D.I.Y. TOOLBOX

At their simplest, camper trailers are basic constructions. It’s only when we add long lists of high tech features – diesel heaters for water and air, multitudes of light and power outlets, independent suspensions and so on – that they become complex.

Realistically, campers are one of the most fiddled with items you can own. They’re a home handyman’s honey hole. We tinker with them because we can. And for many of us they are an introduction to a whole range of D.I.Y. projects and techniques.

We can become familiar with 12-volt electronics without the concerns of frying ourselves while mucking around with 240 volts. We learn how to drill holes, use a pop rivet gun, make use of socket sets and screwdrivers, apply a soldiering iron, wield a grease gun, and plan a project; and in the process we improve our camping experience.

Along the way we come up against