Garage and Tools setups.
09-10-2012, 12:17 AM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Garage and Tools setups.
For the people who like to work on your own car and take things into your own hands. Post some pics on where the magic happens. Ive been getting really serious about learning to "DIMYSELF" here lately. I have grown a passion for cars and learning how to fix them. I currently have an amazing 2 car car garage that my Dad, Grandpa and myself built. It is an awesome thing to have. Im working on buying all the tools i need to fill it up. But unfortunately i cant just buy everything i need at once. Im a hard working Nursing Assistant working on getting my R.N degree. When i finish i will have everything i want. And my Z the way i want it 
Post some pics of your garage and tool setups. What kind of tools you prefer.
From Task Force all the way to Snap On.
Post some pics of your garage and tool setups. What kind of tools you prefer.
From Task Force all the way to Snap On.
Last edited by dykel3fiddyz; 09-10-2012 at 12:18 AM.
09-10-2012, 03:51 AM
#2
Best of luck on your garage!
I can relate to having a "state of the art" garage to work on your rides.
In my previous home, I did all the bells&whistles in my garage.Custom cabinets
covered in diamond plate aluminum.Special flooring..halogen lites etc.All the tools...
Moved to another home.Garage went away but had a shop building constructed.
Rather compact but has all the stuff I need.Of course,the tools are the biggest asset.
I can relate to having a "state of the art" garage to work on your rides.
In my previous home, I did all the bells&whistles in my garage.Custom cabinets
covered in diamond plate aluminum.Special flooring..halogen lites etc.All the tools...
Moved to another home.Garage went away but had a shop building constructed.
Rather compact but has all the stuff I need.Of course,the tools are the biggest asset.
09-10-2012, 04:58 AM
#3
I'm not a mechanic, but I do love to have a clean garage. I made it a Z garage. Check out my thread for other pics.
https://my350z.com/forum/2003-2009-n...-z-garage.html
https://my350z.com/forum/2003-2009-n...-z-garage.html
09-10-2012, 10:59 AM
#6
Literally my dream garage, you beat me to it... PM me with details on where you got the clock and stuff!!!I'm not a mechanic, but I do love to have a clean garage. I made it a Z garage. Check out my thread for other pics.
https://my350z.com/forum/2003-2009-n...-z-garage.html
https://my350z.com/forum/2003-2009-n...-z-garage.html
09-10-2012, 11:30 PM
#11
Damn, nice setups. My garage is a gravel driveway at a apartment complex 
.
I have some tools though... all my car only stuff is here, at home, the majority is at work ( I used to work at a nissan dealership, now I fix buses). I like tools
.I have some tools though... all my car only stuff is here, at home, the majority is at work ( I used to work at a nissan dealership, now I fix buses). I like tools
09-10-2012, 11:44 PM
#12
If you only work on a select few cars I would buy a basic wrench/socket set. Then as you need certain tools for projects, you buy them. I have a whole lot of tools that rarely get used but serve a purpose to make a job at work easier so I have more sleeping time
But if you have the money, Snap-on and other high end tools are nice.
09-11-2012, 01:38 AM
#13
Registered User
Thread Starter
Honestly, if you're not wrenching everyday, I would go with Craftsmen. Their tools are nice and reliable. When something breaks you take it back to sears and get a new one. When I start building up my home hand tool set, it's going to be craftsmen.
If you only work on a select few cars I would buy a basic wrench/socket set. Then as you need certain tools for projects, you buy them. I have a whole lot of tools that rarely get used but serve a purpose to make a job at work easier so I have more sleeping time
But if you have the money, Snap-on and other high end tools are nice.
If you only work on a select few cars I would buy a basic wrench/socket set. Then as you need certain tools for projects, you buy them. I have a whole lot of tools that rarely get used but serve a purpose to make a job at work easier so I have more sleeping time
But if you have the money, Snap-on and other high end tools are nice.
Craftsman used to be the Snap-On. Best in the business. Then they started making cheaper stuff.. Still nice. But not the old craftsman.
