New drydock construction begins

[Boatfox]

Yes...it is finally time for the new Boatfox Dry docks to get started. A suitable location has been found and supplies and materials are being stock piled. Here are a couple of before, during etc pics. Next up will be the work bench and some of the larger tools. This may almost be as much fun as building boats.

[der kapitan]

Boatfox, that floor looks great! What brand is the epoxy floor paint, and what surface prepping did you have to do? :)

My own shop floor currently looks like sh--, and could use a redo---. :eek:

[Kmot]

Love that epoxy floor!! :D

[ropanach]

Boatfox:

Way to go, :) You will not by sorry for building a dry dock.

I love mine, I don't need to pick up each time I am done for the day, and can jump in to work when ever the mood hits,

That floor is nice, how big is the room.

[keith S]

Looks like a good start. Have to agree with boatfox that it is just as much fun setting up the new drydock/boatyard as it is to build boats.

[smart_racer]

The floor does look good, have fun setting your shop-up

[Boatfox]

As you all know there are about 4 Epoxy coatings available from the Home supply shops and I am sure at least that many applied by contractor services. The product I chose was by QUIKCRETE because
1 it was available.
2 the store will tint it to 64 colors of choice
3 the store had components sold seperatly and in package form
4 not priced right, but ok for what I want.

I am going to paint the whole garage eventually. 26'X20'. At this point the high priority is to set up the work bench so I can continue on the house projects. Due to holidays and scheduling it looks like I really won't be able to move in until mid Feb. I didn't want to just "slap it together" for the shop so I am taking a little extra time and doing my best to be patient.

Floor prep...Sweep, scrape up old paint/dry wall spots (I used a spade shovel), apply Quikcrete's Bondlok(which appears to be a form of muriatic acid), allow to dry, and paint.
Downside of the process is that scraping and cleaning is a day, the wait for it to be dry is another, paint is a day, wait for it to dry 72 hrs (12-24 to walk lightly) and now top coat application with more dry time.
This isn't a paint and move in process so you can see why I'm doing it all on the front side. The chemical cleaner worked great and freshed up the concrete very well. The paint applies thick enough to bridge small gaps and voids and according to the company literature will spall the concrete before letting go of the floor. :eek:

enough for now as I have waited the 72 hours and think that there is enough heat to apply the top coat. (above 50 degrees) More pics as the process continues.

[green-boat]

I think Lowes or Depot has that Epoxy floor coating. While it is still wet, you sprinkle the colored flakes around to give it that look.

[Boatfox]

Found a picture of my old setup. I am going to reuse the bottom cabinets in the new setup. It will be nice not to have to move a car out of the way to make dust.

[green-boat]

And the Boss Lady is OK with not being able to keep her car in the garage.


Hmmmmmmm :rolleyes:

[Boatfox]

Ah...but now there is room for the man's truck, the ladies car and a drydock. My daily runner has to live outside, but I'm sure it is ok with that.
The only issue I see is I'll have to find a way to keep the dust off her car.

[green-boat]

The only issue I see is I'll have to find a way to keep the dust off her car.
A dust magnet? :rolleyes:

[green-boat]

Here is what I was looking for. http://www.air-quality-eng.com/m73.php

[der kapitan]

Boatfox, how about a fitted car cover for those occasions you make a lot of dust? :)

I have a simple bathroom exhaust fan in my shop, with a variable speed control to handle the fumes, but it doesn't do much about the dust. :o

I'd LOVE to see a reasonably-priced dust control system made available---. ;)

[patmat2350]

My inexpensive dust solution- works great! PVC pipe, but took a lathe to make adaptors from the dust bag attachment points to 1-1/4" vac.
Jigsaw doesn't make bothersome dust, no prob. But when I used the jitterbug on my hull, it about destroyed the place... I'll be dusting until Spring.

