Cabinet Question: Drawers, Hinged/Sliding Doors, Open, etc? - Page 2

**WVvan** · 10-29-2010, 08:43 PM

Thanks a bunch. I'd seen those in other folks pictures and wondered were to find them.

Note to self: installation instructions (pdf)

**BroncoHauler** · 10-29-2010, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spomo1

They are SOUTHCO latches.. You can pick them up at good marine stores or lots of places on line.

Try http://www.reidsupply.com/GrpResults.as ... d=10022569

Those are the same latches that SMBw uses, or at least used when they did my galley. I ended up replacing two of them, with similar Southco locking latches since I have a young son abd I didn't want him to be able to access the inverter and electrical areas.

Herb

LenS · 10-30-2010, 08:53 AM

The flush drawer latches I use came from Rockler.com. The latch plate is a die casting. I did not use the small steel angle that came with them as catch. I figured it would always be in the way catch/snag things in the drawer, so I routed groves in the bottom of the drawer dividers (1/2" Baltic Birch) for the latch plates to lock into. They have worked fine. They are $$$ though.

Close up of two installed in drawers

I have also used them on doors as seen below. This is our battery/inverter compartment that also has storage in it. The top is double hinged but because it is also the ice chest "table" it is not easy to open the top while on a trip with a full ice chest. So I added a front door the the compartment.

LenS · 11-01-2010, 07:17 PM

Here are pics of the cabinet construction per your inquiry.

Below is the case construction. The sides are made out of 3/4" Baltic birch and the horizontal drawer dividers are made out of 1/2" Baltic birch and are let into the side of the sides with 1/4" deep grooves. Top and bottom of the case is 3/4" Baltic birch for strength and fastening into the floor and penthouse top bed rails.

Each drawer is maximized for volume. Each comes to within 1/8" of the back of the case. As noted in my e-mail I only used guides on the bottom drawer to "not waste" drawer volume with drawer guides that consume 1/2" each of drawer width.

The bottom drawer is several inches deeper then the width of the isle and is on full extension guides. So I made it in two parts so that it wasn't trapped. There is wiring behind that I may need to get at. Turned out it could have been one piece. With the bevel on the drawer bottom I can just get it out by tipping with NO ROOM to spare. Could not have planned it that way.

The top compartment is not a drawer so that we can get at its contents when the penthouse top is down. As I said the sides and top and bottom are 3/4" Baltic birch and the case is bolted to the floor (4 bolts) and to the penthouse bed rail (2 bolts). The case is also attached to each storage cabinet on either side of it.

The bottom drawer has 75 lb. guides because it carries food supplies. The bottom drawer has 1/2" bottom and the one above that also is for food has 1/4" bottom. All others has 1/8" bottoms.

OPPS!!! The last pic shows my oops. The bottom drawer started life as square in the back. Forgot about the van fuel fill bump in the side of the van. So I had to take drawer back apart and add 45 degree cut as seen on the drawers setting on our deck. The 45 degree relief also made it possible to remove the drawer without removing the back bolt part.

Making sure all drawers are locked is part of our "pre flight" check list. Along with: penthouse top locked down, toilet secure, inverter on for laptop computer power, all storage box straps snapped closed.

I was not planned but the 1/2" drawer dividers let into the sides make the drawers strong enough to step on (pulled out 6 inches) to serve as a ladder for the penthouse bed.

**WVvan** · 11-01-2010, 07:28 PM

Very nicely made. Most impressive.

jage · 11-01-2010, 07:42 PM

The southco latches in my build anchor to an L shaped plate, and the plate has gotten out of alignment or loose a few times- nothing a little RTV to keep the screws from backing out wouldn't fix, but it's something to watch out for.

mjeffrey · 11-01-2010, 07:56 PM

LenS's drawers are very nice! Your whole van is beautifully done, Len - nice work.

I'm a big fan of drawers. When you have deep cabinets they allow full use of the space way at the back - sure, you lose a little bit on the sides because of the drawer slides, but I think it's recovered by the easy access to the back. I have a long cabinet that was too narrow for a drawer to be worthwhile, and I find it annoying pulling out all the front stuff to get to the back. (My cabinets are about 22" deep, if I recall correctly.)

I do like my big cabinet above the fridge, though. It hinges down and becomes a cutting board; I use plastic bins inside to keep food organized.

I also love having a ton of space under the rear benches. All of our clothes go in there, along with things like towels and toys, and the portapotty in its own separated space.

For drawers, I use RV-specific drawer slides with a spring detent. They take a tug to get them open, and don't open at all during any sort of driving. No need to check latches.

Here they are almost finished. The bottom four are drawers; the top one with a handle is a side-opening cabinet door, which I think I'll make into a drawer. I have another four drawers directly across.

Cheers,
Mike.

TomH · 11-30-2010, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LenS

The flush drawer latches I use came from Rockler.com.

Len,

I can't find that latch anywhere on the Rockler site. Any chance you have a model name or part number? Thanks.

Scalf77 · 11-30-2010, 01:48 PM

64477

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=1376

greg

LenS · 11-30-2010, 01:56 PM

Greg beat me!

I found it by searching "push button latch".

If I remember right, they are designed for 3/4" drawer face. I used 1/2" and had to add 1/4" locally for the push latch. 1/2" Baltic birch was strong and stiff enough for the size drawers I was making so I stuck with 1/2" on the drawer faces to save weight.