Inspiration for a Dream Bike Workspace - remodeling a basement

[v531xc]

Loosely inspired by this thread (http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=141705), I'm curious to see what creative solutions you all have to storing bikes, parts, and tools in your home workspace.

I recently bought my first house and its a typical example of a turn of the century Philadelphia row home: two stories, basement without street access, a remodel done in the 70s with an overwhelming amount of wood panel and carpet, etc.

My girlfriend and I are remodeling it together and in three months we've made some reasonable progress. I'm starting to save up for building the basement out as my dream work space. I'm going to have a dedicated bike workspace with storage for bikes, tools, and parts. I'd like to have my workbench extend to include space to solder, use some jewelry making tools, and occasionally sew. Eventually, I'd like to get a drill press and a small table saw. Perhaps some other tools as well.

I say dream loosely. I'd ideally have a garage or shed or at least street access. I'm not sure how long I'll live in this house, but at least a few years. There's always something that will be too expensive or time consuming for me to do, but perhaps a way to dilute it or adapt the concept into something I can do.

I should mention the basement is about 450 square feet. About 200 of that is taken up with the boiler, hot water heater, washer/dryer, and storage (which is mostly wheels and frames right now). So, I have 250 sq. ft. to work with. An extra 75 if I take out the oil tank (I will), but that might become a powder room.

I've worked in all different sized bike shops and framebuilding spaces in the past. There's a large amount of what I liked and disliked that I'm taking into this project, but I know you've all had both similar and different experiences so I'm curious to see what you've got!

So yeah, who else has remodeled a space to fit their hobby? What have you done? What would you do again, and what wouldn't you do again? And of course, show your work! I'm assuming this will become a massive photo thread.

- Varun

[Clancy]

In my experience the most important tool in a workshop is the workbench. One can be made cheap using old solid core doors, recycled lumber, etc. one of the best bench tops I've ever seen was made from recycled bowling alley - the wood used for the lanes.

Making your own bench allows you to make it at the best height for you.

Regardless, think carefully about the bench, location, and how you want to layout your tools on pegboard.

Start looking now on Craigslist for a cheap, but well made, bench grinder.

Good lighting over your bench.

[SoCalSteve]

Loosely inspired by this thread (http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=141705), I'm curious to see what creative solutions you all have to storing bikes, parts, and tools in your home workspace.

I recently bought my first house and its a typical example of a turn of the century Philadelphia row home: two stories, basement without street access, a remodel done in the 70s with an overwhelming amount of wood panel and carpet, etc.

My girlfriend and I are remodeling it together and in three months we've made some reasonable progress. I'm starting to save up for building the basement out as my dream work space. I'm going to have a dedicated bike workspace with storage for bikes, tools, and parts. I'd like to have my workbench extend to include space to solder, use some jewelry making tools, and occasionally sew. Eventually, I'd like to get a drill press and a small table saw. Perhaps some other tools as well.

I say dream loosely. I'd ideally have a garage or shed or at least street access. I'm not sure how long I'll live in this house, but at least a few years. There's always something that will be too expensive or time consuming for me to do, but perhaps a way to dilute it or adapt the concept into something I can do.

I should mention the basement is about 450 square feet. About 200 of that is taken up with the boiler, hot water heater, washer/dryer, and storage (which is mostly wheels and frames right now). So, I have 250 sq. ft. to work with. An extra 75 if I take out the oil tank (I will), but that might become a powder room.

I've worked in all different sized bike shops and framebuilding spaces in the past. There's a large amount of what I liked and disliked that I'm taking into this project, but I know you've all had both similar and different experiences so I'm curious to see what you've got!

So yeah, who else has remodeled a space to fit their hobby? What have you done? What would you do again, and what wouldn't you do again? And of course, show your work! I'm assuming this will become a massive photo thread.

- Varun

2 things come to mind.

1.) You say you are not sure how long you will live in your house. I had the same thought when I first bought my house. I put off doing stuff to it that sure would have been cool, more efficient, more aesthetic and just more " live able ". I recently sold that house after living there close to 14 years. Looking back, I sure wish I would have done all those things I talked about doing when I first bought it.

2.) If your basement does not have easy access for bikes to go up and down, that to me would be a real pain. I lived upstairs in a duplex once that had very steep stairs. It certainly was a PITA to negotiate them holding a bicycle.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

[weaponsgrade]

I recently built a diy version of this sliding bike rack:
https://www.dero.com/product/track-rack/

Basically, I bought a 10 foot long channel strut from Home Depot for about $20. I got the sliding trolleys from McMaster Carr. I think they were about $12 each. I then bolted a bike hook to a trolley. works great.

[Mikej]

I'd g with the basement not remodeled filled with dream bikes

[Plum Hill]

I recently built a diy version of this sliding bike rack:
https://www.dero.com/product/track-rack/

Basically, I bought a 10 foot long channel strut from Home Depot for about $20. I got the sliding trolleys from McMaster Carr. I think they were about $12 each. I then bolted a bike hook to a trolley. works great.

