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Man cave advice needed


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Hi all. We just signed a contract to have a new house built, and SWMBO has authorized me to fully inhabit the basement, making it into my man cave. I have free reign to fit in the following essential elements:

-Model-making bench

-Airbrush station with store-bought spray booth

-Computer workstation desk

-Shelving to display models

-65'' TV stand and TV (sitting on floor)

-I LOVE ME wall, with various pictures from the good old days

-Drawers or small shelves to hold paint, glue, and other tools

-Computer gaming chair, and model-making chair, both with wheels

 

My biggest question mark is how to set up the model-making and tool storage area. I can have built-in cabinets made for the walls. This thread is so people can share ideas for what might be most practical.

 

First, the space. I took these photos in a model home that is mostly finished, with a very similar basement layout. Ours will actually be larger, because we're not going to have a closet or bathroom, just a large L-shaped space. Excerpt from the construction plan. The space is 28 feet long, and the long side of the L is 24 feet. The narrower part is 11 feet wide, for the last 16 feet from the left toward the right side.

image.thumb.png.e5b67bc6b68993e126ebd830715b2758.png

 

This picture was taken from the top left corner of the plan above. SWMBO is on the stairs. The storage area under the stairs will be there, and I think I'll put the big TV on the wall between the staircase and the opening to the under-stairs storage. On the far right is the closet for the bedroom. We will not have anything built in that area - the whole portion on the left of the plan will be open up to the wall of the mechanical room (below the toilet and shower in the plan).

SYgun8S.jpg

 

This is a view from the staircase toward the top left corner of the plan. In the far right corner you can see next to the window that the main electrical panel for the house is there, so I'll have to leave some open space next to it for access.

y5XwLSi.jpg

 

ALF

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-Storage (not just display space) for finished models, plus storage for unfinished and unstarted models - you will always need lots more than you think you will.

-If you have reference books, allow plenty of shelf space for what you have now and what you may acquire in future.

-In short, future-proof your space to accommodate further purchases and builds over time.

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I want to be able to see the TV from my computer desk, so I'm thinking of putting that desk near the electrical panel, along the back (top) wall of the house. I may also decide to put the TV along the side wall, where the real estate agent is standing in the top photo.

ALF

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Here’s my small building space.  I went kind of small because I have the tendency to clutter up a flat surface. 
 

w69lnU.jpg

 

window to the left is where I’m going to duct the booth fumes out to. 
 

storage for tools is via a Harbor Freight tool chest.  Built the paint storage rack along with the bench and paint booth. 
BeEd45.jpg

 


Here’s my display case in the back of the basement 

J9ci5c.jpg

 

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Stash is kept in the garage. Kind of semi-climate controlled.

Loft O’ Models on this side.  All these large moving boxes are full of kits. 

F7Oy3Z.jpg

 

Shelf built on this side 

7shkMi.jpg

 

Edited by Scott Smith
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I wish I had space like that..

ALF... you will have an excellent  time building in your fabulous  man cave when done.

Good chair(s),  cushion  for  chair to sit on and lean against,  storage , small fridge (to keep drinks cool), bookshelves and well you are then set !!

Keep up updated.

:banana:  :banana:

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Congrats, exciting times. I did the same. My modeling friends bug me that my room is too nice.

 

See if you can get the builder to put in a exhaust vent duct for your booth. The other option is a window vent, have one that you can change through the seasons.

 

For tool storage you may want to look at kitchen cabinets, you could even design a work bench from what is offered these days. So many custom options, IKEA has nice kitchen stuff now.

 

I bought some very nice display cabinets from a store fixture store, but if able get display cabinets custom built into the walls. I wish I had done that.

 

When our girls finished university and moved out I gained one of their rooms, I fully renovated it into my Spitfire Cave, I’m spoiled, two man caves. No buildingithis second room, only display and aviation art. Plus three computer desks (wife, son, me).

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Hi ALF

 

Congrats on the new house, if your still in the montreal area you are more then welcome to come and see my setup, could bring some ideas, my basement is in similar shape, but smaller.

 

Cheers

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Beer fridge - yes. 

I need space. currently, working with this:

3jQ8dC7.jpg

I want room for instructions, spreading out sprues, and for foil. Now, I find myself with zero space, and it really causes problems.

Great ideas, folks! I like the paint arrangement. Something like a Lazy Susan with racks around the outside sounds good.

ALF

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1 hour ago, ALF18 said:

Beer fridge - yes. 

I need space. currently, working with this:

3jQ8dC7.jpg

I want room for instructions, spreading out sprues, and for foil. Now, I find myself with zero space, and it really causes problems.

Great ideas, folks! I like the paint arrangement. Something like a Lazy Susan with racks around the outside sounds good.

ALF

I have a Tamiya paint rack for my paint.

