Date: Fri, 1 Jun 2007 12:44:57 -0700
Reply-To: "Mike \"Rocket J Squirrel\" Elliott" <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Mike \"Rocket J Squirrel\" Elliott" <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Some kind of shelf?
In-Reply-To: <D41B38C7-44D4-4091-8CD7-A389C0929C35@comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Hi Tom,
You know those things they use in pool halls to keep track of scores?
Beads on wires? We use something like that to keep track of how many
times each of us has bumped our heads on something in the van during a
trip.
At 5' 6'', I would need the shelf to be at least 66 inches above the
floor. Add shoes -- platform shoes if I'm feeling frisky -- a hat, and a
carpet, and we want more like 69''.
My brilliant scheme depends on hanging the shelf from a crossbar. The
shelf would want to dangle at least 12'' below it to allow for taller
items. If so hung from the existing crossmember, it will be only 60''
above the floor. Head-bumpin' fun.
Howsoever, your idea, using u-bolts on the existing bar to go straight
rearward into a backboard or similar brace on the back of the shelf
would permit the shelf to be lifted upward w/o stuff on the shelf
bumping into the bar because it also moves rearward -- if I visualize it
correctly?
Also, the wingnuts -- the bar is pretty narrow, meaning a smallish
u-bolt, putting the wingnuts close together, possibly too close to avoid
interference? Also, it seems that u-bolts would rotate on the bar when
weight is put on the shelf. Seems like the shelf would tip into the van
and dump stuff into the sink with a great clatter and bang, waking up
campers for miles around.
--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano
KG6RCR
On 6/1/2007 11:52 AM Tom Buese wrote:
> I have my westy parked in front of my studio right now w/ the pop top up
> for design considerations. Are you sure you want to have the shelf hang
> above the poptop window? It's about 84" above the floor & I think too
> high for most vertically challenged volks to reach? I was thinking of
> having the U bolts wrap around the cross bar which is about 76" above
> the floor & thru holes in the top of the vertical back of the shelf
> which would be about 72" above the floor for easier access, but still
> allow headroom? The shelf would be in front of the window but high enuf
> to still see out/ventilate the van & allow access to the storage rack
> on the roof? The shelf would fold in half when removed & be 3' long+-
> by 4-6"W. x 1" thick when folded w/ 2 pieces of 1/2" baltic birch ply
> hinged together. The vertical leg would be 4" high, while the horizontal
> shelf would be 4-6" wide depending on what you want to store up there?
> There would be no drilling or modifications needed to the poptop.
>
> Tom B.- whole thing could cost under $10-$20 depending on whether you
> have the plywood laying around or not including hinges, 2 u bolts,
> plywood, & clear sealer.
>
> I think I'll make 1 this weekend.
>
>
> On Jun 1, 2007, at 12:12 PM, Mike Rocket J Squirrel Elliott wrote:
>
>> Hi Neil, that's a good idea.
>>
>> The wingnuts(1) might bump into each other, but that's to be worked out.
>> I also like Jake's hose clamp + L-bracket idea. Either way would result
>> in a new crossmember(2) high up.
>>
>> The next detail to be worked out is how to hang the shelf. The shelf
>> wants to be quick to put up and take down. It could be hung(3) with
>> ropes, but that would be tippy. Chain, likewise. Stiff(4) brackets would
>> be better. If the crossmember was fastened so it didn't rotate, then a
>> couple of strap metal brackets could be made shaped like an upside-down
>> "V". Hang two Vees over the crossmember and maybe drop a pin into
>> matching holes(5) drilled through the strap and crossmember to help
>> restrain the Vees from rotating, too. The bottoms of the Vees could be
>> bent toward each other to provide feet for the shelf to rest on, maybe
>> pegs-and-holes there, too, to secure everything.
>>
>> I reckon that if it dangles(6) 12 inches (30cm) below the new
>> crossmember, it could be up to 10'' (25cm) deep (fore to aft), and more
>> than 36'' (90cm) wide without bumping into the canvas.
>>
>> I probably didn't write this up as clearly as I could have, and it's
>> probably not as simple as it could be. It's just an idea. I dunno about
>> you guys, but when Mrs Squirrel shows up with boxes of far healthier
>> food that I would choose (produce, mainly) finding a place to stash all
>> that becomes a hassle. A 3-foot wide shelf that could accommodate small
>> boxes of food and which was easy to put up and take down would be most
>> helpful.
>>
>> (1) See yesterday's disclaimer
>> (2) Likewise
>> (3) Ditto
>> (4) This is getting stupid
>> (5) Real stupid
>> (6) I'm going to bump myself off the list.
>>
>> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
>> 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
>> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
>> 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano
>> KG6RCR
>>
>> On 6/1/2007 10:03 AM neil wrote:
>>
>>> Wood this (pun intended):
>>>
>>> http://web.mac.com/tubaneil/iWeb/Site%205/U%20bolt.html
>>>
>>> hold a piece of galv steel tube to struts? If mounted, um, criss-cross
>>> across new tube to struts?
>>>
>>> If there's a size that fits diameter of strut/tube combo, and threads
>>> long enough, you could use wing nuts for **relatively** quick removal.
>>> Or if it's possible to leave in place, then mount with threads
>>> pointing toward rear of van.
>>>
>>> Neil.
>>>
>>> On 5/31/07, Mike Rocket J Squirrel Elliott <camping.elliott@gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>> When the poptop is up, I'd like to hang a shelf between the top's upper
>>>> struts -- a flat piece of wood, maybe, hung by ropes from a new
>>>> crossmember (piece of PVC pipe maybe) which mounts horizontally between
>>>> the upper struts near the top. I can't quite picture what I'd need to
>>>> mount that new crossmember to the struts. Some fitting that clamps to
>>>> struts, I reckon?
>>>> --
>>>>
>>>> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
>>>> 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
>>>> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
>>>> 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano
>>>> KG6RCR
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>
>
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