Not Boat Related, but Stereo Related

[philwsailz]

Hi guys-

Just wanted to show a few pics of my man-cave build out in the shop. I am losing the space for my office in the house, so building an office in the shop was only logical. Since I am swinging the hammer, I figure why not add enough space for a good theater. My plan is for in-walls, (I already have some nice Dayton Audio MTM in-walls on-hand) for the theater. I will then probably have some free-standing speakers on stands for any recording or editing work I do. I will have a small dry bar with fridge, and I may bring my shuffleboard in to the office from its current location in the garage.

I am ready for texture at the moment, then paint, then floor and trim, and themn I start moving in.

Anyway, here are a few pics of my new digs, in progress.

David will probably dig my ideas on the surround. I am going old-school, at least for a while and will be using either a passive Hafler-style matrix decoder for the rear speakers or I will use one of the active Quadrophonic options that existed in the 70's. NO CENTER CHANNEL initially, as it is my opinion that a center channel speaker is unnecessary with defined center-position seating. I have 5 identical in-walls and I pre-wired for a center channel speaker, but I am going ot leave it out for now to see what I come up with. One item floating around on the used market I am curious about is the SOny SQD-2020. It is a 4-channel decoder and does it at the preamp level, so I can use two stereo power amps on the back-end of the Sony decoder and have full control over each of the 4 channels. I can add a digital delay if I want to add some distance to the back speaker artificially.

There are two HDMI pulls from the equipment rack to the TV. I can use HDMI switching in the TV if I want, with an audio feed back to the rack from the TV. I am not saying I amgoing to run it that way, but I have the flexibility built in if I choose to.

I want to have this all done before Dec. 14. I gotta get my game on....

[philwsailz]

A few more pics with drywall in place

[philwsailz]

Pics pre-drywall. This thing is well insulated....

[mmandley]

looking nice, what ya going to do with it? Bar, Big screen, pool table?

[philwsailz]

Possibly all of the above. My wife wants a pool table in there, but I say it takes up too much room. I know how pool tables go... they get a cover, never get played on, start getting stuff stacked on them and a year later you ask yourself, Why the heck did I put that in here?

I am trying to keep the pool table out....

[drb59]

You describe my multi media room WITH a pool table in it that never gets used!:p

[sandm]

nice pics...

[EricU]

Just wanted to show a few pics of my man-cave build out in the shop. I am losing the space for my office in the house, so building an office in the shop was only logical. Since I am swinging the hammer, I figure why not add enough space for a good theater. My plan is for in-walls, (I already have some nice Dayton Audio MTM in-walls on-hand) for the theater. I will then probably have some free-standing speakers on stands for any recording or editing work I do. I will have a small dry bar with fridge, and I may bring my shuffleboard in to the office from its current location in the garage.

I am ready for texture at the moment, then paint, then floor and trim, and themn I start moving in.

Phil, that is awesome! building a play pen out in the shop! How COOL!

My $0.02, leave out the pool table for the reasons already listed, put in the wiring for an overhead projector. Add in a drop down screen in 2.35:1 format.

I built my current house and was ready for the roofer sub to show up, stood in the front room looking out a window and told my buddy, "call off the roofer and get your tape measure, I think I have enough room for a home theatre" (I have wanted one for a lonnnnng time), ended up adding a 20' wide x 22' long room and run an overhead JVC projector firing onto a 135" 2.35:1 Vutec screen - I love it!!!

Great photos and it looks like you are kicking @$$ on the project

[New Guy]

Phil that looks awesome, the wife does know that you will be moving out there full time right? Also on the shuffleboard table it is definitely build-able with your wood working skills. I built mine with significantly less wood working equipment than you have.

Man I would love a 2.35:1 screen!

