Barn Door for JK factory hardtops
- Thread starter jscherb
- Start date
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Thank you. It may get to market, I've had expressions of interest from two different companies already.
Stay tuned, I'll be fabricating the clip-on Molle panel next.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
The attachment system for the table has other uses, for example this Molle panel that I made yesterday.
A full height panel could be made but I made this one narrow so it can fit above the table, it might be useful to hold pouches with cooking supplies handy for use at the table.
Or the Molle panel alone without the table.
In this photo, I've attached an Overland Outfitters Cutlery Keeper to the Molle panel., very handy when preparing meals at the table.
The Molle panel clips on the same way the table does.
A full height panel could be made but I made this one narrow so it can fit above the table, it might be useful to hold pouches with cooking supplies handy for use at the table.
Or the Molle panel alone without the table.
In this photo, I've attached an Overland Outfitters Cutlery Keeper to the Molle panel., very handy when preparing meals at the table.
The Molle panel clips on the same way the table does.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
While I was working on the tailgate table I got to thinking about the small plastic vent on the side of the latch bump-out on the inside of the tailgate. I believe that vent is there because an access hole is needed to install/remove the latch and it isn't really required for any venting purpose. So I started thinking of other ways to cover the access hole.
I started by making a cover plate from 16-gauge steel; the plate attaches securely to the tailgate with 4 screws and no drilling or modification to the tailgate. Here's a plate (unpainted in this photo):
Might be a good place for a fire extinguisher - most of the fire extinguisher mounts I've seen for Jeeps attach to the roll bar, which seems like a good place to put one, except when you've got the back of the Jeep loaded for an expedition - kitchen, fridge, camping gear, etc., all of that could make the extinguisher awkward to reach in an emergency. An extinguisher mounted on the tailgate might be more accessible:
I have a few other ideas for using this plate, a spigot could be mounted there (this is a photo-edit):
Could be handy to have water right next to the tailgate table. There's a clear path inside the tailgate for running a hose from the spigot to the outside of the tailgate, where the hose could be connected to a Rotopax or similar to provide a gravity-feed water supply. There's actually enough room inside the tailgate for a small water pump if more pressure was needed than could be supplied by gravity feed. The pumps I've been using for the Trail Kitchen can draw water from 6' below the pump, so with a pump the rear bumper could be used for the water supply.
It would also be possible to run the hose out of the tailgate inside the Jeep, then the water supply could be kept on an Overhead Molle panel; a 4-gallon Rotopax can be mounted there and that way it would be out of the sun so the water might stay cooler.
I started by making a cover plate from 16-gauge steel; the plate attaches securely to the tailgate with 4 screws and no drilling or modification to the tailgate. Here's a plate (unpainted in this photo):
Might be a good place for a fire extinguisher - most of the fire extinguisher mounts I've seen for Jeeps attach to the roll bar, which seems like a good place to put one, except when you've got the back of the Jeep loaded for an expedition - kitchen, fridge, camping gear, etc., all of that could make the extinguisher awkward to reach in an emergency. An extinguisher mounted on the tailgate might be more accessible:
I have a few other ideas for using this plate, a spigot could be mounted there (this is a photo-edit):
Could be handy to have water right next to the tailgate table. There's a clear path inside the tailgate for running a hose from the spigot to the outside of the tailgate, where the hose could be connected to a Rotopax or similar to provide a gravity-feed water supply. There's actually enough room inside the tailgate for a small water pump if more pressure was needed than could be supplied by gravity feed. The pumps I've been using for the Trail Kitchen can draw water from 6' below the pump, so with a pump the rear bumper could be used for the water supply.
It would also be possible to run the hose out of the tailgate inside the Jeep, then the water supply could be kept on an Overhead Molle panel; a 4-gallon Rotopax can be mounted there and that way it would be out of the sun so the water might stay cooler.
SBSYNCRO
Well-known member
Neat idea. That would actually work very well with the foot-pump water system I put together (detailed here) . Since those photos were taken, I've upgraded the tubing to silicone (more flexible), shortened the copper tube, and made a magnetic bracket for the "faucet" so that it sticks to the swing-out tire carrier. It would attach perfectly to the metal plate you've created (assuming its not stainless). Super handy location.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
MORryde is making some product progress now that they're somewhat back to work after the quarantine, they sent me a preproduction Overhead Lockbox to test. It's basically the Overhead Molle product with an added lockbox.
The lockbox door has flush locking latches:
A video of it in operation:
In this photo the LockBox is stowed.
They tell me it'll be available very soon. Works in a JKU with either a hardtop or soft top. No drilling.
They also have released several new Trail Kitchen options. I wrote a while back about the new version of the kitchen that has a stove tray instead of a drawer under the fridge. The tray fits many two-burner stoves. This version of the kitchen is less expensive than the drawer version. I can't recall exactly but I think they told me it's about $100 less than the original Trail Kitchen. I took this photo in their lab just before the quarantine, there's no stove on the tray but you can get the idea.
And they've released a new larger fridge tray which works with either version of the Trail Kitchen. The new tray is roughly 18" x 25" and fits larger fridges such as the Dometic 65 qt.
I've got a call with them on Monday to discuss progress on other products so maybe I'll have more to report then.
The lockbox door has flush locking latches:
A video of it in operation:
In this photo the LockBox is stowed.
They tell me it'll be available very soon. Works in a JKU with either a hardtop or soft top. No drilling.
They also have released several new Trail Kitchen options. I wrote a while back about the new version of the kitchen that has a stove tray instead of a drawer under the fridge. The tray fits many two-burner stoves. This version of the kitchen is less expensive than the drawer version. I can't recall exactly but I think they told me it's about $100 less than the original Trail Kitchen. I took this photo in their lab just before the quarantine, there's no stove on the tray but you can get the idea.
And they've released a new larger fridge tray which works with either version of the Trail Kitchen. The new tray is roughly 18" x 25" and fits larger fridges such as the Dometic 65 qt.
I've got a call with them on Monday to discuss progress on other products so maybe I'll have more to report then.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
About a year ago, based on a suggestion from Donny (Rubicon91) I designed what I called the Cutlery Keeper, it's an accessory for tailgate tables like Outback Adventures Trailgater. Overland Outfitters picked up the design and they tell me it's been a good product for them. OK4wd liked it so much they lent me a JL Trailgater so I could do a version specifically for that table for them to sell. In this photo it's pictured with the JK Trailgater on Donny's tailgate (since the Cutlery Keeper was his idea he got the first production one from Overland Outfitters):
I haven't been able to fully use a Cutlery Keeper myself because I don't have a tailgate table - I've got a Storegate on my JKU tailgate. Today I realized that I could easily use one with suction cups on my Barn Door window:
With a table like the Trailgater the Cutlery Keeper would remain on the tailgate all the time because it fits behind the folded-up table, but if it's to be suction-cupped to a window it stores very nicely in an Overland Outfitters Rollbag strapped the roll bar:
Not many people have a barn door, but the hardtop side window is also a convenient place to hang a Cutlery Keeper at the campsite:
This gives me some other ideas for campsite accessories that use suction cups so I may be firing up the sewing machine soon to make some new campsite accessories.
I haven't been able to fully use a Cutlery Keeper myself because I don't have a tailgate table - I've got a Storegate on my JKU tailgate. Today I realized that I could easily use one with suction cups on my Barn Door window:
With a table like the Trailgater the Cutlery Keeper would remain on the tailgate all the time because it fits behind the folded-up table, but if it's to be suction-cupped to a window it stores very nicely in an Overland Outfitters Rollbag strapped the roll bar:
Not many people have a barn door, but the hardtop side window is also a convenient place to hang a Cutlery Keeper at the campsite:
This gives me some other ideas for campsite accessories that use suction cups so I may be firing up the sewing machine soon to make some new campsite accessories.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
In the photo in my last post showing the Cutlery Keeper on the barn door window also visible is a new holder I sewed for the fire extinguisher. I initially mounted the extinguisher with a commercial mount and it worked just fine but I decided to sew something a little nicer:
I designed it so that it can mount to a solid surface like the tailgate vent plates I've been working on, that's how it's mounted in the photo above, but it also has Molle straps in the back so it mounts on a Molle panel:
And it has provisions for straps to mount on a roll bar:
Seems to work pretty well in all of those locations.
I designed it so that it can mount to a solid surface like the tailgate vent plates I've been working on, that's how it's mounted in the photo above, but it also has Molle straps in the back so it mounts on a Molle panel:
And it has provisions for straps to mount on a roll bar:
Seems to work pretty well in all of those locations.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I'm still experimenting with uses for the access panel on the JK tailgate. Today I made a version with a grid of holes in it; the holes match up with commercial fire extinguisher mounts and also can be used for things like QuickFist clamps.
The grid:
A shovel mounted on QuickFist clamps:
Also I sewed a small Molle panel for the space:
Even with a tailgate table installed, there's still room for a fairly large Molle pouch, this is an Overland Outfitters First Aid bag:
Probably on my tailgate I'll keep a fire extinguisher mounted there, it's the only one of my 3 Jeeps that doesn't have an extinguisher and the most likely one for me to be cooking in so it needs an extinguisher.
