Remove radio to utilize cabinetOur camper came with this radio/cd installed. We've used radio maybe half a dozen times. Access is really not convenient as it's mounted in ceiling corner cabinet above bed. If you wanted to listen to radio you had to crawl up on the bed to tune adjust volume-kinds silly in my opinion. But I always found this cabinet curious. Mostly is the size, every time I focused on radio & cabinet I wondered at all the unused space. Basically the installed radio took up 2/3 of the cabinet. So I removed to see what was actually behind it.
 I wasn't too surprised at the unused /wasted space, kind of what I assumed, but that there had originally been another door instead of radio did. Note the hinge holes, there are screw holes for the catch. I gather, especially after inspecting the install, this was a pre-wire from the factory and the dealer hacked it in. I also noted the radio would fit in the end hole, though that wouldn't accomplish anything as far as radio use, but I could increase cabinet space and still have radio in cabinet. But decided if I reinstall radio it'd be nice if it were more accessible. Plus I'd really like to utilize the cabinet for storage. I may install radio under corner cabinet over sink. plenty of wire to reach (or I may just bundle wiring and not reinstall radio). The hole in divider for wire pass literally looks like it was carved out with utility knife-really rough. Sticking my hand thru I couldn't feel anything, lots of space.
 I removed the divider panel and 1x1 support structure. I'm going to try to make a door with the left over piece of door from pantry mod. So I enlarged hole to what I think is the biggest door I can make from salvaged piece. This will leaving bout 5" space behind divider toward wall that will contain the wiring, perfect. there's a plug in the bottom of cabinet and all the wiring that drops from ceiling. I'll have to reframe the opening, reinstall the divider panel with screws to have access to wiring. The piece that had been carved out of the divider was back there too.
 I removed shelving from over sink cabinet , cut hole and passed thru radio wires. They will either get bundled and stay there, or I can loom and drop later if I decided to install radio underneath cabinet. (DONE seeradio move page). Finished reframing enlarged hole, install devider frame to cabinet & wall. Glued a thin piece of paneling to back side of divider to reinsert the 'hole' that had been carved out of middle of panel.
Now to try and make a door.... Rats....Well my preliminary measurements of door material that allowed me to cut 12 1/4" hole were wrong.
 Due to fixed available material I should have made door 1st before cutting hole. The material I had for door I calculated I could get 12 5/8 width, but I didn't allow for cutting off the panel insert moulding bead, so that horizontal pieces would sit flush to vert pieces (matching other doors). Top & bottom pieces need to be longer than whats left.
 Because at best door would have ended up 12", I left the beads on. Routed the ends of horizontal pieces, so it wasn't a square edge to bead. Doing this allows for a 12 3/4 door but I cant use dowels to reassemble. Looks ok just doesn't match the other door and Ill need to add a piece of 1/8 ply to back of door to hold it together. I might rout the seams in other door so they match... Had a feeling this was to easy. Don't you love it when a plan turns to poop...all for hindsite
New door installed.
 As you may note I had planned on the door swinging opposite direction but when I put it up just looked funny. Plus opening it hit the handle on smaller door. But mostly it just looks better like this. Kinda of a form over function though really not, I can still reach without getting up on the bed.
Basically, minus a handle and hinges, free storage. A radio that when reinstalled under kitchen cabinet, will be more lot more accesible.
Reinstall radio under cabinet |