PM

[Kmot]

The newer jitterbugs have dust bags that look like they can also be hooked up to a shop vac.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00927984000P?vertical=TOOL&pid=00927984000

[bos10]

I've had a lot of fun setting up my shop and I'm very happy with my floor. I know some friends who have had bad experiences with expoxy floors. In particular, they are VERY slippery when wet and if you live in the North East they can be dangerous in the winter(the color chips can help, but it's still slick). I have a 2 car deep by 2 car wide garge that was built in 1928 and the floor was a total mess.

I decided to go with the diamond plate plastic tiles from Swiss Trax (www.swisstrax.com). It took one day to pressure wash the floor, fill in a couple of large holes/cracks and install the foam and tiles. A table saw cuts the tiles like butter.

Here are the advantages:
*Looks better than any expoy floor that I've seen.
*Cheaper than a professional epoxy floor
*Works really well even if the floor is a disaster
*No chemicals or smells
*Anti slip!
*It's great for your feet and back (it flexes)
*Keeps your feet off of the cold floor
*Dampens noise
*Can be easily repaired (although I haven't needed to do so)
*You can take it with you if you move.

The garage is heated and my kids and dog love to go down there and play - especailly in the winter. This is one purchase that my wife couldn’t argue with… it basically added another room to the house. In fact, my daughter has been known to take a nap on the floor.

While doing my research I found that many people put foam underlayment underneath the tiles to reduce noise. When I got my tiles, I laid some on the floor and walked on them. The sounded a little hollow and I could hear some grit on the floor being ground. So I bought some underlayment at Home Depot (the stuff you put under floating wood floors) and it work great. Note that the tiles aren’t solid. That’s why they are soft under foot and don’t become cold like the concrete. They are designed to bow slightly in the middle when there is pressure on them which tightens the seams. Even though they are not solid, they are rated to over 5,000 psi which allows you to not only drive on it but also use a floor jack.

After 5 years of construction on my house, it's one of the best decisons. My dog has scratched the hell out the new bamboo floors (harder than Oak) in the house, but the garage floor looks like new even after playing ball with the dog.

[Kmot]

bos10: Where did you source the metal pegboard?

[Boatfox]

I've had a lot of fun setting up my shop and I'm very happy with my floor. I know some friends who have had bad experiences with expoxy floors. In particular, they are VERY slippery when wet and if you live in the North East they can be dangerous in the winter(the color chips can help, but it's still slick).....
Yes but it only rains like 5 days a year here :D Those diamond plate tiles are very nice. I wonder if they hold 5000psi in 120+ heat. I guess this may be a climate flooring issue. The peg board is nice, but so is your bench.
Who else has some nice shop features to show off? :D

[green-boat]

Here in the Midwest in the spring when the floor is still cold and the humidity rises makes for a nice wet floor all by itself.

[RhumbLine]

Boatfox, Since you are going to building a workbench top anyway, why not make a sanding bench top in one section. It only takes a little more to enclose the section of workbech on the bottom, a lot of 1/2" holes in the top, and a good vacuum or blower motor and filter for the suction. Some ideas;

http://www.woodworkersworkshop.com/plansshare/air_filter_downdraft_sanding_table.htm

http://billpentz.com/woodworking/Downdraft.html

[pops52]

I'd recognize that shop anywhere.

Hi Scott

RhumbLine, If we could reverse the fan in the table we could also play air hockey on it and then it would be well worth the outlay. :)

[bos10]

Peg Boards:
I got the pegboards from Diamond Life (www.diamondlifegear.com ). I selected the brushed aluminum finish because I thought that the diamond plate would be too bright for me. The 4’x8’ will support up to one ton and it installs very quickly because edges are bent around so there is no need for spacers. Be careful of to not tighten the bolts too much because you’ll start to bend the aluminum. That’s exactly what I did on the first bolt. I really like the peg board but I still had an issue with the pegs popping out when removing tools. I’ve tried several products such a clips etc to solve this but I’m still not happy. I have seen a slotted metal peg boards which claim to solve this issue but I don’t have any experience with them.