Here is mine that I built last year.
https://forum.moomba.com/showthread.php?21411-Basement-Mancave&highlight=basement

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo121/2005r6rider/20130517_224533_zps06d6413e.jpg
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo121/2005r6rider/20130517_224600_zps95212c80.jpg

[kaneboats]

I'd like a "drop down pool table". Then it's not in the way all the time but you can lower it when you want to play. On second thought, it's pretty heavy. Maybe have it come up out of the floor instead. Yeah, definitely rising up out of the floor. What? We're in fantasy land right?

[philwsailz]

Phil that looks awesome, the wife does know that you will be moving out there full time right? Also on the shuffleboard table it is definitely build-able with your wood working skills. I built mine with significantly less wood working equipment than you have.

Man I would love a 2.35:1 screen!

Here is mine that I built last year.
https://forum.moomba.com/showthread.php?21411-Basement-Mancave&highlight=basement

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo121/2005r6rider/20130517_224533_zps06d6413e.jpg
http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo121/2005r6rider/20130517_224600_zps95212c80.jpg

That is killer. Love it love it love it. Nice Work!!!!

I already have a 9' shuffleboard, but would like to build a new base for it. The playing surface is great but the rest orf it is MDF and has been beat on... I want to build a nice 6-leg support with levelers, and a new carpeted tray to put the maple playing surface into. That project WILL happen, I am just not sure when.

What is your bar surfaace?

[New Guy]

Phil my piece of advice is try and find an old bowling alley that they are pulling out and buy a section of that. It works great.

[philwsailz]

Phil my piece of advice is try and find an old bowling alley that they are pulling out and buy a section of that. It works great.

I have a playing surface already. Nice maple and the finish is good. I just want a better table under it.. I have considered the bowling alley route if I want to build a bigger one some day. I would love to have a regulation 22-footer...

Oh wait, you mean bowling alley for bar surface..... Right??? Hmmm.... That is a brilliant idea.

[philwsailz]

heh heh heh....


http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/mat/4185942181.html

[New Guy]

^we need a like button!

[kaneboats]

Wow! Those are sweet!

[EricU]

...Also on the shuffleboard table it is definitely build-able with your wood working skills. I built mine with significantly less wood working equipment than you have...
Here is mine that I built last year.
https://forum.moomba.com/showthread.php?21411-Basement-Mancave&highlight=basement

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo121/2005r6rider/20130517_224533_zps06d6413e.jpg

Mark,

I love that shuffleboard table. My wife is right around the corner and I can't let her see your post. I can hear her saying "I want one of THOSE!, How long will it take you?"
Looks like both rooms are a good place to while away these ridiculous Daylight Savings Time dark evenings.

[KG's Supra24]

Both of your rooms look great. Makes me jealous!

How long does a shuffleboard need to be? (newb)

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[philwsailz]

Both of your rooms look great. Makes me jealous!

How long does a shuffleboard need to be? (newb)

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

My little one is 9 ft. Regulation is 22 ft. You can find them in several lengths in between

[rdlangston13]

I need to build a beer pong table for our garage. Go to you tube and look up LSU beer pong table and that's the basis of what I want to do


Sent from my iPhone

[EricU]

heh heh heh....

http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/mat/4185942181.html

Oh my G@@!

Anyone driving a truck/trailer from Oklahoma out to Napa? I would love to get my hands on a few of those. Not sure (yet) I would be doing with them

[New Guy]

KG my table is 16ft.

[philwsailz]

One 8-foot piece of maple bowling alley...

:D

[New Guy]

NICE! Looks familiar.

[philwsailz]

Wall texture is now done. I started installing electrical outlets last night. Man, I am slow...

[philwsailz]

Walls are painted. Outlet covers are on. Letting the flooring aclimate to the new room before I glue it down...

[beat taco]

Thanks for sharing your project here!

These will help you if you don't have some.
http://products.kleintools.com/Strippers_comma_%20Cutters_comma_%20&%20Crimpers/Wire%20Strippers_slash_Cutters/Klein-Kurve_registered_%20Wire%20Strippers_slash_Cutters %20-%20Dual%20NM%20Cable/K1412.html

[kaneboats]

Thanks for sharing your project here!

