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Old 05-29-2020, 09:33 AM   #1
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"Origami" Bed Platforms?

I'm planning a minimalist build in my E350 and want thing to be easily removable and stored. I came up with the idea of collapsible plywood bed platforms with hinged ends that would collapse inward in order to fold flat for storage. I'd have one down each side with a plywood top spanning the two.

I hope my primitive drawing (top view) is understandable. Top to bottom, the drawing shows the open, closing and closed positions.

Has anyone tried this or know of a link to something similar.


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Old 05-29-2020, 12:26 PM   #2
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I'm assuming the first view is of the opened assembly? If that's the case there's not a reason I can think of where that design wouldn't work very well.

FWIW I don't recall seeing such a thing before---but I don't get out a lot either.
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Old 05-30-2020, 01:53 AM   #3
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I think it's a brilliant idea BCam.
I feel like I've seen something similar built with 80/20 but I can't remember where it was.
Have you considered adding a couple more lateral braces, just like your hinged end pieces in the middle, for added support of your platform?
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Old 05-30-2020, 01:55 AM   #4
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I would love to see some pictures as you work it out.
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Old 05-30-2020, 06:53 AM   #5
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I would love to see some pictures as you work it out.
I will, but it's going to be a while. The plan is to use it for day trips and decide what's necessary and what's not. Besides, we're not planning any overnights for a while.
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Old 05-30-2020, 06:56 AM   #6
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I think it's a brilliant idea BCam.
I feel like I've seen something similar built with 80/20 but I can't remember where it was.
Have you considered adding a couple more lateral braces, just like your hinged end pieces in the middle, for added support of your platform?
I'll definitely need some braces. I'll probably have some solid bulkheads to slide into dados in the long sides once it's in the open position.
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Old 05-30-2020, 07:37 AM   #7
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By storage do you mean in the van when not in use or stored in the garage?
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Old 05-30-2020, 07:56 AM   #8
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By storage do you mean in the van when not in use or stored in the garage?
I was thinking the garage but there's no reason it couldn't collapse against the wall in the van, that's a good idea.
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Old 05-30-2020, 09:16 AM   #9
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Here are pics of a bed platform I made for our previous van that was easy to put in or take out and stored compactly in the garage. It was easy to make and easy to handle by one person. I wanted the bottom of the platform to be as smooth as possible so there was maximum clearance for bins, etc. This might help w ideas.

Bed platform is 3/4" thick three pieces 24"+12"+12"(could alternatively have been two 24" pcs) which is pretty much what is needed to easily get the platform in and out of the van through the back doors. Each of the three pieces had a 1"x1"x1/8" piece of steel angle on the long edge to provide spanning support. (Better would have been aluminum C channel, too). Each of the three pieces had three dowels On one edge made from lag bolts w the heads cut off after being screwed into the edge (predrilled). These aligned with holes in the adjacent panel to tie it all together.

The legs are 3/4" ply and butted up to the wheel wells to get 49" of clearance side to side. The clear height under the platform was 18". This along w 4" of foam brought the the top of the bed up to the window bay level for maximum width which was about 6 ft. Insulating covers were installed to keep the cold of the windows away from head and feet.

The legs were 48" front to back and 18" tall. Hinges attached thd leg to the 24" wide platform. Attached to the upper edge of the leg was a 1.5"x1.5" piece of wood to provide a stop for the leg when upright. This piece of wood also provided a way of securing the leg up right by using two screws through the platform panel into that piece of wood. This locked the legs in place. The remaining two platforms screwed into that piece as well which then made all the pieces act as one unit.

To store in the garage, the hinged legs folded flat against the bottom of the 24" panel and was stored on end along with the other two 12" wide pieces.

It would take me about ten minutes to put the bed in or take it out. It ran full width to the plastic panels.
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Old 05-30-2020, 02:16 PM   #10
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Here are pics of a bed platform I made for our previous van that was easy to put in or take out and stored compactly in the garage. It was easy to make and easy to handle by one person. I wanted the bottom of the platform to be as smooth as possible so there was maximum clearance for bins, etc. This might help w ideas.
Nice build, I like the light weight, simple construction. One limitation I have is I need to maintain a wheelchair wide passage to the back doors when the bed isn't in use, hence my using two side "bins" with a removable bed platform in between. The two, however, could be constructed using the same concept as your's.

Our wheelchair lift is installed at the side door and can only be operated from the outside if the barn doors are closed. If the lift is stowed, the side exit is completely blocked. Therefore, I want to maintain an emergency exit option at the back. Hopefully it will never be necessary, nonetheless it's necessary. It would be difficult for my wife to exit via the cab unless she was already in the front seat.
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