softailgarage
Well-known member
Red Leader's shop is one of my favorite garages here. I was following him back then and then ****, gone. Hope the dude is okay, I'd still like to see how the floor turned out.
Between 265 & 485 SQ/FT 1950s Craftsman Garage retro remodel
- Thread starter Red Leader
- Start date
Workspaces sized between 265 and 485 squarefeet.
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
Wow, it's been a minute.
I saw someone (from 2 years ago) found one of those '42 Craftsman bench vises. Not sure if they ever picked it up. Very cool.
I ended up selling most of the Craftsman machinery, getting rid of the art deco shelving, and moving on.
JUST kidding! To be honest, most of it hasn't changed, except it is a little dustier, a little dirtier, has a few more dirt bikes, bicycles, and HVAC equipment in it. Oh, and a piano. Most of the lights aren't working correctly, and could desperately stand an update.
The stuff with the photos I think that is what did me in on the updates. It would have taken so long to find all the missing photos, try and find the right order, try and find the page that they went on (based on the text), and find a new hosting service and try and do it all over again. There are some amazing garages on here and the level of organization was off the charts and I knew it was a losing battle to try to be in the same league. I still have images of Jack's garage flashing through my mind. What made it so inspirational was how simply and well done it all was. I have learned a LOT since starting this project. It's been 15 years.
Is there an internal photo hosting site embeded in this forum? It looks like there is. That should make things much simpler, moving forward.
Just for kicks, I'll look around and see if I can find any of the old photos.
EDIT: I'm happy to see that at least some of the original photos remain, but a lot are probably gone forever. Still, that is probably just water under the bridge at this point. Time for some new ones. And maybe posting in this thread will get me motivated to to a little cleanout.
I saw someone (from 2 years ago) found one of those '42 Craftsman bench vises. Not sure if they ever picked it up. Very cool.
I ended up selling most of the Craftsman machinery, getting rid of the art deco shelving, and moving on.
JUST kidding! To be honest, most of it hasn't changed, except it is a little dustier, a little dirtier, has a few more dirt bikes, bicycles, and HVAC equipment in it. Oh, and a piano. Most of the lights aren't working correctly, and could desperately stand an update.
The stuff with the photos I think that is what did me in on the updates. It would have taken so long to find all the missing photos, try and find the right order, try and find the page that they went on (based on the text), and find a new hosting service and try and do it all over again. There are some amazing garages on here and the level of organization was off the charts and I knew it was a losing battle to try to be in the same league. I still have images of Jack's garage flashing through my mind. What made it so inspirational was how simply and well done it all was. I have learned a LOT since starting this project. It's been 15 years.
Is there an internal photo hosting site embeded in this forum? It looks like there is. That should make things much simpler, moving forward.
Just for kicks, I'll look around and see if I can find any of the old photos.
EDIT: I'm happy to see that at least some of the original photos remain, but a lot are probably gone forever. Still, that is probably just water under the bridge at this point. Time for some new ones. And maybe posting in this thread will get me motivated to to a little cleanout.
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OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
A pic when the garage was MUCH cleaner!
RickP
Well-known member
Welcome back!
Your thread was one of the first ones I followed after joining GJ.
Your garage design ideas and execution of them are awesome!
kbuhagiar
Well-known member
Red Leader has been found! Call off the search party! 
Welcome back.
Welcome back.
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
Thanks guys! Hopefully I will be starting 'Operation Cleanup' and will be commencing soon
kbuhagiar
Well-known member
Makin' me feel old, dude! Can't believe I started watching this thread in 2011!
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jbmatth
Well-known member
Good to see you back, you had one of my favorite garages on here and even convinced me to buy a few old craftsman tools. Welcome back.
JB
JB
Smokeshow69
Well-known member
Heck yeah! I never doubted you Red leader
Model A Fan
Well-known member
I thought he suffered the same fate at Porkins while taking on the Death Star...Red Leader has been found! Call off the search party!
