Tip To Haul Steel In Mini Van

Tip To Haul Steel In Mini Van FARM SHOP Handy Hints 33-6-37 Roger Gutschmidt, Gackle, N. Dak.: "Here's a tip that allows you to comfortably haul quite a few 10-ft. lengths of steel in your mini van without getting the interior dirty. For the last 10 years, I've been using a 5-in. dia. cardboard tube that once held a roll of new carpet. Instead of discarding it, I wrapped the tube with duct tape so it can be wiped off if it becomes dirty, and position it down the center of the van whenever I go to town to buy steel. "I use it for hauling various lengths of angle iron, bar stock, channel iron, pipe, and anything else that fits inside. By hauling steel in the tube, it keeps our van's upholstery from getting stained with oil or dirt. The tube lays the entire length of the mini van, from the back, all the way up to the front where the radio is. It doesn't interfere with anything. "I use it all the time, as our mini van gets better gas mileage than our pickup truck, and our van can haul up to 6 people comfortably while we hardly notice the tube's in there. Our pickup truck only has a 5 1/2-ft. bed, so to use that would mean the end gate would have to be open and 3 feet would still be sticking out the back, which is kind of a safety hazard, plus with the end gate open, grocery bags and other cargo would have to be secured. "When not in use, I simply store the tube in our garage."

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