A Trailer For Hauling Your Camping Gear

Do you need a trailer to haul your camping gear?  Well, maybe.  Depends on your camping style, how much gear you have, how many people are in your group, what kind of vehicle you have, where you are going. what kind of activities you will be involved in, and how long you are going for.  The larger your group, the more complex your activities, and the longer you plan to be gone, the more likely you will need room to haul more stuff.  You might also need extra supplies if your destination is very remote and you won't have reasonable access to additional supplies as needed.

If you normally go camping in a motorhome, camping trailer, or truck camper, you probably won't need a utility trailer to haul your camping gear.  You can usually stow everything you need in your rig.  But sometimes you may want to bring along more stuff than you have room for in your normal recreational vehicle.  Having more people than usual or going on a longer trip than usual typically requires bringing along more stuff.   In such cases or if you are a tent camper and don't have a large vehicle to transport your gear, you will probably want to consider buying or making a light-weight utility trailer to tote your stuff around.  Pickups, vans, and large SUVs might have enough capacity but ordinary passenger cars, especially the small, compact, fuel efficient ones we generally prefer for daily drivers, will probably need extra cargo carrying space.

Even if you are a tent camper you may or may not need a trailer to haul your camping gear.  If you drive a large SUV or a pickup truck you probably have all the room you need to transport your normal camping equipment.  Even a station wagon or a full-size sedan may be adequate.  However, in these days of steadily increasing fuel prices you may choose a smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicle for your daily driver.  Or if your family or regular camping group is large your gear might not fit in any vehicle, especially a smaller one.   If either is the case, you might need a small, light-weight trailer to transport your camping gear.  When I was a teen our family of 4 went camping in a '57 Hudson with sleeper seats and were quite comfortable for several days of travel and camping in and around Yellowstone Park and everything we needed fit comfortably in the trunk.  The same trip in a regular passenger car a year or so later required motel stops.

Some alternatives to a trailer might include a roof top carrier or hitch-mounted cargo rack or box.  If you have a vehicle with a roof rack you may be able to carry a lot of the bulky, lighter weight items like sleeping bags in a waterproof cargo bag secured to the roof rack. If you live in an area that gets little rain you might get way without covering your cargo, but whether you use a cargo carrier or a tarp it is still a good idea to cover the load to protect it from sunlight, wind, possible rain, and prying eyes.  Simply keeping things out of sight can provide a certain level of  "security by obscurity" and reduce thefts of opportunity.  Whenever you haul cargo outside your vehicle make sure it is securely anchored so it doesn't blow or bounce off during travel.  Avoid putting heavy items on roof racks.  Getting it up and down risks injury and having heavy loads up high can affect vehicle handling and could damage the roof.

A lightweight utility trailer isn't hard to come by.  Many home centers sell small trailers for home use and for transporting lawn mowers and other power yard equipment.  If you have a bent for do-it-yourself projects you can build your own trailer using trailer kits like those available at Harbor Freight.  They have kits for different size trailers.  A popular size is 48"x96", just right for a single sheet of 3/4" plywood to make the floor.  It is small enough and light enough to be pulled by a small vehicle yet large enough to carry almost all the camping gear you will need for the average family.  Flat bed trailers or utility trailers or even enclosed box trailers are all good possibilities.  What you choose will depend on your individual needs, budget, and availability.  Flat beds make it easy to load and unload wheeled toys.  Utility trailers help keep things secure in transit without having to tie them down.   You may be able to tarp both flat bed trailers and utility trailers to protect your gear against sun and rain.   Enclosed trailers provide the most security for your gear on the road and in camp and provide convenient extra protection against the weather.  You can often find small, inexpensive trailers for sale on craigslist.org.  I have used old tent trailers that were repurposed as motorcycle or utility trailers.  You might pick up an older tent trailer with a ruined tent pretty cheap (maybe even free!) and strip it down to make a utility trailer.

I have a camping trailer that started life as an Apache tent trailer.  Someone before me had completely gutted the little trailer to turn it into a utility trailer.  I actually got it for free on craigslist.  It needed a little work (including a LOT of cleaning and a new paint job to match our Jeep) and I upgraded from 10" wheels and tires to 12" for extra road clearance and an added safety margin.  One advantage to this particular trailer is that is has a clam-shell top that completely closes it during travel.  On one of our first trips we encountered very heavy rain.  So heavy there was about 2" of standing water on the freeway on a 6% grade!  Once out of the storm we pulled off the freeway and opened the clam-shell to access and mitigate the damage and were pleasantly surprised to find only 2 or 3 drops had gotten inside!  The clam-shell can even be locked for extra security.  It also gives us a convenience place to haul and store our camping equipment so it saves storage space in the garage and is always ready to go.

Packing your camping trailer may take some fore-thought and a little practice.    Basically you will want to load the heaviest components over the axle but you will need to maintain a certain amount of weight on the tongue to keep the connection secure and to avoid swaying.  Tongue weight for most small trailers should be in the range of 200-300 lbs but ultimately will depend on the overall trailer weight and how the load is distributed.   If there isn't enough tongue weight on the hitch (shoot for about 10% of the total loaded weight) the trailer may sway back and forth, kind of like the tail wagging the dog.  If there is too much weight on the tongue (more than about 15%) your vehicle may become less responsive, especially when turning and braking.  You may have to take your loaded trailer to a weigh station to find out how much it weighs.  You might be able to use a home bathroom scale to weigh the tongue, but use caution.  If it is too heavy for the scale you can damage the scale.  Trailer sway can be a serious problem.  My family and I have experienced at least two significant accidents due to excessive sway.  In one case the 28' toy hauler trailer  my son was pulling was too big and too heavy for the 1/2  ton pickup pulling it when it got caught in heavy crosswinds.  The other problem occurred when one of the bunk boards holding our sailboat broke, dumping the boat onto one of the fenders and crushing it down onto the tire so it created excessive drag on one side causing the trailer to sway.

Plastic tubs are a good way to pack and organize the things you put into your trailer.  Things like tents, sleeping bags, stoves, and camp chairs can usually be loaded in their own factory bags or even as is but cooking gear, provisions, linens, and clothing will be safer and easier to manage in plastic tubs.  I prefer translucent tubs so I can sort of see what is inside.  If you use opaque tubs you might want to label each one with what is inside to make it faster and easier to locate stuff in camp.

