Choosing a children's table for a car seat
Every motorist will agree that road safety is paramount!
Children's car seats appeared about 30 years ago and managed to quickly prove their practicality and functionality. Many crash tests have been carried out indicating that only a car seat, especially when combined with a child car seat, can provide the child with adequate protection from injury in the event of an emergency. But experienced motorists know that a child can get injured even during emergency braking. Why you can’t go on a trip without additional children’s equipment, read in this material.
Peculiarities
Today, little more is known about children's car seats than about car tables. They are designed for a certain age, weight and height of the baby. If we talk about maximum safety, then the correct installation of this seat in the car is not enough. The most important aspect is securing the young passenger directly to the seat. Most often, manufacturers offer products with five-point harnesses for children aged 5–6 years.
For younger children, a protective table is more suitable, which in a critical situation will replace the airbag and protect the child from injury.
Interior refurbishment: what, how, why?
As already mentioned, many specialized companies are engaged in the conversion of cargo vans into minibuses. The most budget option will cost approximately 100 thousand rubles; naturally, the more technical stuff you put into your minibus, the more it will cost. What can you do with a cargo van to convert it into a minibus? Yes, everything your heart desires.
Body work . Windows (double-glazed windows), ventilation and (or) emergency hatches are cut into the cargo compartment, sliding doors are installed, a load-bearing frame is mounted in the body, and compartments for luggage are made in the body. If you wish, you can slightly tune the appearance of the truck: replace the bumper, install spoilers, skirts and body kits, apply film to the body.
Interior refurbishment . A podium is installed inside (it can be additionally illuminated), steps for comfortable entry, and guide rails can be installed on the floor, which helps regulate the number of seats. The floor is covered with both linoleum and carpet. The interior is covered with special fabric, leather or leatherette. Shelves for things are installed under the roof; additional lighting can be installed on them.
Construction details
The car table is an elastic bumper, on the inside of which there is a soft pillow that corresponds to the height and parameters of the child. That is why it is very important to select products strictly according to age, otherwise the protective functions of the table will weaken.
The material used is energy-absorbing textiles, which are absolutely harmless to the baby’s health. Despite the dense structure, it has high air exchange, so even on long trips the child will feel comfortable.
The outer side of the table is reinforced with high-strength plastic with built-in elements for fixing a standard car belt, which is threaded through them when attaching the seat.
Design Features
A table made from an engine is an unusual piece of furniture that will fit into the design of an apartment, cafe, bar, made in the Art Nouveau, loft or minimalist style. Advantages and features of using art construction:
- creative use of a faulty motor;
- extraordinary, stylish table design;
- the ability to use unusual lighting;
- cylinders are suitable as a stand for magazines and alcohol;
- You can additionally install speakers in the cylinder holes.
From the elements of a motor that has become unusable, you can easily build a coffee table or bar table. Some elite companies offer to purchase such furniture from a catalogue, but the cost of a non-standard product is quite high - more than 80,000 rubles. This pricing policy is explained not only by manual work, but also by the use of motors from luxury cars. You can independently make an equally stylish interior element from any faulty motorcycle engine or the notorious Ural truck.
Creating an art object with your own hands will save a significant amount. The work will require a minimum of materials sent for recycling. Having assembled a unique table, you can complement it with other automotive parts.
The engine weighs at least 40 kg, so when working and when moving the table into the room, the master should enlist the help of friends or relatives.
Functionality
A child car seat with a safety table reliably protects the baby during braking or a collision. In such a situation, part of the inertial energy is dispersed through the table cushion and is absorbed by the standard belt, thus eliminating the load on the child’s body.
Modern children's tables have higher protective functions. Some manufacturers offer tables equipped with Isofix fixation - a fastening scheme where the chair is fastened directly to the car frame. This mounting option is considered the most reliable, since the child’s movement by inertia during an accident will be excluded.
What to look for when purchasing?
Almost all children's travel car seats are equipped with tables. When choosing products, it is better to give preference to global manufacturers, proven brands and well-known brands. In this case, the risk of purchasing a low-quality, poorly made or inconvenient product is much less than when purchasing cheap, little-known brands.
All conscientious manufacturers not only use hypoallergenic materials, but also conduct crash tests of their products, identifying their weaknesses for further modernization.