09-11-2012, 09:07 AM
#14
Registered User
Are you starting from scratch? No tools?
If so, I'd start off buying a decent tool box to keep everything organized. I had a 26" "quiet glide" craftsman box, but the drawers suck because they're not deep enough in many cases. I bought this setup back when the Harbor Freight 20% off coupons still worked on tool chests:
http://www.harborfreight.com/44-13-d...net-68784.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/red-rol...est-68787.html
My boxes are the matte finish, whereas these are gloss, but they're the same thing.
If you're not a professional mechanic, I don't see dumping $5000 on a Snap-on box. The HF box holds up great and it's a real bargain.
As far as hand tools, there's nothing wrong with Craftsman, and they do have a nice in store exchange program. I have had good luck with generic imported sockets. I also wouldn't go out and buy one of those large Craftsman kits unless you're going to buy socket rails to store everything. Unless things have changed, most of the big sets do not retain the sockets, so it if tips over when open you get to pick up your 202 pieces.
Sockets like this seem to be of good enough quality:
http://www.harborfreight.com/10-piec...set-67868.html
I think they come with a rail attached, even though it's not shown in the picture.
Costco had them at one time, with a ratchet, deep and shallow, standard and metric for $20:
Another good thing to get is a service cart. I bought one a while back and I don't know how I worked without it. It'll keep you from being tempted to set tools and parts all over the fenders, on top of the engine, etc. where they'll inevitably fall off. It's good for car wash time too, you can set all your towels and cleaning product on it so they're not all over the ground.
http://www.harborfreight.com/30-inch...art-92865.html
Harbor Freight is great for tool chests, sockets, impact sockets, service carts and such, but stay away from them for air tools, compressors and anything with a motor on it. You'll want to pay more to get quality on that stuff. You can get by with a Craftsman oilless compressor, and I definitely have, but some people say they break down quickly. For air tools go with Ingersoll Rand, or one of the other big brands.
Get a decent jack. I paid $200 for a craftsman aluminum jack, and it was great while it lasted. A year later it won't jack, it's out of warranty, and there is no rebuild kit. I ended up getting an Arcan jack at Costco. It won't fit under my Z unless I drive up on two 2x8 boards, but it hasn't let me down(pun intended). Costco will take anything back any time. If the jack fails in 10 years, I can roll it in there and get another one. I've heard the jack stands at HF are ok. Make sure you get some sort of stands, never trust your life to the seals in a hydraulic jack. Sometimes I'll even use the stands and leave the jack under the car as well to double up on safety.
tl;dr:
1. Buy the 44" box from HF.
2. Buy small socket sets with rails for ease of organization and spill-proof qualities.
3. Buy a plastic service cart from HF or Northern.
4. Get your compressor and air tools from anywhere except HF.
5. Get a jack from Costco.
6. Buy tools as you need them. I've found that the labor costs at a shop for most jobs will offset the cost of tools easily, and sometimes leave enough money to do the job twice if you screw up... and you end up with tools to show for your money.
Patrick
If so, I'd start off buying a decent tool box to keep everything organized. I had a 26" "quiet glide" craftsman box, but the drawers suck because they're not deep enough in many cases. I bought this setup back when the Harbor Freight 20% off coupons still worked on tool chests:
http://www.harborfreight.com/44-13-d...net-68784.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/red-rol...est-68787.html
My boxes are the matte finish, whereas these are gloss, but they're the same thing.
If you're not a professional mechanic, I don't see dumping $5000 on a Snap-on box. The HF box holds up great and it's a real bargain.
As far as hand tools, there's nothing wrong with Craftsman, and they do have a nice in store exchange program. I have had good luck with generic imported sockets. I also wouldn't go out and buy one of those large Craftsman kits unless you're going to buy socket rails to store everything. Unless things have changed, most of the big sets do not retain the sockets, so it if tips over when open you get to pick up your 202 pieces.
