homemade popup gizmo

was thinking about making my own popupgizmo found the material online for $25 just trying to figure out how to sew the ends together dont know if the home sewing machine could do it i=or not was thinking of some kind of two sided tape or something suggestions??????

Velcro?

I bet if you took a small piece into a fabric / craft store a good assiciate could give a solution. I'm pretty sure there is something called fabric tape but I'm not sure how it would work on the glossy surface.

JB, a few years back Chuck gave me his old homemade gizmos. They were the vinyl backed space blankets from Cabellas (or maybe it was Bass Pro Shop). Anyway, they had grommets already in and seams. I think he told me that he paid around $15 to $20 each for them. They worked great for a long time. Now, I'm trying out the reflective tarps from Harbor Freight. They did good this winter, but we'll see how they do in the summer. I think I paid about $5.00 or $7.00 each for them on sale.

Richard wrote:JB, a few years back Chuck gave me his old homemade gizmos. They were the vinyl backed space blankets from Cabellas (or maybe it was Bass Pro Shop). Anyway, they had grommets already in and seams. I think he told me that he paid around $15 to $20 each for them. They worked great for a long time. Now, I'm trying out the reflective tarps from Harbor Freight. They did good this winter, but we'll see how they do in the summer. I think I paid about $5.00 or $7.00 each for them on sale.

Did the tarp take care of condensation this winter went camping in october last year and it was like the Chinese water torture. Water kept dripping and hitting me right between the eyes all night. Plus wander how they will do for the heat. Going to the beach this summer and want something to help with that as well. been looking at that bubble reflective insulation at lowes wondered if that would work. I found the space blankets for $9 on the internet witch is a great deal as far as what other places are wanting for them. But my one pull out i need like 7x7 and they only come in 7x5 sheets. the other side 7x5 will be perfect just have to figure out how to add the additional 2 feet on the one. They also have the grommets in them.If I was not so poor all the time i would just buy a set of the gizmoes but 100 buck is hard to come up with but as far as that goes so is the 30 it will cast to buy 3 of these. But keep me updated on the tarp if it works i might go that rout instead.

When we had our popup and our hybrid, I made ours out of the emergency blankets heavyweight from BassPro. I used office clips to attach to the frame at the top and to attach (bunch up) under the bunk. When I sold both the gizmos went with them.

I originally held my homemade GIZMOS to the camper with bungee cords (through the grommet holes). Worked well.. but a little hard to put them on by myself. I switched to tarp clips.. very similar to these:

they worked great!

i need to make on side 2 foot bigger because my bunk end is 7 foot by 7 foot the blankets come in 7x5 when you all made yours were you able to sew them I am also considering just leaving it 2 foot short and saying the heck with it what you think

JB, I had the same issue with the space blankets Chuck gave me. I just ignored it. They just didn't go all the way to the end. They still cooled it off plenty in the summer. I've got refletix for all my windows. It helps keep it cool inside, and it makes it darker at night. It's a bear to store, though. It's too much to put on top of the bunks or to just leave in the windows, though I do leave some of it in the windows when I fold down.

I still use Chuck's clips. They work great, even in high winds (like at Smokey Bear that windy spring a couple of years ago). I had to tie the camper to a tree, but the space blankets held on just fine.

yea thinking just leaving the thing a little short. I saw some things that are made to put in car windows that look like reflex for two dollars at family dollar yesterday thoughts?

Our reflectix blankets, like Richard's are also about 2ft short on the Queen side bunk (front bunk). We use plastic clips and just clip it on more towards the top of the bunk canvas closer to the roof reflective side up, and they do fine for the summer heat and helps the air conditioner cool better. Dar bought a couple of car windshield shades for about $3 each and custom cut them to fit in the windows between the screen and the inside cover. These all come out and get stored when we fold up the bunks.

As for the condensation issue, We still use the reflectix blankets with the reflective side down for winter, and the window shades as well. We will use a small fan pointed into the bunk to keep air circulating in the bunks, which seems to keep most of the condensation down. We also have an extra "curtain" that runs across the trailer wall end of the bunk where the regular curtains are attached. Then the bottom of the extra curtain goes over the top of the middle support pole, and ties to the end support bar. This extra curtain hangs just below the canvas where the condensation occurs, and will catch the condensation if it drips off of the canvas. Helps with the chinese water torture thing. Hope its not too confusing...