Stumptacos Home-made Camp Kitchen

[StumpXJ]

After attempting to get a "Drifta" kitchen shipped to me from Australia, I decided to make my own. The Drifta kitchens are extremely nice, and I would have purchased one on the spot if it was easily shipped to me, but its not. I sent an email to the company asking about shipping out of the country of Australia, got one response asking me which kitchen I wanted, then I heard nothing back from them after letting them know what I wanted. This was about 8 days ago, so I figure it would cost a small fortune to ship, probably close to what the kitchen actually costs.

I am by no means a carpenter/cabinet maker, and my finished product will probably reflect that, but it will work for my needs, atleast until Drifta gets a US or European distributor. I really like the quality of Drifta's kitchens, and I borrowed some of the design for my build. I am already at about 150 dollars into material cost, about 4 hours of actual work, and countless hours of dreaming up the "perfect" layout. Here is where I am so far:

The stumptaco kitchen is 48 inches in length, 17inches tall, and 16 inches deep. It is made of birch ply, for strength, lightweight, and looks. It will be clear coated with a UV protectant polyurethane when its finished. I am making the grill cut-out section so that a Partner steel 2 burner stove fits in it with the lid closed. I have a white laminate top that is going on it, and lots of other bells and whistles planned, but that will come later. Here are the preliminary build shots.


Outer shell together, trying to figure out the drawer placement.

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/Jeep%20pics/DSCN0439.jpg

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First drawer hung, on roller slides.

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Both drawers in.

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Shelf above the drawers added.

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/Jeep%20pics/DSCN0447.jpg


More later, just came inside for a quick break.

~James

[go4aryd]

Great project - and probably on my list now as well (though a bit smaller in scale). Keep the pix coming!

[VikingVince]

I am by no means a carpenter/cabinet maker...

~James

I wouldn't say that...anybody that makes good dovetail joints is pretty high on skill level in my book!...looks great!

[StumpXJ]

Vince, I wish I could take credit for the joints, but I cant. Those "drawers" are just wooden boxes I picked at my local home improvement store, found in the home decor section (dont tell anyone). I figured they looked to be a good size, would work with my drawer slides, are pretty sturdy, are better than I could make, and the best part? They were 4 euros each!

Thanks for the compliments guys, I think its coming along nicely. The wife just got home, so I am calling it quits for the day. Below is the rest of my progress.

The left side of the kitchen will mostly house dry goods, (canned food, box foods like stuffing or cous cous etc, and the drawers wil also hold cans, and utensils. I am also making a small spice rack to hold my spices as I can never seem to keep up with my "camping dedicated" spice bottles. The slot above the drawers will be use for whatever, maybe longer things like aluminum foil rolls or saran wrap. I have to incorporate a knife block, and a paper towel holder somewhere in here also. Its harder to do than I thought, especially when trying to think ahead to keep everything in its place so it doesnt bounce around too much when offroad. Im sure I will have to make some changes and adjustments, but Ill figure that out after its shakedown run.

I decided to make this a half shelf, so I could store taller items in the front, like paper towel rolls, or cleaning supply bottles, or whatever.

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/Jeep%20pics/DSCN0449.jpg

Here it is with the left counter top section on, grill cover lid on, and the grill shelf. I am finally going to break down and get a quality grill, I hope the Partner lives up to its reputation. Cooking while camping is probably the most fun part for me, so I am hoping it fits the bill. I used a piano hinge for the grill cover, and a spring loaded gas-less strut for the the holding/lifting duties. I will use this same type of strut on the front door that will cover the left side face of the kitchen.

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/Jeep%20pics/DSCN0450.jpg

Here you can see the strut. I had never seen these in the states, but they are pretty common over here. They have a nut that you can tighten or loosen, depending on how heavy the door is or how much support you need. The spring assists you in the opening process, then the last 10% of travel is made much stiffer depending on how tight the nut is. The best part? They are fully stainless steel, and cost only about 10 euros.

