Don & Christi's 6 x 10 Cargo Conversion

[d30gaijin]

Yep, I use a +12 VDC Compressor for Air Shocks/Tire Inflation [in the Boonies]. Due to the Amps they draw, and minimal Wire size run internally by many Vehicle OEMs, you do have to be a tad conscious of Voltage Drop. Although I have a Cargo Compartment +12 VDC Receptacle, I usually plug in up at the Center Console. Just my thing...

Another plus is that the slower ramp up in pressure from a portable Compressor means you don't have to worry much about Air Shock overpressurization.

EG,

I went in search of a 12v DC air compressor, started with the green slime model then looked at several other brands available from big box stores and on-line and didn't like the review ratings I was seeing. Most of them seem to be about 50/50; 50% chance it will work well for you and 50% chance it dies shortly after some use, or doesn't work out of the box. Then I found this: http://www.viaircorp.com/100C.html and it appears to be the answer, of course that remains to be seen until it gets here and I actually use it. I ordered it from Summit Racing, an outfit I have done a lot of business with and know them to be very good and responsive should one have any problem. It was a bit more costly but I don't mind paying for quality. It came in at $90. It draws 14 amps so suspect it will be a "connect it directly to the battery" deal rather than use the cigar lighter but I can handle that.

I figure I can either mount it in the CT or make a box for it and mount it inside the box so it is portable (the latter so I can take it along in the CT or the Jayco TT, or just in the Jeep).

Don

[d30gaijin]

I finally got the galley overhead cabinet face cut today. I was as nervous as can be because I only had enough wood for one cut per side and if I screwed anything up I would have had to go buy another 4x8 sheet of finished face red oak plywood, and that stuff isn't cheap. As I've stated before my wood working skills aren't the greatest so I went very slow, measured, measured again, made one cut, measured again, made the left side face cuts, put it up to see how it fit, measured some more blah blah blah. I used the same template for both sides but the roof of the CT is not exactly symmetrical from left to right side so I ended up with a little under 1/16" gap on the right side where the cabinet face meets the Luan roof paneling. But since I had planned to use a flexible corner moulding at that point to provide a finished look I am not concerned with the gap.

I bought a small pair of used doors from the Habitat For Humanity Reuse Store a while back (they're sitting on top of the microwave) but now they seem a little small so I'll go in search of something longer to make access to the overhead cabinet more user friendly.

The lower picture is what the overhead looked like before I put the cabinet face on today.

Don

[Wolfscout]

That's a nice clean look Don.
My wife has been "discussing" my redoing mine and taking down some of the very handy wire shelfs and putting up paneling with matching cabinets.
She says we're gonna be using it more so she wants it " Nicer ".
I told her "One day. We've not gotten enough use of of it like it is yet."
*chuckles*

[d30gaijin]

That's a nice clean look Don.
My wife has been "discussing" my redoing mine and taking down some of the very handy wire shelfs and putting up paneling with matching cabinets.
She says we're gonna be using it more so she wants it " Nicer ".
I told her "One day. We've not gotten enough use of of it like it is yet."
*chuckles*

Larry,

Thank you for the kind words. I know what you're going through. Christi has been bugging me for weeks now to make more progress. I keep telling her I am now retired and do things at my own pace. But then again, I couldn't ignore her demands indefinitely so had to take action. I am one heck of a great procrastinator if I am afraid of tackling something I consider beyond my skill level, even though deep down I know it isn't. Still, I was finally happy to get the dreaded wood cut out of the way. I think it will be a piece of cake from here on out... well the paneling may throw me for a loop. That stuff isn't easy to cut with the few power tools I have and doing so, as I usually do, by myself. Not sure why I am hesitant to ask for help other than I have so few friends local to me these days. I had tons of friends when I managed/ran the local public shooting range when I had something to offer them. I no longer do and they have dried up. I am pretty much a one man show on my CT build, well Christi has always been available to help but she has her limits.

Any suggestions or thoughts about what to do in the galley area behind the counter sink area? I'm thinking some sort of splash guard material but am not sure what to look for. Stainless steel? Formica (I hate dealing with Formica, it is such a PITA to cut), some sort of plastic paneling?

Don

[roadinspector]

Hey Don,
Nice rig!! Cut yourself some slack. You do good work. You said you weren't concerned about the 1/16" gap, simple fix if your interested is a strip of 1/2" quarter round should flex enough for the arc. Construction glue and a few brad nails should hold it in place.

Earnest

[d30gaijin]

Hey Don,
Nice rig!! Cut yourself some slack. You do good work. You said you weren't concerned about the 1/16" gap, simple fix if your interested is a strip of 1/2" quarter round should flex enough for the arc. Construction glue and a few brad nails should hold it in place.

Earnest

Earnest,

Thank you for the 1/2" quarter round tip! I wasn't sure as to what I should look for in corner moulding so figured I'd head to Home Depot and try to explaing what it is I am trying to do and see what they recommend. Be that as it may, I looked up quater round on the web and now know what you're referring to. That should easily do the trick.