If you store your camping gear at home in your camping trailer be sure you remove perishable items between trips.  Putting perishables in a separate plastic tub makes this a lot easier.  Also make sure all your equipment is cleaned up before putting it away.  Left over food scraps will attract all kinds of pests, from microbes to raccoons and bears.  Microbes will turn scraps into nasty rotten messes and larger pests can do considerable damage to your gear and maybe even your trailer.  Bears have even been know to break into locked cars in search of food.  Animals in search of food may not be able to smell the difference between a few leftover crumbs and a whole sandwich, so cleaning everything up is critical!

Camping trailers can sometimes find additional uses in camp.  Once the gear has been unloaded you might put up a pipe frame to support a tarp over the top of an open trailer to provide a nice kind of pavilion to keep you out of the sun and rain and up off wet ground.  Some people even add sides or set up a free-standing tent in the trailer and use it as an off-the-ground shelter.   Not quite as complete as a tent trailer, but a step above sleeping on the ground.  You probably should not plan to cook in it, just as you normally would not cook in your tent, but it can make a safe and comfortable place to get out of the weather and for sleeping and to protect your personal gear.  Sometimes even an empty utility trailer makes a good playpen for younger children you might want to keep up off the ground and away from snakes and insects on the ground in many remote campgrounds.  You can install an awning on a box trailer to provide patio shade and protection from light rain in camp.  For an economy awning you might make your own using an inexpensive tarp and arms made from PVC pipe.  Similar canopies can be installed over the bed of open trailers.

If you use an open utility trailer you will want to tarp it to protect your gear against rain.  Having it tarped also provides a little bit of "security by obscurity" by keep your desirable items out of sight, reducing the chance of some passerby helping themselves to your property and helps minimize getting dust and dirt in your gear.  If you haven a enclosed trailer (like our little Apache trailer or a box trailer) you might even use the trailer for permanent storage at home.  Not only does that save space in your garage, shed, or basement, it keeps everything all packed and ready for your next trip.  Be sure you have a tongue lock or other security so it can't be easily stolen!

Some accessories you might want to add to your camping trailer might include a portable toilet (Portpotti) and a chuck box.  Portable toilets will give you comfortable sanitation where ever you go and a chuck box makes a good portable kitchen for use in camp.  A camping trailer may also give you room to carry extra tools you might need in camp or on the road.   I have a large, heavy-duty vinyl bag I use to carry firewood.  Firewood can also be carried in a box or even laid loose where ever there is extra room between items in your trailer, but having it in its own container keeps things cleaner and makes the wood easier to collect for your campfire.  Having a trailer may give you room to carry cots to make sleeping more comfortable.

Loading your trailer.  I talked a little bit a few paragraphs above about using plastic tubs to load and organize your camping trailer.  The other thing you will want to do is put the things you need to get to first when you get to camp where they are easily accessible.  Normally you will probably want get out your tent and camp chairs first, perhaps along with a canopy or dining fly for shade.  Sleeping bags should go into the tent once it is set up.  All your kitchen gear and supplies should be easy to get to because you may very well be more than ready for a good meal after your travels.  Lanterns and flashlights should be close at hand in case you arrive at your destination after dark.  Heavy tools usually find a good home somewhere near the bottom of things and often kind of out of the way since you probably won't be using them right away or often.   While placement for convenience is important, it should never override the need to load the trailer for correct balance and a proper tongue weight.d  Also make sure things are loaded so any shift during travel won't damage items or the trailer.

Used trailers can be a good option.  Few of us get to go camping as often as we would like and even personal utility trailers probably get little use so used trailers and likely to still have plenty of miles left in them.  Check out your local craigslist to look for bargains in your area.  Things to check will be tires, brakes (if so equipped), hitch, lights, safety chains, springs, an door/tailgate latches.  Tires will often look very good but may have ''aged out'', so check the date of manufacture.  Tires typically have a maximum usable life of around 6-10 years, depending on how they have been stored or protected.  If you are looking at box trailers, also look for any signs of leakage.  Check to make sure the floor is solid.  Used trailers might have been commercially made or homemade.  Homemade trailers can be very good trailers but you may want to pay special attention to how they are constructed.  A popular option for homemade utility trailers is to mount an old pick up bed on an axle.  The axle may be a trailer axle or an old car axle.  Old car axles are very sturdy but also add a lot of weight.  Commercial axles come in different weight ratings so make sure the axle is strong enough to handle the weight of your trailer and anything you plan to haul in it.  Most single axles are rated at 3500 lbs but you can find heavier duty models.  My custom made enclosed motorcycle trailer is on a single axle that has a 5500 lb rating.  You want to be sure whatever you buy will have the capacity you need (cubic feet of storage and weight rating) to handle whatever you need it to carry.  In most cases, almost any trailer is going to have more than enough capacity to haul all the camping equipment you need for the average family.  If you plan to haul ATVs or any other large, heavy pieces of equipment or have an unusually large family or regular camping group, you may need a larger trailer.  I once picked up an old 19'construction office trailer to haul camping equipment and dirt bikes.  It was big, ugly and heavy but it was cheap and it did the job.

Make sure the vehicle you use to tow your trailer is properly configured with a correct hitch for the trailer weight, has adequate power, tires, and suspension, and has appropriate connections for trailer lights and safety chains.  Trailer brakes may be required on heavier trailers, along with brake controllers on the tow vehicle.  Surge brakes are an alternative that provides self-contained brakes on moderate sized trailers.  Surge brakes use a special, articulated hitch on the tongue that pushes a rod into a brake master cylinder to apply the brakes on the trailer whenever the trailer pushes against the hitch as the tow vehicle slows or stops.

Small, light-weight trailers may or may not have to be licensed.  Some states required ALL trailers to be licensed, but some only require licenses on trailers over a certain loaded weight.  An unlicensed trailer may save you annual registration fees, but having it licensed may guard against theft or make it easier to identify and reclaim your trailer if it is stolen.  Normally if you are towing an unlicensed trailer with a licensed vehicle from the state of residence where the trailer license is not required, you will not need to have a license even a state where residents are required to license all trailers.  However, having the license might prevent you from getting pulled over from time to time when driving out of your state since local law enforcement might not know your home state regulations.  You may be able to defend against a traffic ticket but avoiding the potential problems in the first place might well be worth the modest cost of registering the trailer, even it isn't required in your home state.