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13 hours ago, ALF18 said:

Beer fridge - yes. 

I need space. currently, working with this:

3jQ8dC7.jpg

I want room for instructions, spreading out sprues, and for foil. Now, I find myself with zero space, and it really causes problems.

Great ideas, folks! I like the paint arrangement. Something like a Lazy Susan with racks around the outside sounds good.

ALF

I bought nail polish shelves off Amazon for the lazy Susan setup.  You can also get deep ones too.  One side on mine is deep.  As far a sprue organization, the top four drawers on the tool chest is to arrange kit sprues for the project at hand.

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Take whatever space you have designated for display space and double it.  Seriously.  I built a wall of shelves 10 ft tall x 12 ft wide which takes up the entirety of one wall in my display area of the basement.  I figured it would be YEARS before I ever filled it all up.  Nope.  I'm just about out of room already.

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On 5/4/2022 at 8:04 AM, ALF18 said:

Beer fridge - yes. 

I need space. currently, working with this:

3jQ8dC7.jpg

I want room for instructions, spreading out sprues, and for foil. Now, I find myself with zero space, and it really causes problems.

Great ideas, folks! I like the paint arrangement. Something like a Lazy Susan with racks around the outside sounds good.

ALF

Not completely about space arrangement, but sort of. One of the things I started doing with instructions is taking cell pics of them and then viewing on a tablet instead of keeping the paper at my desk. It's neater, takes up less room and you can zoom in and out as needed. (important for older eyes like mine) I've been meaning to get a swivel arm tablet/computer monitor mount above my desk for it as well to help keep it out of the way when I don't need, but ready for access. Also good for keeping reference photos close by to look at.

 

Nice looking are you got to work with for sure!

 

Bill

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1 hour ago, ElectroSoldier said:

If youre having a house built why would you have yourself assigned to the basement? 

LOL!  We all know why. Same reason I am too.  And she’s trying to make half the basement hers too!  Wants it to be an entertainment center, what ever that is.  I find my modeling quite entertaining.

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2 hours ago, ElectroSoldier said:

If youre having a house built why would you have yourself assigned to the basement? 

 

Spoken like a single man....  😂😂😂

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2 hours ago, ElectroSoldier said:

If youre having a house built why would you have yourself assigned to the basement? 

It will be my refuge - and I will be allowed to mould it to my liking. Upstairs, in SWMBO's domain, I have zero input. 

46 minutes ago, Scott Smith said:

LOL!  We all know why. Same reason I am too.  And she’s trying to make half the basement hers too!  Wants it to be an entertainment center, what ever that is.  I find my modeling quite entertaining.

You need to join an alliance - one that reacts firmly to encroachment. Next thing you know, there will be mood lighting, 24-hour chick flicks... shudder!

1 minute ago, habu2 said:

 

Spoken like a single man....  😂😂😂

SHACK!

 

ALF

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3 hours ago, ElectroSoldier said:

Spoken like a man not in charge of himself 🤣

 

I'm a bachelor by choice, I do whatever I want wherever I want in any room of my house. My model room is upstairs in one of three "bedrooms". I am Master of my Domain.

  👑 👑 👑

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1 hour ago, habu2 said:

 

I'm a bachelor by choice, I do whatever I want wherever I want in any room of my house. My model room is upstairs in one of three "bedrooms". I am Master of my Domain.

  👑 👑 👑

Me too and I dont have to be single to do it either.
We are together by choice too 🤣

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  • 2 weeks later...

The basement will be your domain until the kids come along, then it will become their playroom.

Try and figure out where you would like to put your booth so you can get the builder to install an outdoor exhaust vent for you, like Scooby said, to save yourself some work. Congrats on the new house and you have endless possibilities with the basement since it's a clean slate. Take your time, decide where you'd like to put things and, do it right the first time. Maybe even consider having a designer come up with a design for your space, so you can see it on a computer first before starting anything, just my two cents. Like Mike Holmes always says "If your gonna take the time to do something, do it right the first time."

Good luck with your new space.

Steve

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On 5/19/2022 at 2:07 PM, A-10 LOADER said:

The basement will be your domain until the kids come along, then it will become their playroom.

Try and figure out where you would like to put your booth so you can get the builder to install an outdoor exhaust vent for you, like Scooby said, to save yourself some work. Congrats on the new house and you have endless possibilities with the basement since it's a clean slate. Take your time, decide where you'd like to put things and, do it right the first time. Maybe even consider having a designer come up with a design for your space, so you can see it on a computer first before starting anything, just my two cents. Like Mike Holmes always says "If your gonna take the time to do something, do it right the first time."

Good luck with your new space.

Steve


He moved to Montreal to be closer to his grown up kids, he’s got free reign now. 😀

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