Flatline Van Co Galley

Has anyone bought, built, and installed any of the Flatline Van Co galleys? They have a 24" that you could do the sink on top if you had an electric water pump and water storage elsewhere, or the 41" that you could do a sink and water cans opposite the fridge. I'm wondering how easy it is to put together, what people that have purchased think (it's a good chunk of money, to me at least) and if they cut out for the sink themselves?

Any feedback would be great, I know their roof racks look pretty popular, but wondering if people have tried their cabinets!


It also makes me nervous to buy a cabinet and countertop that nice and cut a hole in it!
 

RVBarry

2023 AWD 170 DIY CamperVan
Hi, if you do a top-mount sink, the hole doesn't need to be as nice as for an undermount.

Curious, do they say how much the cabinet weighs?
 

marky

Active member
That is expensive and does on include the fridge. I installed the Engel SR70 in my brothers van and it has not held up. The hinges do not support the weight of the door. The hinges are weakly attached and allow the door to sag and then the catch releases the door flys open and everything flys out of the fridge. The oher problem is the ventilation for the compressor is very poor and it wants to run for ever. I will never buy an Engel product again. The fridge might hold up in a big squishy royal yatch motor coach and that is the market it is aimed at.
 
That is expensive and does on include the fridge. I installed the Engel SR70 in my brothers van and it has not held up. The hinges do not support the weight of the door. The hinges are weakly attached and allow the door to sag and then the catch releases the door flys open and everything flys out of the fridge. The oher problem is the ventilation for the compressor is very poor and it wants to run for ever. I will never buy an Engel product again. The fridge might hold up in a big squishy royal yatch motor coach and that is the market it is aimed at.
But how has the cabinet itself been? They don't sell it with the fridge, you have to pick out or buy seperately. I have a TruckFridge that should fit right in and uses about 6 amps a day?
 
Hi, if you do a top-mount sink, the hole doesn't need to be as nice as for an undermount.

Curious, do they say how much the cabinet weighs?
Good point, I did a DIY for a countertop already and the sink just didn't fit as tight as I wanted it to. It could be because the counter top is too thin though, it's not an inch thick like a butcher block, it's just regular pine board.
 

Rocksnsalt

There Can Be Only ONE
Has anyone bought, built, and installed any of the Flatline Van Co galleys? They have a 24" that you could do the sink on top if you had an electric water pump and water storage elsewhere, or the 41" that you could do a sink and water cans opposite the fridge. I'm wondering how easy it is to put together, what people that have purchased think (it's a good chunk of money, to me at least) and if they cut out for the sink themselves?

Any feedback would be great, I know their roof racks look pretty popular, but wondering if people have tried their cabinets!


It also makes me nervous to buy a cabinet and countertop that nice and cut a hole in it!
All of FVC products look to be high quality but sorry not sorry 2100, 2700 and more is just WAY to much for what the cabinets are. RB and others have some high priced cabinets as well. All great quality But seriously, they are metal frames and panels with wood, and some nice hardware. Not rocket science. I’m thinking I’m probably going to make mine using 80/20 for the frame, and have a friend that’s a custom cabinet maker make the wood panels.
I’m also tempted to buy one of these - much more realistic priced- make my own size adjustments, and have my cabinet maker friend finish it up:
 
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Totally agree. I alllllmost had myself talked in to it and my wife said "$3000 dollars! For a cabinet!? No f*ck*ng way!" and snapped me right back to reality! Haha. I think I could justify it if I was starting from scratch and it was just easy to have it all done and ready to go. But I'm trying to re-do a van that is already functional, just not as pretty as I want. I like the Our Karavan's 80/20 frame too, that looks great. But sh*t, might as well just pay for the whole thing to be done? That's a pretty hefty price to not have it complete too? Why does the van tax have to be so damn high?
 

Rocksnsalt

There Can Be Only ONE
Totally agree. I alllllmost had myself talked in to it and my wife said "$3000 dollars! For a cabinet!? No f*ck*ng way!" and snapped me right back to reality! Haha. I think I could justify it if I was starting from scratch and it was just easy to have it all done and ready to go. But I'm trying to re-do a van that is already functional, just not as pretty as I want. I like the Our Karavan's 80/20 frame too, that looks great. But sh*t, might as well just pay for the whole thing to be done? That's a pretty hefty price to not have it complete too? Why does the van tax have to be so damn high?
Lol Your wifes a keeper. At 3000 for a bare cabinet you still have to get a sink, faucet, pump, lines, electrical etc, then a cooktop and fridge with ancillary stuff for those items. Plus water tanks etc. You’ll likely be in 5500-7000 or more. compared to 599 plus 100-150 shipping is a much better starting point.
And the van tax is high because so many van owners are just saying “OHHHH... a holy bjeezuz crapload of cash? Ok Alllllllrighty then here’s my card”. And no problem I’ll wait 2 to 6 mos for it. ??‍♂
And $200 -250 an hr labor... more than the shop rate at the glammy MB dealer for certified technicians?
Good for them. ?
 