Haul away!

LED Lighting for RVs, Campers, and Boats

LED lights are becoming very popular.   Because they use less energy and generate less heat than incandescent bulbs the are particularly useful for outdoor recreational applications.  Having flashlights and lanterns that last for days or more instead of hours is a real blessing for campers, RVers, and boaters.  Reducing the battery drain on RVs and boats is significant.  Anytime you rely on batteries to power your lighting, whether they are flashlight batteries or big RV batteries, LEDs are going to reduce the amount of power drain and greatly extend how long you can use your lights.

While the energy saving benefits of LED lighting delivers the most impressive results for RVs and campers, updating the lights on your tow vehicle or even your daily driver can be helpful.  Since most of the time you are using your lights on these vehicles, the engine is running, it doesn't have much impact on the battery like it does on RVs, campers, and boats but LED stop and turn signals can be brighter and therefore safer than incandescant lights and some are said to respond a fraction of a second faster, giving other drivers a little more time to react to prevent accidents.  LED headlight provide great illumination and might help keep you from running your battery down so fast if accidentally left on.

For many years the classic Coleman gas lantern has been the staple for bright, white light for campers.  When I was a kid we were still using kerosene lanterns in our barns and for camping.  I really envied those well-heeled campers who could afford the bright, white Coleman gas lanterns.  Looked like they had a 100 watt electric light in camp!  Today, LED lanterns are capable of producing light that competes pretty well with the classic Coleman lantern level.  There is one significant difference:  the difference in heat.  Coleman lanterns put out quite a bit of heat; LED lanterns generate very little heat.  One of my friends used only a Coleman lantern to heat his camping van and lots of people use them to warm their tents.  On warm nights that extra heat might not be welcome and the fire danger associated with using flame-powered gas lanterns in tents was always of concern.  Modern LED lanterns provide safe, cool, long-lasting light in any location.   There are also LED lanterns with built-in solar battery chargers so you can use them again and again by just leaving them out in the sun during the day.  Some of these lanterns even have USB ports to charge your cell phone from the solar chargers.  Rechargeable lanterns generally cost more than battery powered lanterns but you get back the extra cost in convenience and by savings by not buying batteries.

LED lights are a clear advantage when you are relying on battery power, like in a boat or RV or a flashlight.   The low energy draw gives you many more hours of light than you get from incandescent or even fluorescent lights.  I visitor once left the light (incandescent) on the the bathroom of my motorhome one afternoon and by evening the big 12 volt deep cycle battery was dead!  I left an LED lantern powered by 3 C cell batteries on over night in my barn and it was still bright the next morning and continued working well for months without changing the batteries.  You can buy LED bulbs to replace most of the incandescent bulbs in your RV, boat or other vehicle.  The better quality ones are still a bit pricey, around $10 each, but there are cheap imports available if you don't need really bright lights.  And, since LED bulbs last many times as long as incandescent bulbs, even the more expensive ones will pay for themselves over time in addition to reducing battery usage.

LED bulbs are also less fragile than conventional incandescent bulbs.  The hot filament in incandescent bulbs is all too susceptible to vibration or being jarred.  LED bulbs are kind of a solid state technology that is far less affected by sudden movement.

LED headlights are now also available.  The come in different "colors" or color temperatures too, ranging from similar to ordinary headlights to a bright white that is almost blue.  They offer excellent highway and off road performance and use significantly less energy than regular headlights.   BTW, the color temperature has nothing to do with how warm the bulb is to the touch.  It measures the "warmth" of how the light appears, with warmer temperatures tending toward the yellows, reds, and oranges.

Navigation lights on boats are needed anytime the boat is operated after dark as are mooring lights in many situations.  The reduced energy consumption greatly reduces the chances of running your batteries dead before dawn.   LEDs are especially helpful on sailboats that don't always have a motor driven generator or alternator to supply power for lighting.  Many of  the interior fixtures in the cabins on boats, just like interior lights on campers and RVs, can be converted to LEDs for even more savings.  Some LED lights may emit signals that can interfere with radio signals so make sure any LEDs you install on the mast near or anyplace near a radio antenna is rated to not produce radio interference.

Converting most fixtures to LED is usually as simple as changing the bulb.  LED headlights may require some additional wiring changes, but most interior lights, dash lights, turn signals, and clearance markers can be converted by simply replacing the existing bulbs with their LED equivalents.

LED replacement bulbs can be purchased just about anyplace that sells 12 volt light bulbs for vehicles.   I have found they typically run about $10 for a package of 2 bulbs.  I tried buying less expensive bulbs on the Internet and found they weren't nearly as bright as the 12 volt incandescent bulbs I was replacing.  That was OK for my RV porch lights, but not for work or reading lights.  I would avoid using sub-standard bulbs in brake lights or turn signals where reduced brightness could be a safety factor and might not even be legal.

LED bulbs are also available to replace most regular 120 volt light bulbs.  Doing so may reduce the load on an RV or boat generator and even reduce your electric bill at home.  Be aware, some people are sensitive to the difference between LED and incandescent lights, so check to see if you or anyone in your family has this sensitivity before changing all your bulbs.  You might have to try swapping a bulb or two to find out.

LED flashlights are a real boon to campers.   LED bulbs are less fragile and use less energy than incandescent bulbs.  I once left a 17 LED lantern on overnight in my barn and it still worked find for several months afterwards before needing new batteries.  An incandescent flashlight would have run the batteries down long before the night was even over!  Small, "pencil light" sized LED flashlights will fit easily in your pack or pocket.  They put out a surprising amount of light and last a really long time.  I keep one in my dirt bike tool kit.  They don't have to be expensive.  I get mine at Harbor Freight and even sometimes Dollar Tree.

Let's LED!

Chain Saws For Campers

Chain saws are essential for off-grid living and very useful for homeowners with lots of trees on their property.  Because of their size and their cost they aren't always adopted by RVers and campers.  Campers traditionally rely simple bow saws or foldable saws because they are small and inexpensive.  So-called cable saws are very small and easy to transport and pretty easy to use, but they can take a lot of time and effort to cut through larger pieces of wood.   Manual saws (like bow saws or buck saws) have a been a staple for campers for decades.  They are quiet and reliable but take up a lot of room and take a lot of effort to use.  But, with new, quiet, lightweight cordless chain saws that might be changing. Small, handheld cordless chain saws are available with blades up to 6" that might be handy for campers and RVers.

