Landmark drawer construction

[MrRvGypsy]

No glue and very short staples caused the brace across the bottom of the lower drawer to break away. some Gorilla glue and half a dozen wood screws fixed the issue. I am going to re-inforce all pantry drawer bottom with pieces of 1x3 across at the front and the back of the drawers glued and stapled to the sides, back and front as well as a couple extra staples in the drawer frames corners to ensure no further failures.
Already glued and stapled the bottom of the cutlery drawer as the bottom was bowing down and knives were sliding from one compartment to the next.
Simply a matter of too little time and not enough materials used to build with better quality, plus we all want 38-40ft full height luxury appointed fifthwheel with all sorts of features for under 15k lbs and under 80K dollars.
I considered, but could not bring myself to spend 120K plus for a DRV or many 10's of thousands more still for a New Horizon or Continental Coach plus whatever it would cost for a F450 or bigger truck to pull it.
As a result my expectations are realistic and pragmatic of what I expect out of my new Landmark.
That said I have zero systems or appliance issues so. Full bodied paint quality is excellent and fit and finish rival or surpasses Heartland competition. I just wish the drawer and cabinet construction could be just a bit better.
Not to hijack the thread but pay attention to the outer seals on the bedroom slides. Mine must all be replaced as the paint shop got solvent on them and they all are badly perished and tearing.
The factory has already approved the replacement and it's going in June 2nd.

 

[kakampers]

Thanks for the heads up...I was wondering what was happening to my slide seals. I will contact Heartland about this....

 

[boatto5er]

Oddly enough, our pots and pan drawer is holding together just fine. The silverware drawer had to be reinforced.


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[dave10a]

It appears as though RV manufacturers have confused limiting weight with cutting corners when they design trailers. Their trade off in design seems to put priority in cutting corners and cost over decreasing weight in a conscientious manner. Then there is quality control or lack of it which puts a burden on the owner to drag their trailer to a repair facility to get warranty work performed. I dare say that many owners do their own repairs to avoid the inconvenience and cost of travel while the manufacturer gets off free of labor charge. It would be nice if the manufacturer paid for their labor at a fair rate rather than simply supplying the part under warranty.

 

[porthole]

There is a big difference between production line workmanship and a cabinet maker doing custom work. I've made several cabinetry projects for our home and they don't get built in a day.

Nor could we afford if they were custom.

But, a little glue would go along way towards keeping everything together. Staples are OK until you start racking things - and rolling earthquakes ...............

 

[JohnDar]

A decent wood glue application would make for very strong joints. Done properly, the glue joint is as strong or stronger than the wood around it. Pins and staples are only to hold the joint together until the glue dries (if you don't use clamps).

 

[JBDB]

Thanks all for your input. I like the Landmark and will most likely purchase. I also will take the trip to the southern minn dealer to look over a unit, maybe gather some ideas on how to reinforce the drawer boxes in the galley only since this is the area of most use and weight while full timing. Maybe the fac will change the spec to the supplier to build better quality drawers for their flag ship, Landmark.

 

[JanAndBill]

Excuse me but you need to visit the "Amish country" before remarking the Amish do not use power tools. In fact they do and most definitely turn out quality products/furniture. What needs said here is that the results found within our rv 's is dependent upon the building materials used in construction not necessarily the "craftsman".


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Obviously like many things, the ways of the world have taken their toll, in the years since I was dealing with the Amish in PA. However, the use of the term "Amish Craftsmanship" implies a certain level of craftsmanship that is obviously not in use. Granted the demands of a production line might prevent the use of some methods of joinery but there are "specialized" bits and tooling that will create secure mechanical joints that when combined with glue are equally as strong, and wouldn't significantly add to the cost of production, or incur addtional weight. If I were buying the low end model of a manufacturer, I could expect corners to be cut, but if I'm buying the "top of the line", I believe I should have a right to expect a better quality throughout.

 

[wdk450]

As I posted before, I buy these in packs of 20 at H/D, and have screws to go with them. I just stocked up on Gorilla glue, too. I trust a screw a lot more than a nail or staple against pull-out.

 

[Birchwood]

We have been living in our landmark for the last 5 years and the drawers are like new!