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Old 04-08-2018, 01:54 PM   #521
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Be careful there Myron, a strong wind could pull your door window out. For those with the 2nd G units, Camco makes a neat screen door bar https://www.walmart.com/ip/Camco-RV-...s-Bar/29764386
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Old 04-08-2018, 02:36 PM   #522
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Yeah. got that bar and love it, easy to install.Camping at Bandon right now.Oregon coast, big storm yesterday.
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Old 04-08-2018, 02:38 PM   #523
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Like Ron said, sometimes when you’re inside it is a big stretch to reach out to that little door handle to close the door. Ron has the right idea. We here are also very fond of handy, extra grab handles.

The area of the door is important, it being a place where accidents can happen. Like on roofs, or cliffs, that first step is a big one. Maybe not a terribly urgent issue here but, I got motivated to study the situation when, like Ron, between projects, needed something to work on. Wanted first, of course, to do exactly what Ron did. No way I have that capability so it becomes, how can I work it and still have a nice handle to grab?

A solution must be effective, attractive, (a relative thing) and, if necessary, reversible.

Got drill taps and scrap aluminum materials in the garage. It all came together when I spotted a length of 1-inch PVC where my plumbing junk is kept. It felt good in my hand. Bought two 3 inch stainless steel ¼-20 machine screws, lock nuts, plastic paint.

“…The forces between it acting as a grab handle…and it acting as a grab rail for steadying a person are considerable and the forces transferred to the door are different.” Ron.

Now, I’m not well versed in Oriental cultures. I believe they have a clever philosophy over there, that employs utilizing an opponent’s energy to your advantage. The Ying and the Yang of it is, I then searched my trailer door for pressure points or lanes that could be employed to counter-balance opposite forces.

A key of course is, like Ron says, finding a way to make the grab handle rock stable. It is after all, attached to a swinging door.

One re-dedicated screw clamps it all together. Towels, anyone?
There you go Myron ! Nice solution ! I like it too ! Pat
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Old 04-08-2018, 02:48 PM   #524
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I've made the assumption mistake before, so I'll ask: do all models have the same door?
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Old 04-08-2018, 02:52 PM   #525
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Thanks, Pat. If I'd a known about that Camco bar I probably would have gotten one... but there's always next time, if my window ever blows out.
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Old 04-08-2018, 02:56 PM   #526
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Myron,
The Camco is good for only the screen door in the 2nd G models
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Old 04-08-2018, 02:58 PM   #527
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Thanks, Pat. If I'd a known about that Camco bar I probably would have gotten one... but there's always next time, if my window ever blows out.
Pat
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Old 04-08-2018, 03:30 PM   #528
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Very clever way of getting a strong grab handle. I think that you'll find it so handy to have and you will be automatically putting your hand on it when exiting even if wind isn't a concern.

I may yet either have to go that route if my attachments to the thin door f.g. starts to show signs of failure.

Another example of your using stuff too good to throw out.

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Old 04-08-2018, 04:10 PM   #529
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WE removed the centre bottom screw of the door window and used a longer screw to attach a cupboard type single pull knob, works great as well. Was a simple solution and a snap to do.
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Old 05-24-2018, 06:40 PM   #530
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Here’s a couple door area neat little mods I just had to do.

First, the need for a stripper bar. We don’t store heavy stuff in the overhead cabinet, don’t have any gel coat stress cracks on the roof, but why take a chance, right? Thinking any extra grab bar by the door is a good thing. Made myself a stripper bar.

Next, we have a dog who will complain and harass us early in the morning if we don’t let her outside. Sometimes I just don’t want to put on shoes so to walk painlessly on gravel to the rear bumper. Josie weighs 53 pounds and is a load. No way she goes out without being locked to a tether. We already learned attaching a line to the door grab bar is a really big mistake. Something real strong and sturdy and conveniently near the door is needed. Ah, the step. Removed one 3/8ths bolt holding the retractable step and added an eye bolt. Of course it is stainless steel. Only the best for Josie.
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Old 05-24-2018, 06:53 PM   #531
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Nice touches there Myron.....
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Old 05-24-2018, 09:30 PM   #532
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Of course when Josie gives one of her big lunges she might pivot the whole trailer.

What with the solar panels and these mods you've been a bee hive of activity.

What's next?

Ron
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Old 05-24-2018, 11:57 PM   #533
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MyronL View Post
Here’s a couple door area neat little mods I just had to do.

First, the need for a stripper bar. We don’t store heavy stuff in the overhead cabinet, don’t have any gel coat stress cracks on the roof, but why take a chance, right? Thinking any extra grab bar by the door is a good thing. Made myself a stripper bar.

