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07-05-2017, 12:23 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Trailer: 2013 Escape 5.0, 2017 Toyota Tundra 5.7L 4x4
Posts: 29
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Retractable screen door and dogs
Our wonderful, smart, can't-live-without-her dog forgets at times to check if the retractable screen door is open or closed before jumping in and out of the camper. In short, our screen door has seen better days
Has anyone figured out a solution to making the screen more visible while still allowing it to be useable? We full-time so we don't have the storage capacity for a baby gate, nor do we want to be futzing with a baby gate every time we go in and out of the camper.
Ideally I'd love something that could be attached to the screen that can still fit in with the screen when it retracts, but I feel like I'm hoping for something that doesn't exist.
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07-05-2017, 12:40 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Tucson, AZ, Arizona
Trailer: gone, 19 and 21 & 17B with 5.0 now. gone
Posts: 790
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screen door
After I tried to walk through at least once and the dog slso tried to I spray painted a couple of trees on the screen. Now the old man and the old dog can see that the door is closed.
Jack
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07-05-2017, 12:41 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Ponoka, Alberta
Trailer: 2016 19 classic "outta sight", jeep rubicon unlimited
Posts: 1,645
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You could stitch some bright coloured pattern into the bottom of the screen. That might give a warning for your pup not to jump through.
__________________
"never lose hope, never lose faith"
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07-05-2017, 12:42 PM
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#4
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
Posts: 10,222
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TwoPlusLu
Our wonderful, smart, can't-live-without-her dog forgets at times to check if the retractable screen door is open or closed before jumping in and out of the camper. In short, our screen door has seen better days
Has anyone figured out a solution to making the screen more visible while still allowing it to be useable? We full-time so we don't have the storage capacity for a baby gate, nor do we want to be futzing with a baby gate every time we go in and out of the camper.
Ideally I'd love something that could be attached to the screen that can still fit in with the screen when it retracts, but I feel like I'm hoping for something that doesn't exist.
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You can spray paint stencils on to the screen. Just make sure to not use too much paint. If it's a little thick in some areas, you can use a needle to poke holes back through the mesh.
You can also embroider the screen. Use bright colored embroidery thread and just make diagonal loops between the squares created by the screen.
The sky's the limit as far as design - just pick something you like. Either method will allow the screen to fully retract.
Here's a site where someone got fancy. You don't need anything this elaborate to make it visible however, and you probably wouldn't want to, since the ones on this site are for screens that don't retract.
http://www.emblibrary.com/EL/ELProje...oductid=pr1454
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
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07-05-2017, 07:58 PM
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#5
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Eugene, Oregon
Trailer: 2016 Escape 19
Posts: 38
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I've been meaning to do something for the humans. And for the dog I plan to stitch ARF in big letters at his eye level. (or sew on the letters using ribbon if that is easier).
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07-05-2017, 08:07 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Steveston B.C., British Columbia
Trailer: 2012- 17'B.... 2016 Tacoma SR5 TRD
Posts: 504
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Dogs only see about 5 colors . You can use a latex paint , but only multiple light coats ,use masking tape to make a pattern at the lower one third . There not usually looking up when going in or out . I think it's green ,blue, white and black . The other one is food . Ha... Ha...
__________________
I've almost been everywhere man.
Almost been everywhere.....
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07-05-2017, 11:24 PM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 45
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Do a search for "Screen Saver". Doug and Cathy Davies wove some material into the screen to make the door more visible. This might work for you.
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07-05-2017, 11:39 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Whidbey Island, Washington
Trailer: 2020 Escape 17B "Voyager"
Posts: 2,661
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I put a red stripe of duct tape across it at both the bottom (for Jack) and top (for me) but he still ran into it. (One eye that isn't seeing as well as it used to.) Maybe a big X would have worked better. He only ran into it once but we rarely have the screen closed so that doesn't mean he has learned not to.
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07-06-2017, 01:47 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2013 19 Escape
Posts: 7,204
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Don't know if it would work for you but we solved the screen door . We have 3 little guys but one thinks he is bigger then he is . He tried to go through the screen door in his protect mode . I found a baby gate at a garage sale , cut in half hinged it so it folds in half . Added a piece of Oak on kitchen wall by doorway . Attached the gate to that piece of wood . It folds in half when not in use . I added a strap to hold it when underway . It keeps the little guys from the screen . We also spray painted in white, a couple anchors at eye level using stencils , that's for us . They have been on now over 3 years . Let me know if you need pictures . Pat
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07-06-2017, 05:50 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southwick, Massachusetts
Trailer: None, sold my 2014 5.0TA
Posts: 7,124
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We've used a clear plastic bin lid that just happens to fit the spot well, works for little dogs.
__________________
Happy Motoring
Bob
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07-06-2017, 10:02 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2013 19 Escape
Posts: 7,204
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Quote:
Originally Posted by padlin
We've used a clear plastic bin lid that just happens to fit the spot well, works for little dogs.
