View Full Version : DIY Dash Cubbyhole Platform
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b249/Batstar/IMG_4254.jpg
In a recent discussion in another OT thread, forum member MGC (Morrie) commented that he had recently purchased a Garmin Nuvi 350 portable GPS and was quite impressed with its performance and features. I was convinced this would also be the ideal unit for me. In our search to find the appropriate location to mount the Nuvi, Morrie came up with a viable solution. :)
Unhappy with his windshield suction cup mount, he jury rigged a temporary fix by stuffing the entire arm mount into the dash cubbyhole of his XC and found the location very much to his liking. I took his idea one step further and fabricated a platform made from closed/mini cell foam glued to a plastic faceplate that a standard mount/holder could be attached to such as the one made for the Nuvi 350 by ProClip (http://www.proclipusa.com/core/framework/scripts/image.asp?path=/media/images/products/devicecradle/215165.jpg&width=360&height=360). We found that other device holders either blocked the center console air vents, didn’t integrate/function well or were just plain ugly and impractical. Also, windshield mounts are now banned in certain states. Nice thing about this platform is that it can be removed very easily by simply pulling it out. My total cost of materials was nil and fabrication was a piece of cake. [thumbup]
That being said, this location would likely suit smaller devices such as a compact GPS (Nuvi, TomTom), iPod, cell phone or PDA. Larger GPS units like Garmin’s Street Pilots or Magellan’s Roadmate Series would probably be too large and would interfere with the HU audio controls.
Having completed a prototype, the link below directs you to a photo documentation of the 2nd version. I made a few subtle revisions that I believe should improve upon the fit and finished appearance of the project. I hope to add more photos once the holder and GPS are attached.
Thanks for the inspiration Morrie!! :D
Center Console Locker Platform (http://community.webshots.com/album/552756418vkNKLr)
Pennhaven
08-05-2006, 06:13 AM
Nice work Art. Looking forward to the additional pics with a device mounted.
Questions:
What is a good source for a small block of closed/mini cell foam?
Is this sort of foam rigid enough that it could be partially hollowed to allow for a small storage pocket and still support the mount?
Another thought. Do you think it would be practical to use a piece of aluminum (or other smooth material) for the panel surface to allow for attaching a suction cup mount?
Pennhaven,
You might try contacting a local canoeing/kayaking outlet. Many of them carry closed cell foam for paddlers wishing to outfit their boats. Both NRS (http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=2076) and NOC (http://www.noc.com/store/item_10826.html) also sell it online by the foot if you don’t need a large piece.
Even though the foam is quite dense, the small size of the base would probably allow you to carve out just enough foam to run a cable through to the other end, but I doubt there would be any room for storing much else without compromising the strength of the foam itself.
You could also use a piece of plexiglass or virtually anything with a smooth plastic surface. The outer dimensions of my plastic faceplate were a pretty close match to those of the cubby hole so you would need to adjust the size of your own panel in order to accommodate the suction cup mount. The mount/holder that I plan to use will be screwed on to the faceplate.
I’ve never tried gluing aluminum to CC foam before so I can’t say how well/if it would adhere. I also made sure that the surface that I was gluing the foam to was roughened up to allow for proper adhesion.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Hope that helps. :)
William
08-05-2006, 11:26 AM
Art,
Nice work. I look forward to seeing photos with the Nav unit mounted.
William
Jorge-789995
08-05-2006, 11:44 AM
What is a good source for a small block of closed/mini cell foam?
Pennhaven, Since you are in Michigan, check out this place. (http://www.foamforyou.com/) It's called Foam N' More and they sell just about any kind of foam you can imagine. They are located in Troy, MI.
Otherwise, like Art said, Kayak outfitters usually sell it. REI has it too.
BTW Art. That is a really good idea. I may have to borrow your idea sometime and make my own. Now, I just use my broken cup holder that is in that spot.
Hi - a possible workaround to any problem of sourcing foam would be to make your own from the expanding foam used around windows/doors etc?
- Put a small amount in a suitably sized & shaped open-topped container (a small 'Tupperware' type container would be good)
- Line it with plastic kitchen film (so you can get it out without destroying the container - this stuff sticks like **** to a blanket)
- Wait for it to cure, and it should be perfect for this job
- One tip - while it's curing cover the open top with a layer of more plastic film and place a weight on top - that way it'll set more densely
- It may take a few days to go off completely as it's not in contact with the air.
- After you've carved it to shape you could cover the surfaces with plastic to avoid any shredding of bits when inserting/removing from the cubby-hole
- For grip you could use some of the non-slip material commonly sold as dash-mats. In the UK we have a cheap source for this in the £1 shops that abound in all(?) the towns.
When I get my XC70 I'll be trying this job myself as I'll be using my TomTom - many thanks to all that pointed the way.
regards
John R
p.s. just made a 'Bumper Protector (Dirt Cover)' for £2 that Volvo sell for £66.80 (US$127.43 / CDN$143.62). It's only actually a piece of captive material to protect your clothes when leaning into the luggage area. Again, I used material from a £1 shop - a clothes cover for covering clothes hanging in a wardrobe, plus some eyelets. Fabricated some hooks from stiff wire found in the garden shed and completed it with knicker elastic! Admittedly this was Mark I - I may go on and develop Mark II/III at some stage and improve the 'design' but as most of the bits are not going to be easily visible I'll probably leave it as is. If anyone's interested I'll post some pic's. It's not totally finished yet as it's currently sitting in the XC90. When I get the XC70 I'll trim it to a more appropriate size.
Hi - a possible workaround to any problem of sourcing foam would be to make your own from the expanding foam used around windows/doors etc?
Or just a block of polystyrene as used in packaging.
