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Syncronicity Samba Member
Joined: March 09, 2009 Posts: 839 Location: Glenwood Springs, CO
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Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 11:02 am Post subject: Reflectix Window Treatment |
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We stole a great idea from Shadetreetim for some reflectix window covers.
Never mind why the van is being drug into a trailer Just look at how clean and neat the window covers fit into place. Materials needed to do all windows except the windshield include.
24" x 25' reflectix $24.00
60 - 5mm x 10mm Cylinders from apexmagnets.com $30.00
1 roll HVAC Tape
These all fit under your back cushion when not on your windows.
Obviously, getting them cut to size is the biggest issue. This leads to the main reason for this post. can anybody think of a way the pattern can be easily shared electronically, then they can be sent to copy copy for printing? We're not looking to make a profit, just want to save somebody a lot of headaches if they would like to make a set of these. We have the pattern, just wondering how to share it _________________ Tom, Juanita, Iggy & Abbey the Dirty Desert Dogs
2.1 L 87 Syncro
KD0ALU
________oo_oo
/ /__/___[_____\
I I======[]IIIII[]
()_)------()_)----)_) |
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danfromsyr Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2004 Posts: 15143 Location: Syracuse, NY
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Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 11:09 am Post subject: |
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on my brother's van he used reflectix on all the side & rear window
he installed snaps to mount them in place.
sorry we didn't make a template just cut to fit w/scissors.
used a econo snap set avail from any craft or bigbox hardware store.
I'd recommend a small fabric tag under each snap to help minimize pull out. but they've been very sturdy and stay in place on doors when you open to get at something, keeps the interior very cool. _________________
Abscate wrote: |
These are the reasons we have words like “wanker” |
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scottjk Samba Member
Joined: May 31, 2006 Posts: 485 Location: Salt Lake City, UT
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Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 11:12 am Post subject: Magnets |
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I saw a guy with the magnet set up at Syncro Solstice. I think it is definitely the way to go. Much easier to attach to the windows and much easier to take down.
I just ordered my magnets this week. _________________ 1985 Westfalia 2.5L EJ |
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SL1 Samba Member
Joined: December 17, 2010 Posts: 251 Location: Nova Scotia, Canada
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Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 11:38 am Post subject: |
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I have a cam-scanner app for my android phone, you take a pic of whatever, it converts it to a pdf file. you can edit it anyway you want, great for documents, blue prints, whatever.
I know you can get something for those iphone thingys too
hope that helps - I was planning on something like what you have on the side windows too. I always put one on my windshield to cut down on heat and save my dash too. they really make a difference on hot sunny days.
I would definitely like to get your pattern. _________________ Steve
1985 GL Westy - 'Bullwinkle'
1978 Super Beetle - 'Rocky' |
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hans j Samba Member
Joined: May 06, 2006 Posts: 2714 Location: Salt Lake City UT
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Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 11:40 am Post subject: |
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danfromsyr wrote: |
I'd recommend a small fabric tag under each snap to help minimize pull out. |
Definitely do this, I just pulled one of my snaps out last week
I used grommets and suction cup hooks for mine, been decent but I really wanted stud mount suction cups but couldn't any cheap ones to work.
And one roll gave me everything to cover all windows except the front windshield! _________________ 1986 Canadian Syncro Westy TDI - 1989 Syncro Single Cab - 2001 Audi S4 - 1981 VW Caddy ABA - 1980 VW Caddy EV - 1973 VW T-181 |
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Syncronicity Samba Member
Joined: March 09, 2009 Posts: 839 Location: Glenwood Springs, CO
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Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 12:17 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: |
he installed snaps to mount them in place. |
With the magnets, we just kinda throw them up. No need to fiddle with snaps or drill holes to install the snaps.
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I saw a guy with the magnet set up at Syncro Solstice |
That was probably us scottkjk
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I have a cam-scanner app for my android phone, you take a pic of whatever, it converts it to a pdf file. |
I'm going to install that and give it a try. Thanks _________________ Tom, Juanita, Iggy & Abbey the Dirty Desert Dogs
2.1 L 87 Syncro
KD0ALU
________oo_oo
/ /__/___[_____\
I I======[]IIIII[]
()_)------()_)----)_) |
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syncromike Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2011 Posts: 660 Location: Boise, ID
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Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 12:31 pm Post subject: |
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Tom, where are your magnets on the van? I cut my reflectix to sit flush in the window so I glued little neodymium magnets to the window glass. Super glue didn't last the cold winter and most of the magnets fell off. I'll try again with rear-view mirror glue unless there's a better way to attach the magnets and in a better spot than on the glass.
