Trillium 13' Queen Bed

[dleverton]

Well I'm committed now. I have started to cut fibreglass.

It didn't take long to realize that the best way to cut the fibre glass is with the vibration cutter, $39 from Princes Auto. It cuts quickly and it is easy to cut straight if you clamp a piece of angle iron on the cutting line and use it as a tool guide. I tried a jigsaw, a disk grinder with a thin abrasion disk and various hand saws and the vibration tool is the clear winner.
There are actually 2 ways to fit a Queen:
1. Remove the closet and mount the mattress longitudinally as it is 59" from the kitchen to the curb wall and a Queen is 60" wide. I am 5' 7" and it is 5' 9" from the back wall to the door opening, so it would be a short Queen 59" X 69". Or
2. Remove the closet (leaving the upper 20" as a cupboard), and leave the closet wall closest to the door, and cut away almost half of the kitchen. That gives you a lateral Queen, 60" wide by 77" long. Works for me, and that is my plan.
I will then rebuild the kitchen with a slightly smaller sink. I will post pictures as I go. I am going to build a large roll out shelf under the bed and I figure I will have actually gained storage over the original configuration. The only loss is in the width of the kitchen and we usually cook outside anyway.


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Doug L

[Raz]

Fortune favors the BOLD !!! Raz

[evenweight]

I'm in the Westshore of Vic and want to do the same thing and I have an idea that might inspire I would love to see your handy work. Can we meet up?

[dleverton]

Hey Evenweight, absolutely. I'm in Maple Bay, how do I reach you?


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Doug L

[evenweight]

i sent a pm did you get it?

[dleverton]

Originally Posted by evenweight

i sent a pm did you get it?

I didn't so I sent you one.


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Doug L

[dleverton]

The Queen bed is getting closer to reality.


It is enjoyable work.


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Doug L

[Island Claire]

Hi dleverton and evenweight it would be great to see both of you at our Bolerama in Nanaimo, June 26th to 28, 2015 at Living Forest Campground. It would be great to have more Trilliums present. If you want more info email me or check out the Island Bolers and friends Facebook page.

[dleverton]

Thank You Claire, I have put it in my calendar.



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Doug L

[MRClaus]

waiting to see at will be great

[Roger C H]

I don't want rain on your parade, but it is my understanding that all the internal fiberglass structure of a Trillium is just that, structural. Removing parts will weaken the structure.

The closet and the backsplash/stove/overhead cabinets support the roof.

The seats in the corners are not just conveniences, but stiffeners for the corners.

Scamp places the supports at the bed end of their "kitchen" for a reason. Nothing in any of these eggs are superficial, they all have a purpose, sometimes multiple purposes.

Cut at your peril.

[MRClaus]

you can still make some support i know nyou can

[dleverton]

Hey Roger. Thanks for your comments and concern.
I was initially quite concerned as well as what you say is absolutely true; it is an integrated structure.
I solicited advice from a number of people on this site who have made similar and even more radical changes. They in most cases compensated for the removal of some of the internal structure, with additional stiffeners. Before any cutting I made a number of measurements to determine a baseline for the structures rigidity laterally and torsionally, and have been repeating those measurements as changes are made. I am prepared to add additional stiffening in the form of laminated beams as needed. I left one wall of the closet intact, and the kitchen while now shorter, still retains all of the original structure below the bed level and above bed level have added a wooden structure to support lateral stiffness. My sense is that I am pretty close to the original stiffness at this point. Pictures to follow.


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Doug L

[dleverton]

Current state of project.



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Doug L

[JRTrillium]

What a great job! I am curious to know what the closet will end up looking like.

[MRClaus]

nice

[dleverton]

I plan to keep the upper cupboard above the closet, and make a second cupboard about the same size below it. Below that is room for the bed but there is about 6" from the edge of the mattress to the remaining wall of the closet and I was going to make some little nooks for glasses and IPads. The real bonus is a large slide out under the bed will return more storage space than what was lost with the closet.



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Doug L

[dleverton]

Thanks for the kind words guys.


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Doug L

[MRClaus]

[QUOTE=dleverton;505049]I plan to keep the upper cupboard above the closet, and make a second cupboard about the same size below it. Below that is room for the bed but there is about 6" from the edge of the mattress to the remaining wall of the closet and I was going to make some little nooks for glasses and IPads. The real bonus is a large slide out under the bed will return more storage space than what was lost with the closet

ok inclose the bootom and make a cabinet l brace for suport will look goog more storage

[David Tilston]

I suspect that if you brace the remaining wall of the closet, you will have enough support on that side. The kitchen still has the back splash, but I would still put a pole above what used to be the middle of the kitchen. This location would be in line with the vertical ridge in the remaining kitchen cupboard. This is a problem area in all Trilliums. They should have had a kitchen support pole at at least one end of the kitchen. This is actually more of a problem in the 4500 model.

I think you will be fine, but watch the snow accumulation.