Barry Griffin swaps his hob and sink covers for unbreakable versions
Finding myself at a loose end between trips, off work and not feeling the urge to brave the bitter cold doing any jobs on the outside of the ’van over the winter, I decided to solve the potential problem of breaking the glass hob and sink top.
I decided to go ahead with an upgrade that would take this worry away for good... and without breaking the bank.
The target was to replace the existing Smev 9222 glass panels with a suitable heat-resistant, unbreakable material that costs far less than replacement glass panels (£79 each!). I also decided to sell my glass versions on the usual online marketplace to recover the costs.
Having measured the glass thickness (4mm), I decided to go for 4.6mm aluminium chequerplate. I had already used this material in a number of places on the ’van when I converted it six years ago and it was still wearing well. I also felt the pattern effect would look less stark than plain metal.
I was able to purchase two suitable-sized plates measuring 300mm by 500mm and four new stainless-steel M8 x 16mm button-head bolts and nuts to replace the plastic ones used on the existing glass lids.
I removed the right-hand glass lid using a pair of long-nose electrical pliers to undo the plastic bolt heads (the nuts stay put as they sit in a recess). The lid is then an ideal template to overlay on the chequerplate and mark off the outline and holes with a Sharpie pen. If you position it correctly you will only have to cut two sides as the guillotine has already cut one right angle for you.
Use a suitable jigsaw with a metal blade to cut the remaining shape then file and sand the edges as smooth as possible. I used two types of file (rat tail and flat). It’s worth spending a bit of time doing this, so when you are cleaning it with a sponge or cloth they don’t get caught or snagged. The hinge bolt holes were drilled out at 8mm and the finger lift hole was
