5 Pieces of Equipment You Need for the Perfect Garage Setup

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5 Pieces of Equipment You Need for the Perfect Garage Setup

Do you like fixing up cars? Whether it’s a hobby or a full-fledged business plan, mechanic skills go hand in hand with a great garage setup. If you’re a mechanic or car enthusiast, you know that the right tools are important to get the job done.

Looking to invest in some gadgets for your garage or shop? Check out these must-have garage tools so you can be prepared for any repair or maintenance challenge that comes your way.

Air Compressor

A high-capacity air compressor is essential for some of a mechanic’s tools of the trade. Pneumatic hand tools like sanders, pressure washers, impact wrenches, and more require compressed air to function.

Consider not only the capacity of your air compressor but also how ergonomic it is. Having the ability to move your compressor around the shop easily will add to the versatility and usefulness of your purchase.

Engine Hoist

If you plan on rebuilding or replacing engines, a hoist is a must. Many models fold away when not in use, and some can roll the engine out away from the engine bay for easier access during repairs and maintenance.

When not being used for engines, hoists can have many other purposes as well. For instance, moving heavy parts out of truck beds, and relocating bulky equipment around the shop. Obviously, having a hoist can save your back and make big tasks much easier.

Lift Table

Lift tables are important ergonomic and multi-purpose surfaces that can adjust to the height or weight of many large car parts. A heavy-duty steel lift table can function as a welding station, machining station, assembly area, parts transport, and more.

A lift table ensures you can work on the same project from any position. With custom tables available, you can choose a design that best suits the needs of your garage too.

Instead of taking up space with several different workstations, consider using a lift table as a mobile station around the shop. Lifts with wheels can move to your area and save floor space, allowing you to make dynamic use of your garage layout.

Vehicle Lift

Being able to get underneath a car for diagnostics and inspection is essential for a mechanic. Vehicle lifts not only make the undercarriage of a car more accessible, they also make working on the underside of any vehicle safer and more efficient than jacks or other alternatives.

Parts Washer

Whether you’re getting your classic car ready for a car show or just need to de-grease some tools or automotive parts, a parts washer is invaluable.

Keep bushings, carbs, bearings, and other necessities from being greasy and gunked up so you can work efficiently and cleanly. These handy basins come with a pump and spigot built in, and many fit right on your worktop.

A Garage Setup Built to Last

Investing in good, high-quality equipment and tools will save you money and time in the long run. Set yourself up for success with durable and long-lasting tools and equipment for your workspace. This will ensure each extra dollar can go toward future investments for your perfect garage setup.

If you’re looking for top quality lifts and lift tables, Lange Lift can help. As a family-owned business, we pride ourselves on cutting-edge design and manufacturing to suit your needs. Contact us today!

How an Ergonomic Workstation Boosts Welding Productivity

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, welding-related musculoskeletal injuries (WRMI) are responsible for 29% of lost workday cases. This amounts to a whopping $20 billion in worker’s compensation, which is why welders should consider how ergonomic workstations can help them avoid injuries.

Ergonomics is an important consideration when you are dealing with excessive body wear and tear during your welding career. Injuries to the muscles, joints, spinal disks, tendons, ligaments, and nerves are prevalent when your workstation is not ergonomic.

The problem most welders experience is knowing what a proper ergonomic workstation is, and understanding why it is so important.

 

There are many things to consider when setting up an ergonomic workstation. Also, knowing how to do it right from the beginning can save you considerable pain.

What Is Ergonomics?

Ergonomics is the science of fitting a workstation into a worker’s individual needs and abilities. Ultimately, the aim is to increase productivity, efficiency, and reduce any chances of discomfort that could lead to injuries. It takes into account any sitting, standing, kneeling positions, and movements an employee does throughout the day. This includes any eye strain and repetitive movements in the joints, such as wrists, knees, neck, back, hips, and ankles.

Everything is meticulously calculated to ensure greater workplace safety, along with the goal of higher productivity.

What Are the Ergonomic Risk Factors for a Welding Career?

Welding is one of the most at-risk careers for a musculoskeletal injury due to these frequent behaviors:

  • Awkward and unnatural body postures such as twisting, outreached arms, kneeling, squatting, and holding heavy items above the head
  • Lifting heavy loads
  • Using continuous force and strain
  • Static positioning in the body
  • Long tasks with manual precision

We all have different limitations and abilities, such as bad posture and poor mobility. When we combine that with these risky moves, it can be a recipe for injuries.

