# Family Room As Workshop



## 65Cobra427SC

Hi Everyone

I thought I would start a thread about using the downstairs family room as a workshop. I did this for a couple reasons. First, I thought it might be interesting because I haven't done anything in the room yet to even begin the transformation. But I also never did this before and I could probably use some advice.

But one thing I haven't mentioned yet... I intentionally didn't say I was converting the family room into a workshop because I'm not sure I want to go quite that far. So maybe some basic information is in order.

Split entry home... 3 bedrooms... 2-1/2 baths... 2 car garage with a couple toys. Family room is below ground... walls and ceiling are finished and the concrete floor is carpeted. It's only been used for things like storage, painting, etc. Garage has workbench, drill press, buffer, air compressor and air/hand tools. I like working with my hands, especially using aluminum and stainless steel, but never used a lathe or mill. A friend MIG/TIG welds for a living so I go to him for anything I need done in that department.

Things are changing soon... a PM1236 lathe is due later this month (although that could easily change) but a PM932M-PDF mill is being delivered next week. I chose Matt at Quality Machine Tools because he seems to be a good guy. No business is perfect but most people seem to like him and these particular machines. But his place is also less than 30 minutes from me... so I can harass him any time I want. So if you're reading this Matt, look out.

I'll take a couple pics of how the room is now and post them. Then I'll make a post to start off where I'm going with the room. Feel free to chime in and yes, I'll have questions as well. I think that's it for now so I'll go grab the camera.

Cobra


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## 65Cobra427SC

Pics start from far left corner and continue around towards the right. Just finished some painting upstairs so there is a lot to put away and other things need reorganized so into the dungeon I go.


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## Dave Smith

Cobra---I hope your wife is OK with your plan and you don't have children on the increase----I guess you didn't say that you have children--or even a wife--if you are single then you have no problems, but if you have a wife and children it may make a concern to deal with--you need to keep the wife happy  in the home----well when I was young  I used one of the lower bedrooms as a shop and even rebuilt a Buick transmission and a small motorcycle for our son in it---well when we got two more children I had to move out quick and redo it as a bedroom again---that is something to think about, that it may not be a permanent shop area---if your wife is OK with the plan then go for it---a shop for small machines and hand tools is good to have and a unused family room can work out good--better than going outside to an unheated shop in northern cold states-----Dave


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## 65Cobra427SC

No worries Dave. Only an ex-wife who is out of the picture and one daughter who is married and on her own. So only three people live in the house now... me, myself and I... and we all get along fine. So good in fact that we're all on the same page with this project, ha. Thanks for your concern though.

Did a partial cleanup of the basement today so it looks better. There are a few items I'll need to sell before it's completely clean but they can go on the unused side of the room until that happens. I'll spend a few hours on it again tomorrow, but if the weather holds up, I'm off to a cruise on the bike.


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## Ben Nevis

Carpets and metal chips don't mix.... Well, actually they do. So well, you'll never get them out.

First thing you will want to do is get rid of the carpet.


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## 65Cobra427SC

Exactly Ben... and brilliantly worded. Once I finish cleaning up I'll remove the carpet... will start with the far half of the room where the equipment will go. Once that portion of the floor is finished, then I can get the mill out of the garage and set up. My most difficult decision is what flooring to lay over the concrete slab. I definitely don't want to have just a bare slab. Thee are lots of flooring options but it seems like each one has it's own issues. I'll elaborate on this more later and could really use some help. Thanks.


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## pineyfolks

You may want to add an exhaust fan. Any cutting oils or fluids that burn off may linger into the rest of the house. A large bathroom vent may work or a box fan in the window for summer.


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## francist

Nice, I like it. The joys of living alone! 

I have a '74 Vespa in my dining room, CPR oil cans in my kitchen (had olive oil in one for a while), and my entire shop, wood and metal, has always been in my basement. A small in-line fan from an old electric heater ducted out to the porch takes care of the small amount of smoke and fumes from the small amount of welding that I do, and that's mostly to stop from setting off the smoke detectors. Might as well be comfortable doing what you like to do. I guess I come by it honestly though -- my grandfather kept his motorcycle in the kitchen 

-frank


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## brino

The other posts covered family, chips and fan concerns.
Since it's just you, then noise/sound-proofing won't come into play either.
However there are a few more things to think about.....

