Date: Fri, 1 Jun 2007 15:25:50 -0600
Reply-To: Tom Buese <tombuese@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Tom Buese <tombuese@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: Some kind of shelf?
In-Reply-To: <46607739.8040103@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed
On Jun 1, 2007, at 1:44 PM, Mike Rocket J Squirrel Elliott wrote:
> 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''.
Yep, that's why I figured 72" clearance would work for you?
>
> 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.
My 84 westy crossbar is at 76"-same as your 84 westy? The horizontal
shelf could be u=bolted to the cross bar so that the bottom is at 74"
& the height above is several feet
>
> 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.
>
You should be able to get a "moment resisting connection" w/ the u-
bolts that will hold the hor. shelf in place unless you are stacking
really heavy stuff on the shelf? The rear vertical ply piece would
line up w/ the cross bar & the shelf would face the rear as deep as
you are comfy with? & 6'-2" headroom(76")
I'll do some "product research" at HD or Lowes tomale & make a
prototype & test weight that the u -bolts can resist in overturning.
Pax,
Tom
> --
>
> 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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