like a plane....faster than a Cheetah sniffin cocaine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve from SoCal Posted April 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 Some more pics, Quote 2005 Peterbilt 387-112 Baby Cat 9 speed U-shift 1996/2016 remod Teton Royal Atlanta 1996 Kentucky 48 single drop stacker garage project Pulls like a train, sounds like a plane....faster than a Cheetah sniffin cocaine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bags Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 Wow! What a shop. JB Quote John and Michal Bagley 1999 Volvo 610 the 'Millennium Falcon', 400 hp ISM, Autoshift Gen 2, single axel w/steel bed, Pressure Pro, VMSPC, Trailer Saver Air Hitch, 3 bags, 38 foot Royals International, and our 3 dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cactus Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 Oh! my Great shop Are those Kennedy boxes from your dad by chance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim & Wilma Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 Nice! Steve, you’re the poster child for one of my favorite quotes, “The difference between men and boys is the price of their toys.” Quote Jim & Wilma 2006 Travel Supreme 36RLQSO 2009 Volvo VNL730, D13, I-shift, ET, Herrin Hauler bed, "Ruby" 2017 Smart Class of 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve from SoCal Posted April 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 3 minutes ago, cactus said: Oh! my Great shop Are those Kennedy boxes from your dad by chance? Are you by chance talking about the oak tool chests? They are Gerstner tool chests are mine, my dad was a Pilot and Architect, he was kinda dangerous with tools! Quote 2005 Peterbilt 387-112 Baby Cat 9 speed U-shift 1996/2016 remod Teton Royal Atlanta 1996 Kentucky 48 single drop stacker garage project Pulls like a train, sounds like a plane....faster than a Cheetah sniffin cocaine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve from SoCal Posted April 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 I really have to amend my comment about my dad and tools. In his younger days my dad built hot rods like model T's with Frontinac heads and A's. My folks were in their 40's when I came along, by the time I was playing with motorized stuff my dad was the great encourager. My first "project car" was a 1953 Austin Healey with a small block chevy. Dad bought me a complete set of tools when I was 13 to work on the Healey top and bottom Proto roll chest and tools to fill them up. He was either reliving his youth through me OR wanted to get rid of me in some fast car, the next on was a 67 Mustang with a 427. I got the urge to "improve stuff" from my father an avid dreamer. Today my folks would have been charged with child endangerment with the stuff they encouraged me to do. I miss them both dearly. Steve Quote 2005 Peterbilt 387-112 Baby Cat 9 speed U-shift 1996/2016 remod Teton Royal Atlanta 1996 Kentucky 48 single drop stacker garage project Pulls like a train, sounds like a plane....faster than a Cheetah sniffin cocaine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad NSW Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 Great parents. Different age but there are still a few "gems" like yours around. Still amazed at how many young men my daughters dated who thought how you change a tire, was call roadside assistance! Quote 2010 Freightliner, DD15 Eaton Ultrashift, 2015 New Horizons 5th Wheel. Occupants - Dena/Brad/Hershey BLOG LINK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandsys Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 My late step-sister's husband says he knew she was the one when the day he met her she had her head under the hood with a tool in her hand. Linda Quote Blog: http://sandcastle.sandsys.org/ Former Rigs: Liesure Travel van, Winnebago View 24H, Winnebago Journey 34Y, Sportsmobile Sprinter conversion van Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad Heiser Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 My shop is nowhere near as nice, or big, as that. I can only dream. It is big enough to house my 5er, HDT and other assorted toys as necessary though. I don’t have anywhere near the tools though. Here is an old picture from when I had a friend’s 5er parked next to mine to do some solar work on it. Quote 2000 Kenworth T2000 w/ Cummins N14 and autoshift 2017 DRV Mobile Suite 40KSSB4 with factory mods, dealer mods and personal mods - now in the RV graveyard 2022 DRV Full House MX450 with customized floor plan 2018 Polaris RZR Turbo S (fits in the garage) 2016 Smart Car (fits in the garage or gets flat towed behind the DRV when the RZR is in the garage)My First Solar Install ThreadMy Second Solar Install Thread & Photos and Documents Related to the buildMy MX450's solar, battery and inverter system - my biggest system yet! chadheiser.com West Coast HDT Rally Website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan0043 Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 2 hours ago, Chad Heiser said: My shop is nowhere near as nice, or big, as that. I can only dream. It is big enough to house my 5er, HDT and other assorted toys as necessary though. I don’t have anywhere near the tools though. Here is an old picture from when I had a friend’s 5er parked next to mine to do some solar work on it. Hi Chad, It looks like 'His' and 'Hers'. Quote 2012 Volvo VNL 630 w/ I-Shift; D13 engine; " Veeger " Redwood, model 3401R ; 5th Wheel Trailer, " Dead Wood " 2006 Smart Car " Killer Frog " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickeieio Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 I got a tour of Steve's shop last fall. My cleaning lady would need a riding shop-vac