4-Day Weekender - Toddler bed!

[KCStudly]

Try this: Buy or build a "stand-upon" for the wife, so she's at the right height.

At least you didn't suggest drywall stilts.

[Kharn]

She keeps a stool in the kitchen, but for some reason always finds its easier to call for me to reach things...

[working on it]

Not a problem with these :

extreme camping boots.jpg (15.7 KiB) Viewed 2853 times

[Kharn]

I played around with the split countertop idea. Here's the current sketch, with the ~32" wide countertop 37" off the ground:

Galley design 20140223.png (22.38 KiB) Viewed 2828 times

The honeycomb is the camp oven. It's just a hair bigger than your normal 2-burner stove.
The drawers are on 18" 100% extension slides, the oven is on 16" slides.
Here's the profile of the oven and cabinet, I had to cut it back vs the countertop (which is currently 19" deep) so that the oven can be lifted out of its cradle without tipping it. I'm not intending to cook with the oven on the sliding cradle, it is just to make it easier to stow/deploy the oven so I may live without it for a while.

Galley oven profile 20140223.png (18.34 KiB) Viewed 2826 times

[capnTelescope]

At least you didn't suggest drywall stilts.

But I did think it.

...extreme camping boots

Thunk that, too. Didn't have a picture. Good job.

But seriously...

Here's the current sketch, with the ~32" wide countertop 37" off the ground:

Now I get it! I didn't read KC's suggestion that closely, so I just didn't see how a counter split front-to-back would solve your problem. You're on the right track. This looks like a real kitchen!

Maybe add a shallow pantry cabinet on the right third, just a can of beans deep? Also, with the 8" space under the drawers, more drawers? or would the open shelf-ish space be preferred?

Either way, I think it looks good and gets the job done.

[Kharn]

8" is just enough for my dutch oven and Coleman camp sink to fit under the drawers.
A shelf or two above the countertop is certainly in the cards.

[Kharn]

Ouch, looks like I'm going to have some messy work to do this weekend. I didn't realize there was an inner bearing on my trailer that needed to be packed. I'd just slathered a ton of grease down inside the hub when I packed the outer bearing.

I've already ordered four replacement seals and a seal puller, so I shouldn't have a problem getting them out.

[Corwin C]

She keeps a stool in the kitchen, but for some reason always finds its easier to call for me to reach things...

This reminds me of my grandmother who was also "fun size." She called her step stool a "cabinet doubler."

[S. Heisley]

Hi, Khan:
I am around 5’2”, give or take a fraction, and I keep a folding stool in the galley; but, as a rule, I only use that when I raise and lower the lifting roof. I made my main counter-top 32” high, which is the height of most bathroom counters. I have a step-down, lower counter section that is only 26” high (where the potty hides during the day). I use that area to set things on. I also have a small add-on counter that hangs on shelf hardware, under the main galley counter lip. That piece sits at 31” high. None of it is a problem for me. Under the main galley area, almost all deck/floor based storage is either on wheels or is on drawer sliders; so, most of it simply pulls out. That eliminates a lot of both kneeling and step stool usage. I recognize that yours will be made differently; but, I offer mine simply because one never knows when a picture or something that somebody says will spark an idea.

(2/28/14: Removed picture. Now that Khan has seen it, it doesn't need to take up space.)

Add-on counter-tops don't have to be as deep as the main counter and that makes it easier to find a place to store them. For instance, they can be stored along the side of an inside cupboard wall or even strapped to the underside of a counter or a galley hatch or on top of the counter for travel. It all works.

[Kharn]

I'm planning to keep the side table to 18x32" so it can sit on top of the countertop when we travel, I suspect it will need a strap or two and some padding to keep it from bouncing around and damaging anything.

I emailed four local machine shops to see about the trailer tongue extension, I spec'ed them drilling the four holes for the coupler and the hole for the second frame rail, I'll drill the first frame rail and original hitch holes myself since I'm not 100% sure where they are (measuring upside down, underneath the trailer, and alone isn't exactly easy ). The coupler manufacturer was nice enough to email me a drawing of the coupler I bought so there's no guess work on those hole locations.

[Kharn]

Forward cabinets:

Forward cabinets 20140301.jpg (119.32 KiB) Viewed 2640 times

Center section profile, the lower section won't have the angled piece interfering and has ~10x22x20" of storage in that compartment (so, approximately a large suitcase, and I'm sure my wife will demand two or more of those lower compartments for herself, for a 2-night trip ):

Forward cabinet profile 20140301.jpg (110.23 KiB) Viewed 2640 times

[Kharn]

So far two of the machine shops have gotten back to me, one double my expected price and one triple it. Apparently neither of them stock 2x2x3/16" steel tube so they'd have to order a 24' piece, and without sufficient demand for it, they're charging me for the entire piece. I emailed four more shops today, hopefully someone will have some of this laying around.

My dad gave me a small drill press (max height ~12", 3/8" chuck) and a Craftsman Industrial router table with 2hp plunge router. I'll still need to use his fixed-base router for a few things, but it will be nice to not have to drive to his house to use his table.

[working on it]

So far two of the machine shops have gotten back to me, one double my expected price and one triple it. Apparently neither of them stock 2x2x3/16" steel tube so they'd have to order a 24' piece, and without sufficient demand for it, they're charging me for the entire piece. I emailed four more shops today, hopefully someone will have some of this laying around.

When I need a small quantity of a metal (at least for the last two years), I go to a branch of Metal Supermarkets. They are nationwide, and will sell you just what you need, at a reasonable price. There are three branches here in the DFW area, two of which I've bought steel and aluminum from. No piece too small...I bought $1.06 worth of aluminum diamondplate (along with 20 feet of various-sized 1/4" and 3/16" steel angle I had cut to my specs, all during my lunchbreak!). I'm sure there's a franchise near your location, too.

[Kharn]

There's one about 20 miles away.

[Kharn]

Quotes are trickling in for the tongue extension, I haven't decided if I'll drill my own or pay a bit for them to do it for me.

I pulled the hubs this morning and packed the inner bearings, I ruined one of the seals when the seal puller ripped a nice hole in it but the other was fine to reuse. It was definitely a messy job, so there's a lesson for everyone else to remember there are two bearings per hub.