How Small is Too Small?

[Grandad]

I just thought of something. I could get one of those collapsible bowls and use it here at home for a while. See if it drives me insane or works ok.
Jim

[Dot]

I just thought of something. I could get one of those collapsible bowls and use it here at home for a while. See if it drives me insane or works ok.
Jim

Now that is one good idea. Give that a go.

[BruceS]

I offered to eat my icecream straight from the container but it hasn't happened yet!!
I think a lot of 'thought' can go into what size plates, saucepans & other things can help a lot.
We have a pub in Mannum that serves up on dinner plates the size of the MCG on tables the size of a napkin.
No room for bread&butter plates or schooner of beer. Banging elbows isn't my way of eating a meal!!
Something to think of?

[Vik351]

I offered to eat my icecream straight from the container but it hasn't happened yet!!
I think a lot of 'thought' can go into what size plates, saucepans & other things can help a lot.
We have a pub in Mannum that serves up on dinner plates the size of the MCG on tables the size of a napkin.
No room for bread&butter plates or schooner of beer. Banging elbows isn't my way of eating a meal!!
Something to think of?

Thats how I eat my icecream... Golden North vanilla...!!! let it warm up a bit out of the freezer, 5 mins, crack and lick the lid...

On a good day ya get big blobs that stick to it. Then, with a table spoon, about a 1/4 inch in from the side of the blueness ,ya the the spoon at the right as in correct angle and draw it toward you getting the just right temp stuff peeling off like soft pine in a good old Spear and Jackson hand plane...

Then savour the flavour, repete till the whole tub is empty, if ya cant do the whole tub, then you were not letting it get to the right temp first...

Like eating a Chevapchichi cooked in a frying pan or one cooked over charcoal... chalk and cheese but the same thing...!!!

vik... Hmmmm...

[T1 Terry]

My twenty cents worth, the collapsible bowl for sure. The Kombi camper fit out had a small sink, absolutely useless waste of space and all washing up was done in a bowl outside as well as food preparation and cooking. That kept the smells out of the Kombi as well.
The Mazda has a huge bench top and very deep cupboards, yet a lot of the cooking is still done outside on a table, but with a decent sized sink we do wash up inside .... but with a plastic bowl in the sink
Small living quarters dictates most things are done outside, add a roll out awning to expand the living area and if you plan to camp up for a while and want to still be able to enjoy it outside when it's raining, add end walls that allow the awning to be dropped to less than head height at the outside edge when standing so the rain runs off easy but doesn't blow in, yet you can still see outside so you don't feel trapped in another box.
Another idea is the quick erect caravan awnings Aldi have on sale every so often. The dome out from the van giving lots of head room and a clear plastic window with a roll up outer cover so you can see out when you want but block the sun when you need to as well.

T1 Terry

[Grandad]

I think a lot of 'thought' can go into what size plates, saucepans & other things can help a lot.

A valid observation Bruce. Not that long ago I bought a bunch of Corelle stuff. I think the plates were called 'lunch plates' or something. Anywho, they were quite small. My daughter asked if they weren't a bit small for dinner plates. Well, I've been using them for some time now, and they're just fine for me. Only 215mm in diameter.

At your pub though, different thing. I worked as the cook at the Toolleen pub for a few years. Order of the day.... A BIG feed. Fill the plate and it better be a big plate. And they always came back empty. So you really have no choice.
I take it it's a proper country pub? Hasn't been 'gentrified' or gone all yuppy?

Jim

[Grandad]

My twenty cents worth, the collapsible bowl for sure.

Yup. Been doing some thinking .... which of course resulted in a headache.....which of course means a lay down..... which means another afternoon shot to hell. God I love being retired. I was born for this!

Anyhow....back to the task at hand. been thinking of when we go camping. We use a plastic tub of course. So, went looking for collapsible ones. What a huge range there is!
Found this one. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Space-Savin ... SwWTJboEQf
Roughly 300mm square. Complete with a plug and drain for crying out loud.

Then, found this sink...https://www.caravansplus.com.au/stainle ... -9215.html
370mm square.
Put one in the other. If I'm camped where I have to hold the grey water. pull the plug.
0therwise, leave the plug in and take it outside to empty.

or, just wash up under the annex.
So, I ordered one. I'll try it at home for a while.

Small living quarters dictates most things are done outside, add a roll out awning to expand the living area and if you plan to camp up for a while and want to still be able to enjoy it outside when it's raining, add end walls that allow the awning to be dropped to less than head height at the outside edge when standing so the rain runs off easy but doesn't blow in, yet you can still see outside so you don't feel trapped in another box.

Because of the curve of my roof I am a little restricted in awnings. looked at the ones that roll up into a bag which is permanently attached to the caravan. they looked a right pill to roll up on my own.
Then looked at that rope in a slot idea. What are they called? Marconi track? Sail track? Anyhow, I've fought with a couple of those over the years and decided to file that idea under 'stuff that!'
I think I'm going for this idea. Popular way back when. Looks much easier for a guy on his own to manage,

clips.jpg

I've got a very small and lightweight set of steps that gets me high enough. Just one clip at a time. Think that will work. A local tent place has suggested around the $4 to $500 dollar mark for something like this.

Awning Front (Small).PNG

This is another view of the same van....in England by the way.... LOVE the pergoda roof!

Awning Sides (Small).PNG

It's a similar curve to mine. How do you think that'll work?

And I think I'll go for the old fashioned timber poles with hemp rope ties and timber tensioners, just to pay homage to the vintage van idea.

Another idea is the quick erect caravan awnings Aldi have on sale every so often. The dome out from the van giving lots of head room and a clear plastic window with a roll up outer cover so you can see out when you want but block the sun when you need to as well.

i don't know the one you mean. Like a free standing gazebo thing?

Cheers
Jim

[T1 Terry]

Found an old cattledog photo http://www.discountstoresau.com/aldi-ca ... 13-12.html We bought 2 of them, easy for one person to slide each one into the sailtrack and really easy to erect. We used them a few yrs back at the Stone the Crows rally when the roll up awning never made it to the repair and re-install stage after removal for the room repair .... and after I leaned it against a telegraph pole and snapped the attaching bits
I would recommend a piece added to over lap the join between the two awnings to keep the rain out, but otherwise they work great and give lots of room with the dome idea created by the click together fibreglass rods that slide into the pockets provided.

As far as the fold out gazebo idea, need to phone friend to get the cover on/off really, but apart from that they are brilliant. We park the Kombi under it as well to create a fly/summer roof and can drive out leaving it still staking out our spot till we get back.

T1 Terry

[Peter and Sandra]

We've got a similar sized sink to the first one you posted a link to, we only ever use it for handwashing, cleaning teeth and pouring waste water into.
We always wash up in one of the collapsible silicon/plastic washing up dishes and usually dispose of the washing up water outside, the sink is used as the dish drainer as the washing up dish is sitting on the beside it.

[Grandad]

Thanks Terry. Now I understand. But it's 2 mtrs wide. I don't have a straight run that long above my door. Can't see it working in my case. Nice bit of kit though.

Peter & Sandra. It would appear the majority of caravan owners agree with you. I thought long and hard about not installing a sink at all, but just can't bring myself to do it. i think i'll go with the 470 mm square jobbie and my collapsible tub is apparently on its way.

Thanks everyone
Jim