I was at SS but didn't bring the Reflectix since it wasn't supposed to be too cold or too hot. _________________ _____________________
'91 Syncro w/ Country Homes PopTop |
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syncromike Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2011 Posts: 660 Location: Boise, ID
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Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 12:46 pm Post subject: |
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syncromike wrote: |
Tom, where are your magnets on the van? I cut my reflectix to sit flush in the window so I glued little neodymium magnets to the window glass. Super glue didn't last the cold winter and most of the magnets fell off. I'll try again with rear-view mirror glue unless there's a better way to attach the magnets and in a better spot than on the glass.
I was at SS but didn't bring the Reflectix since it wasn't supposed to be too cold or too hot. |
FWIW, I found 10-packs of very little rare earth magnets at Harbor Freight for only a couple of bucks. Couldn't find the really small ones on the web site, but they work fine for holding up the reflectix. _________________ _____________________
'91 Syncro w/ Country Homes PopTop |
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Syncronicity Samba Member
Joined: March 09, 2009 Posts: 839 Location: Glenwood Springs, CO
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Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 1:00 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: |
Tom, where are your magnets on the van? |
We didn't mount any magnets to the van. We just taped them to the Reflectix and they stick to the van body around the windows. _________________ Tom, Juanita, Iggy & Abbey the Dirty Desert Dogs
2.1 L 87 Syncro
KD0ALU
________oo_oo
/ /__/___[_____\
I I======[]IIIII[]
()_)------()_)----)_) |
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syncromike Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2011 Posts: 660 Location: Boise, ID
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Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 1:42 pm Post subject: |
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Syncronicity wrote: |
Quote: |
Tom, where are your magnets on the van? |
We didn't mount any magnets to the van. We just taped them to the Reflectix and they stick to the van body around the windows. |
Hmmm, wish I would've checked out your setup at SS. I tried that at first and my front door windows are like that but on many of the windows it would sag too much and not hold the reflectix to the glass well.
Pics of your panels showing the tape would be helpful. Going back to your original post about patterns. Similar to what SL1 said, I have an iPhone app called "My Measures" that lets you take a photo and then annotate it up with measurements. Here's a quick one I did of some measurements behind my driver seat for a kitchen pod.
*DON'T trust those measurements, I didn't have a metric ruler and I added some fudge factor on some of them.
_________________ _____________________
'91 Syncro w/ Country Homes PopTop |
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rcook52459 Samba Member
Joined: August 24, 2011 Posts: 492 Location: PORTLAND ORE
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Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 4:19 pm Post subject: |
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I just used packing tape on the magnets to the reflectix.have put on and taken off at least 50 times.no problem _________________ 85 westy tiico conversion.auto trans triumph TR250 1980 Suzuki GS1000l |
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IdahoDoug Samba Member
Joined: June 12, 2010 Posts: 10248 Location: N. Idaho
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Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 5:02 pm Post subject: |
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Sorry for the hijack, but I used good suction cups, making a tiny slit and then forcing the back through that by determined force. Placed away from the radius of each window's corners, and with the covers a half inch bigger than the window, this strategy means the covers are held tightly against the borders of the window. Which in turn means there is a very tight seal and no light leakage. On a sunny day it is virtually black inside my vehicle. Also, placed correctly, the covers on the sliders allow the sliders to be opened, and also the crank down front windows to be cracked with the covers still in place.
Worth considering. These covers are worth making. Carry on.
DougM _________________ 1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader |
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tschroeder0 Samba Member
Joined: April 14, 2008 Posts: 2096 Location: Boulder CO
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Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 5:14 pm Post subject: |
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Where did you source the good suction cups?
Thanks. |
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scottjk Samba Member
Joined: May 31, 2006 Posts: 485 Location: Salt Lake City, UT
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Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 5:35 pm Post subject: Magnets |
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Thanks for the guide book hookup. That run through Long Canyon before we went home was EPIC!
