Window screen material for Westie campers

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JLT
Old School!
Location: Sacramento CA
Status: Offline

Window screen material for Westie campers

Post by JLT » Tue Aug 11, 2020 3:50 pm

Hello again, folks.

The window screens and the rear snap-on screen for my '71 Westie are showing their 49 years, and I'd like to replace them. I've done this sort of thing for screen doors in the past, and I know the drill.

But the problem is finding the screen material and, if possible, the rubber retainer stripping. I used to get that stuff at my local hardware store, but that has sadly closed down (not from COVID -- this was years ago). So I'm shopping around.

None of the main sources ... Bus Depot, Wolfsburg West, GoWestie ... have just the material, only the finished screens for Vanagons and finished rear hatch screens for mickle bucks. All I need is the raw fabric, preferably plastic rather than metal. Has anybody sourced this stuff out and, if so, could you steer me in the right direction?
-- JLT
Sacramento CA

Present bus: '71 Dormobile Westie "George"
(sometimes towing a '65 Allstate single-wheel trailer)
Former buses: '61 17-window Deluxe "Pink Bus"
'70 Frankenwestie "Blunder Bus"
'71 Frankenwestie "Thunder Bus"

kreemoweet
Getting Hooked!
Location: Seattle
Status: Offline

Re: Window screen material for Westie campers

Post by kreemoweet » Tue Aug 11, 2020 10:35 pm

The big-box stores, and for sure any decent hardware store will have rolls of screen material,
and perhaps sell it by-the-foot. Ditto for the spline ("rubber" cord). You'd want the 48" standard
width for the jalousies. Online, the choice of unusual materials and colors is impressive.

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skip
Getting Hooked!
Location: Englewood, NJ
Status: Offline

Re: Window screen material for Westie campers

Post by skip » Wed Aug 12, 2020 5:46 am

I bought the screen, spline and roller tool from Home Depot. The grey spline is the same color as original.
Complexity is the enemy of reliability.

76 Westfalia
74 Type 181

RinTinTin in Waldorf Astoria 1956

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JLT
Old School!
Location: Sacramento CA
Status: Offline

Re: Window screen material for Westie campers

Post by JLT » Thu Sep 03, 2020 8:41 pm

I found everything I needed at one of our larger non-chain stores in Sacramento. Thanks to all for their suggestions. The job turned out to be remarkably easy.

Not so easy was sewing new screening onto the old rear hatch window screen, but it was accomplished after a few false starts. Having an industrial sewing machine certainly helped.
-- JLT
Sacramento CA

Present bus: '71 Dormobile Westie "George"
(sometimes towing a '65 Allstate single-wheel trailer)
Former buses: '61 17-window Deluxe "Pink Bus"
'70 Frankenwestie "Blunder Bus"
'71 Frankenwestie "Thunder Bus"

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