My Basement Bar Build

[Hoppopotomus]

I'm loading up the tools in my jeep and will be right over.

Thanks guys. It's hops harvesting day for me and grouting the stone tops on my dual fermentation chamber builds. Check em out when you get a chance.

 

[foxea]

Just picking your brain, I want to copy some of your work. I'm pretty good at wood working, but I have never worked with logs. I can get cedar logs and want to split some like you did. Can you tell me how you are splitting your logs on a table saw without them rolling and making them straight? Did you build some kind of gig? Also I see you are debarking the bark with a draw knife. What are you sanding them with? Belt sander? hand sanding? Palm sander? I like the natural look you have.

 

[Hoppopotomus]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/knotty-pine-cedar-log-keezer-build-223902/index5.html

Here's a link to keezer build and my description of ripping the logs on a table saw. No fancy jigs, used a 4 ft. level to mark a straight line and slowly ripped them through the table saw. If you lay the log on a flat floor and find the flattest lying surface and then draw the vertical line for the rip with a sharpie....and most importantly, go slow and let the blade do the work then it should yeild a positive result. The larger cedar log pieces, like my mantle and liquor shelf were cut on my buddies WoodMeiser Mill. Yes, I use a draw knife to debark the logs and to knife down into the sap wood deep enough to remove the worm tracks. I then simply used a palm sander with 60 grid paper and gradually worked my way up to 220.

Check out my fermentation chambers when you get a chance. If you like my bar and keezer, you'll like these as well.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/hoppos-rustic-fermentation-chambers-ale-lager-301274/index7.html

 

[foxea]

Thanks for the info. I have been following you since you started your build. I guess I missed were you talked about the logs. And I have seen your other builds. Love them all. Cant wait to give it a shot. I have to sell my house and buy another to do this. Might give it a shot redoing some of my cottage. I can only imagine the hours of build time you have in this. Well worth it.

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Yeah, I've spent a few hours on these projects, but I need projects to keep me busy. Once I finish one, I move onto the next. That's the beauty of home brewing.....a never ending list of things to build to advance in the craft. I'm just wrapping up the fermentation chambers and am moving onto my grain milling station. I'm on the fence as to what mill to go with, but I'm trying to keep it somewhat cost effective. I'm trying to choose between The Barley Crusher, The Cereal Killer, or the Millars Mill. I plan on motorizing it (imagine that ) and building a cabinet with similar log trims and tile work. The company that makes The Barley Crusher is literally 20 minutes from my house, so I'm trying to see if I can just pick it up to avoid the shipping costs. If not Adventures in Homebrewing has The Cereal Killer on sale with free shipping, but it's about 1 month on back order. Regardless, I plan on starting this build ASAP....and of course, I'll be starting a thread for that build as well.

 

[ScotBrew]

Just read through this whole thread and I'd love a basement/bar like this. I simmply don't have the room in my current house, plus we're only renting but maybe in the future!

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Thanks.....we really enjoy having the bar down there. It has already been a lot of fun for gatherings with friends, family, and neighbors. I can't believe I never posted final pics of the bar on this thread. I'll upload some pics. later today of the finished product. I haven't figured out how to upload pics from my android phone at this point.

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Final pics. of the now "mostly finished" basement. I'm going to post a sh*t load of pics of the bar, bath, FR, BR, exercise room, brewery, etc. and then put this thread to rest. Sorry I never posted the final pics. Here we go.....

THE BAR

 

[Hoppopotomus]

A few more miscellaneous pics. of the bar area and the walk in panty in the bar. Sorry about the pic. quality.....using an old crappy camera. I have one more log bar stool, but haven't found the time to strip and re-finish it.

 

[Hoppopotomus]

The BAR BATHROOM. Again, sorry about the pic. quality. I cannot figure out how to upload pics off of my smart phone to HBT and our good camera is "off limits" for brewing pics.

 

[Hoppopotomus]

The FAMILY ROOM adjacent to the bar. We had a hydronics high eff. boiler system installed last month to heat the floors. Now we spend the majority of our time in the basement.....Love the radiant floor heat!

 

[Hoppopotomus]

A little , but here are a few pics. of the bedroom and exercise room in the basement while I'm at it. A space for friends to sleep it off and a place to burn off the extra homebrew calories.

 

[nmfree]

A space for friends to sleep it off and a place to burn off the extra homebrew calories.

...and a room for the exercise equipment. :fro:

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Homebrew has a lot of calories.....gotta have something to keep my fat azz in shape!

 

[Trimmer]

Great work!

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Back at ya man! I've been checking out your build as well and it is awesome. Keep up the good work.

 

[jweez]

Im digging the cross bow by the equipment!

Awesome bar man, super jealous, looks great

 

[Huaco]

Is the long bow hung above the window strung? If so, I'm guessing it is a bow that has been discarded for archery purposes...

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Is the long bow hung above the window strung? If so, I'm guessing it is a bow that has been discarded for archery purposes...

Yeah, it was my wife's grandpa's and it has been strung for years. It's strictly a wall hanger at this point, as I'm not sure of it's structural integrity. I started bow hunting as a kid with a recurve, but now use strictly compound.

Thanks jweez.....the crossbow is also an antique given to me by my wife's grandpa as well. Strictly a decoration at this point. I wanted to find a place to hang it, but couldn't find the right spot, so it just sits by the antique gun cabinet....also given to me by him.

 

[Genuine]

That is pretty awesome man! Love the feel of everything there! I dig it! Good job!

 

[pedimac]

Wow. Friggin awesome.

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Thanks guys, I appreciate it.

 

[Dario12583]

Wow in the beginning I was like eh not a fan but the countertop looks cool than as I kept reading I just became a fan. Wow everything looks great and the whole room looks awesome GREAT JOB!! Read every page.

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Yeah, the whole rustic cabin decor is something that you are either a big fan of or just isn't your style. I grew up in a very rural wooded area, so really dig the whole knotty pine, cedar log concept with natural stone materials. Check out a few of my other builds and you will see that I have carried that look throughout my brewery and all of it's components as well. My wife is not a big fan of the cabin decor, but she is cool with it being confined to the basement only. If I had my way, I would have a big custom log home with this kind of decor throughout the entire house. Since there is no way my wife would go for that, I'm just glad that she let me run wild with the basement. Someday I hope to buy a decent size lakefront cottage in northern Michigan and completely gut and refinish it into a rustic log cottage with knotty pine, cedar log trims, log furniture and natural materials. Since that isn't happening for a while, I put my efforts into the basement for now.
Thanks for the compliment.

 

[Alistechbumb]

I am just in the prepping of the Basement right now (Read awesome wife approved the plan) and this is just more fuel for the fire. Awesome Job! And thanks for some more inspiration!!! LOVE the half logs on the cabinets and that bar top is EPIC!!!!

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Thanks. Let me know when you get started, so I can follow along. Good luck and let me know if I can help.