Table too short and too long

In our 2005 2720 the dinette table is either too long or too short. With the extra leaf out the table is too short. With the extra leaf in, it is so long that an adult can not squeeze into the driver side seat.

I am considering cutting the leaf in half using a table saw with a fine blade. I'll have to add some hardware on the bottom to help hold it in place. This would allow me to use the full length or a shorter length.

Has anyone tried this already?

[B_and_D]

If it was our TM, I would not cut the original piece into 1/2, but save it for a future owner, so as to keep it original. I would order another insert from the TM factory and then cut that piece down, or ask them if they could make you a shorter piece. If this wasn't possible, I would fabricate something to fit into the middle.

I know exactly what you mean about the table either being too short or too long. When it's just me and DH in the TM, without the insert is OK. With the kids and us at the table, the insert is long enough to fit all of us for meals, but it's hard for everybody to get in and out.

I've also thought about making a stand-alone table that pops into the floor with a stand and fitting in a u-shaped dinette section with a seat that runs below the front bed. Our cabover camper had a u-shaped dinette and a table like this.

Our son weighs about 125 now, and we had to put in a closet pole bracket and use a clothes pole at the point where the table/bed is closest to the rear of the trailer to support him while he's in the dinette bed when it's set up. We also had to make the rungs that support the table platform below the dinette seats a bit wider.

Every time we take the TM out, I always imagine things that we can do to it to make it more "user friendly" to our particular situation. I've done a few of those things, but keep thinking about more.

To me, that's part of the fun of having your very own TM to play with.

[fcatwo]

Different people have different needs. We took the large section of our 2619's table completely out, flipped the hinge on the 6" section and added the leaf to make a small table that works great for the two of us. The table lifts up and leans against the side of the front bed which gives easy access to the doors we put in the bulkheads under the side cushions. The doors are made from cut-to-size oak picture frames and the thin plywood cut-outs from the bulkheads. The doors look factory-made and flipping them open and pulling storage baskets out is much easier than moving the cushions and lifting the plywood covers to get to the stuff stored under the seats.

As someone said, it's fun to customize TM's to fit our individual needs.

[fcatwo]

Sorry but we are still living in the dark ages. We have neither a digital camera or a scanner. That's not entirely true: my wife spotted an Olympus C-770 lying beside the road while we were biking about a month ago and we can't find the owner. We will probably give it to friends. My wife is our photographer and she doesn't want to part with her film camera.

I did discover something interesting however: I contacted Olympus and through focused questioning of a cust serv rep surmised that no record is kept of the warranty cards people send in. The info on them is used for follow-up marketing and customer research only. The only way they could match the serial # is if it has been sent in for service and that group didn't respond to the email I sent or return my call. I did manage to turn it on and the pictures were those a visiting tourist would take. No people, just scenery.

I'll take film pictures when we open the TM next month before our Alaska trip and mail them to you if you wish.

[B_and_D]

We put access doors on the under-seat storage area in our old Aloha trailer, it was much more convenient than lifting up the seat cushions (and getting people to move) off the seats. We've thought about doing that in the TM, too. The oak picture frames sound like a good idea. One more thing on the "to do list"!