Basement Skatepark

   There was a tough decision to be made when we moved from Montana back to Ohio. What to do with my beloved, garage mini ramp? After some half-hearted attempts at selling it, I could not bear the thought of leaving it behind. Although we did not know what sort of house we would end up with, I hoped for the best and paid for the extra space on the moving truck. Unfortunately after all the effort, our new garage just could not house the beast and even after trying to alter the geometry, it just would not work.
   Right before winter I disassembled my good friend and stored the wood in our unfinished basement. My two sons are just starting to pickup skating and I wanted to give them something that I could have only dreamed of as a teenager. A place to grow their skills and skate year-round in any type of weather. Our closest park is about twenty minutes away, forty-five round trip, which doesn't cut it on busy Dad days. So, I set to work using the materials on hand and a new course layout for the L-shaped space.
   Their stature makes smaller ramps perfect for them, I however want to skate too, so it took some deep mental negotiations to arrive at the best compromise considering the 8' ceiling height. I decided to go with 2' height for the quarters with 6' radius transitions. Still peppy enough to have fun and fly around the small park. I even consulted a professional ramp builder that suggested I could go even higher because of a skater's tucked riding position on tranny, but I did not like the idea of not being able to fully stand up on the quarter pipe decks.

   After completing the two bookend ramps, I still had a large pile of leftover scraps. I built a wallride for me with a very tight 3' radius. The floor joists drop to 7' clearance in this section, so I wanted an obstacle to absorb energy while still being a fun way to route yourself back to the main park. This left me with just enough wood to finish a pump ramp for the center of the long side. I decided to mimic a heaved sidewalk with a round top, an obstacle I had wanted to build for awhile.  
   As sad as it was to toss the old transition templates, I see the beauty in the new park. The masonite, plywood, lumber, and steel coping are now a part of the fifth build using these materials. For this reason, the park shall be named "MARK V" in honor of their legacy and design evolution. The skatepark has proven to be a much better use of space than the sad pool table that was left behind, and a great way to wear the kids out on a rainy day.

The Porcelain Light Fixture Shade

   Does laziness breed invention? It does not sound like it would. As easy as it is to swap out light fixtures, I have already installed a lifetime's worth. This discussion of invention revolves around the bare bulb lampholders throughout my unfinished basement. The ubiquitous pull-chain light socket that inevitably fails when rushing to some emergency in the nether region of your home.
   All drama aside, it would be nice to come down to this storage area without being blinded by the rather intense, naked LED bulbs. I had already taken the time to install a switch that controls all six porcelain fixtures on the same circuit. Much nicer than fumbling about to manually turn each light on. Still though, this just instantly activates the severe lighting, emphasizing the problem further.
   I could have installed simple flush mount lamps with plastic globes like I have before, but this is an additional hassle and twice the expense. While looking at interior lighting at Lowes, I spotted a simple shade meant for candelabra bulbs. They would not work out-of-the-box because the bulb clips were too small, but I felt it was worth pursuing because of the aforementioned reasons.
   Initially I planned on bending the wire or trimming it to fit a larger bulb, but the armature's welds were feeble and they kept snapping off. After a minute of frustration, I decided to use this to my advantage and easily gutted all the shades. All I had to do now was cut my own hanger out of scrap wood. A simple rectangle with a hole in the center for the collar of the bulb and the mission was accomplished. The result is a simple shade that diffuses the light and installs as easy as screwing in a light bulb.

Utility Bench

   Living in a hotel for a month is not a great experience, albeit the continental breakfast and afternoon cookies can be a fat kid's snacking dream. We transferred to Montana during the height of the real estate bubble and the local landlords were unrealistic about their squalid hellholes. To add to the tension, all of our household possessions were locked-up in a warehouse somewhere back east, waiting for us to find a new address to deliver to.