Chain saws are handy tools for cutting firewood for camping.  These days you can choose from gasoline powered, electric powered, and cordless models.   I even have an older 12-volt model that runs off a car battery.   A good chain saw with a sharp chain can make short work of cutting logs into firewood.  If you camp where you legally gather firewood a chain saw might be a useful addition to your camp kit or RV.

The most popular and most powerful chain saws are gasoline powered.  They normally have a 2-stroke engine that requires oil to be mixed with the gasoline.  Running unmixed gas in a 2-stroke engine will result in catastrophic engine failure as 2-strokes rely on the oil in the gasoline to lubricate the engine.   Be sure to use the prescribed ratio.  A mixture that is too rich (too much oil) will foul the spark plug and one that is too lean (too little oil) will cause excessive wear or even cause the engine to seize.  Every engine has a prescribed fuel:oil ratio.  The typical ratio for many chain saws is 50:1 (50 parts gasoline for 1 part oil).  You can calculate how much oil you  need to add to your gas can or use a device like a Ratio-rite that is calibrated to measure the amount of oil for several common ratios and common gas can sizes.  There are often special, richer "break in"ratios needed for new engines.  Running the standard ratio during break in may result in engine damage.  Running the break in ratio beyond the break in period can result in fouling spark plugs and excess smoke so be sure to use the break in ratio for the break in period and only the break in period.  Gasoline powered chain saws come in many sizes.  The larger sizes are quiet heavy.  All gasoline chain saws are noisy.  You will want to wear ear protection when using them, especially for extended periods of time.

Electrical chain saws are handy for small tasks like cutting firewood but you need a long extension cord of adequate gauge and a source of 120 VAC power.  Using too small a gauge extension cord can cause a number of problems, including reduced performance, shortening motor life, blown fuses or circuit breakers, and even overheating and melting the cord and possible fires.  Most RV generators and many portable generators provide more than adequate power to run an electric chain saw.  You may even be able run one on a portable inverter attached to a 12 volt battery.

Cordless chain saws are a fairly recent addition to the market.  Cordless chain saws are particularly convenient for RVers and campers.  They are generally lighter than gasoline saws, much quieter, and do not require cumbersome electrical cords or an immediate 120 V power source during operation.  You do need a 120 V power source to recharge the batteries but not during normal operation.  If you opt for a cordless chain saw you may want to purchase extra batteries so you always have enough charged batteries available to last until you can recharge them.  A solar powered battery charger may allow you to conveniently, quietly, and inexpensively recharge your batteries whenever you have sunlight.  Or just make sure to put the batteries on the charger and run your RV generator for a while after each use.  

The recent addition of small, one-handed, cordless chain saws gives RVers and campers even greater convenience and flexibility.  They usually aren't big or tough enough to cut logs, but can be useful for trimming firewood to fit your needs and are getting inexpensive enough and small enough to make it worthwhile for camping.  The one I bought included three 4"chains, 2 extra bars, 2 batteries and a charger, and even gloves and safety glasses, all in a convenient plastic case that will easily fit in just about any storage cabinet on an RV or camper.  It is not much bigger than a kids metal lunch box.  It was on sale at Christmas for under $50 on Amazon.com.  Regular prices start around $55.  Be sure to check the sizes.  For example some have 4" blades, some have 6" blades.  Finally got a chance to try mine out and was very pleased.  The 4" blade isn't going to handle big logs but it sure made trimming branches up to 2-4" or so fast and easy!  It doesn't have a chain oiler so I would be concerned about using it continuously for long periods without oiling it or letting the chain cool down.  It has quickly become my favorite yard trimming tool.

I have an older 12-volt chain saw that runs off a car battery that I carry in my RV but they are not easy to find these days.  Quite frankly, the one I have, which I bought at a garage sale many years ago, is the only one I've ever actually seen!  I did locate new ones online called a Minibrute that is similar to the one I have.  The only downside is you need to be fairly close to your vehicle (about 10-12') or drag a heavy 12-volt battery pack or portable generator with you to your work site.

Chain saws, like any power tool, require proper training for safe usage.   In fact, chain saws really need a lot more training than other common homeowner power tools.  To  use a chain saw on U.S. Forest Service lands you even have to pass a training and certification requirement.  Most, but not all, chain saw injuries are the result of user error and are preventable.    Here is a basic introductory training video.  In this video they will stress the importance of getting hands-on instruction from a qualified  instructor.  If you watch the video all the way through it should go into a second video that offers instruction on how to cut trees if you are interested in doing that.  You may even be required to be certified to operate a chain saw in many state and Federal forests if you plan to cut your own firewood for camping.

Modern chain saws include a chain brake.  It looks like second handle in front of the handle on the motor and is designed to stop the chain if your hand hits it (like it does if the saw hits something and bucks).  The brake is pushed toward the back of the saw to use the saw and brakes the chain when pushed forward.  If the saw bucks it kicks back toward you and your hand or wrist usually pushes the brake forward and activates it to stop the chain.  The brake often needs to be in the off position to start the saw.  Some older saws do not have chain brakes.  If for some reason you happen to have one of these older saws, be especially careful when operating it as the chain brake on modern units is a significant safety feature.  Never remove or disable any safety device!

Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) is essential for safe operation.  Minimum equipment would include sturdy work gloves and eye protection (safety goggles or face shield).  I like goggles with a fine mesh screen for cold weather use because they won't fog up.   Hard hats are suggested to protect your head from flying wood tossed by the saw if it jams or if you are trimming trees to prevent injury if a falling limb or piece of wood kicked up by the saw lands your head.  Hearing protection is also highly recommended, especially for gasoline powered models and particularly if you are going to be doing a lot of cutting.  Special chainsaw chaps are more than a good idea, they should be considered essential!  They are designed to stop the chain quickly to prevent serious injury to your legs.  Note that chaps will usually stop gasoline engines, but electric motors will continue to run as long as they have power and the switch is on, even if the chain is inhibited by the chaps.  Regular pants, even  Levis and sturdy off-road riding pants will not prevent chain saw injuries.  Not even our ultra-heavy firefighter turn-out pants will protect against a chainsaw and we are always required to wear chaps when using a chain saw in the fire service.

