Visit our Popular Forums

wheel interested · 01-11-2006, 11:42 AM

Another nice modification John. I too have thought that a small light to light that area while sitting on the couch would be both functional and ambient. I
would like to have a small light that only throws the light down too. As it is I either have to put the stove light on or use a night light. That area without the flourescent is dark.

Pahaska · 01-14-2006, 01:00 PM

there was a nice hinged wardrobe floor in my 25 to access the water pump, but in the 28, the wardrobe floor is trapped under the walls. If I wanted to hinge it, it, it would be a major job to get it free.

In the 28, I must remove a drawer, lay on my belly, reach my left arm way back therough the drawer opening (I'm right handed), and work by feel to remove the filter and drain the pump.

I fixed this today by installing an 8" marine deck plate in the floor of the wardrobe, right over the water pump. I still have to remove the drawer, but the area is now well illuminated. I can see and easily reach the pump.

They had both screw out and pry out deck plates. I chose to use the pry out variety. Not the cheapest way to fix the problem, but it looks nice and was easy to install. They do make black deck plates, but not in stock in the 8" size.

uwe · 01-14-2006, 02:51 PM

John, what a wonderful idea for all kinds of tight access spaces!
As you said, not cheap, but most good hardware simply isn't.

Pahaska · 01-14-2006, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uwe

John, what a wonderful idea for all kinds of tight access spaces!
As you said, not cheap, but most good hardware simply isn't.

It would be perfect for accessing the plumbing in a shower, wet bath, or tub in a rear-bath model. Totally waterproof if the mounting ring is well caulked during installation. In a floor, it is meant to be stepped on and has a non-skid surface molded in. They come in 4", 6" 8" and large sizes.

Pahaska · 01-18-2006, 06:34 PM

I had one of the automatic lights that are used in the wardrobes laying around in my shop. Since I modified the hanging closet in the bedroom into a linen cabinet by installing two shelves, I installed the automatic light in the linen cabinet tonight.

The photo was taken before I routed the wires. I obtained power from inside the double bottom of the cabinet over the window. I drilled from the linen closet into the space between the false and true bottom of the over-window cabinet. I then cut a couple of big holes that are concealed by the flourescent light to access the wires above the light. By using a stiff wire, it was easy to fish the wires from the new switch over to the openings and splice them into the wiress upplying the flourescent. I used stick-on wire mold to conceal the wires in the linen closet.

norbert · 01-18-2006, 06:37 PM

still waiting for installation pix of the automatic peanut butter spreader!....
norby

**jcanavera** · 01-19-2006, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pahaska

I took out the folding TV table on the bedroom wall. That is one "omit" I would specify on a factory build, but I bought off the lot and there it was. A useless elbow-knocker.

I needed to cover up some ugly screw holes. I noticed that the Limiteds had a nice "chair-rail" type molding on that partition. I worked over a piece if 1/2" x 1 1/2" oak with my router, a little varnish, a few zaps with the nail gun,, and, voila, no more visible holes.

I'm out of projects for the time being, but I'm taking the trailer out day after tomorrow (1/4) for a few daysand I'm sure that I can come up with something else to change.

What a great idea John. If I ever figure out how to put the wall mount up for the LCD TV, I'll pull that folding table/mirror out also. That trim piece looks great.

Jack

Pahaska · 03-08-2006, 07:54 AM

I have a very heavy 17"-screen laptop that I use on the foldout writing table, leaving the dining table free for meals. The writing table is held in the up position by a wire bail and, with all that weight, it does not feel very sturdy. A little like working on a trampoline.

Yesterday, I bought some 2"-wide 3/4" oak and an aluminum strip to build a replacement for the wire bail. I will build an essentially square frame with the aluminum strip rabbited at the top edge so that the strip engages the hook on the table top. When folded, the new frame will rest between the face-frame of the cabinet just like the wire bail and will not interfere with the folding chair storage.

I expect that this should give me a rock-solid writing table.

Silvertwinkie · 03-08-2006, 08:07 AM

Don't know John, pretty soon yer gonna get this unit just the way you like it and upgrade to a 30' or larger coach and someone is gonna get the perks of all that engineering.

Love the mods!

Pahaska · 03-08-2006, 08:07 AM

Ever since the trailer was new, the big drawer under the refrigerator has been used as my tool chest, Now that modifications to the trailer have slowed, it is time to return that drawer to galley storage use and find another place for the tools.

Last week, I received an email ad from WoodCraft offering a $30 cloth toolbag for $9.99. It looked like a good bet, so I ordered one and it came yesterday. It is a really high-quality, heavy canvas bag with lots of pockets inside and out and a zip-open "basement" for larger tools such as hammers or large wrenches. Plenty of room for all of the tools that I currently keep in the drawer.

Nice thing about the cloth bag is that it can ride anywhere without damage to the contents or the trailer.

