My "Garage Majal" - Questions Re. a Lift
01-22-2010, 03:52 PM
#31
Mr. Excitement
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
+1 on rebar over mesh. When, not if the concrete gets cracks rebar keeps the slab in line but mesh can let the sections settle and leave lips. A two post lift is not hard at all to install for the reasonably handy guy. Mine came with tight step by step instructions and all the hardware including the anchors.
A shop slop sink has been known to reduce trips into the house for bathroom breaks if you deside not to loose shop space to a bathroom.
(so does night fall)
log in to www.dorikphus.net One of the guys there is building a garage and found out the 4 year old but new unpacked and never installed Rotary he has will not work out for him. I seem to remember that he said something about selling it. I don't recall where he lives and the site is blocked to this computer.
HVAC? You might want to look at a mini split system if you have not set up heat and cooling yet. A properly sized varable speed mini split heat pump would work well in Va beach in an insulated shop space. I have one and it rocks. Nice and cool in the sulmmer and it knocks off the chill in the winter. I leave it off when not in the shop and it is able to ajust the temps to workable in short order and warm after an hour. My shop is 24x30 and a 1.5 ton unit works well. Not as fast a heat up as a forced air gas heater but less energy cost per BTU overall, no gas line install cost/ permits and AC in the same line item.
You can cram in a lot of stuff in this size shop if you plan it some. I finished mine as well. It let me go back and add all the power and air lines after final inspection.
TV. gotta have one even if it just babbles in the backround with last weeks F1 or ALMS race when you get tired of music or talk radio.
A shop slop sink has been known to reduce trips into the house for bathroom breaks if you deside not to loose shop space to a bathroom.
(so does night fall) log in to www.dorikphus.net One of the guys there is building a garage and found out the 4 year old but new unpacked and never installed Rotary he has will not work out for him. I seem to remember that he said something about selling it. I don't recall where he lives and the site is blocked to this computer.
HVAC? You might want to look at a mini split system if you have not set up heat and cooling yet. A properly sized varable speed mini split heat pump would work well in Va beach in an insulated shop space. I have one and it rocks. Nice and cool in the sulmmer and it knocks off the chill in the winter. I leave it off when not in the shop and it is able to ajust the temps to workable in short order and warm after an hour. My shop is 24x30 and a 1.5 ton unit works well. Not as fast a heat up as a forced air gas heater but less energy cost per BTU overall, no gas line install cost/ permits and AC in the same line item.
You can cram in a lot of stuff in this size shop if you plan it some. I finished mine as well. It let me go back and add all the power and air lines after final inspection.
TV. gotta have one even if it just babbles in the backround with last weeks F1 or ALMS race when you get tired of music or talk radio.
Last edited by kurt M; 01-22-2010 at 04:08 PM.
01-22-2010, 05:09 PM
#33
I work as a structural designer (25 years) and here's my advice.....If it were me, I'd insist on rebar rather than wire mesh for a workshop floor. If the floor were only reinforced with mesh, I'd place rebar in a 6' square at 12" on center underneath where the lift posts will rest as a minimum. Also, after all the reinforcing is in but before the concrete is placed, you should (if you use rebar) layout where the lift anchor bolts will go (the specs should have a template) and make sure there is nothing in the way, especially if the slab is post tension. Drilling thru rebar is to be avoided as it breaks continuity....
Here's the obligatory post of part of my shop...
Sorry for showing the mess, it's alot worse now
As you can see I used colored concrete and sealed it with an industrial sealer to make it easier to clean up and to give it some character.
01-22-2010, 10:34 PM
#34
Super Duper Moderator
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Hey Jeff, planning a new garage is great fun.
As was suggested, look at www.garagejournal.com - lots of great ideas there.
My humble little garage is posted on that site here.
Marc
As was suggested, look at www.garagejournal.com - lots of great ideas there.
My humble little garage is posted on that site here.
Marc
06-14-2010, 04:56 PM
#35
Rennlist Member
Mohawk A7 is a really neat 2-post lift and I bet they'll paint it blue if you ask nicely. ;-)
http://www.mohawklifts.com/consumer/a7-2-post-lifts.php
Jeff, congratulations on realizing your dream!
http://www.mohawklifts.com/consumer/a7-2-post-lifts.php
Jeff, congratulations on realizing your dream!
