Dupes' Basement Project

[dupes]

Alrighty...I've been threatening to post this up for a while, but I was waiting until the project was "finished". I've come to terms with the fact that it will NEVER really be finished, so here we go!

Decided a couple of years ago to take my unfinished basement and turn it into my man cave. Figured I'd only get one shot at it, so I wanted to do it right while keeping costs down to manageable levels - means me and Mrs. Dupes did the vast majority of the work ourselves and resorted to some "creative sourcing" when it came to materials. First, the layout of the basement before everything started:



The STAR icon is where I'm standing to take the vast majority of the pics. Tried to stand in the same spot so you could see the evolution as progress happenend. On the left side is all of the utilities (not pictured) like oil tank, furnace, hot water heater, etc. etc. Here's where we'll get to:



You'll figure out what most of that stuff is as we roll along. Here we go!





This was the basement after I spent about two months cleaning it out. Still stuff from moving in 8 years prior everywhere, trash, junk, blah blah blah. Many trips to the dump.







Framing and insulating - this was the only truly "outsourced" labor. Luckily, one of the guys in my IPMS chapter (and good friend) Steve is a contractor, so he worked cheap knowing that he'd have a good place to hang out upon completion. Two guys banged this out in a day.







Electrical work - me and my dad. Pretty simple, really, just two circuits to run an a$$-ton of outlets around the whole joint. Most of the work was drilling and cutting holes in the insulation.





Sheetrock. You've all seen sheetrock. Boring.







Continued sheetrockery and some of the trim work.







Primed sheetrock!









Wall paint. All done by me and the Mrs.



Floor acid etched and painted. This pic is taken from over near the basement walkout door looking back towards where the bench will be.



Had Steve back to build the outdoor-vented spray booth. Traded him some kits and pizza for work. Heh.



Roughing in the bench. 14' x 9'. Didn't I say I wanted to do it right?



The finished bench after repeated clearcoats and sanding. Fixtures also hung. All lights are temperature matched 5000k bulbs. Took some doing to get that to work, but it's soooo much easier to see everything in it's true colors like that.



Did the same thing in the spray booth. This is the custom jobbie I whipped up using a castoff 42" range hood. It sure sucks!

[dupes]

Quick virtual tour of where everything is now, starting upstairs and working down:



Turn left:





I've actually done a lot more work around the bench since these pics. Need to take some updated ones.



Metal shelving, plastic tables, fridge, etc.



Managed to get some left over slatwall (AWESOME) from a project at the wife's work.



Tables for the club to do build nights on.



Bookshelves for reference materials, and the back room which houses the stash.

[dupes]

Like I said, not complete by any means (and certainly not in these pics - will update), but I got it to "functional" status and can plug away from there. Trim stuff, cabinets, etc. still to go.

Those rolled up plans are for my NEXT major project - which shall be revealed shortly. Will need some assistance from some of you in completing it, I'm sure. Once I can get some more time to round up all of the info on that I'll post it up here as well.

[afvfan]

Looking good Dupes. The cats seem to approve.

[Deleted]

THAT'S A FERKIN MAN CAVE !!!!!!!,right there!!! ....and a sneaky into the stash room tells me you've got more kits than my LHS! I'm so not jealous

[Leon]

WOW that is an awesome man cave dupes .Looks like you have your own hobbie shop there.You and the Mrs and Steve did a fantastic job.

[`Boots`]

BLOODY HELL!!!!!!!!!!!.................thats paradise , very nice indeed Dupes and there is absolutely know way i am ferkin` jealous mucka

[dupes]

Hahaha...thanks guys! Everyone in my local club loves it, too. Heh. But nobody as much as the cats.

Dicky - club night is twice a month (usually on Wednesdays) from 6-whenever...usually about 10 or so before everyone bails. You (or anyone else who wants to come) are invited down there ANYTIME, however. Just let me know so the lady can prep some pizza dough.

I actually have a lot more than my LHS. But that's not saying much, it's a pretty small shop.

Speaking of having my own hobby shop, I have a sale thread I need to update!

[dupes]

TBH, if you're willing to take your time (which I was - something like two years) and do the work yourself, it can be done relatively inexpensively. The entire basement upgrade from 100% unfinished to badass modeling cave was just under $4,000. That includes the benches I built inside the utility room for all of my "big" power tools, the tables and chairs for the club, the fridge, all of it.

[Deleted]

now that's a cave! great space mate should be enough space there for all of your builds this year!

[dupes]

Smudge - I need to take pics of the bench - the whole short side is STACKED with half-builts and shelf queens. Need to get them built!

Next upgrade is getting started next month...my dad (excellent woodworker) is building me my permanent display cases. Sixteen feet of wall worth. Should get me a solid 20 years or so before I outgrow those!

