| Author | Message | ||
| Peter River (Whitebus)
Registered Member Username: Whitebus Post Number: 46 Registered: 4-2009 Posted From: 204.62.111.51  Rating: N/A |
in every motorhome, and bus conversion I have seen so far, has the bed permanently affixed to the floor. is there any particular reason for that? I am planning a year long trip, and one thing I am lacking is space in my bus. if the bed tilted up into a wall, and that space can be used as a living space or even office space, it will be like having an extra 5' of vehicle length. Am I missing something? | ||
| Glenn F Campbell (Gfcgfc1)
Registered Member Username: Gfcgfc1 Post Number: 6 Registered: 12-2008 Posted From: 63.214.229.41 Rating: N/A |
Hello I know this sounds unconventional but....I am going o use the hood hinges off of a Cadillac Coupe de Ville that I removed the engine for a hotrod project. They are strong enough to raise the hood on that car chich is 80 lbs it will lift a mattress. What do you all think?Glenn | ||
| John MC9 (John_mc9)
Registered Member Username: John_mc9 Post Number: 891 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 74.162.82.173  Rating: N/A |
Re: "if the bed tilted up into a wall, and that space can be used as a living space or even office space" And when you want to get the bed down, where does all the "living space or even office space" stuff go? It's a big pain in the ass to have to make the bed to get a little snooze. Even those dinette/bed assemblies are annoying, especially if one partner wants to sleep late when the "other" partner want to sit down and have breakfast. Not bad if you're a single guy that likes sleeping on the couch, though. | ||
| John MC9 (John_mc9)
Registered Member Username: John_mc9 Post Number: 892 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 74.162.82.173 Rating: N/A |
Re: "I am going o use the hood hinges off of a Cadillac Coupe de Ville" Between the "Boing-Boing-Boings, squeaks and thumps, it oughta' make for a real enjoyable journey! I would think the lift cylinders from any minivan rear door would be more than sufficient. | ||
| Tim Brandt (Timb)
Registered Member Username: Timb Post Number: 319 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 74.244.14.221  Rating: N/A |
I have actually seen a new model of stick and staple where the bed drops out of the ceiling on a track into the main cabin (Message edited by timb on May 08, 2009) | ||
| Rob King (Skykingrob)
Registered Member Username: Skykingrob Post Number: 36 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 72.161.7.135 Rating: N/A |
Peter You may want to get a brochure of the 2008/2009 Newell, www.newellcoach.com. This coach has a cross mounted king size joey bed tht folds up into a side wall to leave a "salon". Don't have to have a couple of million $ for the idea but would be a good resource to solidify your idea. Rob 91 LeMirage XL 40 Missouri | ||
| R.C.Bishop (Chuckllb)
Registered Member Username: Chuckllb Post Number: 688 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 75.208.33.166 Rating: N/A |
JTNG....  ...others: "do it your way"(" FF") From my point of view...lotsa' other stuff could be put on hinges for daily ues. As John says... when one wants to "retire", one WANTS TO RETIRE...period,,,,not hinge around... FWIW RCB | ||
| Peter River (Whitebus)
Registered Member Username: Whitebus Post Number: 47 Registered: 4-2009 Posted From: 208.54.14.103 Rating: N/A |
i was thinking a flat plywood surface which the queen sized mattress is mounted on would be tilted up to reveal a whiteboard, folddown table, and big enough area to roll my chair(s) into. on the other wall would be my computer table, printers, etc, which would be covered when using the bed. I don't think it needs to be "made" each time I use it, the sheets can stay on and comforters can be rolled up japanese style for deployment when needed. issue I am facing is what hardware to use (to make it solid enough not to make noise) and how to attach to rails on the wall and floor where the seats were attached to. I am not familiar with wood products either. 1/2, 3/4 or 1 inch thick plywood, and how to finish the bottom to look nice like a wall. (Message edited by WhiteBus on May 09, 2009) | ||
| John MC9 (John_mc9)
Registered Member Username: John_mc9 Post Number: 893 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 74.162.82.173 Rating: N/A |
Re: "I am not familiar with wood products either. 1/2, 3/4 or 1 inch thick plywood, and how to finish the bottom to look nice like a wall. " Several options, but not plywood. Particle board is heavy, but doesn't warp. Common hollow doors can afford a solid surface, and remain lightweight, but you'll have to join them together and add reinforcement under the common "stress points'. The gas-filled lifts that are used for most of the minivan rear hatches, should work fine to lift a bed, if it's only one side to be lifted. If I had to do this, I would just make the bed lower, and use it to sit on while working at the equipment along the outside parameter. A full size mattress will provide more room around the bed, than a queen size mattress. Like RC says.... whatever turns yer groove! | ||
| FAST FRED (Fast_fred)
Registered Member Username: Fast_fred Post Number: 767 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 76.194.80.204 Rating: N/A |
Sleeping on plywood is still sleeping on a board . The older beds (30's 40's) has spring sets to properly support the mattress that are only an inch thick or so. Buy one , build one , and then cover whatever you dont like with whatever, FF | ||
| David Dulmage (Daved)
Registered Member Username: Daved Post Number: 242 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 66.78.125.39  Rating: N/A |
