Starting Your First Woodworking Shop

Woodworking as a hobby can be one of the most rewarding experiences you will ever enjoy. You can get started on a shoestring with a minimal amount of tools and equipment. A small home workshop can produce a wide array of simple projects that will help you develop your creative and building skills while rewarding you with practical and artistic wood products that you can enjoy and even give away to friends and family.

WHERE TO DO YOUR WOODWORKING

Before we get into the equipment you should start with, let's talk about where you'll do your woodworking. Depending on the size of your home, you may be able to create a dedicated space to your woodworking activities. This might be a reserved spot in your garage or in your basement. In some cases, a detached shed or outbuilding may be ideal to set up your first shop. A heated shop detached from your home offers one distinct advantage: better dust control. Without sophisticated dust control systems, basement workshops will inevitably produce dust that travels into the living area of your home. This is particularly true in homes with forced air heating systems where cold air returns located in the basement draw up dust into the upper levels of the house. Another advantage of detached workshops is of course the noise level. You can work without disturbing the rest of the family. A good compromise might be the garage of your home. This can help minimize the problems of dust and noise, however depending on where you live, a garage workshop may not be practical during extremes of cold or hot weather.

YOUR WOODWORKING SETUP

Space is always a challenge for the woodworker. Regardless of where you are in your development, everyone from beginner to expert all wish they add more space to work in. If you can have a dedicated spot for a workshop all the better. Floor tools and bench top equipment can remain in place from project to project. If this setup is not impossible, at least try to create a bench area where equipment can be stored and pulled out as needed. If possible plan for inevitable expansion as you acquire more tools and equipment. At the start, set up a bench area where you can store and use most of your equipment, with temporary expansion of your activities onto the garage or basement floor.

A rudimentary workbench can be constructed from inexpensive spruce lumber ideally at least 48 to 54 inches wide and 32 inches deep. The bench should be about waist height. That will enable you to work comfortably while standing. Add a sturdy shelf below the bench to house your hand power tools and a pegboard above the bench to hang other equipment. Install a wood working vice at one end of your bench on the front to hold small work pieces.

ACQUIRING YOUR EQUIPMENT

The scope of your start-up equipment will be largely based on your budget. Whether you've got large financial resources or you're starting on a shoestring always buy quality equipment. If you can afford it, purchase your quality tools at your local building and hardware center. If your budget is tight buy quality used tools from others through Kijiji or other local ads. There is an abundance of quality lightly used tools out there that belong to individuals who embarked on that one molding project around the house or received tools as gifts that they will never use. You can usually purchase tools for these sellers for less than half the original price and save even more money if you make a package deal for all their unused equipment. Of course, acquiring tools from private individuals will take extra time and perhaps travel expenses. Weigh out the benefits of traveling across town to save a few extra dollars on a cheap piece of equipment. The extra cost of time and travel in these situations is usually justified when purchasing large ticket items such as table saws, bandsaws or high ended tools like surface planers in the future.

For smaller acquisitions, a trip to your building center may be the best approach.

START-UP EQUIPMENT

In earlier times skilled workers worked with a minimal amount of hand equipment yet produced sophisticated and intricate pieces. Focus on developing your skills with your start-up set of tools and avoid lamenting about the equipment you wished you had.

Here is a checklist of the more useful tools you'll need to get started:

Safety Equipment: Start as expected with eye protection. Get a decent pair of safety glasses that also offer some side protection for your eyes. Purchase a quality acrylic set that will be scratch resistant. Progressive scratching of cheaper plastic pairs will eventually impair your vision and affect safety. Avoid wearing goggles in a workshop. Most impair vision and dust up quickly. You may avoid wearing them all together if you find them uncomfortable.

The next piece of critical safety equipment that you'll need involves ear protection. Ear protection is often overlooked by the novice woodworker yet is almost as critical as eye protection. Woodworking can be noisy and long-term exposure to these noise levels can affect hearing and lead to tinnitus and other hearing losses. Also, I find that wearing hearing protection combats fatigue. Most workers tire faster when exposed to high noise levels. Select effective hearing protection that you find comfortable and effective. These can include ear plugs or full ear muff protectors. I find that a quality set of ear muff protectors is perfect for hearing protection.

Lastly, wear a cap to keep the dust out of your hair. I prefer a simple ball cap with my ear muffs and eye protection. With this set up I'm protecting my eyes and my ears. I'm keeping the dust out of my hair. I'm good to go!

Power Hand Saw: Often referred to as a skil saw after the popular brand name, this can prove to be the most versatile tool in a start-up workshop. In fact, in the hands of an expert a power hand saw can be used to build an entire house. Eventually you'll want to buy a table saw, but for now a power hand saw for the woodworker on a budget enables him to do cross cuts, rip cuts and even intricate angle cuts. As mentioned earlier get a quality brand saw. Avoid cheap unknown brands. These tend to cut inaccurately and will burn out before you even start your second project. After selecting the right saw install a quality blade. Most skil saws come with a starter blade of lower quality even if they are a good saw. Keep this blade as a backup and install a quality blade with carbide teeth. Start with a hybrid blade. These have a balanced tooth count that works well with both cross cuts and ripping.

Power Jig Saw: A jig saw will add great versatility to your woodworking. Curved cutting is where the jigsaw excels. This versatile tool can not only cut curves. It's perfect for cutting holes in wood too like handle slots. Eventually you'll want to get a band saw. Bandsaws are even more versatile but a quality floor unit can be expensive. A jig saw can be a good stop gap for the novice woodworker. Purchase an assortment of blades for your jig saw that includes various lengths and teeth per inch.

Battery Powered Drill: Purchase a quality drill that runs on at least 12 volts, however 18 volts is better. Get one with a keyless chuck and if it is in your budget consider a ½ inch chuck over the standard 3/8 inch version. Down the road the ½ inch version will prove to be more versatile. Through hard lessons learned, I have found that buying quality in this case is more critical than ever. Cheaper drills tend to have very short run times and need to be recharged frequently. Their long-term battery life tends to be poor and to make things worse keyless chucks come loose and slip frequently. This is one annoyance you don't want in your workshop. Purchase an assortment of quality carbide tipped drill bits that are stored in a holder labeling each drill bit size. Make a habit of returning each drill bit to its prospective slot in the holder after each use. Lastly get a set of hard steel driver bits. Your drill can also be a versatile screwdriver, particularly if you selected an 18 volt model.

Hammer: The hammer remains as the most versatile tool in the shop, and often the most misunderstood one. By the way, the hammer is the one tool where most workshop accidents occur. Although the most frequent, hammer injuries are usually of a minor nature, varying from bruised fingers to the temporary loss of a fingernail. Hammers greatly vary in quality and price. So what's the difference between a cheap hammer and an expensive hammer? Quality hammers are precisely machined with a good solid joint between the handle and head. The good hammer is balanced, doesn't rust and features a comfortable handle. Most hammers in the high quality range offer metal or fiberglass handles. Cheaper hammers usually have wood handles with poor joints between the head and handle. The head usually comes loose and the tool becomes useless. Select a name brand quality hammer in the 16 ounce range for general work and a smaller finishing hammer for more intricate work. Avoid using large framing hammers in the workshop and any with dimpled head tips. These types of hammers are more suited for rough framing jobs and are unsuitable in the workshop.

Palm Sander: Purchase a ¼ sheet palm sander. This little power tool can handle just about any sanding requirements you have as a novice woodworker. As your woodworking skills evolve, you'll likely upgrade to a floor model disk and belt sander. However for now, the ever versatile palm sander can clean up edges, cross cuts and even limited amounts of surface area. As you embark on your first few projects you'll find that your palm sander with a little bit of effort can transform rough looking creations into virtual works of art! You can use your palm sander to sand and shape rough boards with 100 grit paper and later finish your work with 200 or 300 grit paper. Purchase an assortment of sandpaper sheets with an extra supply of 100 grit paper. You'll find this grade of paper the most versatile in your shop.

Hand Planes and Chisels: These classic tools are a must in every workshop. Although low tech in concept, these tools enable you to taper edges, flatten high spots and correct any imperfections in wood pieces. Start with a standard number 4 plane and an assortment of quality chisels varying in width from ¼ inch to 1 inch.

Clamps: Sooner or later you'll need clamps for glue-ups and just to hold down your wood pieces as you work on them. Unfortunately, good clamps are expensive and it usually takes the novice woodworker a few years to accumulate a comprehensive set of wood clamps. Start with a pair of long "pipe" clamps. Today the pipe has been replaced with long steel shafts, but the structure remains the same. Get a pair of the longest clamps that you can afford. You can contract them for smaller glue jobs and expand them to their full length for larger projects.