What about power? I did not see an electrical panel in any of those shots.
What size of tools are you talking; how many amps and 120 or 240V?
Easy to pull wires and install new outlets?

Stairs. Obviously having the equipment delivered into a garage shop is easy. Having to move things down the stairs can be a dangerous hassle.
Got a couple big friends and a sturdy cart?
Any big windows that could be used for access?

-brino


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## 65Cobra427SC

Bill, excellent... it had yet to occur to me about ventilation so I'm glad you brought it up and I want to make sure whatever I install is substantial. Since the far wall where the lathe and mill will go is completely underground, I'll need something that will vent out one of the windows on the adjacent wall. I was thinking of replacing the windows with glass block but that might make things more complicated. But the double hung windows there now would need something that can be easily installed/removed since I may not use the machines for days or weeks at a time. Something like a bathroom fan would vent the room without letting cold air in during the evenings or winter months so that's a good idea. I'll do some searching but if anyone has any ideas, feel free to post here.


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## 65Cobra427SC

Nice Frank, that's one interesting setup... you should pm me a couple pics, would love to see it. It was very difficult living alone at first but over time I began to see the advantages. Now I'm not sure I would have it any other way. What I like is how it gave me time to find hobbies and interests that I never would have found otherwise. Now I never get bored. I'm even happy answering these posts, ha.


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## 65Cobra427SC

Brino, good points. Soundproofing never occurred to me but you're right, none needed for me and the fact that much of the room is underground I'm hoping it will keep the noise level to a minimum for the neighbors. The electrical is covered. I have 100 feet of 10/3 wire which is more than enough to run a 240v line from the garage fuse box to the back wall where the lathe and mill will be located. I'm only going to run one line for both outlets since I won't be running them at the same time. I have steel conduit for the garage... it will then run through the joists in the laundry room and storage area... and finally down, but behind, the wall to the outlets. This way other than the 4-prong outlets, nothing else will show. Thanks.


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## 65Cobra427SC

Matt called and the PM932M-PDF Mill is on it's way... should be here in about an hour. Of course it will have to stay in the garage until I get a few more things done, but I'm okay with that.


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## Wheresmywrench?

Me, Myself and I used to get along fine. We made the dining room into my tool room once the ex was gone all was good for many years then that idiot "I" went out and got married. So Me and Myself moved everything to the COLD garage. sigh. Love the idea of using the family room for a shop. Wonder if "I" can convince "Her" to let me do it????


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## 65Cobra427SC

Hilarious. I was engaged one time after the first divorce but broke it off when I realized I was going to end up losing access to all my passions. I feel for you, ha.

On a better note... for me anyway... is I have some pics of the mill to post. The family room isn't completely clear but I did enough to remove almost 6 feet of carpet along the back wall where the machines will go. The good news is the floor looks (at least so far) much better than the garage... smoother surface and looks level. It does have a couple hairline cracks but the floor is still even and I haven't seen any water marks/stains.


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## Wheresmywrench?

Looking good!! 
Well "She" doesn't interfere with my hobbies which fill the garage and basement now. When I first got my lathe/mill, a Maximat 10V-P, It was taken apart to transport. When I got it home "She" wouldn't let me take it into the basement. But once I had it all together "She" says, "OH" you could have taken it down stairs!!!! Well I'm not taking it all apart after getting it set up!! But that could change if my plan to heat the garage doesn't work out!!
I'll be watching to see how things work out for you. And if you get the urge to marry again make sure everything is set up the way you want and make it perfectly clear this is the way it is and it's staying that way!!! So far it's worked for me.


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## 65Cobra427SC

Thanks wrench. Like your logic... will keep that in mind but I might prefer not having enough room, then she can stay at her own place, ha.

I'm now trying to figure out what to do about the floor. I definitely don't want bare concrete or epoxy coatings... don't like either. At the moment I'm actually thinking of wood plastic composite panels which can be used outside or inside... i.e. as industrial floorings... and there are some really nice designs. I could always lay them around the levelers if I have to. If anyone has any ideas, I would really appreciate it.

Another question is if I should seal the concrete before I install any type of flooring, or can it interfere with certain things like flooring adhesive?

Thanks


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## Wheresmywrench?

I don't think sealing the floor should cause a problem with adhesives. But you will need to allow for the possibility of oil spills and such so this will have to taken into consideration when selecting flooring. I'd look at oil resistant floor coverings for garages.