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/Jeep%20pics/DSCN0451.jpg

Here it is with the lid closed, I obvisouly still have to make the other door panels for the face of the kitchen. I have some 12mm thick Delrin sheet that I thought I would use for the front panel below the grill cover. The idea is that it would also be on a hinge, but would hinge down to create the perfect chopping board and prep area. I think I may do it, although that much Delrin is expensive it would be a pretty trick cutting board. Luckily I already have it in the shop! :)


http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/Jeep%20pics/DSCN0452.jpg


Just a close up of the latching system I am using for the lid and side doors. The lid will have one of these on each side, as well as the side door. They didnt have these in stainless, but they are galvinized so I should be ok for rust. I also used all galvinized screws for construction.



~James
http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/Jeep%20pics/DSCN0453.jpg

[Rezarf <><]

I am loving your build-up bud! Keep it up. Have you thought about doubling up on the top layer of birch to fold out to one side or the other, then you have essentially doubled your "counter space."

Just a thought... I too have spent hours dreaming of the perfect setup!

Rezarf <><

[ntsqd]

I think that you want to use VHMWPE or UMHWPE for the cutting board. That is what most of them are made from.
I like what I'm seeing. The strut looks really cool.

[StumpXJ]

Rezarf, yeah I am doing that on the right side of the kitchen. The end piece will have a hinged doubler, and will fold up to give about 16 more inches of counter space. Not much, but every little bit helps. I think with that 16 inch section, and the 24 inch section to the left, I should be ok. When I was thinking about how much counter space I needed, I thought about my recent camping trips and what was actually on the cooking table. That consisted of silverwear and cooking utensils, paper towel roll, eating plates, a cutting board, cans and boxes of food, and spices/condiments. The beauty of having a kitchen like this is ALL of those things will now have a drawer or shelf to be on so it wont suck up the counter space needed for preparation, and it's all within an easy arms reach. At least that's the plan, we'll see how it works!

ntsqd, you are right. I just figured since I already had the Delrin I could use it, but I may save that for more important projects and go to the store to find a pre-made cutting board and cut it to size if needed. If I decide to use the Delrin, does anyone know if this is ok for food preparation? I dont see why not, but dont want any chemicals "leaking" into my food...

Thanks guys!

~James

[OverlandZJ]

:bowdown:

Shipping to 19021?

Very nice James.

[StumpXJ]

Thanks John!

I ended up ordering a cutting board from www.cuttingboardcompany.com for the "door" below the grill area. I was able to get it cut to exact size (24 1/2" x 11 5/16" x 1/2 thick) and have it "unfinished" (sharp edges, not rounded) all for only 22 bucks. I will be able to round the edges in my mill once I get the hinge and hangers on it. I thought that was dirt cheap, so I ordered it. The same amount of Delrin would have cost me over a 100 bucks in material, plus I found out it is too hard and would have dulled my Henckel knivs that I bought yesterday. :)

More later, ~James

[ZR2nit]

looks great. good job

[ntsqd]

FWIW a router with a bit that has a guide beaing is the bee's knees for shaping PE. I think you'll want to use HSS rather than carbide. Suspect that the cutting geometry is 'sharper' in HSS than it is in carbide.

[elcoyote]

Nice cabinet work dude!

[highlandercj-7]

Nice work! I take it your still in the KMC Area? I get over there from tiime to time.

[StumpXJ]

Thanks for the compliments guys, I spent some more time on her today, and its getting closer.

ntsqd, thanks for the tip! That makes more sense, especially since it turns a lot more RPM that my mill will. Once I get the cutting board mounted, I will see what I want to do as far as round edges, but will definitely keep the router in mind.

Highlander, yeah, I am still in the KMC area. We should be here until around Oct 2010, then we head back to the states. If you know that you are coming over, shoot me a PM, maybe we get together for dinner or a beer or something.

So, here is todays progress, had a few hours to work on it today.

I started on the side door that covers the left of the kitchen, got it cut to size, and mounted using another piano hinge on the end. I also mounted a plastic collapsible paper towel holder, that when the door is closed, it has clearance to leave the paper towel roll on. sucks up a bit of my storage space, but in all honesty, I had planned to put a roll of paper towels in that spot anyway.

