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Posted: 5/31/2016 11:36:02 AM EDT
So I have a unique problem that I have been waiting my whole life for. We just bought a new house and I now have a gun room. It's in the fully finished basement with no windows. I plan on having an area for reloading, one for working on guns/ cleaning and I build fishing poles so an area for that. My question to the group is, if you had a 15x17 foot room what all would you put in it? So far what I'm thinking is

Two walls with full length work benches on them, shelving above one and cabinets above the other with storage below both
full wall of slatwall for displaying guns
large flatscreen TV with speakers throughout the room
recliner
computer work station
cabinet for storing ammo

Security is covered.  


Those are my ideas. If you had this same problem what you do? I'm more looking for ideas on cool ideas or handy things I may not have heard of.  Also would like to know what the most useful thing you have in your gun area.  Budget is somewhat of an issue but I'm not too worried about it. If something is too expensive but also something I really want, then I'll just save up and get it. We aren't moving any time soon so I want to do this right the first time.

Ready go.
Link Posted: 5/31/2016 6:14:15 PM EDT
[#1]
Adequate ventilation?
Link Posted: 5/31/2016 8:02:57 PM EDT
[#2]
you'll have better luck posting this in GD, but my suggestions are as follows:

Dedicated AR workstation, i.e. set up to assemble uppers and lowers without having to set up anything each time.

Dedicated cleaning station fully stocked with cleaning supplies, bore snakes, etc.

Basically what I'm getting at is a separate station for each part of owning guns:

Assembling/gunsmithing, cleaning, reloading, and your fishing, that way everything is separated and non-cluttered.  This would be my ultimate set up if I were you.

Oh and wall mounts for show piece guns

Just check out Dan Bilzerians Gun vault

ETA:  Where in NC?  If Wake County please be my friend
Link Posted: 5/31/2016 9:00:06 PM EDT
[#3]
I've got a similar setup, but with a smaller room and no cabinets. Storage is the big thing I'm missing, so it sounds like you have that covered.
Link Posted: 6/1/2016 12:19:35 AM EDT
[#4]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Adequate ventilation?
View Quote



Double this!

The fumes can cause a double hazard along with the powders. Both for the fire risks and for inhalation risk factors.  I would spend the extra money and replace every electrical outlet and switch with the industrial grade ones (with green dots)that are rated safe for use in hospitals around oxygen. Less spark risk and heavier duty.

I can't find the example I want right now but there are several  articles about people who had an explosion in his workroom/mancave. This might be it but I think there was another one  https://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=6&f=46&t=380314
 and
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2012/10/02/gun-room-explodes-injures-wife-of-idaho-state-representative/
That will at least give you some  lessons from the hard way without paying for it yourself.

Dedicated work areas,  especially if you have several of any type of firearm and/or like to build a lot/swap parts a lot. Running in a nice power drop separate from the house's main electrical. So you don't brown things down if you fire up a welder , any milling and/or drilling machines. Likely the room was wired with all the outlets on the same breaker and possibly the lighting. So a few home runs back to the breaker box might be called for and of course use 12 gauge or 10 gauge wire  for the 20amps. Better the breaker and outlet be the lesser rated equipment than the wire that will be harder to check. Use rated for hard continuous use at ____, not just short peak loads at _____. The difference is you could run it hard and have long life, buy once grumble once here. The price on wiring will confuse you buying larger amounts is way cheaper,you can second circuits for a little bit more. The cost of cutting, assembling shipping, storing,  stocking, then out to the sales display area  makes up a large part of the shelf price. No one has ever griped about I have too many free outlets or spare overhead in my work area.

If you planning on a gun safe make sure you take into account the door opening fully.



Since there are no windows I would suggest a real(hard wired) backup battery emergency lighting system unit or at least buying glow tape(theatrical supply if not at your hardware store) to mark the door and any step  edges until you are back where you can have illumination from the house windows for power outages. Use of a lighter would be very bad with solvents and reloading.


Also have storage a couple of inches off the floor, unless it is a sealed container. Even then a little air flow for humidity and such underneath wouldn't hurt. A small sacrifice for some risk elimination, it won't help with a full flood, sewer back up or busted pipe but for minor Murphy's law type events it gives you an edge.

Never forget that the ceiling can be used for display space.

Congrats on your purchase and setting up your own room. Which will be a life long job of perfecting it as you grow and interests change.
Link Posted: 6/1/2016 1:56:58 PM EDT
[#5]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
you'll have better luck posting this in GD, but my suggestions are as follows:

Dedicated AR workstation, i.e. set up to assemble uppers and lowers without having to set up anything each time.

Dedicated cleaning station fully stocked with cleaning supplies, bore snakes, etc.

Basically what I'm getting at is a separate station for each part of owning guns:

Assembling/gunsmithing, cleaning, reloading, and your fishing, that way everything is separated and non-cluttered.  This would be my ultimate set up if I were you.

Oh and wall mounts for show piece guns

Just check out Dan Bilzerians Gun vault
ETA:  Where in NC?  If Wake County please be my friend
View Quote


All good ideas.  I like the cleaning station idea, maybe even install a small sink with a parts cleaner installed or something like that.  I'm not currently in Nc, from there and will end up back there just not in the area at the moment.

Link Posted: 6/1/2016 2:03:01 PM EDT
[#6]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:



Double this!

The fumes can cause a double hazard along with the powders. Both for the fire risks and for inhalation risk factors.  I would spend the extra money and replace every electrical outlet and switch with the industrial grade ones (with green dots)that are rated safe for use in hospitals around oxygen. Less spark risk and heavier duty.

