Above 1200 Sq/FT The Action Sports Garage

M.Brane said:

Quality suspension isn't cheap either, but it's worth every penny.

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True. Most shops dont service it, as the amount of toning required, is pretty ridiculous, and expensive

zmotorsports said:

Thanks for the additional pictures and information on the engine hoist. That looks amazing. Too bad I just forked over some funds for a new one last year.

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I had been casually looking for one in anticipation of moving the mill. Once I saw the costs of anything new that was capable, I kinda gave up, and then this one just so happened to pop up, for dirt cheap.

Trapps said:

"my unwritten rule of never saying no to Heliskiing if it’s on someone else’s tab"

Funny, I have the same rule. I've just never had the opportunity to employ it.

I truly appreciate you sprinkling in some of your career pics through the thread!

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haha! Thanks!


I ended up ordering a rack to fit both AMS units, and a Panda Den for the base to catching the extruded filament, and stored some tools. could have printed this stuff, but want to keep the printer busy with shop projects.

Grant Gunderson said:

True. Most shops dont service it, as the amount of toning required, is pretty ridiculous, and expensive


I had been casually looking for one in anticipation of moving the mill. Once I saw the costs of anything new that was capable, I kinda gave up, and then this one just so happened to pop up, for dirt cheap.

haha! Thanks!


I ended up ordering a rack to fit both AMS units, and a Panda Den for the base to catching the extruded filament, and stored some tools. could have printed this stuff, but want to keep the printer busy with shop projects.

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If you actually use the suspension investing in the proper tools will pay you back in time/money saved, and motivation to actually service it to keep it working properly. Also peace of mind knowing it was done without cutting corners.

What a day. Arrived at the shop this am and had another bum sleeping in the doorway. No big deal. Gave him the “hey buddy I don’t care where you go, but you can’t be here” saying I tell all of them. Most just up and leave. This guy was bat **** crazy. Started screaming at me so I called 911 and when he started moving toward me I hopped in the truck and locked the doors. He came up and started pounding on the windows and throwing **** at it.
I drive across the street to where the Auto body guys were out front of their shop watching it go down while I waited for the cops. He then comes over there and starts **** with them.

First cop shows up and basically tells me she’s not going to do anything unless he comes back. I politely asked her to do her job and told her (in front of the back up cop that just arrived) that I was going to insist they trespass him and that I shouldn’t have to deal with being assaulted in the am and their do nothing approach is why downtown is no longer safe for our kids.

All the while this guy is yelling profanities up and down the block. He the. Goes across the street and starts **** with the auto body shop guys. Finally a supervisor shows up and he arrests the guy after the auto body guys told him he assaulted me and them.


Shortly after the mornings drama my buddy Jessie came by and gave me a hand getting the head back on the Bridgeport and we moved a bunch of my old Craftsman bench’s to the north wall.

I then put the gear box and motor on the mill. Forgot to take pics.

I used a Startett button indicator to square up the vise. It’s dead on .001” over 6”. Works for me.

I then trammed the head in and torqued the 4 bolts to 25ftlb

With both axis trammed at .01mm and torqued to 25ftlb I then went back re torqued to 50ftlb and then checked to make sure nothing moved.

Now that the mill has sit for a few days and the heads on I decided to check how level it is again. It’s still dead on for the X-Axis.


With the head in its now nodding forward just a hair. I’ll let it sit for a few days then adjust the front feet and call that good enough. After all it’s just for making tooling fixtures for bikes and not rockets.

My Wax Future infrared ski waxer showed up today.

Looks like the infrared bulbs made it ok too.

I won’t be able to mount it to the wall / power it up until they get the bathroom done and I get the 220 circuits run. This also has a Euro plug. It pulls 230V 14amp.

So I can order a Euro Plug wall socket here or I can put a standard Nema-6-15P plug on it. Most likely I’ll go the Nema route as I get the local building inspector will flip out if I put a euro socket in. Haha!


I had to adjust the tolerances of my first round of bearing drift holders. Ended up going with .5mm so they don’t hang up in the gridfinity inserts. I also figured out how to change the infill type / density in local areas of the parts. Didn’t get it perfect but this batch should be way stronger. Lots to learn still but I’m liking the 3D printer.