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/Jeep%20pics/DSCN0455.jpg

With the door closed

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Started on the fold-away shelf on the right side. This is just extra counter space, and will come in handy im sure. in the next picture, I am applying the PVC coated laminate stuff that is on the surfaces. I needed some weight to keep it secure while the glue dried. I think the pictures shows how much weight it can hold. There is about 60 pounds on it with no trouble. I used extruded aluminum rods for the supports, and they get stored in one of the drawers when not in use.

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/Jeep%20pics/DSCN0458.jpg

[StumpXJ]

Took her outside for some photos, and the fact that my garage is a giant mess.

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/Jeep%20pics/DSCN0459.jpg

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I added another strut to the grill cover. It was bothering me that I only had on on it. (maybe my OCD kicking in?)

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/Jeep%20pics/DSCN0462.jpg

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Lots of sanding to do, then I will tear it all apart so I can seal it with the polyurethane. I still have to install the latches, and the cutting board, also a few other odds and ends (Knife block, lights for the grill area), buts its getting close.

Let me know what you think.

~ James

[bullsac]

Looks great my only thought is the paper towel roll. You could free up that space by removing it. I unroll a roll of paper towels and fold them into a large ziplock bag. That way they stay dry and they pack nicely. Just a suggestion.

Very cool! Makes me want to throw rocks at my camp box..

[Ursidae69]

That is some high quality work. Have you thought about some legs for it? Maybe some that screw in when you get to camp and then stow away when on the road?

[Rezarf <><]

Maybe you've seen these but this is a nice solution for knives without taking up the space of a huge block. Search for drawer block for knives and you'll get lots of ideas. Or a nice magnetic holder above your stove on the lid might be a space saver too.

Just a thought.

[StumpXJ]

Sure, it will have legs. It will be very similar to the original drifta kitchen.

http://www.drifta.com.au/Assets/DPO38.jpg

My kitchen will be on tracks in the rear of my jeep, on the passenger side just like the above picture. For the majority of the time, the left end of the kitchen will rest on the rear of my jeep, and the other end will have legs. I will have it easily removable for when we go offroading. Right now it only weighs 24 pounds and its almost finished, so even when its loaded it will be easy to remove.

Thanks! ~James

[StumpXJ]

Rezarf, now there is an idea. I did not like the thought of having a huge knife block on the kitchen, but that is definitely doable. I will have to kook into it. Thanks!! I thought about using magnetic strips also, but am worried about the ability for them to stay put (especially when we are talking about expensive knives). I think the drawer type blocks will be good to go, and I think I have the perfect place for it.

Anybody got any ideas for what to do below the grill area? I was thinking of a pull out shelf (on roller slides) with a small sink inside of it and maybe a hand pump, or I could rig up an electric pump. Just not sure about how to do it, and not sure how practical it is. I know some of that space will be used for pots and pan storage, but not all of it.

~James

[RHINO]

it looks great bud! but be aware of the copycat police roaming this board.

[StumpXJ]

Thanks! Yeah, they can give that speech to someone else. I am making it for my own personal use AFTER trying to do business with the original company. And I definitely dont want to go into any sort of production...LOL.

~James

[RHINO]

i was going to be the USA seller of drifta kitchens. i was actually going to build them under license and all the north american sales would have come out of my place. everything was on track but he changed his mind about it all.

[StumpXJ]

Well, my last day of a 4 day mini vacation resulted in me finishing the kitchen. I decided to go with a teak colored sealer, and I think it turned out really good overall.

I am still debating on what to do as far as mounting it in the jeep or just keep it as a stand alone by adding legs on both ends. I think I may end up using it as a stand alone unit, that way I can use it under my awning, and there wont be anything permanent mounted in the rear of the jeep.

Anyway, here she is. I borrowed some stuff out of the kitchen for illustrative purposes.