Welcome back.
I'm glad to see you back. You were the instigator of my favor of old iron! For better or worse
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
Makin' me feel old, dude! Can't believe I started watching this thread in 2011!
I can't believe I started this thread back in 2011!!! I started it before I had kids, now I have two and they are in the double digits!
Thank you for the kind words. The Craftsman love is alive and well, and just for the heck of it, I wandered over to the Vintage Machinery website to look in the photo index and was pleasantly surprised to several rare tools have a few more entries (there is even another '306' Belsaw floor standing planer from '56... http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=44435 ).
Thanks! It feels amazing to come back on here to this incredible community!
Well, I definitely doubted myself! About the only thing I've done with the garage is make it more messy. But, it has done work! Woodwork, knife work, motorcycle work, vehicle work. And it has some of the scars to prove it.
I thought he suffered the same fate at Porkins while taking on the Death Star...
I'm glad to see you back. You were the instigator of my favor of old iron! For better or worse
Definitely better for most of you. Perhaps not for your space, or your back lol.
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
Well, today I had an ultra rare day of no wifey or kiddos (they made a surprise visit to the MIL since she hurt her ankle the other day), which gave me a few hours of purely uninterrupted time. Instead of just plopping down on the couch, I set to work. I am fully engaged now in 'Operation Retake Garage'...and it has been a long time since I've had the chance to get in there and set to work.
I almost DARE not show pictures of what it looks like after 3 hours of work. It looks worse now!! But that is a good lesson for anyone that hasn't done this yet, because that is par for the course. I started way up high, and decided to get a bunch of stuff out of the rafters. I didn't even know half of the stuff up there, so a lot of today was just taking a mental inventory of what I've got, and what I can get rid of, and where the other stuff can go. I should get a picture of that section, because it actually looks good!
The other thing is that behind me in these photos was a ton of stuff almost blocking about half the entrance to the small door entrance of the garage, and that is cleared out right now. I figure, start w/ the biggest stuff first, and work your way down.
The biggest footprint item in the garage that needs to be moved out in the AC condenser unit in the back (front?) behind the motorcycles. It is large. I got it from my shop because it was returned due to a tiny leak and had leaked out all the refrigerant. They got fully reimbursed, and then typically these units then go to scrap. No way! Was an easy fix on a U-bend, and I hadn't checked it for months, and still had a great nitrogen pressure hold, so it was time to finally just git-r-done! I now have it under vacuum and will soon (probably tomorrow) be able to charge it up w/ some good ol' R410.
I also have several things that will need to be rehomed...a big welder I've never used, a Delta scroll saw w/ base from the late 30s that I've never used, and my old school vintage refrigerator. I sort of hate to get rid of it, but I don't really have the space for it right now, and it is one more project that I don't have time for.
I almost DARE not show pictures of what it looks like after 3 hours of work. It looks worse now!! But that is a good lesson for anyone that hasn't done this yet, because that is par for the course. I started way up high, and decided to get a bunch of stuff out of the rafters. I didn't even know half of the stuff up there, so a lot of today was just taking a mental inventory of what I've got, and what I can get rid of, and where the other stuff can go. I should get a picture of that section, because it actually looks good!
The other thing is that behind me in these photos was a ton of stuff almost blocking about half the entrance to the small door entrance of the garage, and that is cleared out right now. I figure, start w/ the biggest stuff first, and work your way down.
The biggest footprint item in the garage that needs to be moved out in the AC condenser unit in the back (front?) behind the motorcycles. It is large. I got it from my shop because it was returned due to a tiny leak and had leaked out all the refrigerant. They got fully reimbursed, and then typically these units then go to scrap. No way! Was an easy fix on a U-bend, and I hadn't checked it for months, and still had a great nitrogen pressure hold, so it was time to finally just git-r-done! I now have it under vacuum and will soon (probably tomorrow) be able to charge it up w/ some good ol' R410.
