chris
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1958 Shasta Airflyte
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Post by chris on May 6, 2016 13:12:58 GMT -8
So, my 58 Shasta has the bunk bed/hammock hangers on the wall. Here's what I understand:
The little shelf on the back wall is where the canvas bed with the "poles" is stored. Pull it out, unroll it and stick it in the brackets. Viola! Extra bed. There's quite a few pictures on Pinterest and elsewhere to see how it all works.
Here's what I don't totally understand: I have three brackets on each side, spaced a couple feet apart from each other. I FINALLY found a picture online that showed one that had three brackets. In that picture, there were three poles. Looks like it made two 2' wide beds. Obviously it wouldn't make a very good 4' wide single bed because you'd have a pole right up the middle. Or was the middle pole intended to be removed if not needed and just the outer two brackets used? I'm just trying to figure out how this thing was designed to be used so that I can rebuild it accordingly. Thanks for any info!
PS: one of my six brackets is broke. Anyone have a source? It would be nice if it matched the other five...
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Hamlet
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Post by Hamlet on May 6, 2016 13:15:34 GMT -8
Hamlet also has the double hammock. Works well for little people, but we plan to keep no more than a hundred pounds of kids sleeping up there.
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chris
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Post by chris on May 6, 2016 13:30:41 GMT -8
Could you remove the middle pole and make one big bed if you wanted?
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Post by vintagebruce on May 6, 2016 13:47:55 GMT -8
I believe Hamlet is correct, the three pole set-up is designed for two parallel rug rats. IMO, if you eliminate the middle pole, I would not be willing to sleep on the lower bed, under an average sized adult sleeping on the upper canvas "cot" suspended by the two "outside" poles. It might work just fine, since in theory, each of the four supporting brackets should be carrying 1/4 of the load, but I will leave it to others to prove or disprove that statement.
My 1961 Compact came with the three pole two little kid hanging equipment, and if you look under the little cot storage shelf, I believe you will see two little parallel slots cut into the bottom of the shelf fairly near each end. I had two original small cotton belt straps with a belt loop at one end, that allowed you to slip the end through one slot and over the rolled up cot and down through the other slot to be cinched tight, so the cot did not bounce around in the holding shelf. That was important, because my original poles were very stout (heavy) steel poles, I believe.
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nccamper
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1962 Forester- 1956 Shasta
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Post by nccamper on May 6, 2016 19:19:22 GMT -8
The Shasta campers I've bought has marked up walls from the heavy poles. The clearance is very tight (it has to be) so setting up the hammock without scraping the walls is a real trick.
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Post by vikx on May 6, 2016 21:19:56 GMT -8
Agreed NC! Those poles are a real danger to pretty wood work...
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CorvettCrzy
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'58 Corvette, '64 Franklin
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Post by CorvettCrzy on Jan 14, 2017 19:46:10 GMT -8
Were all the poles steel? I guess I was picturing wood. If I were looking to replace them what would I buy? The Corvette doesn't have a shelf, just two hangers side by side for storage and one a couple feet out for sleeping, I'm guessing. DSCN0778 by Corvett crzy, on Flickr
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Ten
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70 Shasta 16SC + 1964 Airflyte
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Post by Ten on Jan 14, 2017 20:34:24 GMT -8
Yes to steel poles. Your setup should be two poles, single-bunk setup, hung against the wall to store, pulled out to sleep.
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mel
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Post by mel on Jan 15, 2017 5:55:48 GMT -8
My Airflyte has 3 brackets on each side, but I am missing the middle pole right now. So I set it up as you said with with middle pole out. It seemed too droopy with out that middle pole. I put my 33 pound 4 year old up there and it would work. But I think I might make a separate canvas with with only the two pole holes and make it tighter to cut out that slack the other has. Does that make since?? We only have one child so will most likely not be using the 2 cot way very often. But I will keep it in the closet and pull out when she brings a friend or cousin with us camping. I dont usually put photos up with my child on a public forum. But its the only one I have to show you the area. So after you see the photo, I will probably delete it. Check with trailertrasher for a used bunk bracket. If you cant find used, it looks like VTS sells new ones. www.vintagetrailersupply.com/Bunk-Brackets-Set-of-2-p/vts-2101.htm
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CorvettCrzy
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Post by CorvettCrzy on Jan 15, 2017 8:09:17 GMT -8
Totally understand about the pic. Thanks though it really helps to see the effect of weight. Would it be possible for you to measure the distance between the seems for the area where 1 person is supposed to lie? I'm trying to figure out how much "slack" to leave in the material. I'm sure it wasn't supposed to be "tight" when it's set up, it probably droops sightly even before someone sits on it. I'm planning on the possibility of my 15 yr old up there (don't think he'll fit on the dinette). I have old army cots where the canvas is tight but it uses tension for support.
