Art & Inspiration What have you learned from other garages, shops, and man caves?

I don't know about you all. But have a feeling that you all do the same thing I do.
I love going to other peoples shops not only for the comradery. But also to get ideas and inspiration. Throw a little motivation in mix while your at it.
Not having enough space to be able to do everything I would like to do with ease. It forces me to make do with what I have. Which I feel exceedingly fortunate to have.
I have either come up with ideas to make this all too often issue easier. Or taken ideas someone else has come up with.
I enjoy checking out peoples project pictures on HAMB. Not just for the cool pics of someones beloved project. But I also like sort of snooping around their shop to see if I can pick up a new idea for my own slice of heaven.
Question is, what are some of the most useful ideas you have adopted or come up with on your own? For dealing with not having the amount of space you desire.

 

What works for me, or lets say what I need to do. Like everyone else, there is never enough space. I have a two bay garage in my home. It is heated and cooled Perfect for the rods I drive the most. But not good for the wife. Her car has to set in the driveway. So I here that from her all the time. Then I built a two bay, 50s style service station in the back yard for storage, to display a lot of my junkyard finds. Then my Dad has a sheet metal shop which I can do all the dirty stuff . And I thank my Wife for letting me have toy cars every where in our house. I also like all the build threads, and snooping at everyone's garages too.Ron...

 

Very cool service station!
And that is your back yard? Grew up on a farm and we had a back yard that was huge. But these days, not so much. But my back yard has a two car garage and a two car shop!
Not much room for anything else though.

 

I had this sign made for my shop, because it's a SHOP not a man cave.

 

I like it!
I want one that says.
"This is not a Rat Rod"

 

i think this is where i had it made
http://www.safetysign.com/notice-signs

 

There are two other kinds of shop, those with cleaner floors than mine, and those with floors dirtier than mine.

 

One of the best ideas I have seen at someone else's shop was that he had a separate room built off to the side of his shop. This was his dirty room. If something was dirty like an engine or trans he would take it apart in that room.

 

Haha!!!

 

One thing i learned from my uncle and his awesome shop.....build your shop BEFORE you get married.

 

That is a good idea. I pretty much have that now. But with two different buildings.
The garage is mainly for storage. Have my air compressor and supplied air system in there too.
Both plumbed underground to the shop. That way they pump cleaner air from a separate space. The shop itself is my dirty space. And it has gotten dirty!

 

I found out: DO NOT plant flowers & bushes next to your garage...no matter how 'pretty' they are, and the wife smiles at the "thoughtful" consideration of making the garage ''pleasing'' to the eyes with her flower garden blooming!!!...damn bee's!!!

 

Haha!
That would keep my wife from wanting flowers! She hates bees.