Tinkering

Got that windshield replaced yesterday.  I cracked it with a halogen light when I was pulling the dash.  Just plain dumb sometimes.

So I got to playing with the inverter I bought.  It is a Power Bright 1100w inverter, and probably bigger than I should have gotten.  Aside from some charging and maybe an occasional small culinary appliance, I cannot see needing 1100w.  C'est la vie.

My dilemma was where to mount it.  I do like the Westy cabinetry.  Maybe its a kickback to my younger years, but the organization methods in my pea brain are accustomed to these cabinets and they work for me.  I have made some minor adjustments to the cabinets though, and this is no different.  I also prefer to be non cluttered.  I don't like having stuff all over the place.  Mise en place as we say in the kitchen; everything in its place.

The stock westy cabinetry beneath the sink / stove has a large cavity on left for the refrigerator (now removed) and on the right is a silverware drawer and a smaller cabinet door beneath.  This right side is broken up a bit by the sink drain pipe running down the middle.  There is a kit out there (I think its Go Westy) to have the pipe move back a bit, but I have larger fish to fry now. There is also a faucet modification whereby a later Eurovan faucet is installed in place of the earlier Vanagon piece.  Mine works fine right now, and again - larger fish to fry.

I started staring at the extra pieces of westy cabinets I had in the back of the garage and it hit me - like a ton of bricks.  I fired up a Kristoff Ligero Criollo Churchill and pondered the idea further.

As I mentioned, the right side of the cabinet has a drawer and a smaller door.  Why not invert that and install it in place of the larger door and fascia?  This could work.  A quick measurement and voila!  this is going to work nicely.

I began by pulling off the left side door assembly of my existing setup.  Four screws and a rubber mallet to slide the tongue and groove joint apart. Hold on to these screws - you will need them.

Basic idea of a culinary center

I then went to my extra cabinet.  The one I had thought I would make a small culinary center behind the passenger seat with, and still may do so.  The idea is not original, earlier VW campers had a similar setup and some have done it before in a Vanagon.  The picture on the right is explaining the concept, but I would make it not as deep and a bit taller in order to be able to use it like a prep table with a lift up hinged top.  Just an idea.

Back to our current project: I took off the same left side assembly and placed that on a shelf for safe keeping.  I then began examining the right side's fasteners.  To begin with, I removed the 1/2 inch staples that run down the left exposed edge.  Then removed the bolt and nut holding the fascia board to the bottom of the cabinet.  From there, its a matter of getting the glue to let go.  Some tapping in the back with a mallet, slide a screwdriver (in the back only - the laminate is brittle and old and you do not want to chip it) in and pry.  My cabinet was not perfect to begin with, so the chip I have on top and the ding in the door will get touched up with a matching paint.

Now that I have it off, its time to test fit the panel.  Upon placing it up against the cabinet in the Thingamajigger, I realized I needed to relieve it in a couple places.  To the table saw I go.  I cut a 45 degree chamfer along the right edge that will butt up against the right door assembly, and I relieved the bottom of the tongue part of its preexisting joint.  We wont be needing that for reassembly. It fits nicely - with a bit of prodding.  I think its about 1/16th too wide, but with the laminate I was not going back to the table saw.


From the picture, you can also see what I did with the existing drawer.  I removed the 'drawer' portion from the face.  Then I re utilized some hinges from the garage parts bin and attached them to the face of the drawer.  The hinges slide into a groove roughly 3/4 inch deep by 1 inch wide.  You will need to cut this out.  I used a drill bit and some patience.  When I slid the hinge in there, I put some wood glue to steady the joint, and instead of the rivets that held the hinge prior, I used a countersunk wood screws.

The result? 

A drop down door for access to the smallish cubby on the bottom.  From the above picture, you can see the adjustable shelves in my refrigerator replacement cabinet.  And how my bottom shelf lines up perfectly with the bottom of the door opening.  This gives me about 5.5 inches of height in the lower cabinet.  Although the inverter is placed in there without being mounted, my immediate access to the outlets and the on/off switch is apparent.  Now, although I stated I did not foresee any long term use for my inverter, if the drawer face door ever gets in the way, I can slide it off and leave the opening always accessible.  This may happen if I do decide to put a Propex in the Thingamajigger as this may be the perfect place for it?

As for the end result, the upper door is propped up as I need to get to my parts van for some left hand hinges.  I have never been able to get the hinges apart in decent condition.  I have seen it done, but mine always look much worse.  So parts van here I come.