Calmark cover for a 21

[padlin]

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by ice-breaker

I do something very similar with broomsticks, no grommets, and my non-Calmark cover. Works very easily and two of us can install the whole cover in less time than it takes to drink a beer.

Does that mean you need a third person for the job, to drink the beer as timekeeper?

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by ice-breaker

I do something very similar with broomsticks, no grommets, and my non-Calmark cover. Works very easily and two of us can install the whole cover in less time than it takes to drink a beer.

Is this a challenge? If so, I accept.

[Greggo]

Great minds work alike! I bought a grommet kit at Harbor Freight for $3 but haven't found anything worth grommeting (is that a word?). Think the cover will be my first attempt.

You guys have Harbor Freight in the great white north?

[BCnomad]

We have Princess Auto which may not be particularily similar.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Greggo

You guys have Harbor Freight in the great white north?

Originally Posted by BCnomad

We have Princess Auto which may not be particularily similar.

Princess Auto was my first thought, too. Based only on comments in online forums (since we don't have the stores here), my impression is that Princess Auto may be more closely comparable to Northern Tool (well run and has good stuff as well as cheap) than Harbor Freight (cheap junk clearance house)... but we don't have either Northern Tool or Harbor Freight here. "Northern" is a relative term - they're from down south in Minnesota.

[Greggo]

Cheap junk? Can't agree, its great quality for the average Joe level of work or light commercial work needs. I use alot of their tools on my plane, home projects and have several nicad and lithium power tools. Use 'em hard, discard when they wear out or break and replace and I'm still half of a name "quality" brand.

Harbor Freight is amazing. Cheap doesn't describe it, beyond cheap plus free "stuff" just for buying something. Last week was 5 screwdrivers, a flashlight, or a tarp plus 20% off coupons. 25% on Independence Day. I bought a 4" cold chisel and a 5 pound hammer for $9 total last week and got a magnetic flashlight that attaches to our trailer stove hood! Sounds bad but its cheaper to throw it away and go buy something that replace the batteries!

You can sign up on their website for ads and coupons.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Greggo

Sounds bad but its cheaper to throw it away and go buy something that replace the batteries!

Maybe I'm just getting old, but this throw-away economy is really getting under my skin.
I've got blueberries ripening in the garden and my wife came home with blueberries in a plastic container from the grocer. The only consolation I have is that my blueberries are feeding the robins.
And then there is 3 oz. of lettuce leaves in a plastic container that weighs 6 oz. But, hey, it's "organic".
I'm starting to lose it.

[Greggo]

Hey Bags, the good news is that I've never had any of their stuff break to throw away. Know what you mean tho, I don't like throwing money away on expensive tools when good, cheap tools do the job.

What bugs me tho, is this great terrible coastal California weather, heck my strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries have been harvested and gone for 4 weeks!

G'o

[gbaglo]

Have to admit, many years ago, I found myself straddling a branch in the cherry tree, reaching for that last ripe cherry. It was some 15 feet to the ground. And it occurred to me that cherries were on sale at Safeway.
We are two or three weeks early here too.
As for tools, I buy decent quality and then let them rust in my side shed.

[Rossue]

Hey, I know Donna D loves that Harbor Freight "stuff". I bought a garden wagon from them and it rusted out & was useless within two years. YMMV

[Greggo]

Originally Posted by Rossue

Hey, I know Donna D loves that Harbor Freight "stuff". I bought a garden wagon from them and it rusted out & was useless within two years. YMMV

2 blocks from the beach? Stainless steel rusts in Los Osos!

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Greggo

Cheap junk? Can't agree, its great quality for the average Joe level of work or light commercial work needs. I use alot of their tools on my plane, home projects and have several nicad and lithium power tools. Use 'em hard, discard when they wear out or break and replace and I'm still half of a name "quality" brand.

Harbor Freight is amazing. Cheap doesn't describe it, beyond cheap plus free "stuff" just for buying something. Last week was 5 screwdrivers, a flashlight, or a tarp plus 20% off coupons. 25% on Independence Day. I bought a 4" cold chisel and a 5 pound hammer for $9 total last week and got a magnetic flashlight that attaches to our trailer stove hood! Sounds bad but its cheaper to throw it away and go buy something that replace the batteries!

You can sign up on their website for ads and coupons.

