Man Cave Series: How to Insulate Your Garage

Well we are back from a blogging sabbatical, and this article is the first in a series on my man cave renovations. The project was to turn a standard builder's garage into the best man cave I could build with my own two hands [on a budget]. Step one was to turn down the heat a notch by adding insulation. 

Pirate Ship Bunk Bed Project

Welcome with me, our first guest author, Robert Tinker. He is a self-taught wood worker, aviation enthusiast, and principal in Moe Victoria, Australia. As you'll see, Bob has honed the art of woodworking, so I hope you enjoy this project as much as I have and maybe if we're lucky this won't be the last piece he submits. 

Two years ago, the natural expansion of my daughter’s family required that her two young boys bunk up together in the same room… the price of acquiring a new sister.  The older one faced moving from a novelty single bed, in the shape of a safari jeep, to a perhaps more standard bunk setting.  This is where the idea to build a set of novelty bunks came into being.  The initial request was for a London double decker bus, but it’s interesting how various experiences come together to mold unexpected outcomes.  At the time, I was reading a series of 27 novels by Alexander Kent that involved the British Navy during the late seventeen hundreds, and quite by accident, my daughter saw a picture of another set of pirate ship bunks while looking at a real estate property online.  The pictured bunks were a little abstract, and so, as men do, I sought to improve on a good idea.

Trail Review: Ouachita National Recreation Trail

Labor Day weekend my brother and I set out on a little mancation. Hot Springs, AR is almost precisely half way between where he and I live so we wanted to do some backpacking there. It turned out to be a great choice- here are some of my thoughts on the trail.

The Fall Classic: 8-Legged Chipotle Chili

I really can't think of a fall scenario where this wouldn't work perfectly- the campground, tailgating at the game, or on one of those cold nights at home. Carefully crafted and tweaked from my mother's chili recipe, this controversial bowl of chili has won competitions and holds the title of the only chili approved to be made in my household til death do us part. It's that serious. It walks a fine line of the right amount of heat and plenty of flavor. So from our stovetop to yours- here's the recipe that will fill your heart and stomach with happiness.

Build Your Own F-16 Flight Simulator

Here at KTF we're all about finding hobbies and projects that inspire the hearts of men to come alive. If you still remember all the details about the first time you watched Top Gun this is probably right up your alley. Join us as we take a look at what it takes to build a flight simulator on par with what the pro's use.

.223 to .22 Ballistic Conversion

Chalk this up to my professional life spilling over into my hobbies. I've seen conversion kits that turn an AR-15 into a rifle that fires a .22 round and after trying it out I'm convinced that it's a great training aid. The only problem is the ballistic properties of the .22 are no where near the same as they are on a .223 or 5.56 round. Another common problem I seem to run into is not having a long enough range to practice on. With a little bit of inspiration, I think I solved both problems with one tool.

Not Another Veteran Holiday

Our founding fathers committed treason. By signing the Declaration they knew that if we couldn't back up our words they would find themselves sentenced to death. They believed in a land that was not just subtly different than England, but that we needed to start over and do this alone.

Wooden Propeller: The Build

A few weeks back we gave you the plans for a wooden propeller, constructed the old fashioned way. This week, we'll reveal our progress on the build.

Gone Fishin'

Uncle Sam has monopolized both the authors' time this month, so posting will be light. Stick with us and we'll be back to business as usual next month.

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During the down time, check out our popular posts on the right of your screen or just browse through our older articles to find something you haven't read yet.

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How to Quit Like a Man

For the first time in my life I quit. It was a significant milestone in my story and I felt like I was going into uncharted territory. It went against the way I'd been raised and it was uncomfortable- but it was the right thing to do. If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, hopefully you'll find the things I learned to be helpful.