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## 65Cobra427SC

By oil spills, I assume you're referring to something accidental right? I could say I'll be careful, because I typically am, but that won't guarantee there would never be a spill. However, taking that precaution eliminates 98% of the flooring products. Even with garage floors oil would get under the interlocking tiles. That leaves one piece garage floor covers... although I could limit that to the far end of the room where the machines would go. If anyone has any comments or suggestions, please chime in. Thanks.


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## brav65

65Cobra427SC said:


> By oil spills, I assume you're referring to something accidental right? I could say I'll be careful, because I typically am, but that won't guarantee there would never be a spill. However, taking that precaution eliminates 98% of the flooring products. Even with garage floors oil would get under the interlocking tiles. That leaves one piece garage floor covers... although I could limit that to the far end of the room where the machines would go. If anyone has any comments or suggestions, please chime in. Thanks.



If the concrete floor is a sub floor I would not worry about it too much.  Tile, carpet or wood flooring can be installed over stains without any ill effects.  If it would bother you to now that there were stains, just seal the concrete with, HD sells Thompsons for pretty cheap.  A penetrating sealer will not be as effective at blocking oil stains as a surface sealer would be.  Thompsons makes both types.  I am building a CNC router in my family room right now so I fully support you plans!


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## kvt

What about sealing the floor, then putting a membrane down before you put in the flooring.  Like a water/vapor barrier, but it would keep any oil etc, from getting to the sealed concrete below the flooring.   This way you can also use loose flooring like the plastic composite panels.   If you use adhesive attached flooring then you would be less worried about the oil etc, as the adhesive will also help to keep the oil etc out.  But then you have the problem of removing the adhesive if you want to do something else.


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## T Bredehoft

A consideration of the floor. I attended a Vocational School in a brand new building, they had installed one of those 'pour it, it will level itself' floors. It was grand, sweeping was a charm, it was bright and clean, then the Bridgeport spewed some hot chips on it and it went downhill fast.  It eventually came up and we worked on the bare concrete.


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## 65Cobra427SC

Thanks for the info guys. Always helps to know what options there are and any warnings on what not to use (ouch).

Since this depends on the size of a spill, at the moment I'm looking at a worst case scenario. But how realistic is the chance of spilling a large quantity of oil? Even if I purchase a large container of oil, I would store it in the garage and fill smaller, sturdier and better containers to take inside. And the size would depend on what I'm using it for.

I'm not concerned about 'stains' on the concrete considering the floor will get covered when the time comes for the machines to go. That won't happen in my lifetime but I don't want to leave any serious issues to someone else in the family. My logic is any oil that reaches the concrete will mean two things, a nightmare to clean and a permanent odor. The membrane idea is good but if oil is getting past the flooring that means cleaning both above and below the flooring... and if the oil can reach the membrane, how far will it spread?

Adhesive tiles sould like a better approach but I don't know enough about them. Even if the oil can't get past the adhesive can it be absorbed into the tile... i.e. around the edges? Maybe some would and others wouldn't depending on what the tile is made of. Something I would need to check. If such a tile exists that won't absorb the oil, when the time comes it could always be covered with carpeting.

If all the above fails, then there are only a couple things I can think of.

A one piece floor covering for at least that area of the room.

Some sort of tray large enough and sturdy enough to placed under each machine. I have no clue if anything like this exists but it's not beyond me to make something if I need to.


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## dave2176

Spinning things tend to throw some cutting oil at least a short distance so some stains will occur. Concrete is a great option for clean up but hard on the feet. Check out some of those work mats for in front of the machine.
Dave


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## 65Cobra427SC

Thanks Dave. Maybe the most logical thing to do is just leave the concrete bare at that end of the room. I could always seal it with something like Thompsons which brav65 talked about earlier. Or even an epoxy coating which might not be so bad considering it will only be on that area of the floor... and even better if they're available in solid colors. I'm not a fan of sparkles all over the floor, ha.

I just checked Home Depot for Thompsons WaterSeal and have some concerns with 28 reviews (out of 41) giving it one star. Apparently it has to do with their Low-VOC formula which requires more care during the application, yet the can is exactly the same except for the words "new low-VOC formula". Looks like it takes a lot more effort/time to mix properly and needs to be applied in thin coats. If anyone has any experience with this product I would appreciate your comments. Thanks.


