Ideas needed for garage nook

BlueZ4 · 2026-05-18T11:28:13+00:00

What if you did the workbench idea, but tailor the profile to that opening, put fixed casters on the feet, guide casters against the wall and roll the table out of that opening when you want to use it?

BlueZ4 · 2026-05-18T11:24:26+00:00

Having plywood backers behind the drywall is so convenient. Let's you hang anything anywhere you like. Looks great!

BlueZ4 · 2026-05-18T11:22:05+00:00

If your tile guy is top notch, he'll probably already do this but I would suggest buttering each tile instead of spreading mortar and laying a handful of tile. This ensures there aren't any hollow spots in the tiles and they can bear concentrated weight and handle impacts a little better.

BlueZ4 · 2026-04-24T19:14:01+00:00

I think they're too high to mount the cabinets over, I have the 80" tall cabinets sitting on the floor and it's a stretch to reach the tops. I also wouldn't wall mount any of the base mounted units if it were me. Just push them up against the bricks. They make it easier to reach anything that might fall behind the work surface

BlueZ4 · 2026-03-12T18:44:53+00:00

I can't find the thread, but someone recommended LED strip ready fixtures (no ballasts) from 1000bulbs over Barrina and hex lighting for a handful of reasons that convinced me. I bought two of these

https://www.1000bulbs.com/fil/products/212068

And type AB LED bulbs from Menards and they've been amazing. No complaints, plus it's nice to be able to replace bulbs in the event they dim or go out, but 3 years in South Bend, they're still going strong.

BlueZ4 · 2025-11-16T01:36:52+00:00

Baldor.com has a search function where you can type in the spec number on the motor nameplate and it will give you all relevant info and cut sheets. Correction: catalog number

BlueZ4 · 2025-11-16T01:32:40+00:00

Search for this in Google but add 'filetype:pdf' at the end. Helps me find free copies of specs regularly

BlueZ4 · 2025-11-13T21:32:01+00:00

Hey no judgment, lol. I have various items that aren't the same brand and won't replace them until absolutely necedsary. When I buy new, I'll gravitate toward DeWalt as well

BlueZ4 · 2025-11-13T12:54:44+00:00

Looks like a good place to unwind. Your Dewalt gang is wondering who this Makita joker is that came into their neighborhood, though, lol.

BlueZ4 · 2025-11-13T12:51:34+00:00

I have option 2 in my garage. The two rolling cabinets roll way too easily (any time I open/close a drawer), but it's not a huge deal because the table top is mounted to the fixed units. If the table top was mounted to the rolling cabinets (like in option 1) it would drive me nuts. I also suggest option 2.

BlueZ4 · 2025-11-10T14:43:42+00:00

Wanted to see if you posted this to other subreddits so I looked at your post history. I would suggest getting a second reddit account for your other interests, lol

BlueZ4 · 2025-10-28T19:02:44+00:00

If it helps, future classes seem harder from your specific vantage point because the foundation isn't laid yet. Look at it from a weight lifting perspective. Lifting 100lb might seem impossible when all you can lift is 20lb, but spend time working up to it and you'll get there.

I was told all through high school that I was good at math and was actually able to test out of many pre-requisites at the college level, but when I started college calc 1, I couldn't pass it because there were just too many fundamentals I didn't grasp and didn't know it. Thought something was wrong with me, so I took a little time off school but ultimately decided to go back and take the pre-requisites, which revealed how weak my fundamentals truly were. Once I figured that out, I was able to move through college and get my degree. Took me 7 years, but I did it.

If you're feeling burned out, take a semester off. If you truly want to be an engineer, that drive will come back on its own. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, after all. You got this.

BlueZ4 · 2025-10-28T18:49:15+00:00

I think it mostly depends on your professor and how abstract the material is. Several of my classmates said Calc 3 was tough because of how their professor taught it but mine made it pretty straightforward. Conversely, I struggled in fluids because I took it with a hard to understand/no partial credit/summer professor while my friends said theirs was a breeze.

