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Garage "Man Cave" Conversion


areyouolsen

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I've done a bit of searching and am stymied. I am, for reasons my wife and I have yet to announce to most folks, being ejected from my current "man cave" room & must set up in the garage. No biggie, I spend most of my time out there anyway. My problem is that the electronics involved with the room I use to hide away in are not conducive to the wood/metal dust created by my wood and metal-working endeavors. I have an 8'x20' space to set up my gigantic bean-bag, TV, playstation and all that, but will be unable to frame in a wall to separate my garage from my sensitive items.

 

So, after all that, my question is: Does anyone else have a similar setup and how do you keep dust from migrating from one section of the garage to the other? Heavy curtains? Will framing in a wall be an inevitability? Any suggestions will be graciously welcome!

 

Thanks in advance!

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My garage is not really a man-cave, it's just a do-all room, standard two car. Vehicles still park in it (the intended purpose which will never be taken away), but we can pull them out and watch the 60" TV with satellite box and surround sound. I also have a laptop whose permanent duty is the garage, it is also wired in to the TV. I do woodworking, welding and even tile cutting in the garage with nary a problem out of the electronics. Its not the greatest, but it works for a do-all room, I even have a large air cleaner for when the smokers come over (only room in the house where smoking is allowed). I have heat via a cabinet propane heater and still looking for that magical deal on a ductless mini for air. Beverages are in the Pepsi machine and chairs hang on the wall awaiting their use. Lastly, the dartboard is always ready for a throw ;)

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Moveable wall panels and then fit a dust collector such that the output pressurizes the electronics portion of the garage. You'll still be able to collapse the walls if you need the space, and pressurizing the electronics portion will keep dust from migrating into the "clean" space.

 

Dust collector can be as simple as a furnace fan set up to pull air through a filter and exhaust it through the wall.

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My solution was to go over to goodwill and buy some old stereo equipment. Rock on!

 

Interesting wording in your post. You got a little one on the way?

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Guys,

 

Thanks for the tips! Maybe I'm trying to make this more complicated that it warrants, but planning & researching projects is half the fun. Plus, you get to hear about other guys' experiences, too.

 

elkroeger, it's still early so I'll get in trouble if I start telling everyone. Ha.

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Wish I could take credit. Set that I saw was built with PVC frames covered with plastic sheeting and hung from hooks in the ceiling. Bottom was captured on each side with some 2x4 lumber to keep from swinging. Worked great so long as no one opened doors at each end and let a breeze whip through.

No idea how it'd stand up to pets or kids.

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Build cabinets with doors on. My garage has cabinets across the side wall. My carpentry jobs can get dusty but at the end of the day I just take a leaf blower and blow it all out to the driveway. If everything is behind closed doors it stays clean. On chairs or such, just tarp over during milling. Its easy, just prepare and execute. Have fun and good luck.

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It is always gonna be a challenge to keep dust and debris in any shop space from permeating the entire area.

 

If it is just some electronics that you are looking to keep clean maybe something as simple as a plexiglass and plywood box around just the equipment {IE stereo} that is all nice and sealed up, caulked around the wires going in and out. The only issue then would be possible heat, but that would be easy with a hepa filter and a fan.

 

As for any furnishings that might get dirty while using as a shop, you could just cover them with tarps, and then use a shop vac frequently.

 

 

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I mark my territory with sawdust. Keeps out the quilting and canning stuff.

 

So Bob, where do you keep your quilting and canning stuff? :rofl:

 

Sorry, it had to be asked. :wave:

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Awesome ideas coming out, particularly the PVC & tarps, cabinets and sealing. Tallman, I'm gonna hit up your links, too. Thanks again, guys!

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