Editor’s Note: Since we at ManCertified are always looking for new and unique content that fits our genre, we recently were turned onto a new TV Show called The Man Card Crew. So we reached out to Jesse Nunez, the creator and host of the show, and asked for a quick breakdown of the show. He also gave us a quick description of the premiere project. The following is what Jesse had to say. Check it out.

The Man Card Crew (www.mancardcrew.com) was created to add man content to the popular home improvement genre of TV programming. While we know there are other (Man Type) home improvement shows out there, ours is a bit different. We do not claim to be leading designers in the world of home design, we are not saving the world one over-built home at a time and we are not professional athletes or celebrities. We are normal guys and professional contractors who know what kind of rooms men would love to have in their home. We also recognize that although the room is designed and built with the man of the house in mind, it also has to be inviting for women. The truth is women are attracted to men who act like men, and a man room does just the trick.

The Man Card Crew is comprised of professional contractors, who bring their expertise to our projects. We like to describe our show as a mix of This Old House and West Coast Customs. We also are proud to say we are in the business of supporting local business by promoting local contractors and highlighting their services during our show. Unlike other shows we will share the budget and time line along with contractor contact information. We also feature cool products that fit perfectly into a man room. If you visit our website store page you will find some of those products for sale.

In the premiere project “The Poker Garage” we convert a normal 2 ½ car garage into a poker room. By using a structure that was already constructed and attached to the house we were able to save money and convert a space that was being used as a garage and storage area into a room that is worthy of both a high stakes poker game and the finest sports car. The dual use room design not only added value and entertainment space to the home but made the space multi-functional. The project is sponsored by River Oaks Ford, a local Ford dealership so the room has a Ford Mustang feel to it. It also has a custom poker table, built by using the Man Card Crew custom poker table kit (available on our store page). It also features custom bar stools, a bar built out of the hood of an old truck, a skyline mural, discrete storage units, a pro grade floor coating and much more.

The show is set to air on Comcast Sportsnet Chicago late this summer. We will also post it for on demand viewing on our website after the initial air dates. If you would like to apply to have The Man Card Crew build your man room, feel free to apply on our website. If you are building your own room and need ideas and products, check out our store page. We hope to hear from you soon!

Jesse Nunez: (Creator and Host of The Man Card Crew)
www.mancardcrew.com

Related articles

• The King of King’s Road (8) (slowindown.com)
• How to Read People… in Poker (onlinepokerlowdown.com)
• Cool Idea: Man Shack (casasugar.com)
• +Poker brings realistic Poker to the iPad (themactrack.com)
• How to Visualize Your Way to Poker Success (onlinepokerlowdown.com)

Perhaps the least thought given to any room when considering a remodeling job is the basement; unlike a bedroom or kitchen they can be forgotten quite easily once the door has been shut. But, you should keep in mind that this extra level gives you great potential for additional space, storage and even in the case of creating a home office, perhaps some extra income. If your basement happens to be nothing more than a mismatched assortment of cast-off furniture, an area that stores nothing of much use your random crap then it might just be the perfect time to remodel it.

One way to make use of that space is to turn your basement into a game room; a place to go to relax after a hard day a work, an area to play with the kids, a place to go when spouse/girlfriend issues become a little to stressful or just a place to hang out with the guys. And, we are not just talking about hanging up a dart board or adding a foosball table, we are talking about making it a place you can’t wait to enjoy and show off.

Why not start with some kind of a classic game table, make yourself known as a poker aficionado with an elegant table made for great card games. Many of these are available with an optional top that can be placed over the table and used for things like food in order to keep your poker table in great shape; make sure the chairs are comfortable for those long games where you have the majority of the winning hands as you don’t want anyone using any excuses to leave.

What game room is complete without a bar? You have several choices here including a full bar with a sink and all the extra’s built in or a basic bar to add to your existing area. If you are going for that really elegant look consider one of the heavy mahogany styles, perhaps with a dark granite top and some matching stools. Of course there are other choices if you are going for a more casual look like the light wood or rattan made bars with matching stools.

