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

[Mike_and_Claudi]

We are full-timers, and we have four things we would hate to do without:

1. Our Prompt Window Screens. We have them for the front, the drivers window, the door window and the passengers window. My wife is rather modest and she loves the privicy they give her, plus the way they keep down the heat is GREAT!

2. We bought a little ice maker at CW and we absolutely love it! It makes up to 9 lbs. of ice per day. We love iced tea, plus I am an ice cruncher, we love the texture and shape of the cubes.

3. We have a freezer (an Engel 45) in one of our bays. It is on a slide out and I don't know what we would do without it. We are often out in the tooleys where it is miles to town and it is great to be able to stock up on good buys and freeze it!

4. We bought a 26" Sony TV to replace our set in the MH. It as a great picture and great sound. We love the digital quality of the set.

[ak_traveler]

This whole "home-made fire starter" thing is very inventive, but what's wrong with good old-fashioned newspaper? That's what we use - you just wad up a bit of the old Daily ____ (in our case it's the Daily News-Miner) and light it. By the time the wood is going good, the newspaper is completely burned up and it leaves no aftertaste to your food (just don't use the slick advertising pages)
It's cheap, readily available, and you don't have to do anything except wad it up to use it!

[JimBollman]

I just made about 5 doz fire starters today. My recipe is similar to several that have been posted, but enough different, I'll share.

I use the cardboard egg cartons also. Melt the wax in a homemade double boiler (large coffee can with couple inches of water and an old aluminum pan that partially sits down in top of the can). I do it out side on an old camp stove.

I use a mixture of used coffee grounds (dried) and cedar chips. Roughly 50:50 by volume. Mix in as much as you can mix in. I usually end up with a bit more coffee because it mixes in easier to get the last little bit of wax absorbed. Pour in a little at a time and stir to allow the mix to get back up to temperature. I then use an old ice cream scoop to fill the egg cartons, pressing the mix down as hard as you can with the back of the scoop. Let them cool for an hour or so, then cut part way through the egg cartons at the dividers with a hack saw and then just break them apart.

The coffee grounds burn a lot slower giving the wood more time to get a good start. The cedar chips make it easier to light with a match or lighter.

The cedar chips are very cheap the small bread loaf size package they sell for hamster bedding will expand to fill two 5 gallon pails, a life time supply.

Jim...

[blackburnju]

broken crayons work really well for the egg carton/lint fire starters

[newtrail]

Fritz_H wrote:
That's similar to my favorite fire starter recipe. I save the cardboard egg cartons, stuff the holes full of lint and pour a little paraffin over. Tear them apart into individual starters and store in a ziplock.

I use the paper ketchup cups like you see at some fast food joints.:B Works GREAT!

[mister_d]

gaymeadowsman wrote:
If you run out of the fire starters while at the camp ground,a 16-20 ounce soda/ water bottle works great. A good way to recycle them.

you can't be serious?! while you're at it, pile on a styrofoam cup and some plastic spoons too! ahhh, nothing beats the smell of fresh burning garbage!

[Fritz_H]

That's similar to my favorite fire starter recipe. I save the cardboard egg cartons, stuff the holes full of lint and pour a little paraffin over. Tear them apart into individual starters and store in a ziplock.

[jeffnkelly]

Camp Director Julie wrote:
Newbee to forums: I have not read thru all the posts yet but a good CHEAP trick is to save the dryer lint to use as fire starter. Works Great.

In scouts, we used Dryer Lint and parafin wax.

Use an old cookie sheet, Layer a little bit of melted wax (use double boiler) on the bottom.

Layer the dryer lint while it still "Wet".

Pour the rest of the wax on top of the lint.

Let cool. Put in on a peice of cardboard and cut it into strips.

We used them all the time with not problems.

You can also use hand sanitizer on damp wood as well.

Just my $.02

[Camp_Director_J]

Newbee to forums: I have not read thru all the posts yet but a good CHEAP trick is to save the dryer lint to use as fire starter. Works Great.

[_DJ_1]

After dinner I put the smoldering BBQ briquettes in the fire pit. Makes fire building a snap!! :B

[journey15]

gaymeadowsman wrote:
If you run out of the fire starters while at the camp ground,a 16-20 ounce soda/ water bottle works great. A good way to recycle them.

You can't be serious!!?? So it's your campfire that I have been smelling.

[BirdSongPlace]

deleted

[gaymeadowsman]

If you run out of the fire starters while at the camp ground,a 16-20 ounce soda/ water bottle works great. A good way to recycle them.

[Ranger431]

I believe this is what you are talking about. These work great for me - they make campfires a breeze! I wouldn't be caught without them.

[ArmySFCRet]

Also posted this under Battery Post Wingnut Removal - Simple Solution on this forum.

I posted this over a year ago and thought with Spring time around the corner, folks would be in full maintenance mode and could make good use of this little tool.

If anyone has the wingnut style battery posts or battery hold down strap with wingnuts, I found an easy way to remove them.

Take a 1/2 inch PVC T connector

Drill a 5/16th inch hole through the top cross piece. Cut a 1/4 inch slot across the bottom part about 1/2 inch deep. Slide the T "handle" down over the threads of the battery post or the hold down bolt and spin them off or on. Much easier than trying to remove or replace them with your fingers.

I just store mine on one of the battery hold down posts until needed.