Layout plan.

[elemental]

I finely cut 2 inches off the side skirts on the front seats to allow rotation withing raising them. I took me a while to find the right tool by experimenting with different saw blades on thin sheet of plastics. Some of them were disastrous, I finely got one from Makita for thin plastic which gave me clean cut with very little cleanup with a deburring tool.

I used a Dremel with a cut-off wheel to trim the plastic on my seats. Have to watch the speed and deal with thermal melting of the plastic, but overall decent results albeit slow. I first scribed a line to follow. I wasn't sure how to get a guide clamped to the uneven topology of the plastic in order to use anything else?

 

[GeorgeRa]

I used a Dremel with a cut-off wheel to trim the plastic on my seats. Have to watch the speed and deal with thermal melting of the plastic, but overall decent results albeit slow. I first scribed a line to follow. I wasn't sure how to get a guide clamped to the uneven topology of the plastic in order to use anything else?

I used Makita 12V small circular saw at about 1500 RPM, followed marked cutting line on blue tape. No melting and reasonably clean cut.

 

[GeorgeRa]

The table saga. This is a good example to keep correct sequence of conversion step, I didn’t. My original goal was to duplicate L post table from our 1985 VW Westfalia. Single L post could be mounted for the rear bench or for front swiveled seats. But I decided to do cabinets first and add table later, big mistake. After cabinets were done, I didn’t have enough room for L post mounts so had to invent a new concept for table mount. Thought about floor mounted post but didn’t want to have anything on the floor. So, the 2-arm table was born. To speed up the implementation I used 8/020 stuff including their hinge. It worked for a while but this unrated hinge was just too weak for the table load and became very flimsy. I added support tent pole but it wasn’t working well with table’s free lateral movement, the supporting tent pole wasn’t staying vertical.

My ¾” brass pins attached to the HDPE countertop work well, all other components work well except these underrated 80/20 hinges.

I found weight rated hinges from other manufacturers, see the picture, but all of them were 40-45 mm which would force me to redo entire mount.

For the front table I used popular Lagun mount attached to the galley and this table is solid.

I decided to design new arms from scratch and retain working well other hinges and the table. New objectives:

• Design and build new arms, see design of the first parts for arms, ordered.
• Design and built lateral latch.

 

[Airtime]

George, I'm into my galley design and looking at your fine example. I'm looking at the Southco latches. In some earlier posts you said:

I like the "small - 1.75" dia" (first page) one but it seems it is only available in SS. I also like the concept of just pulling one lever to open instead of first pop-out the knob than pull it. I wish to have the small one in black plastic.

And a few years later:

Voilà improvements.

1. Purely esthetic change from black plastic Southco latches to Stainless Steel ones. We simply didn’t like the large black spots all over the van, lower contrast SS matches interior better.

I see you originally wanted the small size. Given that you ended up swapping out for stainless anyway, if you could start over would you have selected the small latches rather than medium?

Also, I'm planning 10 series not 15 series. I see that the grip is 0.91" on the small size vs. 1.0" on the medium. That leaves 0.523" thickness required in order to engage the 10 series slot. Given your experience with these latches, do you think that would work with 0.5" panel material? If the remaining 0.023" matters then I suppose I could have some thin shimming material to bring it up to the right thickness for good latching performance.

Any guidance you can share would be appreciated.

 

[GeorgeRa]

I actually like current size, easy to insert a finger to pull, esthetically - smaller would be better, I think. You could duplicate the handle opening in a cardboard and tested with your finger, or just get them and see which one you like better.

I am not certain if Southco 1.5” will work with 80/20 1” profile slot in lieu of a keeper, two dimensions are critical, grip and slot width. Grip is obvious and it can be shimmed, slot width needs to be sufficient so the latch hook will fully engage in the slot. I would suggest to download Southco CAD file and 1’ profile section and see the depth if insertion on a drawing.

You can use Southco keeper attached to the slot but it will stick out into the opening.

https://www.mcmaster.com/color-coded-plastic-shims/color-coded-ring-shims-7/

 

[Airtime]

I am not certain if Southco 1.5” will work with 80/20 1” profile slot in lieu of a keeper, two dimensions are critical, grip and slot width. Grip is obvious and it can be shimmed, slot width needs to be sufficient so the latch hook will fully engage in the slot. I would suggest to download Southco CAD file and 1’ profile section and see the depth if insertion on a drawing.