Shop Vice: A shop vice installed at the end of your bench is perfect for holding smaller jobs for sanding, filing and hole cutting with your jigsaw. Purchase a wood working vice with replaceable wooden clamping surfaces and avoid metal working vices with steel jaws. Woodworking vices with their wood clamping surfaces can securely hold wood pieces without marring or damaging them. Many of the better vices offer quick release mechanisms that enabled the user to rapidly open and close the jaws without tedious handle turning. The wood clamping surfaces in your vice will periodically need replacement. I prefer to use soft pine in my vices that will not crush or damage many of the different woods that I work with. Whether I'm working in soft pine or hard oak, soft wood clamping surfaces work the best.

Tape Measure and Marking Device: In your workshop, the ever humble tape measure will be one of your most frequently used tools. Purchase a good quality name brand tape measure with a wide tape usually in the 25 foot range. Although in your shop you may not be using the tape at these lengths, the larger tape measures offer more rigid tapes that won't flop around and slip off the end of boards. Measuring when you're by yourself will be a lot easier, and of course quality tape measures can last for many years. When marking projects, I prefer a sharp good old-fashioned HB pencil. An HB pencil will produce a nice mark without scratching the wood. Harder pencils like 2B's can scratch soft woods and will require extra sanding. Avoid oversized carpenter's pencils. Their large flat leads are just too coarse for accurate measurement in the workshop.

Other Tool and Materials: Here are a few other handy tools to round out your starter workshop: Purchase a T-square, set square and speed square. These inexpensive tools will help you in marking right angles as well as compound angles. Also, get an assortment of flat, Robertson and Philips screwdrivers. Get the number two and three Robertson set. I find that the Robertson format works best for most woodworking projects and is the most compatible with drill powered bits. Lastly get a pair of 12 inch wood files. Get a flat one and a round edged one. You'll find them perfect for rough shaping and fixing little mistakes along the way.

Adhesives: Not all glues are created equal. Avoid cheap house brands sold as carpenter's glue. The cost of glue through all of your projects is a minor cost consideration. Therefore, it makes sense to go with the best. I have also found over the years that I get the best results with both indoor and outdoor projects when I use a quality outdoor grade glue. These resin-based compounds unlike traditional water-based wood glue, will not break down and fail with moisture.

Read more »

How to Catch Caterpie in the Wild

Here's tips on how to catch a wild Caterpie in the wild.

1. Caterpie's capabilities.

Caterpie is a fairly easy Pokemon to capture in the games. Bring along flying types and fire types to cover yourself against it and always try to make sure to have False swipe to help bring their HP, hit points to one very easily.

2. Use Status effects like Sleep Powder and so on.

One of the best ways to capture Pokemon is by using status effect moves on them. Capture a Pokemon like Butterfree or Venasaur and use moves like Sleep Powder on them to be able to easily put them to sleep. You can also use other Pokemon to help put them to sleep as such as well. Things like Hypnosis can be used by Pokemon named Gastly, Hypno, Gengar, and so on as well. Stun Spore is also an excellent move to use and utilize on a Pokemon to help capture it easier in the wild while playing Pokemon. A better move that has the same effect as Stun Spore which causes paralysis is a move named Thunder Wave. Lot's of Pokemon can learn this move like Alakazam, Ampharos, Pikachu, Jolteon, and so on. If you are able to stun and paralyze your opponent then the act of capturing them becomes child's play in that moment. The chances for catch rate and capturing the Pokemon increase significantly. The last possible decent methods for capture is possibly poison and maybe frozen here and there. Poison is generally not always recommended since this heightens the chance of the Pokemon being able to lose and faint before you can even capture it. The frozen status condition is very rare and difficult/hard to pull off so I would not rely on this condition to inflict a good and useful status condition on the Pokemon you wish to capture.

Bring lots of Pokeballs unique and quantity wise.

Be sure to always buy lots of Pokeballs to further progress capturing the Pokemon you wish to catch. Quick balls are always useful to throw on the first turn of a battle since that's the higher success rate of usage for them. Next you can always spam Pokeballs for cheap to test the waters and see how hard it is to catch this particular Pokemon. Ultra balls and Great balls are always the best option for high success rate of any Pokemon in any general area. If at nighttime or in a cave Dusk balls are the way to go. And other good options are such like Net balls for Water and bug types and Heavy balls for heavy weighted Pokemon as well too.

Those are the best tips to capture Caterpie and other general Pokemon. Feel free to manage and capture Pokemon the best you can and always have fun with Nintendo and playing Pokemon no matter what.

Author Shane McDowell of novel series Spirit Story Check out my book on Amazon and connect with me on my social media platforms posted below:

Link to my book on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Story-Shane-McDowell-ebook/dp/B01DSAG96W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484415015&sr=8-1&keywords=scifi+fantasy+books

Read more »

Tips to Buy Ceiling Fans

If you have moved to a new home, you may need to install some ceiling fans as well. For home cooling, ceiling fans are still a simple and cost-effective solution. In this article, we will share a few tips that may help you opt for the right product based on your needs. Read on.

Controls of the Ceiling Fan

Most people like to mount a ceiling fan in the place of a former light fixture. Usually, the fan speed controller is put in place of the light switch. Ideally, make sure that the controller is made by the same manufacturer, which is important if you want to prevent hum and buzz.

Size and Material of the Fan Blade

Most fans come with three to five blades. Old, classic fans had 4 blades. Here, it's important to note that the performance of the fan won't be effected by the number of blades. In fact, some people say that having more blades may move less air. However, the number of blades may add to the cost of the product.

Another factor is the blade length, which is between 30 and 60 inches. Generally, longer blades help move more air.

Different types of materials are used to make ceiling fan blades, such as plywood, cross-laminated veneer, solid wood, and natural wood, to name a few.

Size of the Fan

As a rule of thumb, if you have a 400-square-foot room, you may want to opt for a 52-inch fan. If you have a much bigger room, consider buying more fans. Ideally, the fan should be installed in the middle of the ceiling preferably close to where you and your family sit. The tips of the blade should be a minimum of two feet away from the walls.

No matter what type of fan you have, make sure it has a strong support. After all, you don't want to hurt yourself or your family in case the fan falls down.

Ceiling Fan Quality

The minimum price of a good ceiling fan is $40. High end models can cost hundreds of dollars based on quality. These models have a lot of useful features that you can't find in low-end models. For instance, these fans are quiet and move air in an efficient manner. Their components are well designed, attractive and stand the test of time. The motor is speed adjustable and comes with a warranty of over 10 years.

While fans are rated based on the amount of air they move, make sure you don't give too much importance to the ratings. The air movement depends upon the revolution per minute of the blades, distance of the fan from the ceiling, number of blades and so on.

If the motor is week, it can't spin heavy blades without heating up. Moreover, at higher speed, the fan blades will produce a lot of noise.

Long story short, make sure you follow these tips when looking to buy new ceiling fans for your home. Hope this helps.

Read more »

Do You Know the Ready to Assemble Cabinet Details?

Available as both above and below the counter versions, RTA cabinets help save money. You might spend double the amount in made to order cabinets. Understand the brands, how constructed, wood quality and finishing, before buying imported stuff.

Watch out for these factors in imported RTA cabinets.

• Aim for pleasing colors and finishes.
• Hand finishing lasts longer than spray on.
• Cam locks and dado assembly are best avoided.
• Replacing components easily done by local manufacturers.
• Ascertain quality and ask questions about breakage.

Some shopping tips
Regarding hardware, ensure that the glides are of good quality and close gently. Does it have self closing hinges? Inquire about replacements and damages and how long it would take to receive new parts. American manufactured cabinets would be better and more convenient. If it is a shelf, you don't need to replace the entire cabinet. Finishing material made in America would be best because imported ones have bad coating. Hand wiped coating is better with richer depth and costlier due to labor and materials.

Some imported RTAs do offer authentic dado assembly with fasteners and glues that may be screwed or nailed. What happens in time is that wood expansion and contraction take place and shifting commences and peeling too. An American manufacturer offers the dovetail technology, which means that the falling apart cannot take place after assembly.

Examine the drawers and doors. Consider your preferences like a full overlay or inset door. Do you have a particular color in mind? Maybe you can buy an unfinished piece if you wish to apply the finishing? Chinese imports do not allow all that flexibility and domestic products may be better.

Would you buy Chinese RTAs?
Why not go Chinese with affordable prices and rather good standards? Buying domestic does rid you of some worries like obtaining replacement parts. Yet, many manufacturers in China are doing rather well and their products are definitely worth buying. If you are a smart buyer, you know the advantages and the problems with imported RTAs. Buy accordingly with understanding. Be prepared for astonishingly low prices, coming direct from the factory.