JsR raises a good point. CC foam isn’t something that you can run out and find at the local hardware store. You’ve also got to find a source that will sell you a small amount as most suppliers usually carry it in bulk sizes. If it’s any consolation, the links to the suppliers that I provided do offer it for sale in smaller blocks. I believe that One Ocean Kayaks (http://www.oneoceankayaks.com/Material.htm) does so to.
I guess the reasons why I chose CC foam is that it’s really versatile stuff. It doesn’t break apart when you’re sanding it which allows you to create soft round corners for customized requirements. The finished product has a silky, suede-like feel to it. CC foam also has excellent cushioning memory so when you press your fingers into it, it squishes down a bit but springs right back into place.
Pennhaven
08-08-2006, 02:50 PM
I've been away since I posted my questions. So belated thanks for all the responses. JsR's suggestion regarding using expanding aerosol foam raises an interesting thought. Why not line the cubby hole with plastic wrap and spray the aerosol directly into it? i.e., Use the actual compartment as a mold! I would expect the foam would expand to the exact dimensions of the hole. This would eliminate the need for trial and errror "milling" of the foam block to fit. Of course the foam would also expand outwards, so care would have to be taken so it doesn't drip onto the dash / center console.
Too bad I just emptied a can of that foam filling some voids in trees in my yard to prevent insect infestation. Have to buy another one and give this a try.
AWD*V70XC
08-08-2006, 03:26 PM
It was very hard to figure out just what you were up to ART, I mean why or how would you fill such a big hole and how would you keep that foam in place? Having looked at the rest of the photos I notice that you do not have the cup holder in place (like me), just a blanking hole and from your only photo it seemed a little or should I say major task filling that (cup holder) hole.
As I read other posts I think others might have thought you have removed the cup holder, leaving a gapping hole within which needs filling on a major scale. Now I understand why you have opted for the closed cell foam which must have been a piece of cake to do and now on reflection that foam spray seems like overkill for such a simple 'paring' job. You must have been able to get a really snug fit but does the unit not 'pull' your foam out??
Maybe a photo of the cubby hole in situ might clarify any confusion.
Does the cup holder not come as standard any more??? I suppose it is like the ashtray - an optional extra if you don't smoke.
Okanagan XC
08-08-2006, 04:08 PM
Does the cup holder not come as standard any more??? I suppose it is like the ashtray - an optional extra if you don't smoke.
No cup holder there in my 06, just a cubby hole, which incidentally is the perfect size to jam my garage door opener in there. I think the cup holder now comes with one of the optional packages.
Cameron,
I thought that the link to the photos in my original post would have explained everything in detail. I guess it was a premature assumption on my part thinking that everyone knew about the dash cubby/mini storage console. Sorry. :o
The dash cupholder is only available in the Convenience package here in Canada, as Okanagan XC pointed out, otherwise there is just the cubby hole to take its place. Personally, I never used the dash cupholder in my ‘01 as it was broken and therefore, rendered useless. :(
The CC foam fits pretty tight and has some grip to it and I’m fairly confident that it won’t come loose regardless of what is attached to it. You would really need to see and touch this stuff to get an idea of what it's like. I sent MGC (Morrie) the prototype to fit in his car but since then, I’ve fabricated two identical and improved versions, one of which is shown in the photo.
I’m hoping that Morrie will either post or send me photos of his Nuvi 350 and Proclip holder once they are attached to the faceplate. :)
As far as Penhaven's foam spray technique goes, it's worth a try, but I'm not sure I'd want to risk getting any of it on the dash.
In a recent discussion in another OT thread, forum member MGC (Morrie) commented that he had recently purchased a Garmin Nuvi 350 portable GPS and was quite impressed with its performance and features. I was convinced this would also be the ideal unit for me.
What convinced you about the Nuvi Art?
From a techie/features/screen size/maps point of view, I was leaning more towards the Tom Tom; silly names and all. [cool2]
I'd appreciate your thoughts, (or a pointer to the original discussion) at the risk of a slight detour in the thread.
Both TomTom and Nuvi appear to be fairly comparable as overall features go, but I think the fact that the Nuvi’s bright screen is very daylight readable gives it a slight edge.
An independent review here (http://gpsinformation.us/joe/gpscompare/gpscarnavscreencompare.html) compared the screen readability of several nav units and the TomTom didn’t fare so well.
Also, the TomTom Go’s currently come preloaded with TeleAtlas mapping which apparently isn’t as detailed in Canada as the Navteq mapping found in Garmin’s models.
littlewaywelt
08-10-2006, 09:22 PM
Does the cup holder not come as standard any more??? I suppose it is like the ashtray - an optional extra if you don't smoke.
It was also missing from the 05s. Truth be told I was peeved when we picked up the car and was sure I'd miss it. I don't. I use the cuby 10x more than I used the in dash cup holder. It holds my ipod or treo phone very well.
I've been away since I posted my questions. So belated thanks for all the responses. JsR's suggestion regarding using expanding aerosol foam raises an interesting thought. Why not line the cubby hole with plastic wrap and spray the aerosol directly into it? i.e., Use the actual compartment as a mold! I would expect the foam would expand to the exact dimensions of the hole. This would eliminate the need for trial and errror "milling" of the foam block to fit. Of course the foam would also expand outwards, so care would have to be taken so it doesn't drip onto the dash / center console.
Too bad I just emptied a can of that foam filling some voids in trees in my yard to prevent insect infestation. Have to buy another one and give this a try.
I didn't want to suggest this - didn't want any lawsuits against me from someone ruining their brand new motor with sh***y splatter all over the place! [cussing]
BTW, the in-dash cup-holder is still standard in the UK spec. vehicle (unless the 'phone is fitted, that is). Is it easy to remove the mechanism? Alternatively, would the front cover of the cup-holder be secure enough to attach a mount directly, without it opening unexpectedly?
John R
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