Operation Lofty Lair
With much support from friends, I have decided that Operation Lofty Lair shall be a go. Ever since I purchased my house, I have had the intention of building a model railroad layout in the second floor space above my detached garage. While it would indeed be a good spot for such a hobby, the thought of investing so much money into an outbuilding which may not get the best insurance coverage, wasn't very appealing to me. I did get some track work off the ground, and there was much progress for a while.
Four major factors limited my dedication to that project however. One being a sliding glass door that opened onto a small roof. The sliding glass door made planning bench work for a model railroad a lot more difficult as this large chunk of wall would be split in two. The second being that there was a general lack of interest. I am a social person, and need some social support in order to stay interested and focused on a project. Third was that, while I did have heat up there in the winter, the summer time tended to get very warm up there. With no provisions at the time for cooling the place, it was determined that the model railroad would be abandoned during the summer months. Fourth was the questionable framing of the post and beam construction of this old garage. The structure does move slightly, but I am told this is normal. However, when you add plaster scenery and backdrops, you will likely be dealing with cracks as the whole building moves slightly back and forth.
I was well on the way to correct some of those issues, when I had a bit of a brainstorming session. I figured that, since my basement isn't really being utilized, it could have a layout built in it which rivals the space I have available in the garage. And on top of that, it is fairly comfortable to work down there at any time of the year. So what to do with the space above the garage? Storage? meh.. it is a pain in the ass bringing stuff up there. Electronics lab? meh, no interest it seems... I have always wanted to build a sound studio up there, but again with the way the building shifts, I doubt I would be able to isolate the rooms to create a floating studio properly. Plus the added weight of a room within a room, would likely not be ideal. And it is also an expensive venture. So what to do?
Then I had a thought... How about a kink / play room? Not much needs to be done, save for some furniture, and decoration. Some plumbing wouldn't hurt either. But really, it is a fairly simple idea. It also would allow me to start up a bit of a private social club, which would satisfy some of my social needs. Upon suggesting the idea to several local friends, the responses were generally positive, with many saying they would likely be interested in participating.
I am looking forward to seeing the progression of this plan, and curious how it will turn out.