Lateral-g Forums - Your list of must have shop equipment

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Your list of must have shop equipment

Looks like soon I'll be moving out of the duplex I'm in and into a house with a full 2 car garage and a nice little 25x30 shop in the back yard. It's a little ways away from the fun of downtown Austin so I also want to be sure I have all the tools to play with. No use in buying it and not being able to use it.

As of now I have many of the basic tools but am curious what tools you guys have that I should consider purchasing and rating by most important first. My budget for new tools will most likely be ~10-15K which I know can go very fast. If there is already a thread with this info let me know. I searched for a bit but did't find anything specific.

What I think I have, stuff has been stored for ~2 years now so hard to remember

Large roller box full of hand tools.
1/2" and 3/8 impact guns
Decent smaller Harbor freight press
Bead blast cabinet
Lincoln 155 MIG
Thermal Arc Fab 250 MIG
Metal chop saw (with a blade, not abrasive)
2 floor jacks
Lots of 3 and 6 ton jack stands
2k winch to pull cars in and out of the shop
double flaring tools and small tube benders
Engine hoist
Multiple angle grinders
Cheaper bench grinder
A couple cheaper vises
Small 30 gallon compressor that's too slow and noisy
Harbor freight solvent tank

Things I am considering to purchase

Large 220v ~80 gallon compressor
Build some nice solid steel tables
Tubing bender - most likely JD2 but open to suggestions
Tubing notcher - not sure what brand
Plasma cutter
Belt/Disc sander
TIG - I have no idea how to use it but really want to learn....
Some kind of crane system in the shop to keep from getting more hernia's
Lathe - thinking 6"x 3ft or so
Mill - either small bench top or used large one
Stomp Shear - used 3 ft or so
Decent bead roller
Metal Bandshaw
Dimple dies
Smaller metal break
Lift - Possibly, debating if it will take too much room
Smaller CNC Plasma table - thinking could also use to make some side $$
English wheel
Planishing hammer
Shrinker/Stretcher
Alignment tools
Race scales
???????

Quote:

Originally Posted by gerno (Post 576413)

Things I am considering to purchase

*Large 220v ~80 gallon compressor
*Build some nice solid steel tables
Tubing bender - most likely JD2 but open to suggestions
Tubing notcher - not sure what brand
*Plasma cutter
*Belt/Disc sander
*TIG - I have no idea how to use it but really want to learn....
*Some kind of crane system in the shop to keep from getting more hernia's
Lathe - thinking 6"x 3ft or so
Mill - either small bench top or used large one
Stomp Shear - used 3 ft or so
Decent bead roller
*Metal Bandsaw
Dimple dies
Smaller metal break
Lift - Possibly, debating if it will take too much room
Smaller CNC Plasma table - thinking could also use to make some side $$
???????

* = must haves IMO

I just acquired a 34" x 110" 3/8" plate work table on casters and it is a real luxury.

A 1x42 belt/disc combo sander for small stuff is priceless and one of my most used tools. I'd really like to have a 12" disc also.

A horizontal mitering bandsaw is another tool I use frequently, more than the 9" cold saw and one can't replace the other.

Plasma cutter is a must IMO, doesn't get used a lot but it's a little tool that does big things and is just fun to use.

Regarding a hoist - maybe a larger fold up cherry-picker would suffice?

What about a small painting area? That's one thing I don't have that I need frequently!

Fair warning - You're going to run out of space fast. Draw a floor plan and start doing an equipment layout with reasonable clearance allowances and a good free work space and prioritize from there. :thumbsup:

BurrKing.

You're already out of space with that list unless you are working on the car in the driveway.

You said a Lift depending on space. My lift is the best thing I have ever bought! Mine (Rotary 4 Post) is bolted to the floor, but they make a Caster kit so you can move them around.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sieg (Post 576421)

Quote:

Originally Posted by dontlifttoshift (Post 576426)

BurrKing.

You're already out of space with that list unless you are working on the car in the driveway.

Not sure I can afford the Burrking without blowing my complete budgety. It looks terrific but what is the real advantage in one of those vs a combined belt/disc sander?

