Homemade armrest here with pics
06-06-2004, 07:42 PM
#1
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Homemade armrest here with pics
Hey everybody, I decided to try and make my own armrest, and finished it this weekend. I sit with my seat all the way back, which puts the rear "cupholder" just below my elbow. I made a cardboard template to start, then bought 1/4" hardboard to make it. It took a 24"x24" piece of hardboard, a hinge, and 1 yard of black wool fabric to cover. I had some compressed foam sleeping pad, which I used 2 pieces of to pad the top. The hardboard split very easily trying to put nails in the edges, and it was too thin to screw together. My jigsaw cuts were a little too crooked for wood glue :oops: so I opted to tape it together first, then predrilled tiny holes and used carpet tacks which worked nicely. Then I used contact/rubber cement to attach the fabric. It's very sturdy, and despite the pics it matches the black seats exactly. The seats use a more reflective fabric, thus the flash makes them look grey instead of black like the armrest.
My total cost was $12, I still need to mount a cupholder to the back, just looking for a 2 cup setup instead of the 1 cup I currently have. There's a void in the back that would let me mount it there without cutting into the inside container. Inside container dimensions are 4" wide, 9" deep, and 12" tall. There's room under the front of the lid to mount a catch if I decide to do that. I used a piece of wire through the bottom of the armrest and wrapped around the seat supports to hold it snug, doesn't move unless you really yank on it but that's a given. Wire doesn't affect the seats moving in any way, and a few twists of the wire ends and you can remove the whole thing, nothing was done to the car in any way. The top of the armrest is even with the armrests built into the door btw, used a level to make sure. So it should work fine for most people, I just don't know about those who have their seats further forward, if it would be far enough out there for you. The emergency brake is still accessable, I find it easiest to reach around the armrest to grab the brake, but long arms help me there.
If anyone wants the measurements of the parts I can get them together. Most of the time spent was figuring it out, I'd say you'd spend 4-5 hours making this from instructions, I spent twice that with the cardboard pattern and adjustments. If you're good with tools, it might take 2 hours or so, I'm not a pro, I used a board on sawhorses as a workbench! :D I still need to attach fabric to the inside, right now it's just the finished wood facing in, which might be more durable anyway. Also need to trim the fabric edges up and make sure it's glued down, still a little left to do there.
Hopefully this isn't too homemade looking... :D If anyone wants the measurements I'll try to piece them together.
My total cost was $12, I still need to mount a cupholder to the back, just looking for a 2 cup setup instead of the 1 cup I currently have. There's a void in the back that would let me mount it there without cutting into the inside container. Inside container dimensions are 4" wide, 9" deep, and 12" tall. There's room under the front of the lid to mount a catch if I decide to do that. I used a piece of wire through the bottom of the armrest and wrapped around the seat supports to hold it snug, doesn't move unless you really yank on it but that's a given. Wire doesn't affect the seats moving in any way, and a few twists of the wire ends and you can remove the whole thing, nothing was done to the car in any way. The top of the armrest is even with the armrests built into the door btw, used a level to make sure. So it should work fine for most people, I just don't know about those who have their seats further forward, if it would be far enough out there for you. The emergency brake is still accessable, I find it easiest to reach around the armrest to grab the brake, but long arms help me there.
If anyone wants the measurements of the parts I can get them together. Most of the time spent was figuring it out, I'd say you'd spend 4-5 hours making this from instructions, I spent twice that with the cardboard pattern and adjustments. If you're good with tools, it might take 2 hours or so, I'm not a pro, I used a board on sawhorses as a workbench! :D I still need to attach fabric to the inside, right now it's just the finished wood facing in, which might be more durable anyway. Also need to trim the fabric edges up and make sure it's glued down, still a little left to do there.
Hopefully this isn't too homemade looking... :D If anyone wants the measurements I'll try to piece them together.
06-07-2004, 02:39 AM
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I'll post the measurements of the wood in a day or two, I just finished adding a support. Ends up the wire held the armrest down, but during a drive it would slowly creep backwards. When I did the cardboard proto I included a piece that sat in the original cup holder as an anchor, but left it off at first (lazy). Now it's on, and once I know it works I'll post it all. The cuts leave little room for error, of the 24" square of wood I use there's hardly any left.
Next project will be sell aiming AAA guns for all those stupid birds that have something against shiny, dark cars...
Next project will be sell aiming AAA guns for all those stupid birds that have something against shiny, dark cars...
06-07-2004, 02:34 PM
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The cupholder anchor piece is working nicely, and I see what you mean by dark pics, at home they are fine but at work they are super dark. It was the monitor brightness setting set to 50, cranked it up to 75 and you can easily see it now.
06-09-2004, 04:19 PM
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OK, I finally got the measurements down and scanned in. I'll try my best to explain the pieces :D
Each piece has a circled letter just for reference. D and E are the side pieces, F is the back, B is the lid and C is the front. The 3 G pieces are what I used to make the anchor that sits in the original cupholder. A is the bottom piece wedged between the sides. The wider half rests under the notches in D and E to provide more support. I used 1/4" hardboard from Home Depot, so the measurements match this. The front and back pieces will sit between the sides.
I found it easier to use tape to hold the pieces together, then followed up with nails and/or glue. I added a small strip of wood to help support piece A in the back, I nailed the strip to piece F so A could rest on it. The 3 small G pieces were glued to the bottom of piece A, and I added some extra scrap pieces to provide extra surface area for the glue to hold on.
The screws for the hinge were too long for such thin wood, so after drilling them in I used cutters to snip off the excess, then a dremel tool to trim them flush to the box surface. I strongly suggest you get some cardboard and make the box from that first, just to see how it fits for you and to make adjustments. I added 2 cup holders to the back, 1 above the other with plenty of space for big drinks. I drilled holes in the wood and attached them to it without hassle. Any questions, just let me know.
Each piece has a circled letter just for reference. D and E are the side pieces, F is the back, B is the lid and C is the front. The 3 G pieces are what I used to make the anchor that sits in the original cupholder. A is the bottom piece wedged between the sides. The wider half rests under the notches in D and E to provide more support. I used 1/4" hardboard from Home Depot, so the measurements match this. The front and back pieces will sit between the sides.
I found it easier to use tape to hold the pieces together, then followed up with nails and/or glue. I added a small strip of wood to help support piece A in the back, I nailed the strip to piece F so A could rest on it. The 3 small G pieces were glued to the bottom of piece A, and I added some extra scrap pieces to provide extra surface area for the glue to hold on.
The screws for the hinge were too long for such thin wood, so after drilling them in I used cutters to snip off the excess, then a dremel tool to trim them flush to the box surface. I strongly suggest you get some cardboard and make the box from that first, just to see how it fits for you and to make adjustments. I added 2 cup holders to the back, 1 above the other with plenty of space for big drinks. I drilled holes in the wood and attached them to it without hassle. Any questions, just let me know.
06-10-2004, 01:44 AM
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They're just some generic holders from autozone, the bottom one sits on the hump and is tied into the back of the rest. It's the kind where you can slide the grip to fit the cup. The top one sits just under the hinge, and is a simple plastic one. Not much to look at :D but they're there in case they're needed. I might go back and get a dual side by side holder that sits on the hump instead, but that will wait I guess. Also want a better fabric for it, or at least a better finish to the job. :D Functionally is great, no problems, but there's also the looks... I'm a fiddler, not a pro!
Thanks Thomas, you did a great job supporting the car, and made it a really nice transaction. You definitely lived up to the Scion goal of easy-going car buying.
Thanks Thomas, you did a great job supporting the car, and made it a really nice transaction. You definitely lived up to the Scion goal of easy-going car buying.
07-06-2004, 03:57 PM
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Hey Mr Scion, that works too! But you've got the mp3 player now, burn those babies down to a just a few! I'd hate to have a window smashed and find that many CDs were taken, but I expect you don't leave it sitting out. I have a case logic book that holds a bunch, it slides right inside the armrest, but I use a little 10 disc holder with mp3 discs.
I haven't updated the fabric yet, that will wait until a better sewer makes the offer to help out. :D If I got Wet Okole covers I'd definitely make something to match, that would be nice!
I haven't updated the fabric yet, that will wait until a better sewer makes the offer to help out. :D If I got Wet Okole covers I'd definitely make something to match, that would be nice!
