OldCarGuy's Toy Shops

[NCjeeper]

Nice to see we are shaper buddies.

 

[OldCarGuy]

Good Lord my friend. What a place!!

How do you like the Centroid controller? I am planning on converting my Trak over to Centroid this winter.

Far cry from the Eztrak that the Centroid replaced in capabilities. However a longer learning curve than the Bridgeport. Think I may have to go back to school. I have a friend that helping me with programing that's familiar with many CNC controller. He has no problems with the Centroid. I was hoping it had more "canned" programs like the Bridgeport..

 

[OldCarGuy]

Nice to see we are shaper buddies.
View attachment 458802

You have one nice Shaper! Might it be a clone of mine, other than the tilt table. I use the vise by itself all the time. Sure has a grip.

 

[Janderso]

My passion started with mechanic tools at ten years old. Funded by being a paperboy. I purchased a new Craftsman tooleach week with the profit from my deliveries. The rest I banked. Then progressed into cars, and acquiring machines along the way. Indeed it's my defective gene that's been the powerhouse behind theaddiction. Let me be upfront. Anything on wheels, floats, machinery,and tools has made my lifeline of happiness. Though my truefulfillment is found in my children. Eight in total, six girls andtwo boys. Then 19 grand kids.

I started as a tool & die maker. That progressed into tool & die design engineer. Lastly over seeing a manufacturing plant with a support tool room with 250 employees. Over my 50 year career, I did freelanced designing from home.

I have about 8,000 square feet of toy shop area at my home. All are insulated & drywall areas that are heated and air conditioned. Here's an aerial view of my homestead.

My main machine workshop is 30' by 50' with a 12'ceiling. It has a 4,000 lb chain hoist that covers the total floor area. Along with a Mohawk 10,000 lb capacity two post lift. The second floor is where my upholstery sewing machine. Along with storage of old auto parts. Few pictures of the shop.

Grinder area 12" by 24" 3 axis auto, 6" by 18" 2 axis auto, Monaset tool cutter grinder,
Dake 50 ton hydraulic press

Lincoln 225 TIG, Lincoln 225 MIG, Airco 180 AMP stick

Another garage contains my auto shop work area and automotive paint booth. It has a 13' ceiling height and a 4,000 lb capacity chain hoist for pulling engines. And a Bendpak 10,000 lb capacity two post lift.

Another four car garage has a 13' ceiling height that has four 4-post lifts is where I store 9 of my antique cars.

A 30' by 50' garage with a 14' ceiling stores my two motor homes, wood working area, and 36' long wall shelves with a home made rolling ladder. Used for storage. Tuck my two motor homes in here

Finally a utility shed of sort. It's heated and air conditioned as well and even has its' own 240 Volt 60 Amp load center. Lawn tractor, Scissors lift, and smaller 14” lathe sets inhere

You are living my dream. I hope you appreciate it .
Nice piece of property, shops, machinery, Mohawk lifts are the best. I put in four the last year before I retired.
My 20x20 shop is my Disneyland.

 

[StevSmar]

I love how clean your workshops are! To me it makes the spaces “peaceful”.

 

[OldCarGuy]

You are living my dream. I hope you appreciate it .
Nice piece of property, shops, machinery, Mohawk lifts are the best. I put in four the last year before I retired.
My 20x20 shop is my Disneyland.

Thank you for allowing me to live your dream. I am enjoying every minute of it.

In my humble opinion.. There are two kinds of automotive lifts. Mohawk and all the rest! Of my sevenlifts, my Mohawk is the go-to lift for serious wrenching on most trusted for cherished treasures.
1925 Rolls Royce

Did you notice that my Mohawk Lift was changed to Blue. I rebuilt it a year ago and decided to make it blue to go along with the color scheme of my workshop makeover. This picture is the standard OEM red.

 

[OldCarGuy]

I love how clean your workshops are! To me it makes the spaces “peaceful”.

An earlier remark was it was too clean. I'm with you on this one. If you ever visited a race car builder'sgarage or top end restorers shop, or Jay Leno's Garage? They make my shops look like they're a mess.

 

[Boswell]

You know, the little "love" emoji just seems so inadequate.

As to a clean workshop, I am in-between. I aspire to a spotless workshop but end of with a fairly neat shop. As things degrade I dedicate time to clean up. Usually is the first of last step of any major project.

 

[Janderso]

Old car guy,
You are new to the forum so you may not be familiar with the term but you qualify for sure.
In all good fun, when we are jealous or appreciate your good fortune we simply say, you suck.
In your case, there is major suckage going on.

 

[great white]

I highly prefer a clean and organized shop. I just feel better in a clean and tidy shop.

But I seem to always be suffering from the 10lbs of “stuff” in a 5 lb bag.

I’ve got the lot size for another building (several actually), but being retired, the funds would be a little tight for that type of capital expense. I actually have the money for it, but it would mean draining out some of our savings and it would negatively impact our “cushion”, which I don’t want to do. Never know what type of “excitement” life has planned for you around the next corner….

Funny thing is most of my friends are jealous of the space I already have.
Same old story: build a two car and you’ll accumulate enough stuff to need a 3 car. Build a three car and need a 4. Etc, etc….