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Plans for top storage lockers
Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 9:47 pm
by eribabongo
Hi,
Having owned a Bongo and looked at this forum for 8 years I have finally plucked up the courage to ask a question.
Does anyone have plans for top storage lockers and want to share them. I am in the process of updating my camper conversion, it is a very modest kitchen unit and table and I would like to add top lockers for more storage but the cupboards available from Ace campers ( the only diy kit I can find) are not made in the same vohringer board style.Therefore I am thinking of making my own version.I would be grateful for any advice.
Re: Plans for top storage lockers
Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 11:04 pm
by mikeonb4c
eribabongo wrote:Hi,
Having owned a Bongo and looked at this forum for 8 years I have finally plucked up the courage to ask a question.
Does anyone have plans for top storage lockers and want to share them. I am in the process of updating my camper conversion, it is a very modest kitchen unit and table and I would like to add top lockers for more storage but the cupboards available from Ace campers ( the only diy kit I can find) are not made in the same vohringer board style.Therefore I am thinking of making my own version.I would be grateful for any advice.
A member on here called Bongolow I think did some excellent plans a while back. Not sure how you get hold of the PDF file but maybe someone else on here can advise.
Re: Plans for top storage lockers
Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 11:50 pm
by Driver+Passengers
I went to a local conversion workshop and asked if I could measure and trace his templates. You could probably come to some arrangement. They may also sell you a length of corner moulding - takes two boards inside two channels at right angles with a rubberised hollow corner bit incase you hit your head. It will have a proper name, but I don't know what that is.
I don't think they would be too hard to make, if you can work out a reliable way to trace the profiles onto cardboard to transfer onto a workpiece.
Top tip: watch you don't catch the upholstery when you're using a drill.
Re: Plans for top storage lockers
Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 8:45 am
by Rebiam
I am having similar thoughts and I too have looked at the Ace campers self assembly ones but just can't justify the price (even though they look like very good units). I am looking at making a frame which screws directly into the holes for the grab handles and then very carefully templating each end. I am also thinking of hinging the fronts along their full length and height so they drop down and form a small shelf when open. I will post some pictures as the project progresses.
Re: Plans for top storage lockers
Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 9:22 am
by Driver+Passengers
Here's a photo of mine, made in 1/4" oak.

Re: Plans for top storage lockers
Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 7:12 pm
by eribabongo
Many thanks for the interesting comments, the use of rubber corner moulding is a good sugestion and presumably used by Driver+passengers , makes a neat job. I have managed to source this at Grassroutes Leisure, who also sell the vohringer board in the right colour for me and infact all the fittings.Not too sure about copying template from a business but did look up Bongolow,unfortunately led to a dead end, link said 'requested topic does not exist'.I have found information on forum about fixing units though. Looks like we need to have a try, well when I say we I mean my husband. I'm just the one with the ideas and doing the research.
Re: Plans for top storage lockers
Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 8:45 am
by Observer
Hi, I borrowed my plans from
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/vincent.lo ... oards.html the original chap was/is a forum user and others chipped in to help.
I had to modify them a bit as I was using a full llength (half sheet) of Voringer. I am well chuffed with my efforts and learned loads of skills and methods such as routering from on here. I got loads of inspiration from looking at the text and pics of other builders.
I took loads of pics of the build with my iphone but am having a spot of bother with the scaling.
They all seem to have come out as thumbnail shots and when I try re-sizing them to the reccomended dimensions for the forum, appear blurred.
Maybe someone will show me where I'm going wrong

Re: Plans for top storage lockers
Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 1:11 pm
by eribabongo
What well detailed plans, pity I didnt have them a week ago. In the end I decided to change the board on my unit so I could match the top lockers sold by Clearcut conversions who advertised them on ebay and are not far from me. A bit hasty maybe but my husband decided he could re-make the kitchen cabinet as he could copy the original. I plan to put my original kitchen unit on ebay to make a bit of money towards new version hopefully. I am planning to use the rear seats which are on the runners and are full length of van and a box in the rear of van topped with upholstered cushion to make up a bed, the kitchen unit will be behind the drivers seat. Has anyone done a similar thing, dont know if Ive seen this done before, I hope my measurements are correct I reckon box for bed will be about 24" long, a good bit of storage, probably keep a porta loo in it for night.
Re: Plans for top storage lockers
Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 1:33 pm
by Observer
eribabongo wrote:What well detailed plans, pity I didnt have them a week ago. In the end I decided to change the board on my unit so I could match the top lockers sold by Clearcut conversions who advertised them on ebay and are not far from me. A bit hasty maybe but my husband decided he could re-make the kitchen cabinet as he could copy the original. I plan to put my original kitchen unit on ebay to make a bit of money towards new version hopefully. I am planning to use the rear seats which are on the runners and are full length of van and a box in the rear of van topped with upholstered cushion to make up a bed, the kitchen unit will be behind the drivers seat. Has anyone done a similar thing, dont know if Ive seen this done before, I hope my measurements are correct I reckon box for bed will be about 24" long, a good bit of storage, probably keep a porta loo in it for night.
Yes they are good plans and great pics of the different angles. I made mine full length with T-Trimmed routered doors.
I wish I could get photo bucket to work better it doesn't matter if the images are from my camera or iphone, they still come out as 'thumbnails' in the forum

I've spent hours at it and I've looked at the subject in the 'guidance' topic but I 'm still stuck.
Re: Plans for top storage lockers
Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 11:31 am
by Observer
Hi, I borrowed my plans from
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/vincent.lo ... oards.html the original chap was/is a forum user and others chipped in to help.
I had to modify them a bit as I was using a full llength (half sheet) of Voringer. I am well proud of my efforts and learned loads of skills and methods such as routering from on here.
I took loads of pics of the build with my iphone but am having a spot of bother with the scaling. They all seem to have come out as thumbnail shots and when I try re-sizing them to the reccomended dimensions for the forum, appear blurred.
It works this way though
http://www.flickr.com/photos/68401898@N ... hotostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/68401898@N ... hotostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/68401898@N ... hotostream
Re: Plans for top storage lockers
Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 4:28 pm
by Observer
[quote="Observer"]Hi, I borrowed my plans from
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/vincent.lo ... oards.html the original chap was/is a forum user and others chipped in to help.
I had to modify them a bit as I was using a full llength (half sheet) of Voringer. I am well proud of my efforts and learned loads of skills and methods such as routering from on here.
I took loads of pics of the build with my iphone but am having a spot of bother with the scaling. They all seem to have come out as thumbnail shots and when I try re-sizing them to the reccomended dimensions for the forum, appear blurred.
Still messing with it Flickr seems to work fine
Front 2 by
observer1411, on Flickr
Re: Plans for top storage lockers
Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2012 11:15 pm
by psquiddy
Rebiam wrote:I am having similar thoughts and I too have looked at the Ace campers self assembly ones but just can't justify the price (even though they look like very good units). I am looking at making a frame which screws directly into the holes for the grab handles and then very carefully templating each end. I am also thinking of hinging the fronts along their full length and height so they drop down and form a small shelf when open. I will post some pictures as the project progresses.
I have used the screw holes for the grab handles to make a cupboard going across the car (its non AFT) - it has removable covers at the front and back. It is designed to be totally removable so the car can be returned to original spec unmarked.
I will post some pics.