The grid:
A shovel mounted on QuickFist clamps:
Also I sewed a small Molle panel for the space:
Even with a tailgate table installed, there's still room for a fairly large Molle pouch, this is an Overland Outfitters First Aid bag:
Probably on my tailgate I'll keep a fire extinguisher mounted there, it's the only one of my 3 Jeeps that doesn't have an extinguisher and the most likely one for me to be cooking in so it needs an extinguisher.
jadmt
ignore button user
did MORryde ever do anything with the auxiliary batter set up or is it dead in the water?MORryde is making some product progress now that they're somewhat back to work after the quarantine, they sent me a preproduction Overhead Lockbox to test. It's basically the Overhead Molle product with an added lockbox.
View attachment 600675
The lockbox door has flush locking latches:
View attachment 600676
A video of it in operation:
In this photo the LockBox is stowed.
View attachment 600674
They tell me it'll be available very soon. Works in a JKU with either a hardtop or soft top. No drilling.
They also have released several new Trail Kitchen options. I wrote a while back about the new version of the kitchen that has a stove tray instead of a drawer under the fridge. The tray fits many two-burner stoves. This version of the kitchen is less expensive than the drawer version. I can't recall exactly but I think they told me it's about $100 less than the original Trail Kitchen. I took this photo in their lab just before the quarantine, there's no stove on the tray but you can get the idea.
And they've released a new larger fridge tray which works with either version of the Trail Kitchen. The new tray is roughly 18" x 25" and fits larger fridges such as the Dometic 65 qt.
View attachment 600677
I've got a call with them on Monday to discuss progress on other products so maybe I'll have more to report then.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
The kitchen power/charging system is still an active project in MORryde engineering. The virus situation has really slowed things there but I expect they'll get back on it now that things are loosening up a bit.
The power/charging system actually will be offered by another company as well - when I designed the Trax Kitchen for Tentrax, I made a few minor mods to the power/charging system design to support kitchens in trailers, and Tentrax is expecting to release both the Trax Kitchen and accessories for it like the power/charging system fairly soon, so MORryde has to do it for the Tentrax release. I've already got the Trax Kitchen power connection installed on the bumper of my JKU, right next to the trailer connector...
The tongue mounted Trax Kitchen has similar electrical requirements to the Trail Kitchen - a fridge and a powered sink, so the power/charging system will be a great addition for both the Trax and Trail Kitchens (or both, as my JKU is configured).
Unfortunately I have virtually no control over the release dates for any of the companies that pick up things I design. It's frustrating and often makes me wonder why I bother to let companies pick up these products. Sometimes I think I should stop and just do projects for my own use.
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jscherb
Expedition Leader
I've posted before about the Cutlery Keeper, it's an accessory for tailgate tables that holds cutlery and cooking utensils; it mounts on the tailgate behind a tailgate table and with tables like the Outback Adventures Trailgater it stays in place when the table is stowed so the utensils are always there when the table is opened. Donny came up with the idea, I did the design and sewed a prototype for Donny to test, then Overland Outfitters picked it up and it's been one of their more popular products. A Cutlery Keeper in Donny's Jeep:
OK4wd asked me to do a version for the JL Trailgater, so they lent me a Trailgater and I sewed one specifically for the JL:
Since I have Storegates on my LJ and JKU tailgates I don't have space there for a Cutlery Keeper, so I keep one in an Overland Outfitters Rollbag and when I need it I can hang it on the hardtop window with suction cups:
Based on my use of the Cutlery Keeper I think an expanded configuration with pockets for other kitchen supplies could be useful so a new version is on my sewing table. It'll have pockets for cooking supplies/spices/etc as well as the same cutlery/utensil capacity. Work in progress:
I should have it completed in a day or two, more photos to come.
OK4wd asked me to do a version for the JL Trailgater, so they lent me a Trailgater and I sewed one specifically for the JL:
Since I have Storegates on my LJ and JKU tailgates I don't have space there for a Cutlery Keeper, so I keep one in an Overland Outfitters Rollbag and when I need it I can hang it on the hardtop window with suction cups:
Based on my use of the Cutlery Keeper I think an expanded configuration with pockets for other kitchen supplies could be useful so a new version is on my sewing table. It'll have pockets for cooking supplies/spices/etc as well as the same cutlery/utensil capacity. Work in progress:
I should have it completed in a day or two, more photos to come.