RV redo project progress.

[dbhost]

I have been hauling tail all over Houston metro driving rideshare as the IT job market is beyond horrible lately so I haven't had time to do any projects, but what time I have had I have....

#1. Gotten the new full mattress for the bed.
#2. Gotten my plaform measurements and double / triple checked them. Going to get the plywood tomorrow. 3/4" sheating grade. Don't need any better than that.
Each sheet cut 67-1/4" long x 26-3/8" wide
Wham bam slam the plaform in, set the mattress up and call that done. I know lazy but I am TIRED of the dinette halves sliding apart at 2 A.M. and giving me an aching back by morning.
#3. Stock for the countertop, white oak 3/4 ply is roughly cut to size. Need to get final dimensions and get them cut.
#4. Routing templates out of 1x2 stock for the sink and stove cutouts done.
#5. Practice with the corner rounding templates. No problem using carpet tape. Use the same stuff for the sink / stove templates
#6. Got the bartop epoxy kit for the countertop.

Plan for tomorrow. Finish the bed, grab some disposable brushes, mixing container, and some Special Walnut stain, get the final size for the countertop and start making those cuts. Assuming good weather route out the sink / stove holes, do the corner rounding and bullnose the countertop. Once done fill and voids, sand smooth and get to finishing...

NEXT assuming I have time to do it, rip some 3/4" x 3/4" sections for the extensions to the shorty cabinet since I am matching heights here, cut to proper length and prep / finish with the special walnut and some poly.

Size up / fab a "backer frame" for the main panel in the cabinet so I can convert to flip up counter to side door style.
From behind use the backer frame as a routing template to cut the opening.
Cut a T slot in the opening.
Swap countertops, installing the riser piece in the process.
Pull T molding off of original countertop install in T slot.
Temporarily hang a piece of heavy curtain in the door opening so I can....
Install / plumb the stove and the sink.
Enjoy the fruits of my labor while I decide on how to do the door or doors....

[leehljp]

I enjoy reading your progress!

When you think of it and have time take a couple picts and, post a picture or two.

[dbhost]

Platform is in. Shot a short snippet of the panels cut to size (Home Depot). Simply notched them and shoved them in (easier said than done).

Mattress is in and lofting, Not all the way in, need to shove the far side down but too hot to climb in and do it during the daylight. Will shove it the rest of the way in place after sundown, do some cleanup and shoot a short video on the bed tonight...

Right now I am sweaty and smell like an old gym bag...

[dbhost]

Got the bed made. Got the video shot. No time for editing tonight. VERY run down today. Going to shower and go to bed. Will get the video up for Tuesdays release at 2:00 P.M. CST...

In the mean time I do have a video about some water filtration products that were sent to me. VERY rudimentary unboxing overview. Will be putting those through the paces at Ren Fest this year...

https://youtu.be/ZXwCOJo1cIA

[dbhost]

Video RE: the remodel of the dinette. It was stifling hot that day. Temps are starting just now to come down. Our actual Texas autumn temps are supposed to arrive Nov 1. Kind of to be expected. Will shoot a more detailed video.

There are some issues. Notably the mattress is a true full size mattress, the space it fits is NOT... I have to squeeze the mattress into place. The panels are fairly tight fit, which means to access the cabinet beneath I have to push up one panel from the middle and over the one in front or behind it to get enough clearance to actually move the panel up... Makes working on the battery bank interesting...

[dbhost]

Okay so I have been hustling like a lunatic driving rideshare since the IT job market is in the absolute toilet these days for guys in their 50s... :-(

12hr days, 7 days / week leaves me with little time to actually work on the camper but wood project progress so far.

Dinette has been converted to a platform bed. Basically 2 notched segments of 3/4 pywood. Nothing fancy just needs to support the memory foam mattress. Done.

Measurements double and triple checked. The countertop has a taper and is partially covered by the wall cladding. Will have to remove the existing to get the taper. I THINK it is straight on the side until the door opening where it appears to taper in about 3/4".

Fabbed up routing jigs for the stove and sink openings out of 1x2s. Stupid simply jigs just to allow the bearing to have something to follow...

The plan?

Pull the existing countertop(s), finish getting and verifying the dimensions of the countertop and the small lower cabinet. Why they made it 2 levels is beyond me... It is all going one level. Get dimensions on face frame for main cabinet. This is all held together with L brackets so joinery is going to be stupid simple...

Build new taller small cabinet, validate height, finish and install.
Build finish and install face frame and new doors.
Cut to size, route out openings for stove and sink, route corners, roundover edges on countertop. YES it is plywood, and no I am not going to edge band it. I want softer edges, Using wood filler fill any voids in the roundover, verify fitment of stove and sink, finish, and EPOXY COAT the counter top with the heavy bar top epoxy finish...
Route out recess in main cablinet where stove will be. Hard to explain but where the 2 cabinets join I need to notch it down by about 3"...
Make sure everything is finished and sealed and then install countertop, stove, and sink. Make all connections. Stove will be operating on 1lb propane bottles not the built in tanks. I CAN do the large tanks, I don't want to....

If anyone is interested. The stove being used is the Flame King 2 burner RV stove.




The sink is a generic Chinese RV sink with swivel faucet. I need to come up with a way to block the hot water input as I have no hot water heater buit in...

[dbhost]

Making bupkis for progress, HOWEVER this Sunday is looking decent weather wise...

My priorities are to get the Starlink power pass through installed, and get the new toilet cabinet built and installed...

[dbhost]

Starlink power passthrough is installed, not how I had originally considered because I didn't have sufficient space, but I have an acceptable workaround.

https://youtu.be/vPP2IPggm0c

Okay summer is here and kicking my backside, which is causing additional work. The built in AC is dead, bad compressor, and the OE Tecumseh compressors are unobtanium. So we are NOT going to tackle that YET...

Amazon Prime Day had a deal on the BogueRV PC35 3500 BTU portable AC. Not big at all, Less than 400w draw so it will easily run on my 1000w inverter OR shore power, but I need it to be efficient even in the van.

It is in a pretty common portable / tent AC configuration so long rectangle with vents on both ends. One end is the evaporator / fan / thermostat, the other end is the condenser / compressor / fan. My idea is to build a straddling shelf and blocker such that the AC can be supported on the drivers door with the window down, and again a blocker to make up the open winodw space...

My second priority is the toilet. The toilet the van came to me with was an early 90s Sears 2.6 gallon port o potty. It went to the curb on day 1. I have been using a Seaflo 4.8 gallon Deluxe which is great, but the seat is too small for my sizeable backside and I have to be super careful to get all the business bits lined up properly...

Having been shipped with a 2.6 gallon toilet from the factory the Seaflo was the largest toilet that fit the short stowage cabinet.

But it doesn't fit the user well...

I had an Amazon gift card burning a hole in my digital wallet and found several white box as it were elongated bowl portable toilets. They all have 5.8 gallon black tanks and are all about 1.5" too tall for the stowage cabinet... https://amzn.to/44x8chM It has a bunch of what I would consider premium features, including the gauge, vent release so you don't get a poop explosion if you open the flush valve after changing altitudes, swiveling dump spout etc... All in all a fairly nice portable throne...

The good" The cabinet is literally just a couple of boards cut to fit and held together with L brackets.

The bad. Did I mention summer is kicking my backside yet?

So the AC will be delivered allegedly on July 7, will wait and test it out on July 8th to allow everything to settle where it belongs, Then start measuring for the install method...

In the meantime, measurements are done for the toilet cabinet. Need to get to work on that.

[LCHIEN]

Toilets, A/C, and Internet. CAn't live without them, even in a RV.

[dbhost]

It should be noted the countertop redo keeps getting shoved back because I am teetering between just redoing the countertop, and ripping the cabinet out and building an entirely new one...

[dbhost]

LOL LCHIEN the reason I went with the motor home / camper van was because of the IBD / Colitis I.E. a need for a toilet NOW... Internet means communication, satelite means communication outside of cellular range means safety. AC means I live and travel primarily in Texas.