How to build a Kaboodle cabinet around a hot water tank?

[LeopoldProjects]

Hello,

I am building a kaboodle kitchenette. 

The corner cabinet is to have a hot water tank inside it. 

The drip pan/tray is the same depth as the cabinet. Meaning I can't install a kickboard. 

What are my options here?

I didn't even think of this been an issue. 

I really would like to have the same kickboard look across the whole kitchenette. 

Someone said I could pack out the back of the kitchenette to bring the cabinet forward. 

 

[Jason]

Looks like a terrific project @LeopoldProjects.

Let me tag some members to kick off the discussion: @Nailbag, @Adam_W and @TedBear.  

Thanks,

Jason

[Nailbag]

Hi @LeopoldProjects could you please send through another photo further back showing the entire front of the hot water service and drip tray..

Nailbag

[TedBear]

Hi @LeopoldProjects , 

If you can get the kitchen top made a bit deeper than the cabinets, then I'd go for the option of fitting the cabinets a bit out from the wall (as you have had suggested elsewhere). We did that in our kitchen because we wanted a deeper working surface than standard tops (that match standard cabinet depth) offered.

[LeopoldProjects]

There you go. @Nailbag 

[LeopoldProjects]

Hi @TedBear  How did you go about fitting the cabinets out from the wall?  
I was thinking about using 2 x 16mm melamine panels together against the the wall first then attach cabinet to that.  

There is a power point I will need to cut a hole for to access.  And also holesaw holes for the pipes to sink.  So if I do this idea, I would have to cut through 3 panels of melamine (kaboodle back panel plus 2 x melamine panels used to bring cabinet forward. 

What are your thoughts on that? 

There may be a better way which I'd be keen to hear about.  

[Dave-1]

Good Morning @LeopoldProjects 

From the first photo I had presumed the hot water tank and cupboards were allready insitu.

I was thinking about reducing the size of the tray for the hot water tank and espicially now that it is on its own. (Have a new one made or modify the one that is there)

Same width just 5omm shorter and then your kickboard can be put in.

Dave

[LeopoldProjects]

Yes I would love to shorten the tray.  Would make life so much easier.  Would have to modify the one there but I have no idea on how to do that. 

[Dave-1]

Afternoon @LeopoldProjects 

There are two ways you could do it. Yourself or a metal fabricator.

Yourself-

Grab a piece of paper and while sitting in front of the tray (even before removing it) figure out how the corners would fold to creat the box. Fold your paper and cut the tabs then see if your idea works. Once happy then you have the steps to physically do it

Empty the tank then remove the tank from the tray. (mainly because doing it with the tank on top would be problematic.)

Then using a thin wheeled grinder cut the tabs you have figured from your cut paper tray. 

First step - Using two pieces of timber with the edge of the tray that needs to be folded up and some clamps along the length of the timber.

Second step - Plus another piece of timber clambed down over the aluminuim container on the bench so it wont shift.

Third step - Using the clamps and the two pieces of timber for the edge of the new box, fold them up to form a new right angle

Fourth step - Fold the "tabs" at right angles so they wrap around the side. 

Fifth step - Pop rivit the tab to the old side and silastic.

Metal Fabricator

Take a photo of the tray plus the size you want the box to be down to your local welder/metal manufacturer/engineering workshop located in the nearest light industrial area (the ones near me even have bits of metal fabrication out front so you know what they do )

Dave

[LeopoldProjects]

I was hoping there would be a way to shorten tray without removing tank.  As it is all plumbed in.  I don't plan to move it. 
Hence why I was going down the route of bringing the cabinets forward to allow a kickboard in front of the drip tray.