Welcome to the eighth entry in May’s Medium Mod Contest. One Medium Mod will be published in every Email Alert in May. At the end of the month, we’ll hold a reader vote to determine May’s winner. Click here for information about the 2022 Mod Contest, including how to enter.
Dave Sponable, Plattsburgh, New York
TV to Microwave Shelf
1990 Chevy R-3500
1995 Lance Lite 195
I purchased a 1995 Lance 195 in August of 2021. It is my fourth truck camper over the last 35-years. I had a 28-foot travel trailer for the last six years and I am glad to be back in a truck camper.
My camper doesn’t have a built-in microwave, which is fine with me because I prefer having storage space. As I was figuring out how to organize and maximize storage, I realized that the old-style TV shelf was not going to work for a new style TV, or much else for that matter.
I had a small microwave around, so I tried it on the shelf. It wasn’t stable and didn’t sit flat because of the design of the shelf. So, I moved on to doing some cleaning and organizing.
It hit me a little while later that I could build a shelf that would sit on top of the existing shelf to hold the microwave. There would be no loss of cabinet space and I could still have a microwave for those occasional times when I want one.
The shelf is made of two pieces of 1-inch by 6-inch by 18-inch pine and some narrow strips cut from the same stock. I measured the base of the microwave and used screws and glue to attach ends and cleats around three sides so that it would stay on the new shelf base.
I measured the original TV shelf and attached cleats on the bottom of the new shelf, leaving a little space so that felt pads could be applied to protect the original shelf and woodwork.
I then sewed a Coleman sleeping bag strap onto the original TV strap to make it was long enough to go around the new shelf and microwave.
The microwave works well right where it is and has stayed in place with no problems, even on some dirt roads. Also, the new shelf is easily removed, and no screws or holes were driven or drilled into the original shelf or woodwork.
The materials needed are three pieces of 1-inch by 6-inch by 18-inch pine (two for the shelf and one cut into strips to make the ends and cleats), twenty 1 1/4-inch screws, wood glue, one Coleman sleeping bag strap, and an assortment of felt pads.
It took me three hours to complete this modification and cost me nothing because I had all materials on hand. I would estimate that it would be about $18 if you had to purchase everything at Lowes. In my opinion, the skill level of this modification is medium due to tool use.
Disclaimer: The modifications above are submitted by Truck Camper Magazine readers. It is your responsibility to make sure that any do-it-yourself modification project you undertake is safe, effective, and legal for your situation.
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