Boler front bench - cabinet

[AKS]

Does anyone have tips for attaching that front cabinet door? I have replaced all the hardware in my girl, this one is the hold out driving me nuts! Because the bottom hinge is below the interior storage, I cannot reach to attach a nut or similar, like I have with the others, and a screw grabs 'something' (scary) but does not hold. Its a rather heavy door! Anyone have experience?

[Jon in AZ]

Not 100% sure, but I think the hinges on that same door on my Scamp are riveted. You don't have to access the back to install a rivet.

Ours is also loose and awkward to open. Rather than re-secure the door, my eventual plan is to remove the door, trim the fiberglass opening, and put a pull-out drawer there. We do not carry a porta-potty. I will cut the door down to make a lower access panel in the closet.

[AKS]

Thank you! Thats an idea, but I confess I am scared of riveting! Is it difficult? What kind of equipment do I need? I do keep a Thetford in there, sucker is heavy so a drawer wouldn't work for me.

[Gerry]

As Jon said the hinge is held in place in my Boler is with rivets. If I had to do it, I would get a thin strip of metal and drill two holes in it to match the hinge. I would then then put the rivet through the hinge, through the fiberglass, and then into this piece of metal to give it more support inside of cabinet.
Riveting is very easy with just the pop rivet gun and rivets to buy.
Place pin into the gun, put rivet into the holes and squeeze the handle till it pops the pin off. Simple.

[Borrego Dave]

Originally Posted by AKS

Thank you! Thats an idea, but I confess I am scared of riveting! Is it difficult? What kind of equipment do I need? I do keep a Thetford in there, sucker is heavy so a drawer wouldn't work for me.

Pop riveting is easy. If you have a FG TT it's just maintenance thing you'll have to do once in a while. Pick up a gun and a bunch of aluminum rivets at Harbor Freight and practice on some scrap sheet metal or whatever. After a dozen you'll be at ease with it. One tip if your riveting something with butyl tape. Only draw the rivet down one pull after it grabs and go on to the next one doing the same. That gives the butyl tape a chance to set...ooze a bit. I only give the gun a half pull per rivet after the first pull. Go around like you are torqueing an engine head. They should all pop just about the same on the final pull. On plastic hatches or fittings I draw the rivet down a bit slower so the plastic doesn't crack....so far so good .

[aceman]

Thanks for posting advise on rivet installation Dave. I have pulled the windows on my '79 Scamp due to leaking . I am debating using other types of fasteners because of my inexperience with rivets but after reading your post it gives me a better incite on the installation of rivets.

[Borrego Dave]

Originally Posted by aceman

Thanks for posting advise on rivet installation Dave. I have pulled the windows on my '79 Scamp due to leaking . I am debating using other types of fasteners because of my inexperience with rivets but after reading your post it gives me a better incite on the installation of rivets.

Rivets are like anything else Ace, you only learn by hands on time and burning a few up with different materials being connected together . Just for reference, aluminum rivets will pop easier and they are all I would use on any plastic work. SS takes a lot more pressure to pop and I would only use SS on metal to metal work. You've got the perfect opportunity now to try a window install with rivets. Best thing is if you find you don't like it, they are easy to remove.

[TimR]

Is there not just a piece of wood in the bottom that you can remove to get access to the bottom? I don't recall having that trouble when I installed a new door. A picture might help. I'm thinking of the closet which might not be what you are talking about.

[Jon in AZ]

I believe he is talking about the door on the front bench that hides the porta-potty storage recess. From what I've seen, not all Bolers have that feature.

[AKS]

She, not he but no, there is no wood to remove, thats where the fiberglass 'bottom' to the storage is, about halfway down the height of the bench.

I remember now why I didn't want to rivet...all my hardware is brass

[ststefan]

I use bamboo barbecue skewers. there's 2 sizes. the typical 1/8 ones or the really large marshmallow ones. I pound the skewer into the old hole, break it off flush and then screw away. It's like screwing into new wood. This also works in the home where I over torqued the door hinge screws and spun them. A pencil sharpener works for making new points on the broken off pieces if you need to do more than one screw.