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/Jeep%20pics/DSCN0486.jpg

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http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/Jeep%20pics/DSCN0495.jpg

~James

[kcowyo]

You've got skillz - :bowdown:

[BIGdaddy]

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/Jeep%20pics/DSCN0492.jpg

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~James


very cool, man. great job...looks very professional

[norshor]

That looks amazing!! Great work!

[Photog]

Beautiful piece of work!

How & where does this fit in your Jeep? Will you need the saw-horses to use it in camp?

[firemansxterra]

that thing is nice! very high quality work!

[lostworldexpedition]

X2 for Brian's questions... Are you going to fabricate some foldable legs?

I know Drifta did the legwork on the design, but your design looks great. Nice personal touches and design additions. Do you know how much it weights?

Great job!

[Overland Hadley]

Good work! Looks really nice.

[Nuclear Redneck]

What size plywood did you use? 12mm?

[Rezarf <><]

I might have to copy you, then drifta can't get mad! :D

Great looking camp kitchen there bud. Have some fun with it now!

[RoundOut]

That is AWESOME!

I helped a buddy of mine make four chuck boxes for our new Scout Troop a few months ago, and I know how much work it is. And, it's even more work to do it without detailed specs. You have a great memory and vision and this thing looks great!


.

[StumpXJ]

Photog and lostworldexpedition, thanks for the compliments. As I wrote in the last posting, I am not sure yet on how I will use this. My initial plan was to install tracks into the jeep, and this would roll out like the original Drifta kitchens do. I would have normally put one set of legs on the end that is outside of the jeep and the other side would rest on the rear bumper/cargo area. I installed the track system, but it doesnt work quite like I wanted it to. Basially I installed two 4 foot long strips of aluminum angle on the rear platform in the jeep, on the passenger side. The bottom of the kitchen has very small casters that ride on those aluminum strips. I was going to have ties downs on each end of the kitchen to secure it while in transit. No, the sawhorses wont be needed while camping ....LOL.

After the not so great performance of my track system, I am rethinking the idea. I will most likely make my own set of folding legs that will mount on the bottom of the kitchen, and it will just sit on the floor of the jeep (secured with straps obviously), and then I will use it as a stand alone unit under my awning when we are camping. Ths kitchen will only be in the jeep when we are on camping trips, and I didnt want to have to leave the tracks bolted to the floor when the kitchen is not in there as it takes up the flat space. I will build my own folding legs that will hinge down on each end of the kitchen, that way it is totally a stand alone unit. Maybe this picture will help as to the "where will this fit in your jeep" question. I have removed the rear seats, and installed a platform from front to back.


You can see the two aluminum angle tracks. This is where the kitchen was going to go.

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/Jeep%20pics/DSCN0496.jpg

Here you can kind of see the small rollers/casters on the bottom of the kitchen. These were going to roll on the aluminum tracks, but I am re-grouping on that idea

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/Jeep%20pics/DSCN0498.jpg

The weight of the finished kitchen is 38 pounds, with nothing inside of it. The cutting board is the heaviest part of the entire thing. This birch ply is very lightweight.

Nuclear Redneck, yeah its 12mm ply. The dimensions if memory serves is 48" in length, 17" tall and 16 inches deep. The grill opening is 24" wide, and 5 inches deep for a size reference.

Thanks for all the compliments guys, it was a lot of work, but it was cool seeing it all come together. I am very happy with the finished product, and even surprised myself honestly. I think I have about 22 hours into to it total, and the final tally, not including the track hardware is at $232.00. All I can say is the Drifta kitchens have VERY good pricing after completing this. Wish they were available outside of Aussie land.

[Momrocks]

Without knowing how your track system fell short of expectations, can I suggest a second set of casters 3 inches in front of the existing ones? This would keep the kitchen aligned in the aluminum track. You will loose 4 or so inches of travel but it will stay straight.

[eugene]

How did you decide on the grill section size, is there sort of a standard for grill sizes?
Something I've been toying with it putting something like that on the drivers side and that area under the grill open up to fit around the fender. so the while thing will sit closer to the outside.