Sockets like this seem to be of good enough quality:
http://www.harborfreight.com/10-piec...set-67868.html
I think they come with a rail attached, even though it's not shown in the picture.
Costco had them at one time, with a ratchet, deep and shallow, standard and metric for $20:
Another good thing to get is a service cart. I bought one a while back and I don't know how I worked without it. It'll keep you from being tempted to set tools and parts all over the fenders, on top of the engine, etc. where they'll inevitably fall off. It's good for car wash time too, you can set all your towels and cleaning product on it so they're not all over the ground.
http://www.harborfreight.com/30-inch...art-92865.html
Harbor Freight is great for tool chests, sockets, impact sockets, service carts and such, but stay away from them for air tools, compressors and anything with a motor on it. You'll want to pay more to get quality on that stuff. You can get by with a Craftsman oilless compressor, and I definitely have, but some people say they break down quickly. For air tools go with Ingersoll Rand, or one of the other big brands.
Get a decent jack. I paid $200 for a craftsman aluminum jack, and it was great while it lasted. A year later it won't jack, it's out of warranty, and there is no rebuild kit. I ended up getting an Arcan jack at Costco. It won't fit under my Z unless I drive up on two 2x8 boards, but it hasn't let me down(pun intended). Costco will take anything back any time. If the jack fails in 10 years, I can roll it in there and get another one. I've heard the jack stands at HF are ok. Make sure you get some sort of stands, never trust your life to the seals in a hydraulic jack. Sometimes I'll even use the stands and leave the jack under the car as well to double up on safety.
tl;dr:
1. Buy the 44" box from HF.
2. Buy small socket sets with rails for ease of organization and spill-proof qualities.
3. Buy a plastic service cart from HF or Northern.
4. Get your compressor and air tools from anywhere except HF.
5. Get a jack from Costco.
6. Buy tools as you need them. I've found that the labor costs at a shop for most jobs will offset the cost of tools easily, and sometimes leave enough money to do the job twice if you screw up... and you end up with tools to show for your money.
Patrick
Last edited by patrickoneal; 09-11-2012 at 01:51 PM.
09-11-2012, 10:36 AM
#15
yeah, This ^
I always find it funny to see a new mechanic with a 8-10K box and half the draws are empty. I'v have had my crastmen box for about 7years and it still works... just running out of space.
I always find it funny to see a new mechanic with a 8-10K box and half the draws are empty. I'v have had my crastmen box for about 7years and it still works... just running out of space.
09-11-2012, 10:39 AM
#16
09-11-2012, 01:14 PM
#18
Registered User
If you have a Harbor Freight around, I recommend you check out the toolbox I linked to. They are pretty impressive for the money. They even come with drawer liners and labels for all the drawers. Definitely watch the sale ads for them, as the price changes quite a bit. It may even be better to buy the top or bottom and wait for the other to go on sale. I need to rearrange my garage, so I can add the side cabinets. It kinda sucks that they changed the finish though. They'll also match the online price, which is sometimes different than the store price, so be sure to take a printout with you.
09-11-2012, 01:17 PM
#19
Registered User
Have you walked on a racedeck floor? Sears has various floors on display in the tool section. They had a hard plastic floor, which I assume is the same or similar to racedeck. I wasn't impressed with it. It clicked and clacked when you walk on it and looked to be difficult to clean. You'll also have to use special jack stands, or put plywood under them to keep from damaging the floor. The cheaper rubber "coin pattern" flooring they have there is quiet to walk on and felt better under foot to me.
09-11-2012, 02:22 PM
#20
Have you walked on a racedeck floor? Sears has various floors on display in the tool section. They had a hard plastic floor, which I assume is the same or similar to racedeck. I wasn't impressed with it. It clicked and clacked when you walk on it and looked to be difficult to clean. You'll also have to use special jack stands, or put plywood under them to keep from damaging the floor. The cheaper rubber "coin pattern" flooring they have there is quiet to walk on and felt better under foot to me.
