Gadget Repair Man Cave

So this is my unfinished Shed/Workshop/ Man Cave.. I've been regularly reading some of your instruct able for a while as I have needed to remove my tools and Parts from their original home. (my daughters bedroom) So I built a shed !! Win. win.

So let me tell you my problem.. I repair phones and gadgets at home in my spare time for friends and family.. Over the last two years or so I have accumulated a vast number of tools, parts and accessories.

With my ever expanding family (3.5 kids!! 4th due in July) I needed to remove my mini work desk from its home and find a new one or risk having them clutter my house..

They were stored in my youngest daughters room.

So I decided to buy a shed and just put them in there.

However then I discovered Instruct ables and the ideas started to flow...

The above picture is not my Shed...as this at the moment is work in progress. But it is the model of shed Purchased from the local B&Q for around £130. its 6ft by 4ft..

So Prep... Exactly what it says as like many of you.... (presumably) I wasn't planning on making an instructable. clearly using the app to broaden my horizons...

I looked tirelessly at the app looking at how to get the best out of my small space.

So as I wasn't planning to create an instructable I don't have any photographs of the process used.

But ..... I started by picking an area of my garden. That was secure... far away from the house as possible but still easily available to me.

I picked my spot and erected a base for the Shed.

I'm not a wood worker of any description in fact my day job is an Ambulance Tech.... so this was quite difficult as I didn't have the tools or know how to do so... but my father in law did! !! luckily for me.

Then I did what some of you would frown upon I guess in the fact that I built the shed by following the instructions... (I know, I know...sorry)

so as I mentioned before.. I will be using my Shed for not only storing my tools.. but also performing the operations. (I mean repairs!!!)

So with that in mind I needed the shed to be comfortable and warm and most of all dry!!

While the shed was still just a shell I set about making it water tight.

So a lot ov sealant and expandable foam later it was ready for testing... However this was proving quite difficult as I built it in the Summer... yes we do have summer in the UK. (just)

So I tried drenching it with a hose pipe but this was proving a bad idea... Couldn't tell if water was running off me or somehow coming in the shed..

So I waited and Waited for the great British summer and mother nature to answer my call... avast she came with a vengeance and poured it down for two days solidly!

She proved my unprofessional handy man skills to be just that.. With a few leaks easily identified.

So I waited and Waited and waited for the sun to come back out to dry the area... eventually it did.. I set back to work and corrected my errors.. and Waited about 12 hours for the rain to come again.

This time we had a dry shed!!! next step...

So living in England we should be used to the cold but. cold Hands and tiny screws do not mix well. so I needed to ensure it was warm enough to work in.
That's where you guys come in.

Thanks Instructables.

looking over and over various Instructables of sheds and workshops and general Home Improvement. I decided I needed to stud wall the shed and insulate it.

That's exactly what I did.

However thinking about the already small space. I decided not to use the conventional 2x4... and opted for a more slender 2x1.

And a roll of Insulation from the local Timber Yard.

Worked surprisingly well whilst keeping some much needed space.

So with the shed Studded and Insulated I moved on to a more cosmetic need creating the walls and covering the studs and insulation.

Again thinking about the ever decreasing space. I opted for some standard 6mm MDF panels.

So I measured the in side walls all around.

Purchased the relevant number of Panels which I think was 3. to front face the stud walls.

As I said I didn't have very many power tools available to me so everything has been done by hand and a simple bit of elbow grease... oh yeah and a saw.

by taking my time I manged to to achieve.. near perfect straight edges and complete the walls with just a little bit if patch work.

With the walls erected I finished them off with just some simple corner brackets to strengthen the structure.

Next Step Painting... I kept it simple and cheap by using just plain white and just went mad with it covering the entire inside.

Started to look really nice now but there was something missing....

So I decided that the chip board floor wasn't good enough..

I decided to try and laminate the floor.

but cheaply. I looked at various D.I.Y stores and couldn't bare paying £20 for a pack of laminate flooring for a shed... not just that the wife wouldn't let me..

So I did what any man in my shoes would do. Looked in ebay.

Thankfully I was extremely lucky I found a pack of laminate flooring that was ending in 38 mins... nobody was watching and nobody was bidding.

Enter the eBay sniper... With just seconds to spare I entered my winning bid of 99p. Result.. oh wait I'm gonna have to pick it up... where is it??

Luckily again I had managed to bid and win on the laminate flooring in the same region as me.. on 11 miles away.

