My next problem - how to make a sunlounger shorter?

[whitevanwoman]

I want to make my sunlounger bed approx 2" shorter so that it will go widthways in the van instead of lengthways as I'll gain alot more space when the bed is down.

The sunlounger is the standard tubular type, which folds into 3, the head section folding over the middle section and then the foot section folding over the head and middle. I've made 3 plywood boards which sit on top of the frame when it's open and which hinge the same way so that the 3 boards folded up can sit on top of the folded sunlounger with the legs still down, and with bedding folded on top, it doubles as a seat during the day. It also means that there's storage underneath it and if I can think of a way of clipping it to the floor so that it is secure whilst on the move I won't need to pack it away each day which will make life much easier.

Now that I've got the boards, I can do away with the nylon canvas fabric as it's no longer needed except perhaps to give the whole frame some support - it's sagging a bit which is why I made the boards to go on top and it works really well. So I don't know if I really need to keep the fabric on the frame, but I think it could probably go.

But the sunlounger is just a couple of inches too long to go width ways across the van unless I cut a section out of the ply on both sides which I'm loathe to do.

I've just been sitting out in the van experimenting and trying to figure out using the various bits of wood I have saved but I can't come up with an alternative design for a foldaway bed which would also double as a seat and which wouldn't mean having to go and buy more wood and design and build something from scratch.

And then I wondered, is there any way I could cut a section out of the metal tubing on the sides of the head and foot sections to make those about an inch shorter? I know I could hacksaw an inch out easily enough, but without welding, how could I join the metal tubing together again so it's strong enough? Could I use a length of dowelling inside the tube (glued in)? Would that be strong enough? The head and foot of the bed would be over the wheel arches which would support each end and my weight would be evenly distributed by having the boards on top of the sunlounger.

Any suggestions welcome.

 

[outtolunch]

if you want to go for a more traditional construction you are welcome to have the cushions and any other useful bits from an old van I scrapped, I was at the time going to convert a van myself so kept a lot of the interior but that never happened and now I have Bert won't be needed

 

[whitevanwoman]

Thanks v much for the offer, do you have any pics, particularly of the base, or could you post a link to something similar?

I've got a decent single mattress and memory foam topper which is enough for me (no passion in my wagon!) and some old sofa cushions in the loft which I've hung on to in case i could reuse them but it's the base that's the problem. Am trying to figure out a way of making a wooden base if I can't use the sunlounger but I don't want it to be permanent, I want it to be able to be removable so that I can use the van as a van if necessary and also to make room for bicycle etc.

Btw, have you got your Harefest ticket yet? I got mine last week and they were selling fast, only about 100 left then.

 

[outtolunch]

I think the interior had been taken out of a caravan with two bench seats and a table between, I had replaced the tops of the seats with new thicker laminate coated ply that was left over from a job but a lot of the rest of the frame got scrapped.
I will have to have a look in the summer house when the snow clears to see if there is any useful timber in there that could make a base.

Have you actually received your ticket yet or just ordered it because I ordered mine early December but no sign of it yet

 

[whitevanwoman]

Harefest - I paid by phone last week and she said she was posting out the tickets in the next couple of days, if I remember rightly, last year tickets weren't posted out until about 2 weeks beforehand, Firefox had to ring up to chase for his. I'd give it another week or two before chasing.

Transit bed - Not sure if your bits n bobs will suit but thanks for the offer. I've been thinking and have come up with an idea which might work, here's a photo of my hand drawn plan, I won't need the sunlounger, just the hinged boards I've made which I use on top of it.

Comments welcome

Larger sharper version of photo

 

[daz]

the pic looks like it would work, I'd replace the broom handle legs with some 2x2 which are fitted to your base with hinges, so when it's put into position the legs just drop down into place, if you make the left & right hand sides hinge in opposite ways once it's in place it wont move anywhere & saves the faffing around trying to get the broom handles in there sockets.

In fact, how about if you made the base in one piece that simply lifts into place, then when it's not needed you could lift it up & attach it lengthways along the length of the van or simply left flat on the floor when using it for van duties

 

[sparrks]

In fact, how about if you made the base in one piece that simply lifts into place, then when it's not needed you could lift it up & attach it lengthways along the length of the van or simply left flat on the floor when using it for van duties

Wasn't that how the old dormobile one were? - kinda 2 scaffold poles with some material inbetween, more like a stretcher and just dropped into place?

 

[gaz2676]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTITqa9xVyw love the music dont they look cosy at the end (wondering if theres more video of them two anywhere):shag::heart::goodnight::raofl:

 

[whitevanwoman]

the pic looks like it would work, I'd replace the broom handle legs with some 2x2 which are fitted to your base with hinges, so when it's put into position the legs just drop down into place, if you make the left & right hand sides hinge in opposite ways once it's in place it wont move anywhere & saves the faffing around trying to get the broom handles in there sockets.