These will help you if you don't have some.
http://products.kleintools.com/Strippers_comma_%20Cutters_comma_%20&%20Crimpers/Wire%20Strippers_slash_Cutters/Klein-Kurve_registered_%20Wire%20Strippers_slash_Cutters %20-%20Dual%20NM%20Cable/K1412.html

Gotta love a good stripper.

[philwsailz]

Thanks for sharing your project here!

These will help you if you don't have some.
http://products.kleintools.com/Strippers_comma_%20Cutters_comma_%20&%20Crimpers/Wire%20Strippers_slash_Cutters/Klein-Kurve_registered_%20Wire%20Strippers_slash_Cutters %20-%20Dual%20NM%20Cable/K1412.html

I am way beyond that... :)

[philwsailz]

Check this out!

[philwsailz]

Sorry for sideways iPhone post...

[drb59]

Great job. It is a very nice area.

[EricU]

Sorry for sideways iPhone post...

Phil, glad you cleared that up, I had thought you screwed up and built the room on it's side!!!

[New Guy]

Any more updates?

[EricU]

Any more updates?

My guess, he's watching movies, drinking beer and playing shuffle board while eating left over turkey. Or getting ready for CES???

[philwsailz]

I had a windfall. I found a deal on some studio and industrial quality acoustic foam. I got a lot of it. I have spent the last couple of nights listening to different music, trying to determine what the best foam placement location will be.

I am going to end up using some thick 9" wedge material on the front wall where the TV will mount. I want to remove any smear travelling cross the wall from speaker to speaker. I will also use corner blocks as shown in the pics below, although they are not installed correctly in these images.

Along the side walls I will use some 2' x 4' 3" thick wedge panels strategically placed to prevent side-wall echoes. I will use this same material on the back wall maybe, although that is where the bar is going. It might look funny. so i I put it up there, it will likely be removable, or I might just keep the sheets handy and set them up on something when I need the back wall damped.

Sitting in the sofa now the room is not ear-sucking dead, but a hand-clap produces no appreciable echo.

I have been demoing a lot of different music the last three nights. It is amazing what good acoustic treatment can do. You don't realize how much of the sound you are hearing from your stereo is THE ROOM you are sitting in. When you get the foam treatment in place you remove your listening room's contribution to what you are hearing. After the treatment you realize the "room" you are hearing is the room the recording was made in. I haved heard things the last few nights that I have never heard before, in music I have owned for years....

[New Guy]

Nice I need to get some of that for in my cave. I get echoes really bad right now.

[philwsailz]

Nice I need to get some of that for in my cave. I get echoes really bad right now.

While it is not as hot a deal as I got, there is an ebay seller that has some good stuff fairly reasonably. The ebay seller has kits. Their store is here: http://stores.ebay.com/Foam-N-More-INC?_trksid=p2047675.l2563

[wolfeman131]

Nice I need to get some of that for in my cave. I get echoes really bad right now.

You sure it's those echoes you hear aren't a result of something else there, Cheech?

[philwsailz]

Status update. Bar construction has started. A few pics of design options in progress, work in progress, and a new cold box.

Not shown in this set are two roll-around EIA, (pro-sound spec) 19" racks. All the AV gear will be in the racks, so I can roll them out to gain easy access to the patch cables and wiring, etc. One will house the AV stuff, teh other will hold at least one of the two comuters that will live out there. One is a dedicated CAD machine and the other is my digital recording studio PC

[philwsailz]

Here area the rest of the pics. I can only place 5 at a time in a post.... :D

[philwsailz]

Might as well show you the roll-around racks

[EricU]

Phil,

Those pics look awesome - almost in time for the Cotton Bowl and the Sugar Bowl!

