Screen Door

[Midget]

So I got this idea of putting a screen door on the Midget. Due to the Midget design, the top of the door is curved and also the way we set up the window and window treatments, a full sized screen door wouldn't fit. My design grey cells got in gear and I came up with a folding unit that hinged below the door knob. When you wanted the screen door, it would fold up to full height and fill the door opening. I used Oak to build it and after a little wood work and welding to create hinges, I had it attached and ready to go for our outing to the vintage car races this past weekend. The first night it worked good, not great but it worked. We were able to sleep with the door open as it had been up to 93 degrees that day. The next morning I was fiddling with it and one of the wood pieces broke off so I removed it and into the scrap pile it goes.

Now it's time to design another. This one will be full height. I'm going to modify our window/treatment set up. I didn't want to post anything while building my folding disaster but this one should be simpler so I'll take pictures along the way. Next camping trip will be the IRG so I'm shooting to have it done by then. Stay tuned!

Bob

[Midget]

We have the small crank out windows on both sides of the trailer plus a roof vent with a bathroom fan. The windows are too small to really help with ventilation and the fan is very noisy. We camp with our dog so leaving the door open is not an option. Thus the idea for a screen door. I go get the wood this afternoon and will post pics as I build. The one I built was stained oak and looked really vintage.

Bob

[rowerwet]

rather than make a second door to get the air flow, I made my wiley widows as large as possible. with the glass tipped in I get 1/3 of the opening size, with the glass removed I have a 17x23" screen window.

the inner window frame only hangs 6" into the cabin, no enough to get in the way in a teardrop.

You could do the same thing to your existing door with two wiley windows in it, one above the other to get the screen door effect with no extra parts to stow.

[Chinookered]

Bob,

One thought would be to have a free hanging magnetic screen instead of a folding door. I'm sure you've seen the infomercials for the full sized screens for sliding glass doors that just "snap" together with magnets. I was thinking an idea of that for my TD. It would be a curtain style that I could retract and tie back if I wanted to, or it would just stick to magnets I had glued to the inside of my interior wall to keep the bugs out. Anyway, just one more idea for the grey cells to ponder.

-Craig

[Midget]

Craig,
I had thought about the magnets too. I also thought about the type that slides across the opening and secures to one side but due to the curve of the door top it didn't seem to work. Plus we wanted to make sure our dog didn't jump through it if a critter passed by at night. I'm starting a sliding wood deck gate for the in-laws patio and then will be jumping into the screen door again.

[Ron Dickey]

cozy Cruzer also has one also photographed at IRG 2014





midget had to make their own hinges

Cozy Cruser manufactured theirs.

[Ron Dickey]

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=56673
other site with subject of screen doors.

Here is Midget's screen door.





Ron

[Midget]

We finished the screen door right before IRG. Still have some adjustments to make. I had routed slots in the wood for the door knob panel to slide back and forth. The damp air swelled the wood too much and it stuck. Last weekend I checked it and it slides fine now that we're back in the low humidity and heat again. A little more sanding and maybe some wax will help it slide. It was nice to have it as we slept with the door open on the way home a couple nights and the cooler air was much appreciated.

Bob