Plywood kitchens

[nuthermug]

I have recently bought a new c/t and Iam now looking to put a slideout kithen in it I was looking at plywood kitchens, Drifta and any other that I could track down.
I have been told by a fellow camper that plywood kitchens after about 5 years start to loosen up there joints start to come apart and has advised me to get a steel kitchen.
Has anybody had a plywood/drifta kitchen for a length of time and can verify this or is it just more b/s.
I have a drop down tailgate so it has to be a pullout.
     
     Thanks nuthermug

[D4D]

Sounds like bs to me, Luke builds a very good unit and stands behind his product.

[ivan]

I made my own ply slide out kitchen similar to drifta and used the same quality ply.Their gear is good and they would already be out of business if their product only lasted 5yrs.There are heaps of ply diy kitchens around but the difference in materails is quiet varied hence some don't last.

[nuthermug]

I recon you are proberbly right D4D but he was refering to all plywood kithcens not just Driftas allthough I only know off 1 other

[nuthermug]

Thanks for your reply Ivan, I would like to build my own  but i recon it would take to long,
like you I think I would have heard if Drifta kitchens had any problems by now ,they have been around for awhile.

[Symon]

I built my own plywood kitchen 3 years ago, and it has survived 2 Cape York trips and a dozen others.

And I suck at cabinet making, I am sure a professionally made unit like a Drifta will last for ages.

[camperd4d]

we just bought this.

unreal product cant wait to use it on a trip,have a look on the drifta web site,we end up geeting one of the speciels and saved a couple $100 on this .

very happy with there service as well

[GeeTee]

I have Drifta product as standard in my GT Campers
Two of these kitchens have done about 60,000km each; one in a trailer under conditions of unaldulterated abuse such as being airborne, jumped through quarries etc, then Flinders, Binns, Vic High Country, Western Qld, Simpson etc. The other one in my Hilux although not abused like the trailer kitchen, usually does 1000km a week and 5-10 nights per month of actual use.. they both show the signs of a 'life well lived' with various dents and etc, but are structurally 100 percent with no component let-downs. However - and any boatie will agree - being timber, it doesn't like being wet.

Drifta: terrific stuff   

[Mr Ploppy]

We have just purchased the Drifta DPOR and as others have said it is a quality piece of kit.

[Bill]

Our drifts was a little over 3 years old when we upgraded camper trailers.
It still looked great.
I believe maintenance is the key to making it last.
All we did was wipe it down if anything was spilled on it.
And gave it a good cleaning and dry before packing it away.
I could not give a high enough reccomendation for Luke and his team at Drifta.
Bill and Morag

[kylarama]

I have been told by a fellow camper that plywood kitchens after about 5 years start to loosen up there joints start to come apart and has advised me to get a steel kitchen.

As a carpenter/joiner that statement is 100% true...IF!

you use
The wrong materials.
The wrong fixings / glues.
The wrong construction methods.

A well built one should last a lifetime.

boats have been built from plywood for many many years and they are subjected to far greater punishment and weather than a camp kitchen would ever be.

[Hairs]

@ kylarama
X2.
The 6 P's
Proper
Preparation
Prevents
P155
Poor
Performance.

[kranky al]

our drifta is 8 years old now and has done a lap of aus - a heap of camping trips and survived stuff that other parts of the camper havnt - such as the drawbar.  last year it got sanded and revarnished and it looks and feels quite literally brand new.

[LB]

We have a drifta car back and it is probably the first time I have bought something off a website before seeing it in real life that actually exceeded my expectations. You have to see their products in the flesh to understand how well made they are. The kitchen will probably out live the trailer!!!!!!!

[GeeTee]

@ kylarama
X2.
The 6 P's
Proper
Preparation
Prevents
P155
Poor
Performance.

That is terrific - I'm gunna write PPPPPP on my wall next to KISS: keep it simple, silly

[nuthermug]

I think the evidence is overwhelming a I think a DPOR is what I will get.

Thanks for your respons.

[nuthermug]

Iallso forgot to ask, does anyone with a drifta DPOR find it a bother having to put up the swing out table if you are only stopping for a short while like just a brew or sanger.

[Mr Ploppy]

Iallso forgot to ask, does anyone with a drifta DPOR find it a bother having to put up the swing out table if you are only stopping for a short while like just a brew or sanger.

It probably only takes an extra 30 seconds so depends how much of a hurry you are in  .

[Bird]

I have a drop down tailgate so it has to be a pullout.

Thats easy to change too.

[GeeTee]

Iallso forgot to ask, does anyone with a drifta DPOR find it a bother having to put up the swing out table if you are only stopping for a short while like just a brew or sanger.

if you are tallking of the return table/bench and shelf that is stored as a cap and side on the rest of the kitchen - then yes, it means you must remove these items to access the kitchen, whether you intend to set them up or not

[nuthermug]

Sorry for the late reply, yes GeeTee Ithink thats what I am talking about, the same as camper4d has posted. My question was how much of a pain it is to unfold when you dont realy need to would it be better to get the DPO and just use a fold up table when you need the extra space.

[GeeTee]

Sorry for the late reply, yes GeeTee Ithink thats what I am talking about, the same as camper4d has posted. My question was how much of a pain it is to unfold when you dont realy need to would it be better to get the DPO and just use a fold up table when you need the extra space.

you've got it!
The DPOR is great for standing camps of a few days or more

[nuthermug]

Thanks

[camperd4d]

NO pain with the extra bench on the DPOR ,its easier to leave it of,just leave the extra benches in the trailer,again it only take an extra 30secs to put it up.