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## 65Cobra427SC

After more research there are a number of other products that don't have the issues of Thompsons. For example Seal Krete Multi-Surface All-Purpose Water Repellent which protects against water penetration, resists oil stains, salts and hot tire pick-up, and is non-yellowing. Obviously I like the oil stain resistance part.

I also read multiple threads at http://allgaragefloors.com which helped me understand the different coatings along with their advantages and disadvantages. If anyone is thinking of doing their garage floor, I highly recommend checking it out. You can start with the thread below then read the others you'll see at the bottom of the page but read them thoroughly or you could miss one important item that could change your opinion. For example I was considering Rust Bullet until they mentioned it was a solvent based coating that produces strong fumes and requires a respirator as well as turning off all flames and ignition sources. Fine for a garage with large doors but not for me.

http://allgaragefloors.com/choose-the-right-epoxy-coat-system/


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## kvt

One thing to consider with the Epoxy stuff is what was stated earlier. Think of what hot metal coming off lathes and mills will do to the epoxy.   Those hot chips can imbed in it or cause holes in it, which then can lead to openings that can allow stuff to start working its way under it.   Have seen to many epoxy coated floors fail.   Best thing I can think of if you leave it concrete is to ensure that it is smooth and seal it with one of the products that you were talking about.  but the smoother the concrete is better.


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## 65Cobra427SC

I definitely agree about the epoxy... it's been off the list. Only mentioned the website for its overall information as they cover a lot more than just epoxy. If you can believe it, they even have articles on using porcelain and carpeting... again, not something I would use. But I just finished reading their article about the G-Floor Small Coin Mat which may work and it comes in a size that will do the far end of the room in one piece. But no matter what I decide, I plan to apply a water repellent... so far the one from Seal Krete seems to be the best.


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## 65Cobra427SC

Is there any flooring that I can use which will resist the hot metal coming off the lathe and mill? I didn't realize they were that hot so flooring isn't going to help if the chips are going to melt it. That seems to be my biggest problem.


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## francist

How big is the lathe and mill you're going to be running in there? I've seen the videos from a couple of the really popular guys on YouTube knocking off some pretty big chips that would (and do) melt into nearby plastics, but they're using pretty massive machines with big cuts and big chips. Are yours really going to stay hot that long to melt through a piece of vinyl flooring? The finish might get a bit pockmarked, but so will it by walking on chips all the time too. The advantage I see with a sheet flooring is that if and when you do go to sell the house it'd be a lot easier to replace that than have commited to some exotic sealer. Just my thinking.

-frank


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## JimDawson

I had standard commercial grade floor tiles (the flooring you find in schools and commercial buildings) in my last shop.  Seemed to work just fine.  It scratches due to the chips, but I don't think I ever melted a chip into it.


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## 65Cobra427SC

Thanks for the input francist and jim. I have to admit I've been rather overwhelmed with finding the right flooring, so I apologize to anyone following this thread having to put up with me. But when the hot chips came into the picture, it seemed to throw every idea I had out the window. And it's not because I'm particular since issues like dents and scratches won't bother me. So I'm going to take a few deep breaths, let the floor go for a day or two and make a decision based on what I've looked at so far.

To answer your questions francist, the lathe and mill are from Quality Machine Tools (Precision Matthews) PM1236 (12x36 lathe) and PM932M-PDF (9x32 mill with power down feed). And good point about the large cuts/chips because I don't see myself making those types of cuts. Both machines are definitely larger than what I really need and this is all strictly for pleasure.


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## francist

I know the feeling. Sometimes I spend so much time thinking I forget to think

-frank


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## 65Cobra427SC

Like a bad dream I'm back. 

Good point frank... and so true. That's exactly what happened when it came to the flooring so I stayed away for a couple days to clear my head and it helped. Not only did I make a decision on the flooring today, but I feel comfortable with the decision as well.

I decided on the Tuff-Seal Interlocking Floor Tiles. They're rather expensive but I feel it will be worth it in the long run.  http://www.advantaflooring.com/tuff-seal/

I thought the large sheets were a good idea until I realized if one area gets damaged the entire sheet needs replaced in order to keep liquids from reaching the concrete below. The Tuff-Seal interlocking system doesn't let liquids pass through, yet if one tile gets damaged it can be replaced. But they have so many features that if anyone is interested they should check out the above link.

