Thread: Caravan dinette - under table leaves, advice needed please

Gayle and Col, welcome to the forum.

I have difficulty in picturing in my mind what your existing table looks like, is it possible to add a picture or two of it to give an idea of it's relation to it's surrounds and actual construction of the table itself.

Mick.

Gayle, Welcome to the forum. I dont know if this will help, as without pics, its a bit hard to work out your size restraints. My dad had a similar issue with his van, all I did was make a new top that was the exact size of the existing rectangular top and fastened it from underneath in the centre. Once seated, he could rotate the new top so the length became the width, bringing the table edge closer to him. By rounding the corners it allowed them to pass dad without disemboweling him.

table.jpg

That is a great idea rustynail. The table top is new and already fitted though.

Double sided adhesive tape holding a rotational devise as fitted on a lazy susan would solve the problem, would it not ?

Originally Posted by caravanning

Found these http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=2325 but not sure if they would take the weight. If they are the go, anywhere in Australia where we can buy them?

Gayle,

They are the standard fully extendable drawer runners and readily available at Wilson & Bradley or Lincoln Sentry. I think they have branches in each Capital city but I can't give further details as you don't say where in Australia you are.
I'm sure they will take the weight needed.

Peter.

Most general purpose side mounting drawer slides are around 40mm or more high with the extension about 25mm high, so your extensions would end up well below the table surface, resulting in a step in the surface. If the existing top is 58cm wide and you want an extension either side, you are limited to about a 28cm width for each extension in order to have them slide under the table without interference, adequate for a desert or soup bowl, bread plate, mug or cup and saucer, but probably not adequate for a dinner plate given the step to the table.


I like the lazy susan and rotating top approach, but in reality, it would convert a 4 seat (2x2) arrangement into a 2 seat (1x1 arrangement) which may or maybe not be suitable for your needs. It has the benefit of being able to set everything required for the meal to the table, seat the two people and then rotate into position for eating. If you went this way you could possibly reconfigure using your new table as the top and a slightly smaller, more basic unit as the lower level.

One alternative option would be to make a new top the size you need, and some spacers to go on top of the seat frames to lock the enlarged top into place when lowered to the bed infill position. Probably the most secure option, but seats get raised by the thickness of the top due to the spacers sitting between the seat frames and cushions. Spacers might need to be removable for locker access in the seats. This approach should preserve the 2x2 seating option if you have it, provided that it doesn't impede seating access.

Another reasonably practical option I can see if you need to retain 4 seat capability, is to make a new larger top with a pair of guides and toggles fitted to allign and fix it to the smaller table. This could then be released and removed so that the original table can be dropped down for the bed infill. Issues with this approach include possibility of limiting access (might have to seat 2 or 3 people, position the enlarged top, set out the food etc then have the outer 1 or 2 people wriggle into their positions, and the need to to have somewhere to store the top when the bed is made up, and probably while travelling

Originally Posted by rustynail

Double sided adhesive tape holding a rotational devise as fitted on a lazy susan would solve the problem, would it not ?

they might result in an uncomfortable lump in the middle of the bed

The table just gets lowered onto the seat to make the bed. The bed is single so it seats two.

Our dinner plates measures 26cm.

I will be buying online as we currently located in country S.W Victoria.

Can you please give a link to a photo of a rotational device so I can understand what you mean.

Thank you

Heres a link to one on ebay 150mm sq, 220kg capacity. Flush mounted, it would leave a gap of 8-10mm between the top of the base section and the bottom of the rotating table, but you could form a rebate in each and run it with a gap of about 2mm fairly easily. To install, you need to drill a through hole in the base material that lines up with the mounting holes in the top half, then screw the lazy susan to the base, position the top and fit one screw, then rotate the top till the second screw hole is accessible through the access hole, fit that screw and keep rotating till all screws are installed.

I've had a bit of a think about this, I would be inclined to add a drop leaf shelf to either side.

I googled and turned up with this one, but there are squillions around.

drop leaf table hinges - Google Search

Keeping it simple and light, possibly using ply wood for it's strength and comparative lightness.

Mick.

Thank you for suggestions.

I have come up with another option.

We will replace the new top with a painted MDF top [for now, buy a laminate piece cut to size later] and make the width longer so it will sit on top of the seats rather than sitting flush when lowered as a bed. We will then use battens near the wall to make the cushions level when they are a bed. Hope that makes sense.

I also thought of making something like this:

Untitled-5.gif

The red part would be a box with an open end where the blue part slides into it. I think the bigger table top would be the easier option.

The drop down leaves are good except you cannot lower the table.

I cannot get my head around the rotating idea - sorry

Originally Posted by caravanning

We have renovated an 11ft 1980 caravan. Like all vans, the dinette is also a bed and so is uncomfortable to sit at to eat due to the length of the seat and the distance away from the table.

The table is small - 58cm wide. I had an idea to add sliders under the table with two pieces of MDF as the 'leaves' which will extend the table size but also means once you are seated, you can place your dinner plate on it.

table.jpg
We are not serious woodworkers unlike all of you here and was hoping to extract some of your expertise and guidance on the best way to approach this task.

Thanks for reading,

Gayle

Gayle

have you thought about doing away with the single bed altogether?

That way the "dining" chairs could be made much more comfortable and the table sized appropriately.

Originally Posted by ian

Gayle

have you thought about doing away with the single bed altogether?

That way the "dining" chairs could be made much more comfortable and the table sized appropriately.

Not an option as we want to keep an extra bed for the grand-kids plus if we sell, may not be a good idea. It would be great not to have it as a bed!

Gayle, your proposal from your drawing is what I thought of overnight, or very similar anyway.

However your idea to use an oversize top and use filler boards to align the cushions is probably the easiest idea to execute. Plus and it's a big plus, you get to keep the original table for whatever, whenever.

I'm not sure what your current table is made from, just remember that MDF can be quite heavy and if my memory is correct, the fittings on these era caravans are reasonably light weight.

Mick.