Floor Drop that is retractable

[oakinteriors1]

On my 5X10 I started I incorporated a really light weight retractable floor drop...Using left over 8 oz. Polyester fabric from a SOF Kayak.......

The underside of the floor has 1 1/2'' X 2 1/2'' frame with 3/8'' Baltic Birch floor...

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Used the cut out section for the drop floor..built 2 frames from poplar from 1'' X 3/4'' material to staple the fabric to...

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[oakinteriors1]

Pulled the fabric tight to see what it looked like underneath....

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The second frame for the top rim.....

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[oakinteriors1]

Tack on top in four places....

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Then drop the frame in below the floor surface and temporarily holt it in place with finish nails...and staple it down...

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Must use a hot knife or soldering iron to trim this fabric...

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[oakinteriors1]

I needed a way to pull the fabric in while lifting the floor....

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1/8'' bungee cord..

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[oakinteriors1]

I lifted up one end and secured it then went to the other side and secure it...worked really well...

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I need to come up with a secondary way of holding the floor up some spring loaded latch of some sort...

Ready for the drop in floor panel that could be stored under the mattress..

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[Tinbasher]

Could the drop down panel be held up by the floor panel somehow? Not as crude as screws but some kind of mechanism?

[48Rob]

It looks good...but what happens if the ground at camp is lower than the flat level floor of your garage?

Is the fabric strong enough to support your weight, or do you plan on some sort of stops or limit straps?

Rob

[GuitarPhotog]

How convenient will it be to crawl under your trailer to raise / lower the floor drop, when you are camping? I hate crawling under the trailer to set up my stabilizing jacks, and they're on carpet. I wouldn't want to deal with that in a muddy field, such as where I camped last.

<Chas>

[KCStudly]

First, I like what you have done. Your work looks neat and tidy, too.

Rob makes a good point and his solution, if necessary (stronger straps piggybacking the fabric), is a good one.

Chas makes a good point, too. The idea I had... actually thought you were headed this way when I first started reading your post... was that the drop panel was going to ride on top of a ledger surrounding the cut out; that you would lift the floor up, twist it to the side some, then lower it thru the hole, sort of like a manhole cover that can fall in on itself (unlike a round one). A simple fabric strap handle (like the old boyscout belts) attached to the top of the panel would give purchase, but would not be obtrusive under foot.

The other option would be to fasten your toggle tabs to their shafts, have the shafts project up thru the floor and cap the shaft with another toggle so that you could release the toggles from above.

Just spit balling ideas like the typical Monday morning quarterback.

[oakinteriors1]

I would probably shim the floor along with the trailer to level.....straps would allow it to rock and sway..
As far as lifting it back in place it's easy just squat down on one side of the trailer and lift one side up into the opening then twist the retainer in place, Then go to the other side and do the same thing...I was surprised just how easy it does go into place...the bungee pulls the fabric in automatically, and it's so simple...

Everything is screwed in place so easy to make changes like make fabric a bit longer to hang down farther next time...I would use canvas next time...you could also sew a drawstring around the center of the fabric instead of a bungee..I noticed when I was tying off the bungee cord the tighter I got it, it would raise the base up...

[KennethW]

It is looking good. I am looking forward to see the rest of the build of your garage-able standy . Just a thought on a different way to lower and raise the floor. how about using 4 cam type straps.
like
http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-CAM-BUCKLE-ST ... 233069d03e
One could loop the strap under the floor and fasten the cam locks on the 4 corners of the frame. to lower you would release the cams. To raise just pull the 4 straps thru the cam lock pulling the floor board up against the bottom of the frame. That is the fun thing about this site is seeing all the different way people build their tear drops.

[oakinteriors1]

It could be done with one strap, just have to deal with the loose tail when it is in the up position...

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Had another idea after it is up and held in place with the (turn buckle) type wood pieces, use Velcro attached to the end of straps...

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Here is what it looks like with one side in place..

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[aggie79]

Very nice build! I like the drop floor idea.

This would not apply to your build, because the size of the trailer is substantially larger, but take a look at vairman's Super Tear with retractable floor that works off of a pulley, cable and winch system. The first photos of the retraction mechanism begins here:

http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?p=648873#p648873

Take care,
Tom

[KennethW]

I was think the straps would be on the inside of the drop hole.

[pohukai]

Nice greenland kayak! Is that one of Chris Cunningham's designs?