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blutow

Well-known member
It looks like a nice galley. Agree that it's crazy expensive, but it's serving a market. I don't see it being much different than the Adventure Wagon stuff. Much more expensive than a pure DIY job, but it looks like premium quality and probably cheaper than paying a high end custom conversion company to custom fabricate an aluminum framed cabinet. Clearly there is demand for this stuff.

I bought a moab bed and 2 mule bags from Adventure Wagon. I am capable of fabricating my own bed and upper cabinets, but I thought their adjustable design was outstanding and there is no way I could match that level of design or fabrication. I would also never be able to make soft overhead storage as nice as those mule bags. I consider both of those things luxury items and I could have done them on my own. Some of it is about saving time, but it's mostly that I know I couldn't duplicate the level of quality on some of these things. I'll end paying way less $ than a custom builder would charge, but I don't want it to look like a hack job when I'm done.

Does anyone need an engineered aluminum galley cabinet? Probably not, but someone might see it and really like it. It would be hard to fabricate that yourself unless you had some serious equipment and decent skills. Pay a fabricator to design and build a quality 1-off and it would be more than that.
 

Rocksnsalt

There Can Be Only ONE
It looks like a nice galley. Agree that it's crazy expensive, but it's serving a market. I don't see it being much different than the Adventure Wagon stuff. Much more expensive than a pure DIY job, but it looks like premium quality and probably cheaper than paying a high end custom conversion company to custom fabricate an aluminum framed cabinet. Clearly there is demand for this stuff.

I bought a moab bed and 2 mule bags from Adventure Wagon. I am capable of fabricating my own bed and upper cabinets, but I thought their adjustable design was outstanding and there is no way I could match that level of design or fabrication. I would also never be able to make soft overhead storage as nice as those mule bags. I consider both of those things luxury items and I could have done them on my own. Some of it is about saving time, but it's mostly that I know I couldn't duplicate the level of quality on some of these things. I'll end paying way less $ than a custom builder would charge, but I don't want it to look like a hack job when I'm done.

Does anyone need an engineered aluminum galley cabinet? Probably not, but someone might see it and really like it. It would be hard to fabricate that yourself unless you had some serious equipment and decent skills. Pay a fabricator to design and build a quality 1-off and it would be more than that.
I completely agree re quality, engineering, design, and workmanship from a lot of companies. Adwagon, FVC, RB, Van Compass, Owl, Agile, and quite a few others make some very nice products. The Moab bed is a beautiful piece of engineering and design. Still, 2700, 4000, and more for a relatively small kitchen cabinet without a sink or cooktop etc is just excessive to me. But hey everyone has do (and spend) what they feel is right for them. And often time is an issue.
I’m definitely no craftsman, but I’ve seen some diy builds that were absolutely high quality and beautiful on this forum.
You are ? % right that obviously there’s a market or a product would not continue to be available. Good for them. ??
 

TinManKC

“12 Reyo
Totally agree. I alllllmost had myself talked in to it and my wife said "$3000 dollars! For a cabinet!? No f*ck*ng way!" and snapped me right back to reality! Haha. I think I could justify it if I was starting from scratch and it was just easy to have it all done and ready to go. But I'm trying to re-do a van that is already functional, just not as pretty as I want. I like the Our Karavan's 80/20 frame too, that looks great. But sh*t, might as well just pay for the whole thing to be done? That's a pretty hefty price to not have it complete too? Why does the van tax have to be so damn high?
>>>>> wife said "$3000 dollars! For a cabinet!? No f*ck*ng way!"

Yeah, I get that a lot too....?

Seriously, I’d rather invest that kind of money in the systems of the vehicle, be it heat/hot water, solar/ batteries, etc. YMMV
 

Zundfolge

Always learning...
Sigh.

I think most on here would surprise themselves what they are capable of in terms of building things on their own. Buy a nice track saw (rarely use my table saw anymore), some basic tools, and read until your eyes bleed :) You can outperform these insanely priced kits and not be married to their specs and designs (and prices). P.S. Bamboo ply is heavy af.

I know some have varying limitations be they physical or spatial or temporal or otherwise, but I feel most of the fun is in designing and building out a van, then you also get to go adventure around. It's a win win.