Read more »

Saving Money and Heating the Home

Using Solar Heating costs can get expensive when the weather is cold, making it imperative to find ways to save money on heating your residence. Solar panels are used to collect energy from the sun and transform it into electricity that can be used throughout your home. This same solar energy technology can be used to heat your home.

Heat collectors, or solar thermal systems, work similarly to solar power cells, except they absorb heat as well as light that is generated by the sun and uses it to heat the air or a liquid. This heated air or liquid is then used to transfer heat into your home. You have many options that allow you to enjoy a warm home and save money on gas and heating costs with solar energy.

Passive Solar heating is highly effective on large windows that face south, allowing sunlight to stream into your home. Solar light and warmth are absorbed by the floors, walls, or any containers or dark-coloured items. When this warmth is absorbed, it raises the temperature in the home by several degrees. Since hot air rises, heat will spread through the entire home quite efficiently.

Active Solar

With active heating using solar energy, heat collectors that contain liquids or air will be used to collect heat from the sun. This warmth is stored much like solar panels store energy in their batteries. When you want to heat the home, the heated air is used to send warmth throughout the house or just individual rooms, depending on the system you have installed. Using liquids, the home is heated using a pump that allows the liquid to be moved though pipes in your home, bringing warmth.

Liquid Active Solar using liquids requires pipes or tubing, a radiant slab system, to be installed underneath the floors or in the walls of your residence. To heat your home, the liquid is heated, and the warmth radiates from the pipes, causing temperature to increase. Other methods of heating the home, such as furnaces and hot water radiators, use stored hot water to provide heat in rooms. When using liquid active solar heat, water can be heated as well - saving you a ton of money.

Combination Solar & Geothermal

Solar collectors absorb warmth from the sun and store it to be used to heat the air, or even the water, in your home. Warmth can also be collected due to geothermal heating systems. These systems require water pipes to be installed near your home underneath the ground. They connect to heat pumps, transferring warm water from the ground so that it can be used in the home. Pairing geothermal systems and other solar heating methods can increase efficiency in areas with extreme cold or long periods with little sunlight.

When it comes to solar power, there is no end to what can be accomplished. Not only can you save money heating your home with solar energy, you can heat water as well.

Read more »

How Online Entrepreneurs Can Make Money Online With a Website

Starting an online business can be freeing if the entrepreneur knows what they are doing. But what does a new entrepreneur do if they are not experience in online business? The key to an online business is to leverage how to make money online with a website.

The online business website is the heart of any Internet-based business and all detailed pertaining to the website need to be handled with care. Therefore, online business owners should take special care to create a website in a profitable market (also known as a niche), market the website properly using traffic generating techniques and have calls for action so that consumers will follow through with purchases.

Read on for a break down of the previous steps for more detail.

Selling products using your website

Online entrepreneurs have millions of online products that can be marketed that will translate into paid commissions. Companies like Amazon, Wal-Mart and Target use affiliate marketers to help promote their products and drive Internet traffic to their web pages. It is common for online entrepreneurs to earn commissions If a purchase is made, because a consumer clicked through to the Amazon page through the entrepreneurs marketing web page.

Decide on a market or niche

Now it is time to decide what type of products the online entrepreneur would like to market in. The online marketer will decide what specific market they are going to operate in. For this article, let's say the online entrepreneur chooses helping coaches find the right baseball gear for their teams. Many of the major retails deal in baseball gear and have affiliate marketing programs that online entrepreneurs can take advantage of.

Create a website

At this point the online entrepreneur will create a website that will be used to market various baseball products through affiliate links to the retailers' home site. The website should be clean and be in a layout that is suited for the consumer to find information easily.

Drive traffic to the website

Here is where the online entrepreneur would need to decide. Should organic traffic techniques be utilized through SEO optimization? Or should traffic be sent to the marketing website using pay-per-click technique. The pay-per-click would be the fastest way to get traffic to the website. The problem with pay=per-click is that sending traffic to the website can be expensive. Most online entrepreneurs choose the route of getting free traffic using SEO Optimization. Building traffic through SEO takes time.

Convert traffic to purchases

Now that the online entrepreneur has traffic, it is time to convert that traffic in to purchases. This is where the vendor weblinks come into play. The goal is to tweak your SEO Optimization so that most visitors are wanting to buy. Work on the SEO content to get your purchase-to-traffic conversion rate to 20%. That is the low end of what a conversion rate should be for a niche webpage. Try to get higher if possible.

Read more »

Heartfelt Greetings For Family Christmas Cards

If you are like me, after Thanksgiving I cheerfully anticipate the many Christmas cards I receive from my family and friends across the nation. It is always so fun to learn the latest news, see how the children have grown, and see your friend getting one year older.

Of course there are some cards that just miss the mark and I wonder, why did they even take time to create and send this card. It makes you wonder! So in the spirit of love, kindness and fun, here are five tips to make your family Christmas memorable.

1) Include more than just one picture. Yes, it is a tradition of many families to get a studio portrait and do the stuffy we are all dressed alike look. That is fine, if it is one of your family traditions. But also include informal pictures of Billy doing a belly flop dive into the pool, or the pet Dog Daisy licking the baby's ice cream cone. Liven it up. In fact you could even tell the annual story with a collage of pictures.

2) It is NOT a time to brag - it is a time to celebrate the seasons of life. Don't think you have to try to outdo everyone else. While it would be wonderful to brag that your child was accepted to Harvard, you won the Nobel Prize for Peace and there were 50 wedding attendants at your daughter's wedding in Tuscany, wait... your closest friends already know your greatest accomplishments. Your friends will enjoy seeing your less than perfect family hugging, sharing a family dinner or informal scenes behind the wedding. For those who could not be at events, show them the real pictures, the real you. Then include a link to your Facebook page to see all of the fancy perfect posed pictures.

3) Keep the card focused on the season. This is not a time to add an advertisement about your business. Nothing turns people off more than getting a Christmas card that ends with... if you know someone who needs a buy or sell a house, call me. Yak. That takes the Christmas spirit out of the care entirely and most likely your care will be send to File 13 (the trashcan.)

4) Include a personal note to the addressee. Let them know how special they are to you and the family. A heartfelt card not only tells your story, but it makes the recipient feel as they are an important part of your extended family.

5) Prepare the cards with a blessing and love in your heart. As you create the special card by adding heartfelt words and pictures, before you push the SEND button and the beautiful card is printed, stuffed, stamped and sent, pause and send a mental blessing to everyone who will be touched by the card. The power of love knows no boundaries.

Read more »

Help With Insulation Costs and Energy Saving Advice!

Help with Insulation Costs!
You may not be aware of this, but some councils offer help with improving the insulation and energy efficiency of your home.

You may have to fill in a form giving basic information about your home and your general health.

They ask you for the rating with regards to your property's Energy Performance Certificate.
If you cannot find these details, visit the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government web site at epcregister
and enter your postcode.

With a bit of luck you should be given your property's EPC, that is if an EPC assessment has been carried out on your house. The ratings vary from A to F, with A being naturally the best.

My local council sent the form out automatically, but if not, always ask as you have nothing to lose, especially given this remarkably cold spell!

Keep warm and best of luck!

Aled

These days your energy provider often provide great advice free of charge on their web site with regards to how you can save money on energy costs.

Much of the information would appear to be basic good old fashioned common sense, but as my mother used to keep on telling me "common sense is not so common these days!"

The obvious things that need to be addressed, are quite often overlooked. This checklist reminds you of the simple things you can do to help you keep warm, without incurring too much expense.

A cold spell certainly exposes the weaknesses within your home when the howling wind and Jack Frost come out to play, very much intent on wreaking the maximum havoc.

Here is a sample of the useful energy saving tips you'll find on a typical energy provider's web site:

Keeping your home warm

Saving energy is great - but it's also important to keep warm. You only have to turn your thermostat down one degree to potentially cut your heating bill by up to £85 a year. Pop on an extra jumper, pair of socks or even a blanket and you can keep the cold out without cranking up the heating. Find out more about keeping warm.

And for more tips and advice on saving electricity and gas, check out our guide to energy efficiency PDF.

Great energy saving at home advice thanks to your energy provider.

Visit your energy provider's site for great advice and keep warm this winter.

Read more »

Tips to Buy And Take Care of Display Cabinet

Display cabinets can be a great addition to your home as they are used for a number of purposes. Since there is a large variety of them, making a choice is not easy. However, you don't have to make this decision in a hurry. You can follow a few common best practices in order to get started. If you want to get the most out of your purchase, make sure you read through this guide.

Materials

Nowadays, display cabinets are made of different types of material. Based on the look you like, you can opt for the right material, which will add to the beauty of the environment you want to place the cabinet in. What you need to do is find out what works. In addition, you need to find out about the features of each material.

