Removing the lower kitchen cabinet on a 1978 Scamp 13?

[Bill Nolen]

Yes indeed! It's me again!

I'm seriously considering removing the lower kitchen cabinet installed in my 1978 13' Scamo trailer.The thought of doing this does scare me!

I'm sure that many of you have done this. So I am hoping that you will give me a few hints on what to do, and what not to do!

It's still difficult for me to get on my knees, but it appears that the cabinet is held in place by the rivets at the top, and rivets on the front side into the bunk fiberglass, and screws in the lower edge of the front of the cabinet. Are there anymore i should look for?

Should I place a wood brace from the floor, to the top of the Scamp at the location of the upper cabinet, or more towards the center of the trailer...maybe next to the roof vent?

Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

Bill

[Bill Nolen]

Well, here I am with pry-bar in hand...and no one willing to advise me on how to use it in removing my Scamp kitchen cabinet! SOB!

I guess I'll grab my chain saw and start the removal without any help.....however, you will be to blame if I screw up!

Bill

[Jon in AZ]

Okay, okay... Put away the chain saw!

You drill out the rivets from outside, being careful not to enlarge the fiberglass holes.

The real question is why?

[Eddie Longest]

Sound like you got it under control. If your front bench base is still installed there a few pop rivets through the side of the cabinet into the front bench. Just in the shop no brace is really needed just don't decide to pull out the closet until the kitchen side is back together and braced. If you do want to brace it Wally World sells a ratcheting pick up bed load bar for about $20. Just use piece of wood to spread the load on the roof.
Eddie
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Reese-Carr...o-Bar/17043485

[Bill Nolen]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Okay, okay... Put away the chain saw!

You drill out the rivets from outside, being careful not to enlarge the fiberglass holes.

The real question is why?

Dang! i was afraid someone would ask why I wanted to remove a good sturdy kitchen cabinet!

Well, I guess there are two main reasons. Not that they are good reasons...but, considering I'm operating with two brain cells...and one is asleep most of the time...they are my reasons:

1. At some time in the past, that side of the trailer was flooded with dirty water, and the whole area needed more cleaning than I can do with the cabinet in place because of my bad right knee.

2. The 120 volt breaker box is mounted on the side of the shell, and is very difficult to reach where located. I want to relocate the breaker box, and at present it would be impossible for me to do that with the cabinet in place. Plus, because of the flooding, I want to replace all the electrical wiring, etc.

I also like to take stuff apart...now, my past history of putting it all back together is something else!

Bill

[Bill Nolen]

Originally Posted by Eddie Longest

Sound like you got it under control. If your front bench base is still installed there a few pop rivets through the side of the cabinet into the front bench. Just in the shop no brace is really needed just don't decide to pull out the closet until the kitchen side is back together and braced. If you do want to brace it Wally World sells a ratcheting pick up bed load bar for about $20. Just use piece of wood to spread the load on the roof.
Eddie

Thanks Eddie for the information! It's good to know that the roof won't fall on my head without any bracing.

However, not knowing how long I'll need to finish that part of my project, it might be best to add some bracing. The load bar from WM sounds like a useful tool to have on hand. Of course, i have dozens of "useful" tools that I have used only one time!

Thanks again,

Bill

[Bill Nolen]

I thought I'd let everyone know that I was able to remove my 13' Scamp's lower kitchen cabinet, without using my chain-saw!

In fact, after looking at the coating of brown dried mud on the floor, i also removed the front bunk!

However, the front bunk was much harder to remove because three of the wood screws were so rusted they didn't want to be removed! Even using left-turn drill bits didn't move them, so i had to drill the heads of the screws off.

Here are some photos showing the crud that covered the surfaces of the kitchen and bunk plywood prior to my cleaning most of it off..

Scamp roof brace 05-12-15.jpg Views: 12 Size: 276.6 KB ID: 84204" style="margin: 2px" />







I also removed the LP copper pipe for the stove, and 37 years of cut and spliced wiring...both 120 volts and 12-volts, plus the rusted breaker box.

After one more cleaning, I believe it will be OK to paint the plywood, and the exposed metal frame.

Bill

[Jon in AZ]

Hey, you're making progress!

The fact that bunk screws were rusted concerns me… It may mean that the ledge itself is rotten. It may not matter, since in your situation it might make more sense to turn the front sofa into a 2-person dinette and skip the bunk.

Keep at it. When you're done, this will be worth many times your original investment, not that you'd ever sell!

[Bill Nolen]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Hey, you're making progress!

The fact that bunk screws were rusted concerns me… It may mean that the ledge itself is rotten. It may not matter, since in your situation it might make more sense to turn the front sofa into a 2-person dinette and skip the bunk.

Keep at it. When you're done, this will be worth many times your original investment, not that you'd ever sell!

Thanks Jon,

Slowly, but surely the project is moving along. If i can work on it for an hour a day, in time it will be finished...if i should live so long!

The plywood ledge appears to be solid, but I haven't checked much of it, so there may be some rotten areas. Prior to now, I've never had screws that were driven into plywood be so difficult to remove. I don't know if it is possible, but it seems that the screws rusted and bonded to the fiberglass.

I do plan on making that area into a 2-person dinette, since I have a new or like new custom made mattress for the rear dinette. And, I'd very much like to have a hidden space for a Porta-Potty.

Thanks for your comments.

Bill