JLU Drawer System?

[boehml]

Has anyone built a JL drawer system and has any recommendations on things they wish they included, or mistakes made? I have designed a 2 drawer system for tools and recovery equipment, with the dometic CFX 45 on top and a zarges case on the other side. I think it meets all the requirements, but would like to hear opinions on actual builds. Here is a render.



Plans are to build them from laser cut 1/8" aluminum. Drawers are low profile, about 4" tall as they don't need to fit anything larger than 4" in height. Basically bolt together with an internal skeleton (green) and some heavy duty locking drawer slides (yellow).

 

[MazeVX]

Nice rendering!
I had a similar setup without the bottom drawers but with a bigger drawer on the right and on top was a zarges box.
We found that the zarges box didn't work as intended and also making it basically impossible to store things on top along with other things.
I will rebuild it with 2 drawers on the right and most likely get rid of the box.
Having stuff in a box only really makes sense when you want to take it and carry it away from the car.

 

[LanceMagnum]

I did a system using 80/20 with a design goal of not using drawer slides - this reclaimed the 1/2" or so on each side of the drawer, but does need a 1/4" recess on the drawer bottom for a linear motion glide. This also saved probably 10 or 15 lbs by not using the slides.




The drawer edges slide along some UHMW strips in the area of the blue highlights:






They operate more like a dresser drawer than a kitchen drawer, and they are not full extension, but I'm very happy with the end result.

 

[boehml]

We found that the zarges box didn't work as intended and also making it basically impossible to store things on top along with other things.

Having stuff in a box only really makes sense when you want to take it and carry it away from the car.

Yeah, the goal is that when I am not packed for a trip, those drawers stay in the rig and take up very minimal room. I need the full cargo space for everyday things, so this seemed like the best option. The idea with the zarges case is that it contains a "kitchen" like what this guy did. Then I always have my kitchen packed and its ready to move around camp if there is a bench available or whatever. I can always stack another zarges case for camping gear and then its all good.

I did a system using 80/20 with a design goal of not using drawer slides

I considered this too, seen some others do it as well. The slides are pretty cheap all things considered but that is a good option too.

 

[MazeVX]

That's what we did. But it didn't really work, so I will build a system with 2 drawers in the right. I'm taking the fridge and the drawers out when not camping because I need the space just as you mentioned.

 

[boehml]

That's what we did. But it didn't really work, so I will build a system with 2 drawers in the right. I'm taking the fridge and the drawers out when not camping because I need the space just as you mentioned.

Yeah, that is the struggle. It is easier enough to make another drawer as well if I don't like it, I will have to keep that in mind.

 

[boehml]

In case anyone is looking for ideas on where to mount the compressor, I decided it would be worth while to design in a mounting option into the drawer frame (it doesn't slide with the drawer). Seems like as good a place as any. Hangs from the top plate and I have a shorter drawer in that side (see below with the sides and braces removed)

 

[socal66]

If you are going to block easy access to the cubby storage below the floor you might consider mounting the compressor in there to use that space.

 

[boehml]

If you are going to block easy access to the cubby storage below the floor you might consider mounting the compressor in there to use that space.

I already have my dual battery setup down there, no more room left due to my choice of DCDC charger.

 

[boehml]

Well, so far so good. Got the outer shell made, just waiting on some other hardware for the other drawer slides.




Working on designing the drawer pullouts now. I wanted one to work as a table when pulled out, with storage underneath. Seemed like a good use of space. So the shorter drawer made sense for this, it creates a well needed 19" of table space.