When I converted my twin bed 27' Overlander to a double bed, I wanted an office workspace on the street side. The problem was making a desk that didn't require a chair, but at the same time didn't obstruct the passageway. I finally hit on a simple translating top, using three full-extension drawer slides. It isn't perfectly solid when it's fully out, but it's way good enough to hold a laptop and type on it.
__________________ MindsEyePhotoAirstreamDoctorPygmyKayaker "It must be laid down as a primary position and basis of our system, that every citizen who enjoys the protection of a free government owes not only a proportion of his property, but even his personal service to the defense of it." - Washington
The wood in this coach looks as nice as that in your caravel....How about I park my Trade Wind by your shop for a while... I wont charge all that much to let you do some wood work in it . Serriously, looks like another first class job.
__________________ "If a man does not have an ideal and try to live up to it, then he becomes a mean, base and sordid creature, no matter how successful." Letter to his son Kermit, quoted in Theodore Roosevelt by Joseph Bucklin Bishop, 1915
Thanks, Rodney. As you can see, part of it is not finished yet. Need to take it out and apply Varithane, 3 coats, hard to do in the winter.
Next act is replacing the couch. I sure envy those folks who have done cork floors. I had to rebuild this one while I was living in it.
Funny story how I got started. Was in the Vegas airport heading home for the weekend (Overlander parked in McCarran parking lot), but Colorado airports closed due to snow. I ran over to Home Depot, bought a ton of birch plywood and solid maple and took off for Edwards AFB and their great wood shop. That night I cut the tub in half and three days later I had converted from twin beds to the double. The office (street side) took a few more months, but that first three-day job was perfect--perfect terror, perfect exhaustion, and perfect outcome. Usually I measure once, cut once, get another piece, cut again. That weekend everything worked.
Come by any time. I get the new Delta 8" jointer tomorrow and the shop is complete (Delta 10" table saw, two band saws, three sanding machine [horizontal, bench, and 24" drum], radial arm, translating 12" mitre saw, router table, shop air, and central vacuum). Hand tools too many to mention--did someone say something about Airstreams = $$ ? Good thing I also build all the cabinets for the house or you-know-who wouldn't be so happy "keeping" me. But no place to paint, so it's either cover up the table saw or go outside.
__________________ MindsEyePhotoAirstreamDoctorPygmyKayaker "It must be laid down as a primary position and basis of our system, that every citizen who enjoys the protection of a free government owes not only a proportion of his property, but even his personal service to the defense of it." - Washington
Nice job. It looks like if the desk starts to sag or wobble too much, you could just attach a folding leg to it, and solve the issue if it ever becomes one.
BTW, I could use a new bulkhead wall in our Overlander, let me know when you will be in town...
Nice work, and a great idea. This is one thing that Airstreams lack; a dedicated workspace. I think I remember seeing where some one had built a new dinette top hinged in the middle that lifted up and stored a laptop computer and I think a printer in a compartment below.
zep- clever use of space for your purposes, and nice looking work! I think it's interesting how the old configurations can be re-done, and the many different good ideas that people like yourself come up with. How is it you get to have 3 coaches to play with? You could almost hold your own rally... Anyway, looking real nice- tim
I just found your pictures and think your desk is brillant. I've thought of taking the mattress off one of the twins and converting that to a desk area, but it's a bit far for sitting on the bed. The sliders are perfect, if just for the keyboard or laptop. Is it still a good solution for you?
Funny you should ask. I put the same kind of desk in my Sovereign http://www.airforums.com/forums/show...1&postcount=40
It turns out that the Sovereign desk works fine, but getting all four slides perfectly aligned is problematic. It's a bit stiff. The Overlander, on the other hand, slides very easily--I'm reinstalling all the Overlander cabinetry this coming week after it was removed for varnishing [I should add, three years ago, sheesh].
Yes, the desk design works perfectly. I think maybe using just two slides at the edges in their intended vertical orientation would be easier to construct, and stronger. But it costs you about an extra inch of desk thickness.
Zep
__________________ MindsEyePhotoAirstreamDoctorPygmyKayaker "It must be laid down as a primary position and basis of our system, that every citizen who enjoys the protection of a free government owes not only a proportion of his property, but even his personal service to the defense of it." - Washington
bulkheads are 1/2" birch with 3/4" maple edges. I used the orginal retention moldings along the wall, and cut a kerf in the back edge of the panels to take the 1/4" slit. That works OK, but now that I have a shrinker, I'm using 3/4" "L" extrusion and forming it to fit the wall curve.
Zep
__________________ MindsEyePhotoAirstreamDoctorPygmyKayaker "It must be laid down as a primary position and basis of our system, that every citizen who enjoys the protection of a free government owes not only a proportion of his property, but even his personal service to the defense of it." - Washington
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. Serriously, looks like another first class job.
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