Adding temporary bed

[Telescopist]

I'm heading to Texas next April to view the total eclipse. An old friend who I haven't seen for years lives about 12 miles from the center line of totality. That is close enough for me. Our reunion will involve camping at Davis Mountain State Park. I need to rig out a temporary sleeping arrangement for him. My current thinking is to purchase a 3/4" piece of birch plywood and dimension it to fit over the top of the two strips of wood (image attached). Then purchase an air mattress and inflate it level to the cushions. During the day these two things could quickly be removed and my Lagun table could quickly be reinserted.

I don't want to spend a ton of money on this. But if anyone has a better idea, I'm all ears (and eyes)

TIA

[Donna D.]

Those two strips are what are you used to make the bed with the stock table. I think your idea sounds grand.

[Telescopist]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Those two strips are what are you used to make the bed with the stock table. I think your idea sounds grand.

Well, thanks! I'll go about it then.

[HABBERDABBER]

I'm not a big fan of air mattress comfort. A suggestion is to get some memory foam, which is available in various sizes, thickness and density. Bulky, but comfy. I used a sheet in our dinette bed conversion over the stock cushions. I had been using a Therma-Rest, their thickest version. They are a hybrid....foam and air mattress. The memory foam was a comfort improvement. We just roll up the foam piece and store it on the normal bed when not in use.

Be aware that the plywood piece will likely not be square. Measure 2X, cut once.

[Ron in BC]

I hear you about air mattresses. But their big advantage is being able to reduce them to a very small package.

OTOH I just took a piece of memory foam and rolled it up as tight as I could and it ended up being a pretty small package. So a fill in piece of memory foam probably wouldn't be much of a problem to store.

Ron

[Centex]

Originally Posted by Telescopist

... Then purchase an air mattress and inflate it level to the cushions.

Just curious, have you played with arranging your existing rear and side cushions to see if they will work to cover the platform and provide an adequate temporary bed?

E.g. turn / flip the round-corner rear seat cushions to the side seats and use the square corner side seat cushions on the platform between?

I agree with Donna, the platform sounds perfect, that's what those strips / cleats are there to support.

Hope y'all have wonderful eclipse viewing weather!

[HABBERDABBER]

Yes, use the existing cushions atop your platform. I do. For me, the backrest ones are a tight fit, but they fit with coaxing. The problem is they're a bit stiff to sleep on all alone. Certainly a quantum leap better than sleeping on the ground, but still.
I place my memory foam piece on top of the deployed cushions and that works well. Quite comfortable.
I got my foam...where else, but from Amazon.

[7Gentex]

Does your table not fit there for a bed foundation? And, your cushions can be used to fill that area. As stated above, a foam topper on top of the stock cushions works very well and would be the only extra item needed to be stowed..........

[Telescopist]

Originally Posted by Centex

Just curious, have you played with arranging your existing rear and side cushions to see if they will work to cover the platform and provide an adequate temporary bed?

E.g. turn / flip the round-corner rear seat cushions to the side seats and use the square corner side seat cushions on the platform between?

I agree with Donna, the platform sounds perfect, that's what those strips / cleats are there to support.

Hope y'all have wonderful eclipse viewing weather!

Hey, thanks for the suggestion. I don't think it will work for me 'cause the cushions are custom made and are rounded. I think I'm stuck with a Therma-Rest type solution. I don't plan on paying for this *upgrade*. I'll work this out with my friend. He's got more dough to play with.

Are you planning on staying where you are (west Austin?) and observe the eclipse from there?

[Telescopist]

Originally Posted by 7Gentex

Does your table not fit there for a bed foundation? And, your cushions can be used to fill that area. As stated above, a foam topper on top of the stock cushions works very well and would be the only extra item needed to be stowed..........

Hi,
The cushions as a substrate won't work. I don't want to remove the table from the Lagun support system. I'd rather go ahead and spring for an overpriced piece of 3/4" birch plywood. I could use the rest for other projects. Can't believe how much this material has gone up in price in the last 4 years.

[Centex]

Originally Posted by Telescopist

.... Are you planning on staying where you are (west Austin?) and observe the eclipse from there?

Nope, while you're watching the eclipse (perhaps with mutual Austin friends D&M?), I'll be on a trek to UT & NM that he helped me arrange (captured some of his highly recommended sites at Dead Horse Point, Arches, etc).

With any luck insofar as weather on my end (an access-road condition factor), I'll be entering Chaco Canyon NHP as y'all watch the sun fade.

Here's hoping for clear skies, dry roads, and lots of fun for all of us!

[MrLynn]

What's the eclipse date? We'll be in the Phoenix area April 13-16 and driving around AZ/UT before.

[WillyB]

If you removed the vertical cushions, add a 12" wide piece of plywood between with some foam to fill the space to the top of the seat cushions and placed a roughly 30" wide custom cut foam "mattress" then use those short vertical cushions for backs at the open seating area you could have a single bed with room to sit on either side?

Seems like an inexpensive remedy. Just a thought.

I just might have to work on that myself.

[iamunique127]

Originally Posted by MrLynn

What's the eclipse date? We'll be in the Phoenix area April 13-16 and driving around AZ/UT before.

April 8th. I know that cuz it's Mrs. Iamunique127's birthday.

[Jim Bennett]

We have had folks sleep on the dinette mattresses a few times with no issue. We do fortunately have a full sized table which easily converts down with our Springfield pedestal to make a bed, about a minute to do.

[Telescopist]

Originally Posted by Centex

Nope, while you're watching the eclipse (perhaps with mutual Austin friends D&M?), I'll be on a trek to UT & NM that he helped me arrange (captured some of his highly recommended sites at Dead Horse Point, Arches, etc).

With any luck insofar as weather on my end (an access-road condition factor), I'll be entering Chaco Canyon NHP as y'all watch the sun fade.

Here's hoping for clear skies, dry roads, and lots of fun for all of us!

I'll PM you my current itinerary. It's growing. Possible we may be able to connect.
I'll be set up next to David & Mary at the Thousand Lakes Campground.

[Telescopist]

Originally Posted by MrLynn

What's the eclipse date? We'll be in the Phoenix area April 13-16 and driving around AZ/UT before.

Cool graphics.

https://www.exploratorium.edu/eclips...-eclipse-guide

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by Telescopist

I'm heading to Texas next April to view the total eclipse. An old friend who I haven't seen for years lives about 12 miles from the center line of totality. That is close enough for me. Our reunion will involve camping at Davis Mountain State Park. I need to rig out a temporary sleeping arrangement for him. My current thinking is to purchase a 3/4" piece of birch plywood and dimension it to fit over the top of the two strips of wood (image attached). Then purchase an air mattress and inflate it level to the cushions. During the day these two things could quickly be removed and my Lagun table could quickly be reinserted.

I don't want to spend a ton of money on this. But if anyone has a better idea, I'm all ears (and eyes)

TIA

While you can add an air mattress the back cushions should fit on the plywood. If you had the factory table you wouldn't even need the plywood to convert that to a temporary bed.

[Telescopist]

Originally Posted by TTMartin

While you can add an air mattress the back cushions should fit on the plywood. If you had the factory table you wouldn't even need the plywood to convert that to a temporary bed.

Trying to save me $87 buying a 3/4" of birch plywood are you?

The trailer is in a gated storage facility. I'll go over today. I'll need to remove part of the Lagun. Maybe. Thanks.

[brroberts]

All I have to do to my Lagun is pop it off the post. Depending on where your post is, you may also need to remove your post. Mine is very fast to drop if needed.