LED Lighting Versus Traditional

The incandescent light bulb invented by Thomas Edison was the only type available before the late 20th century, when compact fluorescent bulbs — CFLs — were introduced. Homeowners today have the extra choice of light emitting diode — LED — bulbs. They provide advantages over the other types, but have a few disadvantages also. When choosing light bulbs, then consider variables that are relevant to light quality and intensity, health and economics.

LED Technology

An LED is not a light bulb — it’s an electronic circuit component called a diode whose goal is to convert alternating current into direct current. All diodes emit some type of mild, but the semiconducting material in an LED emits visible light. The initial LEDs emitted red light, however, engineers found ways to manufacture versions that emit yellow, green as well as blue light. White-light-emitting LEDs are infrequent, and many LED bulbs, which consist of clusters of individual LEDs, have phosphor coatings which glow with white light when excited by light from the LED clusters. LED bulbs occasionally include complex pre-assembled circuitry.

Economic Efficiency

CFLs produce light via the excitation of gas within the curved tube which creates the bulb, which can be more efficient than producing light by heating a filament — the process which happens inside an incandescent bulbs. By comparison, the production of light by an LED is much more effective. To create 800 lumens of light, an incandescent bulbs absorbs 60 meters, a CFl 13 to 15 watts, and an LED just 6 to 8 watts. Additionally, LEDs produce virtually no heat and last six times more than CFLs and more than 30 times longer than incandescent bulbs. The initial price of an LED could be 5 times, or longer, greater than that of a CFL, nevertheless.

Lighting Quality

Among the downsides of LED clusters is they are directional. This makes them perfect for spotlights, but much less well suited to ambient lighting. Their directionality is not as noticeable within a phosphor-coated casing, because the entire casing glows, however, the bulk of the light emerges from the surface of the bulb. The quality of light an LED emits depends upon the circuitry of the bulb, and there’s a large difference between bulbs. The best bulbs, including high profile circuitry, create full-spectrum white light like that generated by halogen bulbs — high-temperature incandescents. Lower-quality LEDs could be relatively dim.

Health Considerations

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has recognized flickering from fluorescent bulbs as a health hazard, but because LEDs convert alternating to direct current, they never flicker. Additionally, LEDs contain no mercury — a component of CFL bulbs — and can be safely discarded. Another benefit of LEDs over CFLs is the former emit no ultraviolet light, and you can place one on a desk beside you with no the fear of absorbing radiation. Compared to incandescent bulbs, LEDs generate virtually no heat, and an unattended LED presents very little risk of starting a fire.

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Ryobi Trimmer 720R Specifications

The Ryobi 720R is a curved-shaft, gas-powered string trimmer with a modular layout that takes a number of optional instrument heads. The 720R is no more being maker by Ryobi, as of time of publication, and when compared with modern trimmers, the 720R offers a basic feature set. Although the 720R is stopped, refurbished and used models, along with replacement parts, are readily available.

Engine

The 720R has a 31 cc two-cycle engine which runs at a maximum working speed of 8,300 rpm. Because it’s a two-cycle motor, instead of some four-cycle motor, it needs an oil-and-gas mixture for fuel instead of pure gas. The engine is air cooled and includes electronic ignition, a recoil starter, a centrifugal clutch and a 12-ounce fuel tank. The motor transfers its power to the cutting head via a drive shaft positioned in the tubular steel shaft.

Dimensions

The 720R weighs 12.5 pounds without petrol but with its cutting edge head attached. That burden puts it in accord with the heaviest of Ryobi’s current gas-powered trimmer models, but it’s substantially heavier than new models with similar specifications. The 720R’s cutting diameter, at 15 inches, also lags behind that of Ryobi’s newer trimmers. The 720R uses 0.08-inch-diameter lineup in a dual-line cutting head that is outfitted with a bump-feed line-advance mechanism.