I stopped at Harbour Freight once, and found it very similar to Princess Auto here. Mostly low end stuff with a few quality items thrown in. They are very fairly priced though, and if you need a tool for minimal use, it is not too bad, and worthy of purchasing. As one who uses tools for a living, buying quality always wins out, for longevity, ease of use, and being more proficient at doing the job.

I would much rather pay twice the money for a much better product that lasts more that twice as long. Different strokes.....

[t-twnbob]

Originally Posted by padlin

Just got mine yesterday, have yet to put it on, it's a 5.0TA not a 21. Will put it on tomorrow and see how it goes. It was my measurements, wish I had been close enough for a laser run, but no such luck. The look of the finished product on the thread by Rob, sure was nice, best I've seen, hope I'm that lucky.

Big difference in the weight, the Adco covers I had in the past were probably 15 lbs, this one is upwards of 40. I used to roll them up the same way each time so I could carry it up to the left rear corner of the top of the trailer and just unroll it. Worked well by myself, took 3 or 4 minutes. Don't know about the Calmark though, gonna be a choir carrying up the ladder. The weight might also be an issue trying to unroll it.

Might be making a set of Rob's T poles tomorrow.

I was hoping to put up a metal RV cover for our 5.0TA but the HOA will not allow it. We had a Calmark for the Casita and liked it. It looks like this will be what we need. I will call Calmark and see I can use the dimensions you provided, assuming it fits good! I would love to see a few pictures of it with the cover on. Would it be rude of me to ask how much the 5.0TA cover was? Thanks, Bob

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

I stopped at Harbour Freight once, and found it very similar to Princess Auto here. Mostly low end stuff with a few quality items thrown in. They are very fairly priced though, and if you need a tool for minimal use, it is not too bad, and worthy of purchasing. As one who uses tools for a living, buying quality always wins out, for longevity, ease of use, and being more proficient at doing the job.

I would much rather pay twice the money for a much better product that lasts more that twice as long. Different strokes.....

I have to totally agree with you , Jim ,on these statements . The tools are only good for very little use . For a tool I really need I stick with the name brand expensive tools . I also find the electrical items to be very poor quality . I guess this is important if you need better tools for work . For a one time job they are ok . Pat

[Greggo]

Heard at Northern Tools today, "psst, hey buddy, don't tell anybody I said this but Harbor Freight has a 25% sale on July 4th?"

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Greggo

Heard at Northern Tools today, "psst, hey buddy, don't tell anybody I said this but Harbor Freight has a 25% sale on July 4th?"

GREAT! Now I can buy a bunch more long screwdrivers that I use for stirring paint!

[Greggo]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

GREAT! Now I can buy a bunch more long screwdrivers that I use for stirring paint!

Right on Double D! Get the coupon, I got a set free last week with any purchase! They work great for prying and setting nails too!

[padlin]

Originally Posted by t-twnbob

I was hoping to put up a metal RV cover for our 5.0TA but the HOA will not allow it. We had a Calmark for the Casita and liked it. It looks like this will be what we need. I will call Calmark and see I can use the dimensions you provided, assuming it fits good! I would love to see a few pictures of it with the cover on. Would it be rude of me to ask how much the 5.0TA cover was? Thanks, Bob

Might want to hold off a week or so till I can put the cover on and verify the fit.

[padlin]

Originally Posted by Scuba55

I'd be interested in knowing how it goes with one person. Good luck!

Finally got to putting the Calmark Cover on the 5.0TA. My wife gave me a hand refolding the cover so it would unroll correctly once up on the roof. Other then that I did it by myself to see how it'd go.

Carried it to the front of the roof, unrolled it towards the back. Did have to flip it up over the Jack antenna but other then that it worked as planned. Took about 10 minutes to get it unrolled and more or less hanging correctly, mostly cause it was my first try at this one. Took longer to shorten the straps which would have fit around the trailer twice. So it can be done by yourself, at least doing it my way. Total time about 30 minutes first time, maybe half that there after. An 8' ladder would have worked better then the 6'er I have.

Quality seems first rate but the fit was less then I hoped for. Keep in mind that I measured the trailer as opposed to Calmark getting the measurements using their laser. I did send them a note asking about the fit, I think they left me way too much extra fabric. We'll see if they respond. The excess might be more appropriate to a square trailer then a little rounded one although they did ask for and I furnished a number of photos.

Here's the best I could get without resorting to bungee cords underneath. Once I hear back I''ll see if there is anything else I can do.

I did cover the edges of the solar panel and the whole Jack antenna. Also removed the BoatAnt, which needs some maintenance anyway.