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childofthewind Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2010 Posts: 763 Location: Eastern Sierra
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Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 3:25 pm Post subject: mosquito screens (DIY?) |
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howdy. i'm about to move back to mosquito infested new england for the summer and have been contemplating getting a set of mosquito screen/doors for my 87 wolfsburg hardtop. i would be happy with one for the sliding door and rear hatch. i see bus depot and go westy have some nice looking ones but so spendy. have any of you made your own? how did you go about it? just wondering if the DIY route is, in this case, a major pain as opposed to buying them.
thanks! _________________ 1987.5 wolfsburg hardtop; 2.1
“As for me, I am tormented with an everlasting itch for things remote." - Melville |
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VWeGoBeachNow Samba Member
Joined: May 12, 2010 Posts: 197 Location: CRUISING DOWN PCH IN THE OC
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Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 3:57 pm Post subject: |
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Home depot or Lowe's is your friend. I'll be making my own driver and passenger side screens pretty soon. _________________ 88 Wolfsburg Limited Edition Vanagon GL Tin Top
Vesuve Grey underneath cheapo Vesuve Grey paint job
2.1 L
4spd |
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DAIZEE Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2010 Posts: 7552 Location: Greater Toronto Area Ontario West Side
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Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:00 pm Post subject: |
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Someone posted in the past year about making their own (quite simple) and easy to stash in the front door vents. Try searching in the Vanagon Forum. I'm planning on making them as I simply don't tolerate any bug bites. _________________ '09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold) |
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jackbombay Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2007 Posts: 2723 Location: Eastern Idaho
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Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:04 pm Post subject: |
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A fabric store will have thinner more flexible screen material than home depot. You can make a "sock" that slips over the top of your front doors and then you can roll down the windows as needed. Sewing magnets every ~6" or so along the bottom inside edge of the screen will keep it "sealed" to the door.
Hope this helps _________________
Gas struts to pop your top easily!
Pop Top strut kits now available for late Bay window Westies
Samba ad here.
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DAIZEE Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2010 Posts: 7552 Location: Greater Toronto Area Ontario West Side
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Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:11 pm Post subject: |
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yes, that's the design I was referring too, really simple to make but as you say you need lite netting not screening material. _________________ '09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold) |
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PDXWesty Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2006 Posts: 6247 Location: Portland OR
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Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:11 pm Post subject: |
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I screen for the slider will be much harder to make. I would suggest you actually invest in a rear hatch screen. I've sold them before used. Perhaps you could find one in the classifieds, otherwise it's a good investment to buy the actual screen.
Here's one:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1092520 _________________ 89 Westy 2.1 Auto |
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childofthewind Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2010 Posts: 763 Location: Eastern Sierra
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Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:18 pm Post subject: |
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PDXWesty wrote: |
I screen for the slider will be much harder to make. I would suggest you actually invest in a rear hatch screen. I've sold them before used. Perhaps you could find one in the classifieds, otherwise it's a good investment to buy the actual screen. |
i think you're right, in thinking about it. i'm not as crafty with the sewing machine as a lot of girls are (i really should be!). i think the rear hatch can work with some magnets but i like the idea of the zipper on the sliding door and think it could end up being a headache to make my own.
if any of you want to sell any, let me know! i'm heading east mid may. _________________ 1987.5 wolfsburg hardtop; 2.1
“As for me, I am tormented with an everlasting itch for things remote." - Melville |
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childofthewind Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2010 Posts: 763 Location: Eastern Sierra
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Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:20 pm Post subject: |
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oh and thanks, pdxwesty; i just noticed the link you gave and shot them an email. looks perfect, even without the zipper, which the newer ones come with. _________________ 1987.5 wolfsburg hardtop; 2.1
“As for me, I am tormented with an everlasting itch for things remote." - Melville |
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PDXWesty Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2006 Posts: 6247 Location: Portland OR
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jackbombay Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2007 Posts: 2723 Location: Eastern Idaho
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Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:30 pm Post subject: |
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A screen for the slider isn't too bad to make, screw one edge up behind the headliner (the 1/8" ply) and have magnets sewed (or glued to the screen for that matter) along the other 3 edges, when not in use tie it up with a couple pieces of string that can get wrapped around a couple of the headliner screws. _________________
Gas struts to pop your top easily!
Pop Top strut kits now available for late Bay window Westies
Samba ad here.
DIY artificial rain gutters (ARGs) |
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kamzcab86 Samba Moderator
Joined: July 26, 2008 Posts: 7923 Location: Arizona
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Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 6:03 pm Post subject: |
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I made my own slider screen using screen from Home Depot (they have many screen types to choose from):
Strong magnets are along the edges.
Second owner made front door screens, which I modified: put magnets along the bottom. Don't have a good pic of them on the van; this is the best I can do for now:
Will eventually modify them again and put magnets along the remaining 3 edges to get rid of the "pocket". _________________ ~Kamz
1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子 |
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climberjohn Samba Member
Joined: January 11, 2005 Posts: 1840 Location: Portland Orygun
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Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 6:11 pm Post subject: |
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Personally, here in the not-humid pacific NW I never camp with the rear hatch up for more than a few minutes of gear loading/unloading.
Perhaps it'd be smart to really look at your camping style to see how much time you'd really spend parked with the rear hatch open, before you buy a rear screen.
-CJ _________________ '86 Westy, 2.5 Subaru power
Know your limits. Exceed them often.
