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removable screens for sliding windows
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VJP5
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 09, 2021 9:09 am    Post subject: removable screens for sliding windows Reply with quote

Has anyone purchased these from The Bus Depot?

https://www.busdepot.com/aw704rs

Since there are no reviews, I thought I would ask first. Are the magnets strong enough to hold if it's windy? Can you get it flush enough so bugs can't enter from the edges?

This seems like a great night time option for getting some air into the van.

Thanks
Vince
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TopBud
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 09, 2021 4:17 pm    Post subject: Re: removable screens for sliding windows Reply with quote

We just made screens for our van. We are traveling to a buggy area and these have worked great. We also made the "rain shields." We have tested both of these on this trip and they work, they are not perfect, but a ton cheaper than the ones that are available. Photos to follow.

I am having a difficult time uploading photos. They are just like the ones posted but without the duct tape.
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Last edited by TopBud on Wed Jun 09, 2021 5:35 pm; edited 1 time in total
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mikemtnbike
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 09, 2021 4:45 pm    Post subject: Re: removable screens for sliding windows Reply with quote

Take a piece of window screen and cut it slightly larger than the window opening. Frame it in duct tape back to back with rare earth magnets in between the two layers just on the corners and a couple on the middle is plenty. Stores small and light and works great.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.



Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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Gnarlodious Premium Member
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 09, 2021 5:18 pm    Post subject: Re: removable screens for sliding windows Reply with quote

I got ones like pictured, I don’t remember where, but they are labeled “Made in Texas” with the lone star flag conspicuously showing. Not sure why they were so proud. They have magnets sewn into the border, which unfortunately there are not enough. The border buckles and mosquitoes find their way in. I still use them but need to add extra magnets to where they are lacking.

Also I found it annoying that the magnets are randomly sewn inside the border. This makes for difficult folding and storage, since the darn thing need to be twisted unnaturally to lie flatly folded.

No you cannot drive with them on the outside, they will blow off on the road. You can drive at full road speed with them on the inside, and they will blow off, but won’t get lost.

It may be that the Bus Depot ones are better designed.
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VJP5
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 10, 2021 6:47 am    Post subject: Re: removable screens for sliding windows Reply with quote

Thank you all for responding. I am not planning on using them for driving, just for when camping. My wind comment was with respect to the strength of the magnets if it's windy when parked. If the magnets are weak, I can see a strong wind blowing these off in the middle of the night. Sadly, I am a mosquito magnet so everyone else loves when I'm camping with them. They are all safe but me Shocked

Top - Hope you can load the pictures so I can see your version.

Mike - I may go that route as I do not have easy access to a sewing machine.

Gnarl - Your concern is exactly the same as mine. If the screen does not hold flush to the surface, mosquitos will find their way in.
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mikemtnbike
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 10, 2021 7:18 am    Post subject: Re: removable screens for sliding windows Reply with quote

Use "rare earth" aka neodymium magnets, the ~ dime-sized ones, and they are more than strong enough to hold the homemade screens flat on the van and in very high-winds, I've been out when winds were sustained above 40 mph, no worries (for the screens at least). I live in the Southeast, so mosquito and no-see-um tested, both disapproved of the screens.
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vanis13
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 10, 2021 7:22 am    Post subject: Re: removable screens for sliding windows Reply with quote

VJP5 - this is an interesting project.

If you don't make something yourself maybe we can work together to create something even better than offered. I already create some interesting vanagon products www.SuperVanagon.com I am thinking a continual metal tape so all edges adhere to teh door and avoid the gaps that the Mosquitos seem to find....maybe you cover materials and I'll cover design/creation/sewing, etc.

FWIW, if I was in your shoes, making one easily/quickly, I'd do the duct tape around the edges solution. If you do that, use thinner (cheaper) ductape so its not too think to affect the magnet holding power and make sure you align two sides extremely well otherwise you'll have sticky gooey stuff especially in hot weather.

VJP5 wrote:
Thank you all for responding. I am not planning on using them for driving, just for when camping. My wind comment was with respect to the strength of the magnets if it's windy when parked. If the magnets are weak, I can see a strong wind blowing these off in the middle of the night. Sadly, I am a mosquito magnet so everyone else loves when I'm camping with them. They are all safe but me Shocked

Top - Hope you can load the pictures so I can see your version.

Mike - I may go that route as I do not have easy access to a sewing machine.

Gnarl - Your concern is exactly the same as mine. If the screen does not hold flush to the surface, mosquitos will find their way in.

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Gnarlodious Premium Member
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 8:42 pm    Post subject: Re: removable screens for sliding windows Reply with quote

What follows is my exhaustive dissertation on window screens.
vanis13 wrote:
I am thinking a continual metal tape so all edges adhere to the door and avoid the gaps that the Mosquitos seem to find
While experimenting I made my own screens out of green surplus military jungle tent, which has a super great thin screen that passes air nicely. For a fastener I used the “magnet tape”, the sticky backed rubbery stuff you get in a roll. It worked very well on the van, however storage was impossible since the rubbery magnet strip can’t be folded. In any case, the magnetic effect is weak with that stuff.

Another factor is that magnets sewn inside the cloth edge are one layer removed from the steel surface, and often the van inside has some vinyl material on the steel too. Ideally you would glue the magnets directly onto the cloth fringe of the screen, so it would hold better. I don’t know if that would work in the long term, as most glue decomposes over time. There are also magnets with a hole in the center that could be riveted to the fringe.

I can also report that some years ago I bought some nice front window screens from selectvwparts.com, however that website is not responding. These screens were better made, but I had three complaints about them.
First, the magnets were randomly sewn in so the screens were difficult to store.
Second, the fringe of the screen was a tough high quality vinyl naugahyde, however under magnetic pressure, after a few days in the hot sun the stuff stuck to the metal and pulling it off removed the surface of the vinyl, which stuck to the van.
Third, the screen material is white, which is usually fine except when the sun is hitting it, in which case it is impossible to see out. I have not had this problem with black screen.

I have an idea for a screen that I haven’t built. This type of screen would need to be removed to close the window. It would use the spring steel circumference from the foldable spring-loaded window sunshades, the one that comes twisted in 3 layers. If you take one apart, it has a strong thin strip of flat steel inside. This spring could be used to sew or glue screen material onto. The spring steel needs to be a loop joined with a ferrule, probably a short piece of copper tube crimped tight. Being spring loaded it would compress and pop inside the three channels of the open glass frame. The fourth side would probably hold itself aginst the inside aluminum vertical just fine, in my estimation. Or you could glue magnets onto the aluminum, since the spring steel is magnetic.

I think I have all the materials, maybe tomorrow I’ll see what I can throw together.
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OldSpice
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 13, 2021 10:36 pm    Post subject: Re: removable screens for sliding windows Reply with quote

Funny I see this post now because last night I had the most hell filled night in my van ever. I encountered my first run in with no-see-ums which are so Small they made their way right through the screen windows and bit me all night long. It’s highly on my list to make an attachable super fine mesh screen maybe with magnets
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dobryan
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 14, 2021 5:34 am    Post subject: Re: removable screens for sliding windows Reply with quote

You can do something like this. I do not see any need to have a border sew on the netting.

The neo magnets hold verry firmly. I can even use them through the glass, one on each side.


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