Buying house finally, has garage, HELP!

Finally stopping the onslaught of renting an apartment after 6 or 7 years of it. Closing on a house in the next month or two.

Has a garage, walked it out, estimate it to be 12'x20' tall enough it seems to put a loft for added space.

Goal is to bag a truck in it, most likely a pre94 Mazda.

I need to know what kind of tools I'll need. =D Right now my collection consists of a mechanic socket set, screwdrivers(phillips/flathead) and small precision screw drivers...and a hammer. Maybe a flashlight somewhere?

I assume I'll need a welder, sawzall, power drill, refrigerator(haha). What other things should I look into?

an air compressor

and a 4 1/2" electric grinder is a must also

angle grinder before sawzall. i use a sawzall to trim trees at home, not to build trucks.

Edited: 11/21/2010 10:38:39 AM by KAOSS

Let me try to think of every I use to bag a truck.

Metric sockets, metric wrenches, Vise grips, c-clamps, angle finder, big level, little level, 2 90 degree squares, 2 measuring tapes of the same size and brand, test light, wire stripper/crimp tool, jack, jack stands, manual file(s), plumb bob, breaker bar, welder, grinder, work bench, vice, propane torch...

I'm sure there is some more.

duct tape and zip ties. maybe a few beers.

I agree with Joel. Skip the Sawzall and use the money to buy an extra grinder. And a vice is very important.

i would also skip the sawzall, I only use mine to trim my trees. A good welder will be something you can keep for life. So dont skimp out and buy a cheapo one. I would also suggest a chop saw. Precision angle cuts are a must when building any sort of frame with angles, or link bars. If your budget allows, get a bandsaw instead. But chop saws are cheap, as a decent one can come in under $200, however a horizontal bandsaw will run almost triple the price. But they run much cleaner, quieter, and dont require new blades as often.

-Brad

if your budget allows i'd suggest a plasma cutter, best tool investment i ever made

good 220 welder at the top of the list,4-1/2 angle grinder needed to do pretty much everything at some point or another,drill press,chop saw.acquire these to get started,along with the more basic stuff like the deep wall sockets,good levels,c clamps,bench vice,squares,tape measure,etc.mentioned above. atleast 6 or so good jack stands,cherry picker is great,two good floor jacks.air compressor is almost a must,pref. 60 gallon-80 gallon if you plan on running air angle grinders,da's,impacts,spray guns,etc.best advice is get the best 220 welder you can afford (miller,hobart,lincoln)and a 4.5in. electric grinder and go from there,lol