06-14-2010, 05:06 PM
#36
Race Car
Thread Starter
Mohawk lifts are sweet but a bit out of my price range...actually, just started seriously looking into some options last week and a mechanical equipment specialist in the region has been quite helpful.
If I had to decide today, I would probably go with a Forward lift, a "lower" division of Rotary (owned by) for just North of $3K - who knows what the latest idea will be when I'm ready to pull the trigger.
While on the subject of installing a lift and related concrete preparation, I did not have that many options available to me but I insisted on three things:
6" "depression" in the dig for the slab in an 8' x 14' rectangle, located roughly in the area where the posts will be installed, overlapped with heavy gauge wire mesh, approximately 12' x 16' - they charged me another $500 to do that and it seemed to be the limit of their expertise. I was limited to using the builder's subs for that in order to get the entire build approved and completed by June 30th - so I can get my "shop $$$$$$" - in other words, the government rebate for repeat home buyers.
My ceiling wound up being 11' 8" - which kind of irked me, but there are 8" rafters to support the 2nd level and the posts for the lift can easily be positioned to take advantage of the space afforded by the rafters...although this will make for an "interesting" drywall installation.
You guys and reading through the Garage Journal posts have been quite helpful and I appreciate that. I've been A.W.O.L. from Rennlist for long spurts as I'm either driving nails, bitching contractors out, digging trenches for conduit/gaslines, bitching contractors out, custom painting/trimwork, bitching contractors out, getting a head start on moving LARGE/heavy items into the detached garage and finally, bitching contractors out. It's been a rough go but we should have most of the final inspections completed this week and the appraiser is due out on Thursday...then it's off to Summit Point for NASA's Hyperfest 2010!!!
The last "BIG" evolution will be running the PE gas line to the detached garage in conjunction with the plumber, he's a cool guy and has worked with me on a few "custom" items like a tankless water heater, recirculation pump (to provide hot water at the taps/showers MUCH faster than usual) and of course, the deepsink I've always wanted in the garage/utility room.
Along with the garage, this house will be very special to us as it has SEVERAL "custom touches" that her and I have worked endless hours on, the tilework is just out of this world!!
OH yeah, as a bit of info. I'd like to inform whoever may give a hoot, I proposed to Michele, the love of my life in April, while at Summit Point...I had it planned out for several months, that silly woman said yes...I don't think she knows what she's in for
...but if I start any trouble I can always point to the beautiful house and say, "look honey!!!" 
If I had to decide today, I would probably go with a Forward lift, a "lower" division of Rotary (owned by) for just North of $3K - who knows what the latest idea will be when I'm ready to pull the trigger.
While on the subject of installing a lift and related concrete preparation, I did not have that many options available to me but I insisted on three things:
6" "depression" in the dig for the slab in an 8' x 14' rectangle, located roughly in the area where the posts will be installed, overlapped with heavy gauge wire mesh, approximately 12' x 16' - they charged me another $500 to do that and it seemed to be the limit of their expertise. I was limited to using the builder's subs for that in order to get the entire build approved and completed by June 30th - so I can get my "shop $$$$$$" - in other words, the government rebate for repeat home buyers.
My ceiling wound up being 11' 8" - which kind of irked me, but there are 8" rafters to support the 2nd level and the posts for the lift can easily be positioned to take advantage of the space afforded by the rafters...although this will make for an "interesting" drywall installation.
You guys and reading through the Garage Journal posts have been quite helpful and I appreciate that. I've been A.W.O.L. from Rennlist for long spurts as I'm either driving nails, bitching contractors out, digging trenches for conduit/gaslines, bitching contractors out, custom painting/trimwork, bitching contractors out, getting a head start on moving LARGE/heavy items into the detached garage and finally, bitching contractors out. It's been a rough go but we should have most of the final inspections completed this week and the appraiser is due out on Thursday...then it's off to Summit Point for NASA's Hyperfest 2010!!!