Wood is the most common material and is of different kinds, such as elm, rosewood, oak, beech, and mahogany, to name a few.

Types

Display cabinets are of different types. The traditional ones feature solid doors and a glass front. If you have a collection of figurines, you want to opt for a cabinet that has enough space.

Another common type is a good choice for room corners. They are used to display trinkets and other small elements of decoration. If you want to save space in your room, this type can be a great choice.

Hanging wall type is also common. As the name suggests, this type requires a special installation technique.

Factors to Consider When Buying

When purchasing a cabinet, make sure you consider a few factors. This will help you get the most out of your investment. Style and appearance matter a lot. Choosing a product that doesn't look good is not a good idea. Finally, you should take a look at your budget as well. Spending too much on this product is not a good idea.

As a matter of fact, appearance is the most important factor. Choosing one that doesn't match the environment of your house is not worth it. It will make your room look sort of ugly, which will defeat the purpose of buying one.

Taking Caring of Your Display Cabinets

Make sure you take good care of your cabinets, especially if you want them to stand the test of time. You may think quality products don't require a lot of care. But it's not true. You still need to take care of them.

A good maintenance tip is to clean them on a regular basis. All you need to do is wipe them down using a clean, dry piece of clothing. Also, there should be no spills or stains on the surface. For better shine, you can use beeswax. Also, it's important to keep the product away from direct sunlight if you don't want the color to fade away.

Read more »

Viscose Fabric: Back to Basics

If you don't know anything about viscose, chances are that you have heard of another term rayon. Made from trees, rayon is a synthetic fiber. In this article, we are going to find out if viscose is better for you or the environment. Read on.

Introduction to Viscose

Often, viscose is considered a good alternative to polyester or cotton. In the fashion industry, it's bought and used in place of silk for its cheap price and high durability. Generally, it's used to make synthetic velvet, soft blouses, skirts, and summer outfits. Aside from this, it's used to make sausage casing, carpets, bedding, and upholstery, to name a few.

History

The story of Rayon belongs to Europe. The commercial rayon was invented by Hilaire de Chardonnet how was a French scientist. However, due to the flammability of the fiber, it's removed from the market after a while. The first commercially suitable viscose was developed in 1905.

Production of Viscose

Viscose is obtained from different types of trees and plants, such as pine, beech, sugar cane, soy, and bamboo, to name a few. This cellulose stuff is mixed in a special type of chemical solution in order to make a pulpy substance. Finally, this substance is spun into fibers and threads.

Sustainability

Since viscose is obtained from plants, it's not toxic. The fashion industry is growing at a fast pace. So, most of this fiber is made inexpensively with water, energy, and chemical processes. This process has a very negative impact on local communities, workers and the environment. Therefore, it has got D and E grade, according to the Made-by Environmental Benchmark.

Actually, the wood pulp is treated with carbon disulfide and sodium hydroxide. Next, it goes through a spinning process to form a fine thread. In other words, this process is not eco-friendly and emits many toxic chemicals.

Carbon disulfide is associated with many coronary heart diseases, cancer, skin conditions, and birth defects.

The Changing Markets Foundation did an investigation only to find out that the top global fashion brands get viscose from polluting factors in Indonesia, India, and China. The researchers are worried that these pollutants have a devastating effect on animal populations, people and forests.

In fact, viscose production is causing the depletion of the forests. And people have been cutting down the trees to grow pulpwood plants. According to an estimate, about 30% of viscose is obtained from ancient forests. As a result, we have put many animals on the list of endangered species.

Alternatives

With the progress of technology, we can see new materials like EcoVero on the market. This innovative material is made from sustainable wood, which is obtained from sources that are controlled by different authorities.

Over 60% of the fiber is obtained from Bavaria and Austria in order to make sure the number of emissions are lowest. Moreover, all of the chemicals in the production process goes through the recycling process. So, the number of emissions are reduced by 50%, which saves energy as well.

Hope, now you have information about viscose to find out if it's good for the environment.

Read more »

Tips to Buy the Best Vacuum for Long Hair

Just like any family, you may have a sibling in your house who loves long locks. However, you may find it annoying to spot long strands of animal or human hair in your rooms. It's not easy to clean long hair as they get stuck in the brush bar of your machine. Therefore, it's much better to opt for a vacuum that is designed for long hair. Given below is a checklist that can help you opt for the right machine. Read on to find out more.

1. Quality

Quality is the number one consideration when looking for the best cleaner. The advancement in technology improved the functionality of the machines significantly.

It's important to get a high-quality item so that it can stand the test of time even if you overuse it. Actually, what you need to do is go for something that's durable and gets the job done without a problem. So, it's a good idea to pay a bit more money and get something better.

2. Performance

When buying a cleaner, make sure you get one that has the features you need, such as high suction power and the effectiveness and accessibility of the brush roll, to name a few.

Never get a unit that can't suck things like food particles, long hair strands, and other stubborn stuff on your carpet.

3. Battery Powered Units

Although both types are fine, the battery powered units allow better maneuverability. On the other hand, units with cords are hard to use as you may trip or get tangled. While it's easy to handle stick vacuums, chances are that you will have to change the battery more often.

It won't take ages to change or charge the battery, but it can be annoying, especially if you are trying to clean the whole house.

4. Ergonomics

In simple terms, ergonomics are related to the accessibility, usability and the design as far as the weight and convenience of the unit are concerned.

Although you can purchase a tall unit, you may find it harder to move it around. Moreover, it may not have enough suction power. As a result, the cleaning job won't be done properly. Plus, large units consume a lot of energy.

5. Hand-Held Units

You can get a hand-held unit to clean sofas or carpets. However, for working on a wide surface, these portable machines are not recommended. You will get tired pretty quickly.

Stick vacuums offer a lot of flexibility. However, you need to consider the capacity as well. Based on the frequency of use, you should opt for the unit that can do the job for you.

Conclusion

It may be hard for you to clean long hair, but if you get your hands on the best machine, you can perform the job a lot more easily. Once you have considered all the tips given on this checklist, you will be able to buy the best product. Just make sure you consider your budget when buying an expensive unit.

On ToolInventory, you can find all the guidelines you need in order to buy the best vacuum for long hair to meet your needs.

Read more »

Ten Dos and Don'ts to Help Sell Your Home for Top Dollar

A lot of sellers don't put enough emphasis on fixing up their homes when they put them on the market. Even sellers with recently renovated homes need to do this work. There is stiff competition and every detail is important to help you sell fast and for top dollar.
So if you want to sell your house, take ten minutes to read this list. Then start packing!
1 DO de-clutter and de-personalize the space! It's simple advice but this is the most difficult step for sellers. Say good-bye to the home and then erase the memories from the space by putting away personal items. The more prospective buyers can visualize their own belongings in the space, the better.
2 DO create a welcoming entrance that feels great to walk into. Make this space clean, well lit, and up-to-date. First impressions are critical.
3 DO invest in low cost, sweat equity. Repaint the walls a neutral light color, update light fixtures, faucets, doorknobs, and backsplashes. If you don't have time, hiring someone to get these things completed is money well spent. If you don't have the talent, hire an interior designer or home stager to consult for a couple of hours. Small cosmetic improvements add up.
4 DON'T do any major renovations on your home if you don't have the time, money, or energy. Jobs like re-doing the flooring, kitchen, or bathrooms are large and stressful, particularly if you are living in your house during the work. Think rejuvenation not renovation.
5 DO invest in fixing up your outdoor patio or sitting area if you are selling during the warm months. Potential buyers love the added value of an outdoor eating or sitting space. Repaint the deck and create a comfortable space with outdoor furniture. An umbrella and barbecue will be great selling points.
6 DON'T invest in a swimming pool, hot tub, or fishpond. You won't make your money back. You may even alienate many prospects who are put off by the maintenance involved and the potential hazard for small kids.
7 DO give your kitchen or bathroom a surface makeover. These two rooms are the most important in any home. There is no need to change your entire set up. New faucets, knobs, backsplash, moulding, sink, and paint are all easy and inexpensive updates. Remember to keep it neutral.
8 DON'T forget about the landscaping and outdoor appeal. This is the very first thing buyers will see. If they are turned off, you'll have to work even harder on the inside. So why not give it some care? Paint your front door, give it a new handle, fix cracks in the walkway, paint the mailbox or get a new one. Fix or get new house numbers. Make it charming by trimming all your trees, bushes, grass, and by adding flowers.
9 DO Be eco-conscious when moving. Donate home fixtures that are in working order to Habitat for Humanity's ReStore and bring your debris to the eco-center. Consider re-facing or repainting kitchen and bath cabinetry rather than replacing them. The more you can reuse and repurpose, the better. The goal here is to spend as little as possible for the biggest impact.
10 DON'T leave any animal marks around the house. Scratched doors, a kitty litter box, messy eating bowls, hairy blankets, and chewed up toys need to go. Not everyone is an animal lover and they might dismiss the home altogether if they are allergic.