Ensuring your work area is safe and clear of people or hazards is critical.    The area should be free of branches or debris that would interfere with safe operation.  Be sure to check overhead as well as all around your work area.   One good way to ensure a clear area is to take a stick about the length of our chainsaw and swing it all around and over head.  If it doesn't hit anything, you should be clear.  If it does hit something you either need to clear the obstacle or find another place to do your cutting.  Even if there is nothing directly in the way of what you are cutting you need to make sure the area around you is clear.  If the saw jams and bucks it is likely to swing anywhere within reach, injuring or damagig anyone or anything it comes in contact with and possible bouncing back to injure you!  When cutting firewood you will want to have some kind of base beneath the log your are cutting.  You NEVER want to let the chain cut into the ground.  It will dull the saw almost instantly.  Chains are designed to cut wood, not dirt!

A sharp chain is essential to both ease of operation and safety.   A dull chain will make you work harder and is more likely to bind or kickback which often results in injuries.  If you see smoke coming from where you are cutting, you need to sharpen your chain!  If there are burned or scorched marks in the cut, you need to sharpen your chain!  Eventually a dull chain could even start a fire!  A dull chain also places more load on the motor accelerating wear and shortening usable life.

Gasoline powered chain saws are very noisy.   You should always wear ear protection when using them, especially if you are going to be using them for any length of time.  You also need to be aware of the impact the noise may have on fellow campers and restrict your usage to times of the day and locations  that will minimize any impact on other people.

Safe starting of gasoline chain saws.   First, make sure the area around you is safe, free from obstacles that might interfere and people who might be injured.  People should always be at least 10-15 feet away when you start the saw in case the chain catches on something and kicks back.  You may see loggers starting a chain saw using a drop method where they hold the handle of the starting rope and drop the saw to start it.  This it NOT an approved method.  Two safe ways to start a saw are to hold the back end of the saw securely between your knees while pulling the rope or to set the saw on the ground and put the toe of one boot into the handle beneath the trigger while yanking the rope.  No matter which method you use ALWAYS set the chain brake off before attempting to start the saw.  Most saws have a 2-step choke.  Typically you will push the choke all the way down and pull the rope until the engine pops, then move the choke to the center position and start the saw. Once it is running, open the choke fully.  Some saws (especially larger ones)  have a compression release button.  Pressing this button before attempting to start the saw is essential since high-compression engines will be too hard to turn over to start under full compression.

All chain saws need bar oil.  This is a special grade of oil designed to lubricate the chain.  Old time saws sometimes required you to squeeze the trigger frequently to squirt oil on the chains but modern saws do it automatically.  Fill the oil on the saw every time you fill the gas.  A "tank" of bar oil usually lasts through at least one tank of gas..  Most saws have a visual window where you can see how much oil is remaining so you can top off if necessary before you ruin a chain by running it dry!  Most oil tanks are designed to hold enough oil to last more than the fuel in the fuel tank so refilling the oil each time you fill the fuel should prevent you from running out of oil.  If you are using an electric, cordless, or 12 volt saw, be sure to keep an eye on the oil level or keep track of how much time you've been running the saw and how often you have to refill the oil so you can keep enough oil in the tank at all times.  Running a chain saw without oil is a sure recipe for disaster!  Lack of oil will cause the chain to overheat and to wear more quickly or possibly even bind up.  If you happen to run out of bar oil, in a pinch you might use 10-30 motor oil.  It won't perform as well as specially formulated bar oil and will probably splatter but it will provide some lubrication and reduce possible damage.  For the small, hand-held chain saws that don't have an oiler, dribble a little chain oil on the chain from time to time to prevent excess wear.

You can purchase chain saws at just about any home center, on Amazon.com, and places like Harbor Freight.  Like most power tools for home use they do not require any special licenses to buy them.  However, you should make sure you get proper instruction from an experienced chain saw user or qualified instructor before you try to use your new saw.  They are far more dangerous and require more training and skill for safe operation than typical homeowner power equipment like a cordless drill or circular saw.

Chain through!

Harbor Freight forTools and Supplies for RVers, OHVers, Campers and Boaters

I have mentioned Harbor Freight in a number of posts.  That is not because I receive any sponsorship or compensation from Harbor Freight, it is just because I have some experience with the products involved and have found them to be useful and cost effective and thought my readers might too.  They have lots of hand tools, power tools, garden tools, and other items that are useful to campers -- like tie downs, towing products, tarps, hardware, and even wheels and tires that fit some small tent trailers.  I became really familiar with their products when my wife worked as a rebuyer for their purchasing department.

You can find lots of Youtube videos about Harbor Freight tools.  They will include both positive and negative opinions.  Be sure to consider the background, qualifications, and bias of the reviewer together with both their intended use of the tools and your intended use.  You may need professional quality tools if you use them regularly on your job but less expensive options may be adequate for home or DIY use.

I have found Harbor Freight to be an excellent source for many tools for my RVs, OHVs, boats, and camping as well as for my mechanics and home maintenance tools.   You will sometimes see negative comments about the quality of tools from Harbor Freight.  While it is almost certain that high end name brands like SnapOn, Husky, and Craftsman will most likely last longer in professional use, I have pretty much found Harbor Freight tools to be more than adequate for my do it yourself projects.  The lower cost also allows me to purchase specialty tools that make jobs easier and sometimes allow me to do tasks that I could not otherwise do at all.  It also lets me afford duplicates to create convenient specialized tool kits for my motorcycle trailer, camp kit, RV, and boat.  Harbor Freight also offers a lifetime guarantee on just about all their hand tools.  In more than twenty years of buying and using their tools I have only had to utilize the guarantee a couple of times and both times they were very quick and friendly about replacing the damaged items, no questions asked.

Harbor Freight offers about the biggest selection of tarps I have seen anywhere.   They include light weight blue "poly" tarps, green farm tarps, more heavy duty silver tarps, and even real canvas tarps.  The selection and reasonable pricing always makes them my first stop when I need a tarp.  The normal prices are usually pretty good but keep an eye out for coupons and sales for even better savings.  Of course you an also find really light clear plastic painter's tarps too.

Another pretty complete category of useful items for RVers is the towing section.  You will find hitches, couplers, ball mounts, towing balls, lights, hitch pins, tie downs, safety chains, towing straps, anti-sway bars, tongue jacks, just about everything you need for towing trailers and even hitch-mount racks for carrying additional cargo and mounting winches.