Characteristics

Compared to modern trimmers, the 720R is a no-frills tool. Its broken drive shaft has a quick-release coupling which enables the attachment of optional instrument heads, including a leaf blower, cultivator, edger, hedge trimmer, snow blower, straight-shaft string trimmer or tree pruner. The trimmer’s standard curved shaft theoretically makes it more balanced and maneuverable, but in addition, it limits the trimmer’s reach and sets the trimmer head nearer to you, which can make it easier for flung debris to reach your shins.

Current Model

From the 2014 Ryobi trimmer line, the model closest in specifications to the 720R is that the CS30. Its engine is of a similar size, but in most other respects it outshines the 720R. The CS30’s engine comprises technology which reduces its emissions, and updates to its carburetor make it easier to start. The CS30 includes a 17-inch cutting width, which is 2 inches wider than that of the 720R, and its cutting head has an improved bump-feed mechanism which reduces lineup jams. At 10.7 pounds, the CS30 is significantly lighter than the 720R.

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What's the Fuel-Oil Mix Ratio to Get a Poulan Chain Saw?

Without proper care the best Poulan chain saw can malfunction. It’s paramount to keep the petroleum ratio for, during refueling. Poulan suggests that a ratio of 40 components fuel to 1 part oil.

Recommended Ratios

Poulan 2-cycle air-cooled engine oil can be found in 3.2-ounce bottles. Mix one bottle of gasoline.

Proper Fuels

Poulan motors are designed to run best on 87-octane regular unleaded petrol — avoid using E85 and gas gas. Gasoline can be blended with 10% alcohol in the very least, but do not store the saw.

Mixing Things Up

Before refilling to avoid oil separating from gasoline, shake the mix.

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How to Clean Stains From a Fiberglass Shower

While you may not enjoy cleaning your shower, allowing it to go means stains can build up inside it. Since a metallic shower is one prefabricated piece, you won’t possess pesky caulk or grout to scrub. However, because fiberglass is coated in vinyl resin, it scratches easily, so gentle cleaning is a must. Mild abrasives let you scrub away stains without damaging the surface of your fiberglass shower.

Fill a spray bottle with 1-cup warm water plus 1-tablespoon dishwashing fluid. Alternatively, use a liquid laundry detergent containing oxygen bleach.

Spray the bathtub generously using the soapy water and then rub it with a damp sponge in a circular motion.

Turn on the shower to rinse away just as much soap as possible. Rinse off the remainder by filling a big cup with water and pouring it over the walls.

Mix 1/2-cup baking soda with enough water to produce a thick paste. Stir as you include the water to get the paste to the right consistency. It should be thin enough to spread but not so thin that it conducts.

Spread the baking-soda paste over the stain with a damp sponge. Leave the paste on for a minumum of one hour.

Wet the sponge and gently scrub the baking soda into the stain.

Wash the paste off by turning on the bathtub or pouring water in a cup.

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Stomp or Textured Drywall and Ceiling Techniques

Drywall texture provides a tactile quality that could mimic other wall coverings, like plaster or adobe, and because it changes the reflectivity of the walls, so it may make a room more comfy. Texturing materials aren’t exotic — you normally use the same joint compound you use for taping seams, and the resources are common and affordable. If you’re searching for an uncomplicated technique, you may create an intriguing pattern using a stomp brush.

Stomping Essentials

The main ingredient to get a stomped texture is drywall joint compound thinned to your paintable consistency with water — it still has to be thin enough to spread with a roller but stiff enough to keep on the ceiling. You need two tools: a paint roller with a hefty nap skin and a stomping brushthat consists of a wooden handle with stiff, long bristles that are usually ordered in an oval or rectangle. Drywall texturing is cluttered work, so make certain to move furniture from the room and cover the floor with drop cloths before you begin.

