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Old 04-29-2016, 06:50 AM   #1
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,753
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
Convertible Dinette?

as i do the layout in my bus.. one of the things im working with is the fact I'll be spending a lot of time driving but also some time parked..

enjoying the warm-breeze from outside will be part of it for me while working on my DEV work inside..

my bus has a wheel chair door (the lift is getting yanked).. so my thought is to do the easy "2 bus seats set opposing" in front of that door.. a company will make me a retractable roll-up screen for that door so while im sitting there, the door is open and the screen in place.. my open air and no nasty wasps and such!

I also want this to be a "cot" of sorts for when im just too tired driving, I gotta stop and want to lay down and nap..

so im trying to figure out some type of a table that sits between those seats that can be lowered to seat height.. I can toss 2 sleeping bags on it.. (on top of each other for thickness) and nap out...

maybe I have the wrong idea? but im thinking campers in the past had some type of convertible dinettes.. I dont want a murphy bed as I want ALL of my windows completely uncovered.. im a bright-day sunlight loving sort of guy so having things above window level stored is pretty much out...

I had also thought about modding a bus seat to where the back would fold giving more length..

im a pretty shprt (5'9") guy and tend to sleep in a ball so I dont need some 8 foot long solution.. just looking for ideas on whats out there and what you guys have done..

im not necessarily a carpenter or upholsterer so some of the elaborate custom builds are probably beyond what im into..

-Christopher

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Old 04-29-2016, 07:54 AM   #2
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Virginia
Posts: 548
Quote:
Originally Posted by cadillackid View Post
as i do the layout in my bus.. one of the things im working with is the fact I'll be spending a lot of time driving but also some time parked..

enjoying the warm-breeze from outside will be part of it for me while working on my DEV work inside..

my bus has a wheel chair door (the lift is getting yanked).. so my thought is to do the easy "2 bus seats set opposing" in front of that door.. a company will make me a retractable roll-up screen for that door so while im sitting there, the door is open and the screen in place.. my open air and no nasty wasps and such!

I also want this to be a "cot" of sorts for when im just too tired driving, I gotta stop and want to lay down and nap..

so im trying to figure out some type of a table that sits between those seats that can be lowered to seat height.. I can toss 2 sleeping bags on it.. (on top of each other for thickness) and nap out...

maybe I have the wrong idea? but im thinking campers in the past had some type of convertible dinettes.. I dont want a murphy bed as I want ALL of my windows completely uncovered.. im a bright-day sunlight loving sort of guy so having things above window level stored is pretty much out...

I had also thought about modding a bus seat to where the back would fold giving more length..

im a pretty shprt (5'9") guy and tend to sleep in a ball so I dont need some 8 foot long solution.. just looking for ideas on whats out there and what you guys have done..

im not necessarily a carpenter or upholsterer so some of the elaborate custom builds are probably beyond what im into..

-Christopher
Could you design something to raise/lower like office chairs and adjustable height tables do? You might be able to pull the parts off one of these items that has the correct travel height you need and install it directly for a low cost solution. Many of the adjustable height tables have a good range of travel.
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Old 04-29-2016, 08:00 AM   #3
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Marietta, GA
Posts: 192
I'm SOOOO with you on the windows! Here's a great guide (with lots of piuctures!) of how one guy pulled this off in his skoolie reusing two bus seats and a door slab from Home Depot as the table top. It looks pretty nice once it's all trimmed out and upholstered.

School Bus Conversion - Dinette, Seating and Seat Belts
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Old 04-29-2016, 09:08 AM   #4
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,753
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
Quote:
Originally Posted by mysty View Post
I'm SOOOO with you on the windows! Here's a great guide (with lots of piuctures!) of how one guy pulled this off in his skoolie reusing two bus seats and a door slab from Home Depot as the table top. It looks pretty nice once it's all trimmed out and upholstered.

School Bus Conversion - Dinette, Seating and Seat Belts

this one is pretty neat!.. I like how he created the channel in the seats that the table top drops into!..

im thinking of using basically extra Bus seats theselves.. but gives me an idea i could have short legs that fold up under the seats, come out and support the table top.. and then the table is easy I just build folding legs with a connection to the floor so the table would stay upright during driving..



Ive also though of the office chair cylinder... only thoughts are imagining my little light-weight body jumping on the table to get the cylinders to collapse!! but the height of those is pretty close when folded down to what I need...

I already ruled out an air-ride driver seat for myself because of my size.. I sat in one the other day and about bounced myself silly.... id be sea sick in one of those things..

we have a bunch of old dead office chairs at work that still have good cylinders.. I may take a couple and experiment with that idea.

good stuff.
-Christopher
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Old 04-29-2016, 10:10 AM   #5
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Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
Posts: 6,409
Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
I'm definitely not light, but my air ride seat tosses my arse into the air on these back county roads. I'm told there is a shock absorber within the seat that gets worn out causing the seat to make driving somewhat challenging.
Honestly I let all the air out of my air ride seat while I'm driving, as they are adjustable. Getting tossed up in the air isn't the problem. It's when it bottoms out during a large bounce that messes with your back. For now it's just easier to let the air out and it rides like a normal bus seat.
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