Selection tips:
note
Unlike the previous option, here we only need a V-shaped block. If you use a row one, you won’t be able to put bottles in and out. You can use a non-working unit from an old Japanese car as a basis. Also note that the structure will be heavier, so the wheels must be durable. And if a 12-cylinder V-shaped block is used, it is better to make the legs completely stationary. To move such a table, additional handles are required.
Car hand-made
A table for a car seat is a fairly simple product that, if desired, can be made with your own hands. The best material to use is polyester: it is easy to wash. Foamed PVC is suitable for the filler: it has the proper strength and at the same time makes the table soft. It is also better to use a mesh for the table made of 100% polyester.
It will be comfortable to play on such a table, and thanks to the elasticity of the outer material, you can even draw on it.
Often, such tables are equipped with side pockets, where important things for a trip can easily fit: a bottle, toys, books, felt-tip pens.
The presence of sides is mandatory: they protect objects lying on the table from falling.
It is unlikely that it will be possible to replicate a professional fastening system, so the simplest and most effective way is to attach the table to the chair using fasteners.
Base
First of all, we need the base - the engine block. It can be very different. It all depends on personal preferences and budget. If you want to create the cheapest table from an engine with your own hands, an internal combustion engine from the Soviet Zhiguli or Volga is quite suitable. These motors are inexpensive and look very attractive. If your budget allows, you can use a six- or eight-cylinder engine block from a BMW, Lexus or Mercedes. It is not necessary to take a working unit. Since the block will only perform an aesthetic function, an element with burrs and cracks will do just fine. Such engines are several times cheaper.
PionerAltaya › Blog › Car universal folding table (manufacturing)
Good day everyone! In the logbook I posted only the finished table
and its functionality, so as not to load it (BZ) with manufacturing details. It is in one of the Communities, but not everyone reads it, and perhaps some of the readers of the blog and BZ will find it useful.)) Here I am posting how to do it step by step:
I looked at many options for tables for cars: most of them are made of plywood & chipboard - painted & varnished & covered with leatherette & plastic. In a word - whoever is closer to what, he sculpts it. Gradually, the terms of reference formed in my head. Basic requirements for my “work of wooden architecture No. 2”
(p.d.z. No. 1 DIY sleeping bag made of wood): 1.
The maximum possible size
(we love to eat): along the length from the front edge of the sleeping bag to the dashboard panel, and along the width between the seats.
Initially it was planned that the table would move out on telescopic runners from the sleeping bag frame, but the idea remained on paper. It would be necessary to make changes to the sleeping bag frame; it would be “tied” to the sleeping bag. And in this case, the table would lose its versatility and mobility. 2. Ease of use
: easy to install and remove.
3. Possibility of universal/mobile use
- between seats, on top of a sleeping bag, in the back of a car, in a camp, on a hike in the mountains, etc.
4. It follows from point 3 - folding
!
5. The table should be light
(if possible), but
durable
– by definition!
6. Possibility of further repair and modification
.
Therefore, made of wood and “leather”. 7. Requirements for aesthetics - so that I like it
!
The table should be organic in the car’s interior, at least in color. 8. It is advisable that it does not interfere with the functioning of other cabin equipment
- a sleeping bag, opening the armrest, moving/tilting seats, etc.
9. To serve as an armrest
(duplicating the standard armrest on top) when folded - if possible. And, accordingly, so that while on the move it does not block access to the standard cup holders, since we are lovers of drinking coffee throughout the trip!
TECHNICAL SIDE
What happened:
A folding structure of two equal halves, on a piano hinge. Initially I chose a different hinge, but it could not withstand even light loads in mock tests. I asked for advice in the Do-It-Yourself Community - many immediately recommended a piano. To ensure reliable connection, the plywood ends of the table halves are reinforced with a U-shaped aluminum profile, fixed with M5 screws. The piano hinge is secured to the aluminum channel with M4 screws. The frames of the table halves are glued together from 13mm (frame) and 4mm (base) plywood and covered with leatherette. Plastic trays 37x29 cm from Ikea are glued into the recess of the frames and screwed onto self-tapping screws. On one of the halves of the table, at the end, there are holes cut on the aluminum channel, similar to those used in hanging hinges - for fixing the table to different bases, in different places of the car. If the table was in one place - above the armrest, then I would fasten it using straps to the armrest. But that's a completely different story...
Table size: 78*30*6 cm.
