Cone Carver Batcave 20x28 - Michigan

[eric.holmslice]

I wanted to share my progress in regards to finishing my detached garage. I've been learning a lot from this forum and figured I'd share my progress. I will focus on the progress involved with building my first real shop. I've had a garage in the past, but never the space needed for the sole purpose of tinkering.






The shop will house my 1997 Trans Am built for AutoX. I've owned it since 2003 and will share more details through this thread.




My daily driver also enjoys cone carving and garage time.



The third project car is my Fiancés GTI

Now let's take a look at the shop in progress. The detached 20x28 garage was built in 2008. At the time of purchase it had 2 light bulbs 1 outlet and unfinished.





Step 1- make sure there is a TV. This is the first flatscreen I ever owned. I think it's about 10 years old now.



Bought my first ladder as the Fiancé was getting sick of my homedepot bucket step ladder. Also installed Costco LED shop lights. I will have 12 when all set and done.




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[MINIz guy]

Re: Cone Carver Batcave 20x28

You had me at cone...

Another autocrosser here. Looking for my first house so I can finally start my own garage thread on here. Interested in what yours ends up like!

 

[eric.holmslice]

Re: Cone Carver Batcave 20x28



Had a close call a few weeks back. May need to call a trimming company soon.



Insulated with R13 in the walls. I replaced the battery and fixed a cracked screen on my old iPad. This will become my aquarium background. Really no purpose other than it looks cool. I can control Pandora on my TV with it too. It's also nice when I get a call to come back inside for dinner.









I plumbed my air-compressor into the the attic. I bought rapid air master kit which I was a bit hesitant about. Now that it's been installed I'm very pleased with it. I don't use my compressor for any real power tools. All my impacts are battery operated.




As messy as it looks it will be clean some day. That being said I bought a pretty sweet wall mount vacuum. It's super quiet and has a ton of power.




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[eric.holmslice]

Re: Cone Carver Batcave 20x28



Here is the iPad and custom garage door opener button. I thought it added a little excitement and creativity.




Also purchased steel panels for the ceiling and Costco LED lights. The lights were $20 each and they are super bright.

I've always wanted a steel ceiling. I think it adds an industrial feel. Mixed with finished drywall I think it will be really cool all set and done.



I installed R19 in the ceiling and will install R13 in the center section of the garage. This is due to the plywood attic. In the future I will add more insulation. This pic shows the first panel installed. Pretty hard doing this solo with no lift. That's also why I did drywall vertical and not horizontal.






Slow progress with the ceiling. Decided I needed some space for tools. I bought my first tool chest. I almost bought the harbor freight unit. Then I saw a new Husky unit at HomeDepot. This box was a good deal and good quality. I liked the design, outlets, and finish. I will post more pics soon with a detailed review.






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[Colin Len]

Re: Cone Carver Batcave 20x28

Looks like a great start, can't wait to see how it turns out!

 

[eric.holmslice]

Cone Carver Batcave 20x28



Awesome box, terrible execution of stickers lol.





Had to rock out the heat gun.





Got about 15% of the ceiling completed. I will be shortening the wiring to the lights soon.




Checked the thickness of the concrete. I was told it's thicker near the drain. I'm hoping its at least 4 inches thick. I'd like to install a 2 post lift in the spring. I will wait for the soil to defrost so I can measure the thickness around the perimeter.


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[eric.holmslice]

Re: Cone Carver Batcave 20x28

https://vimeo.com/199474362

Wanted to share my garage door button. I also recently installed a Zwave controller for the door opener. This was great when Homedepot dropped off the Husky box. I was able to open the door from work. I also set up a few IFTTT statements. My lights will auto turn on when the garage opens for example.




I also installed an Amazon Echo dot. I just need to figure out a speaker set-up. I placed speaker wire behind the drywall for future upgrade.




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[eric.holmslice]

Re: Cone Carver Batcave 20x28



The toolbox has an extra drawer with a separate key. I have a few toy dart guns for surprise attacks on intruders.




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[eric.holmslice]

Cone Carver Batcave 20x28



Purchased some Olsa socket holders. Needed something to hold them down so I'll try a baking sheet. Once the rest of the holders arrive from Amazon this week I'll wrap this in Carbon fiber vinyl wrap.




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[Kenfab]

Re: Cone Carver Batcave 20x28

Love the all black toolbox! The nerf gun cracked me up, I need one for my shed, my missus always sneaks up on me when I have earmuffs on

Looking forward to more updates

 

[eric.holmslice]

Re: Cone Carver Batcave 20x28



Miss the warm weather. This is a shot after I upgraded to BMR springs and dialed in the Koni shocks. Right now I'm putting around Michigan with snow tires and low boost in the ST.




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[eric.holmslice]

Re: Cone Carver Batcave 20x28







Not a great deal of progress. Spent a lot of time building foam enclosures around the attic electrical boxes. Silicone sealed them to the ceiling panels to reduce air leaks. I hope to have the middle panels done next weekend. I may have some work cut out for me around the garage center chain track. It's very close to the studs.


