Gear: Upgrading the Shop, Il Grotto di Volpe v2.0!

Well, I got a new job, and with it a new house!  Figures: just when you get everything dialed in your house...it's time to move.  So, we moved to Denver, Colorado, which will provide wonderful recreational opportunities on the bikes and on the skis.

First things first: get the shop in order!

The prior owner (original owner) hadn't done much to the house, and this included the unfinished basement.  There was a rudimentary work bench-thingy, but was very inadequate  as it wasn't properly built, and wouldn't withstand any of the forces that come with a work bench, nor was it optimized for storage.  So, I looked online for a suitable plan.  In Saint Louis, I had a prior existing steel framed workbench from which to improve upon; in Denver I'd be starting from scratch.

Panoramic shot of the workshop space before...

Panoramic shot of the workshop after...

I found a design online that inspired my workbench.  It was to be a basic frame, mounted to the concrete basement walls.  The online plans called for a monstrous 16' workbench...and I decided that based upon the material and the space I was building to, I'd simplify it to 8' wide. The original plans that inspired my workbench are here.

Frame for the workbench complete...

So, to avoid any joints in the actual work surface, and to ensure the bench didn't take up too much space, I kept the length at 8'.  I built the worksurface frame, mounted it to the concrete foundation/wall, and attached a couple legs on the front.

The workbench frame mounted to the concrete foundation...

Next, I built a 8' long shelf frame, that fit within the legs supporting the actual workbench.  The upper workbench is 24" deep, with the shelf underneath 21" to fit between the wall/foundation and the legs.  Both frames are mounted to the wall using concrete mounting bolts.  It was fun to get the hammer drill out, the tool necessary to drill the mounting holes in the foundation wall.  :)

Frame for the lower shelf complete...

After building the frame, I took a moment to install adequate electrical plugs behind the workbench.  I "daisy-chained" five plugs together, ensuring more than enough power for the workbench tools, chargers, and anything else I might need to plug in.

Electrical outlets installed behind the workbench...

Following the successful installation of the electrical outlets, I mounted a 4x8 particle board on the wall immediately behind the bench.  I like a full piece of wood rather than drywall, making any installation of mounting hardware or peg board much easier.  I painted it white, too!  I also cut and mounted my plywood work surfaces to both the bench and the lower shelf.  I bought a more expensive hard wood plywood, ensuring the surface would be durable.  

Plywood worksurfaces installed, caster mounted drawers completed,
and particle board installed behind workbench...

Lastly, I built the caster mounted drawers.  The original design called for the sides to be made from 1x6s, however the previous versions I made in Saint Louis were quite a bit taller, so I opted for a slightly larger wood stock: 1x8.  I found that the drawers I built in Saint Louis were a bit too deep, however as I measured my tools and other items that would be in these drawers, I figued the additional two inches of board width would help make a slightly deeper, and hence slightly more practical drawer.  These caster mounted drawers are perfect for storing those large, heavy tools like hammer drills, circular saws, and anything else you want to get out of the way.  Also, take note, that I had mounted the shelf slightly higher than the plans called for to ensure there was enough room for a taller/larger drawer below it.

Workbench and adjacent work areas, including miter saw and bike repair stand

The completed workbench!  Peg board mounted, and tools organized (for the most part).  Fun, practical project.

Workbench completed!  

Bikes: Ultimate Commuter! ...Cannondale Bad Boy

I purchased this bike in fall of 2009.  I originally purchased it in Italy to replace my cyclocross road bike.  I lived atop a mountain (literally) there, and finishing each ride going up my 45 degree drive way was punishing.  So, I thought a bike like this would make it easier to climb.  Especially with a child on the back.  I put a European child seat on the bike, a design I haven't seen available in the US, that allows the seat to be removed with the touch of a button.  So, this bike made it possible to grind up the long hills, a feat I was unable to accomplish on the higher geared road bike.

Turns out this bike is great for commuting, too.  I love it!  We just moved to Colorado, but while we were living in Saint Louis for six months I enjoyed commuting 6 miles each way to work on this bike.  It's great for commuting!  ...in fact, considering that I've been bike commuting regularly for over ten years, I should have bought one sooner!  Instead, I had been riding older, used bikes.  As you'd imagine, I end up spending more time and miles on the commuter bike than my fancy and expensive mountain bikes.  So why did I ride, old, worn out, crappy commuter bikes, bikes I typically rode more often and further than my new, light, and wonderfully functional "recreational" bikes?  I can't answer that, but I did alleviate it!  I bought a Cannondale Bad Boy.

What makes this bike so terrific for commuting?  It's the mixture of mountain and road bike parts...  The frame and drivetrain are from a mountain bike, ensuring the bike is relatively relaxed to ride, and it can easily climb any hill.  The disc brakes offer great stopping power in all conditions.  Oh, don't forget the front suspension, also from it's mountain bike "roots".  You can turn the suspension on or off with the flick of a switch.  Having the ridged fork is great for speed, but when you want to smooth out a rough street, just turn the switch, and you get to enjoy the benefits of suspension.  Meanwhile, the road wheels make this bike incredibly fast!  They're taller, and slimmer...ensuring less rolling resistance.  I've  installed Michelin's Pilot Sport tires, with the Protek HD, to provide better traction on wet roads.  This was key for safety and performance in Italy, where I found the roads to be very slick with even a bit of dew, let alone rain.  So, these tires provided the appropriate traction in a country where they put slick marble in the asphalt!
 
I love this bike, and I look forward to commuting to work in Denver!