What did you do to your SMB today?

[gcvt]

Finally got a hitch hauler so I don't have to haul stuff like firewood, trash, gas, etc. inside the van.

[TexGX]

Switched out the 12v halogen to LED above the kitchen. The old ones used a ton of power and got really hot. They did dim, but the new LEDs are powered individually so I can only use one.



TexGX

[REF]

Nice, just did the same the other day, I went with the LED tube replacements, just had to bypass the transformer, found some easy directions by doing a Google search. Bright

[rionapo]

Bought some new shoes (KO2s) and they're muddy already--hunkered down in the Zuni Mtns, waiting for the rain to let up. I can't remember the last time I spent multiple days in rain in NM. Also, paid to fix leaks in A/C line to rear air conditioner installed by SNBW. Now we have A/C again, just in time for summer. And, another SMB component failure is resolved.



Don

[BroncoHauler]

Originally Posted by REF

Nice, just did the same the other day, I went with the LED tube replacements, just had to bypass the transformer, found some easy directions by doing a Google search. Bright

Rick, out of curiosity, can the LED tubes be installed so the LEDs aim up into the reflector, so the light is a little more diffused?


Herb

[REF]

Yes they can, I had thought of that but hadn't tried it till now. I wouldn't say it's more diffused, the lens cover takes care of that, just not as bright. You'll notice a black strip on the front edge of the light, the previous owner had put a strip of electrical tape on the inside of the lens cover, it works great to shield you from getting blinded by the light........revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night......
The left one is with the bulbs pointing down, right one with them up, you can see the difference in output.

These are what I ordered.......
Pack of ONE (1), LED F8T5 (Eq to 8W CFL) Tube Lamp 4W 12 inch 10-30VDC https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LGXAQ54/re ... svb156BTVM
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LGXAQ54/re ... svb156BTVM

[Gooseberry]

I redid the carpet in the van with a Tandus heavy traffic that a friend sells and it has a nice foam back to reduce sound. I had FloorPro cut and match the SMB pieces I had them do a new one between the front seats from a template I made. .

[skyrat]

The other day I converted the aft closet in our "50" from a hanging closet, which we never could use, to removable shelves.
Peter Del Toro got me the supplier and part number of the fuzzy light gray material that SMB uses to cover the wood inside the closet. The material is a Trunk Liner fabric from upholstery supplier Keyston Brothers #TL04 for Light Gray, or TL03 for Medium Gray. It turns out that Keyston Brothers has a facility about 15 minutes away in North Hollywood. I trotted on over with a small shelf to match the shade and had the material in my hands within an hour of getting the info.

First I removed the hanger pole and then cut cleats to support the new shelves from hardwood. I then sprayed them and some of the Trunk Liner with contact cement I also had purchased from Keyston Bros. I aligned the cleats with the ones that support the shelf in the closet to the right so that the shelves would be the same height. I used Kreg screws, which have square drive and a washer/pan head design, to attach the cleats, screwing from the back (out-side of the cabinet) forward on the rearmost cleats as that side of the cabinet is very thin.


Because of the curvature of the space of the rear closet, I made cardboard templates for each shelf, scribing along the curved back and left side to match the contours. I then traced around the template onto half inch plywood, then cut the shelves out with a jigsaw and covered them with the Trunk Liner. I applied the material to all six sides of each shelf, trying to mimic the flawless job SMB did on the others by splitting the side and back edge with fabric from each shelf face. Mine came out better than I expected, but not quite as good as the SMB version. But, hey, those are the hidden edges. I wrapped the fabric over the front, visible edge for the cleanest look.


I made the fit tight to prevent future rattling. The lined surfaces look great, the fabric is a perfect match, and I expect to get much better use of that aft closet space.

[86Scotty]

I finally figured out a cheap, simple way to keep up with plasticware (which we use for simplicity) and for pantry items that we need to access from in or out of the van cooking. No frills, but the box fits perfectly in my door galley so I'll see how long it lasts. It is light and thin (being mostly cardboard) and can be loaded in the house and tossed in the van easily, also pulled for use at a picnic table if we're camping somewhere with one.









I know, low rent but it keeps me humble. Plus, a thicker wooden box would limit my storage in it. I just thought about the fact that under it might be a good place to store maps. I've always struggled to find a place to store the bigger map/atlas books like Delorme. Perhaps they will go underneath and won't get torn up as they do everywhere else I've tried to put them.

[rallypanam]

Originally Posted by 86Scotty

Classy!

Actually, I like the idea. I need to figure out some solution to our silverware drawer being right behind my head. Drives me a little crazy on bumpy roads.. And it's a nice idea to have a removable box you can slide out and chuck on the picnic table..