I drive that far to go to work.. so happy flooring happy me.!! picked it up and began to lay it.

However it wasn't sitting quite right..

back to the timber yard.

Another 6mm Sheet of MDF please ..

But before I laid that... I realised I still had a fair amount of Insulation left..

So I purchased a sheet of rubber from somewhere... (my father in law got me it when I told him what I was doing)

Laid the rubber on the Chipboard base Glued it down. threw in some insulation .. Laid the MDF Over the top. Secured it with some screw and more L brackets.. Luckily I had a few spare from previous purchase.

Then laid my 99p laminate flooring over the top.. Result.

I needed something that was practical.. space saving and would give me plenty of storage and Look good.

So back to You guys at Instructables. ... Thanks again.

I looked at some really good work benches and Desks and got some really great ideas. from You the user's.

So using snipets of others ideas and work I sat down to start designing just a pencil and some A4 in hand..

I came up with an over exaggerated desk that would cost a fair built to build and accomplish.. but again turning to Instructables found some ideas that would reduce ghe cost but keep the effectiveness.

I designed a basic L shaped corner desk. With a raised 3 inch wide shelf 3 1/2 high from the surface with 4 double sockets and some simple storage underneath.

Perfect now yo get the Materials. . As mentioned before my super Father in Law was on hand and used the garden as a mini dump for wood he no longer needed from his work...

A pile of discarded 2x2 planks of varying lengths lay just metres away from my shed...

So I modified the design of the desk yo incorporate a base made from 2x2.

1stly I cut two lengths to fit the floor on the outside edges to form a L Shape. Then I decided I could use that as a start and figure something out.

Using the two outer edges I made 3 squares from the 2x2 1 in every corner.
I hade a base.

now to build up. I started by measuring my tallest tool box. and created the legs 2 inches higher than that as that would live under the desk.

I then cut 12 legs of the same length(by hand again.. mitre saw and block needed as this needs to be precise.) and constructed the legs following some more Instructables...

I then got to build the top frame using the same method as the floor I started on the outer edge Creating an L shape but using a spirit level to ensure it was level.

I then boxed in the rest if the legs with the outside edge frame but added more pieces where I guessed the desk would need strengthening.

I then went back to the Timber yard and purchased 1 more sheet of MDF this time 12mm thick. But this time asked them to Cut the two top pieces and two shelves I would need. (I know I know.. why didn't I ask them to do that when I was constructing the walls. school boy error)

So I went back home with my 12mm MDF Cut precisely hoping my measurements were correct. They were.

Except I forgot to extend one of the shelves to the entire side of the shed instead of the same length of the panel.. again showing why this is not my day job.

I now had everything to make the desk but with a gap in the corner. .

So I took a trip to the local Wickes as it was on my way home from dropping my wife at work.. found a simple corner shelf for £2.50 and some laminate floor beading to edge the shelves.. stop little parts rolling off the shelves. Just an inspired idea on the spur of the moment.

so I constructed the desk with corner shelf built in and the sealed it all using wood filler. giving it a better look fish and a little more stability.

This is where I am at now...

I still need to install the 4 double switchable sockets.

paint the desk.

install proper lighting as at the moment it is just 4 led lights screwed into an old bed slat installed on the ceiling.

Get some pegboard and wall mount some more tools!! As you can see I bought some component drawers and Drilled one shelf for my most used screwdrivers!

front face the shelves to give a better finish and Done!!!

So I needed some Electric Sockets in there...

So I had some help ensure it was up to BSE Standards running off the armoured cable already installed a few years ago by my Father in Law..

It was..

So on to the Sockets Gadget repair and needs a lot of Sockets and Manoeuvrability. so I decided on four Double Sets.

Got them wired in.

And then to nee ten them up ran the cables on the underside of the shelf and pinned them in place.

Then I cut 2 lengths of excess MDF TO go over the front.

I still need to drill and install the lengths that's as far as ice gotten.. So far so good.

So as mentioned before I cut two lengths of MDF to the same length as the afore mentioned shelves.

The idea then was to install electric sockets n to the front of these face plates hiding the wires and giving a better look finish. Here we go.. just some finishing touches to do now.

So I created like a simple layout Pegboard(esque) layout for some more tools I regularly use. 4 sets if mini pliers and a set of Screw removal pliers. An additional 54 bit interchangeable screwdriver set, and my isclack.

I also installed a Tv/Dvd combination player and my PC.

A Bluetooth DAB radio.

Think that's it. ..