So, I have finally built my shack

I was sick of doing all my radio stuff on a fold-out table in the bedroom so… I took a look around the place to see what else I could do. At first I thought about putting up a shed, but the only place I could put one was too far from the house so I wouldn’t hear if anyone broke in. Then I looked under the house, measured the space at 4.2m x 2.2m and thought “I might be able to do something with this”

Photo under the house
Under the house

So I got to work cleaning everything out and putting a frame together.

Photo of cleaned area and beginning of framework.
Cleaned out and started frame

Because of the ground under there I decided to build an old bookshelf into the wall rather than dig out the ground next to the stumps.

Photo of more framework
More framework
Photo of floor going in
Floor going in before finishing frame

I packed out the back wall a bit around the water pipes and built a frame to join it to the bookshelf, insulated and clad with leftover yellowtongue flooring.

Photo of back wall in progress.
Yellowtongue going on the back wall

Then i started on the front wall. Due to the height of this room I had to cut down a door frame and door to suit.


Then I went back inside.

Photo of front inside wall during plastering
Inside front wall getting plastered
Photo of walls in progress
More walls in progress

I installed a light and a door, then started painting.

Photo during painting
During painting

I then started on the benches. I wanted a lower bench for operating radios and the computer, and a higher bench comfortable for soldering and building little things on while either standing or sitting. The second bench also had to be high enough to fit a bar fridge under.

Photo of raw bench 1
Installed first bench
Photo of raw bench 2
Installed second bench

Then I stained and varnished them. I probably should have done it before install but hey, there were a LOT of things I could have done better on this job but you learn by doing.

Photo of benches just after stain and varnish
Stained and varnished benches.

Then more outlets and a TV and I was ready to set up for radio stuff.

Photo of TV mounted on back wall
TV
Photo of radio bench
Radio bench
Photo of work bench
Work bench
Photo of outside
Outside view

This is where the shack is at now. It took a several weekends to build and I have been using it for almost a month now. I still have more to do to it like skirting boards and mounting a connection panel on the wall, painting the door etc. But it’s usable as is and I’m pretty happy with how it all went.
73s, Daniel

2 Replies to “So, I have finally built my shack”

  1. What insulation did you use in the floor and. Walls? How are you heading and cooling the shack?
    I currently am in my shack 1.0 and I am planning version 2.0 this spring.
    Jim

    1. The front wall has sisalation, the left wall has batts, the back wall and shelf area have foil backed batts and the right wall+floor are currently uninsulated, just havent had time. Using a cheap portable compressor aircon under the work bench for cooling (i cut a hole in the floor for the exhaust outlet) and a portable heater for winter.

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