[StumpXJ]

Momrocks, I have 4 casters on each side, roughly 12 inches apart. It stays straight, and rolls easily, but I dont like the "permanentness" (word?) of leaving the tracks in the jeep, nor always having rollers mounted on the bottom of the kitchen. Once I installed the tracks, I pretty much knew I wouldnt like the set-up, especially since the kitchen will only be in the jeep during the time we are on camping trips.

So, what i decided to do was order folding legs for the table. I was going to make my own, but they are pretty cheap for a good set, and I found the perfect size. I ordered them this morning from www.tablelegsonline.com. Here is a link to what I have coming. http://www.tablelegsonline.com/shop/14-wide-hshaped-folding-legs-p-360.html?cPath=8

For roughly 75 dollars including shipping, I couldnt buy the steel and hardware here to make it for less than that. (when you get paid in US dollars, then buy raw steel in euros it gets VERY expensive.)

Hopefully this works out like I think it will. Now, all I have to do is throw the kitchen in the Jeep, strap it down, and go.

Eugene, I orginally made the stove area large enough to fit a Partner steel 2 burner outfitter stove. It has a little wiggle room, and just about any 2 burner stoves will fit with the lid closed, including the cheaper coleman's.

[lostworldexpedition]

So, what i decided to do was order folding legs for the table. I was going to make my own, but they are pretty cheap for a good set, and I found the perfect size. I ordered them this morning from www.tablelegsonline.com (http://www.tablelegsonline.com). Here is a link to what I have coming. http://www.tablelegsonline.com/shop/14-wide-hshaped-folding-legs-p-360.html?cPath=8
Thanks for the link. I was thinking of buying a folding table at Costco in order to remove the legs and install them on my kitchen project, but these look nice and sturdy with a decent price to boot. Could you please let me know how much they weight, it is not mentioned on the website (I am being overly particular about the weight going into my rig). I may go for the height adjustable (http://www.tablelegsonline.com/shop/adjustable-htype-p-171.html?cPath=8) legs.

Thanks again for the great thread, keep us posted.

[aslostasyou]

:hijack:

Does anyone think there would be a market to producing these? Not trying to impede stumpy...I don't even know if you were thinking along these lines but....

I have a semi-retired father who's looking for something to get into as a side-startup buisiness. He's a 40+ year veteran high-end wood tradesman and can build things that encompass top shelf craftsmanship.

Just curious what the concensus would be. Afterall - what brewed this was stumpy not being able to get the real mcoy.

Thoughts?

[StumpXJ]

I think quite a few expo members would be interested, ive gotten a few PM's from folks interested or asking questions. It would probably make a great side job, but not something I would want to depend on for cash flow. At least not until the name got out. If he could do custom build stuff, I am sure it would go pretty good... Just my opinion though.

I certainly dont have the time nor the desire to build any more of them. I dont mind doing it for myself, but I dont get along well enough with wood to do a production run, so no worries about impeding! Carry on... :)

~James

[ZR2nit]

I think it would be a great idea for someone to make these things stateside. I am 100% in the market for one to attach to my 416 trailer that I am wanting to use as a expo trailer. I'm thinking of making my own as well.

Is there anything similar over here in the states????? I'm going to have to look into that??

Great job on the kitchen.

[Carlyle]

Great work stumptaco!

[aslostasyou]

I took my TDI Jeep Liberty out this weekend for some camping and really put it into perspective. What would you guys think about an option that can either slid into a rig like stump-tacos or, could mount on a hitch and swing away?

On my Liberty the rear half door swings left and the glass up. I'm building a nice cargo area this weekend and plan on putting a nice shelf on the rear door. If we built the kitchen so it would mount to a hitch (for those of us who don't want or can't afford a trailer) you could pull a pin and swing it right and then by making the mounting tube longer you could push it farther out to the pass. side of the rig leaving you a really nice cooking area. Prep shelf to one side, food and cargo items in the vehicle and kitchen in front. More for a base-camp vehicle but you could also remove it and the hitch and fold out legs and set it up if you want to take the rig on the trails. It would be light enough so's not to affect your wheeling I think.

I'm going to spend the weekend with my father at his shop and will be working up some designs to transfer to wood in the next few weeks. Any suggestions or ideas will be visited.

, Jason

[TheGillz]

Nice looking unit! I need to think of a drawer/storage solution for the galley side of my trailer.

[RHINO]

when i was looking at building these for the USA market with DRIFTA as a full time buisiness we came away thinking there may not be a strong enough market. keep in mind the similar unit that stumptaco built sells for over 1k USD. i dont think there are too many folks in north america that would be at that level.

i have thought about building kitchen boxes in my spare time, but to make it worthwhile i have to be in the $500 range. how many of you would actually buy a $500 kitchen box? i wouldnt and thats why i build much of my own stuff.


gillz, i have a vision of a shallow box with storage both in the box and in the door, like a fridge kinda?

[ZR2nit]

when i was looking at building these for the USA market with DRIFTA as a full time buisiness we came away thinking there may not be a strong enough market. keep in mind the similar unit that stumptaco built sells for over 1k USD. i dont think there are too many folks in north america that would be at that level.

i have thought about building kitchen boxes in my spare time, but to make it worthwhile i have to be in the $500 range. how many of you would actually buy a $500 kitchen box? i wouldnt and thats why i build much of my own stuff.


gillz, i have a vision of a shallow box with storage both in the box and in the door, like a fridge kinda?


Very true statement...thats why building one of my own is on my big "to-do-list" of mods.

[olympiccop2002]

Yup! If you build it yourself you will save a ton of money. There are some people who can and some who can't. I don't think too many people would be dropping $500-1000 on a camp kitchen though. Maybe when they became unhappy with their cheap Coleman, Sportsman's Warehouse, Cabelas camp kitchens but that is a bunch of money to pony up. I would have to say people here on Expo are an exception and not the rule when it comes to travel/camping.

James,

That is an awesome camp kitchen you have built. Very well done. Congrats! :wings:

Bjorn

[aslostasyou]

Regardless if anyone is interested I plan on building one. :)

It'll be a fun exercise. We're planning on fitting a nice small sink to connect to a hose, integrated dish drying/rack and a prop up back board to hang stuff on for long periods of time eg: spices, pots and pans, coffe cups, etc. Something like a peg board.

[RHINO]

Regardless if anyone is interested I plan on building one. :)



i hope your not misunderstanding,, most of us are interested in kitchen boxes but most of us arent interested in the price they sell for.

i as well as others i bet will be very interested in following your kitchen build if you choose to share it with us.

[PhulesAU]

i hope your not misunderstanding,, most of us are interested in kitchen boxes but most of us arent interested in the price they sell for.

i as well as others i bet will be very interested in following your kitchen build if you choose to share it with us.
Double Ditto!! Especially what material you used, that holds up under the "Stress" of travel.

[aslostasyou]

Hi everyone,

Up here at the folks and have been talking around the fire with pops about the camp kitchen. We've come up with some good ideas have begun to transfer things to paper...

The idea would be to make one or two models. A simpler model and a more complex model that might contain things like a 12v fridge/cooler or some other robust gadgetry.

One thing the old man brought up was paying close attention to the type of gear people use so we could keep it kind of universal. eg: placement for the width or a normal two burner stove with a hard-line and mount for a medium size propane tan or, area that would fit an average medium sized ice-chest.

Would anyone like to make suggestions here? We're thinking about basic drawers, pot and pan storage, cooking surface, slotted drain rack for dished, paper towel storage, secure waste spot, cuttlery stowage, small boating stainelss steel sink (hookup to hose or water storage w/ pump?), 110 plugin and outlet to plug in accessories right on the top, etc....

Speak now if you'd like to see something come to fruition...

, J

[ZR2nit]

What your saying sounds great but also very expensive. If you could take a camp kitchen like StumpTaco's and make it and sell it at a decent price I would be willing to buy one. But to add a sink and outlets sounds great but if you were to sell these those options sound expensive to me.

[NothingClever]

Actually, I don't think adding a sink and an outlet for 12v applications would be difficult or particularly expensive but I think it would start adding weight. Once dry goods and other kitchen supplies are loaded in the kitchen box, it will start to become a two-man lift.

