Alright, let’s talk about that “coleman short” thing I messed around with. It wasn’t some grand plan, just a spur-of-the-moment “what if?” kind of deal.
It started with me just staring at some old camping gear. You know, the kind you drag out once a year and then forget about? Anyway, this Coleman tent, it had this short, stubby pole section. No clue where the others went, probably eaten by the gear monster in the garage. But this one section, it was pretty solid.
My brain, being the way it is, immediately went to “can I make something outta this?”. The first thought was some kind of weird stand, but that felt boring. Then I remembered needing a better way to organize some tools in my shed. Ding ding ding!
So, I grabbed the pole. First thing was cleaning it up. It was covered in dirt and some kind of sticky goo. Used some soapy water and a scrub brush, got it looking decent. Next, I started thinking about how to mount it. I wanted something sturdy, but also removable, just in case this whole thing went sideways.
I ended up using these heavy-duty pipe clamps I had lying around. Found a couple in the right size, screwed them onto a scrap piece of wood I had kicking around (seriously, my shed is a treasure trove of random stuff). Then I clamped the wood piece onto the wall of the shed.
It was wobbly as heck. Okay, plan B. Realized I needed some extra support. So, I grabbed some angle brackets. Bolted those onto the wood, bracing it against the wall. Much better! Now the pole was actually staying put.
Now came the fun part: figuring out what to hang on it. Started with some S-hooks. Those worked great for holding pliers and screwdrivers. Then I added a few carabiners for hanging up extension cords and small bags of nails.
It’s not pretty, I’ll give you that. It’s definitely a “functional” rather than “stylish” kind of project. But honestly, it’s been super useful. Everything’s off the floor, easy to grab, and I can actually see what I have.
Would I do it again? Maybe. If I find another random piece of tent pole, sure. It was a fun little afternoon project, and it actually solved a problem. Plus, it kept that pole out of the landfill. So, win-win.
