Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 09, 2025 ...

Liftup Table Redo

July 06, 2021, 10:31:00 pm

Got to the point where I just couldn't stand to look at the top of the lift-up table cabinet.
The clear sealer was no longer clear and was down to spots that looked like scabs all over. The sealer had deteriorated to the point that I could use a dull knife to just scrape it off the radius edges.
I took the entire cabinet assembly apart and sanded down the cabinet top and the two other decorative pieces on top.
Wow, the walnut grain that came out was absolutely beautiful!! Made the entire chore worth doing. No stain, but just clear glass sealer and the wood grain popped out and the top now shines like it is glass covered.
I haven't put anything back yet as I still need to clear seal the two top pieces.
I moved the electrical outlet down near the wheel well up to 3-1/2" from the cabinet top, made the lower existing opening the junction box, and then added another outlet up on the other end of the cabinet so the DW would have power for her "stuff".
I then used my Wood Doctor treatment on the entire cabinet and now it looks like brand new furniture!.
Duh, didn't take pictures of before starting the project but will try to coerce the DW into taking some after I get the complete assembly back in the coach.

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Re: Liftup Table Redo

Reply #1 – July 11, 2021, 12:28:18 pm

Well, here are some pics. They don't do justice in the difference between old and redone, but here they are.
You might notice that now there is an outlet next to the recliner, along with one on the coach forward side, at the same height.

Also--again, no pics, but I just finished getting rid of the bottom step carpet just inside the entry door. It was filthy, looked like it spent its life inside a dog coop, so it was time.
I pulled the carpet up (lots of staples) to reveal a 1/2" thick piece of marine hardwood screwed to the fiberglass floor. Needless to say, but ALL five screws were quite rotted. One in each corner and one in the center.
Seeing as how this is the "entry" step I thought it appropriate to make the replacement removable for cleaning. And the new cover material had to be durable.
So off to Home Depot (and others) we went. Mary found an 18"x30" black rubber door mat with raised squares,
I removed the aluminum angle on the kick plate, removed the SH**** blue shag carpet and then glued/screwed a 3/8" thick x about 3" piece of treated wood to the vertical face. Then filled the gap on top so there was something for the four new  screws to hold the aluminum angle in place. The 3/8" wood was really a filler for the shag carpet.
Then I cut the door mat so the flatted 30" side ( now cut to 25-3/4")would be up and the bottom edge would be 3/8" from the floor of the compartment
Then I cut eight squares off one edge and glued/stapled them evenly distributed on what would be the bottom side of the board.
I had to cut the board to 7-15/16 wide x 25-3/4" because I wanted to be able to remove it for cleaning.
I then cut the remainder of the door mat to 8" wide x 25-3/4" with the flat angled edge on. This edge just fits inside the metal door frame and ended up perfectly level! I hot glued and stapled this mat in place.
Oh, I used a  black felt tip marker to blacken the white edges of the mat and the backs of the staples after installation.
I then laid my nice clean Foretravel Logo rubber mat on top.
Couple of pictures to follow later, if anyone is interested.

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Re: Liftup Table Redo

Reply #2 – July 11, 2021, 01:38:45 pm

Wow, I just looked at the pics I posted.
I swear the cabinet looks a 100 times better than the pics. I notice pixels all over and they make the wood finish look bad.
An Ernie I am not!! And I do not have his skills, craftsmanship and knowledge. But I am pleased with how the cabinet came out  for a 32 year old coach.
I was an engineer and not a craftsman. My forte was coming up with ways to make things work.
For example:
If you ride a Harley, the disc brake calipers were made on my machine.
If you were a Warthog pilot in The wars I was the plant engineer that made the GAU8 30MM aluminum cartridge cases for the Gatling gun.
If you fired any 20MM brass rounds we made a million of them per month.
If you have a fridge, freezer, or air conditioner with the MCI refrigerant pump inside, I quoted, designed, and built the 1.5 million dollar machine for MCI.
If you drive a Cadillac the exhaust manifolds were done on my machines.
If you drive a Jeep, the shift forks--well, you know.
I could design but not much more than a wood butcher.

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Re: Liftup Table Redo

Reply #3 – July 11, 2021, 04:40:55 pm

OK, here are the pics of the step modification. We had to wait until the sun shown in the door (3:15 PM)

I had thought about just using glue to adhere the Foretravel mat in place and painting the visible wood black but the sh**** blue shag carpet on the vertical kick plate kept shedding little bits of carpet over the years so I thought to get rid of it and now I have something that looks better.

Ernie I ain't, but Rube Goldberg I am. HA HA.

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Re: Liftup Table Redo

Reply #4 – July 11, 2021, 05:37:40 pm

Ok, here is a picture of the old blue shedding sh**** shag carpet that was on the bottom entry step and the kick plate.
I shampooed this piece every year that we owned the coach and it still would turn this color if it got wet.

On my previous post there is the pic with the squares on the bottom.
Three purposes: One was to raise the board and the new black mat up to the metal sill height to eliminate a trip hazard. Two was to allow air and water to get under the board. Three was to provide a "welcome" mat for people to wipe their feet on and that I could clean easily.
Don't most houses have a "wipe your feet welcome mat" outside the entry door? Now we do!

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Re: Liftup Table Redo

Reply #5 – July 15, 2021, 08:30:59 am

Found out why the carpet was always getting wet.
Some dumbass (no names here, please) and NOT me, had put weatherstripping across the bottom of the door, just inside the outer skin. So if water did get inboard of that weatherstripping it had no way to get out so the water went inboard into the carpet.
I laid on my back before this last deluge and cut a 1" wide piece out of the weatherstripping from the doorskin to the inside of the door.
Went out this morning and just a small "puddle" about 1/2" wide and 14" long starting from the latch side and going forward. Latch side vertical frame had some drops on it below the latch.
Before--the water couldn't get out. Now--I gave it a way out.

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Re: Liftup Table Redo

Reply #6 – July 16, 2021, 06:13:54 pm

Yeah that's why it's called a wet step. No accounting for previous owners, or current owners doing. I know that the next person that buys my coach will say the same thing what was he thinking?
When I redid my steps I use Chuck's method with King starboard. And I used this stuff that had traction already built into it but failed to see or really pay attention to the end of his post where he said he wish he had to use the traction stuff because of the dirt. It is very difficult to clean but it does give you a solid step even when wet. Didn't have carpeting in my coach except for in the bedroom and I couldn't wait to get rid of that. Not sure why foretravel thought that carpet in these coaches was a good idea. Guess it was just a sign of the times.

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