Harbor Freight offers a variety of jacks and jack stands that can be useful, ranging from small bottle jacks to 10-ton floor jacks and tall farm jacks like the ones often used off-road by 4x4 users.

Harbor Freight has a large selection of hand tools -- wrenches, pliers, screw drivers, sockets, ratchets, hammers, clamps, and pry bars.  They also provide a lifetime warranty on almost all of their hand tools.  I have had to use the warranty a couple of times.  One time I twisted a socket completely off of a cross-bar lug wrench trying to remove a stuck lug not on a 3/4 ton off-road truck.  Another time I twisted a T-handle allen wrench until the flat sides were twisted from tip to  handle.  I was impressed with the strength of the plastic handle!  In both cases I was clearly exceeding the normal application but received replacements on the spot without any hassle.

The reviews of Harbor Freight power tools are mixed.  If you look for Harbor Freight on Youtube you will get a variety of videos listing the "10 Best" or "10 worst" Harbor Freight items.  Sometimes they may tell you what to buy or not to buy at Harbor Freight.  Remember, all of these videos are personal opinions of the people who made the videos and they may or may not have their own bias and they may or may not have any real qualifications for evaluating the products.  My own experience has been mostly positive.  I have found things like cordless drills and even cordless impact wrenches to be well worth the modest price.  Did they hold up as long as brand names like Dewalt?  No, not usually.  But the prices were significantly less and usually the performance was similar or at least adequate while they lasted for my DIY projects.  In general I have found most DIY reviews were pretty positive while many of the negative reviews were from professionals who normally use expensive, high-end tools and use them a lot.  An inexpensive cordless drill was a welcome addition to the tools in my enclosed motorcycle trailer.

Harbor Freight offers a wide assortment of portable generators, ranging from small "tailgater" units to large ones that provide enough power to run your whole house in an emergency.   I have seen Youtube videos that both praise and criticize Harbor Freight generators.  Generally the ones from Harbor Freight will be considerably less expensive than well know name brands and may still be a good value even if they don't meet the same performance or longevity of the higher priced brands.  I have a 4500 watt unit I use frequently due to power outages in my rural area and in the two or three years I've had it, it has performed flawlessly.  It cost way less than half a "brand name"generator of the same size.

Harbor Freight is offering a line of winches that is an extraordinary value.   I have personally used a couple of their 2500 lb ATV winches and been very satisfied with them.  I have been eyeing the 12,000 lb Badlands winch for my 4WD truck.  At a regular retail price of $599 it is about 1/3 the cost of a similarly rated name brand winch and I have seen several very favorable reviews on Youtube from highly qualified professional users.  I have even noticed that a couple of popular off-road recovery teams uses the 12,000 lb Badlands winch.  I recently saw the 12,000 lb Badlands winch on sale for just $319!  And they have a hitch-mount rack specifically designed for it for just $75.  A similarly sized Warn brand winch typically retails for around $1800!

Harbor Freight has recently introduced some higher priced hand and power tools.  These might be of particular interest to professionals or those whose budgets can accommodate the higher prices.   Supposedly they will be closer in fit, finish, and quality to the high-end name brand tools but still less expensive.  When purchasing hand tools, especially things like pliers and wrenches and sockets, I look at the fit and finish and prefer those with precise edges and a smooth, shiny finish.  I have seen wrenches that looked like they had been cast in sand molds and avoid them!  Most of the hand tools that have failed me in the past would not have passed my current fit and finish selection criteria.  A lot of the wrenches and socket sets at Harbor Freight have a very nice fit and finish.

Harbor Freight often offers a variety of hardware you won't find any place else.  I find their "storehouse" offerings particularly appealing.  These are collections of small parts (nuts, bolts, fasteners, o-rings, nylon clamps, hitch pins, cotter keys, etc).  They usually come with their own plastic storage bins to organize them for ease of use.  A quick glance at my supply cabinet shows o-rings, hitch pins, cotter keys, metric nuts and bolts, SAE nuts and bolts, hose rings, hose clamps and cable clamps.  Having an assortment of commonly used hardware on hand has saved many projects and many trips to town!  They also usually have a good assortment of cable ties, ranging from tiny little ones handy for controlling phone charger cables to huge ones big enough to secure tents and sleeping bags.  On a related note, I figured out a way to keep the little plastic tubs in my dirt bike trailer nut and bolt storehouse from sliding out when traveling:  I cut some pieces of thin welding rod to match the height and width of the cabinet, then heated the ends and suck them into the plastic frames so they crossed in front of the drawers. It was a quick, cheap, and easy way to keep things from getting tossed all over the place towing the trailer to off-road locations.

Garden tools.  There are a surprising number of garden tools that might be useful for campers as well as for home use.  Axes, wedges, rakes, bow and pruning saws, and shovels are among the most appropriate camping choices as well as chain saws. Harbor Freight offers gasoline, electric, and cordless chain saws.  Bow saws and folding pruning saws are especially well suited for camping.   Folding saws are handy if you are hiking or backpacking.  Bow saws are a little stronger, cut faster, and are easier to use if you have a place to carry them,

Harbor Freight also has a wide assortment of gloves:  work gloves, garden gloves, welding gloves, mechanics gloves, latex gloves.  I rely almost exclusively on work and latex gloves from Harbor Freight for my home improvement, yard, RV, boat and car maintenance projects.  Their regular prices are usually very reasonable and they often have coupons that make them even more affordable.  I have noticed a dramatic increase recently in the cost of latex and nitrile gloves, thanks to COVID-19!

I have found  many uses for foam anti-fatigue mats which Harbor Freight has at a good price .  Be sure to watch for coupons for even greater savings, sometimes as low as $4.99 for 4-6 mats!  I have them in front of the workbench in my garage and in my motorcycle trailer.  I have also used them for a comfortable, anti-skid deck around and under my inflatable spa.  They can also be used to insulate the inside of boat cabins and are especially nice around the v-berth so you don't rub up against the cold fiberglass or metal hull in the middle of the night.  In addition to insulating the hull, the pads also reduce condensation inside the boat.

