I bought a house have been in the house for a month now and the last box is finally empty and thrown in the recycling container. Now I can turn my attention and limited budget to MY garage. I know to watch craigslist for benches and and stuff but was wondering if the collective years of knowledge and experience  here can tell me of other avenues to check out.

I came from a town-home, so other than a normal tool set and a assortment of others tools I have collected over the years. All I have is a old busted ass desk an Ikea base that we are not going to use and a book case that is as weak as water.

I did get a chance to add a quick personal touch.

 
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First thing.......what's the electric service and what needs will you have for heating/cooling to make it functional year-round?

Once you know how much electric you have, you can figure out what power tools you can support.  Then you'll know whether the electric needs upgrading or not before you start putting stuff in there.

Not just any shelf space, but good steel racks from HD or Lowes. And may I suggest a wardrobe or other closed system for riding gear and helmets, etc.

You'll thank me.

Larry
VFRrider

Forget the jack; get a motorcycle lift. You'll thank me later.

Get both.....they have there own separate uses and you have the space!

yard sales.....



(Most of my "good stuff" almost given too me by someone who never used it.....)


Friends dont let friends throw away good schtuff!

I got my tool cart from Harbor Freight years ago for something like $40.

If you are out looking at garage sales, keep an eye out for an air compressor, good for airing up tires, blowing the dust around and lastly for air tools.
Preferably a belt driven compressor, yes it may be a bit larger in size (floor space) but consider how loud the direct driven compressors are in comparison.

next consider the lighting of the space, you will want lots of light. If going the florescent tube lights spend an extra $ and buy the clear protective tubes to cover them, lots easier to put the cover over them than clean up the mess after they get hit by something.

Got an old carpet you don't mind getting dirty?? Put it down on the floor, it will save you from wondering where that dam nut/washer/ what have you bounced to. Also does take a bit of the fatigue out of standing/kneeling on cold cement

Congrats!

Urinal.  You need a urinal.  No water?  No problem. 

Behind the shop dig a hole deep enough for two 5 gallon buckets, and slightly larger (a couple inches or so).  When you are done with connections bury them 8 inches under the ground- drill holes in them and surround them with rocks.  This is your mini septic tank.  I attached a 1 1/2 inch piece of PVC pipe through the bucket cover.  You don't need to attach the buckets if you have them near each other with holes drilled in both of them with gravel between- the water flows from one to the other.

Through the wall bend/cut/fit a piece of 1" PVC- this is your plumbing.  Slide it in the 1 1/2" pvc that runs into the buckets.  This is your vent and inlet.  Put a trap in it (the bend) so the smell doesn't come back through.  Make sure the end inside is a little below urinal height.  Attach a 1"-1 1/2" adapter to the end of the PVC.  To this you will affix an empty 1 gallon plastic container- like a windshield washer fluid container.  You will cut the bottom out of it- that is your urinal. 

Pick up a cheap windshield washer pump.  Drop one line into a 5 gallon bucket of water, and attach a wire alongside the pipe to the outlet end.  Bend the wire/hose so it comes over the top of the plastic container and hits it at an angle so it sprays around the jug without spraying out on to you.  Wire a switch for the pump where the handle would be.

So, you step up, use the urinal, flip the switch and allow the water to flush, then flip the switch to off.  Two 5 gallon buckets is plenty big for a septic for such a small amount of water production, and should allow easy dissipation, unless your soil has a high water table or is solid clay.

I had this rig in my old garage before I put a real urinal and sink in my current one.  It works sweet and doesn't smell at all, unless the trap evaporates out.  A windshield washer pump doesn't use much energy at all- rig it to a 110-12v adapter, or run it off a car battery.  I just had a marine battery I used, but that was because I have a fishing boat.

If you don't have a urinal and resort to pissing outside it will start to reek, and it's a PIA to run to the house when you are in the middle of something, like say a good beer.  Mine worked for probably 10 years until we moved.

Just don't have it inspected.   

A link to a drawing:
https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1wY7hLpRkStWJNZ8V2-EPVl9m4SwEC5pNxwR29uD1p8U/edit?usp=sharing

Something I was amazed about when I put one up in The Shop[1] was the SafeRack[2]. Built hell-for-stout and frees up a lot of floor space. Organize your misc stuff into tubs and then put the tubs up in SafeRacks. Instantly get back a ton of usable space in your garage. I wanted their system that fits above the garage door but don't have the clearance. Instead, I'll be putting up a few of the others in garage.

Then get yourself a Handy B.O.B. lift![3]

[1]
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(Full details with more photos here: http://www.fjr-tips.org/misc/pics/shop/shop.html )

[2] http://www.saferacks.com/

[3] http://www.handyindustries.com/products/bob-1500-air-lift

Will the handle bars fit?