Pahaska · 03-10-2006, 03:47 PM

Here is the oak prop for the writing table to replace the springy wire bail. The table is much more solid to work on now. The prop stores nicely when not in use.

I moved the support point a bit further out on the table top. I did miscalculate and the new prop interfered with the latch, so I removed the latch and I will add industrial-grade velcro to restrain the top while traveling.

davidz71 · 03-10-2006, 05:13 PM

John,
I've been looking at that side table on the Classics for awhile and am wondering where I can pick one up to install in my '86 25' Sovereign?

Pahaska · 03-10-2006, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidz71

John,
I've been looking at that side table on the Classics for awhile and am wondering where I can pick one up to install in my '86 25' Sovereign?

Your only real hope is to find one out of a wrecked trailer.

It would be prohibitive to have someone build one from scratch unless you have your own woodworking shop; even then, the materials aren't cheap.

Pahaska · 05-23-2006, 01:43 PM

Last week, on the way to Port Aransas, the drawer at the foot of our transverse queen bed came open. We were the rally hosts, and the drawer was heavily loaded with things for the rally. As a result, one drawer slide was destroyed.

My first impulse was to simply remove the drawer box, permanently fasten the drawer front in place, and use the boxed-in area as a bin. We almost always lift the bed rather than opening that drawer anyway and removing the drawer box increases the storage capacity by at least a third.

I removed the drawer and then realized what a great place that is for our shoes. I decided to trim the rough bottom of the opening and use it for that purpose. Since the area is far deeper than needed for shoes. I will construct a shallow box over the shoes that is accessed by raising the bed.

**jcanavera** · 05-23-2006, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pahaska

Last week, on the way to Port Aransas, the drawer at the foot of our transverse queen bed came open. We were the rally hosts, and the drawer was heavily loaded with things for the rally. As a result, one drawer slide was destroyed.

Our bed in the 30' Classic is not trasverse. For all intents the drawers share the space in the under the bed storage area, which is also accessed by the back outside hatch. If I would remove the drawer all the junk in there would be viewable. Did you section off the area John?

We normally use that center drawer for storage of bath towels. It's easy reach since that drawer sits next to the door of our center bath which has the shower on the curb side of the trailer.

On our '01 Safari on its first trip out, we bent the rails on the drawer that sat between the two twin beds. Apparently a bed spread got stuck in the drawer and therefore the drawer didn't latch. After a few bounces on a rough highway the drawer slide open, a few more bounces and the rails bent tumbling the drawer to the floor. Luckly we had plans to stop by Jackson Center on that trip so I bought new rails and repaired it while up at the factory. I never forgot to check those spreads after that experience.

Jack

Pahaska · 05-23-2006, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcanavera

Our bed in the 30' Classic is not trasverse. For all intents the drawers share the space in the under the bed storage area, which is also accessed by the back outside hatch. If I would remove the drawer all the junk in there would be viewable. Did you section off the area John?
Jack

In the 28, the two underbed drawers are surrounded by partitions, thus creating two boxes a bit larger than the drawers themselves. There are also two triangular boxed-in spaces in the bottom corners of the bed that we use to hold our wine bottles.

The mattress at the foot of the bed overhangs the platform quite a bit and the drawer at the foot was hard to access because it didn't pull out much past the mattress. That is why we usually raised the bed to get into the drawer anyway.

Anyway, with the drawer gone, there is a nice empty box just waiting to be used.

Pahaska · 05-26-2006, 03:56 PM

I removed the drawer and installed a wire shelf high enough to allow my high-top hiking shoes to fit underneath. There is room for 5 pairs of shoes laid out flat or more if small pairs of shoes are stacked. The space above the shelf is 1' x 3' x 7".

Next step is to cut the old drawer front down to 7" high and use my air-nailer to attach it to the bed end from the top of the pedestal down to cover the gap between wire shelf and wood. That will prevent anything slipping out and prevent the bedding from getting caught.

The final result is a great place for our shoes and a handy storage bin for moderate sized items. One of the first contents will be the owner's manual.

By the way, that corner will hold 5 bottles of wine. I keep a couple of ancient T-shirts in there to pad the bottles.

Pahaska · 05-28-2006, 08:55 AM

This morning, I cut down the drawer front, loaded up my air nailer and my portable air tank, and went out to the trailer. Nailing the drawer front in place really firmed up the structure of the bed pedestal. All that remains is to trim up the raw edges of the plywood around the opening. A nice touch is that the plastic was left in place over the carpet in that area to catch any dirt from the shoes.

Taking photos in the restricted space was a challenge, but here are a couple of photos of my new shoe compartment.

SilverToy · 05-29-2006, 11:43 PM

Wow!!! -

I am continually impressed again and again with the ingenious solutions you come up with!!! AS should give you a job!!

But, I bet that you are "Too Tired" from all the sleepless nights during which you are no doubt contemplating the next great improvement waiting to be made on your AS! Kidding!

Really great work! And "Thanks" for documenting it ALL!

Axel