Harbor Freight stocks a good supply of safety items, such as goggles and face masks.   You will also find lot of other safety products, some you might not even have thought about before.  It can be educational just looking through the safety section.  I picked up some non-skid tape that has been useful on my RV, my motorcycle trailer, a utility trailer, and my sailboat as well as around the house.

Harbor Freight used to regularly offer coupons via print ads in many publications but has recently switched to online coupons.  Their coupons often provide substantial savings on their already low prices.  Use your favorite search engine to look for "Harbor Freight Coupons" to get the best prices on things you need.  Sometimes I peruse the coupons and take advantage of them to get items I might not even have an immediate need for if they are at a good price if I think I might have a use for them someday.  I like to be prepared.  They usually have a 20% off any item coupon that is especially useful when buying higher priced items at regular price.  Coupons are often a way to get customers into a store in hopes they will buy other things.  That being said, I have never had any negative experience buying coupon-only items at Harbor Freight.

They also offer an ''Insider's Club'' that gives additional discounts on selected items from time to time.  There is a modest annual fee to maintain your Club status but you usually recoup the cost quickly, especially if you purchase more expensive items where the Club savings on one purchase can often offset the annual fee.

Many Harbor Freight stores have side-walk sales from time to time.  These an be an especially good time to get excellent bargains.  Sometimes the inventory includes returned items offered at substantial savings.  When we lived in southern California we were even close enough to take advantage of the large side-walk sale at their warehouse in Camarillo, California.

In summary, I generally find Harbor Freight tools and hardware to be a good value.   As always, you should examine anything you are buying to make sure it meets your personal needs.  I would look to their higher-end offerings or maybe even defer to brand names for ongoing professional use but do-it-your-selfers may be able to expand your tool inventory at reasonable prices from their standard lines, allowing you to add many tools that would be way outside your budget if you bought professional brands and they will more than likely hold up well in occasional homeowner use.

Tool up!

Wranglerstar on Youtube -- A Good Resource For Campers

I have found an excellent source of woodsman information on the Youtube videos by  Wranglerstar.  You might not find him under camping or RVing.  His focus is on modern homesteading and he covers a wide range of useful subjects, from how to sharpen tools, to felling trees, and construction techniques and he frequently reviews and tests tools, often at the request of his viewers.  Many of the skills and much of the information he provides can be directly applied to camping and RVing.  Just go to Youtube and search for Wranglerstar.  I have found his videos to be entertaining as well as educational and many of the skills he presents can be directly applied to camping.  He has over 2000 videos online and is constantly adding new videos so be sure to check back regularly.  He has reviewed a number of Harbor Freight Tools and tells you what works and what doesn't.

Wranlgerstar rocks!

Log Splitting -- A Basic Camping and Survival Skill

Log splitting is a very useful skill for campers.  Even if you don't cut your own firewood you will probably need to split some pieces of commercial firewood to make kindling.  Sometimes chunks of commercial firewood might be bigger than you want to use in your campfire and you can split them down to any size you like.  If you do cut your own firewood, split logs dry more quickly and are easier to ignite in a campfire than whole logs.  You might want to split longer logs to make split rails for functional and decorative fencing.

Use of appropriate Personal Protective Equipment is always a good idea for any activity.  Log splitting is certainly no exception.  There are obvious risks and physical stresses you need to guard agains.  You should wear heavy leather gloves to protect your hands and goggles or safety glasses to protect your eyes against flying chips.  Prescription eye glasses or sunglasses might be better than nothing but are not designed to provide the true protection you get from safety glasses or goggles.  If you use a chainsaw to cut your firewood, you should also wear protective chaps and ear plugs.  Note, chainsaw chaps don't shut down electric chain saws like they do gasoline powered saws.  The chaps are designed to clog the chain and stop the engine.  Electric motors don't stop as long as there is power and the switch is on but chainsaw chaps might provide some reduction in the movement of the chain and give you  a little extra time to react before you cut off a leg!

For splitting kindling you may only need an axe or hatchet.  Place one end of the piece of wood you want to split on a stable solid surface (rock, wood, concrete, hard ground),  Use a small stick to hold the top end of the piece you're are splitting steady while your swing your axe or hatchet with the other hand to split it.  If you should miss and cut the end off the little stick you can easily replace it, unlike replacing your fingers if you should cut one or more off while holding the wood with them!   A good size for kindling is about 1" wide and 1/4" thick.  Pieces a little larger or smaller are just fine.

A maul is another great tool for heavy splitting.   Mauls have very heavy, fat heads.  They look a lot like an axe but they are not designed for cutting but are great for splitting.  The extra weight and the fat taper of the head slams into the wood and splits it apart.  The only downside to using  a maul for splitting is that it is very heavy and may be difficult for smaller people to use and more tiring for anyone.  The blade on a maul is not always sharp like an axe.  A maul will be overkill for splitting kindling but is very useful for splitting large logs. 

                                                           

I have seen wall-mounted kindling splitters that use leverage instead of pounding it with a big axe or hammer.  That might be less effort but I haven't found a good place to mount one on any of my RVs.  Might be nice for a cabin or country house!

Just came across another great way to split kindling.  It is called the kindling cracker.  You can buy them at Amazon, Home Depot, and many other places.  Just GOOGLE "Kindling Cracker".   You put the piece of wood you want to split in the top and hit it with a big hammer or back of an axe to drive it down onto the splitting wedge inside.  It is safer, faster, and easier than using an axe or hatchet.  It is probably too bulky to carry around when tent camping but you might find room for it in your RV.  Here is what it looks like:

                                                         

                                                              

When using it make sure your log will fit through the top ring.  If it has knots or flares out or is simply too tight it may get caught before it splits.   You always want a little free space to allow the log room to split.

Another handy tool for splitting kindling is a wood splitting auger.   They fit into your drill so you can use them in a cordless drill in camp.  The one I saw demonstrated had a reverse thread so you had to run the drill in reverse to get it to work.  A wood splitting auger and a cordless drill can make splitting kindling quick and easy.  Hand held augeers aren't recommended for splitting larger logs but can be a fast and safe way to split kindling.  There are larger version available for splitting large logs, some are designed to bolt onto a car or truck wheel to provide the power.  Exercise caution using devices like this.  Make sure the driving wheels are off the ground and the vehicle properly chocked before any use.   Here is an inexpensive examples on Amazon.com.    

