The DIY Girl

Category: Outdoor and Camping

Outdoor and Camping Projects to Repair or Improve

  • Gray water outlet for pop up camper

    Gray water outlet for pop up camper

    I’ve been trying  to figure out a decent way to get my gray water from the kitchen sink in my Rockwood A128S to the Aqua-Tainer I purchased from Amazon.

    I did a lot of online research and looked at pictures posted by a lot of different picture. I didn’t want to go with a hose attached to the gray water outlet because it would cause the sink to drain so slow, but I also didn’t want it to be complicated or expensive. With the help of a very nice employee at Lowe’s today I think I came up with a great solution at a great price.

    Three pieces: an adapter, an elbow, and flexible pvc spa pipe. They fit so snugly together I’m going to try the assembly without gluing to see if it works fine that way. All for a total of $7.16

    1-1/2-in Dia 90-Degree PVC Elbow Fitting        0.80
    1-1/2-in Dia PVC Cleanout Adapter Fitting        1.20
    1-1/2-in PVC Spa Flex Hose        5.16
    Total        7.16

     

     

     

     

    And I think it looks great. I like the white PVC with the camper as opposed to black like many have used. It takes all of a minute to assemble and light weight to store. I would have to check on how to seal the hose into the Aqua-tainer if I’d like to chain a couple containers together.

    Gray water outlet for pop up camper - TheDIYGirl.com

  • Screen for pop up camper door

    Screen for pop up camper door

    I just bought a Rockwood A128S – one of the little A frame, hard side, pop up campers. Mine has a small screen in the door, but I wanted more air flow when the heat or air wasn’t needed. An open door isn’t an option for me because I’m a mosquito magnet. I kid you not — if there’s a mosquito within a hundred miles it will find me and bite me. I feel like when I walk outside they all communicate to each other gleefully “Dinner is served!”

    I had some left over solar screen material that I like. It’s sturdier than fiberglass so it will hold up to handling a lot better. I might even block some heat.

    Screen for pop up camper door - TheDIYGirl.comMaterials for project:

    • Screening (I chose solar screen)
    • Webbing strap 12-15″
    • Buckle or Velcro for strap
    • Black loop Velcro for screen
    • White adhesive back Velcro for door frame

    The decorative board over the door is easy to remove. The buttons are snaps and pop off. Then you remove the screw and other part of the snap.

    After measuring the frame around the door I cut the screen to 20 ¾” wide by 70” long and took it out to the camper to mark the locations for the black loop Velcro with a chalk marker. I didn’t want to accidentally place Velcro with the walls fold. I sewed the 2” pieces of black loop Velcro on the marked locations. I didn’t put Velcro on the top corners because the corner screws of the door board would hold them.

    Screen for pop up camper door - TheDIYGirl.comBefore going back out to the camper I brought the board that tops the door in and placed it on the top edge of the screen, rolled the screen up and then figured out how I wanted the strap mounted. I wanted the buckle on top on a short length to it wouldn’t fall down past the board trim. I rolled up the screen to see how long the strap needed to be. I wanted a ladder buckle instead of Velcro so I could snug the screen down.

    Back out to the camper and I started applying the white adhesive back Velcro at the bottom of the door frame. The metal on the bottom was narrow so I cut the Velcro strips in half to fit.

    I worked up from the bottom, holding the screen up and marking the door frame where the black hook Velcro fell with a china marker. I could then let the screen lay down while I applied the white adhesive back Velcro to the door frame.

    Screen for pop up camper door - TheDIYGirl.comWhen the screen was attached to all the Velcro spots I cut a small hole in the strap so the center screw could go through. It was a little tricky holding the board with the screw partially through, centering it on the screen and forcing the screw through the strap. Holding all this while getting the board screwed back onto the wall would have been a whole lot easier with another set of hands but I managed.

    Once the center screw was in it was a matter of making sure the corners were trimmed enough, getting the screws in the right place through the screen so it was taut and straight and then getting them screwed back into the wall.

    I was pleased how unobtrusive the white Velcro appeared on the door frame when the screen was rolled up (didn’t get a picture of it yet). I figured black would have stuck out like a sore thumb. I also tested to make sure the camper closed up with the rolled up screen. No problems there.

    Screen for pop up camper door - TheDIYGirl.com
    Screen in place
    Screen for pop up camper door - TheDIYGirl.com
    Screen stored

    I haven’t been camping with it yet so see how it does keeping insects out and dogs in. I post a note when I get back on how it performed.

     

     

  • Lawnmower maintenance

    Lawnmower maintenance

    My history with mowers

    Lawnmower maintenance - TheDIYGirl.comI have fears regarding lawnmowers. My dad, who had me work with him on almost everything, wouldn’t let me near a lawnmower after a little girl in our neighborhood ran up to her dad while he was mowing and lost the part of her foot. This left a deep impression and fear of lawnmowers in me.