I can't find the example I want right now but there are several  articles about people who had an explosion in his workroom/mancave. This might be it but I think there was another one  https://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=6&f=46&t=380314
 and
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2012/10/02/gun-room-explodes-injures-wife-of-idaho-state-representative/
That will at least give you some  lessons from the hard way without paying for it yourself.

Dedicated work areas,  especially if you have several of any type of firearm and/or like to build a lot/swap parts a lot. Running in a nice power drop separate from the house's main electrical. So you don't brown things down if you fire up a welder , any milling and/or drilling machines. Likely the room was wired with all the outlets on the same breaker and possibly the lighting. So a few home runs back to the breaker box might be called for and of course use 12 gauge or 10 gauge wire  for the 20amps. Better the breaker and outlet be the lesser rated equipment than the wire that will be harder to check. Use rated for hard continuous use at ____, not just short peak loads at _____. The difference is you could run it hard and have long life, buy once grumble once here. The price on wiring will confuse you buying larger amounts is way cheaper,you can second circuits for a little bit more. The cost of cutting, assembling shipping, storing,  stocking, then out to the sales display area  makes up a large part of the shelf price. No one has ever griped about I have too many free outlets or spare overhead in my work area.

If you planning on a gun safe make sure you take into account the door opening fully.



Since there are no windows I would suggest a real(hard wired) backup battery emergency lighting system unit or at least buying glow tape(theatrical supply if not at your hardware store) to mark the door and any step  edges until you are back where you can have illumination from the house windows for power outages. Use of a lighter would be very bad with solvents and reloading.


Also have storage a couple of inches off the floor, unless it is a sealed container. Even then a little air flow for humidity and such underneath wouldn't hurt. A small sacrifice for some risk elimination, it won't help with a full flood, sewer back up or busted pipe but for minor Murphy's law type events it gives you an edge.

Never forget that the ceiling can be used for display space.

Congrats on your purchase and setting up your own room. Which will be a life long job of perfecting it as you grow and interests change.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
Adequate ventilation?



Double this!

The fumes can cause a double hazard along with the powders. Both for the fire risks and for inhalation risk factors.  I would spend the extra money and replace every electrical outlet and switch with the industrial grade ones (with green dots)that are rated safe for use in hospitals around oxygen. Less spark risk and heavier duty.

I can't find the example I want right now but there are several  articles about people who had an explosion in his workroom/mancave. This might be it but I think there was another one  https://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=6&f=46&t=380314
 and
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2012/10/02/gun-room-explodes-injures-wife-of-idaho-state-representative/
That will at least give you some  lessons from the hard way without paying for it yourself.

Dedicated work areas,  especially if you have several of any type of firearm and/or like to build a lot/swap parts a lot. Running in a nice power drop separate from the house's main electrical. So you don't brown things down if you fire up a welder , any milling and/or drilling machines. Likely the room was wired with all the outlets on the same breaker and possibly the lighting. So a few home runs back to the breaker box might be called for and of course use 12 gauge or 10 gauge wire  for the 20amps. Better the breaker and outlet be the lesser rated equipment than the wire that will be harder to check. Use rated for hard continuous use at ____, not just short peak loads at _____. The difference is you could run it hard and have long life, buy once grumble once here. The price on wiring will confuse you buying larger amounts is way cheaper,you can second circuits for a little bit more. The cost of cutting, assembling shipping, storing,  stocking, then out to the sales display area  makes up a large part of the shelf price. No one has ever griped about I have too many free outlets or spare overhead in my work area.

If you planning on a gun safe make sure you take into account the door opening fully.



Since there are no windows I would suggest a real(hard wired) backup battery emergency lighting system unit or at least buying glow tape(theatrical supply if not at your hardware store) to mark the door and any step  edges until you are back where you can have illumination from the house windows for power outages. Use of a lighter would be very bad with solvents and reloading.


Also have storage a couple of inches off the floor, unless it is a sealed container. Even then a little air flow for humidity and such underneath wouldn't hurt. A small sacrifice for some risk elimination, it won't help with a full flood, sewer back up or busted pipe but for minor Murphy's law type events it gives you an edge.

Never forget that the ceiling can be used for display space.

Congrats on your purchase and setting up your own room. Which will be a life long job of perfecting it as you grow and interests change.


Some really good ideas.  The wiring is already dedicated for the room.  100amp panel dedicated although I don't think it's big enough to run a welder in the area I do have plenty of outlets (every 4 feet) but they are placed at ground level.  I would like to move them up to bench height eventually.    backup lighting is also something I didn't think about but I will add to my list.  I have a few upstairs so i'll just move one into my room.  Thanks for the ideas.
Link Posted: 6/2/2016 1:23:50 AM EDT
[#7]
Vertical milling machine, lathe, etc.
Link Posted: 6/2/2016 9:04:08 PM EDT
[#8]
Also think about leaving a compressor out in the garage and running in an air line or pipe . That way the noise will be less of annoyance. Plus not lose any space for the device. Assuming the garage with become wood working area as you get more tools.

If you can think about using magnetic circuit breakers for the computer and electronics  circuits and leave the others as thermal circuit breakers. The magnetic ones will trip faster protecting against surges but the downside is momentary motor start up surges can cause them to trip from power tools. Each version has a pro and a con list for applications.
Link Posted: 6/5/2016 1:41:13 AM EDT
[#9]
Yeah, it's a real PITA to work beside a running air compressor.
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