Simple camping tips

[Iowa Dave]

Hi Jill
I left an old guy in my garage full of tools and when I came back he had cut enough for his fridge and ours. Seriously, a hacksaw with 24 tooth blade will work, angle grinder with cut off wheel will work, bolt cutters will work. But the most convenient thing I used when I had to modify one Bill Sonnenburg made for us was a Dremel tool with cutoff and grinding wheels for smooth up. Wear goggles. I mowed one day with goggles on, like I usually do. When I finished I decided to start coating the ends with plastidip. Out of bad habit I ran my fingers over the cut wire surface to check the surface I had ground smooth. Then I rubbed my eye cause it was hay fever season. About a week later after suffering, I went to their e eye doctor. Microscopic piece of steel had rusted away in my eye. Eye doctor trip was covered on my insurance. Eye drops, not so much. Better in a couple weeks, went in for full eye exam. 20-15 for distance at age 70. Up close no better than it had been for 10 years. Wear goggles and don’t rub your eye.
Best of luck
Iowa Dave

[Jill]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

Hi Jill
I left an old guy in my garage full of tools and when I came back he had cut enough for his fridge and ours. Seriously, a hacksaw with 24 tooth blade will work, angle grinder with cut off wheel will work, bolt cutters will work. But the most convenient thing I used when I had to modify one Bill Sonnenburg made for us was a Dremel tool with cutoff and grinding wheels for smooth up. Wear goggles. I mowed one day with goggles on, like I usually do. When I finished I decided to start coating the ends with plastidip. Out of bad habit I ran my fingers over the cut wire surface to check the surface I had ground smooth. Then I rubbed my eye cause it was hay fever season. About a week later after suffering, I went to their e eye doctor. Microscopic piece of steel had rusted away in my eye. Eye doctor trip was covered on my insurance. Eye drops, not so much. Better in a couple weeks, went in for full eye exam. 20-15 for distance at age 70. Up close no better than it had been for 10 years. Wear goggles and don’t rub your eye.
Best of luck
Iowa Dave

Thanks Dave. We have a hacksaw and a dremel so I think we can do this. And very good advice on the goggles! Maybe wash hands when done too [emoji3]

[Regards Al C]

I don't have a back up camera. I put a small piece of black electrical tape on the front of our 17B. The bed cover on our truck has a lock that works as a gun sight. In my rear view mirror I back up lining up the bed cover lock and the bit of black tape so I'm in line. When the bottom of the tape is close to the top of the lock I'm very close to back far enough.

[h2owmn]

Thanks, John. I've had the level for a couple years and have never installed (bought for previous Aframe) so now I can get to it. I appreciate your help.

[alanmalk]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

...

the replacement shelf for those 8555 fridges is like $100.

After going through a second round of shelf replacement following a drive on washboard roads, I purchased a couple of shelf-size rectangles of heavy plexiglass. Then I spent a couple of hours with a drill press and hole saw cutting 1 inch diameter holes in the plexi. Finished by placing the porous plexi on top of the newly replaced shelves. So far - so good.
--
Alan

[Carmel Clown]

For those of us who are not handy, you could use something like this. .

https://images.containerstore.com/ca...0&align=center

[alanmalk]

Originally Posted by Carmel Clown

For those of us who are not handy, you could use something like this. .

https://images.containerstore.com/ca...0&align=center

Hey, I'm not always handy...

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

I fixed my broken shelf with aluminum "stuff"... 'L'-shaped something or other...

In case someone is looking for this, it's extruded aluminum angle, available at most hardware and building supply stores.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Jill

1. I don't use the glass plate that goes inside the microwave. I use no plate at all, or a chinet paper plate. This way you never have to worry about remembering to remove the glass plate for travel and find somewhere safe to store it.

