Magazine rack in Interstate GT

[Pahaska]

When I had the roadside window box down to adjust the up limit of the night shade, I was amazed at the amount of lost space behind the window box and adjacent to the bath. I hate lost space! The window behind is covered with an aluminum sheet and all the space between that sheet and the window box is populated only by an AC outlet and a USB charger outlet.

I had installed a nice magazine pocket in my 2014.5 Lounge where I had removed the rear TV. I really miss that in the 2018 GT.

I cut a 13" x 15 1/2" piece of 1/4" ply and covered it with laminate to serve as the back of a rack. Using my SoniCrafter, I opened up a hole in the window box and cut along the wood frame of the window to locate the left side of the rack. Holding the back in place, I traced around the plywood with a Sharpie and cut out that part of the window box. I drove staples along the edge all around to ensure that the padding and mouse fur stay in place.

A little application of a measuring tape told me that I have 3 1/4" minimum depth between the surface of the window box and the aluminum. Today, I will cut 3" x 1/2" edge pieces for the rack, laminate them, and power staple them to the back. 3" working depth will make a nice rack.

I'll laminate a front piece of 1/4" plywood with a 1/2" overlap all around to hide the cut edge of the window box and cut openings as needed.

I forgot my phone this morning, so no photos. I'm working tomorrow morning at the RV Expo, but I'll try to get some photos afterward.

[Pahaska]

I managed a couple of hours work on the magazine rack on Valentine's Day, before we take off for a Valentine's concert.

I cut and laminated the sides and face. The sides are power-stapled to the back snd at the corners. I cut the face and pinned it to the box with 2 screws so that I could rout around the perimeter. The face will be pinned to a template so that I can rout the openings. There will be a large opening at the top and I plan to cut a pattern of round holes in the lower section so that small items can be retrieved.

I had paint mixed to match the tones of the laminate when I did the twin bed mod. I'll sand the edges and paint them with that paint, as well as painting the back of the face.

One more session and I will be ready to install the rack in the GT.

[Camper Crazy]

Nice job, I'm interested to see it installed.
CC

[Pahaska]

I have the opening cut in the window box for the mag rack. I cut the hole with my SoniCrafter. That tool is great for use in the AI since there is no impact; just a lot of sawdust. I have a residential AC outlet box ready to install in the small opening.

The left side of the rack opening is flush with the wood at the end of the shades. There are two layers of 1/2" plywood there to screw into. I can use a stubby screwdriver through the outlet hole to attach a block on the right side to hold the rack flush against the window box. It would be easier if the box was dropped, but I have just enough space to get the stubby in.

While I was out there this morning, I installed three Flor carpet tiles between the twin beds to replace the dirty carpet runner that was there.

I still have some work to do on the rack, itself. That will be done today.

[Pahaska]

I finished the rack yesterday and installed it this morning. It looks just a tad off level, but I did not have time to pursue that. The rack is flush against the wood at the end of the window shades and that should make it square. I was amazed at how crooked the window cutout in the window box is. I would have expected that to be pretty accurate.

For those who don't know, I could not match the "Beach Wood" laminate in my GT. Airstream would have sold me pre-laminated ply at an exorbitant price with shipping, but would not disclose the pattern or manufacturer of the laminate. Several weeks of searching did not find a match, so I opted for a "Burnt Steel" laminate with similar brown tones rather than use a wood grain laminate that not quite matched. All my additions use the Burnt Steel pattern.

The rack is screwed into the wood on the left side and there are two screws into the aluminum covering the window on the right side.

The rack is shallow enough that it would be hard to see or retrieve something that fell to the bottom. For this reason, I chose to cut the 6 2" holes in the face.

[InterBlog]

Very nice. I would have fashioned the front of that thing into a little magnetic organizer board, but as we all know, I'm a bit of a freak.

[Pahaska]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

Very nice. I would have fashioned the front of that thing into a little magnetic organizer board, but as we all know, I'm a bit of a freak.

I have one magnetic/dry erase board on the face of the loo, and that is all I need to post itineraries and other pertinent notes. I don't like clutter and I prefer to add places to store things out of sight, rather than hang them on a magnetic board.

[nateallen80]

Very cool! Great use of space. I could see something like that being perfect for a charging station for iPads and phones too.

[Lily&Me]

Looks great, John, and I especially like that it is recessed.

Maggie