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eb145's avatar
eb145
Explorer II
Mar 18, 2013

Large storage drawer under the bench seat

The storage area under the bench was too hard to get into. I either had to remove the bench seat cushion and plywood or kneel on the floor and reach in through the door that came on the bench seat.

So I built this large drawer (one under each of the benches actually).



The benches each had a hinged door covering an opening where the drawer now comes out. I removed the cabinet doors, took off the hinges and attached the doors to the drawer fronts (screwed from inside of the box to the cabinet door).

I also enlarged the door opening to maximize the drawer / box size while keeping the bench strong and the opening covered by the cabinet doors that came with it.

Note that I even notched the very bottom of the opening for the rails to fit. I wanted to maximize the box size and waste as little space as possible.

The drawer / box was made with plywood and table saw.

Lots of easy to use storage space under the benches now.

Ed
  • Nice job! Those storage areas under the cushion are a PITA.
  • 28" Knape & Vogt 8400RV Full Extension Drawer Slide

    This 28" slide is the longest RV slide they make. The RV slide keeps the slide shut so it doesn't bounce open while driving down the road. You just have to pull a bit harder to get it to start extending, then it slides easily.

    Plenty strong. Up to 100lbs for each pair of slides I think.

    Ed
  • RR24 wrote:
    How long are your draw slides?

    Thanks


    X2 and where did you get them?

    Doug
  • Very Nicely done and thanks for sharing.

    We have been looking at Lance Travel Trailers which has this same arrangement under the dinette benches.

    Some trailers we have looked at only have access by removing the seat cushion and plywood cover, very poor design.
  • Nice work Ed on both of your mods (the bunk beds and the drawer)! :)
    Barney
  • Nice job! That is the biggest thing I miss about our old TT. Starcraft made drawers to utilize the space as well. Makes it so much easier to access the storage space. They were really nice, as are yours.

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