Also sense of satisfaction and achievement etc.
 

blutow

Well-known member
I used 80/20, velcro and 1/8" plywood for my galley which includes a large fridge/freezer, stove/oven and sink, you can see the results in my build video

I really like the velcro approach. I'm planning to use velcro to attach the face and top panels on my electrical cabinet. I'll have a couple small doors for switch access, but velcro seems like a great way to be able to pull the entire panel off for service.
 

Rocksnsalt

There Can Be Only ONE

elemental

Wherever you go, there you are.
But how has the cabinet itself been? They don't sell it with the fridge, you have to pick out or buy seperately. I have a TruckFridge that should fit right in and uses about 6 amps a day?
You may have just misspoke, but your refrigerator doesn't use 6 amps per day. If it has a 6-amp rating on the plate, then it draws 6 amps while it is running. Multiply that by it's on/off duty cycle and 24 hours, and that is how many "amp-hours" your refrigerator uses per day. For example, if the fridge has a 6 amp draw, and a 33% duty cycle, then it uses 6 x 0.33 x 24 = 47.52 amp-hours per day. I'm pointing this out because planning a battery system requires understanding this, and your posts sound like you are just embarking on this journey.
 

Rocksnsalt

There Can Be Only ONE
You may have just misspoke, but your refrigerator doesn't use 6 amps per day. If it has a 6-amp rating on the plate, then it draws 6 amps while it is running. Multiply that by it's on/off duty cycle and 24 hours, and that is how many "amp-hours" your refrigerator uses per day. For example, if the fridge has a 6 amp draw, and a 33% duty cycle, then it uses 6 x 0.33 x 24 = 47.52 amp-hours per day. I'm pointing this out because planning a battery system requires understanding this, and your posts sound like you are just embarking on this journey.
Or the way my ? works... using that same 6amp draw, and it runs 1/3 of the time (duty cycle) which is 8hrs/day.
6(amps) x 8(hrs)=48amps/day.
Hey... why did my calc use more energy? A thumbs up to anyone that can mansplain it. ?
 
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elemental

Wherever you go, there you are.
Or the way my ? works... using that same 6amp draw, and it runs 1/3 of the time (duty cycle) which is 8hrs/day.
6(amps) x 8(hrs)=48amps/day.
Hey... why did my calc use more energy? A thumbs up to anyone that can mansplain it. ?
Your calculation uses a 33 1/3 % duty cycle, not a 33% duty cycle. The 1/3 % is the "extra" 0.48 amp-hours. It's just math.
 

Rocksnsalt

There Can Be Only ONE
Your calculation uses a 33 1/3 % duty cycle, not a 33% duty cycle. The 1/3 % is the "extra" 0.48 amp-hours. It's just math.
Yes, I know the reason. I figured sharp as you are that you of course would know why.
was checking others responses... of which there were none. Apparently nobody else cares. ??‍♂ All good. ??
 
P

Patrick walsh

Guest
Sorry to bring this back from the dead but I can’t help myself.

First I also say $2700 is nuts for a cabinet. However so is t $400000 for a stater home or $40 for a regular old car. Add in if your a normal person making less than six figures and non of this is reality or realistic beyond not starving.

Now I’m a custom cabinet maker by trade. Actually I just spent the last so years building two pipe organs. Previous to cabinetry I was a jack of all trades largely carpenter uber high end custom home builder/renovator. Mind you most of my life a employee and still one actually.

Point I’m getting at making is that $2700 in today’s dollars sad as it may be “rather pathetic“ as it might be imop is actually just what it cost to make the the thing and turn a normal profit.

Lets just say each metal cab frame is generally a day of work cut welded sanded and ready for panels. Now if it gets a finish “clear” it’s totally a days work. Yeah of course you bang out way more than one in a day then spray them all or just farm out both tasks. Non the less then the wood panels have to be cut. Sure if selling AMI lion of these a quick program or small $150 CNC fee is nothing but if a guy is doing this on classic machines you might cut ten cabs of panels one day then spend the next day Sanding prepping for finish. when that’s done you have a day in a spray both shooting toxic chemicals. And when that’s done you have to assemble them. When that’s done you have to fulfill orders box them and schedule pickup.

$2700 sounds like a lot but it’s really not. For perspective here in Boston and most urban places with a decent economy job availability schools yada yada a custom cabinet is pretty much $800-1500 a LF for uppers and lowers. Just lowers say $500-800..

A normal kitchen nice but nothing over the top is $40k not installed just cabs pre finished. A average kitchen build for those in the $150k and up class living in 1-10 million dollar homes and up are easily $80-120k all be it a pile, of cabinets and very nice ones at that. Still it’s all just plywood and some kinda toxic fish nothing really very nice about any of it.
 

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