[aslostasyou]

We'll have to see on the costs. I'm adding up parts now and it doesn't look all that bad. Another idea we came up with to keep the cost down was selling the kits CKD (complete knock down) meaning full assembly on delivery.

This would cut down our labor tremendously (CNC the parts) and would allow for much easier shipping flat packed. You would basically get a pallete with the parts on it and a Step 1, Step 2.....etc.

What do you guys think? :confused:

As for weight I would say your right, it's a two man for most. Unless you want to throw your back out... I have lower back issues due to Moto-X so you wouldn't catch me lifting ST's myself even as small as it is. But it wouldn't be so heavy that you and a smaller significant other couldn't lift it. I built a kick-arse storage box for the back of the CRD this weekend they weighs almost nothing. I used blond wood and was very pleased.

Thanks for the input guys, hopefully this can turn into something that we can build and share with the community!

, J

[Photog]

If you are just cutting pieces, and and selling the kits, the price should be quite low. Most folks have the skills to assemble a kit; but many don't have the skills or equipment to design & cut the necessary materials. Your labor should be cut in 1/2, just selling the kits.

Cut the pieces in batches (more than one piece per cut), and the labor decreases even more.

Great idea.:victory:

[gearbox]

Freakin' Sweet!

[StumpXJ]

I am temporarily taking over this thread again to show my last few pictures...

Hi-Jack on! (Just kidding J, please feel free to continue the discussion, you have been giving me great ideas... I mean... a dish drying rack is genious!)

My box grew legs yesterday!

I got the folding leg set in the mail and threw them on yesterday. I got very lucky with how great they fit, I didnt exactly do a lot of measuring before ordering them with the mindset that I could "make" them work. The bolted right on with zero modification, so I was pretty stoked. They great thing about using the full length legs is not having to bend over while cooking. This things sits nice and high now, and will be a breeze to use in camp! The one thing I didnt like about the folding coleman style camp kitchens is they must be designed for midgets. I mean, who sits down to cook??

Anyway, on with [crappy] the pictures.

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/Jeep%20pics/DSCN0509.jpg

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/Jeep%20pics/DSCN0510.jpg

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/Jeep%20pics/DSCN0511.jpg

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/Jeep%20pics/DSCN0513.jpg

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/Jeep%20pics/DSCN0514.jpg


I think the idea of pre CNC cutting the wood and selling as a kit would be the best bet. That would cut down on your labor costs TREMENDOUSLY. It would be like putting together furniture, and what "dude card carrying" man hasnt put together furniture before?? You could be the IKEA of camp kitchens!

Hi-jack off. (Ha! I said jack.... off.)

~James

[Photog]

James,
The fold-out legs fit really well. Great score.

Have you though about the process of getting it out of the rig, and setting it up on the legs?

If I'm not mistaken, the Drifta slides out, and the vehicle holds up one end, while you extend both sets of legs. To do this, you need one set of the legs to be a few inches back from the end of the box.

Will your's work this way?

[StumpXJ]

Brian, I am banking on my set-up doing the exact same thing as the drifta. I would basically slide out the kitchen while the other end rests on the rear of the jeep, and fold down the legs on the extended side of the kitchen. Once the first end is down, there are 2-3 inches on the end (as seen in the second photo from the top.) of the kitchen that can still rest on the jeep while I fold down the other set of legs. Of course, I dont know how well this will work as I am currently installing the lift kit on my jeep, but I am hoping the kitchen will end up to be the same or close to the same height so the folding/set-up process will be easier.

Either way, once the one end is supported with its own legs, I can easily grab the other end of the kitchen and pivot it around to fold the legs down and clear the end of the jeep. Once the legs are down, the kitchen can be moved fairly easily by myself, and really easily with a person on each end. My wife is camping with me 90% of the time, so I dont suspect it will be too much a of a problem. It looks much heavier than it actually is.

I honestly wont know for sure until I actually use it out in the field with my Jeep set-up the way it will be permanently. I figure there will have to be a few changes.

