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

[ol_Bombero-JC]

Wildwood TT wrote:
I cannot take credit for this tip but it's a good one passed along by a friend who is no longer w/us. Buy a roll of window screen at Walmart, Lowe's, Hm Depot...cheap. I use blk. Using a screwdriver, remove the floor vents in ur camper. Use the vent cover as a pattern to cut out the window screen to shape. Place cut pattern over hole in floor & replace the metal vent cover. This will prevent small items from getting lost or trapped in the vent and makes cleaning the vents very easy. If you are a mom with small kids this tip is a MUST! You won't believe the amt. of small toys that the window screen has saved from falling into our vents! 😉

~

Good tip -
however window screen *does* restrict the flow of air - as much as 20%. (It's a F/F thing for venting smoke - remove window screens).

Now - whether it matters or not on/for the vent, "we" will probably never know - - and maybe shouldn't care(?)

Sooooo . . . maybe wire mesh, with say 1/4 or 1/2 inch squares would
do the same with *no* restriction.

~

[Wildwood_TT]

I cannot take credit for this tip but it's a good one passed along by a friend who is no longer w/us. Buy a roll of window screen at Walmart, Lowe's, Hm Depot...cheap. I use blk. Using a screwdriver, remove the floor vents in ur camper. Use the vent cover as a pattern to cut out the window screen to shape. Place cut pattern over hole in floor & replace the metal vent cover. This will prevent small items from getting lost or trapped in the vent and makes cleaning the vents very easy. If you are a mom with small kids this tip is a MUST! You won't believe the amt. of small toys that the window screen has saved from falling into our vents! 😉

[pigroaster]

Receiver satellite dish stand


The receiver hitch mounted satellite stand is made from wood. Just under 2 inches square with routed corners and 13 ½ inches long. The puck board is ½ x 5 ¼ x 9 and the unit goes into the receiver 5 inches with a 5/8 inch hole 2 inches from the end. You may be able to go in deeper on some hitches but my fifth wheel allows for 5 inches depth. The hole pattern in puck board is taken from the regular satellite base. The dish will stand upright when used in this fashion. I have a receiver hitch at the back of my fifth wheel and this set up will only work if trailer is parked in correct direction. The dish stays as per original except I used wing nuts for faster tear down for storage of dish and upright pole with base.

[pigroaster]

New low Satellite dish stand. This unit weighs 13 lbs so it should not blow over. I used 9 pcs of brass scrap rod ½ x 18 ½ inches. You could use steel, sand or mortar for weight. The unit is made from 1 inch PVC and the inside liners of ¾ PVC and shims made from ¾ PVC about 3/8 inches wide cut on band saw are inside everything except the two side pcs. The shims make a tight joint between the ¾ and the 1 inch PVC but it is slightly out of round but fits in joints fine. Place bump at bottom or if facing up at the outside face. Parts needed: Sides 2 pcs 1 x 21.5”, Base 2 pcs. 1 x 10.5”, 2 uprights 7 “ (due to dish movement required in Canada), 1 outpost 7”, 4 end caps, 5 nylon inserts and threaded extensions ¼ x 1 “ base, 3 – 90 corners and 2 T’s and 1 coupler (I would use 2 next time to support the one upright.) The coupler had the center raised lip ground out with a metal grinder bit so that the 1 inch pvc could stay as one piece for more strength. You could cut and cement each end if you did not want to do this step. This means your pcs will be cut shorter due to internal spacer (lip) in the coupling. The tube on the sides slide in and a sheet metal screw could be used when unit is in use. The ends have wooden dowels glued in where inserts are drilled and the free ends have used wine corks in the ¾ PVC them. The ¾ PVC ends at both ends of the sides are 1 3/8 inches long. All corners with inserts have ¾ inch dowel about 1 3/8 inches long for drill area and stiffness. They also act as a cushion for brass rods. The unit packs flat for travel.

Due to the upside down mount your set up settings will change. The dish moved through 90 degrees so the elevation is taken from 90 and since the dish flipped through 180 degrees the skew is taken from 180. EG Zip code 93426. The azimuth will stay the same = 154. The elevation will change from 48 to 90-48 = 42 and the skew will change from 82 to 180-82 = 98. The dish mounts directly on the outpost with no original upright. The ¼ inch nuts have been replaced with wing nuts to assist with quick set ups and tear down for better storage. My outpost mast on the dish removes for easier dish storage in fifth wheel. The base can be made various ways. I choose this concept for flat storage and good wind resistance. The photos show how the pieces store flat.

