Detail Shop

Started by giant_mtb, December 16, 2017, 12:48:17 AM

Soup DeVille

Quote from: 93JC on January 04, 2018, 12:52:11 AM
The first manufacturer I thought of was Calcana, from these parts (Calgary, Canada...). I doubt they sell stuff down there, so I just started looking for American manufacturers of radiant heaters and Re-verber-ray was one of the first to come up. I figured surely they must have a lots of sales/support in the muthafuckin you-pee, even if they're made in North Windsor.

Yeah, they're all over in shops around here. Can't say I've noticed another brand. Pretty much all I know about them is that if the idiot warehouse manager decides to stack pallets full of plastic parts all the way against the roof in a non-warehouse area right under one of the tubes, all the smoke will come out of the plastics.
Maybe we need to start off small. I mean, they don't let you fuck the glumpers at Glumpees without a level 4 FuckPass, do they?

1975 Honda CB750, 1986 Rebel Rascal (sailing dinghy), 2015 Mini Cooper, 2020 Winnebago 31H (E450), 2021 Toyota 4Runner, 2022 Lincoln Aviator

giant_mtb

Plumber should be able to stop by within a couple days...they've been really busy with the cold weather action.

Will be getting the leak at the inlet fixed so I can start using the bathroom (thank god), getting an estimate for a water heater, and getting the furnace cleaned/tuned. 

Plan is to just have them install the water heater and do all the PEX stuff myself.

giant_mtb

Getting Internet on Monday. Yay.

giant_mtb

#63
My buddy's dad is an electrician with the city.  He swung by today to check it out. He said it's all good.  Upgrade the lighting, get rid of all the junk wiring to nowhere, and run it.

He confirmed that the 240V outlet is not metered...he said "wow, you could hook up a really nice heater to this and heat this place for free...if you were making millions I might tell somebody."  :lol:

FoMoJo

Quote from: giant_mtb on January 04, 2018, 02:36:57 PM
My buddy's dad is an electrician with the city.  He swung by today to check it out. He said it's all good.  Upgrade the lighting, get rid of all the junk wiring to nowhere, and run it.

He confirmed that the 240V outlet is not metered...he said "wow, you could hook up a really nice heater to this and heat this place for free...if you were making millions I might tell somebody."  :lol:
It bypasses the meter?
"The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once." ~ Albert Einstein
"As the saying goes, when you mix science and politics, you get politics."

Laconian

Quote from: giant_mtb on January 04, 2018, 02:36:57 PM
My buddy's dad is an electrician with the city.  He swung by today to check it out. He said it's all good.  Upgrade the lighting, get rid of all the junk wiring to nowhere, and run it.

He confirmed that the 240V outlet is not metered...he said "wow, you could hook up a really nice heater to this and heat this place for free...if you were making millions I might tell somebody."  :lol:

Hahahahaha
Kia EV6 GT-Line / MX-5 RF 6MT

giant_mtb


Soup DeVille

Quote from: giant_mtb on January 04, 2018, 07:31:49 PM
It's before the meter, yeah.

Electronic meter or old school?
Maybe we need to start off small. I mean, they don't let you fuck the glumpers at Glumpees without a level 4 FuckPass, do they?

1975 Honda CB750, 1986 Rebel Rascal (sailing dinghy), 2015 Mini Cooper, 2020 Winnebago 31H (E450), 2021 Toyota 4Runner, 2022 Lincoln Aviator

giant_mtb

Quote from: Soup DeVille on January 04, 2018, 07:36:26 PM
Electronic meter or old school?

Electronic meter, but it's inside.  So it's...old school enough. :lol:

12,000 RPM

I meant to ask- do you do any work for dealers/insurance claims? If not, would you consider it? I imagine that would help steady the workload if that's an issue. It sounds like you have a good client base but I figured I'd put that out there. My only fear is that they'd be a complete PITA to work with.
Protecctor of the Atmospheric Engine #TheyLiedToUs

giant_mtb

#70
I've done work for a local dealership before. They were actually easy to deal with. They paid full price and didn't rush me.

But no, it's not high on my list of priorities.  If they call and it fits in my schedule, they're simply another customer.  I don't work for them, I work for me.

giant_mtb

Quote from: 93JC on January 04, 2018, 12:53:39 AM
Keep in mind you'll have to stay clear of the overhead doors...

Of course.  The doors are 11' tall, the shop is ~36' feet long, so the open doors don't quite reach the middle, so should be able to get pretty close to central mounting. 

giant_mtb

#72
Got a 4-camera security system from my old boss at the bar.  He was going through some stuff and found it...never used, never opened.  Four wireless cameras (just have to run power), remote viewable with an app, and a 1TB hub for recording.  Dunno what he paid for it, but probably more than the $125 I gave him.  A similar system of the same brand is $190 on Amazon.

