| DIY People: Two-Car Garage Workshop |
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"This was really a project I would work on rainy weekends," says Mike Doerner. "Now, you're out here taking pictures of it. I really didn't think it was anything special." Mike's transformation of a two-car garage into a showplace workshop really is something to see. Well thought out, organized and spotlessly clean, his shop is a reflection of Mike's love for woodworking and his zeal for organization. "Yep, I'm an an organization freak. All my CD are in alphabetical order, and my books reside by author. But, when you're working on a project the last thing you want to do is go hunting for a tool. So, everything has its place," explains Mike. Doing double duty as both a workshop and a garage, planning and organization is a necessity. Most everything is on wheels, so workbench, storage cabinets and power tools can be moved out of the way when his wife's car rolls in. "I kept the costs down by using scrap whenever possible," says Mike. "The main workbench is made of sheets of 3/4" plywood I ripped in half and glued together. The frame work is all two by fours, other than that it's all scrap. I spent the savings to buy good tools." Here are a few tips from Mike on building your own garage workshop: - Use styrofoam sheets to insulate the garage doors. The sheets are easily cut and installed, and work very well keeping the garage warm in winter. Depending how your garage is situated, seal and insulate to keep noise and dust from entering the house.
- For stability and strength, tie your workbench into the framing of the house if possible. Use all the space bellow the workbench for storage by creating sliding doors with bead board.
- Many people use bench dogs on their workbench. Mike prefers using half-inch wooden dowels, a bag full will set you back only a few dollars.
- Mike created a movable workbench with a number of unique features, including tool trays for storage. The tops of the trays can be flipped over and used as a fence when working with short or long stock.
- The table on Mike's radial saw is fifteen inches, but he can extend the table easily when doing repetitive cuts. On the bottom of the table he attached a piano hinge with a piece of scrap plywood. He also created a temporary leg for the table extension that he secures in place with a clamp.
Mike says he keeps thinking his shop is complete, but then another idea strikes him. Recently he installed new lighting above his workbench, which he found in a home center's discontinued bin. "A workshop is never really finished; there's always something more you can do or improve, explains Mike. "That's really the fun of it."
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