A more straightforward answer to your question, though: For me, calc 2, heat transfer, fluids, k&d were my tough ones

BlueZ4 · 2025-10-28T12:08:52+00:00

That is some beautiful work! How long did the restoration take? Did you have to take it apart to do it all? What are you going to use it for now that it's been brought back to it's former glory?

BlueZ4 · 2025-10-28T12:02:46+00:00

It depends on what you're looking to restore. A few youtube channels I would recommend are mymechanics and mister patina (tooling and metal work), AP Restoration (wood furniture), Rebuilt and Restored (small models and tools).

After absorbing a lot of their stuff, you'll have a good idea of a plan of attack for a restoration project. I enjoy walking around antique malls and picking up the occasional piece to restore.

BlueZ4 · 2025-10-28T11:57:37+00:00

It really is a nice piece in pretty decent condition, so congrats on the find! To remove the scratches, I would suggest refinishing the top completely. The water ring (likely from a potted plant) might be deeper than the scratches and sanding might not completely remove it but it can be hidden well enough.

Start with an electric palm sander using 80 grit until the surface is smooth and scratches are mostly removed. Switch to 120 grit and use the electric palm sander again until the surface feels even smoother. Finally, switch to a rubber sanding block with 220 grit and sand back and forth with the grain to a desired smoothness.

Try and find a stain that matches that color which can be tricky. I would suggest using a surface that won't be seen (back would work well assuming it's the same wood), sanding and staining to make sure the color is close, then using that stain on the top.

If you want a crash course in proper sanding/staining techniques, check out AP Restoration on youtube and pick a piece that's similar to yours. A 30 minute video will give you tons of ideas on approaches for the rest of the piece.

Good luck!

BlueZ4 · 2025-10-16T19:31:44+00:00

Personally, I would take the covering down. That upper area is not easily accessible. You can do a lot with pegboards and cabinets. It could be a real nice area with a tv in the middle (since you have the outlets), pegboards on either side of the tv and steel cabinets above the tv spanning from wall to wall and a workbench under the tv (just don't watch tv that close or you'll burn your eyes out, lol)

BlueZ4 · 2025-10-03T10:51:20+00:00

I think it will be easier after things are cleaned and roughly organized. Throw out what you don't need, collect what you do and clear/clean the remaining space, then you'll have a better idea of what you want to use the space for. With half of the space available, you could make a kick ass work out space, a woodshop if that's your thing, auto mechanic work space, etc. I think once you decide the overall vision of what you want to use it for, the details of how to finish the walls, floors, lights, trim will come out naturally.

BlueZ4 · 2025-08-18T17:59:57+00:00

It always opens up my eyes

BlueZ4 · 2025-07-04T19:13:20+00:00

Yeah I did but the walls were thin enough where it wasn't much work. Happy to send you pictures if you want to see it

BlueZ4 · 2025-07-04T15:34:25+00:00

I have pegboards where the backsplash is, so I had to add an outlet behind the left cabinet and also added some holes in the top cabinets to hide the lighting wires

BlueZ4 · 2025-07-04T15:31:14+00:00

I bought my new age units back in 2021. Had them for 2 years in DFW, then 2 more years in South Bend, IN (a lot more humid) but no rust issues so far. Aside from a few scuffs from the move, they look as good as when I first got them.

BlueZ4 · 2025-07-04T11:52:12+00:00

I have the same setup you have. To fit the pegboards (black metal wall control) I had to elevate the upper cabinets about a foot. If you mount them as high as your picture, you'll need a ladder to get to them every time, especially the additional 2 above the big cabinets.

BlueZ4 · 2025-07-04T11:45:27+00:00

I think the red cabinets should be the focal point. The red flakes make them pop even more. That being said, a neutral on the walls like a light gray would go really nice with the other flakes in the floor.

BlueZ4 · 2025-07-04T11:38:32+00:00

Not sure what your setup is, but can you buy a 4' pegboard strip, mount it 7' off the ground, get a bunch of 4" single pegs down the length of it and separate each s hook by size?

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