Overhead Shelf retainers

WilliamA

I'm still on my quest to use up the last bits of fabric from the awning job.

Since I've had the T@G, I've been bothered by the very useful little overhead shelves that unceremoniously empty their contents on the bed after any length of travel. It's worse for some of us who are prone to be on that less traveled. I had been thinking of making a couple of cupboard drawers but that seemed a bit of overkill for such a small space. Couple that with the fact that any useful door would have to swing up, which means adding a mechanical stay. It would also be difficult to make one that went up and out of the way but also allowed 100% of the opening to be accessed.

Back to the fabric thing.... I decided it wouldn't be rocket science to make up some curtains that either slid or stretched down to hold my various treasures. Since the whole point is to keep my Faberge Egg collection from falling out, it would be pointless to have them slide sideways. Different material, same problem. I elected to have them close at the top with shock cord and stay at the bottom with a tightly drawn and fastened piece of 5/32" paracord. It was an easy build with the sewing machine.
Have a look:

Here's the more or less finished curtains all in and tidy. I happened to have some rotten shock-cord that I salvaged out of a more rotten tent so I used 2 lengths of that at the top. It's still pretty anemic so I'll need to get a new piece of shock cord or perhaps use a smallish diameter bungee cord without the ends. The bottom stay is, as I said, 2 lengths of para-cord secured at the bottom corners of the shelf with small phillips screws. I put the screws directly through the cord. It seemed to work well and allowed me to actually get the cord quite tight.

The shelf opening is 18" X 4 1/2". I made the curtains 4 1/2" X 24" long to allow for some stretching at the puckers. I puckered the fabric after putting it up just so it looked nice. I may go back and put small screws with washers into the shelf sides where the curtain contacts just to make it look more finished. I did put a small finish screw and washer through the fabric into the shelf at the middle of the bottom just to keep it down there.

It's an easy affair to pull down the center and reach in for bits and bobs. I'd say the 24" long curtain is plenty long, but one might have to experiment a bit to get the length of the shock cord at the top the right length to be tight, but also have enough play to pull down properly. The shock cord I had is weenie at 5/32" diameter so it's not very strong. Add to that the fact it's years old and, well, I'll be shopping for another soon. It's an easy affair to pull it out and replace it without taking off the whole curtain.

For fastening the corners, I simply drilled holes angled up into the corner with a small drill bit, then screwed the cords up with small phillips head screws. I think they are #8 X 5/8" or perhaps 3/4" long. I had thought about getting some bathroom pressure-fit curtain rods and if one did that, you'd not have to drill any holes, but I wanted this to be secure and permanent. I was afraid the spring style curtain rods would vibrate off mid-trip adding to the chaos.

As to the fabric, I still have some left, but the projects are getting smaller and smaller...
WilliamA

Michigan_Mike

So what’s the story on the horse outside your window? 🙀

WilliamA

@Michigan_Mike said:
So what’s the story on the horse outside your window? 🙀

That story is a good (but long) story. The short version is that I took that photo while driving about Ireland. I was staying at a rented house in Clifden in Connemara County on the northwest coast 2 hours northwest of Galway. I wanted to find Clifden Castle (not really a castle) and after finally locating it and walking in, learned that the current resident of Clifden Castle was that horse, a Connemara Pony of the famous Irish breed of rugged little horses. He was curious and friendly.
The pony:

Clifden "Castle", where he lived in October of 2013. That....was a good month...

The photo that now resides on my front window:

WilliamA

WilliamA

Now that I have solved the front overhead shelf retention, the rear cabinets have taken to opening while traveling. I suspect the door closers aren't quite as zealous about retention as they were when new. I'll look for some better latches for them the next time I get to town. Just need to measure up the stockers for size and depth. Should be a straightforward affair to put things back in order. It's probably also a warning that I may be trying to hold 10lbs if sugar in a 5lbs bag. A bit of culling may be in order....

WilliamA

ontheroad

@WilliamA ...I used tension rods for my fabric holders. They keep the box of tissues where it should stay...off the bed...when we're set up I just leave them dangling...