Step one. Bought the van.
Hello Everybody, First post. I camp a lot in tents but after spending three days straight in a tent in the rain at Dolly Sods I swore I'd make a change. Here it is. Bought it Wednesday. Dro...
Forum Discussion
Sofa-bed continued:
With the Center Support bolted in it's new position, use clamps to attach the drive metal angle to the Bed Platform for alignment testing.
When both Bob and I are happy with the alignment -
drill new holes for the metal angle through the Bed Platform.
I found it pretty tight working under the sofa-bed so I tipped the whole thing on it's back. Even in this position I found it very sturdy.
After bolting the Bed Platform using the new holes I did some more testing. The drive mechanism worked fine most of the time but occasionally the Bed Platform would get at an angle and start jamming. This jamming has bedeviled me from the first. So I gave the problem some pondering. I'm going to try adding springs.
Stop by the local Ace Hardware and see what they have in stock.
Most of the springs in this display didn't work for me since there is 12" of travel on the platform and the springs won't expand that far.
Number 59 seems to be the best for my application. $2.24 each. Bought two.
Installing the springs was easy. Just used a bolt from the Middle Brace to anchor one end and a bolt for the Bed Platform for the other end.
The springs work like a charm. If the platform starts to move sideways it causes one spring to expand longer than the other. This causes a pulling force on that side of the Bed Platform in relation to the opposite side and it brings it back into alignment. Wished I'd thought of this in the beginning.
One set of springs proved to be enough. The bed hasn't jammed since I installed them. If it jams again I'll just double up on the springs. I feel confident I've finally got his one problem licked.
Put down my three inch thick foam pads.
Give it test. Not bad.
I next started working on the Top Brace. I spent a lot of time getting the placement just right.
Wanted to be sure that the Back Platform with foam in place would clear the brace when it raised into the sofa position. Drew lines on the End Pieces to mark out it's arc.
Once I had the Top Brace positioned just perfect I decide to do one more test before I bolted it onto place. Spend a night sleeping on the sofa-bed in the garage.
By the morning I realized I didn't like the Top Brace at all. Felt like it was intruding into my sleeping space. So I removed it and moved to plan "B".
Instead of a brace across the back of the sofa-bed I'll install end support blocks at each of the End Pieces.
The Back Platform is sturdy enough so that the two end blocks give it sufficient support. Problem is the blocks overhang the edge of the End Pieces so there isn't a lot of wood to bolt through. I'm going to add a reinforcing block to the end blocks.
First get the thickness of the End Pieces.
Use that measurement to set the table saw. Then trim down two corner blocks so they're the same thickness as the End Piece. Notice use of the "push stick". Don't get your fingers near a spinning table saw blade.
Figure out the proper alignment of the reinforcing block to the end block then glue and screw together.
There will be one set for each end.
After everything has set up check their alignment on the End Pieces.
Clamp them in position then screw and bolt them to the End Pieces.
Writing this up I realized I didn't have a finished picture of the support blocks so I just went outside and took a couple pictures in the van. The exposed threads from bolt end will be trimmed up when I'm done.
I've slept on the sofa-bed with these new block and they aren't intrusive at all like the Top Brace was.
continued -
With the Center Support bolted in it's new position, use clamps to attach the drive metal angle to the Bed Platform for alignment testing.
When both Bob and I are happy with the alignment -
drill new holes for the metal angle through the Bed Platform.
I found it pretty tight working under the sofa-bed so I tipped the whole thing on it's back. Even in this position I found it very sturdy.
After bolting the Bed Platform using the new holes I did some more testing. The drive mechanism worked fine most of the time but occasionally the Bed Platform would get at an angle and start jamming. This jamming has bedeviled me from the first. So I gave the problem some pondering. I'm going to try adding springs.
Stop by the local Ace Hardware and see what they have in stock.
Most of the springs in this display didn't work for me since there is 12" of travel on the platform and the springs won't expand that far.
Number 59 seems to be the best for my application. $2.24 each. Bought two.
Installing the springs was easy. Just used a bolt from the Middle Brace to anchor one end and a bolt for the Bed Platform for the other end.
The springs work like a charm. If the platform starts to move sideways it causes one spring to expand longer than the other. This causes a pulling force on that side of the Bed Platform in relation to the opposite side and it brings it back into alignment. Wished I'd thought of this in the beginning.
One set of springs proved to be enough. The bed hasn't jammed since I installed them. If it jams again I'll just double up on the springs. I feel confident I've finally got his one problem licked.
Put down my three inch thick foam pads.
Give it test. Not bad.
I next started working on the Top Brace. I spent a lot of time getting the placement just right.
Wanted to be sure that the Back Platform with foam in place would clear the brace when it raised into the sofa position. Drew lines on the End Pieces to mark out it's arc.
Once I had the Top Brace positioned just perfect I decide to do one more test before I bolted it onto place. Spend a night sleeping on the sofa-bed in the garage.
By the morning I realized I didn't like the Top Brace at all. Felt like it was intruding into my sleeping space. So I removed it and moved to plan "B".
Instead of a brace across the back of the sofa-bed I'll install end support blocks at each of the End Pieces.
The Back Platform is sturdy enough so that the two end blocks give it sufficient support. Problem is the blocks overhang the edge of the End Pieces so there isn't a lot of wood to bolt through. I'm going to add a reinforcing block to the end blocks.
First get the thickness of the End Pieces.
Use that measurement to set the table saw. Then trim down two corner blocks so they're the same thickness as the End Piece. Notice use of the "push stick". Don't get your fingers near a spinning table saw blade.
Figure out the proper alignment of the reinforcing block to the end block then glue and screw together.
There will be one set for each end.
After everything has set up check their alignment on the End Pieces.
Clamp them in position then screw and bolt them to the End Pieces.
Writing this up I realized I didn't have a finished picture of the support blocks so I just went outside and took a couple pictures in the van. The exposed threads from bolt end will be trimmed up when I'm done.
I've slept on the sofa-bed with these new block and they aren't intrusive at all like the Top Brace was.
continued -