[philwsailz]

Here are a few shots of the almost finished base cabinet for the fridge. The large cavity to the left is where the fridge goes. the right cavity will get two full extension drawers, if "drawers" is what you want to call them. The design I am going towards on the drawers is a lot like what you find for kitchen cabinets where the drawer is actually a full extension shelving unit; a pantry if you will... the actual face of the drawer will be tall, but when you pull it open the sides will be low.

The drawers will be where the liquor bottles live. I think there is enough vertical height to get two drawers in there with typical bottles. If I get tricky I might put switches on the things with some LED underlighting that light the bottles when the drawer pulls out. We will see.

The stain color for the base is a custom blend I cooked up. I had to mix a special batch from two different colors bought at the big box store combined with some wood boat filler stain the get the results I wanted. Filler stain is interesting stuff; I wish it were more readily available at home stores. I really don't want to do wood work without it and I am about to run out of the stash I amassed.

The top is clear unstained maple. I re-sawed boards to flip them on edge, exposing a harder surface, making it look more like the reclaimed bowling alley that will be the actual bar top. I don't have a power planer large enough to do this size of a board so I hand planed the top flat and then scraped it smooth prior to a light sanding. I feel like Popeye this morning.... The result is beautiful. I built in some flaws on purpose, jst so it looks even more like the old bowling alley chunk I have. Color-wise the two look identical so I am happy.

The first assembled pic shows the top in an un-routered, un-finished state. The last pic shows the top after two coats of finish. I will build to 4, then sand and build to 8, then sand and build to 10. That should hopefully get me the flat smooth deep look I am gunning for.

[philwsailz]

Here is some update to the detail work going into the actual bar. I had a plywood seam in the front of the main cabinet, and it needed to be covered somehow, so this Deco-inspired detail is how I decided to cover the seam. Also note the apron and cap around the lower portions of the cabinet.


I gotta figure out how to cut the bowling alley blank. Work on the main bar is almost at a standstill until I can get that part figured out. I need real counter-top dimensions to work with to finish out the tops, and I won't have that until the alley chunk is cut.

[mikenehrkorn]

Looks great............from experience, make sure to keep at least a small amount of your stain custom blend for the occasional scratch, scrape, etc. -- you'll be happy you did.

[philwsailz]

Looks great............from experience, make sure to keep at least a small amount of your stain custom blend for the occasional scratch, scrape, etc. -- you'll be happy you did.

No doubt. I have a half-gallon mixed up and I think/hope I am going to have some spare.

[kaneboats]

Looking really good, Phil. Love the custom mix. Nothing like getting something exactly how you want it.

[philwsailz]

Lunchtime. Quick crude image of beer fridge in cabinet

[EricU]

Lunchtime. Quick crude image of beer fridge in cabinet

Looking Great!

If I leave now, I think I can make in time for next week's playoff games!

[philwsailz]

Looking Great!

If I leave now, I think I can make in time for next week's playoff games!

I don't have the TV yet. I have the satellite box, but no dish...

[EricU]

I don't have the TV yet. I have the satellite box, but no dish...

What are you plans for a TV. A couple of years ago, I finally got my overhead projector and I love it!!

If you are into movies at all go with a 2.35:1, if just for Sports (Two Oklahoma Football teams...) then the big new LED tvs are also nice.

[wolfeman131]

looks great!

[philwsailz]

What are you plans for a TV. A couple of years ago, I finally got my overhead projector and I love it!!

If you are into movies at all go with a 2.35:1, if just for Sports (Two Oklahoma Football teams...) then the big new LED tvs are also nice.

I am looking into a 55 or 60-inch Sony. I prefer a flat screen as opposed to a projector, as I need a bright display for when I am working on audio editing and want to use the screen as a monitor in a lit room.

[EricU]

I am looking into a 55 or 60-inch Sony. I prefer a flat screen as opposed to a projector, as I need a bright display for when I am working on audio editing and want to use the screen as a monitor in a lit room.

Phil,

Think about going even larger, with the prices of the 70s and 80s now (even the 4Ks are coming down in price). The 55s now look small (I remember when a 4:3 27" was HUGE!)

