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

[ZRXwannabe]

This is an amazing thread. Just joined and so far have made it to page 140. Plan on reading every page. Wife and I are new to RV's but I have tent camped a lot having been in the National Guard for 21 years.

[scrapnread]

We tip our chairs over every night so we don't get rain or dew in the seats. Set them upright in the morning, light the campfire, and enjoy your hot beverage in a nice dry chair. Can you tell we lived on the Oregon (everything stays damp) coast? lol

[KLO]

Like all great ideas this one from ediemarie is so simple you wonder why you didn't think of it! Thanks for posting it!

[ediemarie]

thank you to all who have shared.

we're new to this rv'ing thing so really haven't come up with many tips to share.

regarding leaving "bag chairs" out over night. we always fold ours up just enough to fit a large trash bag over it so any rain/dew is on the bag rather than the chair. we drape the handle of the bag that the chair came in over the back of the chair and then just put the trash bag in it until we turn in for the night. not much but it keeps our rear ends dry the next morning.

thanks again for all the ideas!

em

[ol_Bombero-JC]

Merrykalia wrote:
Clicky for above fire pit

No propane, but -
The drum from an old washing machine makes a great campfire "container".

Bonus: The price is usually right = free!..;)

~

[tvman44]

When we bought ours at Lowe's last year they came with a lid. 🙂

[pasusan]

We wanted to protect the wood in our bathroom from water damage since the water seems to get splashed around a lot - especially the little side wall of the vanity which is partially exposed in the shower (that's where the faucet knobs are). So far everything has held up so there must be a good protective coat of polyurethane on it, but still wanted to add something. Used to use lemon oil as I do on the rest of the wood, but thought there might be something better...then I thought of how water beads up on car wax.

Got out some Mother's California Gold Carnauba wax and tried it out on the inside of a cupboard door to see how it would work. No bad effects so I used it on all the wood in the bathroom and in the kitchen. Looks beautiful and is now well protected.

[old_guy]

we have a little fake fire pit. one that has the fake logs any way. when we go camping with the all the kids and their children we use it for our camp fire. the kids even are allowed to make smores on it. any way, the 5 gallon tank we use lasts about one weekend running on high.

[JiminDenver]

That is a lot like the pit Lowes sells for $99 but you get the lid with it. Garden Treasures

Those rocks get glowing red hot after a while.

Camp Fire in a can is a nice one that in you tube videos you can see how high it can be cranked up to bon fire levels. I wonder how much propane that takes.

They have added the Big Red to the little red line up.

Lowes has a few more but they don't have lids making it harder to deal with in the trailer

[tvman44]

We have a firepit like that, got it from Lowe's. Several of our friends have gotten them also. We all love them. 🙂

[Bobbo]

old guy wrote:
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

I put this Pet Proof Screen in the door of my RV. It really works. My German Shepherd hasn't been able to damage it.

(That's him in the photo below, left.)

[Merrykalia]

Clicky for above fire pit

[Wrace]

A few weeks ago my wife and her buddies went tent camping at a fairground for some sort of event that was going on there that weekend. They don't allow wood fires at the fairground but she said some other folks had a propane fire going the year before.

Not knowing a thing about propane fire pits I went to amazon and purchased this one based on the reviews. It's a bit spendy but it's pretty decent quality and puts out quite a bit of heat. I suspect the little red and the campfire-in-a-can travel better than this one though.

We have a regular wood firepit at our home. However, we put this propane unit on our wood deck, under the 10x10 portable canopy with screen walls and this allows us to sit outside by the 'fire' even if it's raining, and bug free at that. Can't get the link button to work this morning for some reason.

http://www.amazon.com/Heininger-5995-Portable-Propane-Outdoor/dp/B008JORKP2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412869818&sr=8-1&keywords=Heininger+5995+58%2C000+BTU+Portable+Propane+Outdoor+Fire+Pit

[old_guy]

to the guy who had the screws coming out of the walls and used a syringe to put putty into the holes, there is an easier, better way to do this. forget the putty. use a SOS pad and cut small long stripes and shove the stripes into the hole using a small screwdriver or even a tooth pick. then screw in the screws. the
SOS pads acts as a great gripper. the metal gets pushed into the wood and it really grabs the thread of the screw and holds it tight.

[Carb_Cleaner]

old guy wrote:
... they also offer a glass that is the same as motorcycle windshields which is better than Plexiglas.

Lexan - you can get it by the sheet, in various sizes, from Home Depot or similar.