Hatch thoughts - would love some input

[italianub]

Hey folks,

As I am progressing with my build, while I am doing the mandatory day-job, I am constantly thinking about the future of the build - specifically the hatch.

My build is going to be a squaredrop, and I want the hatch door to sit on the back end of the walls, not built within the rear wall like a lot of squaredrops. This will allow more room for pull out drawers (for my cooler and campchef stove for example) without any wasted space. Here's a drawing of the galley without any door on:



The door will sit against both side walls and be a few inches lower than the roof. The hinge will be attached to supports/crossmembers on the rear, not attached to the roof. This is an imagine of something similar that I want (but without that angle on the door, as mine will be flat)



I'll be using the centaflex hinge, here's the discussion (with images) on it: viewtopic.php?f=21&t=14753&start=105

My questions:

1. Is there a way to make it so when my galley door is installed that most of the weight is on the floor and not on the hinge without an angle? I can make it flush with the floor but I don't really know how I can take weight off the hinge itself once the door is closed.
2. Should I just make a slight angle like the photo above, so that it sits on the floor/walls when it's closed?
3. Has anyone done this type of galley door on a squaredrop style that can show me some pictures and thoughts on doing it right?

Edit - for reference, my walls are 1/4" exterior, 3/4" skeletonized, 1/4" interior (bit thick but that's what I could get), the hatch would be similar and heavily skeletonized. I can go gas-strut or any other recommendation

[tony.latham]

A couple of things. First, as you may know, the guy's hatch leaks because he didn't overhang the hinge. Dunno about the style of hinge you are planning on using if that overhang is needed. But secondly, that angled hatch needs a significant rib system because of the hinge effect of that design. Angled hatches are not nearly as stiff or strong as a curved hatch.

I can make it flush with the floor but I don't really know how I can take weight off the hinge itself once the door is closed.

You don't want the hatch resting on the floor when closed. There has to be a seal there and it should be at the end of the floor, not the top or water will capillary in on the seal and if it gets below freezing, it will freeze.

Keep in mind, a flat piece of plywood isn't really flat. It's tweaked. If it were me, I'd build a curved hatch for strength and the fact that few (if any?) flat-backed "teardrops" have great galleys. And of course theirs the seal issue.



And of course, you're going to have to figure out a seal system for the hatch, a framework for the gas springs, and a method of keeping it closed. I once had a flat-back pass me on a gravel road and as I looked in the side mirror, their watch was open and I couldn't turn around with my camper to chase them down. Gas struts need to point below the hinge when the hatch is closed.





But you're getting there.

Tony

[twisted lines]

I recently cut my side walls a little,
Flatback it is; with split doors in the center & hinges outside on the rear,
No lifting overhead and no door up there to bang me in the head. 6'6"
looked for a picture I had of shelves I like and saved. 1 more place to check?
My back door will open from the inside, and I haven't started it yet. 1 door guy

[italianub]

A couple of things. First, as you may know, the guy's hatch leaks because he didn't overhang the hinge. Dunno about the style of hinge you are planning on using if that overhang is needed. But secondly, that angled hatch needs a significant rib system because of the hinge effect of that design.

I am planning on having a good rib system but also still have some insulation to keep it light (well as light as it can be)

You don't want the hatch resting on the floor when closed. There has to be a seal there and it should be at the end of the floor, not the top or water will capillary in on the seal and if it gets below freezing, it will freeze.

I should have specified, there will be a good seal all around using D shaped seals sandwiched between aluminum angle on the door and on the walls where it will shut

And of course, you're going to have to figure out a seal system for the hatch, a framework for the gas springs, and a method of keeping it closed.

I plan on having locking latches on either side to compress it closed and keep it that way, the framework should be fine for the spring, as I am using your wall design and having the 3/4" skeletonized ply backing on the wall where the strut will attach and on the door itself

I once had a flat-back pass me on a gravel road and as I looked in the side mirror, their watch was open and I couldn't turn around with my camper to chase them down.

Oof...

I recently cut my side walls a little,
Flatback it is; with split doors in the center & hinges outside on the rear,
No lifting overhead and no door up there to bang me in the head. 6'6"

This was definitely a thought, using a swing-out style instead of lift up

[Pmullen503]

"My build is going to be a squaredrop, and I want the hatch door to sit on the back end of the walls, not built within the rear wall like a lot of squaredrops. This will allow more room for pull out drawers (for my cooler and campchef stove for example) without any wasted space."

