Sunday, September 12, 2010

Starting to realize the vision...

The interior has finally begun to take shape.  I can now see the perspective of the layout and how it's going to work in conjunction with all of the various elements.  I had to do some serious analysis of the toilet pull-out in relation to the water heater placement.  Oddly enough, how I fit those two pieces beside one another is going to effect a lot of other steps in this build. 

I'm branching out to the left and to the right, using those two components as the hub for that side of the van. 


I don't want to push the toilet too far out into the bathroom because I'll have to extend the counter top to hide it.  And that means less room for showering. 

I must have spent an hour over the weekend just looking and absorbing -- starting in my head at "A," then making my way to "Z," and finally, back to "A."

In the picture below, you can see how the depth of the wall between the bathroom and water heater can be minimized to add inches. 


The toilet mechanism pushes back into the framing.  If you look closely, you can see that the bottom piece of wood beneath that metal "X" stands on its own.  Normally, that would extend from corner to corner as a footing for the vertical wall studs.  But, I need every inch I can get.  A nice piece of birch plywood will create the wall between the bathroom and the water heater, but we're talking about only a half inch.

And, during all of this I managed to put a coat of stain on the bulkhead door.  

    

I also finished up the floor guide, so the whole mechanism is tight and smooth.  The door now glides open  and locks firmly.  I'm pretty happy with it.  The redo was definitely worth it. 

Back to the bathroom.

To the left of the toilet mechanism, I've got just enough room to make a groovy hide-away slide for toilet-paper and other accessories. 



I don't even have room for hinges on a swinging door.  So, I think this will work beautifully.

 

Another view of the minimal room between the toilet slider and the left-hand wall...



I love how the outlet and switch drawings on the wall are going to be perfectly placed above the counter top.  Planning is truly everything. 

But I could probably do a bit better in keeping my work space tidy - a window to the inner workings of my brain.



 

My current job ends on Friday.  At that point, the pedal's hittin' the metal. 



8 comments:

  1. The inner workings of our brains seem to be very much alike...lol

    I'm going to try to incorporate your slide out idea in my bus...I love the storage beside the toilet slide!

    I just wish I were a better builder cuz my wing and a prayer technique doesn't always look so great :o)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Markjamesmurphy -- Thanks for the support!

    Ezrablu -- Great minds think alike. :) There are many kits you can get for spice racks and other kinds of hideaway slides. Try Rockler.com.

    If you want to develop your skills, pick up some woodworking mags and study the articles. It's not rocket science but it is all about attention to detail. And, with a table saw, chop saw and router, you'll be able to do it all -- the right tools for the job.

    Hire an experienced carpenter for one day and have him coach you through your first cabinet -- worth every penny.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hey Rob, looks like it is really starting to come along nicely! The slide in storage wall is a nice idea, I have always liked them. You are going to have one fine looking and comfortable rolling home before long!

    -Mike
    97 RT 170P "Taj Ma Trek"
    HTTP://WWW.VanTramps.Com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wow, it is really amazing what good planning can accomplish! Lookin' great!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Cheese- will you come home and get to work... I really can't wait to see your vision realized!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Tk- Believe it or not, I found some goodies out here that I'm going to insert into the build. I hardly thought I'd be adding any updates before my arrival home, but I think I may have to. Stay tuned! :)

    ReplyDelete