I plan to spend tomorrow wiring the room. I have a long run of 10/3 wire to run and two 240v outlets to install. That should give me a lot of satisfaction.


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## yendor

Just for reference what did the Tuff Seal Tiles end up costing on a Sq. Ft basis?

I'm going to be moving into new construction and want to  do something with the bare concrete in both the basement and garage before I actually moving equipment into either.


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## 65Cobra427SC

Can't find my notes but I think they said $5.79 per square foot because it would have run about $1300 for my 228 square foot room. Just so you know I haven't done anything with my floor yet so I have no experience with these tiles other than receiving a few small samples in the mail.


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## 65Cobra427SC

I've been silent lately but the far area of the room where the lathe and mill will go is finished except for the floor.

I painted the entire ceiling and the walls in the area where the lathe and mill will go. The semi-gloss paint will at least give the walls some protection but between the gloss and light colors (white and silver) the room is much brighter, especially with the new lights. Gone are the (2) single bulb recessed lights which were worthless. I replaced the main recessed light with a fluorescent light fixture that uses (4) T8 32-watt 4100K 4' long tubes. The other one near a corner of the room is now a fixture with (3) bulbs that can be adjusted individually to point to different areas of the room. Big difference in brightness.

All electrical work is finished... that includes the new 240v outlets as well as replacing all the standard wall switches and outlets in the room... primarily for safety reasons but also because I'm sick of brown so I went with gray.

The mill is still in the garage... hopefully not for long. Haven't heard anything more from Matt about the lathe, but I'm not quite ready for it yet anyway. I'll post some updated pictures later.


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## TakeDeadAim

I looked at all kinds of flooring options when I built the new shop, epoxy, tiles, garage floor tiles, box store sealers and finally went with a commercial concrete densifier, which hardens the surface of the concrete and provides some short term spill protection.  The concrete contractor offered to get it and apply it for me at cost, cool nothing for me to do.  He over applied it which created a crystal like "growth" on the surface because it is a lithium based product that reacts chemically with the concrete.  He felt bad so I got a free application on the garage portion of the building.  I had to scrub off the surface with black floor scrubber pads, (borrowed the scrubber from work) and got a very nice semi gloss finish to the floor which does not dust and can be swept and mopped.  I waited till full cure of the concrete and added a couple coats of a compatible sealer to the floor for added stain resistance.  The more I sweep and use the floor the nicer the finish gets.  I am very happy with this easy to do and maintain system.  No marks from moving machines in or material around.  No marks from hot chips or oil and at any point any type of flooring can be laid over what I have.  Reasonable cost and easy to apply.  

FYI the densifier used was specifically formulated to be applied the day of pour.  Many are not, which allows the same process to be used on concrete of any age.  Floor must be clean but again that process easy. bucket and brush, rent or borrow a machine.

Drop me a note if you want some more information.  Looks like a great space, window is great for light and I think a larger sized bathroom type exhaust fan would work great to remove any fumes from the area and can easily be removed to convert the space back to another use.


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## Charles Spencer

dave2176 said:


> Spinning things tend to throw some cutting oil at least a short distance so some stains will occur. Concrete is a great option for clean up but hard on the feet. Check out some of those work mats for in front of the machine.
> Dave



I have a cement floor.  It was rather fatiguing to stand on.  I looked at buying a roll of rubber matting, but a computer search turned up an alternative - car floor mats.  They are thicker and have a deeper pattern of grooves.  They're also already the right size and they cost less.

Charles


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## Wheresmywrench?

Rubber mats for horse stalls also work very well!


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## JimDawson

Wheresmywrench? said:


> Rubber mats for horse stalls also work very well!




:+1:  That's what I use also.


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## 65Cobra427SC

I have some catching up to do here... sorry for the delay. Posting a few more pics of the now painted far wall area which is a huge improvement from before. Not sure how much the pictures really show it, but I couldn't be happier. You can also get a glimpse of the new lights I installed. Between the gloss paint, light colors and new lighting it's almost too bright in there... might need tinted goggles, ha.