    My mom and dad were out-of-town when I was 18 years old and dad’s beloved yard was looking really scruffy and I didn’t want him to come home to a mess so I pulled out his mower, figured out how to start it, and had the yard looking beautiful when they returned. But I was afraid of the thing and really respectful of the damage it could do.

    After years of mowing my own yard the whole situation was exacerbated a few years ago when I was trying to lift a non-functioning mower into my SUV to return it and things went all wrong. I lost hold of it, slipped and fell, and the mower came down on the end of my right ring finger and completely removed the fingernail. A trip to the ER and referral to a plastic surgeon to have the tip of the finger and nail bed stitched back together did nothing to improve my relationship with mowers.

    CAUTION: Remove the wire from the spark plug and secure it so it can’t accidentally reconnect every time you work on your mower.

    The reality

    My mishap didn’t alter the fact that I’m a homeowner who prefers to mow her own grass so lawnmower maintenance is a natural by-product. Enter the fear. I’m okay running it and walking behind it, but accessing the underneath to drain the oil and remove the blade is another story. The oil would get changed, but the blade was ignored.

    This spring when I dragged out my 15-year-old mower I knew it should have some serious TLC if I wanted it to Lawnmower maintenance - TheDIYGirl.comcontinue running. I bought a new air filter, spark plug, fresh oil and fuel. While under the mower to change the oil I had the wire removed from the spark plug and a 2×4 bracing the blade so it couldn’t move.I decided it was time to screw up the nerve to take the blade off to be sharpened.

    My trip to the local lawnmower repair shop confirmed my belief in patronizing small businesses. Not a peep out of them about how bad the blade was (never sharpened in 14 years) and $8 and 15 minutes later I walked out with a nicely sharpened blade.

    Back home I put the blade back on, poured in a little Seafoam, started the mower to make sure it was running and put it away since the grass didn’t need to be mowed yet.

    First mowing

    Three weeks later I pulled the mower out to mow the grass and no matter how much I yanked the cord, that engine wasn’t showing any sign of even trying to start. Groan.

    I pulled the spark plug and it seemed to be bone dry so back in the house to research on the internet.

    Back outside I removed the piece behind the air filter so I could get to the fuel line to check for clogs. I disconnected the line and gas flowed freely. In the process of removing the filter piece a gasket had torn so I headed off to the lawnmower repair shop for a replacement. $2.45 for the part and lots of advice. They suggested I spray carb cleaner in the carb and see if it would start. It did and promptly died.

    Me rebuild a carburetor??

    So that meant the carburetor was probably gummed up in some way, but I had never worked on a carburetor in my life. Back in the house for youtube videos and back out to remove the carb. Once off the mower and the bowl removed I found gummy deposits that I cleaned up, but didn’t know if it would solve the problem. The o-ring around the bowl was completely shot so I headed back to the repair shop with the carburetor in hand.

    The rebuild kit for the carburetor was $9.95. Do you believe it? Less than $10. The man behind the counter cheerfully offered to put the rebuild kit on for me. I had to resist the urge to leap across the counter to hug him. Fifteen minutes later I walked out with a freshly rebuilt carburetor and once home I re-installed all the removed parts and the mower started on the first try.

    Lessons learned

    1. When I had added fresh fuel I had dumped in Seafoam, run the mower for all of 60 seconds and then put it away. I wonder if the Seafoam liquified crud and since I didn’t run the mower long it made it possible for it goo the carb up. I love Seafoam and use it in my car and motorcycle, but I think I will be cautious to add it only when I will run an engine for a decent period immediately following.

    2. The internet makes it possible to successfully repair things I never would have attempted before. There are kind folks who take the time to video step-by-step how to diagnose and repair. Bless them.

    3. Local lawnmower repair shops are wonderful. I think my experience with my motorcycle has made me cynical. Motorcycle shops don’t want to offer advice because they want you to bring your motorcycle in for repairs. So I was pleasantly surprised by the help and advice I received despite only buying items for a few dollars. Even other customers were making suggestions that helped. I called the shop the next day and thanked them for their help after I mowed my lawn with the newly repaired mower 🙂

    4. With a little love and care even a cheap lawnmower like mine can give years and years of service.

    5. While I always add fuel stabilizer to the gas can where I store fuel for mower I think I will change that fuel to premium grade. All the guys at the shop seemed to think it would hold up better over time.

    6. Do not forget to remove the wire from the spark plug and secure it so it can’t accidentally reconnect every time you work on your mower. I know — I’m nagging, but mowers scare me.

    The only tools this required were a couple screwdrivers,  a wrench, and some carburetor cleaner. If I can keep a mower running for 15 years anybody can.