The Perfect Man Cave

[Bengt_Phorqs]

OK, now that Mrs. Phorqs and I have been officially joined in wedded bliss I'm finalizing the move into her lovely suburban ranch complete with swimming pool and tropical oasis out back.  (She initially hired me as a pool boy but that's a story for another forum.)

My problem is that I now need to relocate my workshop since I will no longer be able to spin wrenches in the kitchen of my previous house. Every guy needs a man cave or shed to work in so I was wondering if some of you out there might share photos or ideas.  Even though it's a huge house the space for a workshop is fairly limited.  I'm thinking of having a 10ft x 12ft Tuff Shed put up but how best to appoint it?

No doubt Monte would recommend picking up a used motorcycle crate from the local BMW shop but I want something a little more spacious than that.  Let's see what you have...

[Bob_Roller]

Duuuuude !!!!

The garage is yours, and the house is hers .

[Bengt_Phorqs]

Oh Robert, you naive soul.  The garage is only 1/2 mine.  Her automobile gets to reside there as well as the tools that make the backyard such a wonderful tropical paradise.  (My approach to yard work is that you can't improve on nature so why bother?)  

No, one way or the other I must reorganize the garage and the simplest way is to remove the garden tools to a shed so that I can have adequate flooring and heat in the winter.  I'm interested in work benches, lighting, shelving, that sort of idea.  I think that a roll around cabinet with a spacious top installed would make a good start to a work bench.

What do all of the creative mechanics on this marvelous forum use for their workshop/man(woman) cave?

[nhmaf]

Yes, you must give some priority to getting the yard tools (and seeds!!!!)
out to a toolshed so that you don't end up encouraging mice, chipmunks, squirrels, and the things that feed on them to take up residence in your garage (and your cars/motorcycles).

I would recommend looking for sales on rollaway toolchests @ Sears - with Father's day this month there are bound to be such sales on manly items.  This gives you some flexibility in moving your tool storage around the garage as needed.   It is also flea-market/yard sale time - so cruise around looking for someone with a workbench or else an old, heavy construction dining table that is cosmetically challenged.  This could give you a decent workbench space on the cheap, or you can build you own with some 2x6 and 3/4" plywood.

The first few months of marriage are critical to staking out turf.  You gotta let her have claim to enough 'acreage' to keep her happy, but if you let her hang even a single satchel of potpourri on your side of the garage or a man-space that you really need to have - then she's claiming that space, and you'll be hard-pressed to try to retake that space again later if you don't defend it with your life.  Thing "Normandy Invasion" from an effort perspective...

   

[Lucky_Lou]

How about a small shipping container painted pink the compramise on color should give some browny points and it will be secure.....Lol
Lou
ps congrats to you and the wife

[montmil]

...It is also flea-market/yard sale time - so cruise around looking for someone with a workbench or else an old, heavy construction dining table that is cosmetically challenged.  This could give you a decent workbench space on the cheap, or you can build you own with some 2x6 and 3/4" plywood... 

Dear God, Mike! After all they've put me through about finding econo bargains, have you learned nothing? Nothing! Just wait 'til Bengt and Justin chime in on you. 'alf a mo'... What am I saying? You'll take some of their cheap bastid digs offa me.  

I ain't touching Bengt's Man Cave question. No, not me. Not ever. Well...

Monte [smiley=ROTFLMAO.gif]

[Landlubber]

It seems to me that you have been clasped firmly, even thinking that a shed a mere 10 x 12 could be suitable for your bikes is a serious concern (unless of course you are referring to your plastic model collection).

I would recommend a 20 x 60 shed (for now anyhow, you can get a bigger one when "SHE" understands the male psychic better).

My old shed was that size and it could hold 26 bikes quite nicely and still have good working space for any new ones that follow you home.

[steve hawkins]

The shed is for gardening tools so that the Garage space can be re-allocated for more useful things like bikes and tools/bench etc.

The shed has got to be cute, made of wood, with windows and a little potting bench etc.  It has got to be pleasing to look at in the garden and be pleasing to look into the garden from.  I.e. you are enhancing the garden....

The key is in the 'selling'.  Dont try and sell it as kicking her stuff out of the garage.  Sell it as adding another pleasing feature to the garden.

Our UK government would call it 'spin'.  They'll tell you any kind of crap, with the right spin on it, it will sound like they are doing you a favour not emptying your pockets.

[Bengt_Phorqs]

Oh, so many wonderful ideas!  I like Mr. Hawkins idea of the shed with potting bench.  I don't think pink is the answer though, sorry Lou, but you're definitely in the right frame of mind here.

Monte kept referring to the wedding date, 6 June, as D-Day so I definitely need to approach this from a logistical planning standpoint except without all the paratroopers.  (Monte, you shouldn't feel like we're beating you up over being frugal.  Frugality is a good thing when you are on a school crossing guards salary.)

And Landlubber, the idea of a 20 x 60 shed makes me salivate but it just isn't going to happen on this property.  Even so, I may have to thin the herd a little.

Has anyone tried the device that sits under the motorcycle so you can spin it around inside the garage?

[montmil]

This morning, I finished setting batter boards for a second storage building in the back yard. Gotta get some of my wife's stuff outta the garage/motorcycle shop. And yes, I'll be building it myownself.

Mike, I'd encourage you to put casters on all your new tool chests and related big stuff. I, too, have to share the garage with my wife's car ever since a hail storm 12+ years ago pounded her 2 month-old Caddy. Heck, I had an airplane in the garage, sans wings... important guy stuff, it was.

These days, I just roll her ride into the driveway; then roll my stuff into position. It's a compromise but the foundation of the new yard shed will be complete this week! We are building a retirement home away from civilization and I'll have a proper free-standing shop with a sign...  "Where Cares Do Not Enter and Women Cease to Worry"

Monte

[Altritter]

OMG, had I gone out for a beer when this thread went up? How did I miss out on it for so long?   :-?

The law of equitable distribution in our household is: What's "hers" is hers, and what's "mine" is "ours." Thus, mine is one-half hers.  

Except: during the day, the entire house is hers. That's why I catch grief whenever I take a day off work to do stuff around the house. We have a clear understanding that I won't retire, maybe ever. Fine with me: I rarely accomplish what I stay home to do, because of all the extemporaneous honey-do's.

Congratulations, and welcome to your new life—sincerely.
John

[Motu]

At our place we built about 20 years ago - my shed was an old rotten truck body.I made a foundation of posts and dropped it on and refloored it...but never had power.It was 7'6'' by 12'...so pretty small - but I could lock 10 bikes in there when I went away.

Now I have a 6 x 12 metre shed - a double garage with workshop,and sleepout with ensuit.No cars in the garage/workshop space,it's all bikes.

[montmil]

You Might Be a RedNek if... You have an old school bus for a tool shed.

Monte

[Bob_Roller]

You Might Be a RedNek if... You have an old school bus for a tool shed.

Monte

Or live a 737 fuselage !!

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/15946

[aussie]

I'm not gonna even ask how you found this Bob....