Design Q: Hinged Kitchen

[AndyL]

Ok, perhaps a really bad idea But lets investigate while in the design stage... (Working on a bigger standie - somewhere in between a '35 torpedo and basecamp; stealing ideas off both)

Wondering about an indoor/outdoor kitchen, started thinking about 2 kitchens, one inside one outside, but that's just a cluster<beep>. Wife prefers to cook outside, but on occasion - it's sure nice to have the kitchen inside (ie cold mornings / wet days) - oh and morning coffee in my boxers is always good - without causing strife amongst the other campers . Wondering about hinging the side wall, and having the kitchen itself swing out 90deg into the great outdoors... Mechanically it's not too bad - hinging and sealing isn't too insane, but... 3 way fridge, kitchen sink, and some other bits and pieces, means running 12v, water, LPG so they can pivot with the wall section... As well as the stack/flue/exhaust for the fridge - that's an even bigger question - Not sure if I can vent out the wall rather than straight out the roof?

Sealing the big gaping hole is another issue, but kinda thinking a magnetic or roll down screen might work...

Anyone have some thoughts/theories/opinions/suggestions?

[markhusbands]

How about just having a hatch that opens to a pass through kitchen and setting it up with two-doored cabinets that you can get into from either side?

[aggie79]

Keep in mind that if you have a 36" counter height on the inside of the trailer, the counter will be ~54" tall outside when you swing it open.

[AndyL]

Plan is to run it lower inside - it'll rarely be used 'closed', we don't go camping to be stuck inside (cooking or otherwise) But I've also got a bunch of aluminium deck plate squirreled away, a sliding floor/deck wouldn't be too hard to sort out...

Mark - problem there is the fridge and cooktop, Neither really adapts to dual sided use...

[markhusbands]

I've seen ranges with top mounted controls that would work okay, I would think, used backwards in a pinch. Fridge - not so much, unless you're talking a plug-in top mounted cooler type thing. But I've thought about this as you have - could you make a meal from the inside or make some coffee from the inside in a bad weather pinch. And I suppose passing some stuff through from an outside facing fridge wouldn't be the end of the world.

[Photoman33770]

So there I was thinking.
If you use a camper stove 1lb tank, plumbing gas wouldn't be a problem. Have to open a roof vent for fumes and heat escape.
put it on a dual slide tray. From out side it pulls out on one set of runners. On the inside it slides on another set. Would have to use slides mounted at bottom, not sides. it will be low on the inside but usable. Put near the wall not center.
Fridge on a lazy Susan type tray. Use flexible rubber gas hose with slack. Pipe exhaust up to central pivot point and vent from there. Pipe would be inside another pipe to swivel freely.
It will waste some space, but doable. Maybe even lazy Susan on top with hole in center for pipe to keep the whole thing stable when traveling.

[KCStudly]

I, too, was thinking the slide out would be more doable than the pivot. To solve the issue of height inside vs. outside, you could build a scissor support (like an ironing board or ambulance gurney) to allow the counter to raise up and lock when inside.

But why bother with all of the complexity? If what you want is to do most of your cooking on the outside and just coffee and an occasional "waiting out the storm" meal on the inside, then build a traditional outside galley, perhaps with pass through, and put a small coffee pot and/or hot plate or Coleman 502 stove on the inside (properly supported, vented and heat shielded).

[AndyL]

I know where your coming from - complexity is relatively minor, other than the 3 feeds and one exhaust... its kind of like a slide out - just simpler having the extra 2' of space is also nice when open... there are definitely trade offs in the design - but happy wife = happy life and this is a wife request...