Router bit.

[groyne]

I'm leaning towards Doric, le Corbusier/Bauhaus all looks the same to me and is too Angular but I like the colours. So I think it will be 400mm x 200mm top hung doors with rounded corners, semi recessed in an oblong frame. Colour wise, something restful, I'm trying to get away from wood effect, with contrasting trim and door furniture.

 

[n brown]

i generally make top lockers 250mm deep at the bottom and 400mm high
i have an aversion to top hung doors, i feel you have to duck up and under to see what's inside, plus there's the added faff of fixing a stay, which holds the door up while not allowing it to open fully
so i either make more doors and side hang them, or bottom hang wider doors, using ,of course, double cranked hinges. both of thes allow easy unimpeded access, but don't let me try to sway you !

 

[Byronic]

i generally make top lockers 250mm deep at the bottom and 400mm high
i have an aversion to top hung doors, i feel you have to duck up and under to see what's inside, plus there's the added faff of fixing a stay, which holds the door up while not allowing it to open fully
so i either make more doors and side hang them, or bottom hang wider doors, using ,of course, double cranked hinges. both of thes allow easy unimpeded access, but don't let me try to sway you !

I'm surprised side hung doors are your preference for overhead lockers. The advantage of top hung in a confined space is that you can leave them open and they don't obstruct if correctly positioned, and the risk of a faceful of hard door edge is negated. Many stays can hold open >90degs. (no big knobs or handles) Best example is in an airplane of course.
Also top locker doors often have to be narrow on the stiles which makes the positioning of the hinges so close as to build-in inherent weakness. Probably why you make your doors 400mm to give a wide hinge spacing?

Having said that I realise of course that you've done enough van converting to know what works for you.

 

[n brown]

i'm surprised that my preference for side hung doors surprises you ! after all, the majority of doors throughout my life have been hung this way, and they all worked great !
why would you need to leave a door open? and on double cranked hinges, the door opens 180 degrees ,so no danger of nasty edges there .
as for the stiles, not sure why you say they are often narrow - i can make them any size i want, and if the doors are sized to suit the proportions, then the hinges positioning works fine
i do find that an awful lot of self builds are attempting to copy the factory builds, but i also get to see lots of self builds done by young people who just need a van that works, cheap ! and because they have no training they often come up with very innovative ways of solving problems

 

[Byronic]

I'm responding to Post # 35 which refers specifically to overhead
lockers, which in a van conversion generally necessitate horizontally
long doors due to the usually restrictive face panel height.
I assumed that was query everyone else was addressing.

Yep conventional floor level doors are generally side hinged.

But vans have almost unique circumstances, for instance my
underseat locker doors are bottom hinged, a compromise. I
find access to be better in that case than with top hung. Side
hung would have meant double doors etc etc.
Instead of counting sheep in order to fall asleep I count the
number of doors in my van, 36 at the last count, I'm sure
there are 1 or 2 I've missed!

Apologies all round for bumping this post. lol

 

[groyne]

You are correct, I was referring to overhead lockers. Now Mrs G likes the curved overhead locker doors with the spring hinges in our present van, but I'm struggling to find any in anything but wood effect. Plus I can't find a trim with a lip for the doors to shut to. Does that make sense?
As for cupboard doors, I haven't got round to them yet.:raofl:

 

[Byronic]

You are correct, I was referring to overhead lockers. Now Mrs G likes the curved overhead locker doors with the spring hinges in our present van, but I'm struggling to find any in anything but wood effect. Plus I can't find a trim with a lip for the doors to shut to. Does that make sense?
As for cupboard doors, I haven't got round to them yet.:raofl:

Rainbow Conversions sell a lot of conversion components, O'Leary Conversions also. CAK Tanks Ltd. CMC Reimo in Hythe Kent. Autocraft oop north. Sorry I can't provide links on an Android 7" phablet in a car in what appears to be glaring light coming from a rarely seen yellow orb in the sky.
Vohringer RN 204? (they produce other finishes))15mm laminated poplar ply is a cool clinical finish, with all plastic hardware in contrasting dark grey is what many of the VW Westfalias were fitted out with. Still looks modern in a small to med. van but can get a bit(!) much in a large van such as I found in a Mercedes T2. Double laminate sided Vohringer was some £120 a 2400mmx1200mm board some years ago, not cheap.

 

[groyne]

Autocraft oop north

Naw, Chesterfield's darn south to me.

I've looked at all those websites, I've even been to O'learys (they have loads of stuff, but it's not really on display) and went to Magnums last week, much better displays, but it's all wood effect doors and furniture boards.
I've got my layout and know what fixtures and fittings are going in, it's just cupboard design and colour scheme I have to nail. Oh well, at least I've got another month to sort that.

 

[Byronic]

Google up Vohringer Board Suppliers, among others Autohaus show a selection of finishes available, also West Country Campers, plus the hardware and tools compatible with this 'system' and a lot more besides.

 

[stonedaddy]

Router bit size

Wow been some great correspondence on this subject from asking what bit size to full van rebuilds and I must say all very interesting reading from very knowledgeable people.
Now perhaps I can make it more simple for us not so handy. I think Rob had it sorted when he first got his van. He took his time thinking about the layout so much he threw a mattress in the back, parked next to a pub, used it for meals, toilets, and of course the occasional pint or two. Then one night fell in the river Ouse, that was his shower sorted out for the weekend. I think that must have wetted his appetite because after that he seemed to make faster progress with the conversion and its now nice and posh. Alas he still parks next to the pub so rarely notices his handy work, but well enjoys his stopovers. All I am saying, if all else fails, chuck a mattress in the back.
.... Tom ....

 

[Deleted member 951]

Wow been some great correspondence on this subject from asking what bit size to full van rebuilds and I must say all very interesting reading from very knowledgeable people.
Now perhaps I can make it more simple for us not so handy. I think Rob had it sorted when he first got his van. He took his time thinking about the layout so much he threw a mattress in the back, parked next to a pub, used it for meals, toilets, and of course the occasional pint or two. Then one night fell in the river Ouse, that was his shower sorted out for the weekend. I think that must have wetted his appetite because after that he seemed to make faster progress with the conversion and its now nice and posh. Alas he still parks next to the pub so rarely notices his handy work, but well enjoys his stopovers. All I am saying, if all else fails, chuck a mattress in the back.
.... Tom ....

Well it was a stupid place to put a river Tom!

 

[Byronic]

Fell in a river and WETTED his appetite. I'd like to think that was inspired use of the English language. Which of course it was!


Whetted, nice old English word.

 

[n brown]

Well it was a stupid place to put a river Tom!

so have you fell out with the river you fell in ? i'm surprised more people don't fall in the silly dithery things, meandering about all over the place like a - well, like a drunk !

 

[Tezza33]

i'm surprised that my preference for side hung doors surprises you !

I'm surprised that you are surprised that he was surprised :lol-061: