Reversible back, wooden sofa, design ideas?

[s1nglemalt]

If you used a leading search engine and typed in quotes "reversible back sofa" - you would get...nothing. I want to build a sofa, all of wood except the reversible / moveable back. The seat, legs, side, are easy. The back rest would pivot on the sides and allow a user to sit facing one way, then pivot the back to the other side and can now face 180 degrees away.
https://www.1stdibs.com/en-gb/furni...nal-sofa-reversible-back-rests/id-f_12685831/

Do you have some design ideas on the pivot connection? How to stop the pivot arm?

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Just to expand the creative possibilities, Ford (and probably some others) pickup trucks have an optional basket-like system in the back of the bed. It rolls forward and contains your small stuff near the tailgate. Then, you can open the gate, flip it the other way, and it allows for things that are longer than the bed, yet still contained.

 

[afish]

The biggest issue I see is the angle of the backrest.  The one you linked to used a bolster style backrest and I see why.  If you have a more traditional flat back with a angle leaning back when you flip it the person sitting there would now be forced to leaning forward.  So not only do you need to flip the back you need the back to pivot so it would be in a slight recline position in both positions.  Do you have a sketch of what you are planning?  Is it all wood or are we talking wood frame with cushions and upholstery too?

 

[squall_line]

Do you intend to have the back padded on both sides and just flip back and forth, or do you want it finished on one side and padded on the other, and rotate as it passes by?

From my time spent commuting in Chicago back in the late 90's and some other time spent on Amtrak and scenic railways, I seem to recall that both methods are used extensively on train seats with flat backs.

 

[s1nglemalt]

Thank you for your help so far. I have the sketch in my head, but I think I have to have the pivoting piece completely upholstered like a jelly roll 360. This makes it easier.

My main question will be what hardware I use on each side that the arm fits in, and that hardware fits in the side, somehow.

I could see fastening a 3/4 "pie" like system (pac man style) and the arm would rest on the side "pie" angled wedge so the sitter has a safe backrest.

The main intent of this piece is for a spot in the house where the sitter can face the crowd, and when bored turn the lever around and face the windows outside to see the world.

 

[scb_yyz]

Check out 'reversible back boat seats'.

 

[afish]

Yes what scb_yyz said.  thats the simplest and easiest design.  In my head for a couch though Im picturing the pivot arms to be in the 2 center 3rd position with a slot cut in the seat part to hide the somewhat ugly hardware on the side.  This would require a more robust top board along the top on the backrest portion but I think that could be worked into the design easy enough.  If you decided to have cushions the seat cushions would even hide the slots.

 

[Packard]

  For comfort the dimensions should hew closely to the standard.  Deviations from that make it more like a daybed than a sofa.

Dimensions (from link)
Height: 27 in. (68.58 cm)
Width: 33 in. (83.82 cm)Depth: 33 in. (83.82 cm)
Seat Height: 15.5 in. (39.37 cm)

That would make the back 11½" in diameter.  It would make the seat depth 21½" and the seatback effectively just 6 or 7 inches.  I would want to sit on it before I made a decision on making one. 

I remember my parent's "Danish sofa" which had two trapezoidal, loose seat back cushions.  You sat on it like it was a stool.  The seatback was never actually used.

Similar to this:

 

[s1nglemalt]

It is now clear I have to build the prototype to adjust it so the jelly roll back overlaps the edge of the seat/bench to maximize room. I may even have sides that go up for a drink rest; this would hide the hardware of the pivot arm / pacman wedges.