Tips for a Good Ergonomic Workstation Welders

  • Avoid awkward, unnatural movements.
  • Keep a proper posture during everything. Don’t know what good posture is? Have a PT or physio teach you.
  • Use a footrest when standing for long periods of time.
  • Position scaffolding, stools, and any standing or seated tools to the right position.
  • Invest in a custom lift.
  • Do not cut corners. Keep integrity with your body mechanics.
  • Keep elbows close to your body. Do not reach away.
  • Do not bend over for long periods of time.
  • Use manual hydraulic lift tables for lifting tasks.
  • Do not reach over your head for long, especially when handling equipment.

Bottom line, keep your common sense with you and do not cut corners to get a job done quicker.

Learn More About a Proper Ergonomic Workstation

If you need further advice, be sure to hire a professional, such as an occupational therapist. They can come in and teach you how to move around the job site more safely.

Check out our selection of everything from manual to battery and electric powered lifts, tables and more. The investment in a lift now could save you lost work due to injury in the future.

Please contact us for any inquiries or questions.

How to Save Energy in your Industrial Workshop (Hint: Use Air)

When you have a workshop, you want to work as efficiently and as cheaply as possible, right?

Whether you have a workshop for a hobby or a business, the good news is that if you choose energy-saving tools and equipment, you can do both! With just a few thoughtful purchases, your workshop can use less energy and still allow you to easily produce whatever you need.

Whether you want to be more efficient for the environment or to save a little cash on your utility bills, here’s a quick list of some of the things you can do to turn your workshop into a greener space.

 

Go With Energy-Saving Tools (Air!)

One of the biggest drains on energy efficiency is the tools that you use. Choosing energy-saving tools rather than traditional electric tools is an easy first step in creating a greener workspace.

There are several alternatives to power tools, but one of the best choices is to use air-powered machines.

Air-powered tools (also known as pneumatic tools) use compressed air to work. The air is stored in a tank (anywhere from one gallon to hundreds of gallons) and is fed into the equipment through tubes. The benefit is that the only electrical costs are to fill the tank with air—once it’s compressed, the power you get is from the air.

Air-powered tools are also typically cheaper than their electrical counterparts, so the initial startup costs may be beneficial as well.

Check Your Heating and Air Conditioning

If you want to do good work, you need to be comfortable. Heating and air conditioning costs can really add up when keeping the temperature of your workshop to your liking.

For this reason, you need to look for high-efficiency units. Not only will they be able to cool and heat your workshop better than older units, they will do it for less cost.

Also, make sure to check your insulation and weather stripping around the shop. Drafts from doors and windows are real efficiency killers, so inspect them every so often for leaks.

Change Your Bulbs

Traditional luminescent light bulbs are a huge energy drain, and the bigger your workshop, the more you should be concerned.

Traditional light bulbs are very inefficient because they produce so much heat with the light they shine. This is wasted energy.

Replacing your traditional light bulbs with fluorescent or LED bulbs can lower your utility bill almost immediately. Each type is much more efficient than incandescent and should be a welcome change in any workshop.

What’s even better is that LEDs can last up to 10 years. Imagine not having to buy new bulbs for a decade. That should be enough to change anyone’s mind about incandescent bulbs!

Make a Change

There are many other things you can do to make your workshop more efficient, but these tips are a great start. You’ll be saving energy—and money—in no time, and still be able to get work done.

For more ideas one energy saving tools, check out our product catalog today. We have a great selection of air-powered lift tables suitable for workshops.

9 Welding Workshop Tools Your Business Can’t Do Without

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, welding is projected to grow by as much as 4 percent in the next 10 years. Not only is welding fun, but it’s also a very stable career. However, if you want to succeed, you’ll need to know about these welding workshop tools.

You can spend years developing your welding abilities, but without the right tools for the job, you could fall behind the competition. So, read on to learn about nine industrial welding workshop tools you need to succeed.

 

1. Auto-Darkening Helmets

The most important tools you need for your welding business are the safety ones. You should have thick gloves, goggles, and helmets.

The best helmet you can choose is the auto-darkening variety. Unlike the helmets with solid shades, these ones give you greater access to see your work. They also help you get a more precise and even weld.

2. Metal Brush

The second tool you need is a metal brush. Some welding processes create slag. This needs to be removed in order to see the weld.

That’s where a metal brush comes in. The brush helps take off the slag layer so you can properly see your work.

3. MIG Pliers

Next on the list is MIG pliers. There will be times when you need to fix the welding wire or the head. MIG pliers are the tools that help with that.

Not only do they clip the welding wire, but they can also help you remove the nozzle, even when it’s hot.