Last edited by climberjohn on Tue May 03, 2011 11:41 am; edited 1 time in total |
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childofthewind Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2010 Posts: 763 Location: Eastern Sierra
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Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 6:21 pm Post subject: |
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strong point, climberjohn. i'll be doing a lot of sleeping in my van on cape cod this summer where it's warm enough to invite a cool breeze through the van. maybe having the side door and windows open will be just as well.. but i was thinking i would be pleased with the hatch and sliding door; seems simpler than getting/making screens for all the windows.
i love all of the pictures. thanks. _________________ 1987.5 wolfsburg hardtop; 2.1
“As for me, I am tormented with an everlasting itch for things remote." - Melville |
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davevickery Samba Member
Joined: July 16, 2005 Posts: 2887 Location: Fort Collins, CO
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Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 7:36 pm Post subject: |
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When it is hot and muggy, sleeping with the rear hatch open is awesome. I provides a nice breeze that none of the other openings can provide.
I would get a (used) stock westy rear screen and a package of snaps and figure out a way to mount it. The top is easy, you can mount into the A/C covers and the sides, you can probably figures something out. The bottome doesn't need snaps.
I used a bug netting on the slider before. It was just an oversized piece of netting (from army/navy store or someplace) and I closed the top of the passenger door on one end and draped the other end around the sliding door hanger. It stayed tight enough at the top and hung down past the floor so bugs didn't get in. It was cheap and easy to crumple up and store anywhere. The real ones look nice, but this had some advantages. It wasn't attached so my dog could jump out whenever he wanted. |
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Volksaholic Samba Member
Joined: December 26, 2005 Posts: 1771 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
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Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 8:50 pm Post subject: |
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If you buy a used one make sure it will work with your van. I've got an '88 Wolfsburg and a Vanagon Westy hatch screen... it's too small since I don't have the same A/C and cabinets. I don't know what year it's from... that might make a difference.
The rear hatch screen is pretty easy. I made one in a couple hours from run-of-the-mill window screen. I'm going to remake it a little bigger though, and sew in the magnets. I was just sticking it to the frame with rare-earth magnets last Summer.
I also had some J-hooks kicking around so I made a rear hatch prop that kicks the hatch open about 6" but still allows it to lock. Between the prop and screen, Summer sleeping is SO MUCH more comfy!
Paul _________________ 1988 Wolfsburg Edition, 2001 Subaru EJ251 |
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Jedi Samba Member
Joined: October 23, 2007 Posts: 734 Location: Cool California
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Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 8:52 pm Post subject: |
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http://www.gowesty.com/ec_search_results.php?search_phrase=screen _________________ 1961 Westfalia SO23 Mango Green/Seagull grey
1961 Westfalia SO34 T/BW
1961 Westfalia SO34 SWR
1964 Westfalia SO33 pearl white
1965 Westfalia SO42 Velvet green
1986 Syncro Wolfram grey with black int GL
1986 Syncro Doka
1987 Syncro Sevana beige Adventurewagen
1987 syncro Sevana beige GL
1973 Pumpkin orange Thing
2 1963 Rag top bug's
1965 Manx
1970 Single cab
1971 combi
1990 Vanagon GL
2007 Audi A4 3.2L quattro |
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ALIKA T3 Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2009 Posts: 6357 Location: Honolulu,Hawaii and France
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Timwhy Samba Member
Joined: January 01, 2009 Posts: 4002 Location: Maine
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Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2011 2:58 am Post subject: |
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X2 for the rear and slider screens + a couple for the front windows. We were pretty lucky
last summer, really no bugs as a lack of snow in the winter. It won't be the case this year.
So I'd suggest, get those screens "cause you are going to need them. I also second/third
the rear hatch support. I use mine all the time, nothing like a little cross breeze in the Westy.
Rear Hatch Screen lengthened and snaps applied to keep it in place.
The snaps were added after this pic was taken.
Slider screen with snaps on bottom to keep in place,
Front window screens.
_________________ '15 Audi A3 Quattro
'09 VW Tiguan (dead)
'87 VW Westy
'91 Tin Top
'90 Cabby
What the Westy wants the Westy GETS
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_search.php?search_author=Timwhy&show_results=summary
http://www.youtube.com/user/TIMWHY2?feature=mhee |
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SteveVanB Samba Member
Joined: June 01, 2008 Posts: 1645 Location: This side of Daytona
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childofthewind Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2010 Posts: 763 Location: Eastern Sierra
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Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2011 6:07 am Post subject: |
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Timwhy wrote: |
X2 for the rear and slider screens + a couple for the front windows. We were pretty lucky
last summer, really no bugs as a lack of snow in the winter. It won't be the case this year.
So I'd suggest, get those screens "cause you are going to need them. I also second/third
the rear hatch support. I use mine all the time, nothing like a little cross breeze in the Westy.
Rear Hatch Screen lengthened and snaps applied to keep it in place.
The snaps were added after this pic was taken.
Slider screen with snaps on bottom to keep in place,
Front window screens.
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yes to the the cross breeze... especially considering i have a hardtop so won't get air from the pop top. hey, what did you snap the bottom of the sliding door screen to? it looks like it's a little above the inside floor.
i love the idea of having the hatch door open just a little bit if having it wide open isn't an option. is there any actual name to the things you all have crafted to make this work or did you make them yourselves? sorry... i should probably know what they are but i haven't really seen it before. _________________ 1987.5 wolfsburg hardtop; 2.1
“As for me, I am tormented with an everlasting itch for things remote." - Melville |
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