Sergeant Flat Pack Rear Drawers Kit

[baggs71 Inactive member. Find all posts View Profile Close baggs71]

Hi forum peeps..
Ive looked and searched but cannot find a point of sale for Rear drawers in flat pack form pre drilled and laser cut delivered to your door.

Ive decided to use my good mate...who owns a CadCam CNC workshop to help me produce a drawers system in flat pack form with all the hardware including full length roller runners and cam locks etc.

The drawers will be made out of super light weight "versaboard" used in outdooor comercial cabinets and is water resistant and is primarily is synthetic base with pvc coating but acts like ply wood.

Its black in colour and ive thrown it around and weight tested it and is strong stuff indeed...stronger than plywood by far but much lighter etc...

I will be a guinea pig to start off with with a full height ensuite to the roof for 120 series.....colour will be black...there will be two designs to choose from for starters....there will be options to customise as you need if you ask....also all drawers will have routed tooling logo and name on the front somewhere....the brand of drawers possibly will be SERGEANT.

At this stage they are not for sale but are a modification in progress until you forum peeps decide they are good enough to move to the "for sale" thread.....

All panels will be laser cut and finished and tooled ready for assembly at home including runners at a lower price point....I will ensure the price is fair and reasonable and is good enough for long term offroad use via me being a guinea pig.

Id expect the first two protypes to be ready in 3 weeks....I will be testing and placing photos on here during that time....smikbus has indicated that he is the other tester being local to me....

Please feel free to post any photos of suggested layouts so I can get an idea of most sought after design...

Mods: please feel free to move this thread or adjust if needed!

[Heath74 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Heath74]

Mate that sounds like a great idea. I think you are on a winner here. Having built a few sets of rear drawers over the years, it's a time consuming job, but with some cad help, plus trade pricing on materials you should be able to make it work.

One feature that has become more common, is the slide out table, either just as a slide out or with legs. I think this is a great feature.

[Beach Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beach]

Very interested to follow along.

I would have my own set by now, but work keeps getting in the way.

Are single units an option as part of your customising? As in both draws side by side or one draw (either side) with the ability to put one of the seats in or just use the space. I haven't quite figured how to use the floor points in this scenario yet.

I'm guessing you are using the seat attaching points on each side?

Hinged cover right to the edge of the interior?

Any fridge slider can be added to the top left?

[baggs71 Inactive member. Find all posts View Profile Close baggs71]

Yes the whole cadcam set up is bllody futuristic....I watched the laser cut out a whole kitchen in 20minutes!

As for the slide out shelf thats a standard inclusion already in the floor to roof model....called the grand tourer.

[baggs71 Inactive member. Find all posts View Profile Close baggs71]

Beach: once the main design dimensions limits are finalised into the software....the world is your oyster...you want fridge in middle with drawers either side? Or somerhing left field?..then it takes around 20-30minutes to input that into the software to be ready to be laser cit....the biggest job is coding in where tye pre drilled hokes are so everything is flush fit 1st time....
My expectations are high for quality and low for price....so long as the testing phase here in southern adelaide is rough and tumble as can be without product failure all will be good...but for now this is a rolling modification that may go on sale to help members kit out their prados for lower cost but without sacrificing quality...unless you like marine carpet then I cant help hahahah.

[UncySpam Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close UncySpam]

If I was closer, I'd offer my 150 when you're ready to make up a set for them Very keen to see how you go.

[baggs71 Inactive member. Find all posts View Profile Close baggs71]

The fundamentals are the same but yes 150 may be on the cards if the 120 series take off....

In regards to fixing the models of drawers to the vehicle we approach this with common sense...firstly drawers weigh a bit....loaded they weigh a lot....with this our intension is tocuse the two mounting bolts in the floor to go through the base of all the models and screw hand tight.....if they come out it means one thing....you are d $#d in a roll over !

[baggs71 Inactive member. Find all posts View Profile Close baggs71]

While we are at it....there maybe an option to cam lock additional drawers from an "L" shape (fridge on left with drawer on right) to add another drawer or drawers etc to make a full ensuite.....so in practical terms just grab out two more drawers and cam lock into existing drawrrs for that bigger trip away etc.....just thinking on my feet so to speak...

[baggs71 Inactive member. Find all posts View Profile Close baggs71]

Ive already got an order "unseen" but sorry guys ya gunna have to wait till after the testing....otherwise this just wont work...gotta make them tuff and test em!

[JPH Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close JPH]

Baggsy, good luck with your venture, when I started pro typing my drawers for the 150, I was going to make them out of v lite, which is the same product just a different brand for the same reasons you listed above. I could be proven wrong but I wasn't convinced there was enough bite on the screws into the end grain to make them go the difference. This is why I went back to ply, which has its own quirks. I've made a few sets now and cutting them on the CNC router is a great way to go. I've had a few PP ears ask me to flat pack and post them in the past so there is a market out there. If you need any other advice sing out, good luck.
Cheers JPH

[Beach Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beach]

All sounds good. Please keep us informed. Pics would also be good when you're ready.

[baggs71 Inactive member. Find all posts View Profile Close baggs71]

@JPH Thanks mate!
We are impressed with this new versaboard in its abikity to take the 65-75mm screws etc...but only testing will tell...it does seem to hold itself rather well and once in a structural configuration seem to be bullet proof....I will however call on you when we need it as we go along for advise....we would like to keep this grass roots level between prado pointers etc as we have our own businesses and are a little reluctant to make this bigger than just giving members a cheaper option....

Regardless...if this becomes a viable option for us then it will be bloody bullet proof and considering the metal cobination drawers start at $12-400 + and the more complex ones are $2400+....id be hoping when we sit down in 2-4 weeks time we can beat that by a mile so we all have access to decent solid drawers if our budget cant reach mainstream hights...and on this occasion it wil be "I got what I paid for and it was cheaper too!" (Thats my goal)

[JPH Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close JPH]

Have a good think about your runners as well, what do you intend to use? After a week on Fraser I could hear sand in the runners of the fridge slide but obviously none on the nylon slides on the drawers. Its pretty awesome what can be achieved with a cnc, depending on software and knowledge, we've been making some awesome shop fittings on ours recently. Feel free to pm me or give me a buzz.
Cheers

Jph

[baggs71 Inactive member. Find all posts View Profile Close baggs71]

Yeah the sand is a problem usually when climbing up the drawers to get to the roof....I cheated and washed them out....heheheh not sure if it was the right thing to do but its sounds ok?

Ill look into the plastic roller casters tomorrow....they work thats for sure.....in reality they wil hold.a fair bit of weight but my guess most people want sliders due to the bling factor and supposed quality...the load rating is higher also ive found....we have also found that we can have a soft touch close feature as well....so as to avoid slamming the drawers shut.....so when you close it will slow down the last 3" then shut...thats when I presume the cam lock engages etc...I like the cam locks due to the flush fit of the knob until you depress it...snazzy!

Jph....I take it your in the cabinet industry as well as my friend...

[foxclan Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close foxclan]

Hi Baggs71
Good luck with this venture mate, looking forward to seeing this product develop.
Very interested in strength and weight saving in a draw set up.
Cheers Troy