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[nicholam77]

Re: Cone Carver Batcave 20x28

Where did you get the steel ceiling panels? They look good. Do you like them?

Husky toolbox looks nice, too.

I have some of the Costco LED lights as well and they are great!

 

[metalhead140]

Re: Cone Carver Batcave 20x28

I like that all black toolbox! Interested to see your progress, I enjoy racing around cones from time to time also.

 

[eric.holmslice]

Re: Cone Carver Batcave 20x28

The ceiling panels I purchased at Menards. Each row consist of 2 - 10 foot panels and 1 - 8 foot panel. The panels are 3 feet wide. I'm able to handle and balance the 10 foot panels myself. I balance them on my head and guide them between the L brackets I screw into the ceiling truss. It's a lot of work but not too bad. I started at the far back corner and worked my way towards the main entrance. This helps to hide the overlap sections. I started off with adding screws at each truss. Now I'm adding them every 3-4 feet. I like the look as it's very reflective and has a nice industrial touch. My old garage had textured drywall with expansion joints. It's started to crack after 7 years of temperature fluctuations.


The Husky box has been great. I'll upload more pics soon.


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[kevs79]

Re: Cone Carver Batcave 20x28

Nice progress! The title got me also.....

 

[eric.holmslice]

Re: Cone Carver Batcave 20x28

I invested some more time in the shop. I'm hoping to have the ceiling and lights completed next week. Once I have the mud and tape done on the drywall going to place an order for Race deck free flow. Originally I was going to go with a metallic epoxy coat. I received a few tiles from Race deck and will likely be going this direction now.









Picking up more J trim at Menards in the Focus ST.



Relocated Alexa to a central location.




Will likely go with Black, Red and Charcoal.



A few options I'm considering. Likely go with one of the first 2 layouts.










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[53PontiacSD]

Nice garage. Are you going to do the walls in colors too? Grey, black and red? Or would that be too much?

 

[eric.holmslice]

I'm considering a combination of dark gray, light gray, white, and red accents. I have a few ideas up my sleeve. Unfortunately, I will likely wing it and test out several options. Below is a few pictures from my previous home. I really liked this blue gray color I used. It's a bit dark, but I'm considering it as one option.










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[eric.holmslice]

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[pfmg]

Looks good, What kind of vacuum is that?

 

[eric.holmslice]

Looks good, What kind of vacuum is that?

It's the Vacumaid GV30 wall mount vacuum. You can purchase custom colors from Amazon. It's a great vacuum and super strong. I'll likely build a cyclone tank at some point. You can also use it as a blower.


More pics will be up soon. I hope to have the last column of the ceiling completed this week. I bought some double sided industrial grade radiant wrap. I will have some pictures when completed. I'm stapling it to the rafters as a radiant barrier. I got a good deal on it at a local auction so figured I'd give it a try.







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[nicholam77]

Really liking how this is coming together. Lot's of similar things I'd like to do to mine. I've been kinda lazy this winter (in MN) but seeing your progress makes me want to get out there and keep going!

Question for you on the insulation -- does your garage have gable / soffit / ridge vents? I insulated my detached this summer, and stuck the "ceiling" insulation right up against the roof. Mine is not vented. I'd like to drop it down to ceiling level and do a metal ceiling like yours, but wondering if this will be problematic and I should install vents in the attic space.

P.S.

I went through a period for a couple of years where I really wanted a Focus ST. Ended up in a Mk7 GTI like your fiancé. Couldn't love it more and have always been a VW / German cars enthusiast, but still kind of regretful I never test drove the focus. Hope you like yours!

 

[eric.holmslice]

Really liking how this is coming together. Lot's of similar things I'd like to do to mine. I've been kinda lazy this winter (in MN) but seeing your progress makes me want to get out there and keep going!



Question for you on the insulation -- does your garage have gable / soffit / ridge vents? I insulated my detached this summer, and stuck the "ceiling" insulation right up against the roof. Mine is not vented. I'd like to drop it down to ceiling level and do a metal ceiling like yours, but wondering if this will be problematic and I should install vents in the attic space.



P.S.



I went through a period for a couple of years where I really wanted a Focus ST. Ended up in a Mk7 GTI like your fiancé. Couldn't love it more and have always been a VW / German cars enthusiast, but still kind of regretful I never test drove the focus. Hope you like yours!

I found this image which is how my garage was designed. I installed the plastic baffles and cut foam sections to prevent insulation from falling into the vents. I will get some pictures from the attic this weekend. Now that the garage is nearly closed off there is a huge difference in how well the heat is retained.

Do you have the automatic GTI? I typically drive the GTI on weekends and grin at how well the dual clutch automatic shifts.

I use to poke fun at Fords. Test drove the ST by chance and fell in love. I will be purchasing an RS this summer.





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[eric.holmslice]

Installed a few more gadgets to bring the garage up to the 21st century. I installed 2 GE zwave light switches. I already had 1 Leviton smart switch in the garage. I have all of them connected to my Wink hub and Alexa.

