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

[DE88ROX]

LTCLarry wrote:
I just did the "sewer hose" modification. I used a 4.75" ABS fence post cut to the same size as the bumper. I painted it black and attached it to the bottom side of the bumper. I didn't want to drill holes in the bumper to use the plumber strapping so I attached it using 6 heavy duty zip ties. I did drill a number of holes in the bottom side of the fence post. Am headed to AZ from NC a week from today. We'll see how the thing holds up.

Great idea. But replace those Zip Ties with a Stainless Hose Clamp. the kind you just tighten with a screw driver.

[Eastwacamper]

Wet socks over water bottles keep them cool.

[nascarnutz]

I use tube socks to keep my wine bottles from clanking together - cheap, easy and washable 🙂

We also switched out the fridge that came in the outdoor kitchen with the wine fridge we had in the house - I put a one inch thick rigid foam piece between the door and the bottles so they wouldn't slip forward and knock open the door when in transit. Heat is our biggest prob down here in the south, so I'm sure a little extra insulation helps as well 😄

[tvman44]

Black zip ties will deteriorate from the sun but not nearly as fast as the white ones. We used to get several years from the black zip ties in comparison to a few months with the white ties when we used them on towers.

[vgoulette]

LTCLarry wrote:
I just did the "sewer hose" modification. I used a 4.75" ABS fence post cut to the same size as the bumper. I painted it black and attached it to the bottom side of the bumper. I didn't want to drill holes in the bumper to use the plumber strapping so I attached it using 6 heavy duty zip ties. I did drill a number of holes in the bottom side of the fence post. Am headed to AZ from NC a week from today. We'll see how the thing holds up.

Basically, this is what DH did (left it white to match our bumper, though), and traveling home from vacation last month, took a driveway steeper than he thought, and ripped the bumper loose from the 5er because the stinky slinky holder hung down further than the driveway allowed!! NOT a pretty sight, and now in the shop to repair, along with repairs from three blowouts in a 24 hour period.

Just watch out for those steep driveways!!

Vickie

[popeye59]

holstein13 wrote:
Black Nylon Cable Ties offer the best UV protection and long life.

UV Resistant tie straps in various colors

Multiple color UV resistant tie straps

[holstein13]

Black Nylon Cable Ties offer the best UV protection and long life.

[TreeSeeker]

I have regular black zip ties that have been holding a sprinkler pipe to a fence for about 8 or 10 years. This year two of them failed (out of about 10). YMMV.

[popeye59]

You can paint the white ones (to match the black bumper) and that will protect them from UV damage.

[toprudder]

ArmySFCRet wrote:
Keep an eye on those zip ties. The sun will eat them. Don't expect more than six to eight months before you may have to replace them. Of course your mileage may differ.

The white zip ties are no good, the UV will destroy them in a few months. There are some that are much better in sunlight, most of the ones I have seen happen to be black.

[scootsk]

JimBollman wrote:

Turner, P wrote:
I have a few things that we did to our class C.

With our dinette table there was a fairly large gap between the table and the wall. I made a "pocket holder" (1/4 and 1/2 plwood) to fit the gap. Using the 1/2 ply for spacers I created pockets to hold napkins, salt & pepper, pens, pencils, deck of cards and crossword puzzle books.

In our truck camper, with just 2 of us, I moved the floor socket for the dinette as close to the side as I could to give us more space. That still left a small gap between the edge of the table and the wall. I used the same low profile eyes I mentioned a page or so back on both ends of the seating area on the outside wall and leave a long bungie stretched across to put folding chairs and other items when we are going done the road or just want them out of our way.

How about some pictures. I'm having a hard time visualizing what these eyes are and how you are using them.

[JimBollman]

Turner, P wrote:
I have a few things that we did to our class C.

With our dinette table there was a fairly large gap between the table and the wall. I made a "pocket holder" (1/4 and 1/2 plwood) to fit the gap. Using the 1/2 ply for spacers I created pockets to hold napkins, salt & pepper, pens, pencils, deck of cards and crossword puzzle books.

In our truck camper, with just 2 of us, I moved the floor socket for the dinette as close to the side as I could to give us more space. That still left a small gap between the edge of the table and the wall. I used the same low profile eyes I mentioned a page or so back on both ends of the seating area on the outside wall and leave a long bungie stretched across to put folding chairs and other items when we are going done the road or just want them out of our way.

[drakethib]

pjhansman wrote:

Duck wrote:
We like to sip out of the bottle and pass it around.
Don

With or without the brown bag?

That's how I roll, care to share a bottle of Boones Hill my friend?

Does the body good.

[horseylady]

Re: shoe organizers. In our last unit, which was smaller, I took one of the long, pocket-type, shoe organizers and cut the bottom two rows off, and stitched or glued the raw edge (can't remember which) then I put four grommets across the top to help distribute the weight and hung on four Command hooks on a bathroom wall. Did the same with the bottom two rows and hung somewhere else. Worked great and grommets are easy to put in fabric.

Pam

[ArmySFCRet]

LTCLarry wrote:
I didn't want to drill holes in the bumper to use the plumber strapping so I attached it using 6 heavy duty zip ties. I did drill a number of holes in the bottom side of the fence post. Am headed to AZ from NC a week from today. We'll see how the thing holds up.

Keep an eye on those zip ties. The sun will eat them. Don't expect more than six to eight months before you may have to replace them. Of course your mileage may differ. JMHO.

Just one of us old NCOs keeping the upper management straight. :B