Read more »

How to Find Defy Home & Kitchen Appliances Zambia?

If you are looking for Defy Home & Kitchen Appliances Zambia, you can shop for the best products. Talk to the expert for more information.

There are a wide choice of high performance and high fashion home kitchen appliances in Zambia now. The companies are regularly introducing the innovative and labor-saving kitchen appliances which include refrigerators, microwaves ovens, dishwashers, and cooktops are included with high-technology specifications that are quite practical and stylish.

The majority of the homeowners are the inbuilt appliances for their simplicity and innovative practical elements. Moreover, the demands of the refrigerators included with other cabinetry and fixed microwaves and dishwashers are developing. The usage of the stainless steel and commercial style appliances which include ovens and cooktops and refrigerators are even high in demand. The usage of the cordless electric appliances in the kitchen is even turning a choice for the owners of the home.

Personalization and customization at the same time influence today's design of appliances. They are available in different colors and choices. The majority of the appliances available in the market are confined to white, black, or stainless steel. New items are even available in bold colors, high technology, and new innovative sizes.

The growing trend in present's kitchens is the use of the supposed green appliances which assist conserve precious natural resources and save funds in the process. The technological advances have boosted the efficiency of the energy of Defy Home & Kitchen Appliances Zambia which includes refrigerators, dishwashers, stoves, and microwave ovens.

Homeowners of the environmental choose these kinds of appliances as they are efficient to the energy and contribute less to environmental degradation. This latest generation of green appliances also available in different styles that ideally matches the tastes and needs of the green-conscious homeowners started from the hip "retro" models suggestive of bygone eras to sleek and modern styles. Meanwhile, due to the high technology and energy-efficient features, the cost is the key obstruction facing homeowners who wish to use the highly efficient and green household appliances.

With the highly innovative home kitchen, the job of the kitchen is something friendly as well as enjoyable.

Highly Efficient LG TV Zambia

LG TVs are created to last and often get better reviews of the consumer reviews as compared to the television leaders which include Samsung and Panasonic televisions. Unluckily, there are numerous Sony televisions to decide from and selecting the better one that finally chooses a lot of thought.

Read more »

Insulated Log Cabins: 10 Advantages During Cold Seasons

There exist many reasons why people opt to reside in log cabins. One of the main reasons is that people seek to live in relaxed atmospheres which these cabins can provide. They also have a unique appearance that makes them a great addition to any property and they drive up the value of land. There are many benefits to living in these structures. Log cabins have a unique set of features that make them advantageous to live in regardless of the season. First off, they provide inhabitants with protection from weather elements, thus making them comfortable. Take an example of winter where the conditions get harsh enough to cause health-related issues. In such instances, a log cabin would come in handy. Here's how:

Durability

When one constructs a house, they look at it as an investment, and it is thus crucial to them that the house can withstand external forces. With timber in play, you are looking at a home with natural resistance to climatic factors, and you can thus enjoy your home for decades to come. What's more, with the right maintenance practices in play, you can leave the cabin to your future generations. Studies show that wooden cabins tend to outlive conventional structures such as houses made of concrete. Wood can withstand the snowfall and rain that accompanies cold seasons with ease, and as such, you will observe little wear and tear owing to weather changes. It is for this reason that people living in cold areas opt to build these structures.

Health benefits

Cold seasons come burdened with challenges such as diseases such as the flu and the common cold. When living in a space with controlled temperatures, you get to protect yourself from such conditions. You can also sleep better, thus protecting your health.

Minimal maintenance

Cold seasons come accompanied by events such as strong winds, storms and other such factors which can easily affect conventional structures. However, for people living in log cabins, they need not worry about such challenges. Wood, being a natural material, is stable and can withstand external forces with ease. You can look at it in this manner. A tree in the forest can survive storms and other circumstances during its lifetime. It is the same tree that one then cuts down and uses to create a log cabin. Though the tree is dead, its strength does not fade away, and the logs generated as a result will provide your home with the protection that you require. It is advisable that you conduct your annual maintenance a few weeks before winter begins. In this way, you will not need doing any checks during the season, and if there are any damages, they will not be significant enough to damage your home. You can comfortably rely on your home's structural strength.

Insulation properties

Heat insulation

One of the reasons that people use wood in the construction of homes is due to its insulation properties. Timber is a lousy conductor of heat, and as such, it does not transfer warmth from one side to the other. You can look at it this way. In the hot weather, temperatures are pretty high on the outside, and this can be very uncomfortable. However, if you were to step into a log cabin, you would find that the temperatures were quite low. The same goes for cold weather. Even though there may be a raging storm right outside your home, wood will not transfer the warmth from your cabin to the outside. In this way, the interior remains warm, allowing you to be comfortable. As such, you will also not need to rely much on burning wood during the cold seasons.

Sound insulation

Other than preventing heat from leaving the structure, logs also ensure that you enjoy sound insulation. In this way, you can have a peaceful environment as you will not experience disturbance from outside activities.

Weatherproof

The great thing about an insulated cabin is that you have an assurance that whatever is outside cannot get in and that you are safe inside. Water and other such elements will not have a way in as long as you follow the correct maintenance practices.

Energy efficiency

It is quite common to find people relying on heaters during the cold season, and this owes to the need to keep warm during such times. For a person living in a conventional structure, there is a lot of transfer of heat to the outdoors, thus calling for more generation of heat in the outdoors. As a result, it costs a lot of money. When it comes to a log cabin, you do not lose heat to the outside, and this indicates that you do not need to have much heating equipment in play to stay warm. As a consequence, you end up using less energy. In this way, you reduce your carbon footprint, thus having a positive impact on the environment.

Lowered costs

People construct log cabins through the use of high-quality timber and as such, these structures last for decades. In this way, you will not require another log cabin for a very long time to come, and you can thus save money which you could have used in subsequent purchases. It is also necessary to note that maintenance practices on these structures are minimal and you end up spending little money on these processes. This benefit, coupled with a cabin's energy efficiency, results in lowered costs in running a log cabin compared to maintaining a conventional structure. As such, if you are looking to save money, this is the way to go.

Natural light

Log cabins come with adequate windows to allow the entry of light into your space. In this way, you do not have to rely on artificial lighting, and you can thus save money as a result.

Protection from weather

These structures are stable such that they can withstand impacts from external forces. Take an example where a tree was to fall on a cabin. Logs, being strong, would resist the pressure without caving in, thus protecting everyone in the house. They also protect you from the cold temperatures outside.

Environmental friendliness

These structures are environmentally friendly owing to the materials used in construction. Trees emit carbon while living and using them as logs removes this carbon from the environment. People living in cabins also use less energy, and this has a positive effect on the environment.

On top of all these benefits, you can look forward to an excellent sale value once you choose to let go of your home!

The Quick-garden is an advanced manufacturer of various wooden garden buildings. If you're considering to buy a new construction, you should visit their website here.

Read more »

Help With Insulation Costs and Energy Saving Advice!

Help with Insulation Costs!
You may not be aware of this, but some councils offer help with improving the insulation and energy efficiency of your home.

You may have to fill in a form giving basic information about your home and your general health.

They ask you for the rating with regards to your property's Energy Performance Certificate.
If you cannot find these details, visit the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government web site at epcregister
and enter your postcode.

With a bit of luck you should be given your property's EPC, that is if an EPC assessment has been carried out on your house. The ratings vary from A to F, with A being naturally the best.

My local council sent the form out automatically, but if not, always ask as you have nothing to lose, especially given this remarkably cold spell!

Keep warm and best of luck!

Aled

These days your energy provider often provide great advice free of charge on their web site with regards to how you can save money on energy costs.

Much of the information would appear to be basic good old fashioned common sense, but as my mother used to keep on telling me "common sense is not so common these days!"

The obvious things that need to be addressed, are quite often overlooked. This checklist reminds you of the simple things you can do to help you keep warm, without incurring too much expense.

A cold spell certainly exposes the weaknesses within your home when the howling wind and Jack Frost come out to play, very much intent on wreaking the maximum havoc.

Here is a sample of the useful energy saving tips you'll find on a typical energy provider's web site:

Keeping your home warm

Saving energy is great - but it's also important to keep warm. You only have to turn your thermostat down one degree to potentially cut your heating bill by up to £85 a year. Pop on an extra jumper, pair of socks or even a blanket and you can keep the cold out without cranking up the heating. Find out more about keeping warm.