for that place. I could put ALL my toys in there and still have room for more. Our shop is 40x61. Built in 1975, it's a Behlen steel frame. Back then, we thought we were over building. Ha! It has a 14x14 door in one end and a 14x20 in the other. I have 45 years of "stuff" along the walls so there's only about 20' clear down the middle. There's a 10' mezzanine along the north wall where I can store out of season items like planter parts, harvester parts, etc. I use a fork lift and everything up there is on pallets. Under the mezzanine is the "hardware store", parts bins, tire repair area, well controls and hydrant, garden center, etc. Just when you think you have your shop just right, someone post picks of one that's lots niceer. Not to mention any names..... Quote KW T-680, POPEMOBILE Newmar X-Aire, VATICAN Lots of old motorcycles, Moto Guzzi Griso and Spyder F3 currently in the front row Young enough to play in the dirt as a retired farmer. contact me at rickeieio@yahoo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuiteSuccess Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 GeorgiaHybrid needs to jump in here. SnapOn heaven. Quote 2006 Volvo 780 "Hoss" Volvo D12, 465hp, 1650 ft/lbs tq., ultrashift Bed Build by "JW Morgan's Custom Welding" 2017 DRV 39DBRS3 2013 Smart Passion Coupe "Itty Bitty" "Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgiaHybrid Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 Well, there are times when not being able to post a picture is an advantage. One big disadvantage in life though is having a very good friend that happens to be a Snap-on dealer. Quote 2017 Kenworth T6802015 DRV 38RSSA Elite Suites2016 Smart Prime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danandfreda Posted April 25, 2020 Report Share Posted April 25, 2020 Very nice shop with the lathes, horizontal mill and radial arm drill. If I would have ever made a shop like that I would have a different view of going full time rving. Don’t usually see that old equipment in that hood of shape. Very nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyretired Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 When we built our house we added a 2,000 ft attached garage with 15' ceilings. We park our HDT and 5er in there with the car and RZR. It is nothing like Steve's fabulous shop but it is where I spend a lot of my time. For Colorado's weather I put in-floor heat and cooling. I would like to build a new house on our mountain land with a little bigger garage and we planned to break ground this spring but that isn't going to happen now. I had plans to do a lot of the building myself but it takes me a lot longer to accomplish that anymore. Maybe next year if I can find a lot of help. Quote Randy 2001 Volvo VNL 42 Cummins ISX Autoshift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve from SoCal Posted April 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 While my shop IS big, it comes at a cost. Heating and cooling it is not really an option, gas to heat my tool room area is about 100 a day. If I were to build a shop in floor heat would be a necessity, the heat of the summer is a bitch but, I just don't do the cold well at all. This place was built in stages starting in the mid 1930's to the mid 1970's I have insulated the tool room area the west part of my shop best I could. The bigger part where my truck is parked is not much different than ambient after a day or so. There is a big chiller/heat exchanger in the shop we bought to do a ground loop with, because it is industrial property we need to get a permit from the state and do a study etc. In the end it was a good idea killed by regulations. Steve Quote 2005 Peterbilt 387-112 Baby Cat 9 speed U-shift 1996/2016 remod Teton Royal Atlanta 1996 Kentucky 48 single drop stacker garage project Pulls like a train, sounds like a plane....faster than a Cheetah sniffin cocaine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyretired Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 The way we heat and cool our garage is designed to be inexpensive. It is insulated and has south facing windows. The heated floors use hot water solar panels. A small pump circulates the hot water through the floor which is an insulated mass. It was over excavated by 2'. The bottom has high density foam and the stem walls are insulated concrete forms. Pex is run in the insulated soil and the concrete. Such a large mass keeps a constant temperature. Colorado summers are dry so evaporative cooling works well but the added humidity can be a little rough on tools. Quote Randy 2001 Volvo VNL 42 Cummins ISX Autoshift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darryl&Rita Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 Just about the time I was getting jealous. I realized my shop was well suited for my uses. No door height or width restrictions, no heating/air conditioning expenses, not even any tax implications. Nothing but wide open space, and fresh air. Too dark to work? Time for a rest anyway. Too wet? That's what tomorrow's for. Want to travel? My shop is always right where I am. Seriously though, nice shop. Quote I have been wrong before, I'll probably be wrong again. 