Handy Hints, Gadgets, Products & Gizmos

[GizmosMom]

Another member suggested a new forum section with new products but it doesn't look like it will be feasible. So I thought I would post this here under General RVing Issues. If enough people post (even if you have mentioned it before in another post) we can keep it near the top?

Do you have a handy hint, a new product or an old product that makes your RVing or Camping much better?

(Sorry, no commercial advertising allowed)

I'll start:

Someone in the Camping Van posted a reference to using a Super-Chamois to wipe down their shower. I have been using an icky old thick sponge and I like the chamois idea so much more.

Now I want to hear what works for you

[tpguy1]

We hate to cook when camping, so we always go for a walk at dinner time and stop by other campers until we get invited to eat with them.

In 7 years we have only cooked 2 meals.

Hope this helps

[Anthony21403]

Battery Powered Motion Activated Light

Just got one of these on a whim the other day (paid 44.95 with shipping) and considering getting another one. Not sure where I want to mount it (once the flat bracket is mounted you could take the large curved part and the ball off), but sitting near the ground it does an ok job of lighting up the steps. It says it does better when mounted above doorways. Thought yall might be interested in it.

[fwnewbie]

Not sure if this would classify as a MOD or a maintenance reducing item. But I had a TT that always needed to have the front cross frame member repainted due to rock pitting/nicks rust so I bought some truck bed coating spray paint at Wally world and tried it. It worked so well I didn't have to repaint the frame again. I used it on my "new to me" FW the first thing.

[ak_traveler]

double post...AAARGH!:M

[ak_traveler]

Parametric, I love your drawer within a drawer idea and I am going to do that with a couple drawers in my unit as well. Heck I may even do it to some drawers here in the "stick house"! Thanks for the idea, I never would have thought it up myself!

[Jeanne_M]

Choice spot wrote:
twins89, where do you get this magnetic plastic.

We found ours at Lowe's...but you can probably find it at any hardware store. Not too many color choices...but that doesn't concern us.

[Loopy]

Jim, do you have the Maxx Air covers over the vents or are you talking about the actual plastic dome of the vents?

If you've never seen the Maxx Air vents they are wonderful and if I had to venture a guess they'd stand up to a pretty good amount of hail. They're a lot thicker plastic than the plastic dome on the vent itself.

LINK

[Jim102]

Has anyone put anything on their roof air vents to protect against hail? I just lost all three of mine last weekend here in Texas. I did see 3m has a clear duct tape, I was thinking of covering the new vent cover with it...

Thanks,
Jim

[dalilu97]

bump?

[ak_traveler]

Guess I'll add my latest "gizmo"...

Had a hard time reaching (from the cab of the truck) the buttons on the keypad at the storage we keep our fiver in as well as the buttons at the ATM's. So I took a fiberglass pole like they put reflectors on to mark driveways, and cut it down from the base to a proper length, leaving the rubber tip in place. Then I took some shrink tubing to form a "handle" and to cover the end and keep from getting splinters and viola! A button-pushin', reachie-thingie!
Now I can push the buttons without geting out of the truck. I keep it in the door pocket nice and handy!

[ak_traveler]

the magnetic plastic twins is referring to is probably just the material they make magnetic business signs for cars and trucks out of. We use the same thing for our vents and it works great - as twins said though, you have to remove it if you want heat from your registers and then it's susceptible to getting dirt down them. But by then we are usually in for awhile and have taken our shoes off.

[Choice_spot]

twins89, where do you get this magnetic plastic.

[parametric]

When I use my vehicle away from the site, I lock my hitch head back onto the trailer tongue. This reduces the almost extra foot length behind my SUV and it solves where to store the greasy ball as well as stop unauthorized hooking up.

Most deep draws, the top half is wasted space, so I added a sliding drawer inside to the top half of my kitchen drawers. I remove the top half of the back, and install drawer slide tracks on the sides of the new 2nd drawer and mount it to the inside of the existing drawer. Now, when I pull out the drawer, I can slide back the new draw to get at utensils underneath.

[slides]

I installed one near the battery in our 5th wheel to power a small 110 volt aircompressor for airing up tires on the road. Works great.

[welsteach]

Does anyone use an inverter for things like a laptop, toaster, coffeepot? Do you just leave it on the table or countertop? Has someone found a way to make it more attractive?