Next, we have a dog who will complain and harass us early in the morning if we don’t let her outside. Sometimes I just don’t want to put on shoes so to walk painlessly on gravel to the rear bumper. Josie weighs 53 pounds and is a load. No way she goes out without being locked to a tether. We already learned attaching a line to the door grab bar is a really big mistake. Something real strong and sturdy and conveniently near the door is needed. Ah, the step. Removed one 3/8ths bolt holding the retractable step and added an eye bolt. Of course it is stainless steel. Only the best for Josie.
Myron Nice work on your stripper pole and a great solution for Josie and stainless to boot ! Pat
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Old 06-20-2018, 01:01 PM   #534
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Not much countertop space in the trailer kitchen. The fold up counter extension left of the sink is real handy but at 11 x 13” it’s just a major scootch too small. Built a new extension, now have a 13½ x 17½” fold up counter extension.

Lessons learned:
  • Home Depot doesn’t sell Formica sheets any more. Corner radiuses too sharp for metal or wood edging. The retro look was out.
  • Couldn’t find vinyl T edge molding for the edge anywhere in town. Needed only 4 feet and wanted brown but had to buy a 20 ft length on line.
  • Visit to a kindly cabinet maker’s scrap bin and getting a nice scrap of Formica free was real nice. T molding needs a slot. Didn’t have a 1/16th inch slot cutter for my router but a thin table saw blade worked nearly as well.
  • As usual, found materials at the county dump, ¾ thick plywood.
  • Learned don’t use water based contact cement for the T edging. The petroleum based is stronger and a quicker bond at the curves. Why did the design profile need curves? At 17½ inches the major scooch problem just got shifted to getting out the door.
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Old 06-20-2018, 02:10 PM   #535
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Home Depot doesn’t sell Formica sheets any more. Corner radiuses too sharp for metal or wood edging. The retro look was out.
I did a tight radius on my countertops with a metal edge, by just removing the slot material from around the bend.





Building a fold-up extension is a project I will be doing some time soon. I just ordered a couple of these brackets two days ago.

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01M3XIHWP/...709270_TE_item
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Old 06-20-2018, 02:23 PM   #536
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Jim I like your 3/4 metal T edging better than the vinyl T I used-- thanks, will now look into that link. On my counter extension I did an "S" curve. Wonder if shaving the T for that area works. Just saw that link you added is for brackets... didn't see anything about T moldings.... maybe I better re-check it.
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Old 07-26-2018, 05:43 PM   #537
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Was interested in buying the little sub-shelf for top door shelf of my 4.3. It has brackets underneath for this. Also managed to bust that plastic top door shelf so now it wouldn’t hang. If looking for parts the Dometic website is an exercise in frustration and time wasted. You jump through many website hoops then are told to contact your local dealer.

Decided I had no interest in paying through the nose for a simple fix. Had scrap acrylic sheet stock and #16 acrylic adhesive to rebuild the cracked left side and, decided to build my own little sub-shelf.
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Old 07-26-2018, 06:23 PM   #538
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Necessity, the mother of invention......nice job, Myron
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Old 07-27-2018, 02:44 PM   #539
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Was interested in buying the little sub-shelf for top door shelf of my 4.3. It has brackets underneath for this. Also managed to bust that plastic top door shelf so now it wouldn’t hang. If looking for parts the Dometic website is an exercise in frustration and time wasted. You jump through many website hoops then are told to contact your local dealer.

Decided I had no interest in paying through the nose for a simple fix. Had scrap acrylic sheet stock and #16 acrylic adhesive to rebuild the cracked left side and, decided to build my own little sub-shelf.
Myron some how I missed it but it looks like you made a swinging acrylic door for your frig ?Pat
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Old 11-24-2018, 11:51 AM   #540
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Minor but useful...

So I was browsing the Alto website. Amazing retractable roof. Aircraft aluminum starting at 38,655 CAD, made in Ontario. After getting over the wow factor I noticed lid stay supports for their cabinet doors and saw immediately an answer to my dinette seat problem.

Paper rolls, toilet chemistry, tool chest, little ceramic heater, etc. You store that bulky stuff under the dinette seats. The one thing I don’t like about the dinette storage in my 19 is how much of a drag it is to lift that seat cushion and lid. The seat cushion and lid keep wanting to close down. When I put my finger under the cushion into the cut-out hole to open the lid it opens but the left hand must now hold it open so the right can reach around down there. Don’t like that. Having a third hand would make it so much easier.

Yeah, a proper solution is have a trap door on the side wall, so you can skip the cushion-lid deal, simply reach in or pull out what’s in there. I was planning to make one myself, maybe a nice sliding tray, but never got around to it. But anyway, you still got to reach in somehow to the far corner for the extra cheese.

Woodworkers Supply has a good selection of chest lid stay supports. Maybe a piston door lift. Maybe not - too weak – too big? There’s a store in the city I’ve been to before, but the guy said what I chose was out of stock. Not wanting to leave empty handed, looked again through their catalog. For $7.19 this spring-loaded chest lid support is good and strong. I bought one.

Cannot not deny for me its installation/positioning required a complex understanding of practical physics, yogametrics, Egyptian geometry. Took awhile, finally made it work.
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