Simple sleeping/storage platform

[Paul D]

After picking some ideas up from NORT members in North Yorkshire last weekend I decided to build a sleeping platform / storage area for wild camping when I'm away solo ..

Take two 21" high Primary School table frames that were being chucked out (i'm a caretaker!)

Cut off 6" from 2 legs on one of them and 6" off all the legs of the other .. One end needs to be 6" longer to fit the rear seat footwell and make the platform level.

Pop the leg stoppers out of the offcuts and replace on the cut legs ..

Chuck 'em in the back after folding the drivers side rear seats forwards ..

Just need 4x 2' x 2' 9mm ply sheets and three piano hinges to make the top ... Further pics when I've got it all done .. Gives a sleeping platform 6' long (I'm only 5' 4" so rather stubby) but with the drivers seat forward there's about another foot of legroom available!!

Cost so far, £0, well a few mm off the cutting disc maybe ..

 

[Pikey]

Gives a sleeping platform 6' long (I'm only 5' 4" so rather stubby)

Yu wanna be me noo bestest mate.. ?? Cos yu make me look decidedly Fooking hoooge!!!

 

[Paul D]

Yu wanna be me noo bestest mate.. ?? Cos yu make me look decidedly Fooking hoooge!!!

With the hiking boots on I'm an inch taller ...

 

[Pikey]

With the hiking boots on I'm an inch taller ...

Better nick the OH's platform soled boots anprl. I is 5ft 9in..

 

[*minty*]

well done Paul.. will look forward to more piccies and the finished job done.

 

[Paul D]

More to it ..

Following an idea over on another thread I found our caravan bunk and mattress and some odd wood ..

So the back part is 18mm MDF, roughly 4'x2' the front bit is 6mm hardwood ply roughly 30" x 50", the mattress is part of the caravan bunk that we never use now .. It all still needs fastening in, but the tables will be strapped to existing tie downs in the boot and the wood will use simple blocks to hold them in place, MFI cupboard stylee .. it won't need much 'cos it's collapsible for when on the trails and will all stow nicely without becoming a missile in the event of a rollover!! Indeed, it means all the heavy recovery stuff will all be covered by the rear table and actually make it safer, in theory!

The step between 6mm and 18mm looks large but it's actually nice for the shoulders and neck, it'll mean I don't need a pillow .. I think

Quite pleased for something that's still only cost the price of a few mm off the grinding disc and circular saw ..

 

[chunkymunky]

Reckon that could be adapted for a defender well easy!

 

[Paul D]

It took three minutes to take out and pack away .. and takes about five minutes to fix in! It won't be in often, hence why I didn't want to spend much on it, it's only for when I'm away on my own without the kids or wife ..

Certainly takes up less room and is easier to put up than a tent.

I'm going to make the front part hinged so it just folds in or out for breaking camp and getting onto the lanes and maybe a bungee cord or two to hold the sleeping mat and bag on so they don't even need packing away. Dunno where the bog's going yet ..

Can't wait to try it in anger now ..

 

[top-cat]

looks good paul, why not get a third table then you could use it when the missus comes

 

[Paul D]

Haven't got any more tables at the moment, but she has asked ..

 

[Clanforbes]

That really is looking good Paul ... I'd do away with that step though, you'll find it will be a pain in the neck, literally. Weld a couple of the off-cuts back on or get a replacement in the summer .

Duh, or cut the rear table down a little more

 

[Paul D]

I know what you mean, but when I tried it late last night it felt OK and I could hardly tell there was a step to it. However, eventually I plan to get same size ply, probably 9mm, so it's all good. The bits that are there now were what I had lying around and cost nothing, so no worries.

Going to add a couple of tie-down points into the rear seat footwell so I can strap the front table down securely, rear already has some, adding some hinges to the front ply top so it can be used for storage and can fold away for off-roading easily, but because I'm doing away with carrying a tent, campbed etc there's already a lot more space for stuff.

 

[Clanforbes]

I know what you mean, but when I tried it late last night it felt OK and I could hardly tell there was a step to it. However, eventually I plan to get same size ply, probably 9mm, so it's all good. The bits that are there now were what I had lying around and cost nothing, so no worries.

Going to add a couple of tie-down points into the rear seat footwell so I can strap the front table down securely, rear already has some, adding some hinges to the front ply top so it can be used for storage and can fold away for off-roading easily, but because I'm doing away with carrying a tent, campbed etc there's already a lot more space for stuff.

I made a similar mistake once and discovered that there is a huge difference between trying it out for a few minutes to see if it's comfortable and sleeping on it for 8 hours, fidgeting, tired, needing to pee, cold, thirsty ... and that bloody step in the levels!

But as for the rest of it, job well thought out and done, it does look the business.

 

[Paul D]

job well thought out and done, it does look the business.

Heh .. I'd priced some 1"x1" square tubing to weld a correctly fitted frame up, came to a few quid more than I thought but it was the missus who said what about the desks? All I did was chuck 'em in and it sort of screamed out what to do then .. No real fabricating, just using what I had and chopping with the angle grinder .. couldn't have been easier!!

Must say I'm pleased with it ..

 

[Clanforbes]

Heh .. I'd priced some 1"x1" square tubing to weld a correctly fitted frame up, came to a few quid more than I thought but it was the missus who said what about the desks? All I did was chuck 'em in and it sort of screamed out what to do then .. No real fabricating, just using what I had and chopping with the angle grinder .. couldn't have been easier!!

Must say I'm pleased with it ..

In that case all praise should go to ...

.

 

[Paul D]

oooh, don't start ...

She's just had me 'fix' her garden chair, remove the radio from her Mondeo 'cos it needs the code and we don't have it, so needed the serial number, checked all her tyres, water, oils etc etc ...

But yes, she's worth it ..

 

[Clanforbes]

More to it ..

Following an idea over on another thread I found our caravan bunk and mattress

Paul, could you tell me the width of that matress please, I'm trying to decide how wide I want/need my bed to be.

 

[Paul D]

22" and a bit and about 72" long, one fold is shorter than the others .. It all folds up into a square 22"x22"x10" approx so doesn't take much room up for travelling and won't hurt anything in an accident, so good to have on top of stuff, maybe.

 

[Clanforbes]

22" and a bit and about 72" long, one fold is shorter than the others .. It all folds up into a square 22"x22"x10" approx so doesn't take much room up for travelling and won't hurt anything in an accident, so good to have on top of stuff, maybe.

Thanks Paul, I'm quite portly (actually I'm a fat we fcuker,) and can sleep comfortably on my settee, the seat of which is about 20" or so. But I have been struggling to decide on how wide to make my bed in the landy, swithering between 22" and up to about 36".

So far I have planned it so many different ways I have lost count. But I think I have settled on a simple, fixed platform with storage space/drawer underneath and either buy a self-inflating mat as a cushion or maybe buy a caravan foam cushion or even just buy a hunk of foam and make my own. A single fixed platform would have the advantage of being flexible enough to extend out to make a wider bed if the need ariseth ... however unlikely that may be.

 

[Paul D]

I normally use a Lilo when camping in the tent, but for inside the Disco I thought it'd be a faff blowing it up and fettling it ready for bed .. this takes no messing and won't puncture!