More crafting help!

Backstory: I just got a Garmin Streetpilot 330 that is a factory refurb. And it didnt come with a mount. (It was a steal I figured I would find one or order one some other time!) But where it is an older model no one sells the mounts for them any more. I have found some online for $40 but I really dont want to spend that much money on it!! Plus my Beau has an interview 2 hours away on Monday and I would like to have something that will work so he can take it with him.

My Idea: At Best Buy they had a friction mount that was basically just a big sand bag with a place to put your windshield mount in and it stays on your dash. (or so it claims) So I got to thinking.
I COULD MAKE THAT!

The Plan: Make a rectangular shaped sand bag with a place in the middle that the GPS snuggly fits into. On the bottom I am thinking get some of that shelf liner to make it nice and grippy. Also put some of that in the GPS spot or maybe even a velcro strip on the bottom of the gps and on the holder.

The Issue: What sort of fabric should I use so that the sand will not leak? Or maybe put the sand in sandwich bags or something? Also a fabric that may be kind of grippy? Any ideas?

Well there are gloved made with little gripping dots-perhaps you could find them say at a hardware store/home depot store and fill them with sand. The plastic bad sounds good as well as using velco. There are tapes available that I've used to wrap handles for better gripping too. I think there is also a spray material that gives better gripping. You should be able to find these at the above mentioned places too.

Or check the craft stores for suitable products.

I would be concerned with sudden stops and starts. That thing will go flying, if what I'm visualizing is right. It just sits on that sand bag? I wouldn't. Honestly.

Is there a way to get some nice strong sticky-back velcro and apply that? I'd do that over a sand bag. stick it on the bottom and then a nice wide strip (or two strips side by side) on the clean dash. wipe the area down really well with a cleaner. Nothing with oils though... no car cleaner stuff (may make it nice and shiny, but nothing sticks well). dry it well, and then stick the velcro down... It may have a hard time in the heat come summer, but nothing a little goo-cleaner won't fix!

Hope that helps.
Amanda

Originally Posted by RubSluts'Mommy

I would be concerned with sudden stops and starts. That thing will go flying, if what I'm visualizing is right. It just sits on that sand bag? I wouldn't. Honestly.

Is there a way to get some nice strong sticky-back velcro and apply that? I'd do that over a sand bag. stick it on the bottom and then a nice wide strip (or two strips side by side) on the clean dash. wipe the area down really well with a cleaner. Nothing with oils though... no car cleaner stuff (may make it nice and shiny, but nothing sticks well). dry it well, and then stick the velcro down... It may have a hard time in the heat come summer, but nothing a little goo-cleaner won't fix!

Hope that helps.
Amanda

Click to expand...

the 2 reasons I am avoiding just velcroing it to the dash, the shape of it is kind of weird so I dont think I could get a good surface. And also I want to be able to move it from car to car and not cause any damage to the dash. (Plus if I stuck something to either of my boyfriends cars: 1) is a show sport compact and 2) a vintage MGB he may hurt me! LOL)
And we do plan on testing it a lot before we settle on anything.

Originally Posted by capt_jordi

the 2 reasons I am avoiding just velcroing it to the dash, the shape of it is kind of weird so I dont think I could get a good surface. And also I want to be able to move it from car to car and not cause any damage to the dash. (Plus if I stuck something to either of my boyfriends cars: 1) is a show sport compact and 2) a vintage MGB he may hurt me! LOL)
And we do plan on testing it a lot before we settle on anything.

Click to expand...

OKay... wasn't sure... I get the respect for vintage...

Does it have to be ON the dash? Why not a little basket or something down between the seats, if there isn't something there already. I have an XM radio... I took it off the dashboard ages ago, mostly because of my icky neighborhood. It's still plugged in and all, but when I am using it, I let it sit in one of the cup holders in the center. Maybe setting something up down lower where it won't go flying so readily.

Then you can velcro it down to that, maybe... I have a thing for velcro (can ya tell?). Or if you use a basket or small box or something, that can also be moved/removed for show time for the car.

The sandbag on the dash just sounds iffy to me. If you have a craft store near you, look for polyfil pellets. They're for doll making, and stuff. They're larger pellets and you can use a bag of muslin. You could have a box down below, with a bag of those pellets in it, so it stays stationary. I just wouldn't want anything potentially hitting the windshield of a vintage car either...

Amanda
Craft & Sewing Junkie

DH has that same model and it is an older one and he couldn't find mount for that model. He just bought a universal mount and it works just fine. He thinks he got it at Fry's and it was about $25. I just found this at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/NAVGEAR-ME2011.../dp/B001EPX7N2

If you something else from Amazon, you might as well get it for $8 or so for the free shipping because the shipping is about $8.

Originally Posted by RubSluts'Mommy

OKay... wasn't sure... I get the respect for vintage...

Does it have to be ON the dash? Why not a little basket or something down between the seats, if there isn't something there already. I have an XM radio... I took it off the dashboard ages ago, mostly because of my icky neighborhood. It's still plugged in and all, but when I am using it, I let it sit in one of the cup holders in the center. Maybe setting something up down lower where it won't go flying so readily.

Then you can velcro it down to that, maybe... I have a thing for velcro (can ya tell?). Or if you use a basket or small box or something, that can also be moved/removed for show time for the car.

The sandbag on the dash just sounds iffy to me. If you have a craft store near you, look for polyfil pellets. They're for doll making, and stuff. They're larger pellets and you can use a bag of muslin. You could have a box down below, with a bag of those pellets in it, so it stays stationary. I just wouldn't want anything potentially hitting the windshield of a vintage car either...

Amanda
Craft & Sewing Junkie

Click to expand...

That might work. Esp. in the kia. My car the cupholders are the kind that are open with just the little bar to hold the drink there. The big reason I was thinking on the dash was so I could see it while driving. Mine doesnt say street names allowed so it helps being able to see it if you are in a strange city.
Hmm maybe I could put some suction cups on the bottom of the holder or something like that?
This is the mount that gave me the idea. But sadly it wont fit mine.
http://www.gpsmagazine.com/2007/08/d...ield_mount.php

Originally Posted by butzie

DH has that same model and it is an older one and he couldn't find mount for that model. He just bought a universal mount and it works just fine. He thinks he got it at Fry's and it was about $25. I just found this at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/NAVGEAR-ME2011.../dp/B001EPX7N2

If you something else from Amazon, you might as well get it for $8 or so for the free shipping because the shipping is about $8.

Click to expand...

Does the GPS just sit in the center and stays put? I would worry it would fly away.