And for more tips and advice on saving electricity and gas, check out our guide to energy efficiency PDF.

Great energy saving at home advice thanks to your energy provider.

Read more »

Starting Your First Woodworking Shop

Woodworking as a hobby can be one of the most rewarding experiences you will ever enjoy. You can get started on a shoestring with a minimal amount of tools and equipment. A small home workshop can produce a wide array of simple projects that will help you develop your creative and building skills while rewarding you with practical and artistic wood products that you can enjoy and even give away to friends and family.

WHERE TO DO YOUR WOODWORKING

Before we get into the equipment you should start with, let's talk about where you'll do your woodworking. Depending on the size of your home, you may be able to create a dedicated space to your woodworking activities. This might be a reserved spot in your garage or in your basement. In some cases, a detached shed or outbuilding may be ideal to set up your first shop. A heated shop detached from your home offers one distinct advantage: better dust control. Without sophisticated dust control systems, basement workshops will inevitably produce dust that travels into the living area of your home. This is particularly true in homes with forced air heating systems where cold air returns located in the basement draw up dust into the upper levels of the house. Another advantage of detached workshops is of course the noise level. You can work without disturbing the rest of the family. A good compromise might be the garage of your home. This can help minimize the problems of dust and noise, however depending on where you live, a garage workshop may not be practical during extremes of cold or hot weather.

YOUR WOODWORKING SETUP

Space is always a challenge for the woodworker. Regardless of where you are in your development, everyone from beginner to expert all wish they add more space to work in. If you can have a dedicated spot for a workshop all the better. Floor tools and bench top equipment can remain in place from project to project. If this setup is not impossible, at least try to create a bench area where equipment can be stored and pulled out as needed. If possible plan for inevitable expansion as you acquire more tools and equipment. At the start, set up a bench area where you can store and use most of your equipment, with temporary expansion of your activities onto the garage or basement floor.

A rudimentary workbench can be constructed from inexpensive spruce lumber ideally at least 48 to 54 inches wide and 32 inches deep. The bench should be about waist height. That will enable you to work comfortably while standing. Add a sturdy shelf below the bench to house your hand power tools and a pegboard above the bench to hang other equipment. Install a wood working vice at one end of your bench on the front to hold small work pieces.

ACQUIRING YOUR EQUIPMENT

The scope of your start-up equipment will be largely based on your budget. Whether you've got large financial resources or you're starting on a shoestring always buy quality equipment. If you can afford it, purchase your quality tools at your local building and hardware center. If your budget is tight buy quality used tools from others through Kijiji or other local ads. There is an abundance of quality lightly used tools out there that belong to individuals who embarked on that one molding project around the house or received tools as gifts that they will never use. You can usually purchase tools for these sellers for less than half the original price and save even more money if you make a package deal for all their unused equipment. Of course, acquiring tools from private individuals will take extra time and perhaps travel expenses. Weigh out the benefits of traveling across town to save a few extra dollars on a cheap piece of equipment. The extra cost of time and travel in these situations is usually justified when purchasing large ticket items such as table saws, bandsaws or high ended tools like surface planers in the future.

For smaller acquisitions, a trip to your building center may be the best approach.

START-UP EQUIPMENT

In earlier times skilled workers worked with a minimal amount of hand equipment yet produced sophisticated and intricate pieces. Focus on developing your skills with your start-up set of tools and avoid lamenting about the equipment you wished you had.

Here is a checklist of the more useful tools you'll need to get started:

Safety Equipment: Start as expected with eye protection. Get a decent pair of safety glasses that also offer some side protection for your eyes. Purchase a quality acrylic set that will be scratch resistant. Progressive scratching of cheaper plastic pairs will eventually impair your vision and affect safety. Avoid wearing goggles in a workshop. Most impair vision and dust up quickly. You may avoid wearing them all together if you find them uncomfortable.

The next piece of critical safety equipment that you'll need involves ear protection. Ear protection is often overlooked by the novice woodworker yet is almost as critical as eye protection. Woodworking can be noisy and long-term exposure to these noise levels can affect hearing and lead to tinnitus and other hearing losses. Also, I find that wearing hearing protection combats fatigue. Most workers tire faster when exposed to high noise levels. Select effective hearing protection that you find comfortable and effective. These can include ear plugs or full ear muff protectors. I find that a quality set of ear muff protectors is perfect for hearing protection.

Lastly, wear a cap to keep the dust out of your hair. I prefer a simple ball cap with my ear muffs and eye protection. With this set up I'm protecting my eyes and my ears. I'm keeping the dust out of my hair. I'm good to go!

Power Hand Saw: Often referred to as a skil saw after the popular brand name, this can prove to be the most versatile tool in a start-up workshop. In fact, in the hands of an expert a power hand saw can be used to build an entire house. Eventually you'll want to buy a table saw, but for now a power hand saw for the woodworker on a budget enables him to do cross cuts, rip cuts and even intricate angle cuts. As mentioned earlier get a quality brand saw. Avoid cheap unknown brands. These tend to cut inaccurately and will burn out before you even start your second project. After selecting the right saw install a quality blade. Most skil saws come with a starter blade of lower quality even if they are a good saw. Keep this blade as a backup and install a quality blade with carbide teeth. Start with a hybrid blade. These have a balanced tooth count that works well with both cross cuts and ripping.

Power Jig Saw: A jig saw will add great versatility to your woodworking. Curved cutting is where the jigsaw excels. This versatile tool can not only cut curves. It's perfect for cutting holes in wood too like handle slots. Eventually you'll want to get a band saw. Bandsaws are even more versatile but a quality floor unit can be expensive. A jig saw can be a good stop gap for the novice woodworker. Purchase an assortment of blades for your jig saw that includes various lengths and teeth per inch.

Battery Powered Drill: Purchase a quality drill that runs on at least 12 volts, however 18 volts is better. Get one with a keyless chuck and if it is in your budget consider a ½ inch chuck over the standard 3/8 inch version. Down the road the ½ inch version will prove to be more versatile. Through hard lessons learned, I have found that buying quality in this case is more critical than ever. Cheaper drills tend to have very short run times and need to be recharged frequently. Their long-term battery life tends to be poor and to make things worse keyless chucks come loose and slip frequently. This is one annoyance you don't want in your workshop. Purchase an assortment of quality carbide tipped drill bits that are stored in a holder labeling each drill bit size. Make a habit of returning each drill bit to its prospective slot in the holder after each use. Lastly get a set of hard steel driver bits. Your drill can also be a versatile screwdriver, particularly if you selected an 18 volt model.

Hammer: The hammer remains as the most versatile tool in the shop, and often the most misunderstood one. By the way, the hammer is the one tool where most workshop accidents occur. Although the most frequent, hammer injuries are usually of a minor nature, varying from bruised fingers to the temporary loss of a fingernail. Hammers greatly vary in quality and price. So what's the difference between a cheap hammer and an expensive hammer? Quality hammers are precisely machined with a good solid joint between the handle and head. The good hammer is balanced, doesn't rust and features a comfortable handle. Most hammers in the high quality range offer metal or fiberglass handles. Cheaper hammers usually have wood handles with poor joints between the head and handle. The head usually comes loose and the tool becomes useless. Select a name brand quality hammer in the 16 ounce range for general work and a smaller finishing hammer for more intricate work. Avoid using large framing hammers in the workshop and any with dimpled head tips. These types of hammers are more suited for rough framing jobs and are unsuitable in the workshop.

Palm Sander: Purchase a ¼ sheet palm sander. This little power tool can handle just about any sanding requirements you have as a novice woodworker. As your woodworking skills evolve, you'll likely upgrade to a floor model disk and belt sander. However for now, the ever versatile palm sander can clean up edges, cross cuts and even limited amounts of surface area. As you embark on your first few projects you'll find that your palm sander with a little bit of effort can transform rough looking creations into virtual works of art! You can use your palm sander to sand and shape rough boards with 100 grit paper and later finish your work with 200 or 300 grit paper. Purchase an assortment of sandpaper sheets with an extra supply of 100 grit paper. You'll find this grade of paper the most versatile in your shop.

Hand Planes and Chisels: These classic tools are a must in every workshop. Although low tech in concept, these tools enable you to taper edges, flatten high spots and correct any imperfections in wood pieces. Start with a standard number 4 plane and an assortment of quality chisels varying in width from ¼ inch to 1 inch.

Clamps: Sooner or later you'll need clamps for glue-ups and just to hold down your wood pieces as you work on them. Unfortunately, good clamps are expensive and it usually takes the novice woodworker a few years to accumulate a comprehensive set of wood clamps. Start with a pair of long "pipe" clamps. Today the pipe has been replaced with long steel shafts, but the structure remains the same. Get a pair of the longest clamps that you can afford. You can contract them for smaller glue jobs and expand them to their full length for larger projects.

