What Non-Pinball Projects Are You Working on?

[Hilton]

I have ZERO idea how you people with kids do it!

I am just glad that smart people and good parents are still doing it.

I am taking a break from projects and getting back to pinball. We added 2 more rental properties to the lineup this summer and I need some fun stuff instead of 100+ workweeks that made the summer evaporate.

Luckily I have been keeping busy with trying to get games ready for the NACS. House is a mess right now of games moving around and parts all over the damn place. Luckily that means a few new games to be set up which is exciting.

[ralphwiggum]

One of the big challenges for us is travel. Our families are both in Green Bay. That's close enough that it's hard to say no to things, but far enough that it means writing off a whole weekend.

It's a good problem to have, but it does make projects difficult to tackle.

When I do get the garage cleaned out, I plan to recreate the golf sim area I had in the old place. I go back and forth between making it more permanent (studding up a part of a wall) and making it more flexible (allow the flooring to lift, and the curtain sides to pull in).

I'm very jealous of the lack of building restrictions some folks have. That was one of the things that I had on my list when house searching that just didn't get filled.

They are only restrictions if you get caught..... LOL.... My shed was the first time I pulled a permit on a project around the house since we built our house. A lot of these permits are ridiculous, until you see some of the work "handymen" do, and wonder how entire neighborhoods haven't burned to the ground.

I didn't know you had a golf sim... any pics? In the winter I will typically go once or twice a year to an indoor golf sim in Cambridge. It is super fun (and frustrating)...

[DeaconBlooze]

Here are a couple. It basically took up the bulk of my 3rd stall, with only a little room for storage behind it. I had a heater installed and used it year round (except in the dead of summer - just too damn hot). I also had a simple magnetic screen in front of the garage to keep the (some of) the bugs out during late night sessions.

The constants to the new place will be the flooring and the screen. I had a custom green built with a cutout for the hitting mat. It feels weird to putt off of a mat onto the ground like a lot of people have, so this gives just a little more feel, and allows a little putting practice potential outside of sim use.

The changes will be the positioning - it will be in the back of the garage to make room for my woodworking tools (my allergies disagreed with having that stuff in the basement). I'm still considering an addition of some kind to make it a little more comfortable, but that's probably not in the cards for a while.

[Ken]

Damn you guys are busy! Projects look amazing Tim!

[ralphwiggum]

I have ZERO idea how you people with kids do it!

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[ralphwiggum]

Here are a couple. It basically took up the bulk of my 3rd stall, with only a little room for storage behind it. I had a heater installed and used it year round (except in the dead of summer - just too damn hot). I also had a simple magnetic screen in front of the garage to keep the (some of) the bugs out during late night sessions.

The constants to the new place will be the flooring and the screen. I had a custom green built with a cutout for the hitting mat. It feels weird to putt off of a mat onto the ground like a lot of people have, so this gives just a little more feel, and allows a little putting practice potential outside of sim use.

The changes will be the positioning - it will be in the back of the garage to make room for my woodworking tools (my allergies disagreed with having that stuff in the basement). I'm still considering an addition of some kind to make it a little more comfortable, but that's probably not in the cards for a while.

Thats a great setup.... Kudos man.... Hmmmm, I do have a little room in the shed......

[ralphwiggum]

Damn you guys are busy! Projects look amazing Tim!

Thanks... I am ready to slow down a bit, and just enjoy them for a bit.... You working on anything Ken?

[CftBL]

I don't feel so bad now for not having any pinball projects this year. This year I rebuilt a deck and put up a climbing wall.The rest of the time it was all camping with the family and running the munchkins all over. Like Chris at the end of the day i’m amazed I have energy to play a couple games let alone be sharp enough to work on any.

[Ken]

Damn you guys are busy! Projects look amazing Tim!

Thanks... I am ready to slow down a bit, and just enjoy them for a bit.... You working on anything Ken?

Yes I am!

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[DeaconBlooze]

climbing wall.

Any pics of this? I've suggested to my wife that we build a climbing wall practically everywhere in my house (firmly rejected, by the way). I've thought about putting a bouldering area in the space above the garage.

Thats a great setup.... Kudos man.... Hmmmm, I do have a little room in the shed......

Thanks. If you're serious I can definitely point you in the right direction.

[CftBL]

Me calling it a climbing wall may be a bit of an understatement. I built it because both of the munchkins started wanting to climb with me. I wanted something that I could enjoy even after they are done with it. The two climbing walls are both 8' wide and 12' tall (at the highest). I also took advantage of the build to further their carpentry skills - so that probably (definitely) slowed down the build. I think I could've done it in three weekends if I didn't have "helpers". But they had fun and I loved building it with them. I've attached pictures below. Let me know if you have more questions.

[DeaconBlooze]

Very cool you got the kids involved. I remember helping my dad/grandpa re-shingle my roof and side our house one summer. I'm positive I slowed it down, but you learn an array of life skills in that type of environment. I'm really glad they had the patience to allow me to help.

Are you going to do any bouldering walls in the lower interior part? I really need to figure out a way to incorporate a climbing area into my property, no matter how minimal.

[CftBL]

One of the interior walls does have plywood and t-nuts on it. However there is already a rope monkey bar diagonally inside as well as two hammocks. I’m debating on building a platform floor inside so that it doesn’t turn in to a mud pit again. There is no way i can keep grass inside and because the ground is sloped so strongly i don’t think simply putting rocks inside will be any good (there is a 14” difference between the ground at the front and back). Do you have a shed anywhere on the property? I’ve seen several people turn the exterior of a wooden shed in to a bouldering wall. Before I was married one quarter of my basement was a bouldering cave. When she replaced my bouldering wall with my Creature, I wasn’t going to argue though. Is the area above the garage unused? If you are concerned about size, you could always build an adjustable wall to give it more challenge. I know a couple people who have walls on pulleys and hinges that they raise and lower for storage and use. Maybe something like that could work for you (?)

[Methos]

Nice set up, but that would be the precursor to an accident at my house!