TakeDeadAim, thanks for your post. In fact part of the reason I'm behind on the room is due to the flooring and reading what you did. So I did more research on my own and decided that was a good move for a couple reasons... it's inexpensive... easy to apply... beneficial for the concrete... never needs removed... and you can always apply any type of flooring over it at any time.  Sounds as though your installer let it pool in areas which is really the only precaution you have to take during the application, but glad you got that straightened out. I purchased two Ghostseal products .. their LITHI-TEK 4500 which is their penetrating densifier and their SILOXA-TEK 8500 PLUS OIL REPEL which is their penetrating sealer with an oil repellent.  I also plan to hold off on the Tuff Seal tiles because I may not even need them.

Well, since I'm passing on the tiles, I guess I do need mats... and apparently I need ones used in horse stalls. Hmmm, thanks for the suggestions??? No problem but what makes them so special and are they comfortable? Oh, and where can I get them?


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## JimDawson

65Cobra427SC said:


> Well, since I'm passing on the tiles, I guess I do need mats... and apparently I need ones used in horse stalls. Hmmm, thanks for the suggestions??? No problem but what makes them so special and are they comfortable? Oh, and where can I get them?



Horse stall mats are normally available at your local feed & seed or farm supply.  They are an inch thick, really tough, do not seem to be bothered by oil.  A bit harder than some of the other mats available, but it beats the heck out of concrete.  They are normally 4x6 foot.  I got mine when they were on sale for $35 each.  I've had mine in front of the lathe and mill for the last 8 years and they are still going strong.


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## 65Cobra427SC

Are these essentially rubber mats? I'm looking at Tractor Supply Co "online" which is real close to me and they have 4' x 6' "Rubber Mats" 3/4 inch thick for $39.99 and in stock. That's pretty cheap for such a large and thick mat. But several reviews had complaints that concern me... which is where I'm getting the following questions from... since these will be inside the house. Wondered if yours (a) have any sort of texture on the top (slippery), (b) have any sort of grooves on the bottom for air flow (mildew buildup), and (c) have an odor (since my shop is inside the house). Thanks.


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## JimDawson

65Cobra427SC said:


> Wondered if yours (a) have any sort of texture on the top (slippery), (b) have any sort of grooves on the bottom for air flow (mildew buildup), and (c) have an odor (since my shop is inside the house). Thanks.



Mine are not textured exactly, but not glass smooth.  I have not noted any problem with slipping, even with oil on them.  There are no grooves but I have not seen any moisture when I have moved them for cleanup.  No odor noted, but they are in a large shop with good ventilation.  Since they are made of recycled rubber (tires I suspect), most of the new rubber smell should be long gone.


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## WalterC

65Cobra427SC said:


> No worries Dave. Only an ex-wife who is out of the picture and one daughter who is married and on her own. So only three people live in the house now..._* me, myself and I.*_.. and we all get along fine. So good in fact that we're all on the same page with this project, ha. Thanks for your concern though.
> 
> Did a partial cleanup of the basement today so it looks better. There are a few items I'll need to sell before it's completely clean but they can go on the unused side of the room until that happens. I'll spend a few hours on it again tomorrow, but if the weather holds up, I'm off to a cruise on the bike.



 And to whom are we speaking with now? 

  I figure if you just keep the carpet in there, in a few years the shavings will weigh a ton and you can get $.05 a pound for it. Not a bad deal.

   The HVAC system is going to draw the rooms air back into the house via the return air, so odors and fumes will get into the house while it is running- just FYI.

    I can't think of anything else that hasn't been mentioned.


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## 65Cobra427SC

We are inseparable... speak to all and you speak to none... speak to one and you speak to all... or something along those lines 

Walter, good point on the HVAC so thanks for pointing that out. Actually there were no return air ducts downstairs at all when the house was built, but when I had the entire furnace/heat pump replaced, he added a return line in the downstairs hallway since the furnace was on the other side of that wall anyway. But I've considered closing that return line before because (a) it diminishes the effect of the return lines upstairs, and (b) I never open the vents downstairs... don't need to since the room is underground. So you comment just clinched that decision. Again, thanks for bringing it up.

Jim, thanks for the additional info on the mats. Sounds like these mats are pretty much identical to yours. I'll stop over there in the next day or so to take a look... and maybe a smell or two  to see what I think. I also read other comments within the higher ratings and several said the odor will go away after a couple days but still suggested putting them elsewhere during that time because the odor was pretty bad.


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## 65Cobra427SC

I applied two coats of Ghostshield 4500 densifier a while back... very easy... mixed 1:1 with water, used a yard weed sprayer to apply a thin layer on the floor and a soft bristle broom to even it out and eliminate any pools. Invisible when dry.