The last "BIG" evolution will be running the PE gas line to the detached garage in conjunction with the plumber, he's a cool guy and has worked with me on a few "custom" items like a tankless water heater, recirculation pump (to provide hot water at the taps/showers MUCH faster than usual) and of course, the deepsink I've always wanted in the garage/utility room.
Along with the garage, this house will be very special to us as it has SEVERAL "custom touches" that her and I have worked endless hours on, the tilework is just out of this world!!
OH yeah, as a bit of info. I'd like to inform whoever may give a hoot, I proposed to Michele, the love of my life in April, while at Summit Point...I had it planned out for several months, that silly woman said yes...I don't think she knows what she's in for
...but if I start any trouble I can always point to the beautiful house and say, "look honey!!!"
06-14-2010, 05:09 PM
#37
Race Car
Thread Starter
OH, and ONE MORE question for the meantime, being that I hurt the Track Rocket pretty bad in April and I have ZERO time to get it fixed/setup, I will not have a car at Hyperfest this weekend, so...
CAN I DROVE YOUR CAR????
CAN I DROVE YOUR CAR????
06-15-2010, 12:58 AM
#39
I have a 30x30 garage, and man would it be nicer to have another two or three feet in depth - that way i could put cars nose to tail. As it is, I'm about a foot or two short because of wall depth, etc.
That additional few feet would make my garage a bunch nicer. I'd love to just be able to roll another two cars in it. I have a lift, so I can stack cars, but I would love that additional few feet.
That additional few feet would make my garage a bunch nicer. I'd love to just be able to roll another two cars in it. I have a lift, so I can stack cars, but I would love that additional few feet.
06-15-2010, 04:06 PM
#40
Rennlist Member
In my home I have 12ft ceilings exactly and I wanted a two post lift. I bought a Rotary SPOA10 which is the smallest lift they now offer with a 10K lb capacity. The 220v outlet is installed in the ceiling on the control side of the lift. This helped to keep a mess of wires from running to the other side. If you get a lift get the 3stage adjustable arms if plan on using it for a low car. These will help to get the ride pickup spots on different wheelbase cars. They do reduce the lifting capacity some but not that much. The 12ft ceilings are barely enough for this lift. My ceilings are finished with sheetrock and if I try to lift a car all the way up I will hit the ceiling with an internal rod in the lift. To remedy this I am having a couple of small holes cut in the ceiling. Above the sheetrock ceiling are 24" floor trusses for the area above it.
06-15-2010, 06:26 PM
#42
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
I'm not the first to recess the BendPak lift into the concrete--it's so common now the manufacturer posts dimensions. I like having the floor uncluttered when no car is present, and it works perfectly for my 968 and two Audi's. I can get to the central tunnel, remove an engine or transmission from below, and the highest lift range takes the roof of the 968 to about an inch from my ceiling.
It required cutting out some of the floor, epoxying rebar into the remaining slab and pouring with the forms--but having a lift is incredible!
It required cutting out some of the floor, epoxying rebar into the remaining slab and pouring with the forms--but having a lift is incredible!
06-17-2010, 12:28 PM
#43
Rennlist Member
neat, I figured that was possible. Guys on the garagejournal list have been raving about a Chinese equivalent for ~$2K although you have to manage importation yourself (yike) However it will lift to full +6' height
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=35433
Could you pour over that connecting section for a cleaner installation?
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=35433
Could you pour over that connecting section for a cleaner installation?
Last edited by BrandonH; 06-17-2010 at 02:09 PM.
06-17-2010, 03:40 PM
#44
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
I saw that lift, but it requires a deeper hole (and don't forget the 5-6" under the mounting leve).
I made a small metal stand--a piece of 1/4" plate with six legs--to go over that area, and with the vinyl tile over it you cannot tell it isn't complete. There is a connecting tube between the two sides of the lift which requires the crossover.
I made a small metal stand--a piece of 1/4" plate with six legs--to go over that area, and with the vinyl tile over it you cannot tell it isn't complete. There is a connecting tube between the two sides of the lift which requires the crossover.
