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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!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

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


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