The Side-Slide Mini-Kitchen has worked out really well for us so far. The one thing that needed improvement is the storage area below the camp stove. This space turned out to be less accessible than we originally thought it would be. The solution to this problem is to install a drawer in the space beneath the stove that opens out, away from the van. It would have been more convenient to have the drawer open toward the front of the stove. However, the drawer slides for the kitchen itself are in the way so the drawer has to open outward.
The steps for making this modification are:
The last thing we did was add in a ratcheting paper towel dispenser that happened to fit in perfectly beneath the kitchen so that we always have paper towels at hand.
Very nice work Ross! It looks very functional and the ratcheting towel dispenser adds the final touch!
Looks great….How is the drawer runner holding up and what type did you use?
Thanks Jody, the drawer slides are holding up perfectly after more than 2 years. These are the 48″ heavy duty 500 lb capacity slides from Orr & Orr. I’ve also used the 60″ version for the bike trays here: Bike slider storage trays.
Thanks for the info….I’m just looking into building the same setup for my VW Crafter…but was thinking that lighter weight detachable slides and a telescopic support leg would work out just fine….
This is great! Wondering if you have a link for the drawerslides?
These are the 48″ heavy duty 500 lb capacity slides from Orr & Orr. I’ve also used the 60″ version for the bike trays here: Bike slider storage trays.
Brilliant design. Thanks for the thoughtful detail. I have a simple suggestion if you need a V3.0. If your lower shallow drawer front was taller, that could support the flip top so there wouldn’t be a need for a hinged support wedge. While you’re cooking, you may likely need the drawer contents available.
Question for you: I see that the lockouts for those sliders are the blue tabs. How do they actually lock? Can they lock in the open, closed, and anywhere in the middle extension? Are they secure enough not to move in a sharp turn?
Btw: The longest slider that I found that has a disconnect is the Accuride 7000 series, up to 36″ length and 350lb rating. Otherwise, anything longer or heavier rated are all NON-disconnect and more difficult to mount.
Hi Wayne – thanks for the tip and kind words. Your suggestion would be a quick modification and result in a much cleaner look. The heavy duty drawer slides that I use for the kitchen and bike trays all lock in, out and halfway but not in between. When locked in place, they are super secure, I would even say nearly indestructible. To release the lock simply lift up on the blue tab start sliding. You can release the tab as you move past the locking position. As you move the slider to the next locking position, if you aren’t lifting the tab, it will lock into place. All the bigger slides that I’ve seen are non-disconnect. This concerned me at first as well. However, after several years of use and modifications, it is not too much of a hardship to remove the screws if I have to take the tray or kitchen out. One key during your build is to mount the drawer slides to the walls first ( after carefully measuring the spacing) and then install/attach the tray/drawer. I’ve since found additional drawer slide suppliers that are lock-in/lock-out in one orientation and just lock-in in the other orientation. In addition to orrorr.com, also check out ovisonline.com and zoro.com for supplies. Ovis sells the drawer slides in 2 inch increments which I found handy for a new bike tray design that I am currently working on. Cheers!
Those are great sources, RE: orr orr and ovisonline. Thank you.
Curious for your opinion on the following: A 5ft long shallow bike tray, plywood construction, with 36″ sliders, and 2 small casters that are plate mounted on the bottom of the extended tray. I was considering this because, A) sliders are heavy, B) longer sliders are more expensive, C) The 36″ one I can detach quickly when not in use, D) Not sure of the need for the entire tray to come out 5ft. My thoughts are to use the bike tray for 2 bikes, or I have a PVC paddle board rack that can fit in the same space, or I can remove the entire tray if I want to load up sheets of plywood.
Hi Wayne – While generally the folks make trays with the slides that are the full length of the tray, I agree with you in that it is not necessary. In fact, I am in the process of making a 60″ bike tray with a 50″ drawer slide. The slide will be centered within the length of the tray so that the tray sides toward the ends can be very low and not impeded by the drawer slide itself. The reason for this is that I recently found a new type of fork mount that is super low profile so that I can economize the vertical space that the bike requires. Check out https://unakagearco.com/collections/unaka-gear-company/products/unaka-thru-axle-fork-mount if you are interested. Depending on how strong the 36″ drawer slide you selected is, I think that if you also center it along the length of the tray, you may not need the castors for additional support. I suppose you can add them later if I am wrong about that. Good luck! Ross