The Way To Stomp

Once the taping is completed and the walls hardened, you start the stomping process by spreading a coat of joint compound on the wall or ceiling using the paint roller. Joint compound dries slowly, so it’s fine to cover the whole wall or ceiling before stomping, avoiding streaks and voids as you would when painting. You do the actual stomping by repeatedly dabbing the stomping brush to the moist coat of mud; clean the brush periodically in water to prevent clumping. The sum that you overlap determines the overall look of the texture pattern and also is an issue of taste.

Knocking Down the Texture

The activity of a stomp brush leaves sharp points from the texture pattern that you might choose to flatten. The ideal time to do this is following the joint compound has had a chance to stiffen, or about an hour later stomping. Holding a drywall knife with its blade almost parallel to the surface and running it gently over the texture flattens the sharp points and leaves a flattened, plasterlike surface. Use light pressure — you don’t wish to push the mud to the depressions left by the stomp brush and then erase the pattern completely.

Alternatives to Stomping

In lieu of stomping, drywall finishers frequently spray texture using a manual-pump sprayer, let it stiffen and then knock it down using a drywall knife. This creates an irregular pattern similar to that created by a stomp brush, but it takes less stuff, and it leaves part of the drywall vulnerable. This technique demands a more complete taping job because badly taped seams are more visible. Additionally, it is common practice to apply the mud to get a knockdown pattern using a drywall knife, scraping the knife gently on the drywall to leave bigger, better-defined islands of material that may be later flattened with a second pass of the knife.

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The best way to officially Antique Pewter

A tin alloy long appreciated for its durability, pewter doesn’t rust like iron or tarnish like silver. Antique pewter pieces typically contain elevated levels of lead, which darkens with age and results in a special silver to charcoal grayish-black patina. Although most collectors prefer the antiquated appearance of their patina, some like pewter bits to look bright and shiny. Once polished, pewter can retain its shine for many years.

Mix about 1 teaspoon of mild dish soap into two quarts of warm water. Don gloves. Dip a soft cloth or sponge into the process and gently wipe the pewter surfaces free of dust and dirt. Utilize a soft-bristled brush to get into crevices.

Wash the pewter slice with warm, clean water. Thoroughly dry it with a soft, clean cloth, buffing up the shine.

Use a quality all-purpose metal polish to give brightly finished antique pewter bits more shine. Following the instructions on the item’s label, use a generous amount of wax implemented with a very soft fabric. Rub the metal hard employing a circular movement.

Wash the polished slice in warm, soapy water and then rinse it thoroughly. Dry the item by rubbing it in just 1 direction until no more black comes off on the fabric. Duplicate the polishing, washing, rinsing and drying process until the piece reaches the desired level of brightness.

Polish a vintage pewter piece with a dull finish with a mixture containing two tablespoons of rottenstone powder and only enough mineral oil to form a thick paste. Dip a soft, clean cloth into the paste and rub it on the pewter in 1 direction. Wash the piece in warm, soapy water, rinse well and buff it dry until no more black comes off on your own fabric.

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Making Homemade Candles Last Long

Making your own candles isn’t just economical, it’s also fun. Whether you are making candles for emergency use or to add a decorative element to your living room, durable candles are especially beneficial. A few strategies and techniques can be followedboth while you’re making the candles and as you’re burning them–to ensure the production of long burning candles which provide secure, low-cost light for hours to come.

Ingredients Matter

In order to make the best candles, you need to begin with the best ingredients. Soy wax, which can be made from hydrogenated soybean oil, and beeswax will be the two longest lasting keratin. While beeswax typically lasts more, it’s more difficult to work with because it’s an extremely high melting point. Soy wax is cheaper and easier to work with as an ingredient. An added benefit of choosing beeswax or soy wax – they are environmentally friendly as they are renewable. Paraffin, another popular candle component, is constructed from oil, and is bad for the environment.

Just Say Freeze

Once you’ve completed the candle-making process, there is a simple way to extend the life of the candles – freeze them. A wick can be complicated to light in case it freezes; by wrapping the wicks in aluminum foil, it is possible to protect them from damage. After you guard the wicks, cover the candles carefully in plastic wrap, then pop them in the freezer before use. Even just another hour or two will assist the candle burn more because the wax will burn at a lesser rate.

