Date:         Wed, 6 Mar 2002 18:07:25 -0800
Reply-To:     developtrust <developtrust@COX.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         developtrust <developtrust@COX.NET>
Subject:      Port-a-potty and storage box prototype
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I made a combo port-a-potty and storage box prototype today.

We have all heard about thinking outdside the box. Today I was thinking
outside the loaf about a box for inside the loaf (ie. vanagon.)

I try not to throw anything away that might have value later.

I've been planning to make a box to put between the driver and passenger
seat to use with a pillow on top for another seat up front.

Today in my shop I noticed a one foot wide piece of 3/8" plywood left over
from another project. I decided to make my box. Measurements 14" long by 11
& 3/4 inches wide so it would fit between the emergency brake and passenger
seat easily and 12 inches high. I cut 4 corner braces to screw the plywood
into and began assembly. I put a top and bottom on my box then cut a hand
hole in the top.

Then I remembered making a box in high school with a hinged top so I marked
down 1 & 1/2 inches from the top all the way around and asked my neighbor if
I could use his table saw. In a few minutes the top was cut off all around.
Off to Home Depot to buy hinges and a draw catch. After cutting down the
thickness of the hinges for a proper tight top fit in their location I
assembled it all. The box fit perfectly and with a small pillow made a
perfect extra seat between the driver and passenger seat up front.

Then when putting my tools away I spotted an old toilet seat. I remembered
seeing on the vanagon.com site somewhere that one of our list members used
plastic bags inside a home made potty with a toilet seat placed on top a
large bucket for camping in out of the way places.

I thought that if I chopped the seat to fit inside the box and lowered the
corner braces by the thickness of the toilet then this box could double as
an emergency port-a-potty. Off I went to work on my prototype. I thought
that some ingenuity and a few strong plastic bags and extra bag ties would
provide some convenience when we could not stop at a motel or campground.

If anyone is interested in seeing photos of my prototype combo storage box
and port-a-potty I have posted photos on my temporary web page at:
http://members.cox.net/holisticdream/temporary.htm

All my special box needs now is some wood filler for all my mistakes and a
coat of paint.

William Polowniak
1989 Vanagon GL
1988 Mercedes 300 SE