Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2000 19:32:34 -0700
Reply-To: Bill Davidson <wdavidson@THEGRID.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Bill Davidson <wdavidson@THEGRID.NET>
Subject: twice the cold beer!
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While packing food into my Dometic fridge one time I noticed that there was
some unused space in the door shelf. I mean, after I put 4 beers in the
bottom shelf there is more space available above the beer, but the problem
is that if you put 4 more cans on top they will fall off as you close the
door.
So here's how to get and extra four beer cans (or mayonnaise jars or what
ever) into the door space without using up any extra space in your fridge:
The idea is to have straps above the first layer of cans or whatever that
you put in the bottom shelf of the door... these straps will hold a second
layer of stuff from falling out of the door when you close it.
I went to the hardware store and bought 3 feet of 5/16" O.D. surgical tubing
and six 1/4" nylon barbed couplings. To make the straps: use some wire
cutters or a hack saw to cut each of the barbed couplings right close to one
side or other of the center ridge.... take the short side and then cut half
of the end barb off (if this end barb is too long the fridge door will not
close)... if you used a hack saw take a minute to ream off the burrs... if
you used a wire cutter take a minute with some pliers to assure that the two
ends are round (pressure from the wire cutters will push the fitting out of
round).
Now cut the surgical tubing into three pieces 12" long each. Force each end
of the three pieces of tubing onto one of the cut pieces of barbed
fitting... the 'wrong way' over the last two barbs (not the barb that you
cut half away). This give you three straps ready to be pushed into the holes
you are about to drill into your fridge door (gulp!).
The holes:
Measure up each side of the fridge plastic door shelf about 6 3/8 inches
from the outside of the bottom door shelf (this comes out just above the top
of the first row of beer cans). Mark this point on the outside of both the
left and right sides of the door shelf sides. Then mark four more spots on
each side... each spaced 1 1/4 inches above the last.... until you have five
marks on each side of the outside of the fridge door shelf sides. (you could
do just 3 holes on each side... the two top and one middle one, but the
extra holes give you adjustability of the spacing of the straps).
Now the tricky part.... carefully the drill 10 holes that are the same O.D.
as the nylon barbed fittings (measure)... if you must error it is easier to
make a hole bigger than it is to make it smaller :) ... I used a 9/32 drill
bit and then widened the holes slowly, checking the fit frequently as I
widened slowly... the idea is for the barbs on the end of the straps to go
into the holes snug enough that they don't pop out when pulling straight
away form the door (like putting more cans of beer behind them), but loose
enough that you don't have to fight to get the barbs into our out of the
holes... this takes some time and patience..... HINT: if the fit is too
tight ream the hole out slowly with a round file... if the fit is too loose
/ hole is too big you can pinch the end of the barb with pliers to put it
slightly out of round... makes the fit tighter.
When you have all the holes just right for the barbs you now have 3 straps
that are adjustable (over 5 hole pairs) for different sizes of stuff to fit
onto a 2nd layer in the door....
one finishing touch: there is insulation inside the sides of the door which
tends to crumble and fall out onto your food... take some silicone caulking
(clear or white) and use a nail or something else (like a knife spreading
icing on a cake) to create a seal for the inside sides of the holes that
keeps the insulation inside the door and moisture out.... allow the silicone
to cure for 48 hours before working those barbs in and out of the holes.
That's it! ... 4 more cold cans of beer without using up any extra fridge
space.
Later,
Bill
90 Westy Syncro