Latest Garage/Motorcycle Project (Very Pic Heavy)

[ptgb]

The latest project has taken place over the last couple months. As I have gone back to shift work, makes these projects take longer. But its all done now...

Insetting my motorcycle lift into the floor....



Sawed into my three year old garage floor with a rented concrete saw. Multiple cuts for smaller pieces needing to be removed






Paid for 4" concrete when the garage was built, ended up being 4 1/2 to 5 inches and with the wire in it, was a bitch to break up. Sledge and pry bar just wouldn't do it.






Rented a 75lb jack hammer and finally got it busted up.






Figured after all the digging of concrete and underlying dirt that was going to be ahead of me, to just do it right the first time.





Digging and dirt removal was a cinch with the backhoe/loader.












Ground the corners and hand dug the rest to make it nice and flat.








Placed permanent forms around the edges of the hole, 2x12's. They were anchored to the concrete. Then started loading in the gravel base.






Marked down from the edge, 12 inches, 8 inches height of the lift and 4 inches for concrete.







About 7 cubic feet of concrete (fiber-reinforced) was mixed in batches and dumped in the hole.







Made a screed board with "wings" that rode across the floor and form board edges. The middle of the board was cut to a depth of 8 inches. Screeding...










Floated and then measured, ended up being a perfect 8 inches (whewww).






Brought my grandson over and dipped him in for posterity.






Painted the form boards after the concrete dried.











Then simply pushed the lift in the hole....










Still showed concrete chip-out around the edge, so I trimmed it out with 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch aluminum angle. Was going to paint it, but liked the contrast of the natural aluminum better. If the mats around that don't work out long-term, I will change it out to 6x6 aluminum angle to cover the chip-outs.










Still have to attach the wheel chock to it and also cut the ramp section that came with lift as to cover the gap at the rear of the lift. Gotta find someone with a big band saw.

All in all, more work than I thought, but think it came out pretty good. With it all the way up, still perfect height for working on the bike while standing.

[Challenger]

All I can say is WOW!  Super job and looks great.

[RDAbull]

Great job Pete.  I have a garage, you doing anything next weekend?

[Jess from VA]

Really nice work.   

Hard work.  You have more gumption than I do.  Get your dirt out of Boss Hog's hole.

I think I'm going to have to do the same work to fix the drain in my basement shower. 

Good place to hide a body under there.   I didn't see Jojo in any of the pics.   

Questions.... Does any part of the lift get bolted to the floor for stability?
                   Is the lift powered with a compressor?     

[BF]

Most excellent work. 

What do you do that you went "back" to shift work?  I've been working rotating shifts for a little over 30 years.  I'm way past done with shift work. 

AND....bare knees on bare concrete.  Arrrrg.  I'd have to have someone help me back up to my feet. 

[ptgb]

Questions.... Does any part of the lift get bolted to the floor for stability?
                  Is the lift powered with a compressor?    

Still mulling that part Jess. The wheels on the lift retract into the frame, so shouldn't get much movement, if any.

If so, I will anchor it down.

And yes, air over hydraulic.

What do you do that you went "back" to shift work?  I've been working rotating shifts for a little over 30 years.  I'm way past done with shift work.  

I have been a police officer for 23 years. Spent 16 years in investigations, so regular M-F, 8-4 mostly.

Two years ago, I was offered, and accepted a promotion to Lieutenant which put me back in patrol on a rotating schedule (2 week rotation over 6 different shifts). Thought long and hard about the effects of the promotion. Finally figured with 5 years left to go (then), I couldn't ignore what that 5 years will do to my pension income over, hopefully, much more than 5 years in retirement.

[Dusty]

  Job looks good.      If I was cutting the ramp I would clamp a piece of 1 X 4 to use as a guide on the ramp then use a Zip wheel  in a 4 1/2" grinder( thin cut off wheel ). You will end up with a straight cut in no time (faster than sawing ).

Dusty

[Hook#3287]

Very cool project

Thanks for sharing it.

[Bighead]

Good work
If the mats don't work long trm for covering chipout get some pourock and mix it thin,pour it in chipout spots and it will self level and harden and give you a perfectly smooth edge.

[msb]

Impressive job... Impressive garage!! Thanks for sharing.

[RainMaker]

Very impressive man cave.  Congratulations on your project.   

[ptgb]

If the mats don't work long trm for covering chipout get some pourock and mix it thin,pour it in chipout spots and it will self level and harden and give you a perfectly smooth edge.

Thanks for the info about the pourock, that sounds like a good solution. Especially, I plan on epoxy-ing the floor this spring, so any color difference between the concrete and pourock wouldn't show (I'm picky when it comes to that kind of stuff, as you might be able to tell).

[The emperor has no clothes]

When finally retire from police work, I think you have a second career in Valkyrie garage building. 

[Willow]

Wow.  You do good work.  I can feel the envy coming from all over the country.

...
Good place to hide a body under there.   I didn't see Jojo in any of the pics.    

LOL!  If he needed to hide a body Jojo would not be the person you'd be looking for.  She's a primary factor in what makes him a really good man.

[ptgb]

Wow.  You do good work.  I can feel the envy coming from all over the country.

...
Good place to hide a body under there.   I didn't see Jojo in any of the pics.    

LOL!  If he needed to hide a body Jojo would not be the person you'd be looking for.  She's a primary factor in what makes him a really good man.

Willow..... JoJo says....... "aaaaaawwwwwwww I'm feeling the love".

Trust me, JoJo definitely wouldn't be the person.... she's my meal ticket. 

[Willow]

Willow..... JoJo says....... "aaaaaawwwwwwww I'm feeling the love".

Trust me, JoJo definitely wouldn't be the person.... she's my meal ticket. 

  Tell her I apologize for lower casing her second J.

You've done good work on multiple fronts, Mr. Gibb.   

[Valkorado]

I'm hoping to get a shed next summer.

[Rams]

Very nice work and a cool project.    I seriously considered doing the same thing between the posts of my car lift but, the more I thought about it, the less it sounded like a good idea (in my application).    I use that car lift a bunch and not so much for the bike lift.   So, I sold the bike lift and will be building a (bike) lift apparatus to use with my car lift.   

Have the plans all worked out on how to do it, I even have most of the needed material but, the doc won't let me weld any longer so, I'm going to have to hire that done now.        Never was a great welder.   I don't do it enough to be practiced, it ain't pretty but, never had something break that I glob together.      

[cookiedough]

I was pretty worried after the first few pics you were digging a gravesite, but once I saw ONLY 12" deep I knew most of us was in luck it was not a coffin since most of our bellies are over 12" deep.   

[larue]

Impressive

[6shutr]

Nice job, but I didn't notice a drain. It wouldn't have taken much more time and effort to connect into your existing drain only a few feet away.

[f6john]

pulled up a link for a similar job I thought some would find interesting.

http://www.corvetteforum.com/forums/c5-general/2966036-flush-mounted-lift-install.html


Plus one on the chipped edges. Lowes sells an excellent product for a self leveling on concrete. It's back with the tile setting materials. I used a bunch of it this summer and it worked great.

[fon1961]

 

[henry 008]

Impressive

as always, you do great work there Pete!