Shop Vice: A shop vice installed at the end of your bench is perfect for holding smaller jobs for sanding, filing and hole cutting with your jigsaw. Purchase a wood working vice with replaceable wooden clamping surfaces and avoid metal working vices with steel jaws. Woodworking vices with their wood clamping surfaces can securely hold wood pieces without marring or damaging them. Many of the better vices offer quick release mechanisms that enabled the user to rapidly open and close the jaws without tedious handle turning. The wood clamping surfaces in your vice will periodically need replacement. I prefer to use soft pine in my vices that will not crush or damage many of the different woods that I work with. Whether I'm working in soft pine or hard oak, soft wood clamping surfaces work the best.

Tape Measure and Marking Device: In your workshop, the ever humble tape measure will be one of your most frequently used tools. Purchase a good quality name brand tape measure with a wide tape usually in the 25 foot range. Although in your shop you may not be using the tape at these lengths, the larger tape measures offer more rigid tapes that won't flop around and slip off the end of boards. Measuring when you're by yourself will be a lot easier, and of course quality tape measures can last for many years. When marking projects, I prefer a sharp good old-fashioned HB pencil. An HB pencil will produce a nice mark without scratching the wood. Harder pencils like 2B's can scratch soft woods and will require extra sanding. Avoid oversized carpenter's pencils. Their large flat leads are just too coarse for accurate measurement in the workshop.

Other Tool and Materials: Here are a few other handy tools to round out your starter workshop: Purchase a T-square, set square and speed square. These inexpensive tools will help you in marking right angles as well as compound angles. Also, get an assortment of flat, Robertson and Philips screwdrivers. Get the number two and three Robertson set. I find that the Robertson format works best for most woodworking projects and is the most compatible with drill powered bits. Lastly get a pair of 12 inch wood files. Get a flat one and a round edged one. You'll find them perfect for rough shaping and fixing little mistakes along the way.

Adhesives: Not all glues are created equal. Avoid cheap house brands sold as carpenter's glue. The cost of glue through all of your projects is a minor cost consideration. Therefore, it makes sense to go with the best. I have also found over the years that I get the best results with both indoor and outdoor projects when I use a quality outdoor grade glue. These resin-based compounds unlike traditional water-based wood glue, will not break down and fail with moisture.

Read more »

A Hero For Heisey

When the Nazis tried to break the spirit of one American, it was futile. Their prisoner not only made it back to U.S. soil, he came back a war hero. At 6'4 and less than 90 pounds, he came home to Ohio to heal.

Soon, word spread that the Army Air Corpsman had survived. One uncle owned a glass company and gave the weak young man a chance to work in exchange for room and board. Every once in a while, young Ralph asked for a piece of glass that caught his eye.

Over the few years that he worked at the Newark plant with the big diamond H, he amassed wooden barrels full of fancy glassware. Although his branch of the family name had been changed at Ellis Island, Ralph Hisey became an avid collector of the namesake product.

Later, those old wooden barrels were delivered to my door by my aging grandfather. That mint condition glass came into my life when I turned 21 and during my struggling years, it was a brilliant addition.

In May '07, my San Diego home burned and easily 90% of the collection was destroyed. What remains are fragments of the past where his energy is passed on and continues with mine flowing through it. I treasure that he held each item.

Luckily, I was taught to tithe. When the barrels of Heisey passed into my hands, I placed 10% in others' hands. The 'passed along' pieces are some of the rare and experimental glass that he admired so many years ago.

The A.H. Heisey Company was formed in 1895. It offered both tableware and figurines in both pressed and blown glass. It closed in 1957. Heisey glassware is identifiable by a diamond H. Its high clarity and finishing built a strong following. It is now popular among collectors and is bought and sold in places like eBay or antique glass groups.

Enthusiasts for the Heisey Collectors of America formed a group in 1971. Three years later, the National Heisey Glass Museum was created in downtown Newark, Ohio. On display are hundreds of patterns and colors showing the plants evolving business.

Dozens of animals, candleabras and desk pieces adorned many homes in the early 1900s. Heisey glass was produced in colors throughout the life of the factory, but the most prolific period of color manufacturing was from 1925 to 1938.

The company went to great lengths to produce distinct colors, and Heisey glass may often be identified from the specific colors alone. In 1925, Flamingo (a pastel rose-pink) and Moongleam (a vivid green) were introduced and produced in large quantities.

Marigold is a brassy gold-yellow color. Sahara, which replaced Marigold, is a satisfying soft lemony yellow color. Hawthorne is a lavender color. Tangerine, a bright orange-red produced from about 1933, was part of a trend to darker, more vivid colors. The Tangerine Ivy Vase is quite a rare and collectible piece today.

A cobalt color called Stiegel Blue was also produced. Alexandrite is the rarest of Heisey colors; it can be a pale blue-green under normal light, but in sunlight or ultraviolet light, it glows with a pink-lavender hue. Zircon is a very modern grey-blue and was the last new color introduced.

Heisey is believed to have made a few pieces in milk glass in its early production years and likely produced vaseline glass as well in the early 1920s, although not in large quantities.

At the time the factory closed, the Imperial Glass Company bought the molds for the Heisey glass production and continued producing some pieces with the Imperial Glass mark until they went out of business in 1984. Many of these pieces were animal figurines, mostly in new or original colors using the old molds.

As the economy gets stronger, more collectors will emerge and begin to drive the prices back up. They peaked in early 2000 and slowed in recent years. Sometimes, large collections appear when a long-time Heisey admirer passes away. That is the time to snatch up some of the rarer colors or patterns.

Artifacts of early American history are growing scarce with the passing years. Heisey individual ashtrays and elaborate dinner settings point to a time where home was a center of gathering and celebrating. Bridge sets, molasses dispensers and fancy candy dishes are now cheerful mementos of yesteryear.

Read more »

How to Improve Your Speaking Skills

Practising speaking is one of the most fun and rewarding parts of learning English. Once you can speak even a little English, there are loads of ways to improve your skills quickly while having tons of fun. Here are ten top tips for improving your spoken English and having a great time while you do it!

Have a read of the below list and we are sure you will find a lot of helpful tips to improve your English!

Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Be confident. People can only correct your mistakes when they hear you make them.

Surround yourself in English. Put yourself in an all English speaking environment where you can learn passively. The best way to learn is through speaking.

Practise every day. Make yourself a study plan. Decide how much time a week you are going to spend studying and stick to it. Establish a routine.

Tell your family and friends about your study plan. Get them to push you to study and also don't let them interrupt you.

Practise the 4 core skills: reading, writing, speaking and listening. They all need to be worked on for you to improve.

Keep a notebook of new words you learn. Use them in sentences and try to say them at least 3 times when you speak.

Do a lesson at least once a day.

Memorisation of lists is one of the most common ways of learning vocabulary for a test. It's only a good exercise for short term studying because you often do not retain the information that you have learned for a test.

Use your body clock. If you're not a morning person, study in the afternoon.

You will find words easier to remember if you try to remember an example sentence using that word rather the word on its own.

Plan to take a test. You'll find that you work harder when you need to study for something.

Saying that, it's better not to study just to take a test. Think of the bigger picture. What can you do when you have a good command of English? How will the quality of your life improve?

Give yourself a long term goal. Focus on working towards it.

Give yourself short term goals too and reward yourself when you achieve each one.

Create an atmosphere in which you want to learn, not because you have to. You'll learn more when you're learning because you want to.

Know what works best for you. Think about what methods have been successful for you in the past and stick with them.

Figure out how you learn. It can be by memorising, reading, speaking, summarising or other methods. Find out how you study best. It can be in a quiet place by yourself or with a group.

Get help! If you don't understand something you've got to ask someone. Ask your teacher, classmates or friends for help.

Review! Review! Review! Make sure that you take the time to review things you have studied in the past.

It's not a good idea to study on your own for more than 30 minutes at a time. Take regular breaks, get some fresh air and stretch your legs.

Don't be in such a hurry to move up a level. Concentrate on the level you are at now.

Watch DVDs rather than TV. It's better to use something that you can watch over again to catch information you might have missed the first time.

Watching TV only gives you the chance to hear something correctly first time. This is better for high level students. It can be great practice for speaking to native English speakers so you don't have to ask them to repeat themselves!

Read graded readers. These books are especially written for your level. Read a whole novel. You can do it! You'll feel great afterwards.

Children's books have easier words and are a good alternative to graded readers.

Newspapers are a good place to find passive constructs. Read through an article and see if you can find the passive sentences.