Even with an overlay door as you describe, you'll still want some kind of seal/gutter system. It's not just water but also dust you want to keep out of your galley. The air behind a trailer is pretty turbulent so you can have rain and dust coming at your seals from all directions. Things move with time, wear and changes in temp/humidity so design your sealing system accordingly.

I get wanting to maximize the size of your pull out drawers. I think you'll be happier with a slightly narrower but clean and dry galley.

[italianub]

Here's another hatch similar to the other guy's that I posted earlier

https://youtu.be/kSfqYTjIdSU?si=gPYYL_ZWNqgIavtA&t=705





I am thinking more and more that I need to have the angle to make it work.

I am not completely against the curved style, but I already have the expensive 5x10 sheets of ply for the more boxed shape, and I can't find any 5x10 1/4" bendable plywood anywhere, as it is all 4x8.

[Pmullen503]

The thing I'm skeptical about the above trailer is that any single seal on that hatch will sooner or later start to leak and the water will end up on the counter, or worse find it's way into a drawer or joint. Gutters along the sidewalls wouldn't have to be large to collect and channel any water safely out of the galley.

[tony.latham]

I should have specified, there will be a good seal all around using D shaped seals sandwiched between aluminum angle on the door and on the walls where it will shut

I'm not sure we're communicating... If the bottom of the door–-with the seals--meets the top of the floor, it will be a problem.

As in this:



That's the way the Fredricks Manual instructed the hatch be built. It was a bad idea.

Here's how it should be:



Are we on the same page now?

Tony

[italianub]

Here's how it should be:



Are we on the same page now?

Ahhh! Ok I understand now, so yes! We are on the same page now that I've caught up

So if this is how it should be, it seems I can't really have a perfectly vertical hatch, since there wouldn't be anything holding the weight aside the hinge and side latches.

I'll have to think about what I'll do now, maybe similar to the angled hatches that I've posted above where it has some support from the walls at the angle.

[tony.latham]

So if this is how it should be, it seems I can't really have a perfectly vertical hatch...

There are much better ways to build a teardrop-type camper--in my opinion.

You can see the rain gutter on the right wall in this video:

https://youtu.be/5t_Ujc6oEl0?si=veORiSFXG0nWAC6T

I think it's a big deal. And yes, my hatch rests on the walls.

Tony

[italianub]

How does this look?

82 3/4" from outside front wall to bulkhead (2 3/4" thick front wall)
28" from galley hinge to outside galley door with the angle
30" from rear frame to galley angle on the rear (not referenced in pencil in the photo below)
2" thick galley door "1/4" ply - 1 1/2" supports/insulation - 1/4" ply"
not pictured are the spacers. I'll be using the same diagram that is in Tony's book pg. 132

hinge: centaflex hinge, as noted in the original post, it will extend 1" over each side
seal: D seal to compress
gutter: there will be a gutter, like in Tony's where the inner galley wall extends slightly above where the galley door rests
blocking: not pictured is additional blocking between the spars
The door will sit on the angle and protrude 2" off the frame to form a good seal

[tony.latham]

How does this look?

That'll work fine. But you don't need two layers of 1/4". It's too heavy. 1/8" Baltic birch is fine and frankly, it's probably just as strong as 1/4" AC plywood--especially since it's supported with foam board.

And I think it'll look much better than a flatback.

Tony

[italianub]

That'll work fine. But you don't need two layers of 1/4". It's too heavy. 1/8" Baltic birch is fine and frankly, it's probably just as strong as 1/4" AC plywood--especially since it's supported with foam board.

Awesome! Thanks once again for your insight!

I was watching another build and this guy has a much shorter angle, do you think I can edit mine a bit to get in between my angle and his? His door sits on the floor though, which as noted, I will not do

[twisted lines]

Picture I have not found was as you are posting,
Two Diamond plate doors 20"- 24" up from the bottom hinged outside looked very nice.
"upgrade from win 7 is rough"

[italianub]

I drew out the connections, I think I fully understand everything now, but please let me know if I misunderstood something

The first image is how the hinge will look with the hatch and roof connection (angled), but there will be some additional spacings needed on the ends where the hatch will sit on the walls

The second image is right out of your book, Tony, but with some colors and extra labels for my brain to understand

I added a third image of a newer drawing with a less-steep angle, hopefully it'll work







I also found a video of someone building a very similar (if not the same) hatch as in your book, Tony - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QEshSS ... =5Towaways