E27 Drawer Style Refrigerator Install

[shard7]

Thrilled to finally have this done! I added a drawer style refrigerator and rebuilt & refinished the original drawer unit to fit below and around it. The bottom drawer had to be shortened and shaped to clear the hull lower down, but otherwise I was able to keep all of the storage space. And the fridge makes really good use of the extra depth higher up.

 

[Prairie Schooner]

This looks great! Nice job. Do you have a 'before' picture(s) you could share?

 

[Alan Gomes]

That's some mighty nice-looking varnish work you have on that boat!

 

[shard7]

This looks great! Nice job. Do you have a 'before' picture(s) you could share?

 

[shard7]

That's some mighty nice-looking varnish work you have on that boat!

Thank you! I used minwax 'gunstock' stain followed by 5-6 coats of spar urethane. Wet sanding with wet/dry sandpaper (600 grit, later 1000 grit) between coats 4, 5, and 6 is key to getting a really smooth finish.

 

[Prairie Schooner]

Thank you! I used minwax 'gunstock' stain followed by 5-6 coats of spar urethane. Wet sanding with wet/dry sandpaper (600 grit, later 1000 grit) between coats 4, 5, and 6 is key to getting a really smooth finish.

Thanks for the photos. Nicely repurposed. You could use that woodwork as a shaving mirror!

 

[Kenneth K]

Beautiful! Nice door/drawer handles, too. Got a link for those? How much work to get them to fit?

 

[gabriel]

Thank you! I used minwax 'gunstock' stain followed by 5-6 coats of spar urethane. Wet sanding with wet/dry sandpaper (600 grit, later 1000 grit) between coats 4, 5, and 6 is key to getting a really smooth finish.

It’s funny that you went with ‘gunstock’ as your choice of stain, as I also used the same (different brand) after concluding it was the closest match to the original.

What ISNT the same is the quality of the finished product: You sir have it going on! Very nice.

 

[stephenbonifield]

Very nice! I have a 74 E27 as well

 

[shard7]

Beautiful! Nice door/drawer handles, too. Got a link for those? How much work to get them to fit?

Thanks! The handles do require an oval-shaped recess that's about 3/8" deep and a bit wider than the handle recesses that Ericson machined originally. I made a template (I had a total of 8 to do!) and then used a router with a flush cutting bit to machine it out in 2-3 passes.

Before doing so, I poured about 1/4" of toughened epoxy into the bottom of the original recess and let that set up to help thicken and strengthen the back wall (it's less than 1/8" thick in places, and I was worried that the rear mounting screws might break through when pulling on the handle too hard)

But they're nice handles and worth the effort (and IMO easier than trying to sand and refinish inside the original handle recesses!)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01K7OFRWE

https://www.richelieu.com/us/en/cat...ecessed-metal-pull-870/1057675/sku-BP87096195

 

[shard7]

It’s funny that you went with ‘gunstock’ as your choice of stain, as I also used the same (different brand) after concluding it was the closest match to the original.

What ISNT the same is the quality of the finished product: You sir have it going on! Very nice.

View attachment 51944

Thank you! Yes, I saw gunstock mentioned in several posts here. It's a lovely color, not too dark with just enough red tone to bring out the beauty of the mahogany (old or new).

It amazes me that 50 year-old woodwork that's been sitting in boat it's entire life can be (fairly) easily refinished to look this nice. It's a testament to the quality materials that Ericson used.

 

[Angel D.]

Wow that's a great job, looks beautiful! Congratulations