Salt of the Earth

Table salt has many uses, and here’s one more to increase the record – extending the life of the homemade candles. While this process may appear complex, it is able to make your candle last up to twice as long. First, light the candle. After the wax has melted and pooled under the wick, blow it out but be prepared to move quickly before the fluid solidifies. Sprinkle a pinch of table salt at the flux fluid, making sure it mixes with the wax and doesn’t just sit on the surface. With the added salt, the wax will melt far more slowly. By repeating this process with each use it is possible to always extend the life of the candle.

Burn Baby Burn

Candles that burn unevenly also burn quickly. Many people don’t understand this easy trick that applies to store-bought as well as homemade candles. By maintaining the wick trimmed to 1/4 of the inch, the candle will burn evenly and last longer. Additionally, if you place a candle in a drafty location, it won’t burn evenly. By maintaining your candles from prying areas, such as doors and windows, you can not just improve safety, but also extend the life of the candles for a longer, more enjoyable burnoff.

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How to Repair & Repaint Steel Doors

A steel door is durable and secure, and it doesn’t rot or warp like wood. However, over time, the finish can dull or you might change your home’s exterior and decide to provide your steel door a fresh coat of new paint. You may run into issues if your door is dented or contains holes caused by rust. The good thing is that most homeowners can do these repairs and refinish a steel door themselves.

Place the end of a screwdriver under each hinge and then tap with a hammer to pop out the hinge pins and remove the door from the frame. Put the door flat, such as on a set of saw horses.

Wear protective clothing, a painter’s mask, safety glasses, and rubber gloves before you begin refinishing your door.

Remove the screws securing the door’s kick plate using a screwdriver. Scrape away loose parts of paint using a paint scraper and mud any rust patches down to the bare metal with 60-grit sandpaper.

Smooth the sanded areas having 150-grit or finer sandpaper and wipe away sanding dust with a tack cloth.

Wash the door with light soap and water to remove dirt, grease and debris and then rinse thoroughly with clean water.

Sand dents and the area surrounding holes or scratches down to the bare metal using coarse sandpaper, such as 80- to 150-grit. The coarse sandpaper will leave scratches, but they produce a surface that will hold your stain material.

Wipe the door using a tack cloth to remove sanding dust.

Implement auto-body stitch into the damaged areas utilizing a plastic putty knife. Auto-body filler is a two-part resin that must be mixed prior to use. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for this procedure, and once the pieces are mixed, spread the filler into the damaged area and press it smooth until the stain is slightly higher than the surface of the door.

Let the putty cure for about half an hour and then sand the stain, first using 80-grit sandpaper on a rubber sanding block, then 150-grit paper, sanding until the stain is almost level to the steel.

Finish sanding with 400-grit wet/dry sandpaper wrapped around a sanding block. Sand the patch till it is level with the surface of the door, feathering the edges.

Scrape loose paint from the door using a paint scraper. Wear just the paint that’s loose. Feather the edges using 150-grit sandpaper to smooth the finish. Scuff sand the rest of the door with fine-grit sandpaper to prepare it for cushion.

Apply a latex or oil-based primer specifically formulated for metal, using a brush or a sprayer.

Sand the dried primer gently with 150-grit sandpaper to remove high spots and drips and also to scuff the surface of the door.

Apply at least one complete coat of latex or oil-based enamel paint to complete the door by means of a roller or a brush.

Let the paint dry overnight and then apply a thin bead of silicone around the top and sides of your kick plate. This may seal the plate so that moisture doesn’t flow behind and cause rust.

Put the plate on the door so the screw holes line up over the existing mounting holes at the door and reinstall the screws.

Reinstall your door at the frame, replacing the hinge pins in the top and in the bottom.

