| Storage Cabinets and Finishing Touches |
| Cabinets are installed into the camper. |
From "Trade School" episode DTRS-313 |
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In this segment, apprentice Noah Gunn adds basic woodworking skills to his repertoire and fashions two overhead storage cabinets that mount inside the camper (figure A). Mentor, Marty Weis provides a timesaving master pattern to expedite the process.
1. Noah lines up the rounded end of the master pattern, which represents the shape of the cabinet face and shelf, into the upper corner of the camper's interior contours of the wall and ceiling (figure B). 2. Noah proceeds to craft one of the cabinet face panels. He measures the width of the pattern, and then transfers the measurement to a sheet of 3/4 inch oak plywood. He then rips the plywood to width on a table saw (figure C). 3. Noah traces the pattern onto the plywood outlining a contoured edge and door holes (figure D). On the opposite end, he scribes across the plywood with a framing square.
4. Using a jigsaw, Noah cuts along his markings to create the contoured end and the opposite squared end (figure E). He then refines the edges using an orbital sander (figure F).
5. For the cabinet door openings, Noah starts by drilling a small hole within his outline (figure G). Now able to insert the jigsaw blade, he cuts around the outline to remove the wood (figure H). Again, he refines the edges using an orbital sander.
6. Noah creates smooth edges by guiding a router across all of the panel edges (figure I). Note: Noah crafts the remaining cabinet panels in the manner described above, but doesn't cut out the door holes in the shelves.7. Having crafted the two main panels, sidepieces, and wood mounting brackets, Noah proceeds to assemble the cabinets with strong wood glue, clamps and a staple gun (figure J). 8. Noah uses the orbital sander over the cabinet surfaces, and then applies a coat of clear wood stain, brushing with the grain for maximum penetration (figure K).
9. After bolting the finished cabinets through steel brackets on the top of the fiberglass shell (figure L), Noah attaches door fasteners and hinges (figure M).
10. Noah continues the interior work by installing new flooring. After cutting a sheet of steel diamond plating to size, he installs it by first applying a liberal amount of silicon adhesive to the backside (figure N). Inside the camper, he screws it to the floor. To help spread the underlying adhesive; Noah presses a plastic roller over the flooring (figure O).
11. Noah creates a table mount inside the trailer. After measuring for the table's support post, he drills a pilot hole to score the floor (figure P). Using a hole-saw bit, he bores a large hole all the way through the floor. He follows this up by screwing in a mounting ring, which will hold the table upright (figure Q).
12. Some new curtains and a few seat cushions later (figure R), and Noah's version of the "Little Joe" is ready (figure S) for its maiden camping trip.
RESOURCES :
"Little Joe" Trailer
Website: www.fivestarrv.com/weis-craft/littlejoe
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