I also have several things that will need to be rehomed...a big welder I've never used, a Delta scroll saw w/ base from the late 30s that I've never used, and my old school vintage refrigerator. I sort of hate to get rid of it, but I don't really have the space for it right now, and it is one more project that I don't have time for.
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
Okay a few pics from today.
Here is the condensing unit...
Here is where we are at w/ the microns...not too bad! We'll see how it is after resting for a bit.
Here is the shelf work. It was a real disaster before...
And beyond the Craftsman-y stuff, here is the real reason for the garage...these two beauties!!
I'll have to make another post in detail about them, but needless to say they are my 'dream machines'. A few people have fancy cars, or older muscle cars, but this is IT for me. A '72 WR250 and a '71 400 CR (Cross). Fortunately, the money needing to be burned to get these back up and going will be orders of magnitude less than a collector car.
Here is the condensing unit...
Here is where we are at w/ the microns...not too bad! We'll see how it is after resting for a bit.
Here is the shelf work. It was a real disaster before...
And beyond the Craftsman-y stuff, here is the real reason for the garage...these two beauties!!
I'll have to make another post in detail about them, but needless to say they are my 'dream machines'. A few people have fancy cars, or older muscle cars, but this is IT for me. A '72 WR250 and a '71 400 CR (Cross). Fortunately, the money needing to be burned to get these back up and going will be orders of magnitude less than a collector car.
Brian R
Well-known member
Welcome back and I agree that motorcycles are cheaper to restore (and take up less space).
Good luck with Operation Retake Garage.
Good luck with Operation Retake Garage.
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
Thanks! My hope with the AC was to get it charged back up so I could finally put it together then have it live outside. Will make a massive difference to the footprint of the space, since we are only dealing with about 400sq ft. I sort of forgot about it last night after I turned the vacuum pump off and so I quickly checked it before heading out to work this morning and it was under 140 microns after sitting all night, which is remarkable.
After that, the next biggest things are the jig saw (works), the fridge (doesn’t work), and the welder (who knows).
I’m okay with all 3 leaving. At this point I will probably just give them away. My motto right now is ‘If I haven’t touched it in 1 year, I should be OK with it leaving the shop’. It’s amazing what perspective you come away with if you apply that logic. Some little grubby, greasy 2x4s would stay (that I used for spacers for vehicle work) and some pretty big things would leave.
The work will continue.
The other goal I have getting back on this site is to catch up with other people’s spaces. I am way behind the times and one of my past favorite things to do was to interact with other people’s garage projects.
Smokeshow69
Well-known member
I’ve seen some folks repurpose old refrigerators into shelves but my vote is to get it to someone who will restore it but regrettably the easiest thing would be to scrap it
Old Man Roger
Well-known member
What a coincidence, I just posted a link to this thread the other day. So many great ideas that I’m always referencing it.
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
Thanks! It feels awesome to be back!
Yeah, I do keep thinking of ways to make it work, but right now the real estate is key. If I found a ‘grail’ fridge like a ‘35 Coldspot or Shelvador, it might be a different story!
Very kind of you to say so, thank you! I’ve got so much more planned, but I first need to consolidate.
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Cruzan80
Well-known member
Glad to see you again.
Model A Fan
Well-known member
I see your "SPACE SAVING" shelving is from "NASA"! It is amazing how taking a disorganized garage and organizing it starts off with making a mess even worse than it already is 
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
I see your "SPACE SAVING" shelving is from "NASA"! It is amazing how taking a disorganized garage and organizing it starts off with making a mess even worse than it already is
NASA uses the best lumber! Or...do they get it from the lowest bidder???
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
Thanks! It's good to be 'back'...even though being back looks a little pathetic right now. It will change!
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
Tonight I got the unit charged up. While nothing has really changed as far as the mess out there, it will allow me to finally put the unit back together and move it outside, which will start freeing up a lot of room.
I'm also due for a visit to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore and the local bike co-op for some donation dropoffs...
