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Broken Latch Solution The plastic latches on mirrored sliding doors often break, and the replacement latches are made of brittle plastic and break more easily. I've broken a dozen of them.
However, I have found that if the rear tab is removed (a hacksaw blade works just fine), allowing a slight inward deflection of the door, the latch still will work but won't be overstressed when the door is opened or closed. Don Landberg, F296277, Bend, Oregon
Quick Candle Decorations Recently we were wagon masters for an event, and we realized that we had neglected to plan for any table decorations. A quick trip to the grocery store provided plastic tablecloths, a couple bunches of flowers, and some tea-light candles, but we didn't want to buy candleholders. Instead, we put the candles into small plastic glasses and looked for a way to stabilize them. In an "aha!" moment, we poured some clean clumping-type kitty litter around the candles, and added water. Voila! The litter set like concrete and added the safety factor of dampness around the candles. We actually got two nights of candlelight dining from the tea lights. Chet & Linda Loveland, F344130, Discovery Bay, California
Ironing Board Adaptation Tired of ironing on that small ironing board with the short legs on your tabletop? Take off the legs and mount the board to your dining table with a couple of Irwin Quick-Grip clamps, which can be purchased at home improvement and mass merchandise stores. This will make it a little easier to iron. Gary Henry, F243150, Titusville, Florida
Securing A Sliding Drawer The catch on one of the drawers in our motorhome kitchen broke while we were traveling the Alaska Highway. To keep the drawer from constantly sliding in and out, we secured it with a strap from a bicycle rack that we were not using. A little slack in the strap allowed us to reach silverware for meals while we were traveling, and it was easy to take off when we stopped for the night. We ran the strap through all of the drawer pulls to evenly distribute the pressure of holding the sliding drawer. If you don't have a strap, a belt or even a scarf could work. Barbara Henson, F370568, Port St. Lucie, Florida
Tarp Storage We use a number of small tarps when we travel, but packing them away is cumbersome, especially if they are greasy or wet. However, we found that the plastic bags in which our newspapers are delivered make compact packages that can be stored easily, and the empty bags can be tucked away almost anyplace so they don't get lost when the tarps are in use. Frank S. Winter, F114882, Manalapan, New Jersey | Readers are invited to share their favorite tips for making the motorhome lifestyle more enjoyable. We welcome any ideas you have found that save time, money, or effort. Please submit diagrams, hand-drawn sketches, or photographs to help illustrate your idea. Also, please use a separate sheet of paper, or separate e-mail, for each tip submitted. For each tip chosen for publication in Family Motor Coaching magazine, you will receive $25. Unfortunately, we can't acknowledge or return unused tips. Mail your tips to: "Tech and Travel Tips," FMC Magazine, 8291 Clough Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45244; techtips@fmca.com. FMC reserves the right to edit tips and to use published tips in other formats. Although all material is screened, no attempt has been made to test these ideas, and Family Motor Coaching assumes no responsibility, direct or consequential, for their use. |
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