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Dinette Seats Help

Started by mike802, May 14, 2013, 07:21:56 am

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mike802

I everyone:  As most of you know, I am converting an old bus into an RV.  I have come to the point in my project where I have to build a set of dinette seats.   I will admit that I am asking a lot out of these dinette seats, I need them to be comfortable to eat at and for extended sitting times when traveling down the road for 8 to 12 hours.  They also have to make into a bed and have accessible storage underneath.  I have considered using a knife hinge so they can fold down into a bed, with the addition of reclining mechanisms from car seats to recline the backs.  Any ideas would be greatly helpful, thanks guys.
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power" - Abraham Lincoln
http://www.mjamsdenfurniture.com

Mike

most campers that I had the table was places on a lip so it made for a bed deck the dinette  backs would be placed on the tqable tpp making a full berth

mike802

Mike, yea that pretty much sums up the dinette seating arrangement that the RV industry has used since day one.  Having the opportunity to build my own, I was thinking of doing something better.  Anytime I slept on a convertible dinette by morning the cushions would have slid around and be half off the table.  The seating arrangement is ok for eating, but in a motor home where someone might be sitting for 10 to 12 hours during traveling they can be horrendous.  I was thinking that a knife hinge would open the seat for sleeping without having the cushions sliding around and a reclining mechanism would make long term travel more comfortable, also a mechanism to lift the legs just behind the knees would also help.  I went to the junk yard and picked up two bucket seats out of a pick up, hopefully this weekend I will see just what I have to work with.
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power" - Abraham Lincoln
http://www.mjamsdenfurniture.com

Mike

Mike seems you eould still need to jugle the cushions around.
What if you hinged the back  ushion to the seat bottom on each side slid them down in pla e fo make one bed then perhaps.  Zipper the 2 sets together so they did t move around.

I had a boat dinett area that mDe into. Bed. It was "L" shaped.  The long ze tion had a panel thT slid out. Doubling the size to make the bottom. The. Ushion still had to. E moved around to cover the  berth.

Mojo

Mike:

How about an arrangement of two opposing jack knife seats ? It would be an off take of a jack knife
love seat found in many MH's.

Chris

mike802

Chris:  Yea, that is what I was thinking and meant by a knife hinge, with the addition of the reclining mech. out of the truck seats.  I still have to come up with some way to add support for under the legs and some head rests.  Maybe I could also have the kick panel part of the dinette seat box fold out to make a foot rest.  Its going to be an involved project for sure.
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power" - Abraham Lincoln
http://www.mjamsdenfurniture.com

Mike

May 16, 2013, 06:06:30 pm #6 Last Edit: May 16, 2013, 06:21:24 pm by Mike
my winnibeago had a sofa like that it hinged and layed down into a bed maybe you could find 2 mike and with some welding to shorten them  for your purpose.ive not seen a flip up footrest though on a couch maybe mojo ho has seem many more has

mike802

Thanks Mike, thats along the lines I was thinking, but ended up buying some truck seats, I did a little work on my truck seat idea, for dinette seats yesterday.  Tore one all down and was thinking of widening it into a bench seat, then decided maybe it would be best to use 4 seats and keep them as singles.  That way everyone seated can adjust for their own comfort setting.  It would mean compromising a little on sleeping comfort, but in our case the dinette would only be used for occasional sleeping anyway.  Still have a lot to figure out, but I am video recording it all as I go and should have some footage to share soon.
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power" - Abraham Lincoln
http://www.mjamsdenfurniture.com