Mounting 13" (Regular, Tube) TV

[Tirah]

Hi All,

I have a 13" tube television combination VCR that I'd like to mount somewhere in the trailer (too cheap to buy an LCD and already had this tube tv).

I was thinking of mounting it on one of the trailer walls or on the side of the fiberglass closet. Do you think the trailer walls/the fiberglass closet walls are structurally sound enough to mount something that heavy into it (using a tv-mount)? Has anyone else done this with a heavy tube tv?

Otherwise, I'm thinking of building some type of tv shelf out of 2x4's and some thin plywood for the dinette-bed area (almost like a very tiny "bunk" for the tv), on the side our feet go when sleeping, in that little curve in the corner (we've decided to keep that bed in bed-position at all times). Has anyone seen anything like this?

Thanks for all your input with my numerous silly questions, folks!

[Lance MacArthur]

This was my adaptation to the boler closet: tv, microwave, air conditioner and drawer. I put extra supports in the closet to hold the weight. The ac and tv are on heavy duty drawer slides.

We're looking for the right lcd tv, but since the feds are going to high def in 2009, I will wait for a 15-17" hd screen with a built-in dvd. There's a couple out now that are hd ready, but none that small have an hd tuner yet.

Have fun with your rennovations. I try to find a bunch every winter. Of course I'll have to keep the boler forever -- too much $$ invested to sell it.

[Tirah]

This was my adaptation to the boler closet: tv, microwave, air conditioner and drawer. I put extra supports in the closet to hold the weight. The ac and tv are on heavy duty drawer slides.

We're looking for the right lcd tv, but since the feds are going to high def in 2009, I will wait for a 15-17" hd screen with a built-in dvd. There's a couple out now that are hd ready, but none that small have an hd tuner yet.

Have fun with your rennovations. I try to find a bunch every winter. Of course I'll have to keep the boler forever -- too much $$ invested to sell it.

I'm trying to figure out how you manged to get an a/c, microwave, and tv into the closet cabinet! That gives me hope that maybe I can readjust everything in the closet to make room for the tv. All three of your closet appliances are just about the same size as ours. We didn't plan things very well when we put everything into the closet.

I hear ya' about not ever selling your Boler. I'd feel like charging 10 times what I paid (even though it would never really be worth that much)! I have a feeling will end up giving it to our kids when they're grown in 15/17 years (got that idea when I read about Jaye giving her son one of her trailers...so cool)!

[james kent]

Holly Molly!
No room for clothes

[Tirah]

Holly Molly!
No room for clothes

No kidding! We have two toddlers, plus ourselves, too. We do a lot of laundry with our bucket+plunger device!

[Frederick L. Simson]

I was thinking of mounting it on one of the trailer walls or on the side of the fiberglass closet. Do you think the trailer walls/the fiberglass closet walls are structurally sound enough to mount something that heavy into it (using a tv-mount)? Has anyone else done this with a heavy tube tv?

I am also too cheap to put something new into the trailer. Mine is a combo TV/VCR. I have an optional child's bunk that I attached the ceiling mount to the bottom of. I found a frame member (1" x 2") that I drilled the mounting holes [b]NEXT TO, BUT NOT THROUGH. Then I installed the bolts with [b]fender washers top & bottom that clamp around the lightweight frame, preventing splitting the wood with such large diameter bolts. The ceiling mount was designed to lag screw into a minimum 2" x 4" stud/joist.

The TV/VCR is too heavy to stay in place when travelling, I have found. I pack it in a tote bin that rides on the floor, and move it onto the mount when setting up camp.

[Tirah]

Attachment 6165

I am also too cheap to put something new into the trailer. Mine is a combo TV/VCR. I have an optional child's bunk that I attached the ceiling mount to the bottom of. I found a frame member (1" x 2") that I drilled the mounting holes [b]NEXT TO, BUT NOT THROUGH. Then I installed the bolts with [b]fender washers top & bottom that clamp around the lightweight frame, preventing splitting the wood with such large diameter bolts. The ceiling mount was designed to lag screw into a minimum 2" x 4" stud/joist.

The TV/VCR is too heavy to stay in place when travelling, I have found. I pack it in a tote bin that rides on the floor, and move it onto the mount when setting up camp.

Ooh, that's a great setup. I am thinking more about that shelf thing that you've done, except mine will be along the back wall with supports screwed into the bench seat edge- and much smaller in size (we have one of those huge fiberglass cabinets above the dinette). I'd love to put the tv in the closet, but I don't think I can make enough room.

I love how you put a map into the top of your table!

[Barbara Gardin]

We have put a shelf across the foot of the bed(which we leave up). It is very handy for other things as well. The TV rides elsewhere when on the move.

[BobB]

Here is our shelf in our Casita 17SD. It rests on a cleat below the window and 2 legs that extend to the fiberglas bench. The shelf is handy for preparing food, books, television or clothes. There is plenty of room for our feet below the shelf.

[Jeanne and Steve]

[quote]Here is our shelf in our Casita 17SD. It rests on a cleat below the window and 2 legs that extend to the fiberglas bench. The shelf is handy for preparing food, books, television or clothes. There is plenty of room for our feet below the shelf.
Attachment 6172

Bob,

Your shelf looks great! I think it may be the perfect answer to letting our dog sleep with us without continuing to give up precious space on an already too small bed. All it needs is a comfy cushion and a dog willing to stay on it all night!

Jeanne

[Lizbeth]

I built a shelf like Barbara's except mine has legs. It seems to work ok for the TV and misc. junk.

[Tirah]

Those shelves-over-dinettes you have all built are terrific. That's just what I was thinking of. Thanks for posting the pics- I can use them as a diagram for what I can build. You all are amazing in all the great mods you've done.

And I love the idea of building one for a dog bed. Makes me want to bring along my two cats as well as the dog (except where in the world would the litterbox go...eh).

[Barbara Gardin]

If you look closely Lizbeth you will see my shelf has legs also.

[Jeanne and Steve]

We have put a shelf across the foot of the bed(which we leave up). It is very handy for other things as well. The TV rides elsewhere when on the move.

Your shelf is very elegant Barbara! Is it attached in some way to your trailer? What did you make the legs out of?

Jeanne

[Lizbeth]

If you look closely Lizbeth you will see my shelf has legs also.

Ahhh, I see it does! Maybe I should paint mine to match the walls.

Mine has wooden legs. The one closest to the closet and the one on the back closest to the middle of the trailer are put on with hinges so they can be folded up if there is a need to remove and store the shelf. There is one more leg in the back curve of the trailer because without it the shelf was tippy. I pegged it so it was removeable.

Tirah, I made a pattern out of cardboard. That made fitting it a bit easier, it's not perfect but it works.

[Barbara Gardin]

To attach to the closet we used a length of 1"x1" bolted to the closet wall through a matching piece on the inside. We drilled 2 holes down through the shelf and this wood for bolts dropped in. This can be easily removed but keeps it steady. For legs we used some very thin pieces of metal and bent a small foot on the bottom.

[Jeanne and Steve]

Barbara - thanks for the details on how you made your shelf!


Jeanne

[Tirah]

That's a good idea to make a cardboard pattern, Lizbeth. I didn't see the legs on Barbara's shelf initially, either. That's totally what I had in mind. I love that you can't see the legs very easily, Barbara, really cool looking.

Now I'm thinking about other places I can put these types of shelves you have all built where there's still plenty of room for feet to go. This might even be a neat way to build some more cabinets, especially over in the bunk bed area where my kids sleep. Would love to store their clothes/toys/diapers neatly in some little shelf-cabinets or in baskets on a shelf.

As usual, I'm blown away by everyone's creativity.