While all quality workmen worth their salt will tell you that it’s all about the knowledge, the fact is that without the right tools in hand, no real work can ever get done. If you’ve been working as a mechanic for years for somebody else and have a desire to set up your own garage, simply knowing your way around an engine is only half of the battle. You will need to equip your garage with a raft of tools and devices that are designed to help you diagnose and fix any issue that enters the shop. We are looking at which tools and equipment will help you to achieve this job and ensure that your work speaks for itself and you gain a following of loyal customers who are confident that whenever they bring their vehicles to you with a problem, they will drive away content.
Investing In A Car Lift Will Be The Best Thing You Will Ever Do
Car lifts might appear to be one of those things that you can buy later, and you will make do with a creeper until you’re ready to invest. However, while a creeper is adequate when working on personal cars (and the occasional customer car for smaller jobs), they simply don’t compare to a dedicated lift. When you put money towards a 4 post car lift or something similar, you are spending money on ensuring your body remains un-contorted and your mind still sane.
These devices allow you to really get into the guts of a car, and seeing as most modern manufacturers have a desire to make the lives of the humble mechanic as hellish as possible by placing most of the parts deep inside, having things overhead to work on is just better in almost all ways imaginable. Yes, you will have to fork out a bit more than you might have wanted, but the outcome is something that makes your job more manageable and is a piece of equipment that you will probably have and use for the lifetime of your business.
Purchase A Larger Air Compressor Than You Think You’ll Need (And Install Pipes Around The Shop)
Even if you choose to go down the route of an all-battery setup and eschew traditional air tools, an air compressor is still an indispensable part of any garage. Compressed air is obviously used to fill up tires, but it has additional roles such as paint jobs, blowing out lines, and generally being helpful in clearing the bots of debris that have a habit of collecting over time. When it comes to the actual device, it’s easy to look at it and think that you will save some money by opting for a smaller one and then upgrading as you go. The problem with this thought process, though, is that you will need a larger compressor almost immediately, which will just mean more money out of your pocket.
Although you will have an additional device, the chances of you ever actually using it once you install a larger one are close to zero, and it will ultimately just take up space. Once you have bought your large compressor, you need to set up a system of piping around the shop so that you can move around freely and plug in the various air tools when required without having to drag around a length of hose all the time.
You Can Collect Specialist Tools As You Go (Instead Of Spending A Fortune Right Away)
Most of this post so far has been centered around spending more money than you thought you needed to, but now we get to the part where you can take a breather! There are going to be times when you will need some kind of specialist tool that you simply don’t have readily available and need to head out to the hardware store to purchase it. This isn’t the most convenient option, but the truth is that you can’t prepare for all eventualities, and kitting your shop out with every tool under the sun will just take up space and cost you money. Instead, you should take a reactive approach and only invest in these things when the time arrives.
A Great Set Of Hand Tools Will Last A Lifetime And Make Your Life Easier
No matter how many fancy tools you invest in, your hand tools will be your most-used items. This means wrenches, ratchets, hammers….you name it. If you’re going to spend any money at this point, now is the time to do so. Investing in quality brands will ensure that everything works as it should and will most likely last a lifetime (or, at the very least, have a lifetime warranty). You might not think that you need to spend too much on something like a basic set of wrenches, but I guarantee that you will be kicking yourself if you go down the Chinesium route and end up rounding off that last bolt you had to remove so you could knock off early. If that happens, you aren’t going to knock off early, and you will, in fact, rue the day you didn’t listen to our advice.
Storage, Storage, Storage!
If you want an adequately organized garage, you need to invest in plenty of storage. This means storage cabinets for tools (perhaps with foam inserts to ensure everything is in its place nicely), shelving, and lockable cabinets to store expensive spare parts. The more effort you put into this seemingly tedious endeavor (in comparison to the sexy world of power tools), the better off your life will become.
Don’t Forget About The PPE
Show me a tradesperson who likes health and safety, and I’ll show you a flying pig. However, while plenty of rules do seem to be somewhat redundant, the fact of the matter is that they exist to help reduce the possibility of injury, serious or otherwise. Allocating a part of your budget toward things like safety glasses, welding masks, respirators, gloves, and more will help you stave off much of the damage that can cause mechanics to look far older than their years.
Running a garage is a highly stressful but highly satisfying business…as long as you go about things the right way. This post has offered a few suggestions on how to achieve such things, but it’s up to you to carry on your research to ensure you invest in the things that make a difference.
