Spring 2022 DIY Projects

Will it never end?  “NO” ? I just love new DIY projects.  This coming Spring I have a couple of good ones planned for!

The First Project Is For Organisation:

One of the things that has driven me nuts in Blue Streak is that the small hanging closet next to the fridge ends up being a “junk” collector area.  There is just the two of us (the Boss and Me).  We don’t need two hanging closets for our “formal attire”.  So we end up just dumping stuff in this small closet.  What happens (needless to say) is to get at anything in there @%$*&#?.

However, that ends in the Spring.  I have thought about this for like 2 years now because what ever you do in a trailer adds weight and weight is not your friend (not talking about the “spare tire” around my middle area ?).

So here is the plan:

Shelving – yes shelving – not just any shelving, we’re talking about fixed but flexible stuff.

The closet size is a bit weird because there are protrusions from the Head (toilet room), wire conduct and a 2″ vent stack that requires careful consideration.  So this will allow for a number of shelves.  Each shelf can be 14-16″ deep by 18″ wide in size

First, we pick up a length of ClosetMaid wire shelf about 8 feet long.  This is great stuff as it’s coated with plastic similar to the wire panty system found in the Airstream. Take it and cut to length to fit.  I figure I can get 3 maybe 4 shelves out of this.  If you instal it upside-down then the lip becomes “the stop” so stuff doesn’t just fall out.  I will also provide connection points for “bungee cords” at the front to act as support.

Because this is a damp outdoor environment, I will use the plastic end caps to cover the “cut” ends. The last thing I want to see is rust!

Second, I’m thinking to use metal (zinc coated) L-corner brackets to rest the shelves on. The zinc will hinder rust however, I am also going to spray paint with “white” RustOleum.  What’s nice about the use of brackets is that I can have several installed at different levels to provide flexibility for shelf placement. The easiest and most flexible way to secure each shelf to the bracket is a “zip tie”.  Using the zip ties will make it easy-peasy to move the shelves around as the needs arise.

Background Info On Project Number Two:

When we purchased Blue Streak from Airstream of Spokane (who by the way are great people) it did not have a rear view (backup) camera.  After investigating the “standard” camera that Airstream would instal (price, specifications etc.) we decided to purchase on our own.  We choose the Haloview MC7108 7” 720P HD Digital Wireless Backup Camera System 7” LCD Reversing Monitor and IP69K Waterproof Rear View Camera . We did this for several reasons: 1) price .. the Haloview was several hundred dollars less than the one Airstream installs and 2) the Haloview overall has a clearer picture, no lag time, and was very easy to pair the wireless camera to the monitor in Red Dragon some 12 meters (40 feet) away without a repeater! So no brainier, eh!

So why the background info??? Because the second project for the spring of 2022 “connects to” the Haloview Backup Camera!  The Haloview MC7108 has the incredible flexibility to connect up to four (4) wireless cameras simultaneously and display them on the single monitor.

The Second Spring Project Then “Is To See Better “:

This project is the replacement of the front amber marker lights on Blue Streak with the new Haloview CA112 Wireless RV Side Marker Light Cameras .  What this will now provide is a 360 degree view around the trailer (Backup + Side View Cameras).  This has several advantages for us.

If you have followed our Blog you know that 99% of our “Glamping” is Boondocking.  What can I say: Boondocking in the forested campsites of Vancouver Island means very narrow access roads (we call Logging Roads) and very tight campsites – which means challenging backing in with obstacles called “trees”.  Now these new side view cameras will not remove the GOAL Rule (which is: Get-Out-And-Look) BUT is will help me see what the hell is going on around me/back there!!!!

Backing Blue Streak up will mean simply putting the monitor in 3 screens mode to show all three cameras in one screen.  Wallah,  I now have 360 degree full view around Blue Streak reducing the worry about tail swing on those blind sides when truck and trailer are perpendicular between those beautiful things we call TREES!.?

I will do photos during the work so look for it in the Spring.?