Every podcast needs a dedicated space to function, and every man needs a place where he can go for some solitude (or to hang out with his friends). Sometimes, it's a basement cave as I have now. Sometimes, it's a He-shed (like a She-shed, but lacking an "S"). I've chosen to make not a basement cave (because I'm tired of LARPing in my basement) nor a He-shed (because that sounds gay), but a War Room (because... Reasons. Hey- it's my studio, ok?).
Today marks a great step toward accomplishing that goal. Searching Facebook market place, I found two places where I was able to get some lumber. It was a labor intensive deal for sure, but the potential for some free lumber was worth it. So, I got a buddy with a truck made from a van to help me out, and we went to the location of the first lumber stash- and scored huge rewards for our efforts.
All told, there are 101 roughly 8 foot heat treated 2x4's in the back of that van/truck, and a host of other flat pieces that will make a superb floor. This alone should be enough to frame in the ceiling of the new War Room, and coupled with the materials that will be removed from the interior of the structure, allow me to make a solid floor as well. I still have two rooms to clean out, and some styrofoam insulation to dispose of, but suffice to say I have scored a major victory in my quest for a dedicated space for The Rambling Devil Podcast to be recorded, and the future B.S. news show to be filmed.
When it’s done it will have a sound stage for shooting my upcoming B.S. News show, as well as recording The Rambling Devil Podcast. It will also have a full sized wargaming table with shelves for my terrain and armies that I can use to film interviews and battle reports (possibly concurrently with one another). I also aim to put a small nook for the craft of building and painting miniatures that will be set up for filming the endeavor to create more fun content for those that follow the blog and podcast.
There's a long way to go to get this project finished, and to be sure there will be some issues I'll hit along the way (such as designing a semi-vaulted ceiling to help deaden echoes that you are hearing now within the podcast recordings). Yet I remain unfazed in my desires to see this studio/gaming center completed by next year. With some luck, sleuthing the interwebs for free materials, and some handy man work that would make Red Green proud, I'll get it done. And as I move forward, I will post continuing news on my progress, and the struggles I run into. Should make for content that doesn’t revolve around news and other crazy stuff that we all love to hate, and hate to love. So stay tuned.