Free standing table

Hi, just had first outing in our Nuevo, and found the table a bit cumbersome to erect and fit back into the wardrobe (too many clothes). Has anyone fitted a free standing centre leg table, and if so  what sort of a job is it to make a hole in the floor for the recessed fitting? Or has anyone got any ideas for a smaller table. The top is not a problem as my husband is handy with woodwork, its the fold up legs that are the problem. Would be pleased for any tips. Wife of. 

Hi Wife of

Have a look at the Fiamma Pro set. It's not cheap at about £70, but it might be just what you want. We are pleased with ours. An added advantage is the stability of three legs when using it outside on the grass. Inside the van it can easily be moved a bit to one side when people want to get past it. A good system I think.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fiamma-06362-01-Tripod-Pro/dp/B0071ZHXRA

Your dealer will probably have a selection of second hand table tops if you ask. Ours cost a tenner for the biscuit fund.

Dave


P.S. Our free standing table is in the loft!!

Most of the time we use the small free standing table... the centre leg was positioned at the back of the wardrobe in our Nuevo but I moved the clips to the front left of the wardrobe... made things much easier.

Apologies for my last post.. I described the small table as 'free standing' and of course it isn't!

Hi Dave, thanks for your advice. Sounds like a better idea than making a hole in the floor and fitting the recessed table leg. Don't think my husband was mad keen on that idea anyway. I will search on line to compare prices of fiamma tripod. Many thanks.  wife of  

Hi wife of Richard

I made one a couple of years ago in my case I had solid wood seat bases and changed these for slatted (to help the mattress breath and stop damp) and I used one of the bases for the table top (i.e. a perfect match) I bought a leg and Fiamma Tripod on Gumtree at about half the price of new. One point to remember is that you need a shorter leg than one that fits in the floor so I had to cut the leg that I bought down by about 15cms.

David

richardfranklyn wrote:Hi, just had first outing in our Nuevo, and found the table a bit cumbersome to erect and fit back into the wardrobe (too many clothes). Has anyone fitted a free standing centre leg table, and if so  what sort of a job is it to make a hole in the floor for the recessed fitting? Or has anyone got any ideas for a smaller table. The top is not a problem as my husband is handy with woodwork, its the fold up legs that are the problem. Would be pleased for any tips. Wife of. 

Do you get two tables with a Nuevo? (we have a Stanton, same body on a different chassis) I immediately relegated the small table to the garage, which saves some space on the left of the wardrobe and, by secretly removing four of Mrs T's coats before each trip, manage to push the remaining clothes out of the way to put the table in and out without problem.
Incidentally we find this table to be just the right size- it can be slid up and down the van and across too. It is also very stable and is great to use outside too.

My experience of centre-leg tables (over maybe 30 years) is that, no matter how stable they at first appear, sooner or later the whole thing ends in tears (strict Methodists may disagree). Strong drink and centre-leg tables do not always mix.

Hi David, thanks for that. Will look on Gumtree and other sites in the morning. Wife of Richard 

Hi Pete, we only got one table with our van. We did have two with our last one (Autosleeper Gatcombe) Perhaps you may be right about the stability of centre leg table. Will give it some thought. Many thanks for your advice. Wife of Richard

I think they changed the storage of the table in the Nuevo soon after mine which is a 2002. My table sits behind one of the bench seats, which means it does free up the wardrobe. The downside is you cannot make the bed up without removing it, I usually tuck it behind the passenger seat at night, rather than slide it under the bed. I guess that is why it was moved to the wardrobe and of course the outside locker which can access under the bench which I don't have. I can't do this on mine as the gas taps are on the wrong side of the wardrobe. I did make a small plywood envelope for it to drop into as it used to foul on the items stored under the seat.

Hello Wife Of
Don' be put off by tales of woe !!  I had a new motorhome with a table on fold-up legs. They lasted one trip, still in the garage waiting for some poor soul to buy them. Cheap!
First decide where you want the table and drill a small diameter exploratory hole (having first established that the fuel tank isn't below).  You need about 60mm clearance below. You may be lucky to find that there is a false floor fitted by AS above the vehicle's floor. In which case beware cables or pipes.
The main "tip" I can offer is to place the fitting which is screwed to the undersurface of the table  off centre, lengthways. Mine was five inches off centre which gave us a five inch lengthways option. This could give you room to manoeuvre below the floor.
The floor and table fittings are readily available on Ebay where many reputable motorhome dealers trade.  The system offers the best stability in a motorhome.
Keith

Hello again Wife of
(We must stop meeting like this - people will talk! )

This suggestion is for a table with its leg in a socket sunk into the floor, not the Fiamma one I mentioned earlier..

Since your husband is "handy" I would strongly support Keith's suggestion that he fixes the socket underneath a few inches off centre along the centre line. This is of particular benefit if you follow the second suggestion below!

If your Nuevo has an end kitchen ** (like ours) I would suggest a further possibility. Consider a swan neck table leg. I fitted ours against the underbed locker immediately behind the driver's seat, and it works very well indeed. With the combined swivelling action of both swan neck leg and offset table top socket we can adjust the table over a very wide range of positions.

One of the big advantages when travelling (particularly in France) the table can be "parked" behind the driver's seat while we drive, ready for a quick stop at a frites stall. Then Mrs Gromit simply swivels it into place, makes a cuppa and and lays out the plates, while I fetch the "frites merguez"!

If you are interested I'll post a photo. In fact it's so convenient we rarely use the Fiamma table except outside.

Dave

** Don't know if it would work on other models with a different layout.

Hello Dave, I think I might try that one, sometimes we only need a small table. Would like to see the picture

Hi Dave, thanks for your suggestion re swan neck table leg. Didn't know about that option. It's another idea to contemplate.Yes I would like a photo please. Wife of Richard.

