Working on Center Arm Rest

[gmarcucio]

I'm working on building a center arm rest while trying to make it look like it belongs there as much as possible. Using a mechanical test plug from the plumbing section of Home Depot I attached a 1/2" threaded flange to the plastic threads on the test plug. I inserted the test plug into my cup holder which fit perfectly and then tightened the red threaded nut which causes the lower rubber portion of the test plug to expand in the cup holder securing it very tightly. Now I just have to figure out what cushion I am going to use. The cushion in the picture is a sissy bar cushion from a motorcycle. I'm going to check online a little bit and see what's available already made and if I can't find anything I'll make my own out of a board and cover it with foam and vinyl material. I would use the one in the picture but it's a little bit too wide and pushes into the seats. I worry about when adusting the seats it might create problems. I need a cushion about 4 inches wide and maybe a little longer than the one in the picture. Once I decide on a cushion that's all I have to do is bolt it to the flange with 4 small wood screws. The only problem being I am sacrificing my cup holder. My elbow needs it more than my cup!!!
Let me know what you think or if you have any suggestions or ideas for a cushion.

 

[Don]

Very nice! I'll bet you could sell those on eBay (or here) as fast as you could make them

We use the front cupholders, but our rear passengers would miss the center one too - Shouldn't be too hard to add a couple of them under your armrest for the rear passengers though

Don

 

[gmarcucio]

Here is what I finally ended up with. I made the arm rest out of a 5"x10" board and foam covered with vinyl covering. it works great!!!

 

[acensor]

I'm working on building a center arm rest while trying to make it look like it belongs there as much as possible. Using a mechanical test plug from the plumbing section of Home Depot I attached a 1/2" threaded flange to the plastic threads on the test plug. I inserted the test plug into my cup holder which fit perfectly and then tightened the red threaded nut which causes the lower rubber portion of the test plug to expand in the cup holder securing it very tightly. ...........
Let me know what you think or if you have any suggestions or ideas .....]

Very clever, I like it!

Now what I want there rather than the armrest is a flip open compartment. Actually my Ex-Toyota has a combo armrest that also flips up revealing storage ..best of both.
I think I could adapt what you did to double function ....though storage couldn't be as deep as the Toyota had. Unless you do the double before I do, if I get around to it will report back here.
Anyone else want the double-duty armrest-storage?

 

[Llecentaur]

I would buy an armrest with compartment.

 

[JoeS]

gmarcucio, thank you for posting all these great photos.

Excellent idea using the plastic Sioux Chief Test Titan Mechanical Test Plug P/N 882-3. Just ordered one off Amazon, as even with an electric car it's cheaper than going to Home Depot which is 10 miles away; besides, checking online they seem to carry only the 3-1/2" version.

The armrest and storage compartment is open only to our imagination and fabricating skills...

 

[gmarcucio]

I'm working on building a center arm rest while trying to make it look like it belongs there as much as possible. Using a mechanical test plug from the plumbing section of Home Depot I attached a 1/2" threaded flange to the plastic threads on the test plug. I inserted the test plug into my cup holder which fit perfectly and then tightened the red threaded nut which causes the lower rubber portion of the test plug to expand in the cup holder securing it very tightly. ...........
Let me know what you think or if you have any suggestions or ideas .....]

Very clever, I like it!

Now what I want there rather than the armrest is a flip open compartment. Actually my Ex-Toyota has a combo armrest that also flips up revealing storage ..best of both.
I think I could adapt what you did to double function ....though storage couldn't be as deep as the Toyota had. Unless you do the double before I do, if I get around to it will report back here.
Anyone else want the double-duty armrest-storage?

That's a great idea!!! I thought I was finished with this project but now you got me thinking!!! I would like storage and a arm rest in one also. Let me put my thinking cap on and see what I come up with. We could still use the test plug to hold it in place.

 

[acensor]

The armrest and storage compartment is open only to our imagination and fabricating skills...

Hi joe,
The combo armrest /compartment was my idea.
My imagination is plentiful on designs.
My fabricating skills and tools, alas, merely moderate.
But I think I might actually take a shot at it as one of my few, albeit minor, points of complaint is lack of convenient reachable storage compartments.

 

[gmarcucio]

Here we go. Check this out!!!!

 

[jray3]

Very nice- I'd been thinking along those lines, first with a turned wood plug, then perhaps a cast resin plug, and finally was test-fitting a stout stainless travel mug shell, so that there could still be a cupholder insert, but haven't gotten a round tuit.
Does the downward torque on the cupholder make it flex a lot /worry you? I'm guessing the armrest doesn't rotate easily with all that clamping force.

 

[gmarcucio]

No it really doesn't rotate and the way it is set up with just the cup holder supporting it won't take a lot of weight. it's strong enough just to lay your elbow on it. My problem is that I keep forgetting about it and lean on it with my body weight when I'm reaching into the back seat, etc. It works for now but I'm going to work on something else for the arm rest.

 

[JoeS]

gmarcusio, what is the material that the flange is made out of (gray plastic or galvanized?) and did you modify its thread at all?

The test plug has a thread that looks to be 1-12 (I don't have a thread measuring gauge that size, but it's a bit less than 13tpi) and un-tapered whereas a normal 3/4 pipe flange has a nominal 1.050"OD tapered and 14 threads/inch.

My sensibilities are damaged by cross-threading (there's a pun in there somewhere...)

 

[RamblinBrad]

Here is what I finally ended up with. I made the arm rest out of a 5"x10" board and foam covered with vinyl covering. it works great!!!

Very nice, was sketching out something like this earlier this week and just needed to figure out the plug. Planning on going that same route but going to do some custom leather carving on the armrest.

 

[gmarcucio]

gmarcusio, what is the material that the flange is made out of (gray plastic or galvanized?) and did you modify its thread at all?

The test plug has a thread that looks to be 1-12 (I don't have a thread measuring gauge that size, but it's a bit less than 13tpi) and un-tapered whereas a normal 3/4 pipe flange has a nominal 1.050"OD tapered and 14 threads/inch.

My sensibilities are damaged by cross-threading (there's a pun in there somewhere...)

The flange is galvanized. The thread pitch was not the same on the bushing and the flange. Since the bushing thread was plastic I made my own threads by forcing it on. LOL! it worked very good and it is tight just like most fasteners are when you cross thread them. For the money and time that I have into it woeks great. I just ordered a universal armrest from Amazon.com to try and install. It has an opening compartment ans is an armrest pad also. I didn't receive it yet but when I do if it works out good I will post pictures with the information.