I had been nothing but a Sony person most of my life until a couple of years ago when I bought a cheap Sharp 60" LED and I still am amazed at the picture quality, after that I bought a JVC PJ for my HT. Just something to think about.

I am sure whatever you end up with will be awesome.

[philwsailz]

Phil,

Think about going even larger, with the prices of the 70s and 80s now (even the 4Ks are coming down in price). The 55s now look small (I remember when a 4:3 27" was HUGE!)

I had been nothing but a Sony person most of my life until a couple of years ago when I bought a cheap Sharp 60" LED and I still am amazed at the picture quality, after that I bought a JVC PJ for my HT. Just something to think about.

I am sure whatever you end up with will be awesome.

It is a funny thing to say, but I don't want TOO large a TV... :confused:

Let me explain...

The acoustics of the room are paramount, and the viewing distance to the TV is roughly 10-feet only for movie watching. I don't want a TV so large on the speaker end of the room that the wall ends up completely acoustically reflective. I need as much of that wall to be covered in foam to control reflections, so the combination of seating distance and 55-60-inch screen leaves me enough foam around the screen to get the job done.

It still may look kinda funny, as I might need to put a "frame" of deep foam around the TV to keep the smear from the left and right speakers from boucing off the screen...

I like my Sony TVs I own currently and Wife Acceptance Factor says a similar or same remote control will make her more willing to spend time there. It will be a Sony I almost guarantee...

[EricU]

That's why I am blessed with crappy hearing, I am happy with pretty much any decent quality gear and end up feeling sorry for you audiophile types! You would probably cringe in my HT, where me and my kids live in blissful ignorance.

I have a buddy that is an acoustic engineer and when we talk speaker design (I used to make cabinets) I get lost real quick and would just do what he told me to do!

Cant go wrong with the Sonys, Cant wait to see your finished product!

[New Guy]

That is looking great Phil! With the bar in the back are you concerned with audio reflection?

To cut my chunk of bowling alley I used a Milwaukee metal saw that we had at work and it worked great. Pricey if you only need it for one project though.

http://i21.geccdn.net/site/images/n-picgroup/RTS_6370-20.jpg

http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/tools/Saws-Blades/Saws-Circular-Wood/8-in-metal-cutting-saw-6370-20?infoParam.campaignId=T9A&gclid=CIGX45mT_rsCFcpDMgodkzMA_A

[philwsailz]

That is looking great Phil! With the bar in the back are you concerned with audio reflection?

To cut my chunk of bowling alley I used a Milwaukee metal saw that we had at work and it worked great. Pricey if you only need it for one project though.



http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/tools/Saws-Blades/Saws-Circular-Wood/8-in-metal-cutting-saw-6370-20?infoParam.campaignId=T9A&gclid=CIGX45mT_rsCFcpDMgodkzMA_A

The principle for the room is what is called "Live-end-Dead-end". The basic idea is that you want to absorb all reflections from your ears forward towards the speakers. The front of the room where the speakers are is the "Dead-end". Then the back wall is often left completely untreated and is considered the "Live-end". The live end reflects some information back to your ear, but in a mixed and delayed manner.

The reflections behind you off the "Live-end" wall help recreate the ambience of the music recording without resorting to processed surround-sound trickery. The bar will scatter some of the reflections, but I am not going to attempt to damp reflections from the bar-end of the room. I actually want those reflections.

I have already spent a lot of time A/B-ing and I prefer simple stereo. I also think most who will listen to the space will probably agree that music sounds better in this room in simple 2-channel stereo.

I will use surround sound, I think, but just for movies. The Video portion of the room is not done yet and I have not had a chance to listen to some good action sequences both ways. We will see and I will be sure to report back. It might seem funny to you guys, but one of the first segments I want to listen to is the opening race scenes from the movie CARS. I helped dial in a custom surround system in a buddies custom RV and it is crazy-cool surround with the cars going by you and around you.