I got the CAD model for the M1-15-61-8 and looks like it will work well with 10 series. The drawing calls out a 0.2 inch nominal dimension when closed. I used 0.5" thick door material and added a 1mm thick cabinet door bumper and it looks about perfect.

Closed:

Open:

 

[GeorgeRa]

Great work, good assurance for not making a mistake after cutting and assembly.

 

[Graphite Dave]

Be aware that the plastic Southco latches might rattle. I used them on the Sprinter build and they did not rattle but they did on the Transit build. Must be the cheap commercial Ford Transit that created the problem.

The solution with the larger Southco was to change from the latch plate to a 3/8" thick rubber.

 

[Airtime]

Be aware that the plastic Southco latches might rattle. I used them on the Sprinter build and they did not rattle but they did on the Transit build. Must be the cheap commercial Ford Transit that created the problem.

The solution with the larger Southco was to change from the latch plate to a 3/8" thick rubber.

The small latches are only available in stainless. Which I do like, but wow they are expensive at over $30. I've read that the stainless ones can rattle too, but seems like your fix might work for that as well--for applications that have a latch plate. I was hoping to use the extrusion slot as a latch plate as George did. I read @GeorgeRa 's description of his fix earlier in this thread. Although seems like such expensive latches should just work without mods. I wonder if a plastic layer bonded to the t-slot inner edge (the strike surface) could help.

Anyway I suppose I should move this to a Southco latch thread rather than continue to use up George's build thread. Thanks for the replies.

 

[GeorgeRa]

The small latches are only available in stainless. Which I do like, but wow they are expensive at over $30. I've read that the stainless ones can rattle too, but seems like your fix might work for that as well--for applications that have a latch plate. I was hoping to use the extrusion slot as a latch plate as George did. I read @GeorgeRa 's description of his fix earlier in this thread. Although seems like such expensive latches should just work without mods. I wonder if a plastic layer bonded to the t-slot inner edge (the strike surface) could help.

Anyway I suppose I should move this to a Southco latch thread rather than continue to use up George's build thread. Thanks for the replies.

I would add a small piece of Teflon tape to upper edge of the slot to prevent marring it with SS latch. https://www.mcmaster.com/7344A14/

Rattle with my SS latches was random, some rattle some not. The spring holding puller handle down while latched was not strong enough and the handle was rattling against the body. I replaced the puller hinge with a wire and added rubber tubes on both ends to keep it in tension, 5-10 min per latch but I only did it for the bad ones. Your smaller latches are different so we don’t know if they will rattle.

 

[Graphite Dave]

The small latches are only available in stainless. Which I do like, but wow they are expensive at over $30. I've read that the stainless ones can rattle too, but seems like your fix might work for that as well--for applications that have a latch plate. I was hoping to use the extrusion slot as a latch plate as George did. I read @GeorgeRa 's description of his fix earlier in this thread. Although seems like such expensive latches should just work without mods. I wonder if a plastic layer bonded to the t-slot inner edge (the strike surface) could help.

Anyway I suppose I should move this to a Southco latch thread rather than continue to use up George's build thread. Thanks for the replies.

I think the only reason to use SS is for the looks. The black plastic work the same as the SS. Also think the metal to metal latching rattling would be louder than metal to plastic.

 

[Airtime]

I think the only reason to use SS is for the looks. The black plastic work the same as the SS. Also think the metal to metal latching rattling would be louder than metal to plastic.

The small M-15-61 latches are only available in stainless, no option for black plastic. And the small latches are the only ones that will work well for latching to series 10 which I am using in my build. So for my case it's either stainless or select a different type of latch.

 

[sprint2freedom]

I think the only reason to use SS is for the looks. The black plastic work the same as the SS. Also think the metal to metal latching rattling would be louder than metal to plastic.

IIRC the SS latches have a higher weight rating than plastic. Might not make any difference except (maybe) in an accident.

 

[GeorgeRa]

A few days ago, I discovered a major issue in my campervan, during the fresh water tank pressure fill-up water leaked everywhere, driver side front, outdoor shower in the back and around the Isotemp water heater under the van. All water coming in was leaking out, none was going into the tank.

I pinpointed the problem to water hoses near the galley’s sink. To get access to these hoses or fittings I had to remove the galley. Fortunately, this was not difficult, the galley is bolted to the floor and attached to adjacent aft cabinet with one 80/20 fastener.

