Created by: Damien Clarke




Canvas tents are made by various companies and each of these companies supply the new tent owner with cleaning instructions for their specific make of tent. However, there are some basic care instructions that work equally well with any brand of canvas tent on the market.

Immediately after purchasing

As soon as you purchase your new tent, or at least before that first camping trip you should assemble the tent in your yard. This not only allows you to have a dry run through of pitching the tent but allows you to check and make sure all the necessary pieces and parts are there. If you have any missing parts, contact the store you purchased your tent from and ask what they are going to do about it.

Once your tent is assembled, give it a complete and thorough soaking with water. Canvas tents are made a little larger than the frame to allow for shrinkage the first time they are wet. Shrinking them now will tighten the canvas the way it should be.

Allow your tent to thoroughly dry before putting it away.

Cleaning Your Tent

The best way to clean a canvas tent is to give it a thorough sweeping both inside and out, making sure all dust and dirt is cleaned off it. If it is necessary to wash part of your tent to remove soiled areas then use clear water and a brush.

Most canvas tents are specially treated and using detergents can damage these treatments that add protection to your tent.

Storing Your Tent

Make sure your tent is completely dry before storing it even for a short period of time. It doesn’t take long for a damp tent to start to mold and mildew and then your tent may be permanently damaged.

You will also want to store your tent in an area free from mice and other small rodents. Rodents will chew on anything and your canvas tent might seem like an ideal snack or even breeding area for mice, chipmunks, and squirrels that manage to make their way into your storage shed or garage.

If you are storing your tent in an area that might be exposed to small rodents, it might be wise to invest in a metal trunk that will provide your tent additional protection.

Dos

Do purchase a tarp or rainfly to place over your tent. This rainfly will help shield your tent from the ultraviolet rays, and help guard the roof against rain and snow. It will also extend the drip line of your roof keeping the outside of tent walls dryer.

Most canvas tents will not ever need to be retreated but, if yours does make sure you use camp dri or some other product made especially for tents.

Don’t

You should never spray insecticides or bug sprays directly on your canvas. Doing so may eat away the protective coating on the canvas.

Following these and the manufacturer’s care instructions and your canvas tent will increase its life and give you many more happy camping memories.

Created by: ALKOWORLD

AL-KO Electric Brakes for Caravans and Horse Floats are the best product of its kind on the market. This video shows you the best set up and use for AL-KO Electric Brakes.

Created by: Josh Hakston




Having been installed at the exterior portion of the house, canvas porch awnings and canopies are normally exposed to varied weather elements such as rain and extreme heat. Not only that, exposure to some other elements such as dust and bird droppings will more often lead to some visible stains on the canvas material. If these stains are not removed, the canvas material of the porch awning would somehow look old and dull which might not be a good thing to look at.

The good thing is that something can be done about this. While solutions for eternal longevity of the material is quite impossible to achieve, at least a much longer service lifespan of the awnings will be very much possible. One good way is to simply just clean the canvas material in a regular fashion and in a proper manner. Doing it improperly might result into faster deterioration of the canvas material which might surprise you someway or another. In this similar vein, outlined below are a few very simple tips relative to proper awning and canopy cleaning:

1) Generally, awnings can be washed with plain water alone. More often than not, a good continuous splash from your garden hose will do the job in removing those pesky dusts that settled on your porch awning. Usage of high pressure washers are usually dissuaded for the reason that the high pressure water coming out from the power washer nozzles might weaken the tensile strength of the canvas material. It has also been noted that some power washers produce pressurized water sprays which are powerful enough to create some form of damage.

2) In many cases, there are just some stains which cannot be removed by plain water washing alone. Hence, the use of detergents to remove such stains may be necessary. However, it must be noted that mild detergents should only be used in washing your canvas awning. Using heavy duty detergents such as powerful bleaching solutions are a big no-no. These bleaching solutions may create discoloration on the awning material and ruin its appearance. Examples of mild detergents are those that are commonly used in dish washing applications.

3) Using brushes to clean the canvas porch awning materials can also be great aside from using the regular soft sponges and soft cloths such as chamois and flannel. However though, brushes with soft bristles must be used. Hard bristled brushes might create some ugly scratches and might also damage the clear protective coating of the canvas material.

With the above tips, it is important to keep in mind that cleaning the awning must be done on a regular basis. It can be done on a monthly basis or a quarterly basis depending on the location of the household. Porch awnings installed at urban households tend to get stained and dirty more often. The above tips are just plain and simple and some individuals might find them trivial. But in any case, these tips have been adopted over and over by many households and have made quite a lot or porch awnings and canopies last for a long time and look like new.