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Bob what we have swings out of the way like a door ,when you are coming and going in and out of the trailer and looks like it belongs to the trailer . Pat
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07-06-2017, 10:11 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Whidbey Island, Washington
Trailer: 2020 Escape 17B "Voyager"
Posts: 2,661
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I'd like to see a picture of the gate. It would be nice to have something that would actually stop a dog instead of just something to tell him the door is there.
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07-06-2017, 10:37 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2013 19 Escape
Posts: 7,204
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bobbie54
I'd like to see a picture of the gate. It would be nice to have something that would actually stop a dog instead of just something to tell him the door is there.
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You got it . Give me a little bit . Pat
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07-06-2017, 11:20 AM
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#14
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Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Trailer: 2013 Escape 5.0, 2017 Toyota Tundra 5.7L 4x4
Posts: 29
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Thank you all for such great ideas! Pat, looking forward to seeing your DIY!
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07-06-2017, 11:53 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
Trailer: April 2016 21' "Ramble On"
Posts: 280
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When we were looking at the "classic" escape back in 2015, we thought the retractable screen was a pretty cool feature. It kind of "self-corrects" if someone walks into it and the bottom tabs fall out of the track. All you have to do is retract it and it starts working again.
However, it does have a fatal flaw: The lower right of the screen mesh (the part that is connected to the pull bar) can be ripped out of the rubber end piece by a small dog's nose. We know this via our two dachshunds (low to the ground). I ordered a replacement screen from Seiki (Part number VPRMCWH-1S ( SEIKI SCREEN SYSTEMS | Replacement Parts) and installed it last month. It's still a continual struggle to keep our two from tearing it again.
This whole issue probably sounds crazy to "non-dog" people, but it is what it is
__________________
Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.
Theodore Roosevelt
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07-06-2017, 11:57 AM
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#16
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
Posts: 10,222
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Quote:
Originally Posted by huskersteffy
When we were looking at the "classic" escape back in 2015, we thought the retractable screen was a pretty cool feature. It kind of "self-corrects" if someone walks into it and the bottom tabs fall out of the track. All you have to do is retract it and it starts working again.
However, it does have a fatal flaw: The lower right of the screen mesh (the part that is connected to the pull bar) can be ripped out of the rubber end piece by a small dog's nose. We know this via our two dachshunds (low to the ground). I ordered a replacement screen from Seiki (Part number VPRMCWH-1S ( SEIKI SCREEN SYSTEMS | Replacement Parts) and installed it last month. It's still a continual struggle to keep our two from tearing it again.
This whole issue probably sounds crazy to "non-dog" people, but it is what it is
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That area can be reinforced, but it has a tendency to affect the retract feature. In looking at all the solutions, if my dog had a tendency to damage the screen, I like Pat's solution of installing a folding "baby gate" to keep the dog away from the screen entirely. It's a bit of a pain to fold and redeploy it, but it would sure save the screen.
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
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07-06-2017, 12:47 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
Trailer: April 2016 21' "Ramble On"
Posts: 280
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Agree. Looking forward to pic's and more info from Pat.
__________________
Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.
Theodore Roosevelt
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07-06-2017, 01:01 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2013 19 Escape
Posts: 7,204
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Patandlinda
You got it . Give me a little bit . Pat
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here's a few pictures . I use whatever I had on hand like some of the attachments are from draperies . I put the piece of Oak to make a stronger attachment area. I found the gate for 2.00 at a garage sale , just cut it in half so it will fold up . Added hinges and I love to make vinyl straps with snaps . It keeps the pups from the screen which I thought was a goner when Murphy flew through it in the beginning , but it did self heal . It give you the idea. . I was going to buy something and then was going to just make a gate until I lucked out on the one we have . This should give some idea's . the last picture is for us , I walked into the closed screen . Pat
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07-06-2017, 01:04 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Ventura County, California
Trailer: 2013 19 Escape
Posts: 7,204
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Patandlinda
here's a few pictures . I use whatever I had on hand like some of the attachments are from draperies . I put the piece of Oak to make a stronger attachment area. I found the gate for 2.00 at a garage sale , just cut it in half so it will fold up . Added hinges and I love to make vinyl straps with snaps . It keeps the pups from the screen which I thought was a goner when Murphy flew through it in the beginning , but it did self heal . It give you the idea. . I was going to buy something and then was going to just make a gate until I lucked out on the one we have . This should give some idea's . the last picture is for us , I walked into the closed screen . Pat
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screen door stencil so I don't walk into screen Pat
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07-06-2017, 01:29 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southwick, Massachusetts
Trailer: None, sold my 2014 5.0TA
Posts: 7,124
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Patandlinda
Bob what we have swings out of the way like a door ,when you are coming and going in and out of the trailer and looks like it belongs to the trailer . Pat
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Understood, I was looking for simple when I used the lid.
__________________
Happy Motoring
Bob
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