Floor Moisture: If the moisture is coming up through the floor, you won’t be able to use Epoxy. This is one area in which the plastic floor will be vastly superior. In fact, they manufacture “grate” tiles to allow water to flow through in wet environments. Most of the epoxy products I looked at indicated that you should do a moisture test by taping a 12”x12” piece of clear of plastic to the floor in several areas. If you get condensation, then you will most likely have an issue.

Floor Heat: according to their specifications the temperature tolerance is -22F to +248F. The only issue that I ever had was that I didn’t leave the recommended gap between the tile and the garage walls. When I left the garage door open in the summer, the sun heated up the tiles which caused them to expand and buckle the tiles upward over a foot. After closing the garage door the tiles cooled and everything went back to normal. Solution: it’s a floating floor that is designed to expand and contract, so pay attention to the recommended gap along the walls. Note that one of the big issues with most epoxy floors occurs when you pull into the garage with hot tires and then turn the wheel. This often pulls the epoxy up.


Benches:
I bought one 3’x8’ bench, but once I got the sub I determined that didn’t have nearly enough room to spread out, so I bought two more 2.5’x 6’ benches, one of which is in the picture (I’m actually thinking a about getting one more). The first one was expensive, but I got the second two at a more reasonable price from Global Industrial. They have a massive selection of just about any type of bench (butcher block, laminate, stainless steel, steel etc.) in just about any dimension that you could want. I went for the 1-3/4” maple butcher block because it would be durable and nicer to work on than other materials. The only thing that I was disappointed in was the “penetrating oil finish” which seamed a little lame. I went to CVS bought a bottle of mineral oil. I poured half a bottle on each bench, spread it around with a foam brush, let it soak over night and wiped off the excess in the morning. They look great and are now more durable. If you’re going to order from, Global Industrial, spend the time to figure out what you’re actually ordering. There is such a huge selection that you might not notice that while once series or benches looks like the other, one uses U-shaped steel legs whereas one of the other series uses square steel. I went for the square because it looks better and I assume is more durable. I also bought their vertical uprights for one of the benches. This provides adjustable shelves as well as bin rails which are really nice to have.
http://www.globalindustrial.com/gcs/product/expandCategory.web?options.parentCategoryKey=168&index=50#showTopSellers


Shelving:
There are a lot of parts for the sub. CostCo has really nice rolling chromed wire shelves for about $80. I have seen much more expensive versions, but these things are a steal.

Rolling Tool Cabinet:
This is more for my automotive tools, cars, but this is where I keep my sockets and wrenches. I got relatively large (42” wide by 5’-3” tall) stainless steel cabinet with full extension ball bearing slides. While not cheap at $600, it’s much less expensive than an equal sized version at Sears or one of the home centers. I also spent a fair amount looking at used ones on Craig’s List, but no mater how hard I tried, I couldn’t beat it. The only thing that I’ve seen that’s nicer is Snap On, but I wasn’t going to drop three or four grand for it and the used ones are still 3x what I paid. It’s made in China and distributed by CostCo, but don’t let that put you off.

Bench Lights:
I looked around for a nice bench light and chose the one in the pictures above. They are made by Woodhead and I got them at local electrical distributor for about $80 a pop. Note that the polycarbonate lens already saved me once. I was moving the hull and wack. Without the lens I would have had glass everywhere.

http://www.woodhead.com/products/electrical/portablelighting/temporarylighting/

[Boatfox]

OK small update...
Floor got the gloss coat
Cabinets have been leveled and installed.

Not warm enough to glue on the cove base, but I put it in position for the shots. I now have about 16 foot of flat space, which is very quickly getting getting house projects stacked on it. :mad:
Anyhow I've got some of my tools out and will progressing here and there. Seems like my space is shrinking very fast. Wouldn't be bad if I could have the whole garage, but the girl insists that she needs to be able to park.....Whatcha gonna do? :D

[Kmot]

the girl insists that she needs to be able to park.....Whatcha gonna do?

