Projects – Page 2 – The Garage Journal

If you’re into off-roading, you’ve probably heard whispers about the Apex Compact Reel System. For the uninitiated, it’s essentially a miniaturized air hose reel, meticulously crafted, that lets you have a convenient airline of either 20′ or 30′. A neat little tool to make life easier out in the dirt. Now, let’s talk about my Rivian. It’s got an onboard compressor—cool, right? But here’s the rub: I’ve barely touched it. Why? The damn hose. It’s stashed away in a bag that lives in one of the gear tunnel doors, and every time I want to use the compressor, I have …

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Jerry had stumbled across a post on my Rivian thread about homemade bungee cords and, in a fit of curiosity, demanded more details. Naturally, I obliged with a video demonstration of my process—because, hell, why not share the madness? Let’s be clear: I have no earthly idea if “my way” is the best way or even a right way, but none of my creations have exploded yet, and I’m fond of their aesthetic. So, if you’ve got the nerve and a penchant for just a little DIY chaos, here are the basic materials: 3/8ths inch shock cord. Go for the …

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I like mobile mechanic carts… Or, I like the idea of them. In practice, however, I’ve found that most suck for my use case. Either they have a lid that doubles as a bench top (why?!), or they have tiny casters that can’t roll over extension cables and air lines (drives me mad), or they are just too damn big – making it impossible to get them in spots where I really need them. An example of this was recently when I was changing out a shifter in an old race car. Lots of tiny hardware to keep sorted, but …

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Last week I discovered Bobby Fingers – an Irish savant with a sense of humor only challenged by his mastery of multiple skill sets. The algorithm has since decided I needed to discover another obscure modeling channel – Bonbon Scale Model. I can’t imagine I’m ever gonna model with clay or even build a 1/43 scale 750 Monza, but the skills sets and tools these guys use fascinate me. As someone that spends a lot of time in his own shop, there’s just something so fun about seeing other guys work in different mediums, using tools I know nothing about, …

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I’ve never gotten into model making. I suffer from Rheumatoid Arthritis and tiny shit makes my hands hurt… But, I’ve always appreciated the discipline and marveled at some of things people have been able to create in miniature. Recently, I was talking to a friend of mine on the other side of the pond and he asked if I had ever heard of Bobby Fingers. He gasped when he I heard I hadn’t and as soon as we were off the phone, a link came through via text. I’ve been down for the count ever since… Much of this content …

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