2000 Kenworth T 2000 w/N-14 and 10 speed Gen1 Autoshift, deck built by Star Fabrication 2006 smart fourtwo cdi cabriolet 2007 32.5' Fleetwood QuantumPlease e-mail us here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve from SoCal Posted April 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 On 4/25/2020 at 4:00 PM, Danandfreda said: Very nice shop with the lathes, horizontal mill and radial arm drill. If I would have ever made a shop like that I would have a different view of going full time rving. Don’t usually see that old equipment in that hood of shape. Very nice Most of what I do is either repair/modifications or prototype so the manual machines are not a real disadvantage. I do have a "modern machine, Komo router here is a pic when we were hooking it up. I really didn't intend for this to be about MY shop, several folks here have done some impressive work. Chad's shop is a fantastic set up I would like to see more interior shots. Farmer Rick take some pics of the shed, there are a few others who are/were members of the Garage Journal who have great spaces. Quote 2005 Peterbilt 387-112 Baby Cat 9 speed U-shift 1996/2016 remod Teton Royal Atlanta 1996 Kentucky 48 single drop stacker garage project Pulls like a train, sounds like a plane....faster than a Cheetah sniffin cocaine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danandfreda Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 I have been running the manual machines since high school and didn’t want any part of cnc machines. Didn’t want to sit and watch it run I wanted to make the part. Maybe in our travels I can find some small shop to do some part time work off and on. Not a lot of schools pushing the machinist trade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenandjon Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 This was a few years ago when we built it. 80x80 Morton building. 24 ft ceiling, floor heat, The big door is a 42x23 aircraft door. We have the typical drill press, band saw, welders, one real nice addition is the iron worker. Its smaller shear and punch press. I would like to get a bench lathe at some point but for now we make due. We have all the tools we need to build anything within our knowledge. Quote Farmer, Trucker, Equipment operator, Mechanic Quando omni flunkus moritati-When all else fails, play dead I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to, I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve from SoCal Posted April 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 Jon, Great farm shop, love that bi-fold door. Do you recall the make of your iron worker? My shop is where the first 6000 Piranha's were made. Steve Quote 2005 Peterbilt 387-112 Baby Cat 9 speed U-shift 1996/2016 remod Teton Royal Atlanta 1996 Kentucky 48 single drop stacker garage project Pulls like a train, sounds like a plane....faster than a Cheetah sniffin cocaine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickeieio Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 While I like a nice shop as much as the next person, the folks who really impress me are those who can do much with few tools. An old guy once told me, "anybody can work with tools, it takes a mechanic to work without them." I envy the few who can do that. I have three welders, an old tombstone Forney, and two Miller wire feeds, plus Smith and Victor torch sets. But I'm certainly no welder. I wish I had the skills....... Quote KW T-680, POPEMOBILE Newmar X-Aire, VATICAN Lots of old motorcycles, Moto Guzzi Griso and Spyder F3 currently in the front row Young enough to play in the dirt as a retired farmer. contact me at rickeieio@yahoo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve from SoCal Posted April 27, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2020 1 hour ago, rickeieio said: While I like a nice shop as much as the next person, the folks who really impress me are those who can do much with few tools. An old guy once told me, "anybody can work with tools, it takes a mechanic to work without them." I envy the few who can do that. I have three welders, an old tombstone Forney, and two Miller wire feeds, plus Smith and Victor torch sets. But I'm certainly no welder. I wish I had the skills....... While that may seem to be cool, it is a fallacy. A mechanic stuck in the middle of nowhere with little to no tools could perhaps do a simple fix or jury rig something to get going. That in no way makes these repairs better or even as good as ones done with the right tools. Maybe a Johnny Popper or a early car with no complex equipment can be worked on with just a few basic tools. To build, modify, repair and refurbish "most systems" be they a car, plane, bike or tractor you need the proper tools. I have seen a lot of stuff that guys bring in to FIX after they tried usually several time to repair. Yes there are plenty of folks with more tools than knowledge. The master of his craft can work around some limitations BUT, to say a guy with a pair of vise grips a screw driver and hammer could fix anything is just not reality. My tools and equipment are not new or the latest fad, they are for the most top quality. When you use tools and equipment daily you want stuff that works right and lasts. When you make something, the fit and finish usually correlate to quality. Poor fitting sloppy parts don't generally wear well or last long. One of the reasons vehicles have longer life spans is better quality in manufacturing. From better material to tighter tolerances and, better finishes in part production. There is no one in any field who would purposely limit themselves to the bare minimum if given a choice. Would you feel comfortable going to a doctor who still had a 1940's X-ray machine for a brain scan? I am not singling out Rick here but, the "real mechanic" stick is an old trope that I feel needs to be answered. It is like somebody saying a farmer just plants seed and waters them. Steve Quote 2005 Peterbilt 387-112 Baby Cat 9 speed U-shift 1996/2016 remod Teton Royal Atlanta 1996 Kentucky 48 single drop stacker garage project Pulls like a train, sounds like a plane....faster than a Cheetah sniffin cocaine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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