Did you make yours? It looks like there's something more solid across the back, do you have a cushion for it?
Also, just any old steel pipe? Should I ask for something special at the hardware store? Does it rust? Sorry for all the questions. Thanks again. Actually I just read on VCT that it's 3/4" iron Pipe. I'm guessing I should paint this to keep it from rusting. Powdercoating would be nice too, but maybe the heat would change the strength.
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CorvettCrzy
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Post by CorvettCrzy on Jan 15, 2017 8:54:43 GMT -8
Agreed NC! Those poles are a real danger to pretty wood work... Is there some type of rubber cap you can put on them while in route?
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mel
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Post by mel on Jan 15, 2017 11:32:38 GMT -8
There is a photo of a larger child floating around the internet in hammock/cot bunk. littlevintagetrailer.com/2011/06/61-shasta-compact-canvas-bunk/Also SusieQ son slept in the one on the compact, I believe she said he is 6' tall and weighes 130, I also think she said the dog slept up there with him. I think my brackets are 2 ft apart, so a total of 4 ft. so it would be 2ft in each space for one person to sleep. That solid piece in the back was just a extra cushion I threw up there to get out of the way. It doesn't go to anything. I did not make that one, it came with the Airflyte its original. I did however make on for my Compact. It was pretty easy to do. I have read people say 3/4 pipe and I have also read people saying 1" pipe so I'm not sure. Next time I am out there I can measure for you. But it might be better for you to measure the inside of your brackets so you can get the right fit for your trailer.
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CorvettCrzy
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Post by CorvettCrzy on Jan 15, 2017 13:14:37 GMT -8
mel Is the canvas taut when you put the poles in place before someone gets on it? I'll measure my brackets but I'm wondering if I need to leave slack in the fabric in order for it to be comfortable but still provide enough support. Thanks so much for your replies and the links you provided.
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Post by vintagebruce on Jan 15, 2017 13:46:44 GMT -8
The poles are heavy duty galvanized pipe, not the type pipe you might buy to put up galvanized wire mesh fencing. If you are "basically" starting from scratch, put up the horizontal wooden brackets and make sure they are anchored into wooden framing members, then you can space the pipe brackets the width you need. I believe if you do not have any brackets you can make the horizontal a bit wider and simply cut out "cups" to fit the diameter of the pipe and if the horizontal is anchored correctly that should work as well as the cast metal brackets. Basic rigging logic indicates if you use two of the stout galvanized poles and they sit in the four cupped brackets, then each cup should be supporting 1/4 of the total load the sleeper (plus weight of the cot eqpt.) is generating...ie. a 60 pound rug rat would be supported so that each bracket is carrying 15 pounds of the (sleeper's weight) load. There will be some angular downward deflection of weight towards the center of the hammock, but the width is only about 6 1/2 feet, so there should be minimal center bow on the pipes...that is why they are so stout. I think as I mentioned in my earlier post, my Compact back storage shelf for the cot had some slots in the "deck" of the shelf that some cotton straps threaded through to be cinched tight so if you were on bumpy roads the cot would not bounce around on the shelf.
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mel
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Post by mel on Jan 15, 2017 14:23:42 GMT -8
mel Is the canvas taut when you put the poles in place before someone gets on it? I'll measure my brackets but I'm wondering if I need to leave slack in the fabric in order for it to be comfortable but still provide enough support. Thanks so much for your replies and the links you provided. There is some slack with the two end poles in. But I am missing the middle pole, so I cannot say how it would be with that one in.
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