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Flowering Trees With Berries

Flowering trees with berries first enliven your yard with a showy flower display and then add interest to your landscape with colorful fruit. Some berries come out while there are leaves in the tree, while others hang off bare branches, adding color to your landscape if you want it most. Many flowering trees with berries also attract birds and wildlife to your yard.

Thrives in Full Shade

Strawberry madrone (Arbutus unedo) and “Marina” madrone (A. “Marina”) are evergreen trees that grow in full shade to partial sun. Strawberry madrone bears white flowers in fall or winter that yield plenty of medium, orange or red berries in fall or winter. It grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 11. “Marina” bears pink flowers in fall that yield plenty of small, red or reddish-yellow blossoms in fall or winter. It grows in USDA zones 9 through 11.

Bears Fragrant Flowers

The igiri tree (Idesia polycarpa) provides yellow or green flowers in the summer that turn into very small brown, red or mostly green berries in the fall, growing in USDA zones 6 through 9. China berry (Melia azedarach), also referred to as bead tree, Persian lilac and pride-of-India, exhibits lavender flowers in summer or spring that turn into loads of small yellow berries in the summer, fall or winter. It grows in USDA zones 8 through 12.

Tolerates Drought

Blue dracaena (Cordyline indivisa), also referred to as the broad-leaved cabbage tree or the mountain cabbage tree, and bronze dracaena (C. australis “Atropurpurea”), exhibit fragrant white flowers in summer that become small, white or mostly blue berries in fall. Blue dracaena grows in USDA zones 9 and 10 and bronze dracaena grows in zones 8 through 10.

Produces Colorful New Growth

The brilliant new development of some flowering trees with berries brightens your landscape. Chinese photinia (Photinia serrulata) is an evergreen tree with white flowers in spring that yield small, red berries in summer or fall. It has bright bronze new development and grows in USDA zones 7 through 9. Oriental photina (P. villosa), also referred to as villose photina, is a deciduous tree with white flowers in spring that yield a lot of small red berries in fall. It has pale gold new increase and grows in USDA zones 4 through 9.

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When and How to Pick Goblin Eggs Gourds

If pumpkins are too large for autumn decorating around your home, plant a bigger drop favorite — “Goblin Eggs” gourds (Cucurbita pepo “Goblin Eggs”). These gourds grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9. The ornamental gourds, produce miniature, 3-inch-long egg-shaped fruit. Understanding how long it takes for them to achieve maturity and knowing when they’re ripe can help you pick them in just the correct moment.

Period to Maturity

“Goblin Eggs” gourds take less time to reach maturity than bigger members of the gourd family because they are smaller compared to fully grown. This kind of gourd only requires 80 days before it’s ready for harvest. Most other types of ornamental gourds need 90 to 100 days to achieve whole maturity.

Signs of Ripeness

As opposed to relying only on the number of days after you see the fruit seem to plan your harvest, look closely in the gourds and their vines. Gourds need to dry on the vine, and their skin ought to be hard before harvest. The telltale sign is a dry vine using a ragged appearance. This means that the gourd is about to be harvested.

Harvest

When harvesting, never pull “Goblin Eggs” gourds from the vine because that could cause damage to the fruit which could encourage rot during the drying phase. The best way to harvest gourds is to cut on the vine 3 inches from where it enters the fruit using a pair of sharp shears. After selected, Washington State University’s Clark County Extension recommends you avoid doing any damage to the outside of the gourds to prevent creating entry points for bacteria that could cause rot.

Handling After Harvest

After harvest, you need to disinfect the gourds using a bleach-free solution like sulphonaphthol. Go the “Goblin Eggs” gourds to a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. During the drying process, rotate the gourds to ensure even drying. Dried gourds will sound like rattles when shaken because the flesh which held the seeds in place has shrunk from the drying procedure and the seeds are free to move around within the gourd. When this happens, you can preserve the entire gourd using a layer of wax.

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