Building Arabella

[4GNomad]

Very nice Almost...

 

[ilovemyvan]

Hi Almost.

I really enjoy following your progress. It's going to be a beautiful home on wheel.

-Nicole

 

[Almost There]

I almost had too much fun today!!

First installing the drawer slides on the pantry cabinet walls. Okay, read the instructions at least 3 times, eliminate the ones that don't apply to what I'm doing, adjust for recessed drawers - that's so that I can hang things from the door that will be put on later. As most instructions these days, they didn't make entire sense so off to watch a couple of Youtube videos on the subject.

Finally found the imprinted labels on the parts (old eyes are a pita), but then it really didn't make any sense at all. When I put the 'cabinet left' rail in place it looked backwards to the pictures. Go study some more, take a break and a deep breathe. That's when I realized that with the cabinet sides laying lined up beside each other with the fronts together I had the left cabinet wall on the right hand side and vice versa...whewwwww, thought I was going nuts.

Here's all the rails installed!



Then assembling of the cabinet can be done! Getting things squared, glued and screwed with only one set of hands was way too much fun! No, no videos exist, if I had an extra set of hands they would have been holding pieces, not a darn camera....

Together and test fitted -  Yeehaw, it fits!



Now the back can be installed, edge banding done (that's a treat!) and the side closest to the drivers seat painted. Here's paint drying again!..



Tomorrow I can start work on the rest of the kitchen cabinet unit.

 

[4GNomad]

Awesome work... Kind of glad you are ahead of me. Giving me some ideas.

 

[rvpopeye]

You're going to get some nice storage space with that addition !
As always , good work.
I always put pencil markings on cab pieces to indicate front , top etc.
That really helps with keeping the perspective when laying things out spread out over the "shop".
Just simple arrows w/ markings like L , R , U , F is all that it takes..

 

[Almost There]

You're going to get some nice storage space with that addition !
As always , good work.
I always put pencil markings on cab pieces to indicate front , top etc.
That really helps with keeping the perspective when laying things out spread out over the "shop".
Just simple arrows w/ markings like L , R , U , F is all that it takes..

Thank you, the amount of usable storage space was why I am going with 'drawers' inside the cabinet as opposed to shelves. Shelves are a whole lot easier and cheaper to make and install but getting to the things at the back can be a total pita when you're using it as a pantry. I did these with several different depths and measured a bunch of stuff in the kitchen before deciding on the variation of heights. Had to make sure that things like the tall bottle of olive oil would fit in at least one drawer.

I always mark things too, just like that. The problem was that I had to paint the inside of the cabinet BEFORE I assembled it. A 15" wide cabinet that's up to 24" deep, once assembled, would be a total pita to put paint and put the rails on. Once I'd painted it I lost all those markings....

And of course all the instructions were for putting the rails in place once a cabinet was built. Just me doing things the easy MY way!!...

So much for my test fitting yesterday. I went to slide the cabinet in place to get it out of my way for the next stage and discovered an ooopppps. I had test fit it before I added the lauan backing. The little piece on the lower top edge that scoots under the overhang of the original van roof - well lets just say that 5 minutes and a wood chisel settled that lack of clearance!

 

[Almost There]

Lest y'all think I've been goofing off the past couple of days

Here's the kitchen cabinet unit all roughed in. It still needs a lot of work and nothing is screwed to the walls yet, it's actually still in two pieces for right now, but the major construction is done.

It looks huge sitting there. Counter height is actually a couple of inches lower than standard kitchen counter tops but that's okay since I'm short - they were always too tall for me anyways.




Lower left opening is for the Whynter fridge unit - it will slide out on castors and the fresh water/gray water containers will go behind the fridge. On the left side of the countertop is where the sink will go. Right side opening just below the countertop will be a drawer. The lower right compartment will be for odds and ends in behind the garbage can. And of course the tall right hand compartment is the pantry.

After much deliberation I've decided that I'm going to do a faux marble finish for the countertop. Nothing stock from the lumber yards would fit and the prices were outrageous. I'm going to see if I can't enlist the help of a girlfriend who is very artistic to do the painting on it - she owes me a few. Course it would help if I finished her kitchen curtain sewing job instead of working on the van....

 

[LeeRevell]

There are spraycan finishes that look like marble, and other appearences. Check Walmart's paint section.

 

[rvpopeye]

After you paint the top , add a layer of clear lexan or plexite , really classes it up and prevents scratching plus easy to clean.
If you go with a solid color you can just paint the under side of the lexan......

 

[Almost There]

After you paint the top , add a layer of clear lexan or plexite , really classes it up and prevents scratching plus easy to clean.

Thanks, never thought of using lexan.

I was reading up on the various MinWax finishes and there's a Polycrylic that is supposed to hold up to kitchen counter use. I figured on using it. Worst case scenario I replace the counter top with a real one when I find something I like at a price I am willing to pay.

What is Plexite? - I googled it and all I got was French translations of something and a Starwars reference...