Materials
: Plywood 5 mm – 0.5 m2 Plywood 13 mm – 0.5 m2 Leatherette – 1.0 m2 U-shaped profile, aluminum 15*20*15*2 mm – 1 mp Piano hinge – 0.6 mp Countersunk screw 5m*20mm – 6 pcs Countersunk screw 4m*8mm - 12 pcs. Self-tapping screw - 8 pcs Foamed polyethylene 4mm - 0.5 m2 PVA glue Universal glue Silicone sealant Furniture stapler Price: about 1000 - 1500 rubles.
Backlight installation
It won’t take much time to decorate a table made from a block with LED lighting. The tape is installed so that the cylinders are illuminated from the inside. Blue and purple colors look the most impressive; options using flashing lights would be appropriate. The backlight is attached using epoxy glue. The features of its location are determined solely by the aesthetic taste and imagination of the master. At the final stage, the cord with the power supply and plug are brought out so that it is possible to connect the table to a nearby outlet.
For lighting, you can use light bulbs with different modes, which will be switched by a touch sensor installed under the tabletop.
It takes a long time to assemble a table from an engine on your own, because you will need to do a tremendous amount of preparatory work, perhaps even using the services of a turner. But the finished art object, pleasing to the eye, and at the same time not at all similar to the usual factory tables, is definitely worth the time and effort spent.
Table in the car for a child car seat
When traveling, the car almost becomes home. Here we feed the child and play with him. Therefore, it was necessary to think about how to do this conveniently. We were helped out by a table that fits on a child's car seat.
We decided to see how convenient this device is and ordered the economy version on Aliexpress.
The first table that came to us was a little surprising and upsetting. On the way to Nizhny Novgorod from China, he apparently split a little inside.
The appearance did not inspire confidence. Inside there is thin plywood, with a small layer of padding polyester, along the edges there are sides with a thin layer of padding polyester, and pockets for small items. The material is similar to thin jacket fabric, apparently it is convenient to wipe off dirt. The table is placed on the armrests of the car seat (preferably straight armrests) and attached to the car seat with a small strap with fastex, which is barely enough for the car seat.
As a result, we quickly sewed such a table ourselves before leaving, using as a basis the table that came from Aliexpress.
Before our next car trip with a child, we booked another table, which you can see in the video below. It turned out to be much better quality and even prettier than the previous table (here is a link to it). Now we don’t go anywhere in the car with a child without this table! Watch the video about this table:
And we recommend everyone to buy the same or similar table - this is a very useful and really necessary thing, especially if your children like to draw or play on their own. And if they don’t like it, then you can play a bunch of different games with them at this table. Our website https://kidsinbags.ru shows many such games, and also watch them on our channel.
Useful
By the way, we also bought a small table for mom and dad that attaches to the headrest of the front seat of the car (here is the link). A very convenient and functional item. You can always put a glass of tea or something to eat on this table.
If you need a video review of this table, write in the comments.
Follow our updates!
Subscribe to new articles on the site (form on the right), watch our videos and receive useful information about traveling with children!
And remember: anyone can travel with children!
Source
Tools, consumables and protective equipment
For safe work, it is recommended to wear a protective gown or apron, suitable shoes, gloves, and a respirator at the initial stage. If the engine requires cleaning with a grinder or sandblasting, eye protection is required. The following tools and consumables are also prepared:
- metal brush, sandblaster;
- detergent, degreaser, rust neutralizer, solvent;
- sponge;
- primer, enamel, epoxy glue, spray gun;
- clean rags;
- metal saw;
- welding machine, inert gas, electrodes;
- taps and die for thread cutting;
- drill.
If you are using an engine whose surface has chips, cracks, or rust, it is necessary to update its appearance. To paint the engine, purchase automotive paint in an aerosol. Colors with metallic undertones, such as cherry, emerald, blue, gold or silver, look most impressive.
Do-it-yourself children's table for the car
Here's a photo of the pocket I found.
to photo hosting →
Here's another useful and simple fleece item:
to photo hosting →
A very big problem. The child is one year old, the car seat has been changed. “The head dangles in your sleep.” Girls, please, if you have any ideas for donut pillows or headrests, post them on the forum. I'm really looking forward to it.
Here are the bells and whistles I found on the Internet:
Organizer for a child seat in a car
to photo hosting →
Organizer for children's small items on car seats
special protection against dirty shoes
a car organizer that can be either in the form of a pillow, that is, two in one, or attached to the back of the front seat.
