'62 Shasta compact - sliding doors question

[Deleted]

Working on my '62 Shasta compact and am stumped. Do you have any idea what sort of material people use for the sliding doors on the “wavy” shelf above the kitchenette? Even luan appears to be too thin to bypass on the track . . . I’d like to do mine using the same Formica I’m using on the countertop, but by itself it would be too flimsy. Any suggestions?

[65callie]

Ours had the original Formica (that matched counter and table) for sliders. The old Formica was thick enough to work. We are going to use the new Formica as sliders but haven't gotten it yet to see how thin it is. Not sure what will be thin enough to back it with either.

[Hamlet]

We used hardboard to back the formica on Hamlet's doors. We also used it for the table over the table frame. I think it was 1/8".

[65callie]

What glue did you use to secure Formica to hardboard?

[Hamlet]

It's contact cement. You put it on both surfaces and let it sit until "dry" then carefully lat the Formica on the wood. Then roll the heck out of it to seal the two surfaces together. It's like a lot of handyperson stuff, it takes a bit of skill, but mostly patience and precision.

[cowcharge]

Ditto on the hardboard ("Masonite"). It's got a very hard, flat, machined surface, great for mating with Formica. And ditto on the rolling after cementing, with lots of pressure and very, very thin, uniform coats of cement so it doesn't set up into a lumpy joint under the Formica. Contact cement doesn't flow to equalize itself like wood glue does when you clamp it, so it'll only be as smooth as you put it on.

The original bathroom walls in my '76 were factory formica-ed masonite, and it was still in quite good shape (though it had a very ugly, grannyish pattern on it). Interestingly, Danilectro guitars from the 50s and 60s are made of masonite with a formica-ish surface too, and they last a long time too (Page and Costello are two notable Danilectro players. Rebuilding my brother's taught me how to get a real nice paint job with spray cans).

For anyone who isn't using the actual matching Formica on the sliders, Home Depot sells a hardboard panel with a smooth white semi-gloss surface, that could be painted. I think it's 1/8" or 3/16", probably metric 3 or 4 mm. I used the version with a fake white tile pattern to replace the old granny-couch-cover bathroom walls.

[65callie]

Thanks so much for all the helpful info!

[Deleted]

Yes, thanks to all!!

[mobiltec]

In my Deville I found that I could glue formica over the old sliders using contact cement. Of course that made it a little too thick for the wooden tracks. So I just used a belt sander and sanded down the back side one inch up and one inch down untill the sliders were again the right thickness to slip into the tracks. Worked great.

[capnjonny]

A couple tips about veneering with Formica.

Formica comes in 2 thicknesses. The vertical grade is thinner and cheaper and not meant for counter tops. The best contact cement for laminating is 3M spray 90. Green can. Once you use it you will not want to use anything else. It drys within 1 minute and has an adjustable nozzle so you can vary the spray width. I reface kitchen cabinets for a living (along with making custom cabinets) and that is the only contact cement I will use. For clean up of over spray 3M citrus base cleaner is the best out there. It is also great for cleaning the contact cement that clogs up laminate trimmer bits. I spray it on the guide bearing of the bit before I start trimming and again after I finish.

When you laminate a large surface get some 1/2" dowels or wood scraps and place between the 2 surfaces close enough together that the veneer can't sag and touch the mating surface. align the veneer ( try to leave at least 1" extra material all the way around) and then start at one end removing the dowel and press the 2 pieces together pulling out the dowls as you work from one end to the other. After the veneer is laid down take a smooth piece of 3/4" plywood and a hammer and moving the wood around , tap sharply on iit with the hammer. If you have a good rubber mallet use that without the board.

[Gone Kayaking]

Great formica commentary.

I did something different with my sliders up there. I went to tap plastics and bought some pearl translucent acrylic for the doors and the panel between the oven and the dinette. Here's a picture. I'm hoping to put some led lighting strips in the cabinets so they will glow at night. this picture make them look yellowish, they are really a kind of pearly wavy white

i96.photobucket.com/albums/l189/benmy/Shasta%20Restoration%20pics/Camping%20with%20Aguadream%202012/2012CacheCreekRaces007.jpg

[Hamlet]

Cool!

[Deleted]

We tried these ideas and they didn't work for what I have (!), but we did find a solution. So now I can add to the number of solutions on this issue - and thank you all for your suggestions, because it helped us arrive there.

What we wound up doing: One door has two sheets of Formica (glued) and the other just one layer. Two doors with two layers wouldn't fit, two doors with one layer was too flimsy. It sounds strange, but I promise it was the best fit. So if anyone else out there runs out of options, there's another one to try!