Land Rover ideas for Jeeps

[jscherb]

I like the idea of the organizers that hang from someplace on the vehicle or perhaps on a tree. I also liked the work surface/table that was part of the "Canvas Kitchen" in the previous post although I don't like the design because the angle isn't adjustable in case it isn't hanging level. I wanted to use those features but also have a convenient way to store and carry the organizer, something like a tote bag that could zip open and hang, so I came up with one basic design that I used to make three different organizers.

First I did a kitchen organizer.

It can hang on the hardtop window using suction cups.

It stows nicely between the back seat and the front of the Trail Kitchen:

Then I did a toiletry bag. Zipped, it looks like this:

I did a work surface/table in this one, it's got a good size glass mirror, places to hold TSA-sized toiletry bottles plus a number of pockets on the inside and on both sides of the outside to hold whatever you might need. Here it is hanging from the hardtop and from a tree:

The third one is a first aid bag.

All three of the bags...

Photos in the Land Rover magazines started me along the path to designing and sewing all of them.

 

[jgaz]

Received any feedback as far as interest from any company about bringing the first aid bag to market?

For my larger kit, Im currently using a Cabelas hanging toiletry kit that I found in their bargain cave.



I like the individual pockets on your design better. Not to mention the material I’m sure is way more durable

 

[jscherb]

Received any feedback as far as interest from any company about bringing the first aid bag to market?

...

I like the individual pockets on your design better. Not to mention the material I’m sure is way more durable

Thanks. The fabric is 20 oz. cotton duck canvas and the pockets are made from reinforced transparent plastic (you can see the reinforcement grid in the pocket material in the photos). I think the bag will hold up pretty well.

Yes, a company has told me they plan to make all 3 of the bags part of their "Spring Line." I expect they'll work to get preproduction samples done by the end of the year and typically they send me samples to verify and approve, so when I get them I'll post photos.

 

[jscherb]

More "soft goods"...

A cutlery organizer, hanging from the roof drip rail in this photo from one of the magazines:

About two years ago I designed what I called the "Cutlery Keeper", it was specifically sized to fit with the Outback Adventures Trailgater tailgate tables. One is installed on this tailgate behind the Trailgater table:

After seeing the Land Rover photo above, I tried it on the side window of the hardtop, hanging on suction cups. Worked great there.

When rolled up it fits very nicely in an Overland Outfitters roll bar bag so it can stow out of the way on the roll bar somewhere.

 

[jscherb]

I don't know how many Jeep people will be adding a sewing machine to their tool collection, but since the subject of sewing machines came up the other day, I'll post a few tips.

For people interested in learning to do sewing on things like soft tops, check out sailrite.com. They're a retailer of sewing supplies mainly to the marine market and they have lots of instructional videos on topics that are useful for Jeep work - sewing windows into canvas sailboat dodgers, for example - I use their method for sewing windows into my Jeep roll-up soft sides.

Here's a tip to make sewing large things like soft top parts and tent parts easier and more accurate. This is my other sewing machine btw, but this idea can apply to any machine - I built an extension table that makes it much easier to feed large panels through the machine. It's just a piece of old formica countertop with a cutout to go around the sewing machine and legs to raise the top of the panel to the level of the sewing machine platform.

The extension also makes sewing bags like the ones I posted earlier a lot easier and more accurate. In the later stages of assembly you're usually trying to feed a partially sewn bag assembly through the machine and if it's larger than the platform on the machine it'll want to move around while it's being sewn. With the extension the entire bag can be on the flat surface and can be fed through the machine much more reliably.

I'm happy to provide more guidance or advice anyone needs if they want to start sewing overlanding accessories.

 

[Jurfie]

I don't know how many Jeep people will be adding a sewing machine to their tool collection, but since the subject of sewing machines came up the other day, I'll post a few tips.

For people interested in learning to do sewing on things like soft tops, check out sailrite.com. They're a retailer of sewing supplies mainly to the marine market and they have lots of instructional videos on topics that are useful for Jeep work - sewing windows into canvas sailboat dodgers, for example - I use their method for sewing windows into my Jeep roll-up soft sides.

Here's a tip to make sewing large things like soft top parts and tent parts easier and more accurate. This is my other sewing machine btw, but this idea can apply to any machine - I built an extension table that makes it much easier to feed large panels through the machine. It's just a piece of old formica countertop with a cutout to go around the sewing machine and legs to raise the top of the panel to the level of the sewing machine platform.

The extension also makes sewing bags like the ones I posted earlier a lot easier and more accurate. In the later stages of assembly you're usually trying to feed a partially sewn bag assembly through the machine and if it's larger than the platform on the machine it'll want to move around while it's being sewn. With the extension the entire bag can be on the flat surface and can be fed through the machine much more reliably.

I'm happy to provide more guidance or advice anyone needs if they want to start sewing overlanding accessories.

I‘d LOVE to try my hand at sewing when I retire. I’ve got lots of ideas now, but little time! I actually enjoyed learning to sew in Home Econ in high school (~30 years ago), but i wish the teacher had made it “cool“ for guys (and gals who aren’t into sewing clothes) by discussing how useful a skill it would be to make gear for cars, bags, upholstery, tops, etc.

Not sure what it is like these days, but “back in my day” (gosh, I AM getting old!), we were required to take “Home Economics”...cooking and sewing. Two skills that as a “cool guy” I wasn’t allowed to enjoy (cared way too much what people thought of me back then), but wish I was better at now!

 

[jscherb]

I‘d LOVE to try my hand at sewing when I retire. I’ve got lots of ideas now, but little time! I actually enjoyed learning to sew in Home Econ in high school (~30 years ago), but i wish the teacher had made it “cool“ for guys (and gals who aren’t into sewing clothes) by discussing how useful a skill it would be to make gear for cars, bags, upholstery, tops, etc.