Thankfully I did NOT apply the Ghostshield 8505 sealer (Note: To clarify the 8505 is the version with an oil repellent and the 8500 is the version without an oil repellent). I contacted Ghostshield about the 8505 because the label said it could not be top coated with anything but additional coats of the 8505. Sure enough, the oil repellent properties would prevent other coatings from adhering to the surface, including oil based paints, epoxy coatings, etc. So, if I had a pristine slab of concrete that I wasn't going to paint, or I was definitely going to tile the floor, I would have used the 8505. Instead I exchanged it for the 8500.

Applied two wet on wet coats of the 8500 per the instructions and now waiting the required 7 days before painting. For the topcoat I planned on using the DryLok E1 which is an epoxy reinforced paint, but can't find it anywhere, so trying to decide what to use instead.


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## 65Cobra427SC

Decided on the following for the concrete floor... inexpensive but hopefully it will hold up much better than other alternatives without spending a fortune. Will be starting the application today... (2) coats of Seal-Krete Lock-Down which is their epoxy bonding primer for concrete... (2) coats of Seal-Krete 1-part Epoxy Paint (just because it's better than paint)... and finally top it off with at least (4) coats of Rust-oleum Varathane clear satin Polyurethane for the durability. The polyurethane should also make it easier to wipe up spills.


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## 65Cobra427SC

Finally finished all those coats of paint. I actually added a 5th coat of Polyurethane in order to apply the anti-skid additive. Don't care for what the anti-skid does to the coating but it's a necessary evil. More pics attached. Needs more time before I can put it to use, but the mill will get moved in next week. Still don't have the lathe... not sure where it is but I hope it shows up soon.


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## 65Cobra427SC

I spent 13 hours in the basement and garage yesterday between moving and cleaning. A friend came over for 6 of those hours, primarily during the moving stage. Very time consuming but we have the mill set up in the workshop. I was so tired when I finished, that I went upstairs, ate 2 hot dogs, went straight to bed and slept for 12 hours. Sore but not as bad as I expected (in case anyone had any concern for my well being, ha). The lathe is supposedly (?) coming in 3 weeks so the process will soon repeat itself, but in less time since a lot of what I did to prepare won't be needed again. Will post pictures later.


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## Wheresmywrench?

_Looking good!! Wish the wife let me do that! When I suggested it she said NO! After I set it up in the garage she says " You could have put it in the basement!!" She drives me nuts at times!!!!_


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## 65Cobra427SC

Wheresmywrench? said:


> _Looking good!! Wish the wife let me do that! When I suggested it she said NO! After I set it up in the garage she says " You could have put it in the basement!!" She drives me nuts at times!!!!_



Are you married to my ex-wife?


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## 65Cobra427SC

Adding picture of PM932 in the workshop. I still need to reinstall all the items I removed to prevent damage during the move and make it lighter... along with the usual prep work. But I'm happy to have my garage back... although that's only for now since the lathe is due soon which will start everything all over again.


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## Wheresmywrench?

_Nice!! It looks more like a showroom then a shop!_


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## 65Cobra427SC

I expected that reaction but the room needed painted anyway, the semi-gloss adds some protection, and now there is plenty of light. But I did go a tad overboard with the floor... from the densifier to the polyurethane... a total of 14 coats.

Took me 4 hours yesterday to cut and bundle all the wood from the mill and base crates so the garbage men would take it today. And I expect the crates will be even larger when the lathe shows up.


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## Wheresmywrench?

_Can't wait to see the finish shop!! Just do I can say to the wife "SEE!! That's what I wanted to do!!!!_


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## 65Cobra427SC

Took longer to get the lathe delivered than I expected... had to wait for it to be prepared for it's new home. Then I had to wait until a friend could find the time (works a lot of hours) to help move it into the workshop. And finally I had to learn about tooling for both machines and create a list so I would be prepared for the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. I'm beat, but I already received most of my orders so I'm feeling better.  That is until I realized I have no place to put them 

So the next move is to get a roller cabinet. Don't want anything too big, but large enough and with the right size drawers to hold most of my tools. One with a flat top so I can lay a slab of wood... or comes with it already. Not like I don't have enough to do 

Haven't forgotten pics but need to get stuff out of the way first.


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## kvt

Sounds like it is coming along.


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