Fuel for Thought

Bunk 4.0

I finished the bunk this week, and it passed its over-the-road sleep test. It is by far the most comfortable sleep arrangement I’ve had in the van. The photos tell most of the story. The bunk is made from t-slotted, extruded aluminum from 8020.net. I ordered the extrusions and hardware from McMaster-Carr and the 8020 store on eBay. I ordered the 2 inch polyester webbing from U.S. Cargo Control. The 24 feet of one inch extrusion weighs 12 pounds. The hardware and webbing probably weighs less than five pounds. The only modification I made to the stock 8020 hardware was to cut the 5-hole corner brackets, so the hinge would fit into the corner of the framework. The only non-8020 hardware are the threaded knobs on the hinge that I found at an independent hardware store.

Bunk with bedding. It’s the same bedding I’ve used for years—a thermarest air mattress and two lightweight Slumberjack sleeping bags.

The driver side end of the framework sets on angle brackets screwed to the van wall with rivnuts. When the van retires it will probably have accumulated a hundred pounds of rivnuts. The legs fasten to the floor with 8020 angle brackets.

Stowed in the up position.

Detail of the hardware and webbing. I learned how to operate a sewing machine for this project. Now I’m looking for a sewing machine for the van.

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