   During our extended stay, I really started to appreciate the luxurious laundry facilities the hotel offered. There were generous countertops for folding laundry, and being the one who handles our laundry, I took note of the setup.
   Years later, I recalled the Taj Mahal of laundry facilities, and decided to repurpose a leftover countertop to emulate this experience. Our laundry room had housed a large, dated laundry chute from the upstairs that took up an entire wall. This was gutted immediately for the much needed storage space. I also mitred the exposed countertop corner to allow for access to the machines. The edges were finished with laminate and then mounted the top to a simple ledger and brace. When the kids arrived, I shifted the brace in order to fit the roughneck totes underneath.
   I could not imagine our small house functioning without this valuable space. It acts as a staging area for various kids projects, as well as all the other  clutter that a family generates. If the utility sink is one of the most valuable tools you can have during a renovation, then I would have to vote for this utility bench as runner-up. It has provided a conditioned workspace for many small projects such as painting trim and of course, folding laundry.

Mega Baby Gate 2.0

   When researching ideas for a kiddo barricade, I came across some crazy configurations. I really try not to judge other parents or their style, but some of these play areas were way over the top. They seemed to loose touch with the idea of keeping their kids away from hazards and looked more like high security prisons. Once your corral is bigger than a standard bedroom, you may have lost focus. Of course, I had my own take on securing a play area and how to execute this on the cheap.

 

   The commercially available play yards can add up quick and I have a hard time modifying something that just cost me a couple hundred dollars brand new. My initial idea involved marrying a couple gates together while still retaining the ability to use their pressure fit installation. The mega gate 1.0 was constructed from (3) Evenflo baby gates that cost $10.00 apiece.

   This first version worked, but as my toddler grew stronger, I could tell this would not stand the test of time. I reinforced the first version with a top and bottom rail, then mounted it directly to the post and wall. This removed any remaining flex and made the gate rigid enough for an adult to sit on.
   The music room has already moved several times throughout the renovation and I was concerned that I would lose this precious space to the kids. I did not need to keep the kids in, as much as I needed to keep them away from fragile gear like amps, cables and guitars. The Mega Baby Gate 2.0 subdivided our open basement playroom and generated the necessary "Dad Space" for sessions.

Simple DIY Murphy Bed

   Ever since I was a little kid, I wanted a Murphy bed, but never thought I would have the opportunity to own one. Fulfilling wacky desires, and doing whatever the hell I want, is one of the reasons I became a homeowner. 
   Our 1970's basement included a strange offset space, presumably to be finished as an additional bedroom. During the renovation, it made sense to connect the existing walls and install a door. Doing this created a nook inside the new bedroom. Sketches of bookcases and additional shelving did not satisfy the needs for this odd space. After measuring a full size mattress, I realized that I might be able to slide a guest bed frame into the space. This was the start of my journey to design and build a wall bed.


   As with all my projects, I started with a fair amount of research and was convinced that I needed a kit in order to make this happen. The alcove is tight and I would end up having to do a significant amount of modification to an expensive purchase. I let my wheels turn for a few weeks and decided that I could simplify the basic components.
   My design does not have springs and does not automatically return to an upright position. For safety reasons, you would have to consider the risk of a falling bed and personal injury. I feel comfortable with the two slide-bolts that keep the bed in the vertical position when not in use.
   The essential part of my idea would be a pivot consisting of two different diameter pipes nested inside of each other. I found a 1-1/4" steel conduit insert that would act as a pivot bushing on the inside of the bed platform. This allowed for a standard 3/4" stub to be inserted inside the bushing and mounted to the wall with a floor flange. Initially the pipes nested too tightly, but with a little polishing, the pieces move smoothly without lubrication.
   The next issue was building a lightweight platform bed that was strong enough to support the mattress and two adults. I also had to consider the aesthetic issue of matching the existing vintage maple door color and finish. Fortunately, we have a well stocked Habitat Re:Store that carries plenty of used doors from the 1970's. I was able to purchase two hollow-core doors that matched the rest of our house. I opened up the ends of the doors and drove carriage bolts through the spine in order to create a central support. I then milled 1" x 4" dimensional lumber as bed rails and a 1" x 10" board for the headboard. This is critical because the mattress rests on the headboard in the vertical position.
   The finishing touches involved a luggage strap bolted to the frame and two removable legs that can be unscrewed from brass inserts in the upper corners. This has been one of the hardest projects to document because our third bedroom is small and I have not been able to photograph the Murphy bed properly to do it justice. Wall beds are awesome space-savers that can store a mattress in a room that is used by guests for only a couple weeks, and frees up the square footage the rest of  the year .