[pigroaster]

I have an emergency kit box that fits behind the cab in my shortbox and I took 3 bean cans 100 oz size (coffee cans) and drilled holes top and bottom and bolted them together. I placed two hydraulic jacks in two cans and spray lubricant in the other. I know the jacks cannot tip over in my kit box and loose oil. It is a good solution for me!! I also carry two nylon pull straps and an emergency triangle and several wood pieces to support the jacks if I need them. I hope I never have to use this kit but it is beside my blocks for the jacks and it is ready! I also have flares.

[Anthony21403]

Although it is kind of cheesy, here is my tip. I use 2-five gallon buckets with lids to keep my electrical cords and water hoses stored. I use a red bucket for electric cords, adapters, and coax cable(red is used to mark power lines for digging permits. . .) and the white bucket is used to store any of the freshwater items such as the hoses, adapters, and regulators. I got my buckets at an Atwood's Farm Store for just a few bucks each.

[shadows4]

Mule Skinner wrote:
I thought I would put a bar across the bottom of the uprights and use an unglued mortice and tenon joint into the base.

You know that just might work! Thanks, guys. Got my work cut out for me next weekend. Maybe I can squeeze these in with the wood working projects from my Honey do list. Later, John

[Mule_Skinner]

I thought I would put a bar across the bottom of the uprights and use an unglued mortice and tenon joint into the base.

[toprudder]

shadows4 wrote:
Just need to figure out how to make the base removable for easier storage. Thanks, John

When I was looking at those I was thinking how to make the base fold flat against the uprights.

[Mule_Skinner]

I would say about 16", I forgot to measure them when I took the photos.

[shadows4]

Mule Skinner wrote:
I saw these at a campground. I'll have to make a set.

Flikr location

Mule Skinner, how tall are these? I would like to make some because I use the vinyl guttering for my sewer hose but have just been using wood blocks. This looks so much nicer. Just need to figure out how to make the base removable for easier storage. Thanks, John

[pigroaster]

My unit is in storage out of the snow so photo is not possible until I get to AZ in Feb. What you need to know is it is a friction fit at the unit and I have tweeked the end on my next set of braces by going to ACE hardware (they often have shorts in a box at a cheaper price) and purchasing clear water tubing and placing in hot water and fitting them over PVC plastic to farther protect unit in case some wind shifts the ends against the wall of the unit. At the out end awning roller tube I was very careful when I centre punched and drilled the holes. No problem but you do not want drill to slip and drill something that will leak!! If you take the completed out end and hold it up against the awning tube, you will see where you need to drill the holes!!! Let me know if you require more info!

[Bob_Vaughn]

pigroaster wrote:
Here is another idea for you to consider. Awning braces:



