One of the continual problems I and others face is the desire to have larger items of ‘equipment’ which can be easily assembled, and dismantled, and easily stored. This is my method of converting a standard double divan bed into a horizontal rack on which the ‘slave’ can be stretched.

The headboard on the bed was replaced by one of the modern iron types, consisting of plastic covered, thin, vertical steel/iron bars within a frame.

I purchased two planks of wood 3 3/4ins. wide, 1 in. thick and 6 ins. longer than the width of the bed. To each of these I fixed a small towing winch obtained at a cost of about £17. These I purchased from a motor accessory shop. The winches are the type for fitting to cars for towing a truck transporting a small boat. Each winch is fixed to the centre of each plank first covered with a thin foam held on by a leather cloth covering fixed at 6 in. intervals along the base that abuts the divan with round headed nails. Screw eyes (heavy gauge) are fixed at the ends of the planks.

As the average bed is 6 ft. 3 in. long and most ‘slaves’ are nearly 6 ft. tall, this is inadequate space for a good ‘stretch’. So for the foot end I have built two small stools or tables. The length depends on how far you wish to extend the surface of the bed, but I have found 18 ins. to be sufficient. Each stool stands at the corner of the foot in line with the side of the divan.

I have fitted five simple screw-in legs to each stool which is made of 3/4in. blackboard. The fifth leg on each is near the leg of the divan to which it is fixed using webbing straps placed so as to unite the stools whose edges almost meet.

The two stools are covered with foam and leather cloth in the same way as the planks.

The first plank with its winch is mounted at the head of the bed and fixed to the headboard using thick webbing previously screwed to the base. The second plank is fixed parallel to the first but at the base across the two stools.

The whole gives an area of 7 ft. 9 ins. x 4 ft. 6 ins. and there is a winch-pullable cuff at each corner. One should use thin cord on the winches as thick rope or cord tends to wind irregularly on to the winch drum making an uneven pull on the cuffs. The handle supplied with the winch is too big for use and has to be removed, but a correct size spanner does an equally good job and is easily operated by the ‘Master’.

When ‘operational’ the slave is spread on the bed and each limb satisfyingly stretched from the strapped cuffs. Having been the slave on this simply-made apparatus, I can testify to its effectiveness and safety and the pleasurable, gradual ‘adjustments’ via the winches produce a sensation that matches the suspension joys described in your earlier Supplements.

A cheaper alternative to the pair of winches would, I believe, be a pair of pawl and ratchet drums of the type used by yachtsmen for raising or lowering sails. An alternative to using two stools at the end of the bed would be one single plank fixed to the bed by means of angle brackets and nuts and bolts.

I would welcome readers comments on their own ideas.

– P.E. (Bucks)