Not sure what it is like these days, but “back in my day” (gosh, I AM getting old!), we were required to take “Home Economics”...cooking and sewing. Two skills that as a “cool guy” I wasn’t allowed to enjoy (cared way too much what people thought of me back then), but wish I was better at now!

I took cooking in high school but not sewing. For sewing I'm self taught - reading books, watching sailrite.com videos and experimenting. I'm still learning, I bought another book last week. I think I've reached a pretty good level of competence in sewing Jeep accessories, but I'm always striving for perfection so there's more to learn and practice with each new project.

If you've got lots of ideas for sewing, why not share some of the Jeep/camping/overlanding ones here? Maybe some will get sewn .

 

[krick3tt]

When I was first divorced and had to 'suddenly be on my own' two things I bought were a Wok and a sewing machine. Learned to cook in the Wok and to sew. Two very necessary skills to make it the world.
Like many places guys were looked down on if they didn't take shop and tried to take home making classes instead, so very wrong. Some of the best chefs are men.

 

[rnArmy]

More "soft goods"...

A cutlery organizer, hanging from the roof drip rail in this photo from one of the magazines:

About two years ago I designed what I called the "Cutlery Keeper", it was specifically sized to fit with the Outback Adventures Trailgater tailgate tables. One is installed on this tailgate behind the Trailgater table:

After seeing the Land Rover photo above, I tried it on the side window of the hardtop, hanging on suction cups. Worked great there.

When rolled up it fits very nicely in an Overland Outfitters roll bar bag so it can stow out of the way on the roll bar somewhere.

Now that I could use. Did anyone pick it up to manufacture?

 

[jscherb]

Now that I could use. Did anyone pick it up to manufacture?

Yes, the Cutlery Keeper and the Roll Bar Bag are available from Overland Outfitters (https://www.overland-outfitters.com/). They've got an email mailing list which I belong to and the other day they emailed a Black Friday sale code (I just checked and the code is also on their home page too). I think you can sign up for the mailing list on their home page too, that's how I did it a while back.

 

[oldnslow]

I‘d LOVE to try my hand at sewing when I retire. I’ve got lots of ideas now, but little time! I actually enjoyed learning to sew in Home Econ in high school (~30 years ago), but i wish the teacher had made it “cool“ for guys (and gals who aren’t into sewing clothes) by discussing how useful a skill it would be to make gear for cars, bags, upholstery, tops, etc.

Not sure what it is like these days, but “back in my day” (gosh, I AM getting old!), we were required to take “Home Economics”...cooking and sewing. Two skills that as a “cool guy” I wasn’t allowed to enjoy (cared way too much what people thought of me back then), but wish I was better at now!

You are not that old, when I was in high school guys were not allowed to take Home Ec. We could take shop or a language, only one elective per year. I took shop and learned a lot of useful skills, but cooking and sewing were not among them.

 

[Jurfie]

You are not that old, when I was in high school guys were not allowed to take Home Ec. We could take shop or a language, only one elective per year. I took shop and learned a lot of useful skills, but cooking and sewing were not among them.

Yeah...but we were REQUIRED to take Home Ec! As a self-proclaimed "cool guy" back then, my machismo wouldn't have allowed me to take it. I did take shop, which included auto repair, woodworking, and metalworking. I also recall taking an electrical course that included making circuit boards and we were required to take a language, too.

Being from Canada, it was mandatory to take French up to Grade 8, then we could switch - I switched to Japanese for Grades 9-12 and did an exchange to Japan for a month. Great experience that I certainly do not regret, but I wish I spoke more French now that I'm older. My last trip across Canada made me realize how much I am lacking when going through Quebec! Thankfully, most Quebecois speak English as well and were gracious when I fumbled to speak French.

Anyways...sorry for derailing your thread @jscherb ! Please excuse the ramblings of a "practicing" old man. Now get off my lawn!! (How am I doing?)

 

[jscherb]

Intermittent Rear Wiper

I use the rear wiper/washer regularly, so much that it was a required feature when I designed both my LJ and JKU Safari Cab hardtops. This is the wiper/washer on the LJ Safari Cab:

A nice feature of the JKU is an intermittent wiper. It's a factory feature and it works with the wiper motor I used on my JKU Safari Cab rear barn door, but the TJ/LJ never came with an intermittent feature for the rear wiper. It's really useful for light rain and especially in the snow as road spray coats the rear window with salt. If you want to add an intermittent feature for your TJ/LJ rear wiper, Retronics in the U.K. has a DIY kit to add the feature.

They're at https://retronicsonline.com/. Prices are in GBP and the site says to contact them for shipping to other countries, so I wrote them and asked about shipping to the U.S. Their reply:

Hi Jeff,

Additional postage cost to the USA is £10.00 GBP, bringing the total cost to £64.99 GBP.
This can simply be paid via PayPal to this email address (retronics.uk@gmail.com).

Regards,

Andy Winters.
Director, Retronics Ltd.

This is a less expensive option available over here: https://store.qkits.com/wind-shield-wiper-timer-module-mxa041.html but it doesn't come with a case so there's some additional DIY necessary to get it installed and working.

 

[jscherb]

Another wiper idea... people who mount HiLift jacks on their hood hinges often discover that the jack obscures the wiper nozzle so they can no longer wash their windshield. Here's a fix for that:

 

[jscherb]

I'm posting this one because I really like the matte tan finish and matching soft top.

The color is very similar to the factory Jeep "Spice" color from the CJ and YJ; I liked that color so much I used it on my JKU Safari Cab: