Boinzo
1st December 2016, 04:38 PM
Hello all.
So, following on from my previous thread here Let-There-Be-Drawers (http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?36803-Let-There-Be-Drawers) ...
I have spent some time reflecting on what needed improving following my last trip west and up the gulf. My first attempt at drawers was broadly successful but I needed to address a few issues in my quest for the perfect touring wagon.
1. They were heavy. Very heavy. 12mm Ply wood just weighs too much. And I reckon is over engineered mostly. So I turned to Aluminium. Even though a lot of the weight is in the runners.
2. Lack of light. It was a pain in the arse finding stuff in drawers this deep after dark with no moon.
3. Safely securing the water tank - it worried the hell out of me that I could only attached 70Kg of water to bits of ply. In a prang I was going to be sorry!
4. The switch panel. It was a pain to get to fuses and I didn't do near good enough a job on wiring this in.
5. The water tap was a pain to get to - I had to slide the fridge in to use it.
So. I designed Drawers 2.0....
I made these from a 25mm Qubelok Aluminium frame with 4mm Marine play sheet and a 7mm top. All up weight came down far enough for me to add a 3rd battery in the back. The frame was 16kg. Pre runners.
It also gave me a good frame to build restraints for the tank against. And I was able to make it square, because I suck as a carpenter.
I added LED lights with auto-door actuators. I used cheap LED camping bars cut down with a drop saw. Works great.
I moved the tap out into the barn door and added a tank level indicator.
I was able to make a proper table between the drawers.
These still have great storage in the wings - but the fuse block and water pump are both now easily accessible.
Anyway - here is the result Drawers 2.0 .... I'm a lot happier. Anyone that wants drawings or details on building this let me know!
70090
70091
70092
70093
70094
So, following on from my previous thread here Let-There-Be-Drawers (http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?36803-Let-There-Be-Drawers) ...
I have spent some time reflecting on what needed improving following my last trip west and up the gulf. My first attempt at drawers was broadly successful but I needed to address a few issues in my quest for the perfect touring wagon.
1. They were heavy. Very heavy. 12mm Ply wood just weighs too much. And I reckon is over engineered mostly. So I turned to Aluminium. Even though a lot of the weight is in the runners.
2. Lack of light. It was a pain in the arse finding stuff in drawers this deep after dark with no moon.
3. Safely securing the water tank - it worried the hell out of me that I could only attached 70Kg of water to bits of ply. In a prang I was going to be sorry!
4. The switch panel. It was a pain to get to fuses and I didn't do near good enough a job on wiring this in.
5. The water tap was a pain to get to - I had to slide the fridge in to use it.
So. I designed Drawers 2.0....
I made these from a 25mm Qubelok Aluminium frame with 4mm Marine play sheet and a 7mm top. All up weight came down far enough for me to add a 3rd battery in the back. The frame was 16kg. Pre runners.
It also gave me a good frame to build restraints for the tank against. And I was able to make it square, because I suck as a carpenter.
I added LED lights with auto-door actuators. I used cheap LED camping bars cut down with a drop saw. Works great.
I moved the tap out into the barn door and added a tank level indicator.
I was able to make a proper table between the drawers.
These still have great storage in the wings - but the fuse block and water pump are both now easily accessible.
Anyway - here is the result Drawers 2.0 .... I'm a lot happier. Anyone that wants drawings or details on building this let me know!
70090
70091
70092
70093
70094