Pop top bed boards

[WideCharlie]

Hi Duncan. Here’s my somewhat Heath-Robinson solution to the table issue. I fixed a short length of metal tube to a skilfully shaped (😉) bit of wood that sits underneath the rear conversion cupboards. The table hooks onto the tube as it would do for its internal position just north of the sink, and I’ve fashioned a foot for the table’s leg to stand on, thus raising it to the horizontal, which prevents the custard from running off the table and onto my trousers, or even worse. 

[Rojie]

7 hours ago, WideCharlie said:

Hi Duncan. Here’s my somewhat Heath-Robinson solution to the table issue. I fixed a short length of metal tube to a skilfully shaped (😉) bit of wood that sits underneath the rear conversion cupboards. The table hooks onto the tube as it would do for its internal position just north of the sink, and I’ve fashioned a foot for the table’s leg to stand on, thus raising it to the horizontal, which prevents the custard from running off the table and onto my trousers, or even worse. 

 

Hi Charlie,

 

Would you like me to send you a recipe for custard that is less mobile ?

 

Arrowroot comes to mind !

 

Enjoy your van.

 

I have lop-sided glasses for imbibing, or at least they seem that way after a few !

 

[WideCharlie]

Roger, it’s the runny custard that makes my day, thank you 🫣

[Duncan Grimmond]

I made the ali drawers, 2 off, 600*220* 100 deep. I had to put in a couple of raised bumps to sit over the R&R mounting bolts heads which helps to stop them sliding about.

The solar panel is now on and it seems to work according to the multimeter, reading 19-21 v in this morning’s sun. Now waiting for my sparks pal, taking it to him on Thursday…

[WideCharlie]

Coo, Duncan, that’s  really rather brilliant. They’ll prove very useful, I’m sure. One of the problems with the rear conversion is a lack of storage space. I’ll have to put my head to it later this year and see if I can come up with a similar very clever solution. Bravo, I say!

[Duncan Grimmond]

I made similar ones for the Regius, straightforward boxes but as I do metalwork they are in aluminium. Wood ones would be just as effective in say 3mm ply with corner braces...it's a pity to leave such a large space unused. Just be sure you can get them through the opening!

[WideCharlie]

Morning Duncan. I’m useless with metal, and engines and much else but, strangely, I’m ok with wood. Shades of Grammar School 5th Form woodwork classes, I think, way back when. So any boxes I make will be ply and adequately braced, yes. Too many other diy jobs on the go at the moment though. In fact, so much I want to do and so little time to do it in!

[Duncan Grimmond]

Better to have a "to do" list than be wondering what to do!

[Rojie]

17 hours ago, Duncan Grimmond said:

Better to have a "to do" list than be wondering what to do!

 

But I spend all my time editing and rewriting my 'To Do' lists !

[Duncan Grimmond]

Yeah, it's a pain isn't it!

[WideCharlie]

Hi Duncan, OK, that’s our first over-nighter in the Alphard at a really nice site at Harford Bridge, just north of Tavistock.  Can’t praise the site enough. 
 

Anyway, one or two or more valuable lessons learned. First, we did manage to sleep but it was a little uncomfortable fir n3 with manly shoulders and chest lying on the folded down seats so I reckon a mattress of some description (air bed probably) is needed atop same. Second, the van became cluttered very quickly once the seats were folded down to form a bed. Third, and possibly most important, struggling out of an uncomfortable bed for a pee in the middle of the night was no fun, and cold and dewy damp to the feet, and noisy from opening and closing the door, and so on. All this served to make me feel (very) old 👴

 

There were more lessons but the above were enough to concentrate our thoughts on an awning. So, that’s probably the next step. I shall research the subject hither and yon, starting with this forum.

[Duncan Grimmond]

We had our first outing last weekend (June 29th) Everything(almost ) seemed to work fairly well. The rotating front seat proved to be absolutely essential as without it the end of the R&R bed took up a lot of the entrance space. The curtains worked the pop-top  worked well to allow standing while "cooking" .The trip was to our long favoured site in Northumberland near Embleton, we're lucky to be only 1 1/2 hours away.

The Lusso Campers cupboards etc seemed to work well even though I was a little unsure when I fitted them. The "stuff the duvet and bedding in here"  slot cupboard was surprisingly effective but I'll have to round off the sharp corners on the latch strike-plate.

The cooker (which lives in a drawer) was perhaps a bit too tall despite my fitting a heat shield to the underside of the overhead crockery cupboard. I may have a rethink and look for an inset twin burner (the disadvantage of that being the need for a gas locker & vent)

Otherwise, all seemed to be pretty much OK.

Edited July 8 by Duncan Grimmond

[WideCharlie]

Hi Duncan. Pleased to see that (almost everything) went well. Almost is the best we can ask for, I reckon. There’s an old sociologist (Pareto, if I remember correctly) who argued that 80/20 was an acceptable proportion to obtain in any given situation. My wife says I consistently get the ratio the wrong way round. Oh well…

 

Anyway, yes, that all sounds successful for you. Bravo! And I think I’ll explore the swivelling front seat option now. 

 

We too have tried the Alphard thing out again, at Haverfordwest Bridge campsite again. This time, after much research and head-scratching, we decided against getting an awning. We bought a tent instead. A Eurohike Rydal Air 400. And impressed with it we are too. In effect, it’s an awning without being an awning. We wrestled it into submission and positioned it a couple of feet from the van so that the side entrances of both ended up facing each other. Thus, out of one, into the other no probs. Loads of storage in the tent, the wife slept in there, being sylphlike and untroubled of mind, while I slept fitfully in the van, being neither sylphlike nor untroubled. ‘With good reason,’ she said. Anyway, it was most successful and as soon as we can shake off wider family responsibilities and commitments we’ll go further afield, full of confidence.

 

Incidentally, the site owner’s view of awnings was that they have a tendency to get blown away in strong winds when not sheltered by a van. She thought the adjacent tent was the better option.  At around £250, I thought so too.

 

 

 

 

[Duncan Grimmond]

Good to hear it went well. However, I'm still hankering after a roll-out awning as we had on the Regius. Easy to open and close, instant sheltered(ish) space and no trouble to stow. I'm just investigating a better hob/sink unit as although it worked, the overall lesson was that it was adequate but only just! I've ordered a small single hob/sink unit to see how it looks and if it's an improvement I'll install it to run on a MAPP gas cylinder as I happened across a suitable pressure regulator...

[WideCharlie]

Duncan, yes, I can see the attraction of a roll-out awning and would like one, with the tent beyond that and then a…😉

The combined hob/sink unit we have as part of the rear conversion works well. My wife reckons she can whip up a four course meal on it (2 sandwiches and 2 Cup-a-Soups!) without any problem. I’ll take a pic of the setup and post once I recover from a long drive on the M5/M6. Torture!