Magnets are the only way to go... I'm glad I saw yours... especially after my wife kept complaining about snagging here clothes on the velcro patches I had stuck to the windows to hold our shades up. _________________ 1985 Westfalia 2.5L EJ |
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dhaavers Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2010 Posts: 7753 Location: NE MN (tinyurl.com/dhaaverslocation)
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Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 6:40 pm Post subject: |
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How about magnets around the perimeter, plus one suction
cup in the middle to keep it tight to the window...??? _________________ 86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS> |
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Syncronicity Samba Member
Joined: March 09, 2009 Posts: 839 Location: Glenwood Springs, CO
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Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 8:24 pm Post subject: |
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We really dislike the suction cups. Too cold they wouldn't stick, too wet they wouldn't stick, too dry they wouldn't stick, got deformed while stored and wouldn't stick, left spit rings on all the windows. I have heard that some people have had great luck with them. Maybe I got a bad batch.
We made the covers for the sliders so that the magnets align to fold them back to open the slider. _________________ Tom, Juanita, Iggy & Abbey the Dirty Desert Dogs
2.1 L 87 Syncro
KD0ALU
________oo_oo
/ /__/___[_____\
I I======[]IIIII[]
()_)------()_)----)_) |
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IdahoDoug Samba Member
Joined: June 12, 2010 Posts: 10248 Location: N. Idaho
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Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 8:37 pm Post subject: |
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I got the clear suction cups at Home Despot. They work ideally. I've got covers I made 4 years ago for another vehicle and it has been in both desert conditions and also in very cold winter camping temps of night/day 5/18 ranges with nary a flop. My experience is with clean windows and clean suction cups it's fool proof.
Regarding the lineup of magnets to flip a flap rearward. I actually spaced my suction cups so that the window shade remains fully in place at full size, but BEHIND it we could open the sliders. So you retained full privacy but could get constant air exchange. I like your idea as well, just wanted to clarify thats how I did it. My girls would not want even a slit open, which I knew and it worked. All I did was mound the suction cups in the corners of the moving window part an extra inch away from the edge that would be open. Then you open the window a slit and the suction cups grab the window and you're done. The edge of the window shade was also available to grab and intentionally buckle if you wanted more air exchange.
I also put little paper labels on mine "driver's vent" "rear hatch", etc for quick install by flashlight. Ah man, I've gotta get out camping...
DougM _________________ 1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader |
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Racerrojo Samba Member
Joined: August 01, 2006 Posts: 827 Location: ALBUQUERQUE 87120
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Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 8:41 pm Post subject: |
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rcook52459 wrote: |
I just used packing tape on the magnets to the reflectix.have put on and taken off at least 50 times.no problem |
same here
_________________ Tight is tight... too tight is expensive!!!!
Too many vans and mostly all projects |
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madspaniard Samba Member
Joined: August 18, 2008 Posts: 3795 Location: Alameda, CA
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Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 8:46 pm Post subject: |
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I also hate suction cups. Plus I really don't want to take them off the reflective blankets when packing them and if I leave the suction cups in place in the blankets they take more space if you want to pack the blankets compact. The magnets don't give you that problem. _________________ 1991 Westy auto w/ Peloquin TBD
"The only difference between me and a madman is that I'm not mad” - Salvador Dali |
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shadetreetim Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2011 Posts: 1994 Location: Riverside, California
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Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 8:53 pm Post subject: |
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Those look good Tom. When I saw your Syncro in the pictures from Syncro Solstice I wondered if you had sourced any magnets yet.
syncromike wrote: |
Syncronicity wrote: |
Quote: |
Tom, where are your magnets on the van? |
We didn't mount any magnets to the van. We just taped them to the Reflectix and they stick to the van body around the windows. |
Hmmm, wish I would've checked out your setup at SS. I tried that at first and my front door windows are like that but on many of the windows it would sag too much and not hold the reflectix to the glass well. |
You just need a magnet every 8 inches or so and they won't sag. That and the fit needs to be just right to lay the magnets naturally along the metal.
_________________ Tim Potts
Doing my best every time I drive it to dispel the myth these Vanagons have to be slow!
'89 Vanagon Bluestar/Country Homes 1.8T & .77 4th
'74 Jeep CJ5 |
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