Make it so difficult to get in and out of the car that eventually she will give up the idea of parking in the garage. :D

[smart_racer]

...yes your shop space can get eatin' up pretty quick...lookin' good

[der kapitan]

Make it so difficult to get in and out of the car that eventually she will give up the idea of parking in the garage. :D
Good strategy Tom, but Just hope she doesn't read this thread---. :eek:

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

Does anyone really want all that saw dust, and fiberglass sanding dust, and brass grinding and machine shavings on the car? :rolleyes:

[herrmill]

Make it so difficult to get in and out of the car that eventually she will give up the idea of parking in the garage. :D

That's why they make driveways. I convinced my wife of the very same thing when it comes to my new workshop which will be in the rear of our garage. :D

[Boatfox]

OK...not much new going on in the "docks", but the test tank is coming along nicely. The Supervisor said pay us more money and we will continue working on it. Sounds like a great deal huh?? Anyhow, the old stuff went away and brand new shiny pumps and pipes are in. Comes with a gas fired heater so the hot tub (um...tropical water simulator) can be used in the dead of winter. The test tank has a nice length to it and enough space in the turning basins to work about. Maybe the bigger boats will have to watch out, but hey...that's what the tugs are for. ;)

[empirebuilder]

Bos10, thanks for the details on your shop equipment. As I had a week off vacation this year, I devoted most of my time to my humble drydock/shop/etc and outfitted with a workbench build with some parts from Global Industrial. To maximize my space usage, I found on Global bench legs that can be bought separately, added a support bracket, and bought a benchtop at Lowes for around $25 bucks and now I have my full length workbench, well, after I cut the benchtop to length.

My ideas keep coming but my time has nearly run out so I'll put some photos up when I can snap a few. Thanks for all the great ideas in this thread, it has been very inspiring!

[empirebuilder]

Ok, here's a couple shots of the shop in progress. Haven't done anything with the walls yet, but I now have a nice 72" workbench which should fit all the longest boats I have. I plan (dream) of putting together a paint booth to go against the far wall under my Trojan F31 model. It won't be big enough to fit my larger 32" models but I can at least use it for airbrushing smaller models.

The large storage cabinet and craftsman workbench fit most of my tools, with pegboard to be attached to the walls.

The last photo shows the legs I bought from Global Industrial with the laminated pine table top, gives me 72" by 30" workspace for drydock assembly.

[cyclops2]

I put up a clear piece of 8' high plastic around my workbench area in the basement. Floor to ceiling. It overlaps at the walkthru. I have a resperator, electric strip heater, vacum cleaner on the saws. Works fine. Keeps the dust on the guy who made it. :)

Rich

[Boatfox]

Upper cabinets started. Going to be shelves in the space between for my chargers and the obligatory peg board below and to the left. To many house projects going to really concentrate on this setup right now.

[Aerominded]

Boats needed and SOON indeed! :) The house will be there a while, pace yourself! ;) ;)

<don't take my advice, simple house projects for me stretch into years>

Empire, I was wondering the other day about how your Trojan is coming along! Need to finish it up! looks like it will be a great boat! :)

[empirebuilder]

Aerominded,
Thanks for remembering my lowly Trojan model. I'm stuck at the stage of fiberglassing and painting - my painting ability has always been terrible but I have recently gotten an airbrush. Unlike the construction, the paint is something that intimidates me as if I screw it up once it will be tough to fix.
Also I've sidelined myself by working more on finishing the basement and the model railroad.

It's all what grabs my attention for awhile - soon I'll move back to my boats I'm sure, especially since I now have a more finished workshop and nicer area to work in.

[empirebuilder]

Boatfox, looks like a nice long area to work on BIG boats and with lots of storage cabinets...

[sypher75]

All looking very nice :) , that one thing I love about you guys state side everything is bigger over there lol . Id kill to have a garage like that :) what we call a garage over the pond here you can just fit 3 motorbikes side by side . Forget trying to put anything other than a Mini in one . But loking good mate :) .

[bigford]

i almost fit my ford superduty in my garage once :eek: