Little Coffee Shelf, Table between the Arms

pilchard wrote:This reminds me of a section there used to be in one of the old camping mags I used to buy from time to time. The section was called "Tenner for a Tip". It was an absolute hoot, because some of these tips... I suppose they call them hacks these days... were completely barmy. Turning empty toilet roll tubes into useless storage containers and 101 usefull things to do with an empty crisp packet, etc, etc. Most ideas though, like this table, we're relatively sane. The British spirit of invention, generously seasoned with a good dash of Heath-Robinson, fortunately lives on.

Well I look at it like this...... It is cold, wet and dark and some might say miserable this time of year so I made a little thing out of some wood, Shared it and people have read it and commented. If it has given a single person a moment of joy or an idea that is good in my book  

Greeves wrote:In the current NUEVO both tables are stowed neatly in the wardrobe. Both are lightweight and easily erected, the larger is free standing and may be used inside or outside the van. So no need for DIY unless you want to construct a base to use the smaller table outside. QED.

 In our 2004 model we only have a single largish but light table stored very neatly in the wardrobe that can be used inside or out. Hence the construction of the world beating small, multi purpose Coffee table, foot supporting, seat traying, draught excluding miracle.. made at home for nothing and occupied an hour or so of a cold wet miserable day   

Yes, thank you Peternb - I do turn the heater to recirculating in winter. But the NuevoES (with the double bed over the luton) has a large volume behind the front seats, and that takes quite a time to warm up if starting from cold for a day trip. I gather that it is possible to have the Truma running whilst on the move, but I don't fancy it on safety and economic grounds. We find that a low-level barrier - instantly removeable so no impediment - helps considerably.

Cymro

Nice that someone else has come up with this idea. For several years we've used a lipped wooden serving tray from a charity shop that I stuck two battens to the bottom to locate it on the armrests. I have to admit I pinched the idea after once seeing one between the seats in a non AS van.
It double up as a tray to carry things when we're eating outside.
Al.

bikeralw wrote:Nice that someone else has come up with this idea. For several years we've used a lipped wooden serving tray from a charity shop that I stuck two battens to the bottom to locate it on the armrests. I have to admit I pinched the idea after once seeing one between the seats in a non AS van.
It double up as a tray to carry things when we're eating outside.
Al.

Many thanks. It now has another use as a tray. So we have

1) Coffee Table
2) Seat tray
3) Foot support
4) Draught Excluder
5) Keeping her indoors map book flat when in the stored position behind the seat
6) Ordinary tray
7) lap tray to eat off
8) Lap writing table

There must be more

PS Patent Pending

Cymro wrote:Yes, thank you Peternb - I do turn the heater to recirculating in winter. But the NuevoES (with the double bed over the luton) has a large volume behind the front seats, and that takes quite a time to warm up if starting from cold for a day trip. I gather that it is possible to have the Truma running whilst on the move, but I don't fancy it on safety and economic grounds. We find that a low-level barrier - instantly removeable so no impediment - helps considerably.

Cymro

I know your van is newer than mine but I cannot have my Truma working while driving unless I modify the wiring to give it a permanent 12V feed. On my van habitation electrics are switched off when the engine starts, presumably by the D+ hitting the EM50. There is also an irritating (?) safety feature that stops the Truma coming on if the 12V (or the mains) is interrupted while it is switched on.  The control has to be turned to OFF and then ON again to resume heating, thus effectively preventing the event timer in the Sargent EC328 from being used as a heating timer.  Maybe the EC500 control is different in that respect?

On the later models it is possible for the Truma heating to run on gas whilst driving.  I've experimented with it on the drive with the engine running but not found the need for it when driving, even when on one occasion travelling from home the outside temperature was minus 5 and the inside temperature at the start of the journey was minus 3.  With the help of the cab heater and the rising sun, the cab temperature rose steadily.  We find an advantage of travelling in the motorhome is that there is always a full range of clothing to wear which we have needed on occasions.

Still not convinced of the safety of driving with any flame in operation................

As to clothing, we carry two serious anoraks which would near fill the wardrobe, in vacuum bags so about 1" thick and half anorak size, in the loft. Never been needed so far, but there if so.

IanH wrote:Still not convinced of the safety of driving with any flame in operation................

As to clothing, we carry two serious anoraks which would near fill the wardrobe, in vacuum bags so about 1" thick and half anorak size, in the loft. Never been needed so far, but there if so.

The heating turns off automatically for short stops so its not on when refuelling but even so I think its safer for it not to be on in the first place especially if its not really needed.

We don't take heavy outdoor garments with us.  All we take in the summer and winter is a soft shell for when its dry and a hard shell for when its wet.  Neither are bulky or heavy.  For insulation both inside and outside, we wear cheap as chips layered micro fleeces and sometimes a hollow-fill sleeveless body warmer.  We have never been cold yet.

Is Fred starting to Drift a little here

Hi there the small table idea is grand. The only thing is one armrest has bent and needs to attended to to make the idea work. Love DIY ideas well done.

marianbretthill wrote:Hi there the small table idea is grand. The only thing is one armrest has bent and needs to attended to to make the idea work. Love DIY ideas well done.

Are you sure it's bent and not just in need of adjustment by the thumb wheel on the underside of the arm?
Al.

marianbretthill wrote:Hi there the small table idea is grand. The only thing is one armrest has bent and needs to attended to to make the idea work. Love DIY ideas well done.

I would be interested in how such an item could get bent