Created by: Lance Winslow




Cleaning boat canvas covers is difficult unless you know the secrets. Here are some tips to assist your so you can get out on the water where you belong.

Dodgers, cockpit cushions, sail covers and sails must be cleaned because salt water leaves a residue on fabric that attracts and holds moisture on the surface. Caring for canvas when cleaning boat canvas, they key is to be gentle. Never use detergents to clean canvas. Using a soft- bristled brush to prevent damage, apply a mild solution of Lux, Ivory soap or Borateem in water no hotter than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The soap Boat Books recommend is Sudbury Boat Zoap. It works great on Sunbrella materials. Starbrite makes two products: Vinyl Shampoo for cleaning and Vinyl Polish for cleaning pre-coated canvas. After light scrubbing, rinse thoroughly with cold water.

For more stubborn cases, soak the canvas in a solution of one-quarter cup Clorox, one-quarter cup Ivory soap and one gallon of warm water for about 20 minutes. Again, rinse with cold water to remove all soap. After you’ve washed the canvas, let it line-dry in a well-ventilated area. The material will shrink if heat-related drying methods are used. Never try to fold or store canvas while it’s still wet; this can lead to premature wear and damage. Keep in mind that washing canvas may remove its ability to repel water. Be sure to reapply a water-repellent after. There are several canvas coatings you can buy and they can be easily bought as over the counter canvas coatings or as exclusive marine products. Never use a brush on clear vinyl windows. Use Meguiar’s Mirror Glaze in the white bottle to remove cloudiness and fine scratches. Never roll up canvas covers while they are wet. To remove soda stains use water with 70% isopropyl alcohol.

Created by: Matthew Keegan




America’s thirst for cars of significance continues unabated. Long tired of copycat, cookie cutter, uninspiring models, consumers are demanding – and receiving – cars that are, quite frankly, retro. Yes, America’s automakers are reaching back in time to build a bunch of models based on popular models from yesteryear. Let’s take a look at the “Big 3″ automakers and their current crop of retro cars as well as “future” models soon to be released.

Defined, retro cars are vehicles that take their styling cues from cars built a generation or two ago. No, these vehicles aren’t carbon copies of earlier models, rather each retro car borrows much of their look from earlier models.

Although American automakers dominate the retro market, the Volkswagen New Beetle was one of the first cars to reach back as it went forward. Based on the VW Golf platform, the circular shaped New Beetle hearkens back to the flower child era with its current rendition of the people’s car. Fortunately, VW had the presence of mind to include its famed “flower holder” in with the dash, to evoke memory of the earlier model.

Ford pushed the retro market forward with its introduction of the Thunderbird in 2002. Borrowing heavily from early sixties era TBirds, the car has had mixed success as Ford sold a very limited number of the model for a few years and then discontinued it after the 2005 model year, citing poor sales. In 2004, Ford introduced a retro version of the Mustang, based on the ’67 Mustang fastback. Unlike the TBird, the Mustang has been a huge success and Ford can barely keep up with production. No word if a retro Pinto is being planned by FoMoCo.

Chrysler got in the retro craze with its introduction of the 2000 PT Cruiser. Based on 1950s era panel vans, the PT Cruiser sits on the now defunct Neon platform, but sales have been strong for Chrysler. The Dodge Challenger, another Chrysler product, is the car many are waiting to see if and when it debuts as an ’09 model. Borrowing cues from the ’71 model is part of the fun of this car: a hemi engine coupled with a fantastic interior will certainly help move sales. For the record, the current Dodge Charger isn’t retro – it has four doors – but I am mentioning it because it is one cool car!

Chevrolet went retro with the SSR, a “truck” based on 1950s era pick ups. Word has it that the slow selling SSR – hey, $42K for THAT thing – is on its last legs. Fortunately, the HHR [Heritage High Roof] will keep Chevy in the retro business as this new for 2006 model takes its styling cues from the ’49 Suburban. Some would say the PT Cruiser!

Are we likely to see more retro cars in the future? Maybe, but probably not a Caddy replete with fins or a Chevy Vega. America’s love with old models is strong, but selective, and the automakers must be certain that consumers really want a particular retro car before putting it into production. Oh, by the way, the ’09 Chevy Camaro concept is one hot looking car!

Created by: Falkenroth1

Electric trailer brakes require this when brakes are installed and original drums are being reinstalled. Magnet and shoe surface must be lathed for optimal brake performance. Magnet surface requires a special boring bar and bit to lathe surface in one cut without having to adjust bars and angle.