[wing_nut]

Dude I don't mind telling you how freakin jealous I am. I hope you remembered to put the nail plates over the Romex.

[dupes]

Haha...I had to Google "Romex" - used a different brand. Yessir, all set with the plates.

You're welcome to stop by anytime you happen to be in the neighborhood.

[dupes]

Mar 22, 2014 14:40:44 GMT -5 @dickyf said:

Okay Dupes, if I set off Tuesday morning I should be able to make it Weds I love pizza and cats but not necessarily together!

With the time change, you should be able to leave Wednesday morning for Wednesday night, no? I'll check flights.

Yeah, cat pizza isn't my favorite either. Pepperoni (or chorizo) is much better.

[bullardino]

Wow, that's more than a cave. It's a whole realm. Great one, Dupes

[pantherf..-Email Not Valid]

VERY cool but very nice work!  I once had a basement mancave that I did almost all the work on back in the 90's.

Then I got sick... lost the house, lost my truck and lost our 30,000 dollar nest too.


But, we have this house now... and a little 9X11 room I call MY mancave.  It works. 



Thanks for sharing the awesome pictures.  It brought back great memories.  






Jeff

[wbill76]

Nice layout and well worth the effort you've put into it over the last couple of years Marc! Now we know how you're able to hit your factory goal for 2014...you've got all that real estate to make it happen! Just need to put some additional security on that stash room though...you never know when Andy might pop in for a visit!

[dupes]

Hahaha...you laugh, Bill - Andy is scheduled for a visit in September!

Yeah, now that it's done(ish) I am able to get a lot more done. Also explains my lackluster output for 2011 and 12. :/

[JimD]

Wow. Just wow. I'd give anything to live somewhere where I could have a finished basement like that. I love the long bench and kind of want to do something similar in the spare bedroom Ive claimed.

I have to say the most impressive aspect of all this is you got the Mrs to help. I repainted the house we recently sold and moved in to another that I've since repainted and not once have I been able to get my wife to pick up a paint brush. lol. But she's good at telling me how to do it so there's that. Haha

Anyway...really awesome. Look forward to seeing the space evolve.

[dupes]

Mar 22, 2014 17:40:25 GMT -5 @dickyf said:

Yer got me thinkin' now Bill....how LONG would it take to dig a 3000 mile tunnel?

Tunnel? Shoot...just take a plane. Looks like it only takes 5 hours to get to the closest airport from Heathrow. Well, effectively 5 hours with the time change, anyway.

You have a KLA flight that leaves for Boston at 9 in the morning...pile some of your mates on and swing by!

[dupes]

Mar 22, 2014 17:42:22 GMT -5 JimD said:

Wow. Just wow. I'd give anything to live somewhere where I could have a finished basement like that.

Jimmy - one of the benefits of living hundreds of miles from anywhere is cheap property values.

As far as the wife - she's EXTREMELY supportive of every aspect of my modeling. Keeps me at home (which I don't mind) and away from the bars, golf course, and other women. Shoot, she even comes to all the shows!

[JimD]

Yep. That's the mark of a good wife for sure. Fortunately mine is equally supportive, just not very helpful.

I live in Texas...so no basements. Our ground is made of 80% water 10% earth and 10% sewage. So being underground is neither possible nor desirable.

[dupes]

Huh...I didn't realize that was an issue. Then again, when I lived in Texas it was in my barracks room - didn't spend much time poking around for the basement!

[Deleted]

Holy hell Dupes, that's bigger than my house! Outstanding

[wbill76]

Mar 22, 2014 17:41:48 GMT -5 dupes said:

Hahaha...you laugh, Bill - Andy is scheduled for a visit in September!

Yeah, now that it's done(ish) I am able to get a lot more done. Also explains my lackluster output for 2011 and 12. :/

Better put some motion detectors and night-vision cameras in place soon then!

[dupes]

Ooooh, night vision cameras...that's a fine idea!

[imatanker]

Yaaaaaaa Buddy. Well done Bro. That's the spit right there. We plan on doing some remodeling this summer, I might have to change the plans a little

[dupes]

Jeff - feel free to come visit if you want some design ideas! The spray booth in particular is very hard to take pics of because of the shape. I should really take a short movie and throw it up here for you guys to check out.

[TRM]

The Dupes Digs!! Nice bid there Marc!! If Mia was that happy painting maybe trade is in store...two teenage girls that when not being shuffled all over the planet or acting like couch anchors for on good woman willing to make pizza and paints!! She is better than having the cave the cave my friend!! You know that might not be big enough if you unveil the plans? LOL...Told you once I can help with that center piece!! When you are ready!!

[dupes]

Todd - it just so happens that "it" will fit...I made sure.

Doing some initial cutting tomorrow - we can talk at Valleycon next week.

Are you trying to trade me some teenage girls???