Both of the AMS HT units I ordered arrived today too. So I’ll need to reconfigure everything after this next batch finishes.

Make sure you have a few cameras around and pointed outside ! Even a few ring cameras will do

you have a TON of bad *** gear & tools inside
a smash and grab would TOTALLY **** !!



one of the buildings I maintain / service

some BUM tossed a 8 lb sledge hammer thru a window and tried to grab a lap top off the desk 3 ft from the window

Dig Doug said:

Make sure you have a few cameras around and pointed outside ! Even a few ring cameras will do

you have a TON of bad *** gear & tools inside
a smash and grab would TOTALLY **** !!



one of the buildings I maintain / service

some BUM tossed a 8 lb sledge hammer thru a window and tried to grab a lap top off the desk 3 ft from the window

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Maybe get some of the security film added to the Windows? Won't stop a real thief, but should stop a bum smash and grab?

got the vises back from the powder coater today.

They did a great job. Except they definitely don’t match the paint chip I had picked out (paint chip was dead on and prisimatic also said the color was their best match to the Lumabase color too…they are way brighter than what the paint chip was. That being said the paint chip did caution it may be brighter that’s too bad but hopefully with the stainless tops it will be ok.

Given how rough these were to start with I think they did do a good job with painting.


I’m wondering in hindsight I should have asked them to do a black coat then color but that would have driven up the cost. It worked out to be $150 each plus an extra $100 for the special order color. Seems fair but sure wish it matched.

Granted I’m probably the only guy in the world that will care they are not the same shade of blue.

The 3D printer already has a few hundred hours on it. Been cranking out my gridfinity bearing drift holders.

Quality is not too bad. Sure wish I could get it to dry the filament while printing.

Kids got it taken over for the weekend so might need a second soon!

If you have an AMS look at the Sunlu dryer top for it. It replaces the AMS lid with a built in heater/dryer. I’m really happy with mine.

Damn truck wouldn't start after biking with the kid on Saturday. Found the main battery terminal connection was toast. Tried jumping it, nothing, determined it was the starter. figures as I'm 20K outside of the factory warranty.

Picked up a hydraulic crimper to crimp the 1AWG cable.

and flowed some solder in for good measure.

Installed some billet battery terminals, those sheet metal ones are ****!

Amazing said they had one for my truck, FOMCO even, for same day delivery for $60 so ordered one. Well thats not even close. Ended up picking a new one up at the stealership yesterday for $600. While I was at it I changed the Crank Case Vent filter... that thing was a real ***** the rear bolt was one of the most difficult to access of any vehicle I've worked on.... that or I'm getting to old to be working on cars.


Mckenzie got the logo up on the door over the weekend, he slipped with the phone and website so he's going to redo when he does the rest of the signage. Meet with the door guy, about finishing the concrete in front, I asked about a gate, and he said $1500 so I told him to just do it and if I get a citation from the city over the permit, ill happy deal with that in court after the last assault call.


Lynden Sheet Metal called and said the workbench tops were done. They did an amazing job. I went with 14 gauge, and to be honest, I could have easily gotten away with 16 or even 18, but this will last. ITs over two ¾" sheets of MDO.

The front is warped over the bottom and all sides are welded.

I told them to use the remainder of the sheet for the backsplash.

I clamped them in place

Since I couldn't clamp the back side, I placed a few hundred pounds of vices on it.

I then screwed them to the cabinets using #8X1.25" cabinet screws. They are solid! It's amazing how much more heft the stainless added. Its not magnetic either, so its legit stainless.


At some point I want to powder coat the Arbor press, but I need to get back up and running. My lifting signs for the mill / lathe are too big for this, so I bought a 2" one at Hardware Sales its rated for something like 16KLB In this configuration, so its safe. HAHA

Jamie came by and gave me a hand. Had her run the hydraulics.... I think she actually enjoyed doing that! Once it was high enough, I stood on the RH leg, pulled the pin and pivoted it over. I really should have used an outrigger but didnt have any 4" steel tube laying around.
Regardless it worked.

I took a moment and put the drill bits away now that the workbench top is installed. I need to run electrical asap.

I positioned the arbor press so the ram will clear the workbench. Wish I had the space to have it properly setup this way at my home shop!

