If you’re among the few lucky chaps who lay claim to a man cave, there’s no doubt you’re always on the lookout for ways to upgrade it. After all, it’s the one room in your house that truly defines you. And to help speed up its transformation, here are nine amazing tech DIY ideas that will instantly upgrade your man cave.
1. DIY Kegerator
Nothing beats cold, well-preserved kegged beer fresh off the kegerator on a rowdy Friday evening in your man cave with the boys. But kegerators are ridiculously expensive with a price tag that sometimes exceeds $700. Luckily, you won’t need to break the bank as you can always make your own.
Find a second-hand refrigerator, two beer lines, connecting taps, two sets of gas and beer disconnects, and then use jubilee clips to put together, as illustrated above.
2. DIY Wine Lights
This amazing tech DIY idea will instantly upgrade your man cave and put last night’s wine bottles to good use. And it is pretty easy to make too. Take one of the wine bottles, cover the label with aluminum foil, place it under cold, running water (to keep the drill saw cool), and use a drill to create a small hole near the bottom.
Once it’s ready, push your string lights (or Christmas lights) into the wine bottle through the hole, and follow up with a rubber grommet to prevent the rough hole edge from damaging the wire. Finally, decorate the wine bottle as you fancy, and you’ll have a unique DIY wine bottle light that’ll upgrade your man cave in a flash. You may make as many as you feel fit the space.
3. Nintendo Controller Coffee Table
Sure, you own a Nintendo game, but are the controllers a cool giant coffee table? If not, this tech DIY idea is what you need to upgrade your man cave instantly.
You’ll require an MDF trunk (you can make one from scratch or get a woodworker to make you one), 14 screws, 24 washers, eight switches, spade terminals, locking nuts, small springs, non-skid protectors, piano-style hinges, pin plugs, a bunch of P-clamps, differently colored wires and screws, and an NES controller. Check out the easy-to-follow DIY steps in the video above.
4. DIY Magnetic Bottle Opener
A bottle opener is a must-have for any man cave, and with this magnetic DIY one you’ll instantly earn bragging rights for the coolest opener. Get a piece of wood measuring 4 x 12 inches, a bottle opener, a pair of neodymium magnets, screws, glue, wood-stain, and silicone, and then put together as described in the YouTube tutorial above.
All the materials and tools used are affordable and easily retrievable. Plus, you add a rustic touch to your man cave.
5. DIY Weather Displaying Lamps
A DIY weather lamp is undoubtedly a superb addition to your man cave, especially if yours is in dark tones and you can’t tell the weather when in there. This DIY lamp uses Arduino synced to your smartphone data to appropriately move and position a cardboard piece with the weather icon in the lamp, so you can quickly tell what the weather is like outdoors.
6. DIY Modern Jukebox
This DIY jukebox adds classic retro vibes with a touch of modernity to your man cave. Add in five speakers and a few lights, and it turns your man cave into the perfect setting for hangouts with your buddies.
What’s more, this DIY jukebox is compatible with Bluetooth, CDs, and records, truly combining classic and modern eras. Check out the comprehensive video tutorial for a step-by-step illustration on how to make one.
7. DIY Scoreboard
If you and the boys find it hard to keep score when the game heats up, this DIY scoreboard will give a techy edge to your cool man cave. And it is surprisingly easy to make; you’ll wonder why you never thought of it.
You’ll need a Raspberry Pi Zero to control the LED strips (allows control over each individual LED). You’ll also need WS2812B LED strips and bulbs for the score numbers, a 5V power source for the LED strips, and an integrated circuit to transfer voltage from the Raspberry Pi to the LED data pins.
Assemble your scoreboard components on a piece of wood, creating three sections for the timer and four for the team scores. Download and run the code, and voilà! You now have a techy game-changing addition to your man cave at a pocket-friendly cost.
8. Recycled Styrofoam Air Conditioner
Looking to keep your man cave cool and comfortable during summer, but don’t want to spend a lot on air conditioning? Well, this is just the tech DIY idea you need to upgrade this treasured space instantly. It requires pretty basic materials; a Styrofoam container, two PCP pipe elbows, and a fan.
Remove the front grill of your fan, so the blades remain exposed. Now cut out a hole the same circumference as the fan on the center of the cooler’s lid and two more for the elbows. Attach the components, add frozen water bottles, and your Styrofoam air conditioner is ready. Alternatively, you may use ice cubes, as illustrated in the tutorial above.
9. DIY Digital Clock
Love a digital clock but aren’t willing to splurge on one? Skip the costs and make this Arduino-based DIY digital clock. You will need an ATmega328P microcontroller, seven-segment LED display, four NPN transistors, a voltage regulator, on/off switch, a pair of 3mm LEDs, a push-button, crystal oscillator, and a bunch of resistors.
Turn Your Dream Man Cave to Reality
A man cave should give a nod to your character and interests, and with these amazing tech ideas you’ll upgrade your man cave and get it to define you at nearly no cost. All the projects above also earn you bragging rights because you won’t just find a DIY kegerator, a modern jukebox, or a Nintendo controller coffee table anywhere.