I know space will be very tight. The list was more for overall thought. I'd love to have it all but understand both budget and space will not allow. This is why I am asking for other people's opinions. One advantage is there are 2 out buildings on the lot as well. One is designed to house the air compressor with 220v wired already. The other I may set up for part storage or the cleaning tank or perhaps a paint booth as Sieg brought up. Not sure.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMR Sales (Post 576432)

You said a Lift depending on space. My lift is the best thing I have ever bought! Mine (Rotary 4 Post) is bolted to the floor, but they make a Caster kit so you can move them around.

I'm still very much considering a lift but I need to check the overall layout first. Do you prefer the 4 post vs an offset 2 post?

Quote:

Originally Posted by gerno (Post 576447)

Not sure I can afford the Burrking without blowing my complete budgety. It looks terrific but what is the real advantage in one of those vs a combined belt/disc sander?

Versatility. It takes 5 seconds to change a belt and I can grind a radius in a piece of 3/8 plate or put a brushed finish on a stainless exhaust.

Disc sanders I have never seen a use for, maybe a big 24" one would be nice but they tend to create too much heat which kills the abrasive right quick.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gerno (Post 576447)

Good call in the layout and running out of space. I understand that as well. I haven't closed on the property as of yet so it will be some time while I brainstorm. My thought on the layout was since it has 3 doors on the front I would really only use the middle door for cars and have the other 2 bays for work areas. I can store my car in the actual garage.

Most of your items were part of my priority list. What bandsaw do you have? Do you need the smaller belt or would a combined disc/belt sander with the wider belt also work ok for what you do?

Not sure I can afford the Burrking without blowing my complete budgety. It looks terrific but what is the real advantage in one of those vs a combined belt/disc sander?

I know space will be very tight. The list was more for overall thought. I'd love to have it all but understand both budget and space will not allow. This is why I am asking for other people's opinions. One advantage is there are 2 out buildings on the lot as well. One is designed to house the air compressor with 220v wired already. The other I may set up for part storage or the cleaning tank or perhaps a paint booth as Sieg brought up. Not sure.

I'm still very much considering a lift but I need to check the overall layout first. Do you prefer the 4 post vs an offset 2 post?

Here's my bandsaw: http://metal.baileighindustrial.com/...d-saw-bs-712ms
I use the cold saw for a lot of the miter cuts I make as they are usually small scale.

The 1x42 is an older Delta combo belt/disk that I've had since '89/90 I wouldn't be without, I originally bought it for golf club fab and repair work. It just lacks the size and power needed for automotive/steel fab.
This is almost identical: http://www.jettools.com/us/en/p/j-40...-sander/577003

The BurrKing 2" belt would be a wonderful luxury! Personally I'd buy a 12" disk before the 2" belt. The Jet 12" disk/belt combo might not be bad less expensive option: http://www.jettools.com/us/en/c/meta...s/300?filter=1

What I do for a makeshift small parts paint 'both' is I keep a larger cardboard box that I split the seam so it folds up flat, in use it looks like this:

http://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-V...-VFJH9fZ-L.jpg

My 'new' fab table, it's moved over to where the Camaro has just enough space to park and be able to walk around it:

http://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-f...fF7Ztzg-XL.jpg

Anything you can store out of the way or in a cabinet do so, then when you make your steel table weld a 2 "receiver hitch to it... make a small little table that can be adjusted height wise slide in to the receiver. you now have a adjustable table say 16" square that you can use to mount some of your smaller tools on i.e bench top drill press,small belt sander, grinder etc.
You can actually use this idea all over the shop for many different uses...just have to give some thought into what tools you need out all the time. Put the rest away giving you more space and making the garage cleaner
Good luck Ryan

You're pretty much out of space to work once the car gets in there. Unfortunately the "shop" collects all kinds of other things when it is there. Space is a vacuum and it fills quicker than you can imagine! LoL!

You have (or will have) a shop now, bite the bullet and get a lift. You'll kick yourself for not getting one earlier, even in a "small" garage! I don't see an engine stand on your list, irreplaceable when you actually need one. Shelves..... LOTS of them, to get the junk out of the way! LOTS of lights, and plug in's too. Shop vac. Extra cords, air hoses and empty buckets. STEREO!! Good tv if you like to keep up with sports while you're out working. Some sort of heat system and a fan of some sort for the summer.

I don't see a floor press and drill press on your list. You'll need the floor press to use with dimple dies. Drill press is not a must, but nice to have.

Also, you'll need to see if you have enough outlets/amperage for all your tools in the shop. Nothing worse than dragging extension cords around, or having breakers tripped.

Early congratulations on your new place.