Bobcat with Dinette

Argonaut20

Argonaut20

Senior Member
Joined
May 24, 2009
Messages
432
Marty, Jeff, and I are discussing putting a dinette in the Bobcat I have ordered. We are drawing on DLN's work for inspiration, but using a simpler idea to form the 'bed' by using the table as part of the base for the bed. It is an old idea but it works well in the vintage trailers and is simple. Also less weight. Thus far, the 'bed' looks to be about 65 inches long by 19 inches wide with a storage area behind the dinette in front of the door. No back for the rear seat but I think something can be mounted as a back should one be needed. It would need to be removed so the camper could be entered and I am not convinced that a back is really necessary. The motivation here is to be able to sit and look out the window if you have to be in the camper rather than outside. May not be much to see, but it beats staring at the sink...
 
Since I have a Bobcat and find the current setup a little less optimal, I'm very interested. Please keep us posted- and pics of course!

Does this plan open the door clearing wider? My couch extends beyond the door frame a few inches, which means I have to lift the seat cushion to get the cooler through the opening.
 
At present I am thinking an angle cut on the rear storage to open the area around the door a bit. We haven't finalized everything, but there would be no cushion on the rear storage. I plan to use velcro to secure the seat cushions. The wide industrial velcro is pretty heavy duty stuff. Sew one part to the cushion and glue/screw the other part to the seat base and the cushions should stay put.
 
Plans

Here's what I am thinking - sorta.
DinettePlans1A.jpg
 
That ^ looks good. With no seat back, would there be any cushion on the storage area? It looks like the bed cushions would be about 5' 3", so some sort of foot support might be nice.

Do the seats lift up the same way to get to the storage under?
 
The plan looks really nice!
If possible it might be nice to have a seat back for the rear seat. It'll make enjoying the view through the window more comfortable. ;)
 
How about making the boxes the same height as the window sill, then making a cushion that would fit on the sill lengthwise. That way when made into a bed the width would be an additional six inches or so.
 
Most chair heights are about 17". Much more leaves feet in the air for all that are not very tall. I am using measurements from our Argosy trailer dinette for heights and what works for my wife and me. I am not planning to have more than my wife and myself as campers (sorry grandchildren) so making it into a resting pad is secondary. I do think a back is possible using a simple frame that bolts to the top of the storage and to the back of the seat back with thumbscrews so it could be easily removed/set up and the seat back could be used as a pad. I know this is going to evolve as we move closer to fabrication date and Marty and Jeff find what works and what doesn't. I will likely work on the rear seat back frame idea after the camper gets home in August.

My thanks to DLN for the idea and a lot of the problem solving.
 
I think this turned out very good. If there is a second dinette made I think we will make it a couple of inches narrower and we would like to find another way for the backs. Although we are very happy with this one.
Marty
 
Hi all. I have been lurking on this site for some time. My oldest son is in line for my VW Westfalia when he graduates from high school. And an ATC or FWC may be in my future if I can kick the Westy bug. I am interjecting myself into this topic because I have not noticed anyone suggest my potential solution for the dinette's backless seat (the one nearest the door). Now I have no experience with one of your campers and have never owned one of the things that I am about to propose - so feel free to laugh me out of town. The really lightweight campers (hikers) and stadium goers use a fabric seat with a strap. You can lean back but the strap is connected to the piece you are sitting on so you don't fall over backwards. This is a link to one on MEC's site, up here in Canada:


http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442622546&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302701547


Not sure if that will come through. If not, go to www.mec.ca and search for a senate seat (yes, it is a tongue-in-cheek name). Many companies make similar products and you will have a choice of style and colours at your local outdoor stores. Many styles support the use of a thermarest (or such) but they are more expensive and you don't need that functionality for the idea to work.

Love the site.

Cheers
 
I agree with Marty in that this dinette turned out well. I will post some photos when I get back to my main computer. Marty and Jeff managed to make a small (60+ inch bed) possible from the dinette. They made the seats comfortable, better than my original idea by far.

So, now we have usable dinette in a Bobcat that does not add weight to the unit above that the normal couch arrangement weighs. Marty and Don had the Bobcat mounted and ready to go in very little time even though I was hanging around being a nuisance. Thanks guys and pics will follow. I think people are going to want to see how well this worked.
 
