Cougar 26RBI pantry mod

[bill-e]

Heading out tomorrow alone for a four day dry camping trip. We've just about got the Cougar 26RBI loaded with all that we'll need for our normal outings (I just need food, beer and a sleeping bag but the wife wont have it).

The pantry is huge but only has a 1/2" lip on the shelves so I could see us opening the door to find everything on the floor.

This is just temporary until the off season when I'll remove it, shape it to match the existing shelving and stain it but I didn't want all that smell from finishing while I'm camping

I simply took some 1x3/4 stock and ran a dado through it to make guides which will capture some 3/16" plywood The plywood pieces slide into the guides and that 1/2" shelf lip keeps it in place and provides the strength. When we arrive somewhere the pieces are slid out and shoved under the dinette benches.

[Tbos]

Nice mod. What size of screws did you use to fasten the guides to the walls.

[bill-e]

Originally Posted by Tbos

Nice mod. What size of screws did you use to fasten the guides to the walls.

Not actually sure as I'm not home but probably between .75 and 1 inch. There is plenty of space behind the Luan for the screw....on both sides.

I used it this past week and things were kept in place. I'm happy with how it works.

[GaryWT]

That should work.

[bill-e]

Gary, if you do this just make sure you align the slot so that the plywood fits down all the way to the shelf and uses the lip of the sheld edging as support so that items on the shelf cant bow it during movement..

In my case I happened to have a 3/16" box cut blade which fit my metric plywood just right. You do not need anything thicker than 3/16" for the plywood....plenty of strength and ridgitity.

[ls1mike]

I like this mod. I may have to try it. I would assume you put the slotted bracket on both sides correct?

[bill-e]

Mike, yes, both sides. Nothing precision here. I found a piece of cherry I had lying around and ran the dado through it. Then cut it in 5" lengths and added the non-precision located 1/4-5/16"(not sure which) drilled to the bottom of the dado to allow the screw heads to fit in the slots and be countersunk a little.

Come fall I'm going to shape the top of the guides to be the same as the shelf edge and soften all the other edges, including on the plywood. I'll give it all a black walnut stain so that at least it's all dark if not the same shade.

I did this like 4 hours before I took her out so I didn't have time to add the craftsmanship

[ls1mike]

Hey man,

Looks great to me. Serves a very good purpose!