Magic “Support Braces” for awnings
Materials list:
4 pieces of 1/2 inch metal conduit (It is almost ¾ inch O.D.) (@$1.97) 10 feet long,
1 length of white high pressure schedule 40 PVC (@$2.08) pipe ¾ ID (1 and 1/8” O.D.) , 1 length (you need 16 inches ) of ¾ inch dowel, 16 pan head sheet metal screws #8 x ½ inch long, 4 woodscrews #12 x 1 ¾ inches long, 4 compression springs (Ace Hardware is good source) ¾ or 11/16 x 3 ½ - 4 ½ x .87 or better yet .100 inch diameter wire. PVC primer and cement. 100 grit sandpaper or lacquer thinner to remove lettering on white PVC 4 - ¾ inch PVC -T connections (@$0.33) and eight ¾ inch end caps (@$0.35). Buy 4 six foot foam pipe covers (@ $0.98) that will slide on conduit 3/4 inch size. 2 dog holder auger screws ($3.00) and 2 tension springs 3 ½ inch x .100 inch diameter wire (Ace again)
You will need some de-flapper units on outside edge of canopy to outside ends of awning frame. Try the Walmart RV section. I know more cash. (approximately $12.00 for two) You need four at least!
Total cost of four bows will be around $50.00 finished. Commercial units sell for $140.00 for two supports or $280.00 for four!
Method:
Take conduit and mark off 10 inches to remain straight at one end and 4 feet on the other end. Do not bend arch at either end. Find a crotch in a tree and have one person help hold conduit level. Slowly push conduit away from you until you feel it give approximately 6 inches. Feed conduit through crotch as you bend on the go. The resulting bend will be about 5 inches from the ground with it all together. When you cut it to size, the arc will be a fat hands width or 5 inches of arc. Do not let conduit collapse. Use steady even pressure to make bends. This is the hardest part. You could use a pipe bending hickey if you have this equipment.
Cut 4 pieces of white 3/4 PVC- 14 ¾ inches long. Cut 8 pieces: 3 inches long and 4 pieces 8 ½ inches long. Dowel cuts: Make 4 ends 2 inches long and 4 spacers for end 2 inches long. I know this is overkill but the wood will cushion the conduit end if screws ever give. Pressure from conduit will be against wood dowel.
Make 4 end caps by locating centre on 2 inch long dowel and drilling pilot hole. Screw in #12 screws until 5/8 inch of screw material is out plus hacksaw blade thickness plus tapered part of wood screw. Hacksaw drive end off screw and file or grind a taper on screw end. Round outer edge of wood dowel (1/8 inch of rounding) before or after screw is in place. Place rounded end with wood screw cut off in 14 and ¾ inch piece of PVC. Drill a pilot hole and screw in a ½ inch #8 screw (Try to get pan heads for a low profile). Let rounded part of dowel show (about 1/8 inch protruding) and screw together. Place spring in PVC and then push wooden dowel in to hold in place. Drill a pilot hole about 2 ½ inches from end so screw will go between second or third coil on spring. This screw keeps spring from falling out. Two screws 1 ¾ and 2 ½ inches from dowel and cut off screw end. Remove dowel and do all four items. This is the end that will go into outer aluminium part of canopy. I drilled one size under ¼ inch in outer aluminium shell two marks or 1 inch down from canopy. My unit has a canopy 17 feet long so my four holes in aluminum roller are 40 ¾ inches apart from the edge of the canvas top not the edge of the roller. This allows 4 even spaced supports. (Measure distance and divide by 5)
Now make the ends that fit against the trailer. They will look like a Tee when finished. The part with the end caps on them will be 8 ½ inches long and the part that fits in conduit is 8 ½ inches long. Prime and cement parts together. Insert 2 inch dowel in end and then the conduit. Pilot drill 2 holes on the same side to screw conduit to PVC using ½ inch sheet metal screws (1 inch and 5 ¾ inches from PVC open end). Screw holes are on the side of finished Tee so they have no contact with canopy or do not face down. Think “side view” on finished arc. The dowel is a cushion so conduit is not pushing into PVC- T. You could eliminate this dowel part if you desire! You are almost finished. I had to cut 4 inches off my foam pieces when I assembled foam over conduit and placed 14 ¾ inch piece on end. The Tee fits against the trailer at 90 degrees and the 14 ¾ inch end is pulled in and popped into one of the four holes drilled into the outer aluminum roller. The arc is up.

The finished length without the 14 ¾ inch end = 84 ¾ inches on my unit. This will vary on some units. I used the left over foam to make storage caps for conduit so I can place in trailer storage bay without the ends damaging inside of unit. Cut a slit in one end and bend over and duct tape. Cut a small part out to reduce diameter and duct tape. This makes a tight fitting storage cap to protect bare conduit when travelling!
Take two stakes or dog holder screws and auger in ground . Attach a tension spring on screw in ground (Use 3 ½ inch x .100 spring). Use ratchet tie downs to hold end of canopy to springs which are attached to pegs or dog holder screws ($3.00 each)
Now here is how it all goes together. Put up awning as per normal practise. Lower the canopy until it just clears door when opened. (Around 6 feet clearance at outside end.) “Magic braces” are now installed and the canopy will go up around 5 inches. This means more door clearance!
Installing braces. Place Tee part against trailer just under canopy and pull back on 14 ¾ inch piece and pop into hole in outer part of unit. Foam covers all of the conduit. It will look awesome. Attach outer guy webbing or rope. I tighten supports until spring pulls out so that it will pull everything tight with tension! This allows some movement without pulling out your anchors in high winds. Take down canopy if you cannot stand up in the wind!

Could you post a photo of the point where the braces attach to the rv and to the awning roll tube please.......

[pigroaster]

I use a plastic bucket with a lid to keep my plastic gloves and sewer reducer sleeve stored in the bay. This keeps any odours out of the bay. I rinse everything but this acts as a good clean back up system and I know where these items are when I need to use them!!

[pigroaster]

Sewer Hose Holders
I go to TSC and purchase sewer pipe with holes in it. I use blue foam glued with wood glue and friction fit in one end and purchase end caps for other end. The holes in the pipe allow the hose to dry. I face them back for road debris protection. Two clamps to the frame using self tapping screws do the job. I also added a thin cut of blue foam on outside at the clamps to get a tight fit to the frame. The end cap was hand formed to make a built in pull handle. It is held in place with a shock cord and plastic hook. See photos. I use two since I have a 10 foot and a 20 foot hose.



Yes I cut the black plastic end protrusions on the sewar hose to allow it to fit inside!