Fixed Hide&Seek Medicine Cabinet

[fred42]

I just got a 2007 Tiffin Allegro as my first class A motorhome. So far, I have done the usual removal of the giant front TV box but I wanted to show another project.

Did Tiffin really make a medicine cabinet like this or was it someone's mod? It has three mirror panels, but only the two outer panels open??? I suppose fishing around behind the middle panel for long lost prescriptions could add some excitement, but I wanted to see everything.



I thought I would have to buy some of the really creative hinges like they make these days, but when I looked at it, it already had a hinge for the middle panel. It was just locked down on both sides.



I removed the hinge from one side of the middle panel and used a vice and hacksaw to make it a single hinge instead of a double. I filed the hinge to make it smooth after the sawing. I found I needed to file and sand the wood slightly to allow the middle door to close. There is not enough wood on the middle panel to use a traditional roller stay-closed device, so I will be using an adhesive magnetic one perhaps.

[fred42]

MrWizard wrote:
wouldn't removing the screws from the hinge on one side
have allowed the middle panel to open and close with out cutting the hinge?

I was hoping that would be case as well. However, when I removed them, there was too much pressure on the door from the unwanted hinge arm and especially the pin. The pin was permanently attached, It may have been possible to cut the pin with one of those dremel tool metal disks, but I could not find mine. When in use, you will need to open the door by putting your hand right where the unwanted hinge arm was.

[Scottiemom]

I've seen that type of medicine cabinet before, but the middle panel always opened. I would not have been able to live with it being stationary. Good fix.

The problem on our two rather tall cabinets in our Tiffin was there was only one shelf. Yeah. That's so cool. Lots of space, but mostly unusable. Glad DH is a handy woodworker. He put shelves in the cabinets at both sinks. Then he made a 3rd medicine cabinet and placed it on the wall behind the commode. Works perfectly and is a perfect match. What would I do without him?

Dale

[Bumpyroad]

I have seen this on standard overhead cabinets, I just stuff out of season, etc. suff in between door openings.
bumpy

[MrWizard]

nice
but i have too ask
wouldn't removing the screws from the hinge on one side
have allowed the middle panel to open and close with out cutting the hinge

i'm tempted to think that somebody at the factory installed the wrong hinges on one side, and it was supposed to be a 3 door all along ?

maybe somebody else with the same model will chime in

[ScottG]

That just might be the dumbest thing I've ever seen a manufacturer do.
Nice fix!

[Bumpyroad]

interesting, good solution.
bumpy