Zee's laboratory
- Thread starter Zeeflyboy
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Associate
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Any eta on when we can expect the finished product Zee?
Associate
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- 18 Jan 2016
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This project has to be the most beautiful building I've every seen if I ever get enough money together to make something like this it would look the same.
It's simply the best! Great job everything is perfect.
It's simply the best! Great job everything is perfect.
Many thanks Analog - very kind.
Militant - unfortunately life has been busy of late, work has ramped up out of nowhere, the missus has needed carting around to go car shopping and I've had some family duties to attend to.
On top of that I've also been a little lazy and enjoying the new PC more than I should while there is still work to be done!
Hoping to get a chance to do some meaningful progress next week, there isn't a huge amount to do really so hopefully I'll certainly have it finished off in the next few weeks.
Militant - unfortunately life has been busy of late, work has ramped up out of nowhere, the missus has needed carting around to go car shopping and I've had some family duties to attend to.
On top of that I've also been a little lazy and enjoying the new PC more than I should while there is still work to be done!
Hoping to get a chance to do some meaningful progress next week, there isn't a huge amount to do really so hopefully I'll certainly have it finished off in the next few weeks.
Been a while since I updated... yeah yeah, sloooooow I know.
Good news is that the cave is well on the way to being done. In terms of actual construction, all I need to do is the door and window sills and then it's done... unless I build another work table at the back (more on that later - I'm after opinions!).
So it's all mostly done now... just some hiding of wires and little finishing touches left. I finished off the printer table and then had a duh moment. There is a multi power strip in the unit that powers the printer and fridge, but of course once I had tucked the power supply away on it's little hidden shelf I realised I can either have the fridge and the printer on, or both off... but with no power switch on the printer I couldn't have the fridge always on and the printer only on when I want it. Durr! So stupid sometimes...
My solution was to add a spur socket switch on the line between power strip and printer. Now I can turn on the printer when needed (also note the ventilation for the power supply).
Most important part of the build:
Also been working on my CNC machine... I have built a water tray and shield, next I need to just machine out a level bed from it, then attach a 6mm alu plate which I'll drill and tap as a tooling plate. This means I'll now be able to machine Carbon Fibre underwater to avoid any dust issues, and I should be able to use flood coolant on aluminium. Happy days!
I have some further plans for the CNC before it's fully up and running - I've got an ethernet smoothstepper on the way, and I'm currently eying up some closed loop easyservo steppers. The bonus there is more power and the fact that it can't lose steps, increasing reliability... The cable chains were already getting a bit crowded so I've got some sliiiiiightly more beefy units to put on to make space for the extra wires and coolant lines etc.
Some general pics:
And yes, landscaping of the garden comes next
Girlfriend bought me this drinks mat - think that's acceptance?
So my current conundrum is what to do down the far end - here:
Should I stick to the original plan of a small sofa for chilling out, or should I build another small worktop down the end (potentially with a view to moving the CNC machine down there to gain more space around the main work area)?
Good news is that the cave is well on the way to being done. In terms of actual construction, all I need to do is the door and window sills and then it's done... unless I build another work table at the back (more on that later - I'm after opinions!).
So it's all mostly done now... just some hiding of wires and little finishing touches left. I finished off the printer table and then had a duh moment. There is a multi power strip in the unit that powers the printer and fridge, but of course once I had tucked the power supply away on it's little hidden shelf I realised I can either have the fridge and the printer on, or both off... but with no power switch on the printer I couldn't have the fridge always on and the printer only on when I want it. Durr! So stupid sometimes...
My solution was to add a spur socket switch on the line between power strip and printer. Now I can turn on the printer when needed (also note the ventilation for the power supply).
Most important part of the build:
Also been working on my CNC machine... I have built a water tray and shield, next I need to just machine out a level bed from it, then attach a 6mm alu plate which I'll drill and tap as a tooling plate. This means I'll now be able to machine Carbon Fibre underwater to avoid any dust issues, and I should be able to use flood coolant on aluminium. Happy days!
I have some further plans for the CNC before it's fully up and running - I've got an ethernet smoothstepper on the way, and I'm currently eying up some closed loop easyservo steppers. The bonus there is more power and the fact that it can't lose steps, increasing reliability... The cable chains were already getting a bit crowded so I've got some sliiiiiightly more beefy units to put on to make space for the extra wires and coolant lines etc.
Some general pics:
And yes, landscaping of the garden comes next
Girlfriend bought me this drinks mat - think that's acceptance?
So my current conundrum is what to do down the far end - here:
Should I stick to the original plan of a small sofa for chilling out, or should I build another small worktop down the end (potentially with a view to moving the CNC machine down there to gain more space around the main work area)?
