HOME OF AUTOMOTIVE CREATIVITY
THE V8 MAN CAVE
PART 3
I remember the first time I drove a Ferrari. It was a 360 in brilliant Rosso red with tan leather upholstery and a 6 speed manual box, the epitome of the brand. Actually it was owned by a vicar who threw me the keys and said help yourself. To be totally and brutally honest I was a little disappointed. As a petrol head it pains me to write those words, but let me explain. Visually the machine was exquisite. The handling was astonishing. The gear change (the last Ferrari to be built with a manual box) was orgasmic and every shift sounded like a bullet being loaded into the breach. As for the noise, the 3.6 litre V8 at full chat (8,700 rpm no less) would put any symphony to shame. But, and it’s a big but, the 395 bhp on tap didn’t deliver. Maybe it’s because the car was little lardy at a shade under 1,500kgs, or my internal organs were used to 600bhp+ lightweight Ultimas, and 400bhp+ nitrous injected Cobra replicas. But the prancing stallion simply didn’t push my buttons. I’m sure the more modern Ferrari’s hit the mark on all fronts, but having said that it still astonishes me that in our drafty garages we can create some of the finest automotive stimuli on the planet. Truly amazing.
Now you may wonder why I’m writing about a Ferrari when I’m supposed to be building my ultimate man cave. Well, the moral of the story is when you have lusted after something for years, when it actually comes to owning the dream it can fall a little flat. An anti-climax so to speak. So is my half-finished V8 Man Cave an anti-climax after ploughing thousands of pounds into the project. The answer is simple – no bloody way, it’s amazing. I find myself sitting on the floor, beer in hand just absorbing the pristine environment and dreaming of the day my next Ultima will be built from the ground up in this cossetted environment. It just makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
So back to reality and what’s in store this month? Firstly, electrics second fix. Now anyone out there reading these words needs to get a qualified electrician to do this work or you may get electrocuted and fall in a heap on the floor. Me, well if I can build a 200mph super car I can connect few pieces of copper together and live to see another day. I also have a degree in electrical engineering which helps a little when confronted with the decision: do I cut the brown or blue wire? So having installed the first fix prior to my plastering activities, the second fix is fitting the sockets and light switches to the appropriate boxes recessed into the walls. MK is always my make of choice, and Screwfix (www.screwfix.co.uk) can supply all the variations required at very reasonable prices. A trusted brand used by many electricians, MK is worth the extra 20% over the cheap brands to ensure you get that reassurance of quality when plugging in your electric welder on a damp winters night.
I won’t go into too much detail here (since you can’t do this yourself or you may die) but 10 sockets, two light switches and a couple of blanking plates later and the Den is now fully electrified. On reflection I may have gone over the top with my sockets, but in for a penny in for a pound.
THE POOL TABLE
One of the crowning glories of my den is a pool table. This may sound a little extravagant but why not? My initial plan was to look on eBay and get a second hand example, but my wife suggesting it would make an ideal 50th birthday present. Suddenly the opportunity to purchase new was an option so an internet search revealed a company called Home and Leisure, the UKs largest supplier of pool tables in the UK, A trip to the Bristol show rooms saw the selection of a 7 foot, English pool table complete with removable hard top (ideal for a trimming table!). With an almost endless range of colour finished I opted for a satin back frame and a bright orange baize. Included in the price was free delivery. Very handy when you consider the slate bed weighs 180kgs plus.
On delivery some self-assembly was required but this would be a doddle for any kit car builder. Positioned off centre in the room, play is only possible if a car is not housed in the den. However, as I hope you will agree from the pictures it is a fitting fixture for the cave.
BENCH TOOLS
Apart from a roof over your head, good lighting, and a descent work surface a select few bench tools (and hand tools) are all you need to build a kit car. The first and most essential item is a vice. Basically you need to hold stuff to file, drill, bend, pull apart, sand and the list goes on and on. Machine Mart offers a massive range which can become very confusing for the initiated. My advice is simple. Opt for a descent size jaw width (6 inches is ideal), ensure the jaws have a wide opening, and as for other options such as a swivel base, don’t bother. The vice I have chosen for the Den is the ‘Clarke CV150B 6" Bench Vice’; Super wide jaws, which open to 160mm, and an added bonus of an anvil (for hitting stuff) von the rear. One of the least expensive vices in the range it costs just £52.79 (inclusive of VAT) and you simply can’t go far wrong. In addition to the vice I would always strongly recommend soft jaw covers. These come in varying styles, but the magnetic variants with rubber covers are ideal when you want to protect work when clamped in the vice. ‘Clarke CRJ150 Soft Vice Jaw Inserts 150mm’ are a new offering from Machine Mart and at just £9.59 (including VAT) are worth their weight in gold.
Next, any garage is not worth its salt unless it has a pillar drill. I remember my father saying that however old, or inexpensive a pillar drill it will be ten times more accurate than drilling a hole with a hand-held electric drill. As such you don’t need to spend thousands of pounds to get a quality product which is ideal for the occasional use. Luckily Machine Mart has just launched a new range which caught my eye and the bench mounted variant I have selected is the ‘Clarke CDP302B Bench Drill Press (230V)’. Coming in at £203.98 (including VAT) this is a truly amazing piece of kit. Massive 550 Watt induction motor, 16 speeds, circular drilling table, depth gauge, all the essential items required for precision drilling and at a very reasonable cost. If this sounds a little expensive, then the range starts at just £71.98 (including VAT) which will get you a general purpose pillar drill more than adequate for the home garage.
So now I can hold stuff, drill stuff, what’s next – grinding and sanding stuff. Here is where a bench grinder and a bench sander come into play. To be fair the latter is a bit of a luxury but a grinder is a must, and also very inexpensive in the scheme of things.
The ‘Clarke CBG6250LW 6” Bench Grinder with Lamp’ costs just £59.98 (including VAT) and will become a best friend on those cold winter nights. A grinding wheel on one end and a wire brush on the other you get a host of accessories including a lamp which illuminates the work. As for sanding, the ‘Clarke CS4-6D Belt and Disc Sander’ has found its way onto my bamboo worktop. This is an amazing piece of kit which has a sanding belt and also a sanding disc on the side. I must admit that the investment of £101.99 (including VAT) sounded a little steep for the use I would give it but having used the belt sander a couple of times it makes light work of wood, metal, plastic etc, while also ensuring a perfect finish. Now I wouldn’t be without one.
So there you have it my work bench populated with a truly desirable and extremely useful set of tools. If you are on a budget, just opt for a vice, an entry level pillar drill and a bench grinder. This will cost you less than £200 and you will be set.
BEER TIME
That’s it for this month, which leaves only one part left of this four part series. This will be the installation of the entertainment zone and also the finishing touches before I reveal all. Thanks for reading, now where is my beer?
