Community Forums

Durango Dave · 06-26-2017, 03:22 PM

Well even though i have not bumped my head on the overhead storage for several weeks, even when rolling over in the dead of night. It's coming down. I have a plan to keep the left half of it and shorten it and then use the other cabinet space somewhere else. This will make the bedroom look like a normal bedroom. Plus it will give me back the headroom and i can sit up and read that way.

I contacted the MFG and the cabinet is not structural in any way, its just held on with what looks like 6 screws, 3 on each end. Ill have it out of there in about 20 min. Then tomorrow ill go cut it down at my dads place and put the left side backup, it wont extend past the end table below.

I will let you know how it turns out

Durango Dave · 06-26-2017, 05:58 PM

OK so it took me a long 20 min lol - i forgot about the outlet and the 12v light in the bottom.

Well if you want to know how they construct these things, the bottom and front panel are pre built with staples, is put in place and then screwed, then the bottom cover is put on, and then the decorative strips are added to cover the seams.

At least thats what it looks like. But they sure dont put these up there expecting anyone to take them down thats for sure.

But after 4 scrapes and 3 gouges in my hand its down!! Whenever i start a project i always ask myself, do i want to bleed today lol, cause it never fails every time within minutes im bleeding.

Hopefully not too much damage to it and ill have it back up in a few days and noone will ever know i touched it...

rapid rick · 06-27-2017, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Durango Dave

OK so it took me a long 20 min lol -

But after 4 scrapes and 3 gouges in my hand its down!! Whenever i start a project i always ask myself, do i want to bleed today lol, cause it never fails every time within minutes im bleeding.

...

Just remember..... NO SCARS, NO STORIES

Fiesta48 · 06-27-2017, 06:57 AM

Good job. Another poor design by mfgr. I've got one over my drivers seat. Previous coaches each had one on cabinet next to doors above a single seat. Cussing was an every other day exercise.
Wearing a cap reduces some vocals....

Durango Dave · 06-27-2017, 10:17 AM

Thanks, my first idea was to just have a corner cabinet with two doors. It would be smaller but i could make it out of the pieces i have.

However after doing some siting on the bed and testing that environment, i think a dual cabinet is out, and ill have to stick with a single cabinet over the end table.

The main reason is that the cabinet next to the window would stick out too far and as i either sit on the bed, get read to go to bed, or use the end table i would have another head scalping session.

So i think ill go with the one cabinet over the end table and then use the other pieces to add a shelf over the tv.

Bob_C · 06-27-2017, 12:16 PM

No pain, no gain.....

sikoriko · 06-27-2017, 12:33 PM

cant wait to see your results. Thanks for sharing

4x4van · 06-27-2017, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fiesta48

Another poor design by mfgr.

Of course, the main reason for the clearance problem in his RV is the fact that he added a box spring to his bed. My overhead cabinet is high enough to not cause a "head bumping" problem to begin with, as was his initially.

Durango Dave · 06-28-2017, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4x4van

Of course, the main reason for the clearance problem in his RV is the fact that he added a box spring to his bed. My overhead cabinet is high enough to not cause a "head bumping" problem to begin with, as was his initially.

Yes 4x4 true (wow nobody forgets a lick around this place do they LMAO) like elephants around here man...

However now i have the best of both worlds. I have a comfy bed that is nice and springy from my box spring and i can sit on the bed and its not like im sitting on the floor which helps me to get up easier.

Also it didnt cost me any storage at all because i used the clean stock to build a new shorter version of the overhead rack so that its just over the end table now, and also used the stock to build a new shelf over my tv which i built intentionally to hold can goods and its more than strong enough to do so. I just need to get some of that gallery spindle rail for it now. The shelf over the tv there is a board inside that covered box from side to side that you cant see, it goes across so that the paneling will not bend at all with cans on it. You could set a 40lb block on that shelf i bet and it would hold it.

What i did was i took everything apart piece by piece because there were so many staples and nails. It took me the better part of the day to remove all of the mechanical fasterners but i ended up with clean usable stock.

Then i cut down the cabinet door to half the size (just cut the middle out of it) and reattached the same door end style (with the hinges) back on the door.

Sure there are some little gaps here and there because i didnt have a chop or table saw to get a perfect cut.

But i think they both came out great with having limited tools such as a circular saw, hammer, gorilla wood glue, measuring tape, utility knife (which i cut all the trim and paneling with), tape, cordless drill and bits, a screw driver and plyers.

I put the outlet on the wall where it needs to be and also mounted the light on the wall also.

I didnt lose any storage and now my storage is where i want it and what i need it for, and i can get around my bedroom, sit up in bed and read, and sleep much more comfy.

It was totally worth it!

Dont you agree?

4x4van · 06-28-2017, 05:38 PM

Yup, turned out great! I was actually responding to Fiesta48's comment that it was another poor design by the manufacturer, which was not actually the case.

Durango Dave · 06-28-2017, 05:49 PM

OH OK, well he does kinda of have a point, i mean you both have valid points. I think it is a poor design if your a tall person it doesnt work so well having the cabinet over the bed even with no box spring. However to your point it was designed for the majority and it does exist in many RV's and we are in a RV not a home, and it is storage.

So i can see both sides for sure. But i think they could accomplish the same thing and give more openness and movability around the bedroom if they put more thought into the design.

The problem is they want to do it fast and cheap. The people that put together that storage didnt care if they split wood or missed a stud or anything. I could tell it was a fast job, without time to check or correct a mistake. But i guess thats just how they do things to make a profit.

4x4van · 06-29-2017, 07:55 AM

Yup, fast & cheap is the name of the game when it comes to RV manufacturing. Another thing that I noticed that made the overhead storage more problematic in yours is that the roofline tapers down at that point, reducing headroom even more. My bed is in a slide, and doesn't taper down like that, so even with the overhead storage, I can easily sit in bed reading without hitting my head (I'm 6'). So yeah, with the taper, installing overhead cabinets there does lean toward bad design.

Durango Dave · 07-04-2017, 11:03 PM

Here are the final results of the shelf behind the TV. I finally got the gallery rails mounted and i had to use cherry stain because it was all we had. So its a bit lighter than the original.

Now for the quiz... can anyone spot my big mistake on the bottom shelf rail. Lets see who finds it first lol.. Its obvious, its not tiny..

Its not so obvious now that i see the pics in their reduced size so ill give you another hint...

Discoloration of the top rail in spots on the bottom shelf. If you have worked with this stuff before you will know exactly what i did lol..