Lots more information in this thread. https://www.autosleeper-ownersforum.com/t15034-occasional-table

I think Fiamma do a swan neck leg but I can't find it online. Maybe it is discontinued. It certainly wasn't as good quality as the one AutoSleepers supply. I would recommend the A/S one - not cheap, but superb quality.

Photos as promised.
Hope they are self explanatory, and useful to others. Probably the best and most useful mod we have done to our van.

The Leg -


The Table -


En Route "Parking" -

Dave

I have very similar small table, slightly bigger, bought off a formite here, with the swivel leg, hardly use the big collapsible table now.

Gromit wrote:Lots more information in this thread. https://www.autosleeper-ownersforum.com/t15034-occasional-table

I think Fiamma do a swan neck leg but I can't find it online. Maybe it is discontinued. It certainly wasn't as good quality as the one AutoSleepers supply. I would recommend the A/S one - not cheap, but superb quality.

Photos as promised.
Hope they are self explanatory, and useful to others. Probably the best and most useful mod we have done to our van.

The Leg -


The Table -


En Route "Parking" -

Dave

That looks great Dave, something that's tempted me to look for a similarly elegant solution.

I found this, which looks similar to the A-S one, I might contact them to ask for the exact leg dimensions:

http://www.vanwurks.co.uk/tables-and-fittings/cranked-table-leg-kit-deluxe

meanchris wrote:
That looks great Dave, something that's tempted me to look for a similarly elegant solution.

I found this, which looks similar to the A-S one, I might contact them to ask for the exact leg dimensions:

http://www.vanwurks.co.uk/tables-and-fittings/cranked-table-leg-kit-deluxe

That looks identical to the one supplied by A/S, except that it has two triangular supports instead of one of those plus a floor socket. I doubt if it makes much difference either way.

If you look closely at my photos you will notice that I made a little upstand for the socket to save bodging holes in the floor, and there's a wooden extension on the bottom of the leg to make it a bit higher. I turned a little step at the right height on a bit of old umbrella pole so it was a push fit, and shoved it in with a smear of contact adhesive.

When we got the Fiamma tripod table it was a bit too tall, so I trimmed the leg to match the cranked table. Now if we have visitors for a meal they are "parked" in the cab seats and use the swivel table. Since Mrs Gromit and I need access to serve the honoured guests we use the Fiamma table, and as they are now both the same height they push together to form one bigger table.

It works well.

Dave


P.S. If you got the table shown in your link it would be dead easy to make a socket like I have fitted, if that's what you prefer. Mine does have a metal cup insert but that's not at all necessary. (I found the socket useful for getting the leg absolutely vertical. I moved it across until it was correct, then gave the (already inserted) screws a smack with the hammer to locate them for screwing home.)

Thanks Dave, I'd want to be very careful about the cranked leg and arm lengths before buying, to make sure that it will all fit and either fold away nicely or be easily mounted and removed. Don't want any more skinned knees/elbows/knuckles than absolutely necessary. 

That solution certainly makes a lot of sense for a twos-up cuppa or cold drink and snack though, especially when mid journey.

I'll show the idea past SWMBO and hint that we can't possibly afford it, that might do the trick. 

We have the cranked leg and table supplied as std in our Bourton and yes it gets a lot of use.

Thanks to all for taking the time to offer advice on free standing table. Some great ideas to think about, all very helpful.Will post again when we decide which way to go. Many thanks.Wife of Richard.

Hi. I have been looking for a free standing base for the small table we got with our Nuevo II EL.
Does anyone know what the size of hole in the Fiamma table kit tripod base is?
Our table leg is c53mm in diameter. Would this fit?

Also does anyone know of a likely supplier close to Sheffield I could actually go along to and try it out before buying?
Thanks
Malcolm

malc&jenny2 wrote:Hi. I have been looking for a free standing base for the small table we got with our Nuevo II EL.
Does anyone know what the size of hole in the Fiamma table kit tripod base is?
Our table leg is c53mm in diameter. Would this fit?

Also does anyone know of a likely supplier close to Sheffield I could actually go along to and try it out before buying?
Thanks
Malcolm

Hi Malcolm

Trying before buying is what I would have suggested, since I don't think it will fit. The leg may be the same size but I'm pretty sure the taper is different.

Two alternatives spring to mind.

If you want the tripod for outside use (and they are very good for that) the leg and boss to complete the set are not very expensive. I wouldn't be surprised if your dealer has a few spare tables lying around, so you could easily fit the Fiamma boss - we got a perfect table for a tenner from our dealer.

If you want it mainly for inside use, have you thought of a swan neck leg? It can be fitted to the end of the bed box behind the driver's seat, and the little table can stay on it while you travel, ready for the frites and merguez if you are lucky enough to find a stall. One of the most useful mods I have made to our van - and the previous one - and the one before that!!

Hope this helps

Dave

Hi Dave.
Many Thanks for your speedy reply. 
Yes, I would like to try before I buy if possible. I was hoping that someone who has got one already would send in the measurements and see if our free standing table fits.

It would mainly be for outside use (although we have a larger fold-up table for this too).
Not sure if swan-neck table support would work as ours Nuevo looks as if its a different layout (end lounge) to yours.
I might try Towsures in Sheffield to see if they have one.
Cheers,
Malcolm Dixon

I don't think the measurements would help Malcolm. It's the taper at the end of the leg which is the problem.

I'll go out and measure mine in a minute since I have both. I think the difference will be too small to measure accurately, but enough for the leg to wobble in the socket, or not go in far enough.

Even better I'll try the Fiamma leg in the A/S socket and vice versa!

Watch this space.

Dave