what style cabinets would you chose if you had to do it all again?

[Vic Harder]

Getting round to thinking of the cabinets in my Hawk rebuild. I'm wondering about styles of cabinets to maximize functionality. When I look at pictures of other campers, either factory or renovated, I see sliding doors, hinged doors that open down, up, sideways; drawers, full suspension and cheapy slide on wood drawers, and even just open shelves.

I also see gaps used to good advantage, like between the driver's side cabinets and the front wall, or on the passenger side, a gap between the rear window and a cabinet there, if you have one.

What have you found to be good, and why? What would you wish for?

Similarly, where would you mount your gauges and power outlets?

Vic

 

[OutbacKamper]

Great topic Vic. Here is my dream interior:
This sink:

This stove:

This style of removable modular storage bins:

This type of single panel for all controls:

This type of under floor storage:

 

[OutbacKamper]

I really like the idea of the modular storage bins. You can pack your gear into the bins, in the house, then just slide them into the camper. Kitchen gear can easily be removed from the camper and taken outside (where I do most of my cooking) in the same organized way as when accessed from the interior. Food can be bought on the road and placed directly into the bins (in the shopping cart) and then quickly transferred into the camper. etc.

Here is another style of modular storage that I hope to use in the future:

 

[takesiteasy]

I like those ideas too. Very flexible and easy to load and unload. I like the organized control panel too. If we ever build out our shell (unlikely) I would probably go in that direction.

 

[Squatch]

I like the modular storage bins as well. We have a shell and I don't think I'd want anymore cabinets than I have. They add a lot of weight and can't be moved around. We set up the camper differently depending on whether it's just me or if Mama goes with me. Length of trip affects packing as well. I mainly live outside the camper. So most of the kitchen stuff and cook stuffs stay in a med sized Plano Box/bin that is usually on the picnic table if we are at a campground. Saves 100 trips in and out of the camper. it normally rides in the back seat area of the double cab truck. Clothes and such are packed in soft bags.

 

[Vic Harder]

Great topic Vic. Here is my dream interior:
This sink:

This stove:

This style of removable modular storage bins:

This type of single panel for all controls:

This type of under floor storage:

Great ideas & Pics! - any model numbers/names/links to these products?

 

[OutbacKamper]

The sink is a Thetford SpinFlo Kitchen Centre, shown in an XPCamper V2[SIZE=inherit] (removable plastic nesting bowl, cutting board, drain rack and hinged glass lid)[/SIZE]
The stove is the optional FWC glass top gas stove by SMEV
The green and black modular bins are from an Earthroamer Jeep (I have seen similar items in XPCampers' Cube, Conquer Trailers, etc.)
Here is a similar concept in an XPCamper:

The multicolour modular pack is by MountainSmith
The under floor storage shown is on an XPCamper V1, but is similar to the underfloor and underbed storage in many campers.

 

[OutbacKamper]

Another suggestion to consider, if (like me) you prefer to spend most of your time outside the camper: instead of a built in fridge why not install a portable chest style fridge/freezer such as an Engel, etc. That way you can take it outside to your kitchen/picnic table area and plug it in to the camper with a 12 volt extension cord. You can also use it plugged into 110volt when you are at home. It can also be used as a fridge or as a freezer. For longer trips away from civilization when you need more capacity the 12volt "freezer" can be used to freeze ice packs that are then used in a conventional (and inexpensive) cooler. We used this system for many months in Australia. You just switch the ice packs between the freezer and cooler once or twice a day, depending on the weather it worked even in 40C temperatures.

 

[Vic Harder]

Another suggestion to consider, if (like me) you prefer to spend most of your time outside the camper: instead of a built in fridge why not install a portable chest style fridge/freezer such as an Engel, etc. That way you can take it outside to your kitchen/picnic table area and plug it in to the camper with a 12 volt extension cord. You can also use it plugged into 110volt when you are at home. It can also be used as a fridge or as a freezer. For longer trips away from civilization when you need more capacity the 12volt "freezer" can be used to freeze ice packs that are then used in a conventional (and inexpensive) cooler. We used this system for many months in Australia. You just switch the ice packs between the freezer and cooler once or twice a day, depending on the weather it worked even in 40C temperatures.

