Today: Some finishing odds and ends - Range top cover installation, fridge "in-storage mode", inside cabinet containers, vintage period cold water jug.
Do you remember this?
A range top cover from our parts Travel Queen camper, that was in pretty ugly condition, but otherwise functional. We painted it with some of our high-heat copper paint and planned to surface it with some "things" to prevent scratching.
After several false starts using varied ideas for those "things", we decided to leave "additional things" off (too bulky and visually distracting), and just put on a couple coats of "clear coat". Spray poly in a can - in essence. So we'll see how it holds up.
DW likes the "cover option", whereas I just like the look of a stove top. But she's the domestic Goddess, and it is she who understands the "needs of the galley" better than I. We seem to advance well through life when we support one another's strengths, so that's what we pursue. No need for ego and self-righteousness in OUR relationship.
She foresees soft prep surface for the unit.
Installation was a simple two screw deal at the back.
I've never liked rattles in a camper, of various metal on metal things. It seems campers can be just full of such noise, especially if you are ever "sent to your room" for part of the drive. So I looked over the cover and "got's this idea, see?"
Poly tubing for Lil' Queeny's curtain install (coming in the future). It will be used similarly to the
black stuff used on Tow-Mater.
I cut six short segments off, and cut a lengthwise split into each with a utility knife. Then slid those over these areas.
Hinge area that sits on the stove edge high spot. This may change to just one tubing piece per side.
And resting on the chrome band at front, the cover's front edge - one per side.
That prevented metal on metal, and they seem to hold okay - so far. We'll see what happens on that.
In storage, fridge air gets stale and stinky. Modern units have built-in solutions. Our fridge did not. I bought the
little black plastic inserts from a small parts bin at the home center way back ago. When I went looking again - Twilight Zone City. No where to be found. Maybe it never happened. So instead of THAT plan, I just drilled a smaller hole. Like this.
And in storage mode.
Awhile back, we bought DW's dream fridge for the house - french door, bottom freezer. It was a Kenmore - our long-held "go to" for durable goods appliances. Sure enough, it failed one month past warranty. It was only then, that we learned they used "low quality solder", questionable construction quality assurance processes - not to mention "low wage labor locations" so the Sears owner (CEO guy) could continue his selfish, non-regulated, "self-made man" fantasy and misguided reasons for existence, and such cheapo circuit board quality that you can't even get a non-Sears local service man willing to screw you even worse by fixing any of it!
We did a temporary "add freon" fix method, which just prolonged our misery for another year, and learned that appliance quality these days is ALL about the warranty period, and has NOTHING to do with historical reputation.
One year = Kenmore, Samsung, LG, etc.
Ten year = Kitchen Aide, I think Whirlpool, a few others.
We replaced with a purchase from a long term local (non-big box store) business (who we always assumed would be too expensive), and bought a Kitchen Aide - same style, for the same price!
Hey! It's partly our own faults folks. We want cheapest (often assumed by purchase point), and we're too busy forwarding FaceBook
propaganda and fighting among ourselves, to take the actual time needed to read warranties and Insurance policy coverages.
Instead of putting it all right into the landfill, we stored it in the yard (salvage plans for parts). The internal plastic bins may work for small compartment organization in Lil' Queeny.
We found this cool vintage water cooler jug at a second hand store. You know for drinking water back and forth from truck-cab to camper. But - in camper, it uses more surface space than other methods might (like our gallon jug method we've used forever).
The jury is still out. I like it better than DW does. It'll find a home somewhere, if not in Lil' Queeny, perhaps in Tow-Mater. Or maybe in "The Po' Boys!
