My new kitchen design

[fornesto]

I'm a gonna rebuild my kitchen in time for this summer. It's been Mickey-Moused so many times and really need some love. So' I'm starting over. Here's the idea. 1) The water tank and 1.5 gallon propoane tank go in the cabinet beneath the stove. 2) The cooler slides out on a tray 3) the stove is in a safety drawer so little hands don't get too close. 4) gonna use a pre-made laminate counter. 5) no doors on the upper cabinets, but the storage areas are recessed so stuff can't roll out.

What am I missing? Thoughts?

[Sierrajack]

I still don't like stoves in or under a "fire magnet" (hatch) but, that's your choice.

[48Rob]

I like the design

<img src="http://www.teardrops.us/userfiles/21/revised%20kitchen-1.jpg">

I would question if you are right handed or left (or at least the chef) for the stove location.

Storing the propane under the stove isn't the best spot, but if the cabinet is well vented in case of a leak, and the area doesn't open into the sleeping quarters, you should be fine.

As for Jacks thoughts on stoves and hatches...I've seen some that are WAY too close, but yours looks well thought out, and certainly far enough away from the hatch.
Might need a heat shield at each end though...
The safety front is a great idea!
I'd recommend good drawer slides rated at 70 pounds or more.
The weight of the stove and food aren't much, but somone is gonna lean on it...

I like the top storage areas too, very easy to access, very easy to see what you have, and no worry about things falling out.

Premade countertops are okay, but as they are made from particle board, it is wise to apply sealer (paint/varnish) to prevent the moisture that will eventually get where it shouldn't from causing damage.

If you can, make the sink bigger.
I've tried small, medium, and large, and the large is just plain easier to use.
Pans, pots, dishes, hands, hair, all the things you want to rinse or fill, are very difficult to do in a tiny little sink, they look cute, but cute doesn't equal practical.

Keeping as much open counter space as you can is important, but you'll use the sink way more than the counter...

Rob

[Miriam C.]

I like the design a lot. I am right handed and would rather the stove be on my left as your is that way I can reach what I have on the counter while I am cooking.

GitRdun

[fornesto]

I was at Longs Drugs yesterday and they had a 20 quart (5-gallon) cooler that would fit perfectly under the proposed stove slide-out. In my experience, water tanks are difficult to find that are cubic and not verticaly oriented without spending $$. I like the idea of portable water tanks so that I can fill up at the campground without moving the trailer. The cooler even has a real nice handle.

Has anybody considered using a cooler for a water tank? The lid could be easily secured. You'd have to cut a hole in the lid too.

The safety walls around the stove would be lined with some form of metal, probably scrap aluminum or diamond-platey stuff. You're right about the 70lb. sliders, especially when you consider what a pot of wet pasta weighs! I think I'll make the sink bigger and recess it with a cutting board cover.

[48Rob]

The cooler idea would work, but you need to find one that has a good seal.
The inexpensive ones will leak water around the lid to body area, not a big deal I suppose if you empty it before traveling, water all over the inside of the tear wouldn't be good...

I'd be a little concerned too, about contaminants getting into the cooler, if you were drinking the water from it.

Wal mart, and other big stores sell square water containers pretty cheap, but if you need a size they don't make...the handle is a nice feature for carying, but check them close, some can barely handle the weight of the cooler, let alone all the water you're going to add.

Something else to consider perhaps, is a remote tank.
You could put it under the bed, or where ever, and put the filler in the galley.
We fill ours with a hose at home, or at the campground, then if there isn't water close, we just use gallon jugs to add water to the tank.
Easy to carry with the built in handles, and 1 gallon is a comfortable load for each hand when the faucet is way over on the other side of the campground.

Rob

[fornesto]

I've rearranged things a bit. Now the cooler is on the side. The cooler water tank is under the stove area. I put sliding fluted glass doors on the cabinets so's I can stack things and not worry 'bout squirrels and whatnot. All things are too scale. Whadayathink?

Open


Closed


I should also clarify that we drink bottled water while camping. Cooler tank water is for washing dishes, cleaning up, etc.

[mikeschn]

I like the second design a whole lot better...

Does your propane move with your stove, or is there a hose that moves to compensate?

Mike...

[fornesto]

I like the second design a whole lot better...

Does your propane move with your stove, or is there a hose that moves to compensate?

Mike...

That is a great question. The propane outlet is on the right side. I could use a flex hose that travels with the sliding drawer, but where would I stash the propane tank? I could keep using the little disposable tanks and let them bang around by the water. Let me get back to you on this one. Any ideas?

What if the mini propane tanks clipped on underneath the stove drawer, hanging horizontally like a fire extinguisher. A flex hose could connect it to the stove.

[toypusher]

You could get enough hose to run under the tear to the tongue and put a 10 or 20 lb tank up there.

[mikeschn]

Check out Steve Fredericks method...

let me look for it...

okay, Steve has several pictures on this page...
http://www.steve-frederick.com/galley

Mike...

[48Rob]

I like the second design better too!

Drawers are very handy.

On another tear we used the 1 pound bottles, but used hard pipe (steel) to connect the bottle.

One could easily do the same setup with a flexible hose coming off the hardpipe after the regulator.

Rob

<img src="http://home.insightbb.com/~hesselmann2/wsb/media/82001/site1160_t.jpg">

[fornesto]

When it comes to building the thing, I have some questions. I didn't ask enough questions the first time.

1. When I take the old kitchen out, there will be no bulkhead. Should I build the kitchen in place, or as a separate unit and then install it into the trailer?

I'd prefer to build it out of the trailer so a) I can use the trailer this summer until the kitchen gets built and b) my accuracy and precision will greatly improve if I can use a more controlled environment. At the same time, I'd like to firm up the trailer a bit with a good bulkhead.

2. Should I build it with stick frame or plywood boxes?

[fornesto]

I have one more question for you guys. Since I'm building a couple of deep and heavy slide-out drawers, should the slides be mounted at the bottom of the drawer box or the top? Is there a structural difference?

Here is my framing plan. I've reduced the number of drawers in the center column from three to two. The light brown is all 1/2" plywood. The dark brown is 3/4" x 1.5" poplar. The middle fins are notched to accept the main horizontal beam. I understand that the sides are a little redundant with the sides of the trailer, but I want to square up my trailer shell and be able to screw from the outside to build this galley. The same goes for the bottom sheet. It could be removed but that would complicate the build somewhat. I want this thing to be plum and square, but don't want to add too much weight. I guess I could cleat the bottom similar to the back.

Thoughts or critiques are very welcome.