I'm also due for a visit to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore and the local bike co-op for some donation dropoffs...
Bob Heine
ALLIANCE MEMBER
@Smokeshow69, a non-functioning refrigerator is a free paint storage cabinet. A small light bulb, even an LED, produces enough heat to keep the inside of the refrigerator from going below freezing. Disable the switch that turns the light off for the cold winter months and unplug the refrigerator for the hot summer months (or re-connect the switch).
Just Puttering
Well-known member
@Red Leader, Great to see you back!!!
Several years ago, I read through your thread and liked your garage so much, that I decided to drop everything, fully clean out my garage, and paint it two tone.
Top is similar beige to yours, and bottom 1/3 done in something similar to Jack Olsen green.
Thanks for the inspiration those many years ago.
Several years ago, I read through your thread and liked your garage so much, that I decided to drop everything, fully clean out my garage, and paint it two tone.
Top is similar beige to yours, and bottom 1/3 done in something similar to Jack Olsen green.
Thanks for the inspiration those many years ago.
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
Dang guys, thanks for the kind words, I really appreciate it. I stayed out there last night till a little after 11, just trying to sort, do some generic cleaning, and throw some stuff away. It still looks horrible, but this little moments will add up and make it easier to make the big changes. I think my mindset is...every time I go out there, just clean up at least 1 little thing, and try to get out there every day, even if it is only for 5 min.
It still looks awful, but I feel obligated to show process pictures, even just for accountability...
The workbench is showing some promise...
You may notice that the neat workbench stands are gone. In their place are some furnace carcasses that will serve their role somewhere (probably for someone else in emergency need of a swap out, so for now they stay).
Did some organizing to the 'chemical cabinet' -
I'm nowhere near done with it, but it was overflowing and with quite some old stuff, so getting rid of stuff was a good start. I'd estimate that about 1/2 the things in cabinets and on the shelves is too old to be of good use. If I had some sort of a backyard shed, a good percentage of the stuff on the shelves, the mower, etc., could be stored out there .
And even after all this time, under the layers of dust and dirt from time and aging, underneath the hood you can still find traces of it being a 'Vintage Craftsman' garage...
LOTS more updates to come. I'll be excited to mostly get rid of stuff. Up on the chopping block are a LOT of bicycles, a piano, an AC condenser, a scroll saw, and more. Stay tuned!
It still looks awful, but I feel obligated to show process pictures, even just for accountability...
The workbench is showing some promise...
You may notice that the neat workbench stands are gone. In their place are some furnace carcasses that will serve their role somewhere (probably for someone else in emergency need of a swap out, so for now they stay).
Did some organizing to the 'chemical cabinet' -
I'm nowhere near done with it, but it was overflowing and with quite some old stuff, so getting rid of stuff was a good start. I'd estimate that about 1/2 the things in cabinets and on the shelves is too old to be of good use. If I had some sort of a backyard shed, a good percentage of the stuff on the shelves, the mower, etc., could be stored out there .
And even after all this time, under the layers of dust and dirt from time and aging, underneath the hood you can still find traces of it being a 'Vintage Craftsman' garage...
LOTS more updates to come. I'll be excited to mostly get rid of stuff. Up on the chopping block are a LOT of bicycles, a piano, an AC condenser, a scroll saw, and more. Stay tuned!
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
Thanks! I've still wanted to do something on the shelving above the garage door when it is open. Maybe there is still an opportunity. That shelving will shine again once I'm able to really clean all the stuff on it and clean them down.
Bob...great to see you. That is a great idea for the fridge, and oddly enough, it wasn't at the top of my mind when thinking of what to get rid of, so maybe there is still a place. The vintage fridges are decently small, although I do think it would be so great to have a working one. I have my Universal 608, but the main issue would be sorting where to get Dichlorotetroflouroethane (R-114) for that fridge. And then not sure what condition the compressor/oil is actually in, although the 'Meter Miser' was quite a marvel of engineering.