Created by: ehowauto

In order to clean canvas car accessories, a canvas cleaner can be purchased at a local auto parts store. Find out how a brush can be used to get stains out of a car canvas with help from the owner of a car detailing business in this free video on cleaning canvas. Expert: Diesel Contact: www.4u2cdetailing.com Bio: Diesel is the owner and operator of 4U2C Detailing. He has owned his own business since 1998, and has been detailing cars for over 20 years. Filmmaker: Michael Burton

Created by: F Gual




Campers built between the forties and sixties are considered vintage classics, bringing fond memories of our early years. Many people buy them for their look and quality. They are comfortable and convenient, plus easy and economical to maintain. They can often be found online, on sites such as eBay. Besides, there are specialized sites by fan clubs where owners buy and sell, plus publish useful tips.

There are many reasons why people keep them. Many people are reminded of their youth, when their own family had one just like it. Others want economy without sacrificing comfort. Still others enjoy the restoration, then letting other people use them.

Airstream is the most popular brand. This company goes back to 1932. Originally made of wood, which gave way to their signature bright aluminum appearance. Their aerodynamic design and weight distribution makes them easily towed by a small vehicle.

Finding a vintage camper can be a fun investigation, but take plenty of time seeking one in good condition, as run down trailers are a handful for the unknowing, requiring frequent repairs that will ruin your budget. Before buying, decide how and how often it will be used. This gives you an idea of what size to look for. Try to find the smallest that will suit your purpose.

A thorough interior and exterior inspection is a must. Have the owner run the plumbing and refrigerator, and look for leaks. Check the floor. Is it solid or rotten? Tires should have enough life for towing to your garage or storage yard. You can expect some minor wear and tear, not any sign of flooding or accident. After restoring your pride and joy, make sure it’s fully insured.

Owning a piece of rolling history that will take you on a fun vacation is a rewarding experience.

Created by: etrailertv

www.etrailer.com Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information. First off we will go ahead and take off the dust cap. In this case it is a bearing buddy. Next is taking out the locking pin, the cotter pin that goes through the center here. Once you have that lock washer off, just go ahead and take off the nut and pull your whole hub off. Now we are going to go ahead and inspect the hub and bearings here. Take off the bearings on the outside and just wipe them down really good to clean them up. When you get down the the rollers here you want to make sure there are not any chips or discoloration. Wear marks are fine as long as they are slight, but you do not want any discoloration what so ever. When that is all good take a look at the outside cage itself, make sure it is not dented up or anything like that. When you them they can get dented up pretty easy and you will need to get a new bearing. Clean them up really good, get all the grease out of it, you do not want to mix two different types of greases together. What happens is that the grease can deteriorate faster than normal or not have the same wear properties as pure grease, so it is always good idea to get as much out of there and start with fresh grease. As you can see all the rollers are nice and shiny with hardly any wear marks so that means it has been sitting there just fine, had plenty of grease so we will go ahead and put some more …

Created by: Arran James




A gelcoat restoration kit offers a cost-effective approach to repaired minor gouges, nicks, and scratches in a fiberglass deck or hull. A gelcoat kits can consist of coloring agents, a polyester gelcoat paste, blending charts, hardener, release film, and detailed instructions on undertaking all minor repairs.

A chip, hairline crack, or small scratch in the fiberglass can often be tackled as a do-it-yourself project with assistance from a scratch repair kit. Patching a minor chip is often a case of filling it with a paste, leave to harden, and than to clean off all excess filler with a spreader tool or cloth.

If a deeper gouge, chip, or scratch is detected in a fiberglass hull, a thicker gelcoat putty or paste can be spread on all imperfections for very hand and smooth covering, for extra durability, these pastes are UV-resistant.

In case of a larger repair project, to strengthen, repair, or rebuild a hull above or below waterline, a polyester resin mix, with spreading stick, tray, fiberglass cloth, and full instructions often helps. A paste can cure to a glass hard finish inside of 60 minutes.

Accessories to restore a fiberglass gelcoat often feature polish for restoring a brilliant gloss finish, a oxidation remover for general stains, grime, and contaminants, a pure wax for a tough and protective coating for all surfaces, and a metal polish to remove surface degradation and stains all resulting in a clear, bright finish.

A premium restoration kit offers a cost-effective solution for minor repairs and maintenance projects on fiberglass built vessel. An efficient option for maintaining a boat deck or hull in first-class condition and free of noticeable marks and knocks.