~James

[aslostasyou]

Ha! Too funny! Glad we can coolaborate ideas! I have no intentions of making millions selling camp kitchens but I think it would be a cool segway into a new company. My old man is looking for something to do and Snowpeak could use some US competition!

My better half and I spent the weekend going over some cool ideas similar to what Snowpeak does but with American flare. She has a fine arts degree and sees things much differently than I... Who knows, at the least we'll make some cool stuff for ourselves and get to use our minds.

I love the legs! I was thinking something similar. If you've ever seen those Ikea tables that the legs are made of solid .25" steel that fold out...something similar to that. Not sure if it would stand to the rigors yet but it keeps the profile down.

I actually started another official thread for my build so I won't stealing realestate from you any more. :) Tell you what though, I look forward to a time when we can setup camp side by side and share some brews! :friday:

My hats off to you for inspiring me to get off my arse and do something. Who knows where it'll end up!

[BigDaveZJ]

Have you taken this thing out and used it yet? I'm LOVING the concept, but having the unit rest on the leg assemblies while in the rig would be a concern for me. If it's a valid concern, it could easily be overcome by building a small skirt around the base of the unit so that it rest on the skirt as opposed to the leg assemblies.

And any issue with the heat of the grill that close to all that wood??

[Chriscanoe]

Big Dave, I have a drifta 200 and use a Partner steel 2 burner stove (10000 btu/ burner) and have had no problems with the wood. Both are great pieces of equipment.

[BigDaveZJ]

Big Dave, I have a drifta 200 and use a Partner steel 2 burner stove (10000 btu/ burner) and have had no problems with the wood. Both are great pieces of equipment.

Thanks for the info! Do the legs on yours stick down or are they protected a bit?

[Willman]

This bad boy is sweet!

You da man!

What's for dinner??

:chowtime:

[StumpXJ]

Thanks guys! I have used it several times now, and it works absolutely wonderful. There is no trouble what so ever with allowing it to rest on the legs, in fact, it helps to slide the kitchen in and out instead of just resting on the wood. The legs are very well built, and worth every penny I spent on them. I also have not noticed any problems with heat around the wood. the grill has sufficient gaurds, and is far enough away that there has been no issue.

Here are a few shot of it from my last trip to France.

In the jeep:

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/Jeep%20pics/DSCN0552.jpg

Set-up under the awning:

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/France%20Camping%20Dec%202008/DSCN0610.jpg

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/France%20Camping%20Dec%202008/DSCN0611.jpg

In cook mode:

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/France%20Camping%20Dec%202008/DSCN0617.jpg

Willman... whats for dinner you ask? :)


How about some Herb Crusted Chicken, Cous-Cous, Asian Salad and buttered frnch bagguette?

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/France%20Camping%20Dec%202008/DSCN0638.jpg

Maybe some Jack Daniels marinated sirloin tips with grilled onions, Garden vegetable yellow rice (courtesy of Uncle Ben), and bread?

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/France%20Camping%20Dec%202008/DSCN0619.jpg

A man has gotta eat breakfast too!

Mushroom, ham, onion and cheese omlet, with a little OJ?

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/France%20Camping%20Dec%202008/DSCN0622.jpg

Of course, this was one of those hearty meals that you eat before climbing to the top of your favorite mountain peak to ensure plenty of protein and carbs for the journey... (not that I have ever climbed any mountains, but just thinking about it made me glad I ate all of this... )

Bacon, Scrambled eggs with ham, pancakes w/butter and syrup, and toast.

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/France%20Camping%20Dec%202008/DSCN0643.jpg


James :chowtime:

[highlandercj-7]

your making me hungry and I just ate dinner lol nice work.

[Corey]

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n257/topfuel443/France%20Camping%20Dec%202008/DSCN0622.jpg

Kitchen looks great.
Making me hungry though, and I jut had breakfast here at work.

[Chriscanoe]

Dave, my Drifta sits on the ground, so it has no legs. Check it out.
www.drifta.com drifta 200