                                         

For splitting larger logs a wedge is a useful addition to your tool set.   Wedges aren't usually as sharp as axes and they usually have a fatter head and they don't have handles.  The larger head both makes it easier to drive them with the back of an axe or a large hammer (sledge hammer) and also spreads the wood faster for better splitting.  Some wedges are a flat tapered shape similar to an axe head.  Others are conical.  Flat wedges will split wood along the point of the wedge.  Conical splitters are used in the center of logs to try to spit them into multiple pieces at once.  However, every log WILL split along the lines of least resistance so you won't always get multiple splits with one placement nor will the pieces be of equal size.  I have seen people use a large single-bladed axe as a wedge, but the taper isn't really optimal for splitting and you might damage the axe head or handle pounding on it.  Sometimes you might use a maul as splitting wedge but usually it is easier to just swing the maul as it was intended to be used.  Here is an example from Harbor Freight.

                                  

                         

A wooden glut is a fairly good substitute for an iron wedge.  A wooden glut is a wedge-shaped piece of wood.  Sometimes they are used to split rocks but can also be used to split logs that are too large o split with a hatchet or an axe alone.  Start with a short piece of hardwood about 3" in diameter.  Sharpen one end to make a flat, wedge-shaped point.  The other end should be square and flat.  Prepare the piece of wood you want to split by scoring a line all across it using your axe or hatchet.  Then drive the axe or hatchet blade into the scored line at one edge of the log so it begins to spread the log along the scored line.  Place the sharpened edge of the glut into the crack and drive it in as far is you can.  Then remove the axe or hatchet and move it to the other side of the glut.  Drive it in as far as you can and hammer the glut down again.  The log should start to split.  If not, keep repeating the process until it does.  Sometimes it is helpful to have more than one glut so you can use them side-by-side to speed splitting large logs.  Knowing this little trick might be helpful if you find yourself in a survival situation or if you simply forgot to bring your steel wedge with you on a camping trip.  Or if you need a bigger wedge than the one you brought along.  Try to use a harder wood for your glut than the wood you want to split.  But you can use the same wood if you have to.  It may just wear out faster.  If it is softer than the wood you are splitting it will probably crush or break instead of splitting the target.  A wooden glut is similar in size and shape to a splitting wedge made of steel.

                                

Whenever splitting, with a wedge (or glut), axe, or hatchet, try to take advantage of any existing cracks in the log.  Many, but certainly not all, pieces of wood will have existing cracks.  Even if they are tiny, they represent a weakness you can take advantage of.  Line up the pointed end of the wedge with the crack.  This makes splitting easier and can save you a bunch of work.  When working with large logs with no existing splits I usually try to make the first split about in the middle, then split each half in the middle again and again until I have them split down to the size I want.  Some folks like to split narrow pieces off the edges instead.  Try it both ways and do whatever works best for you.

A hydraulic log makes splitting a lot easier, especially if you are working with large logs or have a lot lots to split.  Make sure the pieces you want to split will fit into the log splitter between the wedge and the head of the hydraulic jack.  Sometimes, if they aren't TOO much longer than will fit you can notch the end that goes on the wedge to make room to get the log in place.  The hand operated log splitters I have used have two handles.  One moves the jack a small distance but increases the pressure.  This is useful for starting almost any split and pretty much essential for splitting pieces that are difficult to split.  The second handle doesn't apply as much force but mores the jack further with each stroke, speeding up the splitting process.  I often work both together to maximize splitting force and speed once it begins to split.  You will usually hear a distinct "crack" when the wood begins to split and will definitely notice a decrease of resistance on the handles.  I have found I usually need to go about 10 pumps on the handles after the initial split to push the pieces far enough apart that I can fully separate them by hand when taken out of the splitter.  Hand operated log splitters can be purchased for a few hundred dollars.  I believe I bought mine at Harbor Freight several years ago for between $100 and $200.   They are probably too big and heavy to cart along on camping trips, but very useful for preparing your fire wood at home.  If you have extra room in your vehicle you could take them camping but I wouldn't unless I expected to do a LOT of splitting!  Even when I haul firewood from the forest I usually wait until I get it home to split it.

A power log splitter is the ultimate tool if you are splitting lots of wood.  Power log splitters are hydraulic splitters powered by gasoline engines or electric motors instead of being hand operated.  Just put the log in place and press a button or pull the handle and the machine basically does the rest.  I've seen some commercial grade splitters that have an X shaped wedge that splits large logs into 4 pieces at once, greatly reducing splitting time and increasing productivity, but they are very, very expensive -- like around $18,000!  I've seen simpler, gasoline powered simple log splitters for home use starting around $1,000 plus or minus a hundred bucks or so at home centers.  They are fairly big and heavy and usually have wheels and are designed to be towed like a trailer.  You can also get less expensive electric powered log splitters.  Harbor Freight has one for under $500.  I wouldn't expect it to deliver the power or performance of the larger, gasoline powered models, but one would definitely make splitting a pile of firewood a lot faster and easier.

Like many other jobs, proper preparation is the key to success.   The main thing to do is to make sure your logs are cut to the right length before you begin.  Also trim off any branches or stubs that might interfere with their placement or movement on the splitter.  I have a piece of PVC pipe I have cut to proper length for my log splitter and (usually) use it to measure my cuts so the pieces are the right length.  If I forget to measure or somehow end up with some that are too long, I set them aside and trim them all at once after I've split the ones that fit.  Also, sometimes you will run into logs that are really hard to split.  I once watched my Dad try to split some old Madrone Pine with an axe and it just bounced off!  If you else all else fails you might try boring some holes in one end and lining up the edge of the wedge with the holes to get things started.  One large, center hole might be enough if you're using a conical wedge.

Some really knotty pieces of wood may be extremely difficult to split.  Avoid them if you can but if that is all you have, you might have to cut it into smaller pieces, making cuts where the knots are so you can split between the knots.  Sometimes a combination of strong steel wedges and fatter wooden gluts can be used in conjunction to coerce a particularly tough log to split.  Having a really big hammer may also help.  My dad had two "hammer"rules I really found useful:  1.  If it can't be fixed with a hammer it can't be fixed and 2.  Don't get mad at it, just get a bigger hammer!  Lacking a large hammer in a camp you might use a big piece of firewood or even a big rock.  Make sure to keep your fingers clear of where the log or rock strikes your target!

If you are going to split, split logs!