It's not angle brackets, it's angle iron strips. I am heading to the hardware store today so I'll get the correct "technical" term for the stuff because who knows what it's really called. I imagine I can actually take my camera and take a picture of it.
I originally thought I could use "c" channelling but couldn['t figure out how to get my screwdriver in there to attach it. That's why I actually built my own in the two pieces. Just give me a day to get it together.
v
It's called angle iron strapping, and you can get it in different lengths. I bought 4 of them 4' long.
Here is a picture from the Home Hwdr catalogue of what the stuff looks like.
You can see that if you bolt two pieces together it forms a square cornered "c" channel.
Hope this helps.
v
The second image may help more. I used the bottom stuff. You don't need the heavy duty wider strapping shown on the top of image #2. let me know if this makes more sense.
v
Vivian - I got your idea. All you did is screw the angle iron straps onto the bottom of the table, so you could slide your extend-a-bed wood under the table (somewhere I was thinking it was attached to the seat sides). Timber Wolf's idea is similar, but instead of storing under the table - his would slide between the table and the foam.
I may look into this idea. We purchased a Southern Mattress from a fellow camper (they didn't want a full time bed). So I'll need to find / make a thick cushion that matches the height of the SM. It may be hard to get out of bed when you sleep front to back, but I don't think the inside sleeper gets a break getting out of bed either. Besides - getting out of bed is a one time thing each day. Sleeping lasts a whole lot longer! :-)
I have done a drawing of sorts, and hopefully all this helps. yes you have to slide down to the bottom of the bed to get out, but we found it a whole lot easier than waking each other up and we both seem to "p" a lot at night but never at the same time. It also is a lot cooler in the summer when you can leave some room between each other. Once I made the mattress extension, I found I couldn't open the closet door till "lazy bones" got up so I cut the door just above that height and made it into two doors. Works wonderfully. Good luck.
Vivian
I have done a drawing of sorts, and hopefully all this helps. yes you have to slide down to the bottom of the bed to get out, but we found it a whole lot easier than waking each other up and we both seem to "p" a lot at night but never at the same time. It also is a lot cooler in the summer when you can leave some room between each other. Once I made the mattress extension, I found I couldn't open the closet door till "lazy bones" got up so I cut the door just above that height and made it into two doors. Works wonderfully. Good luck.
Vivian
" but never at the same time"
That's a good thing actually....................LOL
Vivian, that "angle iron strapping" is commonly called "Dexion" after the company that makes it. It is used primarily to make warehouse type shelving. Very versatile stuff. Thx for trying so hard to explain how you used it.
Thanks Tom. The main thing is it looks like Sheryl got what I was trying to describe. I can engineer all kinds of things that work just fine, but have no idea what the odds and sods are called. I just go into my local Home Hardware
Store (I am sure the guys shudder in there when they seem me coming) and scrounge around until I find what I think will work. They used to ask if they could help but when I tried to describe using "that white plastic pipe stuff" (now I know it's sewer pipe) with screw caps and glued-on caps, to make a container for my bolerawning poles, I think they gave up. Now they just leave me in peace. I usually 'git 'er done' one way or the other. Every year I have some project, big or really tiny, for our boler, that will make our life a little easier and we've had the thing since 1997!
This year I used broom/shovel spring loaded holders to hold my spice bottles, attached to the front window shelf that I installed on the back of the couch which I converted to a table for two. I hated my spice bottles rolling around and this works well. Keeps my out of trouble too, and Paul doesn't have to worry about what I'm up to.
Vivian
Vivian, my wife and I wanted a FGRV for about 6 years now. I'm 64 and retired, Joanne's age is classified. We are anxious to travel and see the U.S. and Canada, so we saved and are about to get a new Scamp 13. Two more weeks now. I'm sure the day will come when we slow down long enough to start the mods rattling around in my head, but that won't be for a while. That front diner you spoke of is on the list. Our bed is the 54" model, so we won't need the extension you described, but it was good reading seeing the different ideas.
I'm like you. I like to "invent" stuff, and roam the hardware stores, studying things and coming up with ideas. The first time I walked into one of the giant remodeling / hardware stores, I thought I died and went to heaven. They sell everything but time.
My Mom who recently passed had a favorite saying. She used to say 'Life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer you get to the end; the faster it goes." She was right. The road is calling! Mods will have to wait for a little while. I'll tinker vicariously through all the clever peoples posts like yours in the meantime.
