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

[my_toys]

Use a colored pencil to fill in any small scratches in your wood or wallpaper. They work better than a fill stick. Looks great.

[revrnd]

rocknrollpro wrote:
I had to replace the magic donut under the toilet and had a hard time getting to the bolt for the toilet that was next to the tub. Tried a swivel, with a deep socket but it just didn't want to work. I went to the tool box and found my FORD DISTRIBUTOR wrench that just happened to be the right size. Its a tool used for getting to the hold down bolt under most FORD distributors at least on the older models. It has a 90 degree bend at the end and worked perfectly. Don't worry you Chevy guys can borrow mine!

If you look in a Snap-On or Mac Tools catalog, there are a variety of "distributor wrenches" available. Using them for plumbing work sounds quite inventive.

[revrnd]

hone eagle wrote:
Havn't seen those LED lights here in Canada yet, the kind for drawers? They light up when you open a door or slide back the drawer? They would be awesome for storage compartments,no wiring just peel and stick.
I use those round stick up lights with 3 LED's in them , just push on the lens and they light up, battery lasts for days if you forget to turn it off.

Not sure if this has been replied to, but I've seen them in Wally Marts & Lowe's here in Ontario.

[GizmosMom]

Stackable Bead Storage Container

Thanks for that idea!

[Kobayashi]

Hi! I've just spent 4 days off and on reading through these posts on this thread. We're new to this....had our first camping trip this past weekend in our new (old) Jayco popup camper. I can't believe I have anything to add, but I do! 🙂

I bought a stackable bead storage organizer and loaded it with the spices I planned to use on our outing. It takes up the space of only one actual spice jar but holds 5 or 6 different spices.

I bought mine at Michael's, but I imagine Hobby Lobby or JoAnn's would carry the same thing. Michael's had a few different sizes available. I bought one for home and one for the camper. I plan to go back and get one more for the camper as well. Each one was under $3.

Here's a link for the same thing on Amazon ( http://www.amazon.com/Storage-Stackable-Containers-Crafts-Findings/dp/B001AS6OLK ). For the life of me, I cannot get the link button to work.

[SageCrispin]

Certainly not objecting to any of these suggestions, but just want to say that, as far as I have been told, window screen is generally 50% open area. That would probably be why it works to keep a flame from blowing out.

Just something to be aware of.

Window screen cuts existing air flow in half. If that's what you want, then you're good.

Sage

[popeye59]

profdant139 wrote:
We often camp in muddy places -- and we take our SUV into really muddy places -- so I installed a patch of astroturf doormat on each running board. I used self-tapping hex screws to fasten the mat onto the running board and also wrapped a big cable tie around each end so it does not flap at highway speeds.

It is NOT pretty, but it keeps the car a heck of a lot cleaner. Just scrape your boots on it, one at a time, and hop in:

Would some rubber cement help hold that inplace without needing the tie straps? Or do you take it on and off depending on if you are camping or not?

[profdant139]

We often camp in muddy places -- and we take our SUV into really muddy places -- so I installed a patch of astroturf doormat on each running board. I used self-tapping hex screws to fasten the mat onto the running board and also wrapped a big cable tie around each end so it does not flap at highway speeds.

It is NOT pretty, but it keeps the car a heck of a lot cleaner. Just scrape your boots on it, one at a time, and hop in:

[popeye59]

profdant139 wrote:
Well, I have read every tip so far -- got lots of great ideas from all of you -- and as far as I can tell, the following tip is not a repeat.

If your fridge pilot light blows out in high winds, fasten window screen material inside the fridge vent with cable ties. There is still plenty of air circulation but the screen stops the wind gusts:

And will keep pesky mud daubers out of there too.

[profdant139]

Well, I have read every tip so far -- got lots of great ideas from all of you -- and as far as I can tell, the following tip is not a repeat.

If your fridge pilot light blows out in high winds, fasten window screen material inside the fridge vent with cable ties. There is still plenty of air circulation but the screen stops the wind gusts:

[Handbasket]

A tip for those with smaller RV's who like to visit attractions in urban areas... Google Earth's Street View feature is great for checking out potential parking spots around museums and other attractions, and urban boondocking opportunities. I found parking on the Mall in DC that worked for 3 half-day visits to the Smithsonian's various museums. You can even read the street signs sometimes. It works great for trip planning.

Jim, "Mo' coffee!"

[popeye59]

To be able to use the small LED before instead of the ceiling fixture you would wire it to the power wires to the ceiling fixture. The wall switch would still power on and off both the light and the LED. The only scenario you couldn't have would be LED off and ceiling fixture on, unless you put in an additional switch. Of course this will only work as I describe IF, you have a wall switch and a switch on the fixture. If you don't have the wall switch, or your fixture doesn't have a switch, you would need to add one.

[TreeSeeker]

Tumbleweeds wrote:
Also drilled a small hole in the commode room light and wired a 12v white led across the switch terminals. Now with the wall switch on and the fixture switch off, we have a perfect night light for boondocking.

More details please. Where did you get the LED and which one? Exactly how is it wired? Can you turn both the LED and the regular light off at the same time?

[Tumbleweeds]

A lot cheaper and faster than plexiglass is the shrink plastic "storm window" kit sold all over in the fall. We used it last winter in KS and it really cut the draft off the door when the wind blew. Pulled it off this spring and have plenty for two more times from a $5 storm door kit.

Had some small pieces of plexi-glass i cut to 2" high by long enough to go in behind the stiles of the medicine cabinet. We didn't need to even glue them with so much stuff in there and they remove for easy cleaning.
Also drilled a small hole in the commode room light and wired a 12v white led across the switch terminals. Now with the wall switch on and the fixture switch off, we have a perfect night light for boondocking.

Took out the HEAVY 27" tube tv, mounted the new LCD on a swinging door in front of the old hole and now have 30"x30"x 24" inches more storage.
Replaced the cruddy surround sound system with a car stereo with rear and front inputs and 4 speaker output. Plug the TV audio out in for lots less draw on the battery, don't even need the inverter for radio/cd.

A 12" or so fan for my Ryobi batteries that moves a lot of air for hours and the batteries charge in one hour.

[ctpres]

The plastic silver trays hardly fill a drawer, so we bought two and put one on top and backwards of the other. so we now have two levels for silver and hardware storage.
Started to buy bike lock cable and realized I can use towing safety cable to lock bikes and other things up with just a padlock. One less thing to carry