Nice that they transmit wirelessly...I can hide the brain box just about anywhere.

giant_mtb


giant_mtb

- Ripped down a bunch of coax that was run for security cameras.  Learned a lot in the process about how the place is wired up and what I need/want to do...it's mostly just moving outlets and switches to where I want them and removing anything unnecessary. 

- Got a basic "home wiring" book at Menards for $3 that has lots of rules/suggestions and diagrams about how to wire switches, outlets, junction boxes, etc. properly. 

- Would like to rent some scaffolding when I do the lights...the old ones are pretty large (8' with big ol' ballasts), not something I want to do on a ladder.

Rupert

Are you going to paint the walls and floor? Seems like it couldn't hurt for the detail shop to be shiny on the inside.
Novarolla-Miata-Trooper-Jeep-Volvo-Trooper-Ranger-MGB-Explorer-944-Fiat-Alfa-XTerra

13 cars, 60 cylinders, 52 manual forward gears and 9 automatic, 2 FWD, 42 doors, 1988 average year of manufacture, 3 convertibles, 22 average mpg, and no wheel covers.
PRO TENACIA NULLA VIA EST INVIA

Rupert

Quote from: giant_mtb on January 02, 2018, 08:34:15 PM
Built a work bench with my dad this evening. Fifteen 2x4s and a sheet of plywood.  Didn't build the upper part for peg board yet.  It's sturdy as frig. Would like to poly coat the top surface.



Used these plans. Just modified the length a bit so I can have shelving units on either side of it.

https://www.familyhandyman.com/workshop/workbench/how-to-build-a-workbench-super-simple-50-bench/view-all/

Put a piece of MDF on top. Don't glue it on, then when it gets beat up over time, it's easy to replace the surface. I think it's better to start with a sacrificial surface than add one later once the original surface is uneven.
Novarolla-Miata-Trooper-Jeep-Volvo-Trooper-Ranger-MGB-Explorer-944-Fiat-Alfa-XTerra

13 cars, 60 cylinders, 52 manual forward gears and 9 automatic, 2 FWD, 42 doors, 1988 average year of manufacture, 3 convertibles, 22 average mpg, and no wheel covers.
PRO TENACIA NULLA VIA EST INVIA

giant_mtb

#77
Quote from: Rupert on January 08, 2018, 02:36:48 PM
Put a piece of MDF on top. Don't glue it on, then when it gets beat up over time, it's easy to replace the surface. I think it's better to start with a sacrificial surface than add one later once the original surface is uneven.

lol no...MDF is hella porous... It's a perfectly fine piece of 1/2" veneered plywood.  It's a detail shop, not a grease pit.  I'll replace it if I need to.  It's level enough for my purposes. That picture makes it look worse than it is.  Nothing moves.

Edit: if anything I'm going to poly coat the surface.

giant_mtb

Quote from: Rupert on January 08, 2018, 02:32:32 PM
Are you going to paint the walls and floor? Seems like it couldn't hurt for the detail shop to be shiny on the inside.

Starting insulating tonight.  Then white corrugated metal for the first 6-8' for splash-proof-ability and then whatever I decide above that later on. 

giant_mtb

Floor has other needs before I bother with what color it is.  Remnants of old hoists/lifts will need to be taken care of first, and that's it's own big project, though it doesn't impact the ability to have vehicles in the shop.

Rupert

#80
Quote from: giant_mtb on January 08, 2018, 03:41:26 PM
Starting insulating tonight.  Then white corrugated metal for the first 6-8' for splash-proof-ability and then whatever I decide above that later on. 

Do you need a vapor barrier because it's brick? Or not because it's a vertical wall as opposed to a floor? I don't know how that's supposed to work.
Novarolla-Miata-Trooper-Jeep-Volvo-Trooper-Ranger-MGB-Explorer-944-Fiat-Alfa-XTerra

13 cars, 60 cylinders, 52 manual forward gears and 9 automatic, 2 FWD, 42 doors, 1988 average year of manufacture, 3 convertibles, 22 average mpg, and no wheel covers.
PRO TENACIA NULLA VIA EST INVIA

Rupert

Quote from: giant_mtb on January 08, 2018, 03:39:56 PM
lol no...MDF is hella porous... It's a perfectly fine piece of 1/2" veneered plywood.  It's a detail shop, not a grease pit.  I'll replace it if I need to.  It's level enough for my purposes. That picture makes it look worse than it is.  Nothing moves.

Edit: if anything I'm going to poly coat the surface.

The bench looks great, it's just easier to replace the top if it's on top of another top.

I've built a few of these. Generally the top is secured pretty well (IMO it should be glued and screwed) because it's part of the structure (even if there is lots of 2x4 structure under it). You can skip the glue and use smaller shorter screws that don't need to be an any specific locations (i.e. the screws don't have to line up with the 2x4s underneath) with a top on the top. Doesn't have to be MDF, I like that because it's massive, it responds well to beatings, and I don't care what it looks like (so it being porous isn't a problem unless you're spilling a lot of nasty shit all over it); also all softwood is hella porous. Quarter inch ply would work just fine.

