swivel table

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David and Susan Bratt
Posts: 412
Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2005 9:11 pm

swivel table

Post by David and Susan Bratt »

I'm wondering if anyone has modified or changed out their little swivel table. It is very ingenious but it also feels a little high and is quite small . And I would like to have a table closer to the kitchen.
Rover 2002 24ft RB

www.ourtravelswithrover.com
Ralph Strauch

Post by Ralph Strauch »

I cut mine down a couple of inches, so that it isn't as high. That means that someone can't sit on the couch and pull the table in over their legs, but it can get close enough, and it's a lot better height.

I also mounted a sliding piece of wood under the table which will butt up against the swivel to stop the table from swiveling around that joint. It makes the table a bit more stable that it was to begin with. If you want more details on this I can post a photo, though probably not till next week.

Ralph
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bcope01
Posts: 1290
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2005 6:55 pm

Post by bcope01 »

Ralph:

I'm interested. Please post the photo when you get a chance.

Bill
Barb & Bill
2004 Born Free 22' Built for Two (Sold)
no longer towing a 2008 Smart ForTwo

Escondido, CA
Ralph Strauch

locking the swivel table in place

Post by Ralph Strauch »

Here are some pictures of the locking board I added to my swivel table. The one labeled "swivel locked" shows the board locked in position to restrict the swivel of the table, and "swivel unlocked" shows it retracted to allow the table to swivel.

The board is about 6"x7", with two inline 2.5" slits wide enough to accommodate a quarter inch bolt, down the centerline of the long axis. Two quarter inch threaded caps are set into the table, positioned to receive the bolts which hold and align the board. The inner (nearest the table swivel) bolt is a thumbscrew which can be tightened to lock the board in place or loosened to allow it to slide. The outer bolt serves only to align the board, and is long enough not to restrict it's movement. I put locktite on the threads of the outer bolt to prevent it from vibrating lose as I drive.

With the board locked in place, you can twist the swivel to adjust the position of the locked table relative to the swing arm. I adjusted mine so that I can position the table as shown in "driving position" when I'm driving. This same alignment locks the table in a good eating position relative to the couch when the swing arm is swung out 90 degrees. I drilled additional holes through the table pillar to lock the swing arm in either of those positions, though I've found that locking it in the eating position isn't really useful. (I think some newer coaches may use a thumbscrew rather than a locking pin to secure the swing arm, in which case this wouldn't be necessary.) I jam a 2" thick piece of foam rubber between the table and the back of the driver's seat while driving to reduce the rattle.

As David and Susan mentioned, the table was originally too high to be comfortable. I cut a couple of inches off the table pillar to drop the height of the table to 26". This barely allows room for your knees under the swing arm if you're sitting at the front end of the couch, but it works and is a more usable height.

Let me know if any of this isn't clear.

Ralph

Note: This post edited by bfadmin on 5/12/06 to re-enter photos as supplied by author.
Attachments
Table locked in position for driving.  Note piece of foam stuffed in to prevent rattle
Table locked in position for driving. Note piece of foam stuffed in to prevent rattle
Driving position.jpg (19.44 KiB) Viewed 21196 times
Locking board retracted to allow table to swivel
Locking board retracted to allow table to swivel
Swivel unlocked.jpg (19.41 KiB) Viewed 21196 times
Board locked in place to prevent swivel
Board locked in place to prevent swivel
Swivel locked.jpg (15.44 KiB) Viewed 21196 times
User avatar
bcope01
Posts: 1290
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2005 6:55 pm

Post by bcope01 »

Ralph:

Excellent design, description, and pictures. Thanks for sharing this!

Bill
Barb & Bill
2004 Born Free 22' Built for Two (Sold)
no longer towing a 2008 Smart ForTwo

Escondido, CA
Dave&JanPotter

Post by Dave&JanPotter »

I was not happy with how the original table position restricted how far back the driver's seat would adjust when the table was pinned in the driving position. I moved the swivel on the table several inches toward the forward end and it gave more room for the driver to move the seat back. We like the height of the seat but I guess we just have long legs. :D
robert

Table

Post by robert »

Bornfree will also supply a table top, and a table leg and a table base.
It is very easy to set up, takes up no room at all, and stores nicely behind the drivers seat.

You can take the table top from the swival table and buy the base and leg.
They use to sell them at Camping World, but I could not find them in the on-line catalog. The product is made by PORTALEG and they are still available at:(http://www.boatersworld.com/product/166484774.htm)
Last edited by robert on Thu May 11, 2006 8:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
bcope01
Posts: 1290
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2005 6:55 pm

Post by bcope01 »

Robert, you can get them (Porta-Leggs) for about $20 less at TJ Trailers:

http://www.tjtrailers.com/store/porta-leggs.html

Bill
Barb & Bill
2004 Born Free 22' Built for Two (Sold)
no longer towing a 2008 Smart ForTwo

Escondido, CA
robert

Table

Post by robert »

That price appears to be for the base only, the table leg should be about $10-$12.
Ralph Strauch

what happened to my photos

Post by Ralph Strauch »

Earlier today I posted three photos of my swivel table locking mechanism. Wenr I posted them they showed up along with the message. Tonight I received a private message from someone who couldn't access the photos, and when I tried again, I can't access them either. Does anyone know what happened to them, and why they are no longer available?

Ralph
User avatar
bcope01
Posts: 1290
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2005 6:55 pm

Re: what happened to my photos

Post by bcope01 »

Ralph Strauch wrote:Does anyone know what happened to them, and why they are no longer available?
Ralph:

The duplicate of your post is also gone. Maybe when the duplicate was deleted, the pictures were affected? :?:

Bill
Barb & Bill
2004 Born Free 22' Built for Two (Sold)
no longer towing a 2008 Smart ForTwo

Escondido, CA
User avatar
whemme
Posts: 2110
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:05 pm

LOST PHOTOS!

Post by whemme »

Ralph Strauch,

If you log back in, you should be able to edit your post with the three photos and delete them and then re-enter them and maybe that will fix the problem. The other possibility is that you could E-mail me those three photos and I can go in as a website administrator (bfadmin) and I will repost them for you.

Bill Hemme
bfadmin
whemme@avionicstraining.com
Bill Hemme - Spencer, Iowa
E-mail: whemme@earthlink.net
2002 Born Free (Ford E-450 V10) 26' RSB
2016 VW Golf GTI - toad
Ralph Strauch

re: locking the swivel table in place - Photos

Post by Ralph Strauch »

NOTE: This post was deleted 5/12/06 by bfadmin since the three photos by author Ralph Strauch have been re-entered into the author's original post dated Thu May 11, 2006 2:01 pm
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