Camper Shell Curtains

Sorry if there is already a thread on this, but I couldn't find much info on what other people are doing for curtain setups in their shells. I got an A.R.E CX installed a few weeks ago and am working on building out a sleeping platform this weekend. Hoping to make some sort of blackout curtain and am wondering what creative solutions people have done.

Cheers

 

reflectix works great.

 

Lots of options depending on how you want to install them. My last shell wasn't lined so I made hooks that were secured by the window frame screws. The curtains had a piece of 550 cord sewn in the top that tied to the hooks. For the current shell I have some Reflectix screens that press into place on the sides and use sticky packed Velcro on the front and back. They roll up but they're still not very compact. I'd made some blackout curtains that had Velcro along the top of them but I can't find them after my last move. I'm not a huge fan of sticking Velcro to the carpet in the shell so I've been trying to locate some aluminum RV curtain tracks with the intention of bolting them in; that'll require drilling of course but no big deal with a dab of marine sealant. This is what I want but I can't find it for what I consider a reasonable price with shipping: https://www.curtain-tracks.com/recmar-3294-8-aluminum-curtain-track-8-ft.html

One of my friends used a hot glue gun to glue some washers to his shell then has magnets sewn into his curtains; super simple to put up or remove. If I can't find aluminum track then I may go this route; I figure the plastic will need more bolts to hold it in place than the aluminum.

Last time I priced blackout cloth it ended up being cheaper for me to buy a set of blackout curtains from Walmart and cut them into the sizes I needed.

 

Thanks for all the ideas @Bajatacoma !! I may just go with the velcro route since that seems the easiest. Kind of hesitant to drill into the shell seeing as that likely voids warranty, but I like the idea of potentially using a hot glue gun to glue washers to the shell and sew in some magnets to the curtains.

 

Ill second the reflectix..worked great for me but my windoors allowed me to cut a template and stick it in the very conveniently placed grove of the frame..as for the magnets idea, ive tried installing custom made bug screens with magnets connected to fiberglass cap w super glue and hot glue (trying an epoxy next) only to have the magnets pop off the fiberglass in a short period of time (under pretty light weight)..so my suggestion if going the magnet route is first to off go with the black coated magnet ( http://www.magnet4less.com/product_info.php?cPath=1_11&products_id=1035) instead of the ones with shiny coating ( http://www.magnet4less.com/product_info.php?cPath=1_11&products_id=108 ), as the latter tend to shed the shiny coating and pop out of mounting adhesive and ultimately causing curtains to fall..its been a learning experience of trial and error but the reflectix has been spot on for me to black out cap and has the perk of being insulating and keeping cap cooler in the hot florida summers

 

Appreciate the insight @dbh1189 ! Reflectix definitely seems like a cheap easy solution with the added bonus of providing insulation.

 

I also went with reflectix. My wife thought it looked weird from the outside, so I pulled it out and spray painted it black. Now you can hardly tell its there from outside the truck, and it still does its job (privacy).

 

How well is the paint holding up? Do you take them off and roll them for storage? I thought about doing that but I was worried it would crack and flake off. I've run across a couple of people who attached black felt to it for stealth camping; I guess they used some craft glue or something similar.

 

Interested too.

 

I leave them up full time, so can't comment on how well the paint holds up to rolling them up and storing. It's been about 3 months since I rattle can'd them, and no issues with paint peel or cracking while sitting in the window shell tracks. FWIW I used a can of high-heat barbecue/engine paint I had laying around in the garage. Very flat black outcome on the reflectix. Only did one coat as I wanted them up quickly.

 

May have to try this.

 

I’m looking into this myself. I just bought a pair of blacked out curtains from Walmart and being that my camper shell is insulated with rug I’m sowing Velcro into the curtains. I cut them to size and they’re fraying pretty bad. I might drop them off at an upholstery shop and have them do a more cleaner job than I did

 

I'm assuming you don't have a sewing machine and don't want to pick one up (they can be found cheap on Craigslist, ebay, etc.)- look into the no-sew options. You can use fabric glue but a much cleaner option is fusible web/tape. You put it in place, fold your hem and then use a steam iron to activate the adhesive. Example: https://www.joann.com/dritz-stitch-witchery-heavy-duty-tape-5-8inw-x-13yds/1922830.html#start=1

$4 SINGER 00240 Heavy Duty Iron-On Fusing Web, Fabric Adhesive,

https://www.amazon.com/Singer-Heavy-Duty-Iron-Fusing/dp/B000XAQN5S?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_5

It may be inexpensive to have a local seamstress sew a hem for you otherwise check out one of the adhesives. If you have a local fabric store just go ask them; if it's like the ones around here, you'll likely be the only guy in the place and will get attention right away. LOL

 

Thanks, I’ll have to check out that adhesive. I picked up a cheap sewing machine and had a birds nest the first few feet of sewing!

I returned it, explaining what I needed it for and that I was giving up my career as a seamster

 

OK, I know this goes against everything we're taught as guys but here goes- read the directions on the machine. You probably just needed to adjust the tension on the thread. Make sure that your bobbin is oriented properly in the bobbin compartment. Think of it kind of like welding, you have to get everything set for the type of material, type of thread and type of stitch.

Once you get it sorted it's actually kind of fun. I learned to use a sewing machine back in middle school in a home economics class circa 1980 maybe? In addition to fixing things and some other projects I used to sew Halloween costumes for co-workers for extra cash. I'd really like to have a heavy duty machine that would sew leather but I'm stuck hand sewing those projects.

 

I kinda remember home economics class in the 80’s and I remember how to hand sew but I can’t recall using the machine but a couple times. I think I went too fast on the peddle and to slow on pushing the fabric on through. I work in the engineering dept on ships. I’m sure if I spent the time I could have figured it out. Maybe some day I’ll buy one on CL or Ebay and give it another go.

 

As goofy as I thought it was at the time, I've since realized that our schools need to bring back home economics classes for everyone. We had to learn to balance a checkbook and organize monthly expenses, plan healthy meals and learn to shop for ingredients, we learned to cook and also to sew. From what I've seen not many folks these days can do any of those things.

I also took a shop class where we learned to use hand and power tools and "power mechanics" where we learned to tear down and repair small engines and do simple diagnostics on car engines (far easier on a carbureted Chevy 350 than today's engines). Nothing like a group of middle school kids driving riding lawn mowers and go karts around the school grounds after completing their projects.

 

I did mine on the cheap . Got some black felt and stapled small strips of velcro to it and attached it to the carpeted inside lining of my shell . I have a SnugTop XTR .
Super cheap

 

See super cheap Quick takedown . I did it mostly do meth heads cant see in as easily and smash my side windows out like they’ve done in the past