BTW...for anyone that hasn't seen this video, it is a real treat. My fridge is from 1934/1935, and this promo video is from 1936, and goes through the very technical steps of building these refrigerators, including almost the step-by-step process of the machining and building of the Meter Miser.
It is an invaluable piece of history for saving these old but amazing appliances and really gives the viewer an appreciation of how advanced we used to be as a manufacturing powerhouse. It's easy to degrade the decades past in our minds as 'less advanced' at times. This video challenges that.
@Red Leader, Great to see you back!!!
Several years ago, I read through your thread and liked your garage so much, that I decided to drop everything, fully clean out my garage, and paint it two tone.
Top is similar beige to yours, and bottom 1/3 done in something similar to Jack Olsen green.
Thanks for the inspiration those many years ago.
That's awesome! Care to share a picture?
Ford52PU
Well-known member
great to see your back!! always read your posts. Welcome home!
Jeff Ivers
Well-known member
Do you collect bicycles or do you have about 9 kids?
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
Appreciate you, thank you!
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
Haha, well two kids. And the wife. That accounts for about 4 of them. At one point I had over 30 in various states in the garage. I far down from there. I do love riding and I love vintage bikes and with how cheap they are, it is easy to accumulate. Harder to deal with, work around, maintain, and get rid of.
But I’ve got about 6 or 7 that I’d like to hold onto, the rest can leave.
Just Puttering
Well-known member
Sure. It's very basic, but the two tone paint idea I got from your thread, and building a closet for the floor jack and other car maintenance stuff really brightened things up.
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
Really great looking space! Everything looks neat and in order...something I'm striving for. My goal is to get that AC put together and out of the garage this weekend and some things listed for sale/free.
Happy weekend, all!
Happy weekend, all!
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
In the middle of the fight today...right now, fog of war. But! Take a look at these pictures and tell me if you notice what is missing...
In between the cleaning, my kiddo and I decided to work on a trellis for one of my wife's vines. My daughter really wanted to try the table saw, so after some careful guiding, I let her make a couple cuts completely on her own, and she did great! My wife, who has been trying to get me to teach her to use the table saw, was jealous haha.
BTW, I completely understand that the whole 'I've got a messy garage, watch me clean it up' is suuuuuuuper boring, but my hope is that starting with a clean slate will allow some really cool projects to commence. So thanks for bearing w/ me through the junk!
In between the cleaning, my kiddo and I decided to work on a trellis for one of my wife's vines. My daughter really wanted to try the table saw, so after some careful guiding, I let her make a couple cuts completely on her own, and she did great! My wife, who has been trying to get me to teach her to use the table saw, was jealous haha.
BTW, I completely understand that the whole 'I've got a messy garage, watch me clean it up' is suuuuuuuper boring, but my hope is that starting with a clean slate will allow some really cool projects to commence. So thanks for bearing w/ me through the junk!
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Old Man Roger
Well-known member
A bunch of bicycles, a husky and a mini bike?
turbowoodworker
Well-known member
Great to see updates to this most excellent project. It was one of the first I looked at, right after The 12 Gauge Garage.
kbuhagiar
Well-known member
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
Keep 'em coming, Red!
AC condensor?
Ding ding ding! My daughter helped me get it together. She is a real go-getter, and a REALLY hard worker. It is all charged up, put back together, and going to start living outside. I'm not even sure yet what the plan is with it, we'll see. I could always replace my current one with it, but the main difference is that it is a heat pump and it also has a very slight efficiency boost, so it technically would be an upgrade, but our AC is working fine right now, so I might save it for a friend if the need it.
BTW, you don't want to see pictures of the garage right now. I decided to do some 'moving around' and it took me every bit of two and a half hours to make the garage look 2x as bad lol. But I am a 'vision' type of guy...I can see the end result, before it get here. Sometimes way, way before it gets here
I'm actually really excited about how I think it will be turning out. It will be more useful, and a bit more streamlined as well, with some things leaving that I never really used much.