What did you do to / in your garage / shop today?

[AirborneTexasRanger]

Honestly, I just buy the cheapest stuff off Amazon. Mostly because their return methods are simple. I've used a lot of weird brands & never had any issues. The only bad spool (select arc) I had was from my old job. They were throwing it out because it was wound incorrectly. I used it anyway but damn that thing was frustrating at times.

Mostly if it's a critical part, I'll TIG or stick weld it.

 

[bucky]

Finished the fuel jug rack for my teardrop. Made with all material scrounged from around the shop.

 

[WVJeep304]

After letting them sit in a box for 4 years, I finally installed some drop down casters on my build table.

Now I'm actually able to move it around, and did so for the first time since I built it 5 years ago to clean out from under it, and to make way to move some other stuff around the shop.

The place is a total mess right now, and my bench top and table tops are mostly covered while I'm trying to organize, purge, and rearrange the back half. Slow process, but I'll get done eventually. I wish my 24x45 was a 40x100.

 

[SkylinesSuck]

Finally got around to doing this. The bucket lid has foam to seal it to the ceiling when raised. I've got some electrical cord on the way to extend the remote but it's functional for now.

 

[Apparition]

Finally got around to doing this. The bucket lid has foam to seal it to the ceiling when raised. I've got some electrical cord on the way to extend the remote but it's functional for now.

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Just to point out it looks like the only thing holding up your top is 12 wood screws, assuming equally loaded which they aren't. If you were to support the wood holding up the unistrut, or simply support the unistrut, from the joists then the joists will help support that load and reduce/eliminate the shear load on those wood screws.

 

[SkylinesSuck]

You mean put vertical 2x4s underneath the little cross pieces of wood that the unistrut is sitting on? I could do that pretty easy. I had planned to reinforce things a bit more anyways after another run to HD for supplies. I thought it would be overkill considering the weight of the top but maybe not? I rode the thing up and down and I'm 220lb. I appreciate the input. I'm definitely no structural engineer.

Anybody see any issues with the hoist being the only thing holding the top up for months on end, or should I consider throwing some ratchet straps under it after it's hoisted in to place?

 

[Apparition]

You mean put vertical 2x4s underneath the little cross pieces of wood that the unistrut is sitting on? I could do that pretty easy. I had planned to reinforce things a bit more anyways after another run to HD for supplies. I thought it would be overkill considering the weight of the top but maybe not? I rode the thing up and down and I'm 220lb. I appreciate the input. I'm definitely no structural engineer.

Anybody see any issues with the hoist being the only thing holding the top up for months on end, or should I consider throwing some ratchet straps under it after it's hoisted in to place?

You could run vertical 2x4's all the way up from the top of the joist to the unistrut and screw them into the back sides of the boards the unistrut is sitting on or you can support the boards. The screws will hold but IMO I wouldn't rely on them if there's an easy cheap way of not needing to.

My top has been hanging since 2020 although on a different system. I could see adding some eye screws and straps around it if you are concerned.

 

[SkylinesSuck]

Thanks man. Good advice and I can see in my mind's eye what you are describing with the extra 2x4s now. I will do exactly that when I go back up there. I wanted to tweak the mounting height anyways.

I also already have some screw eyes in the ceiling from when I was ratcheting the top up and down before. I'll use those. I was just curious with how the guts of the hoist worked and if they were designed to hold a load for 6 months or not.

 

[Apparition]

Thanks man. Good advice and I can see in my mind's eye what you are describing with the extra 2x4s now. I will do exactly that when I go back up there. I wanted to tweak the mounting height anyways.

I also already have some screw eyes in the ceiling from when I was ratcheting the top up and down before. I'll use those. I was just curious with how the guts of the hoist worked and if they were designed to hold a load for 6 months or not.

I have two of those hoists that I used to lift ATV's but I've not hung anything with them for an extended period. It should have an internal brake of sorts but I haven't looked into it.

 

[Danarch]

You mean put vertical 2x4s underneath the little cross pieces of wood that the unistrut is sitting on? I could do that pretty easy. I had planned to reinforce things a bit more anyways after another run to HD for supplies. I thought it would be overkill considering the weight of the top but maybe not? I rode the thing up and down and I'm 220lb. I appreciate the input. I'm definitely no structural engineer.

Anybody see any issues with the hoist being the only thing holding the top up for months on end, or should I consider throwing some ratchet straps under it after it's hoisted in to place?

Personally I’d screw a couple of eye hooks into the ceiling joist and use some straps or something to help hold the top up rather then relying on the hoist alone.

 

[FarFire70]

Personally I’d screw a couple of eye hooks into the ceiling joist and use some straps or something to help hold the top up rather then relying on the hoist alone.

That's my approach. Lift with the hoist and use chains and 2x4s under the top to secure it to 6-8" long eye hooks into the ceiling joists. Mini d-rings on the connections of the chains to the eyes at the ceiling and 2x4s.

Best pic I have on quick access, but here is a sample. Let me know if you want more/ You'll see the hoist bears no weight.

Here

 

[SkylinesSuck]

That's basically how I secured it before, so I already have some eye screws in place. Might need to move some around but that's easy. The whole point of installing the electric winch in the attic (besides push button easy) was just to lift the top up about 6" higher so I quit whacking my head on it. The old come-along setup involved a pulley hanging from the ceiling and it was just too low. Bonus points for cleaner looking too.

 

[SkylinesSuck]

Another thing that kinda sorta counts as garage work is something I'm very happy with. I had several things I'd been thinking of including needing better lighting in my shed since I'm working on a BBO out there, some sort of backup power (I was considering a small generator) for just in case kinda stuff, and I was also considering running power out to my shed so I could move all the chargers and power tools that go with them out there. Also wanted to add another security camera out there but needed power. I decided this setup checked too many boxes all in one at a fraction of the price.

I still need to tuck the solar generator away in the corner and clean up the wiring inside the shed, but it's functional now and I am super happy with it. I've got <$2k in to everything and it does everything I need and then some.

 

[NOTNSUV]

Hung.