Don

[d30gaijin]

A bit off topic but wanted to share this with others here since many CT conversion folks seem to also be BBQ/Grilling lovers too.

I love small BBQ grills, especially the Hibachi type of grill. I've had/used a lot of Hibachi small grills over the years, and as the years passed they got cheaper and cheaper made to the point I wouldn't bother to own one anymore... until I ran across the Lodge Logic cast iron Hibachi grill, that is.

Now this may be nothing new to many of you in that apparently Lodge has been making this cast iron Hibachi for something like 30 years. Be that as it may, a couple of weeks ago I stumbled upon this beautifully made in the USA Lodge cast iron Hibachi grill. http://secure.lodgemfg.com/storefront/product1_new.asp?idProduct=3975

This grill is not inexpensive but can be found for a far lesser price on Amazon with free shipping (important because the little sucker is heavy). It is extremely well built, good old American Lodge quality built cast iron.

I grilled up some burgers the other night and they turned out just a bit too well done, still great though. Make sure you use the appropriate amount of charcoal briquets, I am finding 30 to 40 briquets to be about right depending on how much heat you will need for what you are cooking i.e., 40 was a bit too much for burgers, 35 was better on a subsequent burger night grill. 30 will do hot dogs just fine, 40 for a hot flame for 1" or more thick steaks.

This grill, while heavy for its size, will travel in the CT with us. It's perfect for BBQing for 2 to 3 people. Most of all it is so well built it will, like most Lodge cast iron products, last several lifetimes.

The grill top is adjustable for two heights, the normal height shown in the photo below or you can flip it over to a lower height placing the grill closer to the coals. You can also add a Lodge cast iron griddle in place of, or on, the grill. The Lodge cast iron griddle has two sides, one ribbed for grilling burgers, steaks, etc/away from direct flame or a smooth side for hotcakes, eggs, bacon, etc.

Again, this may be old news to some of you but I am truly impressed with the Lodge Hibachi so wanted to pass it on here.

Don

[d30gaijin]

Spent Father's Day in search of galley upper cabinet doors at a couple of "reuse" stores in the Boise area to no avail. None to be found in the size we need (20" to 22"L x 9" to 10"H). Might have to go with custom built doors, which I found on-line for $25 for each door but was hoping to find them used for less.

If anyone has a source for cabinet doors please pass that source along.

Thanks,
Don

[pappaw]

looking nice Don

(the camper work, not you)

like the grill too.

Cheers: Jeff

[Verna]

Menard's has unfinished oaken cabinet doors in various sizes. I used some in the SideKick.

[d30gaijin]

Menard's has unfinished oaken cabinet doors in various sizes. I used some in the SideKick.

Verna,

I checked out Menard's on-line and they have the exact oak doors I need (10"x22") at a good price. Unfortunately they are not available on-line and there is no Menard's near me. But it gave me a good start for a Google search and I ordered a pair of 10"x22" unfinished oak doors for $39 from this outfit in California http://www.fastcabinetdoors.com/ Your suggestion put me on the right search path. I was having trouble finding the doors I need based on my search criteria "cabinet doors." I then switched to a search for "unfinished cabinet doors" and found several manufacturers. Thanks for the tip.

Don

[Verna]

You're welcome. Glad I could help

[roadinspector]

Don,
Your welcome. Just a little help for all the ideas that you have given me!
Earnest

[d30gaijin]

Received the two burner propane counter top stove today, along with the 12v mini-air compressor. Tomorrow I hope to install the propane stove in our galley counter top. Urgh! Don't like to cut holes for same but it has to be done... measure twice... no make that measure five times and cut once. Also ordered the same portable AC unit Goatdog has in his CT. Hopefully it will be here before we leave for Tahoe at end of this month.

Many thanks, and a hat tip, to Goatdog for the link to the two burner propane counter top stove and his post about the Haier portable AC unit in another thread, his being 7k BTU and the one I ordered being 8k BTU (no 7K BTU available through Home Depot) but they appear, otherwise, to be the same unit.

I hope to install the counter top propane stove tomorrow. Will post photos of the installation.

Once I figure out the little compressor and how to make use of it (it is not self contained like a Slime unit) I will post photos.

You must: "endeavor to persevere" with me on our CT conversion... the "endeavor to persevere" line taken from the movie "The Outlaw Josey Wales" as spoken by Chief Dan George in the movie.

Don

[8ball_99]

Lol You went a little over board with the compressor didn't ya? Viair Compressors are pretty good though. Infact when I said I had onboard air on my Duramax that what it has. a Viair 480c compressor and a 5 gallon air tank. I run the tank at 200Psi. So with 5 gallons of 200psi air plus the compressor I have enough air to run an impact, Inflate tires ect. I have air fittings in each rear wheel well for connecting an air hose.. It impresses people at the local home depot when you pull a screw out of your trailer tire, plug it then pull an airline out of the tool box and run it from the side of the truck to the tire to reinflate it. Toss everything back in the tool box and go on your way