Overall, I'm very impressed with how everything is linked. I have my main light programmed to turn on when the garage door opens. The outside light is on a schedule for evening and morning. I can tell Alexa to turn on the lights above the garage door when closed and if I need lighting on that side of the garage. The Alexa above the center of the garage works very well with most commands.

If you're looking for switches I'd recommend the Levitron. The relay is much faster when you manually press the switch or use a voice command.


I also bought a new larger fire extinguisher from Costco. I'm not sure on location but for now I installed it near the door.








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[eric.holmslice]

Down to the last two panels then I can focus on finishing the drywall, paint, and installing Racedeck flooring.




Out of all the panels this is the most cutting I had to do so far.






Found a nice pair of drawer organizers on Amazon that fit the tool box well.






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[nicholam77]

I found this image which is how my garage was designed. I installed the plastic baffles and cut foam sections to prevent insulation from falling into the vents. I will get some pictures from the attic this weekend. Now that the garage is nearly closed off there is a huge difference in how well the heat is retained.

Do you have the automatic GTI? I typically drive the GTI on weekends and grin at how well the dual clutch automatic shifts.

I use to poke fun at Fords. Test drove the ST by chance and fell in love. I will be purchasing an RS this summer.


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Cool thanks for the info. I might have to look into adding some ventilation.

I have the 6-spd manual. Previous cars were stick and I just wasn't ready to give it up. It's a nice feeling gearbox, although the ratios are a bit wonky especially 1st and 2nd. I've heard great things about the DSG unit and wish I had test driven one just to see.

RS will be a beast. Have only seen 1 or 2 out in the wild.

 

[Boost Creep]

i like your setup. what type of ipad holder is that? i've been wanting one

 

[eric.holmslice]

i like your setup. what type of ipad holder is that? i've been wanting one

It's an in wall mount that I found on Amazon. It's not an easy mount for popping and removing the ipad frequently. I ran a USB cable under the drywall from a power outlet in the attic.






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[eric.holmslice]

Ceiling is finally completed. I just need to trim the light power cables and finish up a little insulation work in the attic.

I've tested out a lot of different color combos for the walls. I'm hoping it warms up so I can finish the drywall work and get this thing painted.

I will also be ordering RaceDeck later next week.





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[eric.holmslice]

Things slowed down a bit. I'm still figuring out the drywall finishing. All seams are taped, just need to finish the final 2 stages of mud. I also ordered 3 - black New Age 3.0 cabinets. I should have more pics soon.

I ended up getting distracted as I traded in the Focus ST for a 2017 RS.

Once I finish the detailing and ceramic paint coating it will be back to the garage.








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[nicholam77]

Wow, the RS looks awesome!!



Congrats!

 

[eric.holmslice]

It's been a long time since I've had an update. Drywall is not something I can schedule in to my daily routine easily. I finally finished the mud work and started laying out the cabinet / workbench space.


I bought a few New Age Pro cabinets several weeks ago and mocked them up. I also got an awesome deal on 800 pounds of exhibition display pieces ($60). I'm not sure the exact layout yet. More updates to come as I finalize a few ideas I'm wrapping up.









Not sure on the paint color yet too. So many decisions!




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[dubber]

Just stumbled onto your space. Great job thus far and love the GTI and your new addition of the RS.

Design for the RaceDeck looks great. I did a similar design in my single garage, feel free to take a look to see what it could look like.

 

[cash68]

Looks good! Love the cars, what are you planning to do with those exhibit piece? Just a word of warning, lots of that exhibit stuff was designed to look cool, but not be very strong.

Also, you might want to reconsider racedeck floors. All of your designs are very 'dark' and will absorb a lot of light. I did a rocksolid polycuramine finish in my garage, and although it didn't turn out perfect, I'm very happy with it as it reflects a lot of light, making working a lot easier to see, especially if you're ever under the car.

 

[Jyzze]

Ford Focus ST! You got my attention!

 

[LS1-IROC]

Shaping up to be a cool garage!

 

[Xander]

I like all the personalized touches, and the RS of course! I need to take one of those for a ride in "drift mode"

x...

 

[eric.holmslice]

Looks good! Love the cars, what are you planning to do with those exhibit piece? Just a word of warning, lots of that exhibit stuff was designed to look cool, but not be very strong.

Also, you might want to reconsider racedeck floors. All of your designs are very 'dark' and will absorb a lot of light. I did a rocksolid polycuramine finish in my garage, and although it didn't turn out perfect, I'm very happy with it as it reflects a lot of light, making working a lot easier to see, especially if you're ever under the car.

I'm just planning on using the trusses as an accent. I will attach some LED lights to provide additional lighting to my workbench. In regards to the Racedeck I'm still up in the air. I might reevaluate my paint choice this week. I feel it has too much of a "green" hue. It does absorb a bit more light than I was planning.

How well has your floor held up to light scratches? I was originally considering a metallic floor coating.




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[eric.holmslice]

Ford Focus ST! You got my attention!

I loved the ST and can't wait to start hopping up the RS!


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