At this point go ahead and feel free to add that foosball table and dart board; just be sure to match the rest of the décor so it has a pulled together look. Then step back, call the family or your friends and have a blast.

Related articles

• Is a Basement Worth It? (homeloans.org)
• Audi Fans Rejoice: Audi Foosball Table To Enter Production (ridelust.com)
• Radon: Lung Cancer Risk Factor Hiding in the Basement (everydayhealth.com)
• How to de-creepify a basement? (ask.metafilter.com)
• Dated basement transformed into family clubhouse (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

Kegerator Residential Beverage Drafting At It’s Best

There is truly no better way to serve your guest than through a kegerator, which is basically a cooler / refrigerator with some special accessories. You may be into homemade homebrew making or marvel over the taste of guiness, heineken, or the nostalgia of the 40′s you drank in college. Regardless, when you have a portable tap fridge dispenser next your your fridge, it’ll put a smile on your face for sure.

Cleaning Kegerators

Most people recomend cleaning their kegerator in the same way you would a freezer and a draft. Using hot water and a washcloth typically works best we believe. The trays can typically be washed in the dishwasher depending on their size. A small tray obviously can be without a problem. Full instructions or recomendations found in a diy brew forum could also be followed.

Mini Kegerator

There are mini home kegerators with handles that can handle guinness, sam adams or any other beer your looking to buy. A built frigidaire double kegerator probably isn’t your best bet if you’re looking for a cheap option at a discount. If you want the options of a better dual drip keg cooler, you may want to build your own. If you are building your own you also get the ability to have it include a chest, co2 tank (Gets the air situated) and any other equipment that you’re looking to include.

Beer Kegerator Prices – Kegerator Parts

Sales and reviews of refrgerated beer taps go from $300 – $3,000. If you’re looking at how to make one for under $300 where you’ll still have the benefits of a commercial unit, you’ll want to find some kits, which can be used indoors or outdoor. Review your options on Amazon or another site and find what you want in terms of electrics. You can also visit home depot and review pricing there.

Kegerator Kit Refrigerators – Kegerator Conversion Kit

Supplies and parts included in beer fridges can include a CO2 Tank, Regulator, Coupler, Beer and Air Line, the Tap, a tower, drip tray, faucet and faucet handle. One of the models is a bd6000 and brands that make them include edgestar, haier, perlick, pony, sanyo, sbc, summit and more. You can also get conversions kits that will convert your system to a fully operational kegerator. It is true that the price can vary greatly.

Used Kegerator Systems – Kegerator For Sale

I had a buddy who had an Avanti used kengerator under his counter. There are a lot of place you can find a good used kegerator including ebay.com, freecycle.org or craigslist.org. Tons of other sites are around, too, but don’t forget about the costs that you may not actually think about. Shipping, for example can be a huge concern, where if you purchase something through amazon, you may actually get free shipping. Also, many keerators may not have all that you need to operate it, so you have to think about all these things when looking to buy used.

Danby Kegerator

Danby makes a few kegerators, and they range in prices from $259 – $599. You can find them here.

Even the thought of organizing the garage is enough to bring some men to their knees (and of course it doesn’t help when it is not your idea to do so, but that’s another thing altogether); but the sooner you get it done the better off you will be and the more peace you will likely have as well.

One of the most important things to remember is that when you organize your garage you will need to designate a place for everything while still ensuring that all of your items are easily accessible. If possible start by taking everything out of the garage, just pile it onto the driveway or grass and then begin sorting everything into different categories such as lawn maintenance items, toys, electric tools, sporting equipment, etc. Of course, be sure to throw away all items that are broken beyond repair (yes that includes those that you think you may be able to fix…someday) and items that you no longer need.