The Basement Ceiling Saga, Final Fight

   After much work and two previously installed ceilings, I could finally get to work on an idea that I knew was the best solution. This would be a daunting task however. I would end up milling all the lumber for this project. After two full days at a table saw wearing a respirator, I would emerge from my shop with a fine new layer of ginger body fur, goggles hazed and my hands frozen. The labor was well worth it, because it gave me the raw materials for a ceiling we now adore.


   The individual panels run parallel to each other and are suspended between the floor joists. The wood strips meld into a continuous field hiding the true nature of the structure.
   As mentioned before, the panels can be independently removed with ease. This is of great benefit when making unforeseen upgrades to the house's electrical, plumbing and data systems.
   Not being a fan of heavy chemicals, I chose mineral oil for a safe, natural finish. The oil is safe enough to ingest and provides a satin sheen with a deeper, rich color.
   The addition of the wood's warm tone provided a much needed upgrade to the white walled basement gallery. The space has now been tamed and the last vestige of the 1970's is gone. After a short reprieve, the project guy hears another bugle call in the distance, possibly a neighbor in distress?

The Basement Ceiling Saga, Part Two

   [Cue cacophonous organ.] I was now staring at the bottom of the upstairs floor joists. What to do? How can I replace an entire ceiling for cheap and still maintain the modernist flair of the rest of the house. Fortunately, I am in a position where I am free to experiment. All total, there would be three new ceilings to come.
   The most important asset of this space was the 8' plus ceiling height. In order to make the most of the space, all additional structure needed to remain as close to the joist as possible.
   The first iteration was made from pegboard and screwed directly to the joist bottom. The panels were backed with black felt to provide a cohesive look from below. I really liked this playful solution, however it did not provide easy access to the pipes and wiring.

   So the next version needed to allow for the same convenience as the original drop ceiling. A board and batten grid was developed and it worked! The panels could be removed easily, but aesthetically, I hated it.
   This dilemma was now in its second year and was weighing heavy on our weary hero. His wife did not care, nor did she find this problem to be a "big deal." She just wanted to know why they could not have drywall, like normal people.
   After years of studying modern design, there was a spark. A slatted bench came to mind as well as a flurry of maquettes. This was it, here is the horizon, could it be made and at what cost?

The Basement Ceiling Saga, Part One

   In a dark and secluded basement thirty-five years ago, orange shag was laid upon concrete. Walls were plied in the cheapest of dark paneling and the ceiling height was dropped by an entire foot to make way for a grid of acoustic tiles. This was the beginning of a horrible dank place. The carpet pad would breathe moisture for three decades and now emit the most unique funk. The massacre of taste concluded in wallpaper and a Crayola green laundry room.
   Why? It is hard to say what psychotropic substances the builder had left in his system when he finished this epic masterpiece. I would say he was proud.
   As time moved on, the property changed hands, but this special place was to be left untouched. Oh, there would be signs of battles that were won and lost. I, your protagonist, would find the entire drop ceiling littered with poison. Not a single container, but a Sam's Club quantity of diazinon. Apparently the only way to kill ants, is to kill every single living creature in the house.
   Many years and loads to the dump remedied the Superfund site. This led to another blank canvas for the project guy. He would have to dig deep to come up with some of his most ingenious solutions.