I had looked into buying a 10" circular saw. Pricey indeed. I will look into renting one for a day.

Brief update, herer are two shots of the start to the drawers fabrication and isntallation on the freidge cabinet, soon the be the "refreshment cabinet". The two drawers are going to be full-extension soft-closers and will hold the liquor bottles that might find there way in there.

[David Analog]

Phil,
The entire project looks awesome!!!

To me, especially as you get older, you can never have too much light or too large of a TV screen.
In my upstairs media/family room combo, I sit 13 to 14 feet back (in an arc seating arrangement) from an 80" LED screen. It's a good ratio, especially in consideration of the quality of a lot of the program material viewed.

Acoustically, my biggest concern is killing the reflected sound off the media room side walls (up to at least 30 degrees off axis outside) between the front outside speakers and the listeners. In my case, the room is very wide as compared to the soundstage and the furnishings are dense already. In my downstairs family room, which is two-channel HiFi, the room is also wider than deep and I angle the speakers inward a little to nullify the outside walls.

[philwsailz]

I flipped through and realized I had not posted semi-final damping material placement yet. David, check this out.

[philwsailz]

Actually the far wall has only a temporary foam stack. I am not going to mount that wall with acoustic treatment until I get the TV up.

[David Analog]

Phil,
Looks awesome. Be careful not to make the room so perfect and comfortable that you can't stay awake.

[philwsailz]

Refreshment cabinet drawer trays are done. I need to build the drawer fronts, stain and seal them and the thing can then be put together and put in my room.

[wolfeman131]

Love the drawer detail. What/how did you cut the dovetails? I've always wanted a true dovetail jig, but haven't wanted to drop the $$ on one.

[philwsailz]

It is actually a box joint. Parallel cuts.

A simple jig on the table-saw makes it possible. Here is the jig I used.

Basically, you use a dado set stacked up to dimension X. You cut two slots through a backer board, both X-dimension, with exactly X between them. Use a piece of wood as a pin that is X-wide to fill one of the slots. That board is then fixtured to your table-saw guide so the open slot is exactly lined up with the stacked dado set. You can just make out the guide bar to the very right of my pic.

You press your workpiece against the pin and make your first cut. Then you index your workpiece by moving the first cut slot onto the pin. Repeat as necessary.

The mating piece is started by placing your first piece's first cut over the jig pin. Butt your mating piece next to it and make a pass. Then follow the same process.

To describe it in words is tedious, but that is the very basic of it. Here is the jig I made to do this project.

[philwsailz]

Go to YouTube and search for BOX JOINT. You will find a lot of videos showing it being done, some on some rather elaborate jigs.

[wolfeman131]

Sweet!

This weekend I'm planning to put my new Kreg pocket jig to use to build an out feed table for my table saw in preparation for building some custom closet systems.

[philwsailz]

Quick pics update. Drawer fronts built and stained

[philwsailz]

Here they are stained

[New Guy]

Those look great, I would have been tempted to clear them like the top. The whole project is coming together nicely.

[philwsailz]

ALMOST done with this piece..... I got the beverage cabinet into my office and put together last night. I still need the drawer pulls installed but they are on order. Brushed nickel ones that very closely match the fridge handle.

Time to switch gears and get going on the actual work/play bar...

[mikenehrkorn]

Looks great, nice job!!

[philwsailz]

A few updates:

I got the drawwer hardware in and installed. These go quite well with the fridge handle.

I am also starting in hard-core on the desk/bar area. You guys considering using bowling alley wood for tops, know the stuff is NAILED together and not glued. I learned that you need to use a demolition blade on the stuff, and even a demo blade wears out quickly.

I got enough bowling alley surface to at least get 13" of width on each of the three surfaces. This should go good now that I have the bowling alley blanks finished cut. 'Took three days of careful planning and prep to split and then crosscut the stuff. This stuff is nasty to work with as the back side is coated with creosote.