Read for the general meaning first. Don't worry about understanding every word, then go back and look up new words.

For a word you don't understand in a sentence, look at the other words around it. They will give you a hint. Try to guess the meaning from the context.

Learn root words. They'll help you guess the meaning of words. For example:scrib = write, min = small

When you learn a new word, think of all its other forms: Beautiful (adjective),beauty (noun), beautifully (adverb).

Learn prefixes (dis-, un-, re-) and suffixes (-ly, -ment, -ful), these will help you to figure out the meaning of words and build your vocabulary.

English, unlike Japanese or French, uses word stress. For new words, count the syllables and find where the stress is. Only one stress per word and always on a vowel. Two syllable verbs have a stress on the second syllable (beGIN). 2 syllable nouns (TEAcher) and adjectives (HAPpy) stress the first.

Use English whenever you can. It's as simple as that!

Don't translate into English from your own language. Think in English to improve your fluency. Talk to yourself... but not on the bus otherwise people will think you have gone crazy!

You can't learn English from a book. Like driving a car, you can only learn through doing it.

The most natural way to learn grammar is through talking.

Keep an English diary or journal. Start by writing a few sentences a day and then get into the habit of writing more.

Why not start an online blog and share your writings with the world?

To become a better writer brainstorm as many ideas and thoughts onto paper without worrying about grammar or spelling. Then think about the structure. After that, write your piece using good grammar and spelling. Finally, read it through or give it to someone else to check for mistakes.

Keep an eye on your punctuation as it can totally change what you're trying to say. Check out the difference in meaning between these two sentences: "A woman without her man is nothing" and "A woman: without her, man is nothing".

Sing your heart out! Show the world your beautiful voice! Learn English songs and sing along with them to improve fluency and intonation... anyone for Karaoke?

Get a penfriend or use chat-rooms, forums and community sites. If you can't speak to someone in English, this is the next best thing.

Shadow English CDs. Listen to a few sentences then repeat what you heard. Focus on the rhythm and intonation.

Read more »

Considerations When Buying a New Refrigerator

Buying a new kitchen appliance generally entails a huge investment. This is especially true with a large piece of electronic equipment such as a new refrigerator. This is why you need to carefully consider your options when buying a new refrigerator and not just buy something on a whim or on the spur of the moment. Impulse buying on your new refrigerator is one of the surest ways to end up disappointed with a below an average refrigerator that simply does not perform according to your expectations. There are many things to consider when buying a new refrigerator and if possible, price should be the least of your worries.

Features

First of all, you should know first-hand what kind of features you want from your new refrigerator. Do you want a top-of-the-line refrigerator with lots of fancy bells and whistles that does more than just preserve your food? There are even some environment-friendly refrigerators that claim to make your food taste better after they've been kept inside. Most refrigerators also come with an external water dispenser nowadays as well as more standard features such as a small freezer. There are also some aesthetic qualities that you should take into account such as the way the ref opens - is the ref a double-doors type? Does it have separate doors for the ref itself and the freezer? Another huge consideration is the actual storage capacity of the ref including how many different compartments the ref has.

Size

The size of the refrigerators should be taken into account before you buy it. This does not necessarily have anything to do with the storage capacity of the ref itself, but rather, how much space you can spare in your kitchen for the ref. This might seem like a pretty basic, elementary consideration, but you would be quite surprised at the number of people who demand for a refund on their newly bought refrigerators simply because they could not actually fit the ref into kitchen. If your kitchen is cramped for space, then you should definitely think about the size and dimensions of the refrigerator that you will be buying.

What are some good refs?

There are dozens of different brands of refrigerators out there and not all of them will give you the same bang for your buck. In any case, as far as refrigerators are concerned, one of the most dependable brands out there today is Amana. Refrigerators by Amana such as the Amana ASD2522WRW, are well-known for being sturdy as well as functional top-of-the-line refrigerators that do not outlive their usefulness after only 4-5 years since their date of purchase. The Amana ASD2522WRW in particular is a powerhouse of a refrigerator with a freezer capacity of 9.9 cubic feet. This particular Amana ref also comes with its own external water dispenser so that you do not have to open the ref each time for a drink of water. This actually helps you to save on space if you used to keep water containers inside your ref. Furthermore, the ref features a gallon door storage for keeping liquid containers for soda and juices without taking up valuable storage space for food within the ref itself. Another outstanding feature of this particular model from Amana is that it uses Pur-technology filters for the water dispenser as well as for its ice maker. Finally, if you hate frequent food spillage that make a mess inside your refrigerator, the extra shelves help to alleviate this problem since the shelves themselves perform quite well when it comes to stopping the spread of any spillage.

Read more »

6 Top Tips for Interior Design From a Leading Architecture Firm

The adage that the smallest changes make the most impact is undeniably true, more so when it comes to interior design. A mirror here, a painting there or a plant near can bring a whole new look to the same four walls. It doesn't matter if the home is brand new, old or just-moved-in; a few interior design tricks can breathe fresh air to any dwelling.

One of the leading architects in Chennai recommend a few tips to redesigning an apartment without putting a burden on the pocket.

Choose pastels and light hues.
The drawback of living in a metropolitan city like Chennai is the lack of space which means homes and apartments are getting smaller. Tiny rooms have the disadvantage of feeling claustrophobic and cramped-in. A manageable trick to give the illusion of space is using light colours for paint. Besides creating this visual impression, try to add mirrors which face windows. The reflection of natural light will convert any room into a magically massive place.
For those, who have homes with big rooms, try using darker shades on walls. It will bring a cosier and more intimate appearance to it.

Mirrors are for more than bouncing light.
Yes, mirrors can make a room look bigger than it is, but they are also brilliant ways to remodel a home. Instead of an average frame, choose a decorative and ornate one and hang the mirror on an empty wall. The frames will give the same impression as a painting or object of art. Another idea is to combine small mirrors in varying dimensions and make an art piece out of them.
Amalgamation is in vogue.
From patterns to colours, from art to décor, the 'in' thing for home interiors is mixing it up. Most abodes have a plethora of items tucked away somewhere. The idea is to take out those family heirlooms, or flea market finds and showcase them in all their glory. Remember a residence is a reflection of the person who lives in it. So, don't be shy from placing an old pendulum clock next to a contemporary Ikea couch, if you feel like it.
Take the concept a level up by piling patterns on patterns. Mix a sofa furbished in geometric material with a cushion that has an abstract design. Throw pillows and rugs of subtly changing hues to bring warmth to the living space.

Slip covers can do wonders.
A simple, inexpensive and gorgeous way to transform a house is slipcovers. Without spending a lot, the entire character of the furniture can be modified with covers. Plus, they ensure that not a single worry of damaging, dirty or destroying the precious fabric enters the head. In a dwelling that is occupied by kids, furniture covers should be the go-to way to redecorate. The only condition is to choose a more comfortable and casual style rather than a sophisticated and chic one.
Natural material baskets for the win.
Space to store stuff is always running out in a home especially those that have children. A budgetary strategy to this conundrum that also brings a hint of sophistication is baskets made of natural material like wicker. They can be used to store toys, games, books, towels, etc. The organic touch and warm hue of the baskets weave a modest look. Over and above, they can also be utilised in the kitchen to store fruits and vegetable. The cherry on the cake is their sustainability!
Being eco-conscious is the best choice.
With the much-needed hue and cry about climate change, it is high time homeowners start taking more green steps to revamp their living spaces. The easiest method, as per designers, is to add plants to a home. They help renew the area while aiding in keeping the planet healthier. Small plants are not heavy on the wallet at all, plus they bring colour and texture to the blandest rooms.
Another advantage is that they balance the air and humidity in the space in which they are kept and can be used for small or large areas of the flat!

A Last Idea For Home Décor:

Architecture firms in chennai say that families always have some possessions that are boxed away and never given another glance. Even still, when the time comes to redecorate, they look for more new items. Their advice is - stop running to the mall, give a good look to what is already there. Side tables can be refurbished to make bedside tables. Old coffee trays can be kept on the dining table for extra dimension. Trunks can be employed as bookshelves. Antique plates can be hanged on walls.

The list of ideas and inspirations are endless when it comes to re-doing the interiors of a home, and most of them need not take a lot of time or investment!

Are you thinking of changing the interiors of your home? Are you looking for designers who can bring your vision to reality without much effort and cost to you? Located in Anna Nagar, Dwellion is an architectural firm with the top interior designers in the city on their payroll. From completely transforming a space to just using smart tips, the decorators behind Dwellion can do it all.

More than designers, the experts believe in making houses that are practical, warm and an extension of those who make it a home. Take a look at some of their work on their website and then give them a quick call at 044-42028181 for a consultation.

Read more »