Hints, Tricks and Gadgets/Tools --- small ones.

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I'll throw in my 2 cents for something that has worked well for us while tailgating in paved parking lots.  Place a carpet under your generator.  A lot of the sound extends from the belly and bounces off the pavement, making it louder.  The carpet underneath absorbs some of the sound waves quieting it down a little.  I haven't tested the theory with any kind of sound meter (droid app) but I notice an improvement.
 
Yesterday I found a way to keep the kitchen trash can upright while traveling.  I use an 8-gal can with a 13-gal trash bag with a drawstring (cinch sack).  After inserting the bag into the can, I fold the top of the bag over the outside of the can.  I positioned the can where I wanted it to be, against a cabinet.  I grabbed the bag hanging on the back side of the can, pulled it tight, and slipped it between a cabinet door and the cabinet opening, on the hinged side.  Pulling the bag through to the inside of the cabinet, it formed a pocket.  I put a tennis ball in the pocket (inside the cabinet) and shut the door.  The tennis ball keeps the bag from sliding through, and the bag holds the trash can in position.  I don't know how well this will work if the trash can is full and heavy, but we empty the trash often.
 
Not a thread killer, look at the dates and the gaps.  This one resurrects itself all the time, and I like that carpet idea.  Good one.
 
We like to fly flags when we're tailgating and camping, as many others do. the 10' piece of conduit we used to use was a pain getting in and out.  PVC or ABS pipe is to flexible in our wind.  We got a collapible aluminum flag pole off of ebay for around $80.  Collapses down to around 6' and extends to 25'.  We just extend it, velcro it to the ladder and we're good.  If we want it a little higher we extend the bottom up the ladder instead of sitting on the ground.  We're usually the highest flag pole around. Pretty nice to fly Old Glory that way. 
 
You may want to take the pole down in weather when there could be a lightning strike. I've heard of, and seen the results on a coach, of metal poles very close to the coach attracting a lightning strike and causing extensive damage to the electrical system of a coach. The one I saw even had the slide retract when hit.
 
Technically not a "gadget" but If you want a handy conversion tool try this one. By far the best I have found and have been using it for years: http://wscope.com/convert.htm
It's free and easy. I downloaded again today and scanned it with Norton and Malwarebyte just to be sure it is clean. Thought someone might find it as useful as I did.
 
BernieD said:
You may want to take the pole down in weather when there could be a lightning strike. I've heard of, and seen the results on a coach, of metal poles very close to the coach attracting a lightning strike and causing extensive damage to the electrical system of a coach. The one I saw even had the slide retract when hit.

Ooops!  Quoted wrong post.  Good tip Bernie, Thanks!  We don't any electrical storm activity during tailgating season, but I'll keep that in mind during the summer, when we do a lot of camping and the electrical storm activity is higher.
 
cliston said:
Here's a little space saving tip for under the kitchen sink.  Using a curtain/tension rod you make an elevated space to hold spray bottles.

From:

http://lifehacker.com/5816766/organize-your-cleaning-bottles-under-the-sink-with-a-tension-rod

Interesting link.
Thank you for posting it.
 
Hi everybody, I made a gadget for the fire ring or small fire place . I got a piece of 4x4 1/8 thick flat metal if it going to rain at night i place the metal over the fire ring and the next morning ,if the rain stopped the fire pit is dry .also a piece of key chain & a1/2black big paper clip  put the key chain around the inside mirror & attache paper clip to chain then put your campsite pass on  Good luck all. Happing camping.
 
I'm a newbie, but I think this might help some of you. I have used this around the house for years. Wallowed out wood screw holes can sometimes be temporarily to permantly fixed with a tooth pick or small splinter of firewood.

For instance, a cabinet door hinge. Don't want to use an over sized screw and damage the hardware or have a mix match screw in there. Just cut the pick in half and place both into the screw hole pointed side out. Cut flush then screw the original screw back in. Should at least be a good temp fix.

If it still is a little to loose you can then, when more time allows, mix sawdust and wood glue to add to the hole. More sawdust than glue. The glue is just for adhesion. To much glue and you will have problems getting the screw in. With the picks still in there, just add enough to fill it up making sure it is flat. Once dry screw it back up and should be good as new.

Another way is to pick up some small dowel rod. With a drill bit slightly larger than the dowel drill out the hole being careful to not pushing through. Glue it in and let it dry and you have new solid wood to put the screw into.

I hope some of you get some good use of this.

Adding sheet metal fix. A washer smaller than the screw glued to the back of the hole is a good fix for stripped out sheet metal. The glue used should be a high strengh. Gorilla glue or a two part epoxy with the mixing tube works well and is easy to find. Wally worlds carry many versions.
 
IndyJuggalo said:
I'm a newbie, but I think this might help some of you. I have used this around the house for years. Wallowed out wood screw holes can sometimes be temporarily to permantly fixed with a tooth pick or small splinter of firewood.

I've used this toothpick repair method hundreds of times.  Many times it has been all that was needed for a permanent fix.  In other words, I never had to do any more repair work there.  I have had to resort to the "many toothpick with wood glue" fix a few times.  Dowel rod sure would have been better!
 
If only there was as simple a solution for drywall.  I've always had to resort to anchors once the hole gets enlarged.
 
No specifically geared toward us, but this site has some cool things and ideas for small spaces:

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/
 
Just a little trick I picked up a while back from friends. I used to use my paper shredder and just fill a large garbage sack and in the recycle bin it would go. Now I use the smaller bathroom garbage can plastic bags, about a 1 gallon size and fill them. Then when I want to start a campfire I lay the bag on the bottom and just tear it open. Shredded paper works great as a fire starter and the small bag fits in the bay with some firewood very nicely.
 
Mavarick said:
Just a little trick I picked up a while back from friends. I used to use my paper shredder and just fill a large garbage sack and in the recycle bin it would go. Now I use the smaller bathroom garbage can plastic bags, about a 1 gallon size and fill them. Then when I want to start a campfire I lay the bag on the bottom and just tear it open. Shredded paper works great as a fire starter and the small bag fits in the bay with some firewood very nicely.
Sounds like a great idea! 

I learned my lesson not to carry any firewood many years ago, though.  I brought some home because I didn't want it to go to waste.  Turns out the wood had carpenter ants in it and they ended up nesting in several places in my house & garage.  It was a battle to get rid of them.  I remember one morning seeing a bit of fluff sticking out from under the toaster that hadn't been used in a few days.  I pushed the toaster on and when it started heating up, a couple dozen carpenter ants came boiling out of it.  :p
 
Urban shelf, go anywhere side table.  Might come in handy for some around here. 

No affiliation!

http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/gear/ee58/
 

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