Used a ⅝ transfer punch to center punch the stainless.

That 14 gauge is a ***** to drill, even with freshly sharpened bits. I had to step up through a size range to get to ⅝. Worst part is the bits would grab and my Festool PDC drill has so much torque it would smash my hands into the press. At this point I was really regretting the 14ga! I then used a step bit to debure the hole from the bottom inside of the cabinet.

Somewhere along the way I have acquired a bunch of ⅝ studs. These dont fit my mill hold downs, but they are perfect for this!

The top side gets an acorn nut and a ⅝-grade 8 washer so it looks nice.

The stud worked well as there wasn't Clarence to run a bolt up from the bottom with the drawer runners in the way, used a Grade 8 carriage washer and a lock nut to hold it. Fro the other bottle I used the same 4x4 aluminum plate I used as a washer on the home bench. Its not going anywhere!

I got a few more workbench tops to mount, but I need to make a decision on what vise to put where.


The Wilton 3C is too tall for the motor bench, so that dictates it going on a lower height standard duty bench. The Dawn offset is already slated for the suspension bench. That leaves either the Starrett or the REED 2C for the motor work bench... tough decision. They are both damn nice. Thoughts?

Your shop is shaping up very nicely! As usual with your spaces, it seems it'll be a great place to work!

I ripped a bunch of the scrap MDO to go under the Snapon transmission table. 4 pieces total


The sheet metal guys recommend this stuff or liquid nails.

Used two cartridges

Btw that COX caulking gun is the nicest one I’ve found.

Glued and screwed the second layer. Then left overnight clamped.


Got the Starrett vise mounted.

And then the Wilton but I f’d up. Got distracted by the door guys, and then wasn’t thinking. Was planning on putting it on the left of the bench ( my preferred side) and the mount the Reed on the right of the other bench. Those two benches are identical so I could swap the tops. But having it in the right might make more sense as the bike work area is probably to the left so nice to have bench space there.

Gotta think about what to do now.

If I mount a video on the left of this bench it may be a real pain with the bearing cabinet next to it.. or it could be really nice. Hard to say until I start using it.

Why did you put the MDO under the red bench, for damping effect?

Man another thread I need to go back and read the whole thing. Shop looks great!

As soon as I saw the battery terminal I knew what kind of truck it was. Mine is a 2015 and did the battery terminals 5 or so years ago. The OEM batteries seem to leak like crazy. I've done a few ford terminal ends. The CCV isn't so bad after you do a few of them. Long locking 1/4" extension and 1/4" wobble socket work for those back bolt, when you need to do it again. Think I'm on my 3rd one and it's leaking. Not sure what year yours is but the have a few different designs over the year but they all work on any truck. I'm going to order the 22+ one, it's supposed to be better and not plug up and leak like all the rest.

I'll go back to page one and start catching up tonight when I have some time!

SilverJimmy said:

Why did you put the MDO under the red bench, for damping effect?

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Exactly. Plus it gave me something that I could screw into to mount on the base cabinet.

signcrafter said:

Man another thread I need to go back and read the whole thing. Shop looks great!

As soon as I saw the battery terminal I knew what kind of truck it was. Mine is a 2015 and did the battery terminals 5 or so years ago. The OEM batteries seem to leak like crazy. I've done a few ford terminal ends. The CCV isn't so bad after you do a few of them. Long locking 1/4" extension and 1/4" wobble socket work for those back bolt, when you need to do it again. Think I'm on my 3rd one and it's leaking. Not sure what year yours is but the have a few different designs over the year but they all work on any truck. I'm going to order the 22+ one, it's supposed to be better and not plug up and leak like all the rest.

I'll go back to page one and start catching up tonight when I have some time!

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I installed the 22+ one. That’s exactly what I did, but only after I went down to the shop and got my Snapon tools and Nepro ratchet. My old usage craftsman stuff at home has served me well, but after using Snapon when it comes to tight access nothing else seems to work as well. The 22+ unit is way smaller too so better access. But that rear bolt is a ***** still.

Just ordered my first batch of retail items. Alpenglow designs is a brand new binding company based in Tahoe. They have designed, manufactured an assembled a fully made in the USA binding. I’ll be just a hand full of dealers. They been tested by a bunch of skiers that I know, so hopefully there lunch goes smoothly and I’m happy to help support a truly made in the usa binding company. Been a long time since we have had bindings made in the us!


