Shop/Man Cave/Trophy Room Planning

bigsky2

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I am in the planning stages of building a shop. I am leaning towards making one side a separate trophy room/man cave. Is there any reason why I should avoid having a separate side and instead make it just one big shop? If anyone on here has something like this would you be willing to share some pictures? I am looking for any ideas that might be helpful- things you are glad you did, things you wish you had done differently, dimensions, door sizes, etc.
 


SDMF

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Depends upon what you're doing in the shop. If you're going to have vehicles or small engines running inside then you want a separate side if you're going to have any taxidermy beyond Euro or board/horn mounts. Dust and exhaust are hell on mounts, it'll dry and crack the hide, paint, and molding clay around the eyes, nose, mouth, and ears in a hurry.
 
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bigsky2

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Definitely plan on having shoulder mounts in there, that's why I was leaning towards a separate side for that. Not sure which side I want to have the sink/fish cleaning/meat butchering table on.

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risingsun

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Definitely plan on having shoulder mounts in there, that's why I was leaning towards a separate side for that. Not sure which side I want to have the sink/fish cleaning/meat butchering table on.

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That would depend on whether your right or left handed? :;:cheers
 


bigsky2

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Make a separate room.
Wood, no sheetrock?

For the area I plan to hang mounts, it will likely have some sheetrock on at least some of the walls. I plan on putting plywood behind it so I dont have to hang mounts on studs. I'd like to have some kind of barnwood or tongue and groove on at least one wall.
 

BrokenBackJack

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Go with Carsiding then you don't need a plywood backer. You can decide if you want the V or use the other side if you don't want the V. We put the V to the inside of the house so we could see it.
We put this in our farm house on a few walls when we redone the inside and spray foamed the outside walls. Looked great but lots of sanding, staining, and poly.
 

TFX 186

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I've seen a few shops that have a tall sidewall and the end wall has the living/office/mancave built above. Second Level. The underside is used as tools and work area because of the lower ceiling height. Might have to make the building sized to fit this type of build. The ones I've seen turned out nice.

Fish On!
 

Kurtr

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i would go sperate for sure. It will be cleaner and make it bigger than you think never have enough shop/man cave space
 


SDMF

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Lots of outlets along the wall @ 54"-60" off the floor. Put them @ 48" and 4' tall stuff still covers them. Put multiple outlets in the ceiling as well and get some drop-down reel extension cords, it's nice not to have to trip on cords.

If you're using a design program from Lowes, Home Depot, Menards, etc. Double the amount of lighting, shadows suck balls. It's way cheaper to double the lighting up front when you can pull wire sans sheet-rock. Not needing trouble/work lights for most projects is worth the cost of the extra lighting.

Figure on adding ceiling fans. Whatever it takes to eliminate "cold spots". Ceiling fans really help dry the floor as well if you spill something, bring in a snow covered vehicle, or just need to dry/de-frost a snow-laden/wet ice house.

10' sidewalls at a minimum if you're going to hang anything bigger than deer heads and want them up high enough to be out of the way of most projects.
 

NodakBob

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Time to revive the mancave thread, I have had the shell up for ten years while acquiring materials so i am finally in the finishing out the interior phase. keep the ideas coming. I have a relatively small space since I am on a 1.25 acre lot...24'x36' with a 2nd floor room. Main floor is a single stall garage with a dble stall added on...so the single stall is tool shed/yard maintenance and the dble stall is a recreation room with recreational theme based on outdoor rec, live music and of course beer. What are some cool ideas you have incorporated into your mancave? I have 110 year old tin grainary panels I am using around the base of the room (28" high) and old barn wood/fence/corral boards for the walls, and new raw unfinished knotty pine car siding for the ceiling. Just getting the insulation in now so no pics yet...
One small detail is that I used to do taxidermy and have some assorted glass eyes...gonna put a couple in some knot holes in the barn wood, in case anyone is looking...
 

LBrandt

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Big brother is watching!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cool Idea. LB
 

PrairieGhost

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My carpenters told me to have the shop on the side nearest the house, and no windowes on that side. They also recommended I work very hard in my shop the first day. They also recommended I record all those working sounds. Then buy good speakers and point them at the house for the wife to listen to while you enjoyed kicking back in your new man csve.
 

snow1

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Hmmmm...."man cave needs jewelry as well plus a good compact frig....

jewelry (1).jpg
 


SDMF

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Obviously heated and A/C’d. Windows up high enough that you can’t see in without a ladder. You really only want the windows for ventilation if necessary anyway.

Wire in at least one, or as many as you think you might need 50Amp plugs for things like welders or bigger wood/metal working machines. Like lights and regular outlets, it’s WAY easier and cheaper to add them now rather than after you’ve finished the inside.
 

BrokenBackJack

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I hate using extension cords running all over, so I wired in twice the outlets than what we would think one would need. I prefer to overbuild and only do the project once "if possible".
Heat and A/C are a must.
Are you going to have Wi-Fi out there too? If so wire it for that..
Have plenty over head lights. We have the ones that look like flourescent tubes but they are LED.
Overhead fans also.
 

johnr

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Just finished the AC in the house garage on Monday, had to trench a 220 line from the current home AC, about 40 ft, to get the mini split up and running. And it is so quiet, you cant even hear it running as it is pumping chilled air in.
Nothing like a cool garage in the heat of May to make one feel special.
 

CAH

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Rule #1 - Never and I mean NEVER call it a man cave. You are a grown man, your house is yours and you dont need a cute little clubhouse.

Rule #2 - No fat chicks
 

johnr

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Rule #1 - Never and I mean NEVER call it a man cave. You are a grown man, your house is yours and you dont need a cute little clubhouse.

Rule #2 - No fat chicks

Agreed, I also really dislike when the term "big boy toys" is used. I am a grown fucking man, and so are my toys.
 


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