I really wanted to do that, but the significant other wanted a "real fridge" so we got a TF130. Other than that, we are with you in terms of spending almost all of our time - except for sleeping - outside.

 

[Rockcod]

^^ I'm listening. Good stuff. Thanks for bringing this up !

 

[DesertDave]

One thing I thought would be cool would be a removable two burner propane stove, ie. with a quick disconnect fitting whereby you could use the same stove inside or outside for cooking, and could clean it outside if necessary due to a major spill, etc.. One less thing to pack up elsewhere, assuming the inside setup is recessed and secure, so that it was always along for the ride.

 

[Vic Harder]

I like that idea too, and would do the same for a "sink" by just using a dishpan in a hole on the counter that can be easily picked up and taken outside for dumping the gray water and/or just washing outside like we do now.

I am wondering about the basic cabinet styles that FWC/ATC have used over the years. At one point it looked like sliders were popular, for everything from the main cabinet under-sink doors to the turnbuckles doors. Now, everything is hinged. How come? Sliders seem so much easier, and would allow those big flexible bins (pictured above) to be placed more easily.

Wife isn't into the open look, so I am inclined to go with sliders. Thoughts?

 

[billharr]

Sliders will always cover half the opening. I did my build to get as much storage as I could. Open cabinets may give more but I like the closed look. Big thing I like are full 18" drawer slides.

 

[Durango1]

Lots of drawers... big drawers on heavy duty full-extension slides.

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[MidAtlantic]

One thing I thought would be cool would be a removable two burner propane stove, ie. with a quick disconnect fitting whereby you could use the same stove inside or outside for cooking, and could clean it outside if necessary due to a major spill, etc.. One less thing to pack up elsewhere, assuming the inside setup is recessed and secure, so that it was always along for the ride.

Forest River Flagstaff pop-up trailers have a "carry out range", but I can't find much info about them.

 

[Happyjax]

I would think any portable self contained stove would work well as long as you had an interior hookup and a secure way to store while traveling..... That was kinda the plan I had. Way more functional counter space that way

 

[DavidGraves]

Hi Vic

It is nice to enjoy your excitement undertaking your project.

I was self employed as a cabinet maker working mostly for a lot of rich folks around Wash. DC.

My perfect cabinet build in our Hawk would involve ultra light yet very strong 9 ply 5 mm Finish plywood to maximize strength and space.

All storage compartments would easily detach into our home for packing and even off season storage and organization.

Location of storage would be ever versatile to suit the needs of who is camping, roof up or down....toys that come along....?

Most every storage unit would go in or out of the camper into our kayaks or little sailboat.

Storage would complement a flexible sleeping arrangement....Up or Down or side to side.

Fun and use of the camper would be the underlying principal.

DavidGraves

North Oregon Coast

 

[Vic Harder]

I like full suspension drawers in my kitchen, but since we won't be using most of our "stuff" in the camper, it seems like space would be wasted putting the "stuff" in bins and then putting them in the drawers.

Sliders look nicer to me... clean and simple lines. Cabinets doors the style that FWC used today look cluttered in comparison.

I'm trying to figure out how to cut the cabinet door faces out of the same piece of wood that the cabinet face is now, and mount the doors flush, so it looks like one solid piece (with narrow lines where the saw blade cut them out). Tricky.

 

[Florida]

The only thing I have to add is to put sash locks on all drawers and doors. You want a very positive catch or else you face debris everytime you go inside.


Sent from my iPad using Wander The West

 

[cwdtmmrs]

Vic, I like sliders as well. You can cut the doors from the face material using a number of methods. I probably would use a fixture on my overarm router with a very small bit making several passes. A hand router in the right hands will work as well. A table saw will work if you put stops on the saw and only cut to within about an inch or less from the corners and finish the cuts with a dovetail saw or similar. The best way might be to find a local shop with a water jet or a laser and have them make the cuts for you. That method would require a double cut since the kerf would not be wide enough. No really all that "tricky"

cwd