mfifield01 wrote:
What type of saw did you use to cut these? Usually I would use my table saw to get a straight line. I'm thinking I'll have to use a jigsaw on these.
For cutting the luan plywood or for the frame pieces?
For luan ply, a utility knife with a fresh blade makes a very nice clean cut and is easy to do. Will need to do multiple passes. I've only ever used a utility knife except for using a hole saw for puck lights. Once you have cut the opening, you can run it through the table saw if desired/needed to clean up the cuts and/or make it 100% square.
Lay green painter's tape over the area you plan to cut to be able to mark the cut lines. Never use ordinary masking tape.
For the oak frame (or other wood species), don't use a jig saw. If you don't have one, you'll need a miter gauge for the table saw like in the photo. Good for making angle cuts or cross cuts on material like 1x2. Test fit a couple of pieces with scrap to ensure the cut is accurately to the angle you want. (Don't trust the numbers on the gauge.) A shop saw would be better. I would never use 45 degree cuts to make the frame as these can open up with seasonal moisture changes. Use square cuts to join the frame together. I think I used biscuit joinery but a plain glued joint should be okay for this if done properly (with carpenters glue and clamping) or perhaps with dowels. You could also use a screw at each corner to permanently clamp the pieces together. Recess it in with a dowel drill bit and then glue in an oak dowel, then cut and sand.
For the center panel, use the table saw to cut a dado maybe around 3/8" deep into the inner edges of the frame. Make the dado cut just wide enough so that the luan is able to free float in the frame. You might need to make more than one pass through the saw. It's important to allow the panel to float, esp. in an RV with seasonal humidity changes.
Hope this answers your question.
FWIW, you likely can buy 1x2 stock "lumber" from your dealer if a newer TT. It's usually just faux wood with a lightweight plywood core and a paper wrap. It's very hard to make clean cuts in it. BTDT. Best to use real wood and stain to match as closely as you can to the existing finish.
The photo shows what I did in a previous TT for a drawer under the bed storage. I cut out a square of the luan plywood using a sharp utility knife. Made up a frame from oak and the drawer box from cabinet type plywood (have table saw and chop saw). This way I was able to size the drawer exactly as needed to suit. Never would have been able to obtain a similar sized door (or drawer front) from the RV manufacturer anyway. Stained the oak frame to match the rest of the factory cabinetry and it looked pretty close.
You could do the same to make a door or to make a drawer front. I like the idea of drawers as the space becomes more useable and efficient. I used Nape & Voght stay-close RV drawer slides but any other ball bearing slide will work.
I've purchased drawer/door fronts for our current trailer from our dealer but they sure aren't cheap. I had some made up by a cabinet shop on our previous TT and they were even more expensive than from the dealer.
I like to make things look like they came from the factory. If not fussy, you could possibly find a stock door that will work at HD or other cabinet source. You should also be able to order cabinet handles from your dealer to match existing.
You could do the same to make a door or to make a drawer front. I like the idea of drawers as the space becomes more useable and efficient. I used Nape & Voght stay-close RV drawer slides but any other ball bearing slide will work.
I've purchased drawer/door fronts for our current trailer from our dealer but they sure aren't cheap. I had some made up by a cabinet shop on our previous TT and they were even more expensive than from the dealer.
I like to make things look like they came from the factory. If not fussy, you could possibly find a stock door that will work at HD or other cabinet source. You should also be able to order cabinet handles from your dealer to match existing.
wannavolunteerFT wrote:
I saw somewhere (probably on here or in Trailer Life Magazine, where the owner cut out the opening using drill and fine saw, then mounted the panel they cut out into a wood picture frame. They added some 1x2 supports inside the storage area. The wood frame made the door look like a panel door and was something sturdier that you could hinge to opening (with 1x2) backing using wood screws. I was planning to do that to my Mom's class C, but she decided to sell before I got it done.
This is what I did. Just make sure the cuts are clean as possible. I just used some 1X2 to frame mine out. It's been a huge help too. The access under the dinette is so simple now. And it matches of course...
