Interior mods

dazandandrea

dazandandrea

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i have a couple of units im going to modify to install some drawer units.
I will need to cut the base unit down neer the floor , down both sides and along the bottom to make it deeper( maximise the available size)
What do you reckon the best saw would be to use, space is limited and i cant take the units out.
Thanks for any advice.
 
If you don't know what saw you need I would leave well alone.
You could fit draws inside the cupboard but what happens if you need to get at the gas taps in an emergency, or are you planning on repositioning them.
 
Why don’t you just find some plastic boxes that fit. Almost as convenient as a draw.
 
Just asked husband. He suggests a hacksaw or Makita multi-tool.

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Ive looked into that and tried them , far too much wasted space and poor access added to the deep drop on the front.
 
Firstly I would NOT cut the exiting units as your cutting the base section will seriously reduce the strength of it, secondly you need to be able to access the isolation taps and be able to do so quickly so blocking them with drawers is a no-no in my book.

What you could do instead is build a framework out from where the taps are and mount some drawers within the unit itself, eg the wire type that you get from Ikea, B&Q etc which come in a few sizes, or adapt standard drawers from a kitchen unit (put drop holes in the bottom of them). Depending on what type of drawers you use you could attached the drop down flap to them and use that to pull the bottom one out. The easier solution though would be to shelve it out and use removable baskets/boxes of some sort, the advantage of that is you can pull them out completely so you can have a good rummage rather than bending down to try to see what's in there and also take the boxes in to the house to pack stuff - this is a method I've used for many a year and works very well - if you have one of those plastic storage units you might find the drawers out of that will fit on a shelf.

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dazandandrea said:
Ive looked into that and tried them , far too much wasted space and poor access added to the deep drop on the front.
Click to expand...
You still need to leave a good gap for the gas drop so you can't safely put drawers right down to the bottom.
 
I think any cutting of the existing cabinetry will always look like a bodge and reduce the value of your van.
As Minxy says plastic drawer would be a far better solution
Loads on eBay

Plastic Drawer Storage Unit for sale | eBay

Find great deals on eBay for Plastic Drawer Storage Unit. Shop with confidence.
www.ebay.co.uk
 
This site contains affiliate links for which MHF may be compensated.
Was really interested in this thread as i need to cut a door in the front of the seat storage in my doblo to get the thetford in and out. Would need to totally dismantle the unit, electrics and fridge to be able to put it on a bench and cut wondering what type of saw to use too Minxy

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scotzsue said:
Was really interested in this thread as i need to cut a door in the front of the seat storage in my doblo to get the thetford in and out. Would need to totally dismantle the unit, electrics and fridge to be able to put it on a bench and cut wondering what type of saw to use too Minxy
Click to expand...
I'd use a jigsaw with a fine blade (drill holes to push the blade through) then before cutting I'd score the front panel to make small groves where you want the blade to go as it can help to keep it running straight. You need to ensure that the blade won't catch anything behind ... it won't be easy to do but if you have a practice on something else first so you are confident with the jigsaw you should be fine. An alternative might be to see if you can just remove the front panel itself.

You'll ideally need something to edge the opening with as it's difficult to get a good cut when you're trying to do stuff in situ but you can get plenty of flexible rubber type trim for that and of course you'll need to make a door for it too.
 
What im planning in fitting will not be right down on floor level but raised up a few inches to allow a space under for ventilation.
Thanks for the input.
 
Good luck with the mod, I’m excited for you and reckon it’ll be handy to have the extra drawers.

Be careful when cutting it, from your picture it looks to step up with the other panel, or is it double thickness.

Be sure to post pictures when it’s done.

Dont forget, Who Dares Wins 😀
 
Sue have you thought of making a 'box' for the toilet near the door which would double up as a place to rest your feet or a seat? I'm not familiar with your layout so don't know if this is possible.
 
You couldn’t by any chance post a picture stepped back, so we can see the entire area and panel.

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PP Bear said:
Be careful when cutting it, from your picture it looks to step up with the other panel, or is double thickness.
Click to expand...
That's just got me thinking ... I'm wondering if the panels are hollow?
 
These are the drawer carcases you can buy which you can cut to size:

www.drawerboxes.co.uk

Shallow Blum Metabox replacement kitchen drawers

Shop the Shallow Blum Metabox replacement kitchen drawers. Complete drawer kit includes: drawer runners, base and back panels ✔ Quality robust drawer box with steel sides and 18mm MFC base and back panels
www.drawerboxes.co.uk www.drawerboxes.co.uk
 
Ill be making the drawer to fit . Re the toilet box i made one when had the vw T25 ill try and find a pic
 
DSC01935.jpg

I made the box on the right hand side ti fit a Thetford cassette toilet, ciuld use it as a seat as well and was removable to increase load space .

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In answer to your original question, the saws you mention are great for cutting. I'd practice a few times on a spare piece of wood because they give a bit of a kick and getting a nice straight continuous cut takes care. I wouldn't use a jigsaw as they don't cut all the way due to the blade being recessed back from the body.

May be beneficial to support each side of your cabinetry with a right angle bracket attaching sides to floor. Use a good quality blade when cutting.

Good luck.
 
emjaiuk said:
Why don’t you just find some plastic boxes that fit. Almost as convenient as a draw.
Click to expand...

dazandandrea said:
View attachment 591448
I made the box on the right hand side ti fit a Thetford cassette toilet, ciuld use it as a seat as well and was removable to increase load space .
Click to expand...
Looks lovely unfortunately II don't have the floorspace to spare in the doblo, it's mostly a day van but i do go away for a few days at a time in it. Health problems mean i need an easily accessible loo.
 

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