Ouch, I just priced Lexan - for that money I could have them cut down a kitchen counter unit for me! Maybe stateside, not here in Ontario for sure.

 

[rvpopeye]

Plexite is a cheaper version of lexan (not shatter resistant) thinner is cheaper...................you can also buy formica type stuff .Glue it with 2or 3 coats of contact cement file the edge smooth and have a real counter top ????? I used to build and install kitchens and tops in my 20s.........ask me anything that you need to know how . Those last pics look like you must have done it in a former life , you're a natural !

 

[Almost There]

Plexite is a cheaper version of lexan  (not shatter resistant) thinner is cheaper...................you can also buy formica type stuff .Glue it with 2or 3 coats of contact cement file the edge smooth and have a real counter top ????? I used to build and install kitchens and tops in my 20s.........ask me anything that you need to know how .  Those last pics look like you must have done it in a former life , you're a natural !

So far I've only found formica in full sheets of 4 x 8 of which I need only 40 x 22 plus a strip for across the front. Cheapest of it is $60. up to $120 for the sheet. And of course the nice stuff I'd like is at the top end of the pricing...

With wood I get a full use out of the sheet with little waste...formica I have no other use for. So far there's not been any partial sheets or discounted stuff for sale anywhere. I keep looking.

And thanks for the vote of confidence. Trust me, up close and personal it's not as pretty as it looks. It's not something I'd show off to my brother who is a professional cabinet maker!!

 

[rvpopeye]

Yeah formica and equivalents are pricey , I never bought any more than needed for a job. Very little scrap if possible. BUT small pieces CAN be found. Distributors or counter building companies might be places to check . Lumber yards that sell counter tops contract somebody , somewhere to build them ya just need to do some homework. Maybe your brother has some contacts...if you want to go with that style of top.
There is also a pour a top coating out there that you may have seen on bar tops or restaurant tables .
Anyway , just giving you ideas. You can still get nice results cheaply.

In the end you are the only one that has to be happy with the final product , it's not like you're trying to satisfy some rich client or need anything showroom quality. Your stuff is functional and totally customized to your rig and needs.
I'm sure your brother is just as impressed with what you are doing as I am.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

you should be able to find a counter top at a second hand store or a bathroom or kitchen installing or manufacturing shop, either one they have ripped out or missed measured. I found a brand new one for next to nothing, cut it down in lenght and width saved the front rounded edges and used the arberite from the cut offs to glue on the cut edges, counter tops are usually easy to cut unless they are marble or poured plastics, just do a test so your saw goes through the right way so it doesn't chip the top edge. You can put that off for some time wait and see if something shows up continue with the build for now, put some feelers out there for a top that you want or can live with.

 

[masterplumber]

By the time I'm done I'll have used almost 1 entire sheet of formica type product in my trailer, with very little waste. It's very easy to install with contact cememnt and a roller to press it together. If you never plan to use more of it, you might be able to buy a remanent from a countertop company in your area that makes laminate counters. A secondhand counter cut down is also a great option, and probably the cheapest. Looking good so far!

 

[Almost There]

Finally, I feel like I'm making progress again.

First it was 10 foreign exchange students and a week in the bush with them, then recovery time - university students have way more stamina than I do...

And then a long weekend and a long standing tradition of a gathering of old friends - yes, we're all old but we're also all old friends...

The time spent prepping walls and ceilings in a fiberglass roof seems to take forever.

Here's a belated pic of the frame for the roof vent made, shimmed and glued. Nothing is flat nor symmetrical about this roof.



And today I finally got to put in some of the roof panels:



As you can see from the brace in place in the corner, I'm still gluing up the last of the mounting blocks.

I picked up my supply of 12/2 Romex today so tomorrow while the glue is drying on the last of the blocks, I can get started running the 120 wiring. The lumber yard only had 8' spools of 10 gauge 12V zipline so it's off to find a better source. Hopefully I can find it locally and not have to bring it in from Amazon.

 

[Almost There]

Progressing rather nicely now!

The roof is finished. The square in the middle looks decorative but it's only there temporarily until I can get the roof vent in this winter.



Then I got both the two upper wall panels done - that was quite the adventure. I've never seen anything so non symmetrical, off square, sloped and then we can add the impossibility of leveling out the evenness of the sub surfaces. But, I achieved walls. One side wall can be seen in the above pic. The little gaps around the windows will be hidden by curtain panels. I can live with it that way... Oh yea, got a run of romex in place before I closed up the wall!


Next I started on the side walls at both ends of the bed..they were easy peasy after all the arm-wrestling I did with the high top!

 




I'm finally ready to start building the bed frame. It's all laid out on the floor in pencil so Tuesday I get to start work on it. Yeehaw!!

 

[rvpopeye]

Lookin' nice !
I used to build cabinets for pro audio gear that your cabinet in the background reminds me of.
After this you will be qualified to build boat interiors !
Nothing square there .............



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[Jana]

Awesome! Congratulations!

 

[ahh_me2]

I'm impressed! It looks really good!

Your cabinets gave me some ideas for my Elsie build...

Keep it up!