In fact, how about if you made the base in one piece that simply lifts into place, then when it's not needed you could lift it up & attach it lengthways along the length of the van or simply left flat on the floor when using it for van duties

I did wonder about using 2x2 instead of broom handles but that would mean that I wouldn't be able to use the base with the sunlounger if I ever needed to ie as a spare bed - it's an unlikely scenario but with having only the curtain pole sockets on the bottom of the base it means it doesn't eliminate that possibility as there's enough sag in the fabric of the sunlounger to allow for them. And the poles would only need to be the height of the wheel arches which is probably only about a foot high so it should be fairly stable and I could sink the bottom of the broom handles into blocks of wood to make them more stable and so that they wouldn't make round marks in the carpet. And the ends of the head and feet boards could clip or hook onto the ply when in bed mode which would again stabilise it.

But I could also make a frame with legs with 2x2 that the base would sit on, it could attach to the base with clips/hooks rather than being fixed to it, again it just means that the boards could be used with the sunlounger.

Hmmm, more thought needed.

Keep the ideas coming, it helps me think things through.

 

[whitevanwoman]

Wasn't that how the old dormobile one were? - kinda 2 scaffold poles with some material inbetween, more like a stretcher and just dropped into place?

For me I think I need more support - I've had to make the boards to fit on top of the sunlounger as the sag of the fabric was giving me back ache.

 

[outtolunch]

I'm with Daz on the leg redesign but instead of the 2x2 I would make them similar to a trestle table with a brace between, make the central section 3ft so the ends fold onto the top to meet in the middle and under the hinged joint a under hung plate fixed to the central board to give support

 

[whitevanwoman]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTITqa9xVyw love the music dont they look cosy at the end (wondering if theres more video of them two anywhere):shag::heart::goodnight::raofl:

Ha ha, brilliant, except you can't brew up in bed. But I want to do something similar for a sink unit, which can be lifted in and out. Which will be the next project after the bed project.

 

[whitevanwoman]

I'm with Daz on the leg redesign but instead of the 2x2 I would make them similar to a trestle table with a brace between, make the central section 3ft so the ends fold onto the top to meet in the middle and under the hinged joint a under hung plate fixed to the central board to give support

Nice idea but that would mean not using the boards I've already got and having to buy more ply for new boards and start from scratch = more £££ which is in seriously short supply at the moment.

I've already got the boards and broom handles and off cuts of timber so all I'd need to buy for my original idea is the curtain rail sockets which would cost under a fiver for 4.

But I've got 2 trestle tables in my spare room upstairs.... I wonder if I could cannibalise them and use them somehow.... :idea:

 

[stonedaddy]

Bed alteration

How about buying a van to fit the sun lounger, problem sorted with no work required :cheers: Good luck ..

 

[Viktor]

I would suggest you go down to the dump or charity shop and see if you could find a kids type metal bunk bed base (metal box type bolted together) which you could cut middle sections out of to make it the right length and width and sleeve together with wood insert and bolt through. Then run your boards across or run the slats across in a similar manner to the original to make the bed or a seat and table within the frame.

Worthy of a try do you think?

 

[Firefox]

Harefest - I paid by phone last week and she said she was posting out the tickets in the next couple of days, if I remember rightly, last year tickets weren't posted out until about 2 weeks beforehand, Firefox had to ring up to chase for his. I'd give it another week or two before chasing.

I ordered four tickets last week and they came in the post within three days. I'm not sure if them telling Jess there was only 100 left was a marketing ploy, as my tickets were numbered 089-092 and I know there are 400 tickets available; However, last year I think they forgot mine and I had to chase them. Harefield Hall work in mysterious ways and sometimes it all seems a bit disorganised but it gets done in the end!

 

[Firefox]

Hacksaw it and go for the dowels to shorten. If you cut it right near the ends where the cross piece goes across it won't be under much stress and as you say it is supported on the wheel arch box outs anyway. Sika flex the dowel in, if it is not a really tight fit. Another way to join them would be to get some scrap metal tube of a slightly larger diameter and use that as a sleeve. Or you could bend some thin sheet metal round, super glue or sika flex it on and wrap the whole lot in a duct tape bandage.

 

[rockape]

Wasn't that how the old dormobile one were? - kinda 2 scaffold poles with some material inbetween, more like a stretcher and just dropped into place?

Many years ago i done the same convertion on a Bedford CF van and it worked a treat.

 

[Firefox]

We used to have an HA dormobile with exactly that kind of bunk bed. Canvas stretched on to a pole. It wasn't the most comfortable, not for me anyway. I preferred the rock and roll double with proper springing and upholstery. That worked a treat.

 

[oldish hippy]

three pallet two across the third to make up legs cover with the cushions cut to width http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Pallet-Furniture/ plenty more out there