# Anyone Used U-Wrench DIY Shop Space in Calgary?



## CalgaryPT (Oct 19, 2020)

Has anyone used U-Wrench shop space in Calgary? I'm looking for a heated space to do about 4 hours worth of wiring on my F250 and not thrilled about freezing the frank and beans off crawling under my truck. It looks like a good alternative (awaiting rates though). 

Has anyone tried them?
http://www.u-wrench.ca/default.htm


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## Tom Kitta (Oct 19, 2020)

No, but their rates show up as around 24/h so 4h worth with tax and I assume with use of air tools = over $100. 

If you had a smaller truck you could use my garage - I can fit a Tacoma still with little tiny bit of clearance.


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## CalgaryPT (Oct 19, 2020)

Thanks Tom. Doesn't look like their site has been kept up to date so am awaiting confirmation of their posted rates.

The inside of my nicely heated garage hasn't ever had a car or truck in it in for almost 25 years since it was built.

That's like filling up on salad before a steak dinner—it leaves no room for the good stuff.


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## RobinHood (Oct 19, 2020)

You are welcome to use my shop. Your truck will fit with lots of room to spare. The garage is not heated, but it is fully enclosed and sheltered. I use 1200 W halogen lights to take the edge off and put a light on the situation...


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## CalgaryPT (Oct 19, 2020)

RobinHood said:


> You are welcome to use my shop. Your truck will fit with lots of room to spare. The garage is not heated, but it is fully enclosed and sheltered. I use 1200 W halogen lights to take the edge off and put a light on the situation...


That's super nice of you. I'll be ready in a month or so. I'm just building the headache rack now, and not looking forward to cold weather wiring of the traffic director and strobes. Don't care about heat as much as not rolling around in the snow. Hate removing plastic parts like grills outside—something expensive always breaks. Will advise when I get closer.


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## RobinHood (Oct 19, 2020)

You are welcome @CalgaryPT. Waiting for your call.

May even have the truck lift by then - it has been ordered, supposed to arrive mid to end of this month... There is hoping.


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## Tom O (Oct 19, 2020)

I’ll have to bookmark that just in case.


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## Chicken lights (Oct 19, 2020)

CalgaryPT said:


> That's super nice of you. I'll be ready in a month or so. I'm just building the headache rack now, and not looking forward to cold weather wiring of the traffic director and strobes. Don't care about heat as much as not rolling around in the snow. Hate removing plastic parts like grills outside—something expensive always breaks. Will advise when I get closer.


Can’t remember if I asked- are you planning on using the upfitter switches or making a custom switch panel?


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## PeterT (Oct 19, 2020)

CalgaryPT said:


> The inside of my nicely heated garage hasn't ever had a car or truck in it in for almost 25 years since it was built.



We might actually be brothers from another mother LOL. 
The great thing is I can finally tell my wife - what do you mean you hate scraping ice off the windshield? Park in the <gasp> GarageMahal? Well I know this other guy and ..... yadayada


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## CalgaryPT (Oct 19, 2020)

PeterT said:


> We might actually be brothers from another mother LOL.
> The great thing is I can finally tell my wife - what do you mean you hate scraping ice off the windshield? Park in the <gasp> GarageMahal? Well I know this other guy and ..... yadayada


LOL. I've been telling my wife the reason cars have roofs is pure Darwinism. They evolved this way so they can be parked outside.

Sleeping on the sofa gets a bad rap anyways. It isn't so bad.


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## CalgaryPT (Oct 19, 2020)

Chicken lights said:


> Can’t remember if I asked- are you planning on using the upfitter switches or making a custom switch panel?


The traffic director I bought has its own control panel to set the left/right arrow, flash pattern, etc. It also has AUX and Cargo switches. So I won't use the upfitters for this application. Two strobes will go behind the front grill, and then one on each side of the traffic director bar. I designed it this way on purpose—rather than have a traffic director that spans the entire length of the headache rack top rail, it is a shorter 30" model and centered on the rack. Then I'll mount a smaller strobe on either side of the director. That's so when I carry flat bar, it can rest on either far side of the headache rack and get tied down without needing to rest on an expensive traffic director bar and risk damaging it. The controller will mount on the top of the dash if all goes according to plan. That way I can see it without needing to bend over and look under the dash.

But I do love those upfitters on the roof of the 2018....just not for this application.

The wires and cables will be inside the headache rack 2" tubing, so it's kind of fun planning its design with holes I can get a fish tape through. The last few racks I built just had wiring zip-tied to the outside of the tubing. Nothing wrong with that...they are OK, but I like the clean look of routing all the wiring inside the rack.

I love fabricating this kind of stuff


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## Chicken lights (Oct 20, 2020)

CalgaryPT said:


> The traffic director I bought has its own control panel to set the left/right arrow, flash pattern, etc. It also has AUX and Cargo switches. So I won't use the upfitters for this application. Two strobes will go behind the front grill, and then one on each side of the traffic director bar. I designed it this way on purpose—rather than have a traffic director that spans the entire length of the headache rack top rail, it is a shorter 30" model and centered on the rack. Then I'll mount a smaller strobe on either side of the director. That's so when I carry flat bar, it can rest on either far side of the headache rack and get tied down without needing to rest on an expensive traffic director bar and risk damaging it. The controller will mount on the top of the dash if all goes according to plan. That way I can see it without needing to bend over and look under the dash.
> 
> But I do love those upfitters on the roof of the 2018....just not for this application.
> 
> ...


You probably already have a plan for this, but you will want a separate ground for the headache rack. Unless you’re going to ground everything back inside the truck. The plastic bed rail caps don’t allow good ground contact 

Somebody didn’t do that when he installed work lights on his headache rack and needs to go back and redo things. But I’m not naming names who that is.


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## CalgaryPT (Oct 20, 2020)

Chicken lights said:


> You probably already have a plan for this, but you will want a separate ground for the headache rack. Unless you’re going to ground everything back inside the truck. The plastic bed rail caps don’t allow good ground contact
> 
> Somebody didn’t do that when he installed work lights on his headache rack and needs to go back and redo things. But I’m not naming names who that is.


Sounds like the voice of experience. Good point. Thanks.


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## kevin.decelles (Oct 20, 2020)

RobinHood said:


> You are welcome @CalgaryPT. Waiting for your call.
> 
> May even have the truck lift by then - it has been ordered, supposed to arrive mid to end of this month... There is hoping.



What make/model of lift did u go with?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## RobinHood (Oct 20, 2020)

BendPack XPR-10. 10000 lbs capacity 106” Drive through clearance, 69” rise.


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## wharris1 (Oct 20, 2020)

If needed I have a heated space you can use   the caveat is i am in langdon


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## CalgaryPT (Oct 21, 2020)

wharris1 said:


> If needed I have a heated space you can use   the caveat is i am in langdon


Very nice offer and much appreciated. I think I'm covered now between the U-Wrench solution and all the kind offers from forum members. Thanks


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