Here are pics of the finished beverage center and the progress on the bar/work area....

[David Analog]

Outstanding. Just outstanding. Takes a brave man to work with hardwoods. We aren't worthy.

[Brianinpdx]

Phhil - Super nice! God I wish I had the time to be in the shop. I used to before 3 kids arrived. Bravo to you Sir!

[philwsailz]

What the hell. I was going to wait to post up progress but here are two pics from night-before-last....

[brain_rinse]

Incredible work. Seriously impressive!

[wolfeman131]

Incredible work. Seriously impressive!

Agreed! Wish I could do that kinda work and had that kinda workshop.

[philwsailz]

Quick Update with Pics. Got the top bar edges installed and the shelving to the left now has a back and adjustable shelves.

The bar mats showed up on the brown truck, and I am getting close to starting stain. I just have two pieces of trim to install on the lower work surfaces....

I might still make doors for the lower two slots in the cabinets....

[mikenehrkorn]

Looks great and will last a lifetime -- much better than anything you could find in a store. Not to mention the pride you taking in making something of that kind of quality!!

If I may brag for a minute....I spent several months planning and building a bar for my basement and it still looks great some 10+ yrs later. All hand made including the oak bar rail which was a real bitch. :)

192901929119292


2013 Outback V
2003 SeaRay 182 -- gone but not forgotten...

[philwsailz]

Looks great and will last a lifetime -- much better than anything you could find in a store. Not to mention the pride you taking in making something of that kind of quality!!

If I may brag for a minute....I spent several months planning and building a bar for my basement and it still looks great some 10+ yrs later. All hand made including the oak bar rail which was a real bitch. :)

192901929119292


2013 Outback V
2003 SeaRay 182 -- gone but not forgotten...

That is Gorgeous!!!!!! I love the built-in sink and the stemware support....

[New Guy]

Those are some really nice bars!

[drb59]

With the quality of work you have posted, you should be doing this for a living. Nice job!

[philwsailz]

Staining and sealing have started. I still need to finish molding the edge detail on lower bar surfaces before they get sanded and sealed. I need to stain and seal the uppoer cabinets too, then stain and seal the equipment racks, (not shown). Still a ways out but the pics here show a good representation of what it will look like.

Me likey!

[moombadaze]

Damm fine work !

[philwsailz]

Damm fine work !

Can I make you a Martini, Mr. bond?

[mikenehrkorn]

Ugh.....always loved the building but hated the finishing......as expected it looks awesome!!

How many coats of poly on the top?

[philwsailz]

4 so far. I am a wood boat restorer on occasion, so I am used to taking a month to get a good build, (20 coats) of exterior UV boat show varnish. I am pickey.... :) The wood boat experience has taught me some things to do to speed up finish work. Rolll-and-tip is one trick. Us a small foam roller to quickly get your finish material on , then just drag a wet brush through it to remove roller texture and bubbles. You can put a coat on this bar top in about two minutes in this manner....

I am using something different here, based on some preliminary samples. Tests so far tell me it is really a good product for this application. I am using a water-based polyurethane from Rustoleum... I have a UV radiant heater in my shop. I am able to bring the wood up to a temp, then shut the heater off while I am applying the finish. Turn the heater on and in about 20 minutes it is ready for over-coating...

Easy easy east easy.... I was concerned I would not get a build of material that gave the top that deep water-soaked wet look but I am wrong. The grain is popping already with just 4 coats and shows a lot of depth contrast from board to board.

The build is thick enough now for a scuff sanding to flatten the high spots. Then 4 more coats and I will see where things are. At this point I am not trying for a thicker coating, as I think I already have sufficient build thickness. I am looking for a flat coating; one that doesn't have the grain texture telegraphed through as microscopic high and low spots. The sanding after these 4 coats will tell me how flat and filled the grain is after these coats. It is Hard Rock Maple; I really don't think it will take 20 coats like that porous old teak and mahogany we work with on boats....

