You people are a bad influence.

[Cracker]

I thought after 20 years of aquiring tools of various sorts , sizes and states of newness, I had a fairly decently equipt shop to play in at home. BUT NOOOOOOOOOOOO.........
Ive been stalking the halls here for the past couple of weeks reading up on a few HF tools most hobbyist welders seem to have in thier shops. I came to the realization that I was lacking a couple of KEY instuments of metalica mayhem.
So, last Monday , like a 12 yearlod with spendin' money burning a hole in his pocket, I ventured into HF with a sale flyer in hand. After meandering up and down each and every aisle, I finally came upon the 40 pound sand blaster and the floor model compact bender.
I couldnt have been happier if Anjelina Jolie had been there to tote the stuff to the truck for me. (well, OK.....maybe a LITTLE happier>

ANYway, thanks to you folks , I now have some new stuff to play with.


Pics to come.

[TxRedneck]

lol thanks cracker.....we love pics

[smithboy]

The first step to beating a tool addiction to is admitting you have a problem. The second step is finding just the right tool to fix it.

[crucible100]

hey i seen a girl in one of the harbor freights here in california that'd give Miss jolie a run for her money . and besides i bet Jolie couldnt tell you where the 4.5" grinding wheels are ....

[BBchevy396]

Maybe she could, i heard she adopted a couple of asian kids that make'em!:p

[TxRedneck]

lol hehe

[BBchevy396]

Hey,I don't blame her.... if I had to chose between sleeping with Brad Pitt, and adoption, well..... I use alot of 4.5" grinding wheels!!:laugh:

[TEK]

I'm gonna start hangin plastic in front of my dell. High velocity beer spray and electronics dont mix!

[Cracker]

LMAO @ BB. Thats just wrong!

(...and if I were talking to Miss Jolie, I'd be scared to mention ANYthing about 4.5")

[orphan68]

lol :)

[Xtreme Fabrication]

The first step to beating a tool addiction to is admitting you have a problem. The second step is finding just the right tool to fix it.

An't that the truth

[Cracker]

The sad thing is, Im in the planning stages of a new shop build. Ive run out of room in the old digs. I have a bulldozer and operator tentatively planned for groundbreaking in 2 weeks. <depending on his schedule>

[TEK]

And thats sad how?

[TxRedneck]

congrats and good luck cracker....take lots of pics....what kinda of construction are you entertaining us with? :D

[BBchevy396]

Ok , back on a serious note......
A new shop, Thats great,but dont build it too small.:nono:
Actually, that is impossible. they are always too small cause we always find new "toys" to fill them with!:p
Keep us updated with pics 'n such! congrats:)

[Cracker]

And thats sad how?
sad as in, Im falling farther into this tool addiction thingy. :laugh:

what kinda of construction are you entertaining us with?
Im planning on concrete block construction with 2 bays. 14' ceilings so I can fit a lift in there.
30' deep x 40' wide. Hopefully , I can swing the funds for an 8'x20' storage room on the back to house my compressor and lawn mowers, atvs, wood splitter, etc.

[TxRedneck]

yeah and if we made it any bigger the new problem is....costs too much to fill it tha much more, taxes on the additional property you need is gonna kill you, heating such a building will kill ya, if your shop is big enough of course youll put an overhead crane in there....well thats gonna mean youll have to build another shop cause youre not gonna have as much room to move those really big things in and out that our building and repairng with all your suff in the way....yeah it just goes on and on...kinda like the whole rocket fuel problem :D

[TxRedneck]

oh my and I wrote that before I got your post of how youre building
looks like you beat me to it!

[smithboy]

Pour a foundation twice as big as you need...use half of it as an outdoor basketball court...then take it in as soon as you cant walk from one side to the other without having to climb over something you haven't used in the past 6 months.

If you dont ever take the rest of the foundation in, you have a great outdoor area for shooting hoops or squirrels or neighbors or the bull...whatever strikes you.

I have a shop about the size you are talking about building. It's WAAAAAAAAAAY too small. I need one big enough for an indoor batting cage and still have room for my tools, a van and a tractor. Right now, every liinedrive to second base hits my old tool box, and a pull hitter would demolish my radial arm saw. Luckily at 45 feet, an 80mph pitch feels like 120mph, so not too many shots to 3rd base.

[Cracker]

I have a 20x30 now and between my junk and the wife's horse junk, its about full.
I made her a deal a couple of weeks ago. I'll give her this shop if she'll not have a fit about my building a new and bigger one. So far, its working.


Ive yet to show her the estimates on the new shop though. lol

[Xtreme Fabrication]

You should see my shop. I got 13 by 15. Thats it no lie. So I usually can work on half of a machine since thats all I can fit in there.

