Results 1 to 14 of 14

Thread: Seat Frames to fit fridge underneath

  1. #1
    Ausfish Addict disorderly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    In the Jungle/Mission Beach Hinterland

    Seat Frames to fit fridge underneath

    So the missus ordered a couple of 80l Travelmates for the boat so we have both a fridge and a freezer or 2 fridges..

    With 3 x100ah 12v batteries and a 300w solar panel onboard there I have no worries about running them..

    Hopefully along with fitting a bait esky under my baitboard this will help free up some deckspace from carrying a bunch of eskies on board during 2-3 day trips..and reduce the current huge amount of ice we currently take..

    Its this one here ..the missus got them for half price with covers thrown in so it was cheaper for the 2 then the single dual zone 62l one we actually had on order...

    https://www.caravanrvcamping.com.au/...fridge-freezer

    IMG_1951.jpg

    So despite their huge size they will fit perfectly where the existing seatboxes go and while fishing they wont extend any further back then the back of where the current seatboxes are and whilst sitting or underway we can push them backwards 200-300mm so they dont interfere with legroom...width wise about the same as the seatboxes....

    So this is what i am planning to replace the seatboxes...

    seatbox screenshot.jpg

    A couple of questions for the fabricators out there as I'd like to buy the materials and cut and bend it all up then have someone weld it together.....

    1. Stainless or aluminum for pipe, angle and plate..?

    2.I'd like to use about no bigger then 25mm pipe so any idea of wall thickness for a 500mm span on top where the seats fit..?

    3.Whats the best thing to stick on the fridge bottom or floor to stop it them sliding about on checkerplate.?

    4. Any ideas for keeping them in place during travel .?

  2. #2
    Ausfish Platinum Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Kalbarri, WA

    Re: Seat Frames to fit fridge underneath

    I have a "bought " one in SS. It has a frame loop at the front to stop it sliding forward. Quite thin walled At the back , it uses nylon straps with the snap-together type catch to stop them sliding backward. Sliding backwards is actually the main thing you have to guard against while travelling--DAMHIK. I'd put some Octogrip or Z-tread on the chequerplate to protect the bottom of the fridge. It should still stick down, particularly if you use the 3M primer 94 as recommended. Best purchased from this mob , https://www.formasign.com.au/product...d-whole-sheet/ full sheet, much cheaper than buying overpriced bits from Whitworths. Or have you considered using fridge slides? would need to be all stainless.
    Your main problem with that single lid type of fridge is going to be having to slide them all the way out to get the lid open. PITA. Hence the suggestion of fridge slides. I wanted to keep it simple in that respect, and not have a fridge rust away, so I built my own with split lids. All fibreglass and ali . But quite a project. Since the pic was taken, I have re-done the lid split to make it 50/50, easier access without having to move the fridge at all, in most cases. And put z-tread all over the deck. The black nylon strap loops through the lifting handle before clipping together, to stop it dropping down.



    EDIT---just went out and measured it. The od is about 31.7mm, and the wall thickness( measured) is 2.11mm. Looking at the Bluescope shedule, this doesn't really fit in anywhere, it's too large an OD for 2.11mm wall thickness in either 304 or 316 tube, and the Ornamental SS tube is thinner walled at that OD. If you wanted to go ali, you'd need 32 x 3mm to be sure of taking the weight, particularly as you would be spanning a greater length with that kind of design.
    Last edited by ranmar850; 02-12-2020 at 04:58 PM. Reason: just measured it...

  3. #3

    Re: Seat Frames to fit fridge underneath

    seems to be getting popular these seat frames or have they been around for some time , practical idea with the little fridges making there way into more and more boats, easy to mop around and clean too . might have to do one me self

  4. #4

    Re: Seat Frames to fit fridge underneath

    Best thing I've ever seen to keep esky/fridge in place while travelling, large strips of velcro with double sided tape and pop rivets into the floor to hold in place and velcro stuck to under side of fridge/esky, use a decent amount of velcro and nothing moves, my mate ditched two small turnbuckles because we caught our feet on them regularly and they do just as good a job.

  5. #5

    Re: Seat Frames to fit fridge underneath

    I've just knocked up two s/s seat frames to replace floor space gobbling pedestals. The 25mm x 1.6mm tube I had had left over from the roof build but there's not much in it compared to $500 each or more for commercially bought ones.

  6. #6
    Ausfish Addict disorderly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    In the Jungle/Mission Beach Hinterland
    Thread Starter

    Re: Seat Frames to fit fridge underneath

    Quote Originally Posted by fishtragic View Post
    I've just knocked up two s/s seat frames to replace floor space gobbling pedestals. The 25mm x 1.6mm tube I had had left over from the roof build but there's not much in it compared to $500 each or more for commercially bought ones.
    Good stuff..Any chance of a photo..?

