Assorted Garage/Shop Projects

I haven't had very much time to do work around the garage this year, but in the last month, I finally finished some projects and made progress on a few others. My goal is to have a neat and orderly garage before I die, despite having to time-share it with wife and kid crap.

First up, a very simple project. I have a big tablesaw. When I leave for travel, every horizontal surface becomes a target for the wife and kid. Juice boxes, fast food drinks, mail, trash, wet clothing, etc. I recently purchased my dream saw, which depleted me of the cash I needed for a homicide attorney, so I needed to find another path.
http://www.johnnyego.com/wood/sawstop/sawtop03.JPG
http://www.johnnyego.com/wood/sawstop/sawtop01.JPG
http://www.johnnyego.com/wood/sawstop/sawtop02.JPG
I made this quick table to fit very snugly over the saw top and rails. It's cheap melamine, so my heart won't break when water rings and mud stains appear on it. I added some felt to the underside to allow a little bit of air circulation in the event that any moisture condenses on the saw top over the winter months. The saw also has multiple heavy coats of paste wax to give it a little more protection as well. Eventually, my plan is to figure out some sort of folding extension system, so I can use it as a support table as well.

I had a rolling cabinet that I built out of a lot of leftover 2x4s. I built it to be the exact height of the tailgate of my truck, so I could use it to transfer heavy things into the garage. It was functional, but it wasn't exactly pretty or built with love. I painted it flat black and cut some melamine panel inserts so that it would match with the rolling counter-top it lives under. While I was at it, I painted the junk shelf as well in the same color scheme.
http://www.johnnyego.com/wood/truckb...uckbench02.JPG
http://www.johnnyego.com/wood/truckb...uckbench03.JPG
http://www.johnnyego.com/wood/truckb...uckbench06.JPG
http://www.johnnyego.com/wood/truckb...uckbench08.JPG
http://www.johnnyego.com/wood/truckb...uckbench09.JPG

I looked at my drill press, and thought "I could cram more stuff on this". This was not a terribly complicated thing to build, and the few pictures I have make it clear how it was built. Since this is shop furniture, I used a lot of pocket holes for expedience.
http://www.johnnyego.com/wood/drillp...illpress02.JPG
http://www.johnnyego.com/wood/drillp...illpress01.JPG

I made the drawers using a lock miter bit. They aren't quite perfect, but for the limited practice I have had with the bit, I think they came out well enough.
http://www.johnnyego.com/wood/drillp...illpress07.JPG

I gave the carcass a couple coats of Rustoleum Flat Black high durability oil-based paint. I've been using this stuff on a lot of my shop furniture, and I like it. Goes on quick, hides a lot, and it can be touched up with a Sharpie when necessary.
http://www.johnnyego.com/wood/drillp...illpress03.JPG
http://www.johnnyego.com/wood/drillp...illpress04.JPG

The doors I painted with some leftover Killz white latex primer. It was free, and it more or less matches the white of a lot of the melamine work surfaces in my garage.
http://www.johnnyego.com/wood/drillp...illpress06.JPG

I am sure a ton of people have thought this up before and implemented it in a thousand better ways, but this is my one bit of clever in this whole thing:
http://www.johnnyego.com/wood/drillp...illpress09.JPG
http://www.johnnyego.com/wood/drillp...illpress08.JPG

Used the back half of the cabinet behind the column to store the long and/or obscure stuff I use with my drill press. However, it can be hard to get at it up against the wall where my drill press commonly lives, so I did this:
http://www.johnnyego.com/wood/drillp...illpress11.JPG
http://www.johnnyego.com/wood/drillp...illpress10.JPG

I've also got a workbench project going that has reached the slow and tedious stage. If there is any interest, I will post some pictures of it as a work-in-progress.

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My goal is to have a neat and orderly garage before I die

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Looks to me like you're already there!

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Originally Posted by JohnnyEgo

I recently purchased my dream saw, which depleted me of the cash I needed for a homicide attorney

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???

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Originally Posted by kidicarus13

???

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He wants to murder them for putting random crap on his work surfaces. I know the feeling.

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Originally Posted by blacklabel

He wants to murder them for putting random crap on his work surfaces. I know the feeling.

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Got it. Must be getting late.

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Originally Posted by kidicarus13

Got it. Must be getting late.

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Or he murdered a bum and I've read too much between the lines. Hopefully he comes along to clear things up. On the other hand, he's doing a great job organizing his garage.

Could be either. You never know with some guys.


When I reached the realization that there wasn't much price disparity between a good divorce lawyer and an adequate homicide lawyer, my perspective on marriage changed.
It changed again when I realized I couldn't afford either one after buying a new tablesaw, so rather than go insane when it ended up with rusty water rings, I built that top for it.

I've pretty much given up on having a neat, orderly garage. I do feel good about that saying that clutter is a sign of genius. Based off my garage I'd say I'm smarter than damn near everyone.

Knowing how much of a craftsman you are. I'm still perplexed how difficult it is to get that truck between 2 gates with a 12' opening AND miss the garage ;)

The again you were able to get in and out of the alley, not once but 2 times . I tip my hat to you sir.