Help with front dinette. - Fiberglass RV
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Old 11-01-2012, 08:05 PM   #1
RLP
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Name: Rick
Trailer: 72 Boler
British Columbia
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Help with front dinette.

I would like to modify the front bunk in my 13 Ft Boler into a 2 seater dinette as I prefer to leave the rear space as a bed. The bottom bunk is original configuration having a raised floor, fiberglass bench with two top access comparments for storage. My intention is to cut out a leg well in the middle and add to the existing bench on each side to get the required seat hieght of approx 18" (I am not cutting out the floor). I know some additional structure will be required once the center is cut out. I'll then fabricate a table and somehow temp. mount it to the front wall without creating any new holes and dream up a leg support. Table will be sized to cover the leg well during towing or should I need a bed again.

So that's the plan in my head. If any of you folks have done a similar mod, could you please post some pics depicting what you did including leg well/table size and mounting the table to the Boler front wall. Having to deal with the raised floor is a bit of a pain but it is what it is. I've seen a few pics already on this site but I suspect my search is missing some.

Thanks in advance.
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Old 11-01-2012, 08:26 PM   #2
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I found it simpler to just remove the front bench and start over. Frame out the seats to same height and width as the rear. The raised section is then moot as it's the same as the back. Configure seats as storage as your taste/requirements/skills dictate.

Plenty of posts on this. Try the Google search of site.

Here's mine;
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Old 11-01-2012, 10:10 PM   #3
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Thanks Clive. Yours looks great and is exactly what I am looking for. The more I think about it, starting from scratch makes more sense. I am a finish carpenter so I had better be able to pull this off - ha.

What materials did you use for the structure and cladding of the benches?
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Old 11-02-2012, 05:09 AM   #4
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In my Trillium I simply added an offset table. That way I kept my bunk for company or emergency accommodations. It still allowed me to play cards, eat, or whatever else we needed to do w/o chopping up the rig.

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...0-a-41228.html
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Old 11-02-2012, 10:48 AM   #5
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Check out the one Bonnie & Claude did to their Boler. Super!! Thanks to them for sharing all their hard work and detailed measurements.
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Old 11-02-2012, 07:50 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RLP View Post
Thanks Clive. Yours looks great and is exactly what I am looking for. The more I think about it, starting from scratch makes more sense. I am a finish carpenter so I had better be able to pull this off - ha.

What materials did you use for the structure and cladding of the benches?
Thanks Rick. I framed it with pine 1 x 2's and used Birch ply. The table by the way, is sized to fit in between the seats to form a bed if needed. Attached two ways, with rail just like the rear one and also the chrome tube set-up.

If you're a finish carpenter, you'll probably do one of those amazing jobs that make most of us sick and green with envy. Dammit. Now I regret posting and encouraging you (joke)
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Old 11-02-2012, 09:49 PM   #7
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How thick is the Birch ply you used? I am thinking 1/2 or 3/4 for the seat tops and 1/4 for the sides or maybe 1/2 inch all over. I keep thinking to myself "keep it light weight".

Oh, and thanks for the suggestion to use Google search on this site. Been here many times and never noticed that. The search results were much better.
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Old 11-02-2012, 09:58 PM   #8
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Clive, a couple more things. Where your table is attached just below the front window, did you use the existing narrow ledge where the upper bunk was originaly hinged from?

Second - Below the table (between the two seats) I see a narrow ledge and what appears to be a piano hinge. Is that a small storage compartment?

Thirdly (can't stop at two things) - What is the thickness of your table top?

Thanks
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Old 11-03-2012, 07:43 PM   #9
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How thick is the Birch ply you used? I am thinking 1/2 or 3/4 for the seat tops and 1/4 for the sides or maybe 1/2 inch all over. I keep thinking to myself "keep it light weight".

Yes, I had a concern about the weight also and there was no need to overbuild it. Ply is 1/4" on the sides and I think 3/8" on the seat tops.

Clive, a couple more things. Where your table is attached just below the front window, did you use the existing narrow ledge where the upper bunk was originaly hinged from?

Not sure about a bunk, there wasn't one when I got it, just the goucho. But it's attached to the "window ledge" that was there already which is at the same height as for the table at back. So with the raised floor section it works out just right.

Second - Below the table (between the two seats) I see a narrow ledge and what appears to be a piano hinge. Is that a small storage compartment?

Yes, that is more storage. You are correct on it being a piano hinge. That space also allows for a 110v outlet to go there.

Thirdly (can't stop at two things) - What is the thickness of your table top?

Table, all doors, and the countertop are all 1/2" Birch ply.
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