  7. #7

    Re: Seat Frames to fit fridge underneath

    Quote Originally Posted by disorderly View Post
    Good stuff..Any chance of a photo..?
    Just about to fit them. Last time I tried to post a pic I screwed it up but I'll give it a go. I've got to attach a foot rest/box stopper yet.

  8. #8

    Re: Seat Frames to fit fridge underneath

    Seat Frame.jpg Foot rest to come and some type of rear strap.

  9. #9

    Re: Seat Frames to fit fridge underneath

    What height have you built them to, and what height will the base of your seat end up?

    Trying to work that out for myself at the moment ... old fold-out seats had seat pad at 750 but you ended up swinging your legs or being perched uncomfortably on the edge; looking at some fancy reversible ones with flip-up bolster on the front edge and considering dropping them a bit. Reduces visibility when seated but that's not such a concern given they convert in a moment to supported stand-up.

  10. #10
    Ausfish Addict disorderly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    In the Jungle/Mission Beach Hinterland
    Thread Starter

    Re: Seat Frames to fit fridge underneath

    Thats very tidy, Fishtragic..

    What are those ones worth or did you make them yourself..?

    Morpheus, can you just fit a raised footrest that sits at a comfortable height rather then the seat sitting too low..?

  11. #11

    Re: Seat Frames to fit fridge underneath

    Quote Originally Posted by disorderly View Post
    Morpheus, can you just fit a raised footrest that sits at a comfortable height rather then the seat sitting too low..?
    The armrest on the seats I like would interfere with the throttle control if installed at current 750mm seat height. Solutions are drop the seat to 675mm which clears; buy different seats without armrests (but which also lose the flip-up bolster which I want); or to move the throttle control.

    Leaning towards moving the throttle control which gives me total flexibility re seat height, but am curious as to seat height on other boats as well. Mocking up 675mm on the trailer, it seems okay - but extra height is always useful.

  12. #12
    Ausfish Addict disorderly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    In the Jungle/Mission Beach Hinterland
    Thread Starter

    Re: Seat Frames to fit fridge underneath

    Quote Originally Posted by Mopheus View Post
    The armrest on the seats I like would interfere with the throttle control if installed at current 750mm seat height. Solutions are drop the seat to 675mm which clears; buy different seats without armrests (but which also lose the flip-up bolster which I want); or to move the throttle control.

    Leaning towards moving the throttle control which gives me total flexibility re seat height, but am curious as to seat height on other boats as well. Mocking up 675mm on the trailer, it seems okay - but extra height is always useful.
    I'm still procrastinating because of all of those issues plus others to consider in regards to the height...

    Currently my seat top is 760 mm high but the higher front bolster part is almost 800mm high from floor level..

    seat box is 600 mm high..

    About the lowest I can go with the new seat frames will be about 820 mm for the seat height which is Ok for everything except maybe steering wheel height which possibly could be a fraction too low...

    So many things to consider..

  13. #13

    Re: Seat Frames to fit fridge underneath

    Yeah I'm going with the Icey Tek 70L split lid coolers each side (445h) and a custom stainless mount, so the lowest I can achieve with 32mm tubing and no seat slide is ~640mm. I'd prefer to have a seat slide (80mm) so that puts me at ~720mm minimum.

    Think I'll just have to commit to moving the throttle and take the plunge on the seats. These are the ones I'm looking at:
    181242.jpg

    The other simpler option is a simple flip seat ... guaranteed to fit without hassle but I'd really like the flip-up bolster:

    121570-JPW2757_lge.jpg

    One of the annoyances is that BLA who make the bolster seat only publish H x W x D dimensions. I've asked them for a schematic and they don't have one. None on stock locally in Perth (that I've been able to find) to measure them up myself. Frustrating.

    EDIT: BLA forwarded through a schematic from their supplier which is very helpful. Not a single dimension matches the published H x W x D though

  14. #14
    Ausfish Addict disorderly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    In the Jungle/Mission Beach Hinterland
    Thread Starter

    Re: Seat Frames to fit fridge underneath

    Took 8 months but I finally got a kick up the arse as it had to be done by my wifes Birthday on Sunday....

    Rang around some fab shops this week but everyone is flat out for a month ahead..

    So I just made a few cuts in an old forestry ladder, of which I got a few for next to nothing 10 years back, and had someone do a weld on the corner for $20 and then just $50 for some bolts, cutting discs and paint and it was done...

    Looks a bit agricultural but its rigid and strong and the 75 litre fridge fits like it was made for it....



    20210807_095731.jpg20210813_091442.jpg

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Join us