Start by installing some type of a hanging rack for those lawn tools which helps to keep them within easy reach while keeping them out of the way and providing you with more space. You can either make one yourself of purchase one pre-made and install it or have someone install it for you if you are not sure of your own capabilities (hey, you do not have to tell anyone that you didn’t do it yourself).

It is also a good idea to have enough room to rotate seasonal items; for example when it is close to winter make sure to have shovels, snow blowers, sleds, etc. easy to get to and likewise during the summer be sure to have any outdoor furniture accessories, toys or pool accessories where you can get to them quickly.

You can also gain some additional storage space by installing cabinets or shelves which again you can do yourself or hire someone to do for you. Free standing cabinets are also a good idea for some sporting equipment, toys and the materials that you need for things like washing your car.

It may seem like an intimidating job but once it is done you will wonder why you didn’t do it sooner and you may just get a special dinner out of the deal for being such a great “handyman”.

If you would like to increase your living space a basement renovation may be the best way to do it and a basement remodel project can usually be done with a minimum amount of expenditures. This is an exceptional way to add space since it utilizes an area that is there already; it can be used for rec rooms, additional bedrooms, a family room or any other number of uses.

All basement construction and remodeling should start with the floor; newer homes that have basements are normally constructed from a concrete block or poured foundation that is on footings and then a concrete floor. These homes usually have a good drainage system that helps keep water away from the structure itself which minimizes the chance of moisture problems. Since an older home may have been built on a dirt floor basement foundation a basement renovation in an older house may have to include constructing a new concrete floor. This can be a major job and unless you have the experience it is a good idea to hire a reliable contractor to do this for you.

As an alternative to constructing a cement slab for your basement remodel job is to install a subfloor made of wood over the existing concrete after uneven areas have been leveled. However, it is not a good idea to use this method if you think that moisture could be a possibility as the pockets that are between the concrete and the wood floor may become inaccessible areas for mildew and mold to form, causing possible odor and health problems once the basement construction is completed. If water were to seep into your basement the whole wood floor would then need to be taken out in order for the area to dry effectively.

You do have other options when it comes to flooring for your basement renovation; if the concrete is just uneven or cracked you can use a floor leveling compound and then cover it with carpet or some kind of laminate. If you already know that the area is prone to moisture then consider gluing carpet directly to floor during the basement remodel; this way if there is water damage it can be cleaned and the carpet can be left where it is to dry which minimizes the cost of water damage restoration if necessary.

With spring and summer fast approaching it is time to start thinking about your yard and gardening tools replacing or repairing as necessary. Backyard tools can only work so well without having any type of maintenance; if your hose leaks you will waste water and money, etc. Here are a few tips on what you can do to ensure that your yard tools are in good working order.

Start with the lawnmower as it is one of the major yard tools and change the filter if you have not done so since last year; if it is a paper filter then replace it, otherwise you can take it out and clean it with soapy warm water. After disconnecting the spark plug turn it over on its side and clean out the old debris and grass, using a screwdriver or something similar for difficult clumps. You can also use the water hose to help spray it clean; using a disinfecting cleaner if your yard had any kind of a fungus.

Another one of the backyard tools to check is the gardening water hose, check it carefully for cracks and holes. If you only have a minor crack or hole you can choose to repair it using something like plumbing tape but check it often to be sure that it holds and doesn’t leak. If you use more than one hose then be sure to check the washers where the two connect together; you can pick up replacement washers at any hardware or home store.

Weed-eaters are also yard tools that come in very handy; the amount of area that you need to edge and the number of plants or trees that you need to get around has a lot to do with the type of weed-eater that you should get. Your local home store can offer valuable advice on which model to get as well as the pros and cons of gas or electric ones. Just be sure that the base guard and the handle are on securely before starting so that they do not fly off or slip while operating it.

Your supply of gardening backyard tools should also include some kind of hedge clippers; to ensure that the blades are sharp use heavy gauge grit sandpaper or take them to a shop to have them sharpened in order to keep your shrub lines clean.