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

[Ski_Pro_3]

I have plexiglas on my screen door, but not for keeping the pets from damaging the screen. It's so I can see out and still keep the heat in the camper. The primary door doesn't let in much light and the screen door lets in too much ventilation. With the plexiglas, I can see out and keep the warm or cold air in. Cuts down on running lights inside and saves battery power as well.

[old_guy]

I just got off the phone with the local glass shop and talked to them about Plexiglas for the screen door of my TT. since our dog ruined two screens, each door, I thought after reading of others in the same situation as mine are using Plexiglas over the screens. the lady told me that they have doggie screen material for patio doors and RV door that are almost impossible to tear. she said we need a very sharp knife or scissors to cut it. they have sold a lot of it to people who have trouble with dogs tearing the regular screen material. she says it gives you the air circulation you want when you have the main door open and the Plexiglas will scratch over time and they also offer a glass that is the same as motorcycle windshields which is better than Plexiglas. this info is for DIY people who are thinking of the change over to Plexiglas

[garmp]

My solution was to buy a full length tuxedo jacket WITH tails at the local second hand store. Ya look a bit silly, but with the vest type cut in front and the long tails in the back it fits the bill perfectly. And the one I had was made of wool and quite heavy. Originally bought it for a Halloween costume and thought, what the heck, why not try it. I loved it, until it finally bit the dust and the DW trashed it. Sure miss it. It was the best,warmest and the best conversation started. That jacket and a cheap felt top hat were the perfect combination (with earmuffs when really chilly)!

[JiminDenver]

We felt the Lil red was too small but we would have taken even it last year when the bans were on. Unfortunately the bans kept the propane fire pits flying off the shelves, so when Lowes got theirs in stock we bought even though it was the end of the season.

[pnichols]

JiminDenver wrote:
Last thing is we went through a few years of fire bans and bought a propane fire pit from Lowes for $100.

Those are nice additions to an RV's equipment.

The friends we travel with bought one of the high quality (red colored) ones available at Camping World - but they got it new at Quartzite for only $75 in the RV Big Tent - way less than what CW sells them for. I believe this is the one they bought:

http://www.amazon.com/Camco-58031-Little-Campfire-Propane/dp/B000O51VJ0/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=14127...

[JiminDenver]

We were only able to get a few trips in this year, so only a few new tips and pretty weak at that.

We bought a Tailgater satellite system this year and have a 100 ft cable so that we can get it to where it can see the satellites. Unwrapping 100 ft each time is a pain so I left a foot out and wrapped the rest up on a reel. Now I start at the trailer and unwrap as much as needed, connect the foot long pigtail to the Tailgater and drop the rest of the reel on the ground.

Since the TV/Sat will be on longer term and the big inverter uses a few amps just being on, I put the TV/Sat on a 150w inverter that uses little power and leave the big inverter off except for running the big things. It saves the battery power and keeps us from have to restart the satellite every time we want to use it.

Where we boondock it's pretty dark at night. The trailer has the porch light but nothing on the other three sides. I took a clamp on light with a 100w equivalent florescent bulb and clamped it to the unused TV antenna. That high it lights up a big area and can be rotated in any direction. We will also leave the truck pointed so that a quick push of the key fob resets the alarm and turns on the headlights. When something does go bump in the night we can light up the two sides of the trailer we can see out of quickly. We only turn on the lights when we walk the dogs at night or hear something, otherwise it is dark around us.

One of the reasons we didn't get much camping in was we had to take the trailer to the shop for a insurance write up. Since we didn't know if we were getting it back we emptied it and the stuff sat in my garage for a month mid summer. It was quite a pile since we were rigged for multiple styles of camping but only really do one. So we took the stuff that we would only use when we had hook ups and boxed it. Same with the roughing it gear we used for decades. Anything we were not using is stored on a shelf and easy to grab if we need it as we head out to the trailer. The trailer itself is much less packed and finding things is so much easier.

Last thing is we went through a few years of fire bans and bought a propane fire pit from Lowes for $100. Even though we didn't have a ban this year it was nice on the first night when I didn't have time to collect and cut wood, when the weather was too windy or we knew we wouldn't want to sit there long enough to make lighting a fire worth it. To make it feel more realistic we dropped it down into the stone fire pit and it looked great. Move back a few feet so that you couldn't see the base and you couldn't tell it from a real fire.