4. Angle Grinder

Another crucial tool to add to your toolkit is an angle grinder. This tool is extremely versatile and can be used for nearly every project.

Attach a buffering wheel to it and see how it makes to metal shine. You can also add a cutting wheel or a grinding disk to cut and smooth out edges.

5. Welding Magnets

Next are welding magnets. These tools will help stabilize your projects so that you can get a clean weld in place.

Welding magnets come in a large variety of sizes, so be sure to pick up a couple different options.

6. Sheet Metal Gauge

This tool is small and inexpensive, but the effect it can have on your business is big. A sheet metal gauge helps you know how thick the metal is, so you can make sure you use the best tools to cut it.

7. Framing Jig

The framing jig will help you get perfect 90-degree angles. While it’s not a crucial tool, it will save you time, and time is money.

8. Welding Clamps

Welding clamps are very important for holding your projects in place. You’ll need them to complete your projects effectively and efficiently.

9. Lifts

Chances are, if you’re working in a workshop, you’re going to have to move some heavy projects. The best solution for this is a good table lift.

There are a wide variety of lifts you can choose from. Not only will they give you extra strength to move those precious pieces, table lifts can also help protect your projects if you need to move them while working.

Choosing the Best Welding Workshop Tools

Finding the best welding workshop tools is a breeze when you’ve got specialists like us to help you out. Contact us for more information on our lift tables, or check out our products catalog.

5 Tips for Designing Your Ideal Workshop

What does your dream workshop look like?

When it comes to workshop design, the beauty is that everything is up to you. You can take a very small, simple space and turn it into whatever you’d like. With that space, you’re then free to work on, well, whatever you’d like.

As you can see, there’s a lot of freedom to do as you please. But designing your ideal workshop might seem like a difficult task. For instance, maybe you’d like to do it, but don’t even know where you’d start. Or maybe you simply need some ideas to spark your creativity.

 

Workshop Design—First Things First

The first thing you must consider is the space you have available. Our recommendations:

  • Map it out on a piece of paper and include measurements so you truly have an idea of what’s available for you.
  • Think about your space and its limitations. With a little creativity, you likely can adjust things to fit just right into your workspace.

Now, here are five tips for getting started with your personal workshop design.

Tip #1: Good Lighting Is a Must

Whether you’re imagining pristine work benches or fancy gadgets, how you light your space should be the first thing you consider. Not only will your workplace look better, it will make for a safer and more efficient space to get projects done.

Here are two ideas to ensure good lighting:

  • If your workshop design allows for it, strategically place windows in the sun’s direction.
  • Incorporate highly reflective surfaces like roof sheafing into your workspace so that more light finds its way inside.

Tip #2: Create a Four Season Workspace

Think deeply about things like insulation and aeration. Be sure to work these into your budget, and think of them as an investment in your year-round workshop.

If your workshop design fails to take into account the changing seasons, you may limit yourself to six months or less per year to get work done!

Be sure to also consider how you’ll manage temperature and moisture control when you aren’t in the workshop.

Tip #3: Tabletop vs. Freestanding Tools—How Much Space Do You Have?

Obviously, having all of your tools stationed to a tabletop sounds more convenient and aesthetically appealing than having to pull down and set up tools each time you need them.

But what will your space allow for? If you have the space to pull it off, a tabletop might be the way to go. If your space is limited, think about investing in shelves or freestanding units that give you easy access to your tools.

Ready to begin shopping (or just need some inspiration)? Take a look at our vast array of manual, electric and battery operated lift tables.

Tip #4: Consider the Flow of Your Space

Dividing your space up into quadrants or triangles will help your workshop design flow nicely.

Place your most important equipment at the corners of your squares or triangles. This will allow for adequate space between your most-used tools, maximizing their accessibility.

Tip #5: Make It Your Own!

Ultimately, your workspace should be a function of who you are and what you hope to accomplish while inside it.

Safety and functionality reign supreme, but don’t forget that the point of your own workshop design is to build it exactly how you want it. Have some fun with your design project!

Workshop Design Wrap-Up

To design your ideal workshop, follow these five tips:

  1. Start with the space you have.
  2. Design your workshop around what’s available to you. Will you go with tabletop or freestanding tools? You must decide. Envision yourself working in your shop and think about how things will flow.
  3. Start with securing good lighting.
  4. Be sure your workshop can be utilized in all weather conditions.
  5. Make it yours, and have fun with it!

Have your dream workshop but still need a good lift table to pull it all together? Contact us here. We can help you find just the right table for your needs.