Thinking about a Jump Seat...

[brokedown]

When we got our bus, we left a single seat behind the driver so we could have up to 2 belted passengers. We've been doing fine with this, but my recent rework inside is making me think about removing it and finding better use for that space. I plan to keep my GF for a while so I'm thinking about a jump seat.

My Vista has a barrier between the old passenger area and the stairs, with only a 2 or 3 inch lip protruding through. I could remove (or move) that barrier but moving it too far back would quickly negate the space savings ro the other side.

The jump seats I've found with a quick search around the net don't look like anything I'd want to sit in for very long, but being able to fold up or otherwise get out of the way is pretty important.

So I'm looking for any advice or creative suggestions, anyone who may have done something like this themselves, etc!

[brokedown]

Photo of my entry way. Excuse the mess we are remodelling!

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[Thomas1985]

I think it sounds like a good idea. Look for ones made for boats. The cussion seems a lot more substantial.

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

If you are planning on keeping her around why are you wanting her in a seat next to the door that she can jump out of?
I know bad joke?
Look at ONE NATION UNDER GOATS build thread. They have the coolest idea I have seen for that purpose.
Good luck

[brokedown]

Found it! Reading up to this part was a wild ride, but you can skip to the seat part here: http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f11/bu...tml#post155744

This is pretty much what I was thinking but its good to see someone having done it! Now i just need to get a seat, get some steel, get a welder, learn to weld, get soe more steel because I ruined the first stuff I bought, and then do it right the second time!

I'll take some measurements tomorrow and start plotting.

[Juicifer]

Been thinking about this myself. Assuming you’ve already seen this, and yes none of these look incredibly comfortable but I’ll leave it here Incase it’s useful to anybody: https://www.suburbanseats.com/c/jump-seats

[brokedown]

I saw those and my back started hurting just looking at the photos! I'll see if I can't find a junkyard to liberate a slightly used bucket seat.

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

You learn to weld with your scraps.
Buy the angle cut the pieces to the length for the build.
Mark them.
Set them to the side.
And practice welding on the leftovers in all positions. Flat,vertical,overhead,sitting,standing,laying down?
Then when you feel,comfortable doing that?
Plan to weld it flat on a table or floor and go for it.
Remember
If on a concrete floor the concrete can get to hot and pop up like a pop rock but usually doesn't with a short weld
Wear a long sleeve shirt. A starched shirt will keep the sparks from getting to your skin if changed as needed.
You need a grinder,safety glasses and normal leather work gloves will work for you if using a form of wire welding.
Good luck
Have fun

[brokedown]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger bus 223

You learn to weld with your scraps.
Buy the angle cut the pieces to the length for the build.
Mark them.
Set them to the side.
And practice welding on the leftovers in all positions. Flat,vertical,overhead,sitting,standing,laying down?
Then when you feel,comfortable doing that?
Plan to weld it flat on a table or floor and go for it.
Remember
If on a concrete floor the concrete can get to hot and pop up like a pop rock but usually doesn't with a short weld
Wear a long sleeve shirt. A starched shirt will keep the sparks from getting to your skin if changed as needed.
You need a grinder,safety glasses and normal leather work gloves will work for you if using a form of wire welding.
Good luck
Have fun

I have some welding experience. I at one time owned the cheapest wire welder Harbor Freight sold, and used it to put holes in metal. After a few tries I was able to stick a quarter to an old bottle jack.

In other words, I've trained my whole life for this! :thumbs:

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

The cheapest isn't always the way to go but HEY save your receipt and turn it in before the 90-days.
For your next challenge when you play the game again is to weld two beer soda cans together?
Even though aluminum it can be done with a machine set up for steel.
When you learn to use low heat and low voltage to weld something that thin you can comfortably weld anything.
for that trick there is a little more to it but I won't share yet.

[Carytowncat]

The thing i dig about welding is that even a poor job often sticks two pieces of steel together. I welded a piece to the homemade woodstove, quite poorly, and two years later it is still welded!

[Robin97396]

My welds are ugly, but that's why they make grinders.

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

Not trying to say that even a bus owner can't do it successfully?
If there is a will there is a way.
My first welds working on farm equipment as a kid looked like pigeon poop but they kept many a hay bailer,rake, bush hog ,tractor bush guards together. Old man that I worked for only complained about the welds looking better and the ranchers only cared that it held?
But that was a lot simpler times in the 70-80's as a kid in nowhere Texas.
It doesn't have to look pretty but the ones that stick the metal to metal needs the heat turned up so you can see the two pieces melting together the wire or the rod is the conductor for the heat but is only the filler of what that electricity does to join the two pieces and you are the orchestaitor..
In the end.
Even if you can't see what your welding/hood and mirrors in a mucked up spot?
You can listen to it and the sound will tell you what you need to do?
Welding is a technology used world wide and should be taught in schools.

[brokedown]

If I'm going the welding route for a passenger seat I figure I should upgrade the driver's seat too. All I need is a wrecked minivan with manual seats... A few minutes to wash the blood out and they'll be good as new! I drove 30k miles in a pretty awful driver's seat already.

[Robin97396]

Yeah, how about a bench seat up there? Balance it on the air ride seat pedestal.

[brokedown]

A bench would be fun but it would block the entire entryway.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by brokedown

Found it! Reading up to this part was a wild ride, but you can skip to the seat part here: http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f11/bu...tml#post155744

This is pretty much what I was thinking but its good to see someone having done it! Now i just need to get a seat, get some steel, get a welder, learn to weld, get soe more steel because I ruined the first stuff I bought, and then do it right the second time!

I'll take some measurements tomorrow and start plotting.

I rode in Fred and Dan's folding passenger seat. Its AMAZING. Copy that design, then help us all build one Josh!

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by brokedown

I saw those and my back started hurting just looking at the photos! I'll see if I can't find a junkyard to liberate a slightly used bucket seat.

I've got a barely used dodge caravan middle row bucket seat in my garage that you can have. Its comfy.

[brokedown]

Do you have TWO of them? I think I've talked myself into upgrading my river's sea as well.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by brokedown

Do you have TWO of them? I think I've talked myself into upgrading my river's sea as well.

Yeah, but one is a little gross. Got rained on a few times. Would maybe clean up, but IDK.