advice wanted

[Scott]

I need to get rid of this wart in my kitchen, just above the fridge, to the rear of the microwave bay. The only viable function is the toggle for the water pump, which I can relocate anywhere.

So... what do I do with the hole? The cabinetry in this location is quite tough All suggestions are appreciated, radical or otherwise.

[Blue~Go]

Are you speaking of that rectangular recessed area? Meaning you want to do something with it? Or do you mean you'll be removing the monitor panel?

Perfect timing on your post as I'm just sitting here waiting for glue to dry and was thinking "I sure hope someone has posted something to the Chinook forum"

(Personally, I like the water pump switch by the galley sink. I had it there in my last rig and it made it so that I shut it off when not using it - especially when leaving rig unattended. If it were high up I might not bother.)

How about a battery monitor? (A "real" one, not the one in the monitor panel.) You will want to punch buttons on one of those occasionally though - not sure how tall you are relative to that space.

[Scott]

I've developed a profound aversion to MDF, but I'd prefer to not disrupt the aesthetic more than I already have in my rig, especially up high where water hasn't intruded yet .

The stock monitor panel is lame and has to go. If I could exchange it for a modern, smart-ish battery monitor, that would be ideal. I guess I just need matching dimensions. Great idea! Height isn't a problem in this spot.

[SMan]

I'm not familiar with that vintage of Chinook or that monitor but because it appears to be a "rail and style" type cabinet you may be able to put an oak panel back in depending on the hole made for the monitor. Maybe a small weather station could take its place?

On a related subject I love double stick velcro and have numerous items such as puck lights, thermometer, flashlights, lighter for the stove, remotes for the tv and DVD player installed on the walls and ceiling of my rig. (I covered a tear in the wall paper with my mini weather station)

[deppstein]

I'm not familiar with this particular year's layout, but I had a similar issue when I removed the VCR from its slot in the front of our 2004 Premier...for that, I put a simple ply backing in the space, stained it to match our cherry cabinetry and hunted around for a nice little piece of art to mount in the space--worked well...we even like the fish bone sculpture we found to fit .

David

[Blue~Go]

On my vintage the front "entertainment center" panel is a different ballgame. The whole thing is molded fiberglass (formerly) covered in blue headliner fabric (foam backed knit). I took it down for my overall remodeling, and also because I wanted to modify it and I hate fiberglass dust (still made dust but it was in a shop not my living room). The mods I made were to fiberglass over the disused solar controller hole (I put in a different controller and much closer to the batteries), and to open up the former VCR/stereo holes to match the former TV hole on the left. Thus I ended up with the original large center hole, plus two symmetrical side holes. I'll be putting doors on the two side holes (but probably with side hinges not lifts like the center one). Haven't decided yet whether to re-fabric it (grey) or do something else (paint? something weird like plasti-dip?). I'll probably use the light grey headliner fabric I bought - it's the same as the original but grey not powder blue. Side note is I tried to use a "better" fabric (a suede they make for the purpose vs. a knit), but it was not stretchy enough for the compound curves - especially on the side wings that cover the pillars.

Anyway, back to the above-stove monitor panel... piece of art? Inside/outside thermometer display? (That's what I put over the original telephone mount hole before I took down the pillars and entertainment wall and filled in that sort of thing.) (Yes, my Concourse XL came with a wall-mounted telephone, curly cord and all )

[Scott]

Thanks guys for the thoughts.

Holy cow.. I must have THE MOST boring "entertainment" center ever. I don't think this rig has any factory options at all

For the monitor panel hole, I'll see what my new battery monitor looks like when it arrives. If that fails, I'll back the hole with a piece of matching faux oak luan that I've already removed from one of a hundred places.

Next in this category is to make a cubby above the closet in place of the Onan starter...

[Blue~Go]

Ha, now I'm sitting here staring at that photo and imagining you (or any owner) kicking back and being "entertained" by the hour staring at that front panel in your Chinook. "Om........"

You know one thing we sometimes do on boats (where instruments are constantly changing size and shape as they evolve) is take something like 1/8" black Starboard (or on fancy boats, wood) and make a large panel the covers the hole, and perhaps a larger area (whatever looks logical). Route or chamfer the edges. Then mount the new stuff in that panel. McMaster Carr has human scale sized pieces of Starboard. (You could also use ABS or whatever.)

Funny but one time we made a panel to cover up a helm area (i.e. "dashboard") that was just riddled with various sizes and shapes of holes. There was just no other way. Then we mounted new instruments in that panel. Then a fellow with a new boat (that had a pristine helm area without a hole in sight) asked if we could do that for his boat, because he liked the look (he had no idea why the panel was there )