I WISH I HAD A GARAGE

sdtahoe · November 25, 2003

ran across this clean up some old e-mails....

By Stephen Hansen

I wish I had a garage... As I sit outside in the weather working on my old truck, I can't help amd be a bit jealous of Bob, down the street. His old truck sets in the nice one-car garage and is almost complete. His Craftsman toolbox is handily alongside; the workbench vice and bench grinder deep inside with the "handy" tools on the pegboard. I try to get the bodywork done between the thunderstorms, running outside at the slightest hint of rain to put the blue plastic over it. The storm hits and the blue plastic sail away down the block, as my freshly sanded metal gets wet in the rain. The heat of the summer sun beats directly down on me; Bob is tinkering on his in the shade. My beer gets hot in the sun; Bob has a mini fridge under a bench. After each afternoon of working on it I carefully put the tools away, rolling up extension cords and air hoses. Stacking all the parts not "on" the old truck into the lawn shed. During the winter my project sets buried under the plastic with tires setting on top of it and bricks to hold the edges down. Snow 2 feet deep surrounds it, I can't wait until spring to get it dug out and resume the work on it. I can see the light on in Bob's garage as he putters away the winter. I wish I had a garage...

I wish I had a 2-car garage.. Four years of waiting and I finally got a garage. It's a detached garage, un-insulated and no heat, but it's a garage I carefully put my old truck into it and discover that's about all the garage will hold. I put it on jacks and push it against the sidewall leaving a 4-foot isle to walk and work in. Parts are stacked on it, in it and under it. Everything has its place, and everything in its lace. Now I'll get some work done! Only two outlets in the garage, and one of the plugs are used for the garage door opener. I put a separate plug in and multiple outlet bars. I ran the 220v for the air compressor and welder from a plug in the house. I have to pull them outside to use them, but I can use them. Real tight for space, I do most of the welding, cutting and grinding outside. I have started painting some parts, but the amount of work it would take to get the truck out of the garage isn't worth it, so I rely on saw horses and decent weather and I do it in the yard. An unforeseen rainstorm orange peeled some of the parts; cost me a week of time to re-sand them. Winter is here and it too cold in there to work on anything, sure wish it was insulated and heated. My Sears lawn tractor with snow blower fit just inside, ready for each snowstorm to quit. If I need a tool I have to climb over it. The wife is bitching about having to keep her car outside while my "junk" is in the garage. I tell her it's not a garage it's a "shop". She has no sense of humor. There's a rumor of moving my old truck outside next to the garage. I wish I had a 2-car garage..

I wish I had a shop. The two-car garage is here! All my tools have a space; the benches are ready. Attached to the house there is heat in here. > The wife is bitching again. The dust from the sanding gets on her "perfect" car. I drive an old beast in hopes of someday having this nice old truck to drive, buy her a new car to keep her happy, and she still bitches. Kids bikes, lawn mowers and the recyclables crowd my project. She won't move her car outside so I can paint, and she won't let me paint outside because of the "over spray" on the new siding. I do most of the work outside. I wish I had a shop.

Well, I got my shop. It's insulated with heat, has a fridge and a TV! My truck happily fills one slot and that 69 Mustang is my next project. Don't have to listen to the wife grumble, live is good. Work (the one that pays the bills) takes up more hours every day. I can't stay on my feet to long; my bad back slows me up a lot. After supper I watch the news then take a nap. I don't have the energy I use to have. I can't wait until I retire so I can work on my old truck.

k1500chevy97 · November 25, 2003

TROYROBO · November 25, 2003

i can relate

bfrd22 · November 28, 2003

i can relate

Same Here

Always wanted a small shop for my tools you know.

Got my 1st project, It was out in the snow.

I needed more room, to work you know.

A garage would be perfect, with room to grow

Got one, Double infact, 24 x26 right of the bat.

Heated, insulated wired in fact.

Space grows thin. as more goods we attract.

Kids Bikes, snow blower, lawnmower and more

Wife's car has her spot, indoors she is a store.

The Chevy's outside covered with the seasons debris.

The Project Truck, Well It's back in the weeds,

Maybe Next year I'll add that 3rd bay

pacodiablo · November 28, 2003

I need a bigger garage. The Ranger has gray over spray on it, my parents move my engines around, they move my tools, they throw away things I need. I definately need a bigger garage.

I know what it is like trying to get a blue tarp over something quick. There was no room for the tractor inside, so it had to stay in the driveway. That was tough. Ended up getting rid of the tractor because it cost me too much to work on and there was no room.

Out in the country we had a detached barn with multiple tractors and equipment in it. There was no "one tractor rule." Oh well.

Truckman031 · December 1, 2003

Cobra · December 2, 2003

yup that sounds like me! This year I finally built my shop. 30'x50' room for everything! It's not insulated and the kids think it's for riding their toys.