Sieg - that is a very meaty table you have there. Also looks like you have a ton of projects outside of the car addiction.

Thats a very good idea with the receiver. I'll have to keep that in mind.

I'll keep my eye out for a lift at a good price. From what most people say I think the offset 2 post is the most popular. I'm not sure how much I would use the 4 post since most of the time I'm messing within the suspension or brakes.

The shop has full AC and heat already plus a little 1/2 bath. I won't know what to do if I'm not sweating my a** off during the summer working on the car


I have a floor press, I just wasn't very clear on my description "Decent smaller Harbor freight press" Drill press is something I will get if I decide not to do a mill. I had a bench top mill previously and really used it a lot despite the lack of depth.

The place seems to have good power but I'm getting an electrical inspector there today. The previous owner but the faster UTV to run Pikes Peak in there so it has had fab experience. I don't know all the details but there is a 50 and 90 amp 220v outlet, very good lighting and the outbuilding has 220v for the compressor.

Thanks for the congrats. Hopefully everything goes smoothly thru the close.

I have a 4 Post with a Jack Bridge, so I prefer the 4 Post.

Certainly 2 Posts have their advantage of being able to do Suspension, Brake & Wheel work

Put my responses in RED....

Hi! This is my first post here...been lurking for a while. Great site!

Anyway, I've been heavily into fabrication and have been collecting tools and equipment for about 12 years or so. Mostly I build pavement sprint cars and supermodifieds. You have a great list of stuff there. A few things I've learned and would probably do differently if I had to to do it all over again are:

1. You can fabricate almost anything in the way of brackets with a drill press, vertical band saw, and a belt grinder. A drill press was one of the first pieces of equipment I bought, and I have had a couple since. I tried only having a milling machine for a while when I downsized to an attached garage, and I work a lot better having both. When you just want to poke a hole in something, or you're doing second ops like reaming or countersinking a drill press is much faster than doing multiple setups in the mill for simple stuff.

I have a Kalamazoo 2" x 48" belt grinder, and I should have bought it long before I did. It's no Burr King, but it is a quality piece that I use pretty much every time I'm in the shop.

I also have an old Walker-Turner 16" metal cutting vertical band saw. Again, it was something I should have bought long before I did. This greatly simplifies making tabs and brackets.

2. You're right on the air compressor. It opens a lot of doors up in terms of using air tools. My bender is air over hydraulic, and having the right compressor makes it so much nicer to use. I have 5 HP Champion that puts out something like 19 cfm at 90 psi. I don't have to wait for the compressor to catch up when running the bender anymore!

3. The bender and notcher sort of go together. JD2 makes nice stuff. I had a manual Model 3, and upgraded to a Model 4 when I was doing a bunch of bending 2" x 0.120" DOM for paying work. Definitely look at a hydraulic upgrade because you can put your bender on wheels instead of having it bolted to the floor. If you can afford it, an electric/hydraulic setup is really nice, but if you have a good compressor, the air/hydraulic system works well, too.

I've had a couple different notchers. My current setup is Baileigh's TN-250. I really like it. It has done everything I've asked of it and works great if you're doing a lot of notching around bends.

3. I made a lot of stuff with a 9" South Bend lathe. They're still out there for reasonable prices, and are about the smallest "real" machine I've run into. I later upgraded to a 13" Sheldon, which mostly gained me speed because it's a more powerful, rigid machine. A lathe would probably be my first addition after the band saw/drill press/belt grinder combo if I was doing things over because there's always something round that needs a hole in it and the ends square to the sides.

4. As far as sheet metal equipment goes, I made a lot of stuff with a set of Milwaukee electric hand shears and a 3' Harbor Freight brake. I later added a 4' x 14 gauge Chicago box and pan brake (well used) that was a major improvement in capabilities. After I finished building my new shop, I lucked into the right deal on an 8' x 18 gauge Niagara jump shear. If you're looking to get a shear, don't get anything shorter than 4 feet. Sheet metal normally comes in 4' wide sheets and one of the handiest things about a shear is the ability to cut large sheets down to a manageable size...which you can't do with a three footer.

5. I got a lift in a trade, and I wasn't real wild about it. Man was I wrong! Definitely one of the handiest things in my shop. I have a two post Eagle that needs nearly all of my 13' ceiling height. There are tons of lift discussions over on Garage Journal.

Good luck with your purchases, and congrats on the new shop! Sounds like you need to consider an addition.

Greg - Thanks for the feedback as always. Which Baileigh bandsaw did you get? What I had before was a Mill/drill and it was very nice for modifying as you said. Which Jet do you have?


Graham08 - Thanks for the solid first post with details. Very helpful response.

In such a small space it sounds like you'll be filled to the gills quick. I'd try and make as much stuff mobile as you can and stick to the bare essentials. My shop is 1500 sqft and with just one car and a two post lift I feel cramped at times.

Totally agree with this statement! You can have so much crap in your shop that you can't do any work! Better to have some basics that are "multi function" tools. Since your time is FREE... you can cut something "rough" and finish it to spec... So a good metal chop saw (abrasive or carbide blade) that is portable would be a good choice for the occasional tubing cut etc. Versus a cold cut saw that is big and heavy - not to mention expensive. Owning a great piece of gear such as odd shapes/sheet metal/tubes/squares/odd angles.

Give me a great compressor.... and plenty of air tools!

A great belt "grinder/sander" that can really hog off some metal -- or change the belt and do fine work...

A vertical band saw (with POWER!)

A two post lift.

A great welder (MIG is all that's really needed)

A "Raptor" style chop saw.

A great vise mounted to a heavy solid table

Ample hand tools. It's amazing what some simple files can do when used properly. And a guy can never own too many clamping devices.

A good press

Air over Hydraulic engine hoist

Chain hoist

Rachet straps and lots of zip ties (spare hands I call them)

An inventory of common nuts and bolts (in SS and grade 8 or 9) and electrical connectors and spools of wire.


I find I need lots of ways to make holes.... sometimes in thick wall stuff - most times in sheet metal. tiny holes and big holes... so I have a tool for just about every way imaginable. Multiple sets of great drill bits - step drills - rotobroaches - hole saws... and multiple ways to chuck all of 'em up - angle drills - 1/4" drill motors (air) and 1/2" motors... drill press and mill drill...

I need multiple ways to cut things... at odd ass angles --- or dead straight... on the car or off the car. Sheet metal to 4" square or sometimes small solids. Sometimes I bust out the sawzall... sometimes the plasma (rarely) -- or maybe a pair of left, right or straight tin snips... sometimes the bandsaw. The cold cut saw is used more to build jigs or things that help me work or store stuff.

As long as I can weld something together... we're golden! The MIG is the most adaptable... and the most bang for the buck. A TIG (My preferred way to weld) is expensive and a luxury. Not needed but coveted. And I need a gas (oxy/acetylene) welder/torch to heat things (I never weld with it but occasionally braze with it).


I could not function without a great work table that's heavy and solid! And a great BIG vise...

A really comfy chair so I can day dream about all that work I used to do in there. :relax:

So f'n boring..... LOL

It's not the largest space but certainly much larger than the 2 car garage I share with my neighbor at the duplex I'm living at now. I actually use my car hauler as a shop and storage space right now because I have zero room. Prior to my current place I had a loaded 2 car garage. At least the new place will have a place to build a car and a separate place to store it when complete.




I appreciate all the input. Hopefully all goes well with the purchase and soon I'll start laying out the space. Only thing I'm waiting on is an inspection by an electrician on Saturday. If he says all is good I'll be closing shortly after.