Looks really good. Dead jealous - and I have my own man cave. Particularly jealous of the space you have as my wife needed to work from home too...so when I say "my own" man cave, it's not strictly accurate. I get reigate to the shed side where I've been laminate flooring part of one wall so I can mount tools etc up the wall and get a little work space.
The sofa decision comes down to what you're going to use the space for. Personally if I spend any down time in my cave I'm sitting playing games - I think the TV has been on once. If you're sitting at your PC you'll probably find it won't be long before you clobber your elbow on the edge of your new CNC coolant tray....which is great by the way.
If you have the chance to chill on the sofa I suspect your girlfriend will have something to say about location: "I don't want to sit among all your bits of metal....". Maybe I'm doing her a disservice or maybe your projects will all stay tidier than mine (stacked around the floor space) but that's how it went for me!
"Most important part of the build": mine's the Budvar!
Love the cupboard you've built for it too.
The sofa decision comes down to what you're going to use the space for. Personally if I spend any down time in my cave I'm sitting playing games - I think the TV has been on once. If you're sitting at your PC you'll probably find it won't be long before you clobber your elbow on the edge of your new CNC coolant tray....which is great by the way.
If you have the chance to chill on the sofa I suspect your girlfriend will have something to say about location: "I don't want to sit among all your bits of metal....". Maybe I'm doing her a disservice or maybe your projects will all stay tidier than mine (stacked around the floor space) but that's how it went for me!
"Most important part of the build": mine's the Budvar!
Love the cupboard you've built for it too.
Associate
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- 4 Oct 2011
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- Newbury, UK
Stick a sofa in there for chilling.
That is screaming out for outside decking with a few chairs for those Summer evenings. Some beers and just relax.
Awesome build man. Awesome.
That is screaming out for outside decking with a few chairs for those Summer evenings. Some beers and just relax.
Awesome build man. Awesome.
For a minute Swagger I was thinking just how much more right you were than me. If you add decking and some grass it'd be lovely with access to the beer fridge too. Trouble is, the cynical and grumpy side of me (it's getting worse with age!) chimed in and pointed out that it would be great...for the two days a year we have the weather for it. So, summer coolness or year-round workspace. Zee, the choice is yours! Judging by the results so far, whichever way you go it's going to be awesome!
Soldato
- Joined
- 17 Nov 2005
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- 3,095
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- Swindon, UK
Fantastic. Well done.
Dr Pepper Zero? Fancy..
Dr Pepper Zero? Fancy..
Cheers guys, very kind 
Actually I already built a nice deck out the back of the house - it's a good little sun trap in the afternoon/evening... I was planning a very small deck out the front of the man cave but anything large enough to actually sit on would eat up too much garden space... my plan was that a small deck out the front would give the impression of more space when the doors are fully opened up.
the deck, before and after:
Cenedd - haha, you see I headed off the missus by letting her have the study as her work space. I'm actually hoping to set her up with a business she can run from there later in the year.
I think i'm leaning towards more workspace and seeing if I can squeeze in a single recliner sofa - combined with the PC chair and the bar stool that should be sufficient seating. The area to the side of the cave will be a patio area (perhaps with a fire pit) and i'll see what options I have for making it covered to increase the year-round utility.
!bluetonic! - nothing but the best lol.
Actually I already built a nice deck out the back of the house - it's a good little sun trap in the afternoon/evening... I was planning a very small deck out the front of the man cave but anything large enough to actually sit on would eat up too much garden space... my plan was that a small deck out the front would give the impression of more space when the doors are fully opened up.
the deck, before and after:
Cenedd - haha, you see I headed off the missus by letting her have the study as her work space. I'm actually hoping to set her up with a business she can run from there later in the year.
I think i'm leaning towards more workspace and seeing if I can squeeze in a single recliner sofa - combined with the PC chair and the bar stool that should be sufficient seating. The area to the side of the cave will be a patio area (perhaps with a fire pit) and i'll see what options I have for making it covered to increase the year-round utility.
!bluetonic! - nothing but the best lol.
Associate
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- 14 Aug 2014
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One of my favourite threads. Love these man cave projects. I'd get a sofa in there zee, so that if you have any friends over you've got a little bit of a social area to sit and chill together.
Associate
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- Newbury, UK
Yeah that decking looks awesome man. Well done then Sir. How much do you charge an hour 
Soldato
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This build log has been unreal, it's like the house I've always wanted
Now when the sun arrives you can reap the benefits of all your hard work on the decking For an expert bodger you could easily pass as a expert of the trade (Better than most I've ever had to deal with anyway )
Now when the sun arrives you can reap the benefits of all your hard work on the decking
For an expert bodger you could easily pass as a expert of the trade (Better than most I've ever had to deal with anyway )