IMO, coating the surface will make the bench top resist fluids and look good, but it might be a bit too smooth. Roughness helps to keep things in place.
Novarolla-Miata-Trooper-Jeep-Volvo-Trooper-Ranger-MGB-Explorer-944-Fiat-Alfa-XTerra

13 cars, 60 cylinders, 52 manual forward gears and 9 automatic, 2 FWD, 42 doors, 1988 average year of manufacture, 3 convertibles, 22 average mpg, and no wheel covers.
PRO TENACIA NULLA VIA EST INVIA

giant_mtb

Quote from: Rupert on January 08, 2018, 08:00:55 PM
Do you need a vapor barrier because it's brick? Or not because it's a vertical wall as opposed to a floor? I don't know how that's supposed to work.

Don't need a vapor barrier with the insulation I'm using.  Foil-faced polyiso foam board.  If it were fiberglass...probably, yeah.  But to use fiberglass/other soft stuff, I'd have to frame the walls, so nailing foam to the walls is a much simpler solution.  Not getting as good of insulation (R6 to R10 depending on the spot) with the foam, but it's a shop kept at 50F, so anything is way better than nothing.  Those brick walls are collllllld.

Don't know why I didn't think to rent a big nail gun...hand-pounding masonry nails is slow work.  Might pick up one of those .22 powder-charged concrete nailers if they have one cheap enough for a one-time use.  Not sure if my local Menards rents pneumatic concrete nailers.

giant_mtb

#83
Quote from: Rupert on January 08, 2018, 08:12:44 PM
The bench looks great, it's just easier to replace the top if it's on top of another top.

I've built a few of these. Generally the top is secured pretty well (IMO it should be glued and screwed) because it's part of the structure (even if there is lots of 2x4 structure under it). You can skip the glue and use smaller shorter screws that don't need to be an any specific locations (i.e. the screws don't have to line up with the 2x4s underneath) with a top on the top. Doesn't have to be MDF, I like that because it's massive, it responds well to beatings, and I don't care what it looks like (so it being porous isn't a problem unless you're spilling a lot of nasty shit all over it); also all softwood is hella porous. Quarter inch ply would work just fine.

IMO, coating the surface will make the bench top resist fluids and look good, but it might be a bit too smooth. Roughness helps to keep things in place.

Meh, we'll see.  IME, one or two brushed-on coats of poly doesn't make for a very slippery surface, especially for something that isn't all that smooth to begin with like plywood veneer.

Honestly I'm probably just going to leave it as is.  If it gets messed up, it gets messed up...character!

Here it is after I finished it the other night, already cluttered :lol: :



Mounted a nice long power strip at the bottom of the backboard.


giant_mtb

#84
Got about this much done on each sidewall.  Was getting late so I didn't want to be hammering anymore.  Ended up just doing one nail per board to hold them 'til I get a power tool to nail into the masonry.



The puzzle-piece aspect of cutting around stuff is fun, if a bit of a mess.  Avoiding certain areas for now where I know I'll be needing to do electrical things (like the very right edge of this photo).

Laconian

Quote from: Rupert on January 08, 2018, 08:12:44 PM
The bench looks great, it's just easier to replace the top if it's on top of another top.

I've built a few of these. Generally the top is secured pretty well (IMO it should be glued and screwed)

C-clamps!
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CaminoRacer

2020 BMW 330i, 1969 El Camino, 2017 Bolt EV

giant_mtb

A friend of my dad's just called to see if he could pay me to store his 24' Sprinter RV in the shop.  Definitely can't now what with all the remodel projects happening, and I think it would take up too much space anyways...wouldn't leave me a whole lot of room for detailing methinks. 

Cool thought, though. I could store a few toys (quads/dirtbikes) no problem.  But not a 24' van. :lol:

Rupert

Novarolla-Miata-Trooper-Jeep-Volvo-Trooper-Ranger-MGB-Explorer-944-Fiat-Alfa-XTerra

13 cars, 60 cylinders, 52 manual forward gears and 9 automatic, 2 FWD, 42 doors, 1988 average year of manufacture, 3 convertibles, 22 average mpg, and no wheel covers.
PRO TENACIA NULLA VIA EST INVIA

Payman

Quote from: giant_mtb on January 09, 2018, 10:31:19 AM
A friend of my dad's just called to see if he could pay me to store his 24' Sprinter RV in the shop.  Definitely can't now what with all the remodel projects happening, and I think it would take up too much space anyways...wouldn't leave me a whole lot of room for detailing methinks. 

Cool thought, though. I could store a few toys (quads/dirtbikes) no problem.  But not a 24' van. :lol:

And so it begins. No, fuck that. I have son's friend's motorcycle in my garage and I can't access my bench now. You're now the guy with awesome great winter storage space, with 11' doors. They want to take up half your revenue space, because you're a swell guy? A hard fuck no.