Leak was on the barbed reducing coupler connecting 1/2” to 3/8” hoses. All my plumbing is using 1/2” reinforced tubing with OET clamps except about 1.5’ hoses from 1/2” to 3/8” to the sink’s faucet. All of my 1/2” OET clamps secured hoses very well but 3/8” hose hot water was the problem. At the barbed reducing coupler 3/8” hose was decoupled and cold-water hose was about 1/4” out. Cole Palmer quick 3/8” connectors with OET were fine. So out of four 3/8” hose connectors one completely failed, one was heading there and 2 were OK on plastic Cole Parmer quick couplers.



The issue was with OET hose clamps, back in 2013 I had 2 choices from OET line of clamps,

• OET 15.7 covering 13-16mm or
• OET 17.0 covering 15-17mm

The hose diameter on the barbed fitting was about 16 mm and because OET #15.7 clamps were very difficult to insert I chose OET #17.0, well, it was a wrong choice.

Simple remedy, I replaced both 3/8” hoses with OET #15.7 clamps, with some struggle I got barbed ends in and hopefully solve the issue.

This was the major problem with my conversion, fortunately galley removal with plumbing and electrical quick connectors was about a 30 min. job. Main floor is factory corrugated plastic sandwiched with fiberglass polyurethane foam layer so water will just drain and evaporate without causing any wood damage.

 

[GeorgeRa]

More picture of clamps.

 

[Airtime]

Some progress to report. The galley and Microwave/pantry cabinets need Barker’s drawers and CNC work for top and drawers’ fronts. Drawers should come any day.
...

George, I'm looking back in your build thread and trying to figure out how you mounted the drawer slides, looking at your build and at the Accuride 3832E drawing here. I've been searching your thread but can't find the details on that.

I believe you attached the front of the slide with a screw into a T-nut in the slot of the vertical member, is that right? Did you drill a hole in the slider or use an existing hole? Looks like there is one hole 0.42" from front and next one is 1.03" from front.

Then in the rear, did you use the optional rear metal faceframe bracket to attach to the back panel? Or did you screw it into the slot on the rear vertical member? If the latter, which holes did you use and how did you handle clearance around the rear panel?

Thanks for any additional detail you can provide on your build.

 

[Graphite Dave]

A few days ago, I discovered a major issue in my campervan, during the fresh water tank pressure fill-up water leaked everywhere,

I was afraid of having a problem like this so water system is never pressurized in my conversion. Fresh tank is at atmospheric pressure. Tank is filled with a old fashioned radiator fill valve and water is pumped to the sink with a small quiet solar centrifugal pump. Turn on an electrical switch to get water to the sink. Just as easy as operating a faucet.

Negative is I do not have hot water. Have to warm water for a shower in an Igloo cooler with a Sous Vide cooking water heater. Wash dishes with cold water. Different systems for different uses.

 

[GeorgeRa]

George, I'm looking back in your build thread and trying to figure out how you mounted the drawer slides, looking at your build and at the Accuride 3832E drawing here. I've been searching your thread but can't find the details on that.

I believe you attached the front of the slide with a screw into a T-nut in the slot of the vertical member, is that right? Did you drill a hole in the slider or use an existing hole? Looks like there is one hole 0.42" from front and next one is 1.03" from front.

Then in the rear, did you use the optional rear metal faceframe bracket to attach to the back panel? Or did you screw it into the slot on the rear vertical member? If the latter, which holes did you use and how did you handle clearance around the rear panel?

Thanks for any additional detail you can provide on your build.

Yes, I attached sliders fronts via existing holes to t-slot. For the rear post I had to drill holes in the sliders. I downloaded CAD file for appropriate sliders and drew drawings to makes sure positions for new holes are in correct places. See the picture representing my microwave module, I think.

 

[GeorgeRa]

.................................

Negative is I do not have hot water. Have to warm water for a shower in an Igloo cooler with a Sous Vide cooking water heater. Wash dishes with cold water. Different systems for different uses.

Hot water at the sink and rear outdoor shower for us were critical, leak got fixed easily due to modularity of the conversion. Stay safe Dave!

 

[Airtime]

Yes, I attached sliders fronts via existing holes to t-slot. For the rear post I had to drill holes in the sliders. I downloaded CAD file for appropriate sliders and drew drawings to makes sure positions for new holes are in correct places. See the picture representing my microwave module, I think.

Thanks, very helpful. In my case I think I will need to add another vertical frame member to take the rear slider screw. The back of my cabinet will be exposed when the sliding door is open, and if I attach to the rear frame it would have to protrude through the panel.