The Dawn offset vise has been a ***** to mount. Had to use a drift to access the transfer punch on the left side.

Can’t get a transfer punch under the overhang tho.

So used a ½” counter sink.

Those 4 holes took all damn day to drill. Granted I also got the fiber internet and two Sonos speakers working. Drilling through 14ga stainless plus 2 layers of 14 gu steeel and the MDO required me to step through 8 drill sizes and my Festool drill still was overheating like crazy. I may have cooked the drill. We will see how it does today. No still have 8 holes to do to mount the shock dynos.

Made it to page 10, impressive work for sure. I just took apart the hubs on a Trek mt220 we bought for one of our older daughters probably around 2012ish. It's been sitting for probably close to 10 years now so cleaned it all up and got it going for our 10 year old. She was really excited. Was a learning curve for sure figuring out the cassette removal and which tools I needed. But nothing compared to the stuff you are doing but was fun learning something new. Probably need to go in the BB and clean and lube that also one of these days.

Funny story about bindings and boots you might get a good laugh out of. When I was in my early 20s(almost 25 years ago now), the girlfriend at the time was into skiing and I had never tried it. We went and I really liked it so knew I wanted to go more and was getting halfway decent at it. I hate renting things, rather buy and have something for my money. So I bought some atomic skis online. This was back in the early 2000's and internet info wasn't the best to do research and I didn't know much of anything about skis and boots. The winter olympics had happened recently and I saw they used lange boots, so they must be good. I ordered a pair of lange boots not knowing anything besides they were expensive. I'm also very DIY on everything so did a little research and set them up for my skis and headed to upper Michigan to a ski hill. First time going down an easy hill I had zero control. Took the boots off and walked down the hill in my socks. I'm sure I didn't have them set up right but think they were for some extreme skiing and were so stiff and had my legs at some crazy angle. Learned real quick that expensive and good enough for the olympic team must mean they are good isn't always true for everyone. I sold them and went to the local ski shop and bought a pair and had them set them up for me. I still look back and laugh at that story.

signcrafter said:

Made it to page 10, impressive work for sure. I just took apart the hubs on a Trek mt220 we bought for one of our older daughters probably around 2012ish. It's been sitting for probably close to 10 years now so cleaned it all up and got it going for our 10 year old. She was really excited. Was a learning curve for sure figuring out the cassette removal and which tools I needed. But nothing compared to the stuff you are doing but was fun learning something new. Probably need to go in the BB and clean and lube that also one of these days.

Funny story about bindings and boots you might get a good laugh out of. When I was in my early 20s(almost 25 years ago now), the girlfriend at the time was into skiing and I had never tried it. We went and I really liked it so knew I wanted to go more and was getting halfway decent at it. I hate renting things, rather buy and have something for my money. So I bought some atomic skis online. This was back in the early 2000's and internet info wasn't the best to do research and I didn't know much of anything about skis and boots. The winter olympics had happened recently and I saw they used lange boots, so they must be good. I ordered a pair of lange boots not knowing anything besides they were expensive. I'm also very DIY on everything so did a little research and set them up for my skis and headed to upper Michigan to a ski hill. First time going down an easy hill I had zero control. Took the boots off and walked down the hill in my socks. I'm sure I didn't have them set up right but think they were for some extreme skiing and were so stiff and had my legs at some crazy angle. Learned real quick that expensive and good enough for the olympic team must mean they are good isn't always true for everyone. I sold them and went to the local ski shop and bought a pair and had them set them up for me. I still look back and laugh at that story.

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Thats exactly why I have no internet nation of stocking ski boots, you have to carry a massive array of brands, models and sizes to accommodate everyone, and then get stuck with a ton of left over inventory in the odd sizes. I ski on a 150 flex touring boot that I heavily modified, it's stiffer than many WC boots..... and some of the ladies o the WC teams re actually using boots that have been modified to be softer to give the ma better range of motion.... its the most important piece of gear, but also requires a ton of specialized fitting to work ideally. I may bring in some boot fitting equipment, but haven't commuted to that yet.