I did the same thing but used spring nuts and machine screw thread bike hooks. I alternate the bikes front wheel up/rear wheel up to maximize the number of bikes in the area.
I mounted the strut to the floor joists 10" off the wall. The bikes hang but both tires rest against the wall, eliminating the pendulum effect.

As for taking bikes up and down stairs, a LBS had a nifty idea. They ran a piece of wood with a 1x2 on each side down the stairs, spaced off the wall about a foot. That left the centor of the stairs open for walking with a ramp for roling the bikes up/down.
Great for the kids' Hot Wheels, too.

[weaponsgrade]

I did the same thing but used spring nuts and machine screw thread bike hooks. I alternate the bikes front wheel up/rear wheel up to maximize the number of bikes in the area.
I mounted the strut to the floor joists 10" off the wall. The bikes hang but both tires rest against the wall, eliminating the pendulum effect.


Are you able to slide the bikes along strut? The trolleys were the most expensive part of my system, but they were key in being able to slide the bikes together to save space, but then to also slide them apart so that a particular bike can be accessed. I looked at using spring nuts as they were less expensive than the trolleys, but it didn't seem that they were designed to slide within the strut channel.

[Plum Hill]

Are you able to slide the bikes along strut? The trolleys were the most expensive part of my system, but they were key in being able to slide the bikes together to save space, but then to also slide them apart so that a particular bike can be accessed. I looked at using spring nuts as they were less expensive than the trolleys, but it didn't seem that they were designed to slide within the strut channel.

No, I have them locked in place. No need ofr me to have anything move.
I currently have four bikes and a BOB trailer in eight feet of space.

PM your email and I'll send you a picture.

[weaponsgrade]

No, I have them locked in place. No need ofr me to have anything move.
I currently have four bikes and a BOB trailer in eight feet of space.

PM your email and I'll send you a picture.

Thanks, I think I can picture it. I've got six bikes hanging. When they're all pushed together they take up less than 5 feet of space.

[rePhil]

I used a set of cabinets topped off with plywood and covered that with easily replaceable Masonite / hardboard. Then built a bench on wheels for my drill press and vise.
Here's a site that will keep you busy for awhile...

https://www.flickr.com/groups/1849836@N24/pool/?donepending=1

[Rpoole8537]

I'm interested in these ideas, as well. I'm considering a house with a 1000 square foot basement with a full bath. Other than the bath, it's unfinished, but dry and heated. I've built work benches with cabinets and with shelves. I think I like the shelves best for storing compressor, drills, etc. the bowling lane top sounds awesome! I also like the Masonite top. Great ideas. I saw in the photos that someone had a rolling cart. I like that idea for putting everything on the cart that you will need and working from there.

[pdmtong]

What's a basement? Do you mean the thing that everyone around here is now digging out to skirt the height and sf limits for residential construction?

ok, so I dont have a basement but I do have some thoughts

- efficient use of vertical/wall and ceiling. shelves, hooks, racks. it gets crowded when everything is on the floor
- convenient electrical outlets
- sink
- heating and cooling
- well lit
- dedicated dirty work area
- as noted - great workbench extra deep.

[MattTuck]

What's a basement? Do you mean the thing that everyone around here is now digging out to skirt the height and sf limits for residential construction?

ok, so I dont have a basement but I do have some thoughts

- efficient use of vertical/wall and ceiling. shelves, hooks, racks. it gets crowded when everything is on the floor
- convenient electrical outlets
- sink
- heating and cooling
- well lit
- dedicated dirty work area
- as noted - great workbench extra deep.

No, basements are not to skirt zoning laws. They're to keep your potatoes and vegetables and other perishables edible through the winter... atleast that's what they're for around here.

hah!

I think you're right about efficient use of vertical space. Bikes, and working on bikes, and storing bikes seems to take up a lot more space than you'd imagine.

[pdmtong]

No, basements are not to skirt zoning laws. They're to keep your potatoes and vegetables and other perishables edible through the winter... atleast that's what they're for around here.

hah!

I think you're right about efficient use of vertical space. Bikes, and working on bikes, and storing bikes seems to take up a lot more space than you'd imagine.

people in woodside are excavating 14,000sf basements, hence new zoning required. these large digs are affecting the underground water flow, etc.
http://www.almanacnews.com/news/2016/03/02/woodside-may-increase-basement-area-that-can-extend-beyond-structure-above

even by me, the first thing following the tear down is the excavation since that's the only way to increase sf on a "small" lot

[parris]

One of the things I did several years ago was to build a rolling cart/work table that nested under my work bench. The base and top is a combo of plywood and 2x lumber with good locking casters. I'm able to store just about as many tools etc as I was previously able with the old shelving that was under the work bench before the build. Now I have an additional work surface that due to the caster size I can roll out to the driveway when needed.

It worked well enough that I built another for a different part of the house. Having stuff on casters makes cleanup a lot easier :) Hope this helps.

[jeffwidman]

Start looking now on Craigslist for a cheap, but well made, bench grinder.


Try to get ahold of one of the old Craftsman block grinders; they were manufactured for Sears by different companies, and one manufacturer in particular produced grinders that are now legendary and sought out by tool folks. You can identify grinders from that particular manufacturer by the serial number prefix... details in these threads:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=249539

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=157794