GG,

Welcome aboard. I did consider a folding seat back like a stadium seat as one solution for the additional back, just never got around to doing anything with it. Now the camper's gone and the ideal dinette has to be build by others. I'm always looking forward to seeing what people come up with.
 
CushionSm.jpg
This is a view of the cushions down on the table when it is resting between the storage compartments.

TableDown2.jpg The table in down position.

TableMount.jpg How the table is mounted.

TableUp.jpg The table mounted for use. You can see the rails the table rests on when down.

CushionHold.jpg Jeff's solution to keeping the cushions in place.

Storage.jpg Storage under the cushion.

The dinette makes into a bed that is 68 inches long, sufficient for naps for an adult. The table is sufficiently large for meals for two, card games, laptops, etc. The aisle between the cushions and the counter is about 15 inches wide and it is wide enough for the normal camp cooking, water glass filling, etc. There is a storage area behind the dinette (back of the camper) that is about 10" deep X 9" wide X 19" high. Marty found a table leg 17" long that is ideal for height.

A plug for the Marty, Jeff, and Don: These folks came up with a dinette superior to my original plan. It is comfortable, well made, and doesn't add weight to the total package. We gained a usable table that is not in the way when you don't need it. There is still a couch, albeit backless, if that is what you want to use.

What we haven't solved yet: a support for the back cushion back. An ice chest against the back wall may have to do for now, but I have some ideas that I need to build so I can try them out.

Thanks for a great job on the camper to Marty, Jeff, and Don.
 
View attachment 6248


What we haven't solved yet: a support for the back cushion back. An ice chest against the back wall may have to do for now, but I have some ideas that I need to build so I can try them out.

Thanks for a great job on the camper to Marty, Jeff, and Don.

I was looking at an Ocelot and wanted a dinette. Ditto what you said about Marty and crew. I found a used Hawk so cheap I had to buy it. Just finish my dinette. I used Ski Poles to hold the seat back. Check out pictures on the FWC Site.

Link:
http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/index.php?/topic/2212/page__st__20
 
I was looking at an Ocelot and wanted a dinette. Ditto what you said about Marty and crew. I found a used Hawk so cheap I had to buy it. Just finish my dinette. I used Ski Poles to hold the seat back. Check out pictures on the FWC Site.

Link:
http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/index.php?/topic/2212/page__st__20

Clever idea. I may try that. You did a nice build job on the dinette there. Your seat back cushions are a bit larger than mine, but I see we are going in the same direction with the basic plan and implementation. Now we don't have to stare at the counter top but can look out the window instead.
 
I don't know if you have started this project, but I just ran across it and thought I'd give you my input. As described last year on the 4WC Forum (http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/index.php?/topic/1198/page__hl__dinette__fromsearch__1), I modified my Grandby with a dinette. Having lived with it for a while including two month-long trips, the main thing I would change is the seat height. This would, in turn, allow the seats to be effectively wider and allow more "leaning room" when sitting sideways which is what I mostly do when not eating at the table.

Without thinking much about it, I built up my dinette on the base of the old couch. That puts the cushion height at 16" which is acceptable but not ideal for a 6'3" person. This height allows one to sit at the dinette when "stealth camping" (roof not popped). But we never stealth camp. And if I had made the cushion height at 19.5", it would put the seat cushion at the same height as the upper ledge which effectively adds about 8" to the effective width of the seat. In this configuration, I would make the seat backs in an el-shape so that one would have back support in the sideways position. Live and learn. Hope someone else can use this info.

Happy Trails, Bob
 
I agree with Marty in that this dinette turned out well. I will post some photos when I get back to my main computer. Marty and Jeff managed to make a small (60+ inch bed) possible from the dinette. They made the seats comfortable, better than my original idea by far.

So, now we have usable dinette in a Bobcat that does not add weight to the unit above that the normal couch arrangement weighs. Marty and Don had the Bobcat mounted and ready to go in very little time even though I was hanging around being a nuisance. Thanks guys and pics will follow. I think people are going to want to see how well this worked.
 
we picked our bobcat up on thursday.hats off to marty and crew.they did a great job installing.the camper . the workmanship is superb.i'll send pictures as soon as i figure out how to on this site.how do you all attach pictures?all i get is that the file is to big,even one picture doesn't go through.thanks frank
 
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