Vivian - I understand your concept of putting things together. I'm often in the hardware store "looking for an idea" when I'm asked. I know what I want to do, I'm just there looking for the inspiration of "parts to assemble it with". Sometimes it takes a stroll up and down several aisles (from plumbing to hardware) to find the best options for my ideas.
Why can't we just cut a piece of 3/4" plywood to size (as the platform) and attach plumbing pipe (with rubber tips) to the screw-in flange for legs? You could use the extension as a table outdoors by day and a bed extension by night. The foam to go on top can be the less expensive kind available at fabric stores. Simply unscrew the pipe legs and store all pieces flat on top of bed while on the road.
__________________
The Gleeful Glamper
Gilda (Jill-da)
"Here we go again on another amazing adventure"
Why can't we just cut a piece of 3/4" plywood to size (as the platform) and attach plumbing pipe (with rubber tips) to the screw-in flange for legs? You could use the extension as a table outdoors by day and a bed extension by night. The foam to go on top can be the less expensive kind available at fabric stores. Simply unscrew the pipe legs and store all pieces flat on top of bed while on the road.
Carl I think the pluming pipe is a very good idea. If you use small pipe it will flex too much when moving on top, it will tip a bit, rubbing on delicate cabinets etc., I suggest using pluming pipe of a larger diameter to avoid wobble . We have a drawer under our table making some ideas not work well. We found with ours that as one got scooting forward, that the extension would also scoot forward, because of the foam mat, moving with the shelf. Perhaps, fabric, that is on top of the foam will stop the extension from sliding. I put a brace at the front of the extension reaching to the front seating area, ( at floor level ),to hold the shelf in place, this works well. We have a little trouble getting the close fitting shelf up past the drawer pulls and other touch point, bringing it forward past other close fitting objects and getting the shelf and legs, to where I can get it out the door. I guess the shelf could be turned on edge, remove a couple of legs, then lift it out. I am going to put a piano hinge under the shelf, allowing the shelf to fold in half, or partially, ( because legs, are yet in place ), then lift it out. I like the idea of feet on the pipe ends, I am going to use some rubbery shelf lining on the floor; under my plastic feet, that slide on the vinyl flooring. All great ideas coming to light !
Later Kenny
We also had trouble with the extend mattress moving when we scooted forward. I made a mattress cover, sewed industrial strength velcro to it at out outter edge, and glued a matching piece of the loop velcro to the outter edge of the bed board and it now does not move when you scoot to the bottom of the bed.
I also found that heavy duty foam was much better than the cheap fabric shop kind because that stuff really compacts when you climb into the bed, and then you find you have another little hill to climb to get up on the main mattress. The HD foam takes the beating no problem. It took us one season of small adjustments to get it the way we wanted, but it's been there now about 8 years.
We will go back to the regular bed next year as we have lost our "fur" babies and have no need of the larger bed. But I won't get rid of the fixing just in case we decide that we prefer the larger bed anyway.
v
Years ago I needed a platform to support equipment in the field at a comfortable working height. What I came up with might work for a bed extension / outdoor table.
For legs I took two pieces of 1/2 inch plywood cut to the width I wanted my platform height to be. The length was the corner to corner length of the plywood top I wanted to support.
In the middle of the two pieces I cut a 1/2 inch wide slot that was half the width of the board. This allowed me to slide the two pieces together forming a + when viewed from above.
Set that on the floor positioned so it the arms run corner to corner of the platform board. Viewed from above it looks like an X on which I set the platform.
If your having trouble picturing it think of the cardboard dividers with slots that might be in a box of 4 coffee mugs. Or just make a scissor with your fingers of both hands and hold one hand horizontal, one hand vertical and close your scissor fingers together. Two hands joined by a slot in a + shape.
For my use I just set the platform on top and let the weight of what I was working on hold it in place. To support a bed I would consider something like a door hinge, with one side screwed to the underside of the platform and one side screwed to the "legs". Pull the hinge pin, remove the top, separate the leg boards and it would all store flat.
Helps if you drill out the hinge so it is just a bit looser fit for the pin. Might use two hinges one on each leg board. I have used hinges before for "take down" construction, works pretty well. For some I have made a pin with a handle to replace the hinge pin out of some steel rod.
Because the X shaped legs are in full contact with the floor along the bottom edges the platform should not slide easily. It won't wobble or sway either. Down side would be that all that leg contact would be more of a problem on uneven ground when used as a table then the 4 points of contact from pipe legs.
Wish I still had those portable work tables I could just post a picture, beside now that I think about it I can think of times I could use them around the house.
EggFest logo
The boogie boler
The Golden Egg
Scamp
Linear Mode