[steve45]

Im planning on concrete block construction with 2 bays. 14' ceilings so I can fit a lift in there.
Just a heads up: my brother-in-law bought a used 4-post lift from Wal-Mart's automotive shop. They said that it's company policy to replace them every couple of years, regardless of condition. He paid $700 and got one that looks like it's barely been used.

[Cracker]

Thanks for the info, Steve. Thats a steal!

[smithboy]

Use government accounting to do the estimates. Start off really low to get her committed to the job. Then just use words like "cost overruns", "unforseen costs" and "materials inflation"...I have seen it done many times and somehow it always works, especially is someone's brother-in-law is doing the work.

The whole building will cost $39.95, excluding materials and labor.

[Pentawelder]

$39.95, Smithboy you are a genius!! Wish I'd have thought of that one. A little negotiation might result in a 10% reduction.

[Cracker]

Use government accounting to do the estimates. Start off really low to get her committed to the job. Then just use words like "cost overruns", "unforseen costs" and "materials inflation"...I have seen it done many times and somehow it always works, especially is someone's brother-in-law is doing the work.

The whole building will cost $39.95, excluding materials and labor.


The only problem with that scenerio is, we (I) have had a security breach. She saw your post , smith. :cry:
This is going to require some diplomacy, stealth and getting her drunk on some homemade persimmon wine.

[smithboy]

Well, there goes a great idea shot...when deception is no longer an option...I beg or fake an life threatening illness for sympathy...I have even gone so far as notice her new hair do. I was wrong about her getting one, but she was impressed that I noticed that she HAD hair....that kind of stuff always get them to give in on really important man-type purchases. Also, she always drives the new car.

If she is currently looking over your shoulder...just....ohh....heck....tell her you...ahh...hmmm.......I am out of ideas here. Quick, yank the power cord out of the wall.

[Cracker]

LOL she just read your post and said "mmm hmmm" (in a "yeah right!" kinda tone) and walked off.

I may have to resort to bribery.

[smithboy]

Ohhh Heck! I have heard that tone before. It's always bad.

LAST SUGGESTION...Make sure she isn't looking....and scroll down




















Go on a "round the world trip" and have the building built while you are gone. If she says something like "where the hell did that huge building come from?" You just say..."honey, it's always been there. You've just forgotten." That's what my wife uses on me and it always, ALWAYS works.

[Cracker]

Hmmmm..... maybe if I just send HER on a 'round the world trip....


Im thinking Bahrain ...or Bagdad. ....somewhere safe, ya know.

" Here honey, I bought ya a new hat. ....nooooo, thats not a bullseye. Its a flower....honest! Wear it on your trip"

[WeldinDog]

sad as in, Im falling farther into this tool addiction thingy. :laugh:


Im planning on concrete block construction with 2 bays. 14' ceilings so I can fit a lift in there.
30' deep x 40' wide. Hopefully , I can swing the funds for an 8'x20' storage room on the back to house my compressor and lawn mowers, atvs, wood splitter, etc.
Concrete block is good...30 X 40 is too small...At least 30 X 60...14' is way more than you need for height!!! A standard lift only needs 11' 8" & 12' 4" to have room to install it! 14' ceilings are HARD to heat!!!! 12' 8" is what mine is, lift fits & works great, & that's hard enough to heat!
Make the storage shed AT LEAST 10' deep!!

[steve45]

There are a lot of pickups/SUV's that are over 6 feet high. Granted you don't have to lift the wheels completely above you, but I'd rather have it too tall than too short.

[Cracker]

There are a lot of pickups/SUV's that are over 6 feet high. Granted you don't have to lift the wheels completely above you, but I'd rather have it too tall than too short.


Exactly.....


I have to fit this:
in there. Its nearly 8' tall.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/sgakla/Greg%20Stuff/86Bronco.jpg
this is a bit easier:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/sgakla/Greg%20Stuff/91Z.jpg

[Joker11]

My shop is planned at 100ft X 50ft. That gives me 5000 sq feet if I didn't forget to carry the one in my head. I have one acre to work with. We have water, power and phone. No cable, will have to go satellite for the football games in the shop. I was ready to start building the house this year, but my wife said NO. She wanted to built my shop FIRST. She is so good to me. She said if we don't build the shop first, she is afraid it may never get built because something more important will always come up. DUDE! Did I marry the right gal or what!?

[Rob Page]

What's all this blather about heating? High cielings = less AC costs! It's 101 here today with matching humidity!!!!

[Zobman]

Cracker, I sure hope you used a coupon to get your stuff??????