There are reasons that microwave ovens come with those platters, and why they are glass: it holds the food while it rotates for more even cooking, it raises the food so that microwave energy can get under the food and heat it from below, and it is glass (rather than metal) to pass the microwaves. I wouldn't use a microwave without the plate, and while I've never had one break, if I were concerned I would just pack it somewhere or travel with something soft under it. I do understand that if you find it works well enough without it, it's easier to leave it at home.

If appropriately constructed, a metal wire rack can be used in a microwave oven; some models come with one, usually intended to provide a second level, or to hold rectangular dishes that are too large to rotate, or to provide more hot air circulation in convection mode in microwave/convection ovens. It wouldn't rotate, but would serve the other functions and would not break during travel. The first microwave ovens that I ever saw in person were Amana Radaranges, and had only metal wire racks (no glass)... that was before rotating platters.

[StarvingHyena]

My micro plate is gone now …. R.I.P. I knew it was in the micro when I took off but sometime it escaped and broke itself. I have searched in vane for the dent in my cabinetry that it must have made … those things are heavy! I thought the catch on the micro door could hold it …. but nada.

I have been looking for a replacement. Any ideas?

Tom

[P&L]

Originally Posted by JStelly

I’ll add a couple.

We pack a small container with a roll of quarters that we occasionally refill. We use it for laundry and never have to worry about getting change.

Friends of ours said the mini containers of M&M's fit quarters perfectly. Still looking for those M&Ms...

Great thread by the way!

Lorna

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by StarvingHyena

My micro plate is gone now …. R.I.P. I knew it was in the micro when I took off but sometime it escaped and broke itself. I have searched in vane for the dent in my cabinetry that it must have made … those things are heavy! I thought the catch on the micro door could hold it …. but nada.

I have been looking for a replacement. Any ideas?

What brand?
https://microwaveturntableplate.com/

[Regards Al C]

I bet Escape I dustries knows where to find a microwave plate.

[Doug2000]

1. Extra wheels bearings, usually the ones I took off, cleaned and oiled. Worst case scenario a tow truck driver could help out in a pinch. Bad things never happen when the shop is open.

2. Rolls of duct tape and electrical tape. The duct tape is for your neighbors stick built rubber roof flapping in the wind.

3. A heavy piece of cardboard just bigger than the biggest window, I have seen a couple smashed windows in my time.

4. A variety of tools.

5. Lots of 2x8 boards different lengths, Cedar, smells better,

6. Lots of bags, shopping, garbage, all sizes, zip lock bags for extra food,

7. Zip Lock Bags for cameras and big ones for back packs, adventure calls

8. Bike Tools and spare tires and tubes

9. We have always packed as much as possible in Rubbermaid containers, easy to stack, load and unload.

10. Bring a cooler, every trailer I have owned has had fridge problems.

11. Camera's, pics or it didn't happen.

[Jill]

Reviving this thread for a new tip. The support brackets on our WDH drop really low. What’s worse is that the clip that holds the bars in place drops even lower and has hit bottom before. A piece of pool noodle solved that problem as shown in the attached pic. Raises it about 1.5”. And of course it looks so sophisticated [emoji6].

[Carmel Clown]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: Iowa Dave... I don't need to install wire shelves in the fridge cause I drink "Light beer"!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

I love you guys.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Carmel Clown

I love you guys.

Don't encourage them.

Ron

[Iowa Dave]

Hi Alf
I’ve bootlegged a couple cases of yingling light light across the border to the nord. It was so light the international scale never wavered from my previous reading.
Iowa Dave

[Disneyfan]

Helpful tips here. I'd like to know if anyone has suggestions on hanging damp or wet items. I thought of buying a clothes rack but hubby says no need. What do you experienced Escapers do? I'm thinking something to use inside or, if sunny, outside.

[edlynnrich]

Originally Posted by Disneyfan

Helpful tips here. I'd like to know if anyone has suggestions on hanging damp or wet items. I thought of buying a clothes rack but hubby says no need. What do you experienced Escapers do? I'm thinking something to use inside or, if sunny, outside.

We use suction cups attached outside the door to hang rain jackets, towels, etc…