Dinette Table

The original requirements for the dinette table were:

• should be removable in case the front bed is needed
• should not block the passage from driver cabin to the van 
• should be extendable in length to accommodate four people eating
• should be flexible in front-rear position to accommodate different size people in front and second row seats.

All these means that the table should be movable in 2 dimensions: left/right and front/rear.

We were lucky to find a perfect dimension (18"x50") wood covered panel in Ikea's AS IS section. I cut the length in tree pieces: 6" for the non-movable window sill, 27" for the permanent movable table, and a 17" piece from the middle for the insert  extension. 

The movable frame mechanism was constructed of  two long drawer slides (24") and two short drawer slides (10"). On one side, the long slides are screwed to the steel angle, which is the base that attaches to the van wall horizontal beam by two M8 machine screws with large heads that can be tightened by hand. Other side is attached to a piece of  3/4 copper pipe. This was chosen because it perfectly fit to the old RV steel table leg, which, being screwed firmly to the pipe could rotate in the bushings and lay parallel to the table when needed to be removed and stored. .

   

The pictures below show the frame already attached to the wall and the pin in the leg inserted in the hole in the floor. It is shown in  in normal and extended positions. It also shows that the table leg is not at the center under the table but shifted to the front (right on the image), closer to the driver seat. This is done to make getting in and sitting at the table more comfortable, and because the rear part (left on the image) of the raised floor on top of the seat platform is actually the door that opens giving access to the storage box below, so the leg cannot rest there.. 

 

The next pictures show the table desk attached to the frame and mounted to the van again.

The last pictures show the narrow unmovable part attached permanently to the window sill, and the final look of the finished window and the table in different normal and extended positions.