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kevin242 · 09-22-2009, 08:45 AM

Ours started with the gaucho, but a PO put in an Airstream dinette - authentic with the tambour doors and matching finish.

TG Twinkie · 02-06-2010, 10:32 AM

Here is what I've done. The water tank is not a problem in my opinion. I replaced the original front and side shelving that was around the Goucho. It gave me a nice rectangle to work with when building the dinette. Actually built the dinette first then installed the shelving.

nynick52 · 02-07-2010, 06:42 AM

Nice job TG! I like the shelf look in the back. Are you reusing the existing cushions or starting from scratch?

TG Twinkie · 02-07-2010, 10:29 AM

My wife and I have spent the better part of the last 2 weeks trying to pick fabric colors for the new cushions. I think it was easier and less time consuming to build the dinnette. It's not going to be cheap either. While we can buy cushions removed from new travel trailers at local RV dealer for about $300.00 for the set, they are not the color or pattern we would like to have. It looks like $500-$700 for custom cushion. I could not believe how pricey they are.

curnes · 02-08-2010, 07:48 PM

That sounds about right. We bought fabric and went to a local shop to have both our gouchos done. The foam was pretty thick and good quality, and ended up costing us $500 for both. The guy then charged us, $100 each to sew the gouchos, totaling about $800 for the whole job. It was a lot of money but we like the way it looks and feels. We have pictures in the photo section. I sure like the way your dinette looks. You did a great job with you cabinet work. I wish our trailer was laid out that way.

I'm thinking you have taken apart the cabinets and I have a question. I want to take out the sliding door (tambour) under our sink and replace it with two wooden panels that I can just slide across each other or to the side out to cover the whole area. The existing tambours seem hopelessly stuck in a half closed position. I was thinking of taking my drill and saw, and just cutting the exposed part of the tambour in half horizontally, then vertically as far to the right as I can get to get them out. Do think that might work, or will I end up with stuck doors that are cut in half?

Thanks for the input.

Cameron

Argonaut20 · 02-09-2010, 07:48 AM

If the tambour doors are stuck it is likely the tracks are the problem. If the tracks get closer together the door sticks. Look for the screws that hold the track onto the framework inside the cabinet. If you can get to them, take them out and the track will drop. You should be able to get the door out without a lot of trouble. The bypass doors are possibility but the room is tight in there. You will also have to figure a way to keep the doors locked closed while traveling unless you like to pick stuff up off the floor. You do what you think is best, but if the tambour is in pretty good shape it is a lightweight solution to keeping stuff under the sink, not on the floor. I cleaned the tracks on mine, messed with the tracks a bit, learned how to open and close the door without binding, and am very happy with the results. Your results might vary.

Chuck · 02-09-2010, 08:12 AM

yeah, whatever you do, don't take an ax to the tambour.

even if you don't want it...somebody else will. (like me

).

I have a PO's concocted sliding doors on mine. It was made with some aluminum track that can be bought at the hardware store. It works...but not "great". The sliders can still pop out, and it looks really amateurish. The PO did this to just about every tambour in the trailer, and I've scrounged replacement tambour over the years to put most of it back to original. But the large galley-tambour is hard to find, and probably can't be made to work well, due to its size and config.
What I would like to do is get a hold of that galley tambour, and use it as a facing for a pair of conventional swinging cabinet doors. That would make a permanent, functional fix, and yet still match the rest of the trailer.
A user here did that (I think it was "juel"), and it really looks like the factory put it there.

Isadora · 02-09-2010, 09:55 AM

Here's what we did, conventional doors, but used the tambour pieces for the door panels so they matched. One door for the drawer side, and two for under the sink. The under sink ones had to be two different sizes to allow for furnace door access. Then we installed earthquake-type latches to keep them closed when we are on the road. (they are not on here in this picture). Love them, they work so much better than the tambour or sliding doors. We did steal the idea from Juel!

TG Twinkie · 02-09-2010, 10:29 AM

I removed the doors and left the aluminum frame in place. Fabricated new cabinet face frames, then attached them to the front of the aluminum frames. Built standard doors for the openings. I like the tambor inserts. My cabinets did not have these type of doors. I would stay away from any type of sliding door. Things tend to expand and contract a lot with the tempurature / humidity changes the trailer is subjected to, so one time you go to open the door and it sticks, the next time it falls out of the track. Hinged door are not affected that drastically by the weather changes.

curnes · 02-09-2010, 08:13 PM

Thanks for all the responses. I will rethink this process and perhaps mess with the tambour a bit this spring and see if I can get it to move more. I am afraid the track might be messed up under the sink where it rolls up and I will not be able to get to that part. Only my frustration will lead me to the ax so will go at it when I am well rested and it is a nice sunny day.
For you in the east, I hope you are enjoying the snow. Warm and mild here in the northwest today.
Cameron

bhayden · 02-10-2010, 12:48 AM

Great thread. Keep the pictures coming. We have lots of other work but this is way up on the list as it relates to floor replacement.

Argonaut20 · 02-10-2010, 06:26 AM

The tracks are just slotted aluminum pieces screwed to the frame. The 'storage' tracks are spiral cuts in plastic. Be sure there are no screws going into the tambour from the side below the oven. There is a shelf there and the screws that hold it in can be too long and hit the tambour when it is being rolled into the cabinet. The bottom track under the sink will have a screw at the front (near the refrigerator) and one at the back. It sounds like the tracks have gotten too close together and are binding the door. Put a hand on either side of the door in the middle of it and work the door up and down while trying to pull it closed. Don't pull on the handle as it will tend to bind the door even more.

Argonaut20 · 02-10-2010, 09:07 AM

Just a further thought: try pulling at the bottom of the tambour while pushing the top back while lifting the leading edge of the door slightly. The handle tends to rotate the front of the door forcing the foot of the door to dig in while the top rides up. That may be why the door is stuck. Someone thought they would force the door closed using the handle. Once I got my door to slide I found closing it lifting the handle slightly as I did so made the door operate well. Just pulling on the handle would tend to bind the door.