There are manufacturers of Murphy beds that produce something that might suit. They are counterbalanced and when folded look like a nice piece of furniture. Here is a link for some ideas: http://boffwallbeds.ca/ FWIW Dave D | ||
| john w. roan (Chessie4905)
Registered Member Username: Chessie4905 Post Number: 1456 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 71.58.110.9  Rating: N/A |
Those air inflatable mattresses that they show on TV that you can adjust while in bed are very light weight and might be the ticket for your fold up. You could probably deflate it during the time it is stored to narrow the protrusion into the living area. | ||
| Chuck Newman (Chuck_newman)
Registered Member Username: Chuck_newman Post Number: 343 Registered: 1-2005 Posted From: 99.0.41.3  Rating: N/A |
Well, since we are on the subject of beds, has anyone here, or anyone you know bought a memory foam bed from a place in TN called Bed In A Box? I saw their ad in Good Sam Highways Magazine. Checked them out plus their reviews on line. Mostly positive. Actually more positives than Tempur-Pedic. I bought one of their memory foam pillows for a test and like it. But that is not the same as sleeping on the bed. The two points that really attract me to this place are: 1. Most important, they make almost every mattress size know to man, including the standard "RV Queen" of 60x74. The "normal" Queen is 60x80, and is the only Queen size Tempur-Pedic makes. 2. Considerably less cost than Tempur-Pedic. Our full size bed we use in the house is 54x74. A little more width would be appreciated but we really don't need 80" long. And since we are mounting the bed perpendicular to the bus length, that extra 6" at the foot of the bed will be appreciated. | ||
| Len Silva (Lsilva)
Registered Member Username: Lsilva Post Number: 230 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 24.164.20.23  Rating: N/A |
For me, the whole reason for going to a bus was to have the room so nothing has to fold up to make something else. Having to break down the dinette to make a bed or (horrors) sitting on the toilet to take a shower. If you really need the space, there are lots of space conservation ideas in the smaller travel trailers and campers. | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 894 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 208.54.200.33  Rating: N/A |
3/4" plywood as a base and two or three layers of different densities and thicknesses of foam make the most comfortable bed you can imagine. With the different densities you can adjust it to any level of firmness you want. I think mine is probably 9" total with two thick pads and thinner ones. Foam is relatively light, never wears out. Why springs are still in use I'll never know? | ||
| Peter River (Whitebus)
Registered Member Username: Whitebus Post Number: 48 Registered: 4-2009 Posted From: 208.54.14.40 Rating: N/A |
I have lots of problems with my back, and I am so comfortable with my pillowtop queen mattress, so I don't think I will switch to foam anytime soon. question is, will 3/4" plywood support a weight of 2 people on a queen mattress without bending... | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 897 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 208.54.200.61 Rating: N/A |
Foam comes in many densities, some so hard they hardly dent, some not quite so hard, some almost soft. You can add a pillow top pad to the top of a foam pad or you can put the rock hard foam on top. The combinations and types of covers are limitless. You can make it to suit your own preference and it costs a fraction of a foam mattress. I have made one of these for my bus and two for my kids bunk beds. I'll never buy another mattress. 3/4" plywood will support any human body or bodies, all you have to do is make a base perpendicular to the bed board. My vertical base is also 3/4" plywood on edge about 12" high and the base interior makes a storage area under the hinged bed. It is just a box with the bed board being the top and the bus floor the bottom. I have no mattresses, no springs. The bed is two foam blocks of different densities with two different toppers all contained within a mattress pad. You can make it as thick or as thin as you like. | ||
| Keith Monnig (Kmonnig)
Registered Member Username: Kmonnig Post Number: 7 Registered: 5-2005 Posted From: 75.71.220.223 Rating: N/A |
I used a Murphy Bed in the back of my bus.....its an office/den during the day, and a full size queen bed at night. I built in desk and have a ton of storage and hanging space. I like all the room I have in the back, and it takes no more time to pull down the bed than to pull down the sheets. The only drawback is that it is a little tight in there with the bed down, but I only leave it down to sleep so its not that big of a deal. | ||
| Don Evans (Doninwa)
Registered Member Username: Doninwa Post Number: 203 Registered: 1-2007 Posted From: 208.81.157.90  Rating: N/A |
Keith, pix, we want pix! | ||
| David Dulmage (Daved)
Registered Member Username: Daved Post Number: 244 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 142.46.199.30 Rating: N/A |
Here is a link to a compaay that sells complete beds or the mechanism only. http://www.wallbedsbywilding.com/murphy-frame-gallery.php DaveD | ||
| John MC9 (John_mc9)
Registered Member Username: John_mc9 Post Number: 899 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 74.162.76.130 Rating: N/A |
Peter - Re: "question is, will 3/4" plywood support a weight of 2 people on a queen mattress without bending..." Quick answer? NO! A decent piece of heavy particle board would be better. But best would be: a cross-member 1/2 way between top and bottom. You're going to have to have some kind of re-enforcement for extracurricular activities. Ya'know?? |