Date: Fri, 1 Jun 2007 16:13:48 -0700
Reply-To: neil <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: neil <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Some kind of shelf?
In-Reply-To: <4660A687.1030503@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Yes, I had a brief look at that. Eeee-ya. Oooookay.
Wasn't trying to "go there". Really, it was a technical reference only!
;^)
Neil.
On 6/1/07, Mike Rocket J Squirrel Elliott <camping.elliott@gmail.com> wrote:
> Lift and separate? Hey hey -- we were cautioned about racy talk yesterday!
>
>
> 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 3:52 PM neil wrote:
>
> > On 6/1/07, Mike Rocket J Squirrel Elliott <camping.elliott@gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> >> Skewers? Yeah, they have some serious power.
> >
> >
> > I did not know that they were called skewers.
> >
> > I learned something new!
> >
> >
> >> Are you thinking four vertical pins, two per side, arranged above each
> >> other?
> >
> > Yup!
> >
> > The challenging part is finding/making the pins that mount on box, and
> > then installing so alignment is correct
> >
> >> This idea is getting better as more and smarter guys ......
> >
> > In my case, I wouldn't go so far as to say that! (the smarter bit anyways!)
> >
> > ;^)
> >
> > Actually I just went out to look at my van.
> >
> > I can't see how a box would be permanently mounted.
> >
> > And......
> >
> > IMHO, my pin idea involves too much work.
> >
> > I'm sure that if the "Dennis's" of this list were reading this, they'd
> > be snickering at the pin idea!
> >
> > If I were to make a box that would mount above cross bar, and would be
> > removable, (I CAN'T see how a box would be permanent) I would mount 2
> > U-bolts, or 2 sets of 2 bolts on the bottom, at about 4" in from each
> > side of box to support it on crossbar. To keep it from tipping over,
> > maybe a U-bolt per side somewhere near top. Just drill two holes in
> > each side of box to accept U-bolts. Wing nut from inside box. There
> > would be bolt ends and wing nuts near contents of box, but whatEveRR!
> >
> > ;^)
> >
> > Or simpler yet, one bolt per side. (like Frankenstein!)
> >
> > Dril holes near top of box one per side. One bolt would go in on
> > forward side of RH post, and other on aft side of LH post. Box
> > wouldn't move fore or aft. Just make sure they're long enough. To
> > install, put fastener on outside end, insert bolt, then the last
> > fastener on inside.
> >
> > Or better yet, leave bolts in. Just slide them out and adjust
> > fasteners as needed when installing. For removal, back off outer wing
> > nut, and slide them back in. Do the rear bolt first, get a hand on
> > things, then forward bolt, then lift and seperate!
> >
> > Neil.
> >
> >
> >
> >> look at it. My
> >> initial idea was to install a new crossmember up near the roof using
> >> hose clamps and L-brackets as Jake suggested, and run a PVC pipe between
> >> them as the shelf hanger rod -- like a clothes closet rod. The shelf
> >> would hang below it in some fashion Yet To Be Determined (YTBD), which
> >> gets the shelf up high enough so I don't bonk my head on it. The shelf
> >> hanging system wants to be E-Z on, E-Z off for stowing.
> >>
> >> Tom's looking at this from a different angle, utilizing the existing
> >> crossmember, simplifying things. If I understand his idea (50-50 odds on
> >> that, I am short on imagination), the shelf does not hang from a rod;
> >> rather, it has a backstop which is affixed to the rod using U-bolts that
> >> clamp the backstop to the rod. This lifts the shelf up to where the
> >> crossrod is, and no dangling is required. This is a good idea but it
> >> seems to me that the shelf might rotate downward with weight on it
> >> unless the the u-bolts are really really tight -- so much so that the
> >> rod might be dented. A tool would probably be needed. But I could be
> >> really wrong about this -- there could be a lot of friction between the
> >> rod and the shelf's backstop.
> >>
> >> The kind of weight I have in mind is groceries and stuff like that.
> >> Things you'd like to have fall on your head when reaching up to the
> >> front to turn off the radio.
> >>
> >> But your idea overcomes the rotation thing. A 1 x 4 or 1 x 6 backstop
> >> with two pin sockets per side, one above the other like (as you say) a
> >> Vanagon cabinet door. The sockets mate with the two pins per side that
> >> have been hose-clamped to the uprights. I wonder if there is a way to
> >> affix half of a 4'' door hinge onto the upright, and the other half on
> >> the rear of the backstop, and just drop in the hinge pin to hold it all
> >> together? Then hinge the backstop to the shelf, as Tom plans to do, so
> >> the whole thing folds flat.
> >>
> >> --
> >>
> >>
> >> 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 2:07 PM neil wrote:
> >>
> >> > Forgive me if some of this has been suggested/worked out in posts.
> >> >
> >> > Wing nuts could have one ear cut off or shaved back. Or you could use
> >> > nuts and keep an old socket nearby to tighten. Even by hand that
> >> > should provide enough torque, though I don't know how much weight you
> >> > want in there.
> >> >
> >> > am not certain of your design idea/needs, but I'd think a quick
> >> > up/down unit could be mounted at vertical tubes and not cross bar or
> >> > additional cross bar.
> >> >
> >> > I was fixing my bike yesterday, and was just remembering how the
> >> > mechanism that keeps the wheels on, works.
> >> >
> >> > An adj. nut on one end of axle with a lever clamp on the other.
> >> > Tighten nut a bit then clamp down. I would imagine something like that
> >> > would clamp well, but can't quickly see how it would be adapted. Just
> >> > a thought to bring other ideas to the fore.
> >> >
> >> > I imagine a permanently mounted storage box would not work as it would
> >> > get in the way when collapsing pop top.
> >> >
> >> > How about this.
> >> >
> >> > 4 hose clamps. Add a small diameter tube to each, and clamp to
> >> > vertical posts. You could even file a little groove at each small tube
> >> > so band of clamp seats in there.
> >> >
> >> > Then make a box with 4 posts (like Westy cabinet door hinges).
> >> >
> >> > Just lift it up and slide into small diameter tubes attached at
> >> vertical
> >> > posts.
> >> >
> >> > Likely there's an easier way. Eh?
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > On 6/1/07, Mike Rocket J Squirrel Elliott <camping.elliott@gmail.com>
> >> > 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
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >>
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >
> >
>
--
Neil Nicholson. 1981 Air Cooled Westfalia.
http://web.mac.com/tubaneil
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