[old_guy]

I am on page 132 of 324 and my neck is so stiff. I do have a few mods I have done over the years, like using a marine bilge pump to transfer water from a jug into the water tank. ran two wires to the batteries and put in a on/off switch near the pump to control the power. I also bought a house filter at wal mart and used a highway safety cone to hold the filter in place at the city water intake. I just cut off the top of the cone to fit the filter housing and the cone also marked the location so no one tripped over the hose. many have stated the use of wooden poles to hold up the bed while gaining access to the storage area. I used a kitchen table leg that you can get at the RV store that folds and also can be made longer or shorter by pushing on the little tab. it folds out of the way when the bed is down and easily opens up to hold the bed up. of course you have to screw in the leg and some may not like that idea. I also wired in a porch light under the bed so I could see what I was looking for.

[sprint180]

twins89 wrote:
Not sure if this has been mentioned in the nine years of this thread, if so sorry. We enjoy fall camping and it can be chilly around the fire for your backside. I obtained an empty #10 can (restaurant size) from a local restaurant. When the campfire has a some ashes or little embers, take a small shovel full (about 2 cups at most) place in the can and place the can on the ground under your chair or behind your chair. I find placing it on the ground where the seat and back join works great. Warm and toasty you will be. Use caution and common sense!!!!! When it cools, empty the ashes, and add new. We call it the asscan or fire under the hole.

LOL for some reason I see this going bad :B

[NekkidFish]

This thread is invaluable!! I just ordered the camping journal! What a great idea!

[Tvov]

One thing about sitting outside during fall weather is blankets. We carry multiple extra blankets for general use, usually the cheapo polyester blankets that we don't mind if they get dirty or beat up. Usually people will sit down and then pull the blanket over themselves... leaving their butt and back uncovered. All you have to do is put half the blanket over the chair first, sit down, then pull it over you. Or if they are smaller blankets, put one blanket on the chair first, then pull the second one over yourself. Warm and toasty!

Another way I've seen is people using old sleeping bags (actually, an old hunting trick). Zip up a sleeping bag around you, and you will be warm. It is also humorous for everyone to watch when you have to get up and hop around like a big worm...

[twins89]

Not sure if this has been mentioned in the nine years of this thread, if so sorry. We enjoy fall camping and it can be chilly around the fire for your backside. I obtained an empty #10 can (restaurant size) from a local restaurant. When the campfire has a some ashes or little embers, take a small shovel full (about 2 cups at most) place in the can and place the can on the ground under your chair or behind your chair. I find placing it on the ground where the seat and back join works great. Warm and toasty you will be. Use caution and common sense!!!!! When it cools, empty the ashes, and add new. We call it the asscan or fire under the hole.

[kelly94942]

This weekend one of the gals camping with us showed up with this awesome little lantern! It's inflatable so it weighs basically nothing PLUS it is solar powered. It put out some nice little light. She bought it at a store in Southern Oregon, but Nordstrom seems to be the best place to buy it online (retail price and free shipping). Check out the website of the company though (mpowerd.com), they seem to have several variations. I already added this to my list of things to buy for the RV!

[JimBollman]

Just a thank you, I'm sure I read it here but didn't try to find it. Someone suggested a Brita filter pitcher that would fit in the frig instead of hauling bottled water. After some looking around my wife found a Target branded filter pitcher that fit our small frig and it saves us hauling bottled water on our 6 week trip this Spring. We would fill our stainless insulated bottles each morning from it and then refilled to filter as we drove. Worked great and saved us space.

[amandasgramma]

the rover wrote:
Another use for used dryer sheets... One-time use wash cloths.

Momma' don't like when I used the laundered washcloths that get stored with towels in the linen closet... especially after doing very dirty or greasy work. She puts the dryer cloths aside and when needed I will grab a couple and load 'em up with Go-Jo and scrub the fingers, hands and forearms to like-new condition. Just toss them out when the clean-up is done.

This might have been mentioned in the past 300 pages or so... but I have only stumbled across this thread. Apologies if a re-post.

Never heard of this before (so you're okay)......:) I appreciate it! I'll start saving mine!!!!

[the_rover]

Another use for used dryer sheets... One-time use wash cloths.

Momma' don't like when I used the laundered washcloths that get stored with towels in the linen closet... especially after doing very dirty or greasy work. She puts the dryer cloths aside and when needed I will grab a couple and load 'em up with Go-Jo and scrub the fingers, hands and forearms to like-new condition. Just toss them out when the clean-up is done.

This might have been mentioned in the past 300 pages or so... but I have only stumbled across this thread. Apologies if a re-post.