[mikenehrkorn]

I love the quick drying poly as well, mostly because I lack the patience. :) I tend to use a fairly simple method with my poly.......very thin coats using a foam brush followed by light steel wool and then cleaned with a tack cloth just prior to next coat. And I can usually get 2-3 coats per brush (depending on the project size) by dropping it into a sealed sandwich bag between coats.

I would think 5-10 coats should be more than enough to give you years of beauty and durability.

[philwsailz]

I love the quick drying poly as well, mostly because I lack the patience. :) I tend to use a fairly simple method with my poly.......very thin coats using a foam brush followed by light steel wool and then cleaned with a tack cloth just prior to next coat. And I can usually get 2-3 coats per brush (depending on the project size) by dropping it into a sealed sandwich bag between coats.

I would think 5-10 coats should be more than enough to give you years of beauty and durability.

Use bronze wool and any remaining steel wool that gets stuck in the finish won't rust. Boat builder trick...

[mikenehrkorn]

Not sure I would ever attempt to refinish a boat, but good to know even for floors, stairs, etc., that might get some water that doesn't get cleaned up.

And those of you we have bored with some woodworking talk, we return to our regularly scheduled boat programming... :)

[philwsailz]

I still need to get the cabinet sealed and the adjustable shelves stained and sealed but the bar is in place...

[philwsailz]

Oh Yeah Baby~

Last night was epic. Upper cabinet is in place now, started wiring things up to get computers and AV running again.... The Satellite receiver doesn't work in its current location so it will be moving, and there are other tweaks coming but if I had to do any audio editing, recording, or CAD work today the thing is functional...

My planning wasn't as perfect as I had hoped. The darn breaker box is partially covered by the cabinet. I am debating how to resolve that but it seems the best thing is just to leave the whole thing off that back wall a little so I can get in there to reset any trips. If I have to get in to add a circuit or change anythning the whole bar assembly will have to be slid out from there or disassembled. Not a huge deal either way, but I wish it wasn't that way...

Oh well.

I guess that kinda wraps it up for this thread. At least we got past the woodwork and brought it back to the audio component... :D

[EricU]

...I guess that kinda wraps it up for this thread. At least we got past the woodwork and brought it back to the audio component... :D

Excellent! Nice job and nice job on the thread to help entertain us during the winter months.

And what do you mean by the end of the thread? Are you going to start a new one to invite us all over to watch Oklahoma football and drink your beer?

Again, very impressive!

[New Guy]

That turned out great! Now time for some bar stools. Enjoy it....

[philwsailz]

That turned out great! Now time for some bar stools. Enjoy it....

No way. My wallet does a better job than I could. These are on the brown truck...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AYQLTA/ref=pe_385040_30332190_TE_3p_M3T1_ST1_dp_1

[David Analog]

Phil,
Absolutely amazing craftsmanship, and btw, I was just fine without knowing about the breaker box.

[philwsailz]

Okay........ One more. Bar stools showed up.

[mikenehrkorn]

Sweet, job well done!!!

And I feel you on the breaker box situation -- I always seem to have one of those little "gotchas" that nags at me. Work so hard to plan out the project and the hours spent putting it all together and then you get something like that. Oh well, like David said -- no one else needs to know and probably no one else would even notice if you don't point it out!! :)

[David Analog]

Sweet, job well done!!!

And I feel you on the breaker box situation -- I always seem to have one of those little "gotchas" that nags at me. Work so hard to plan out the project and the hours spent putting it all together and then you get something like that. Oh well, like David said -- no one else needs to know and probably no one else would even notice if you don't point it out!! :)

Or photoshopped it out!

[philwsailz]

Okay, ONE more....

See, These projects are never really done. So.... I need to add a pic of the under-bar lighting.

Sorry for the fuzzy graininess, it was pretty dark in there when I took the pic

[mikenehrkorn]

That looks great and is an awesome idea..........I may have to steal that one for my bar!! :)