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How To Properly Take Care Of Your Gardening Tools

Irene Bellamy — Tue, 14 May 2013 07:04:03 GMT

Gardening tools are very much like the artists paint brush. They are what will turn your plain old yard into a fantastic landscape design Toronto. Garden tools that are well taken care of will perform better and last longer. If they aren’t properly taken care of, you can say good bye to your landscape design Toronto and hello to an untrimmed yard. So what is the proper way to take care of your garden tools? It’s actually not hard at all. You can keep them in pristine condition by following this simple steps below.

Step One: Always Rinse Them Off

When you have finished using your garden tools, make sure that you always rinse them off. After a good day spent gardening, your tools are probably covered in all sorts of things- dirt, grass, leaves, and who knows what else? A two second rinse off can help to make sure all of the big stuff is off, which can cause erosion and rusting over time.

Step Two: Dry Them

You don’t want to leave your tools wet after their rinse off, as that can potentially cause them to rust even quicker than leaving dirt and grass on them. Just take an old wash cloth and dry them off as well as you can. The metal parts of your garden tools should be completely dry, and the wooden parts should be as dry as it is possible to get them.

Step Three: Wipe All Metal Parts Down With Mineral Oil

All metal pieces need a little extra attention. Your gardening shears, the ends of your shovels and hoes, and anything else that might be metal should be gently wiped down with mineral oil. This will ensure your gardening tools stay rust free, clean, and easy to use for as long as you need them to be. It also keeps them very shiny and clean looking.

Step Four: Always Put Them Back

When you are finally finished with your gardening and making sure they’ve been rinsed, dried, and wiped down, you must always make sure to put them away. Ideally, you have a place for them inside out of the elements, such as in a shed or garage. This will ensure that all of the work you just did to properly take care of your gardening tools is worth it. I mean, making sure they are clean and oiled just to leave them outside in your yard seems a little silly, doesn’t it? Of course it does!

Those four easy steps might take you a total of five minutes per tool, and it is always well worth it in the long run. Taking proper care of your gardening tools can save you money, time, and a lot of stress. Plus, those gardening tools are what keeps your landscape design Toronto looking it’s best, so treat them good or you’ll be left with a mess of a yard instead!

Basement Remodel #4: On Hold?!

rhybeka — Sun, 05 May 2013 17:38:01 GMT

So we talked with our project foreman this week, and it appears the great city I live in is requiring an ICC Engineering report for the product we are having installed in our basement. The company has reports for all of the materials separately that make up the soft wall, but not a report for the piece as a whole. Quote is 4 – 6 months. This is why we DIY, right? The company has been good to give us options, and even throw in some extras even though they aren’t the ones causing the issue. My main issue is it has pushed our time table out even farther. Hopefully more answers coming this week. Think I’m going to start working on my backyard revival :D

Little House in the Heights #3: Demo days

BillyJ — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 22:43:40 GMT

The demolition continues in this segment, with the jack-hammer getting the best of me. Although I rarely get the chance to rejoice during demo, this time I did. Usually I look at the job and think to myself, “It really doesn’t look THAT bad,” then find out that the concrete is 10” thick in the exact spot I am going to bust up (only because they had accidentally dug too deep and had some leftover cement). It happens to me more often then not.

I’ve had experience working in houses in this neighborhood, and knew there would be many setbacks along the way. However, this time the demo-gods (no pun intended) were nice to me. The only problem I actually had was moving the jackhammer around.

I’ll be installing a Schluter shower system and needed to move the drain over. Other then bringing the bathroom up to code, there is nothing else that needs major work. I mean – how could much more be wrong in a 5’ x 7’ closet?

Then I moved into the kitchen. The goal here was to expose enough sewer pipe and cut out a section. By doing that, I’ll be able to have three Y’s installed (floor drain, appliance drain, and sink drain).

No, I didn’t use the Bosch pup to bust up the floor – just for the delicate work around a gas line (don’t ask – I still don’t know where it goes).

Please note the water damaged rotted plate. Oh, don’t worry – the wall is non-load bearing. There were more then one stud that was not supported.

After the kitchen, I moved into the living room. The previous owner had a window air conditioner mounted in the wall. I loved how he felt cutting a wall stud was nothing to be concerned about.

I had a window sitting around collecting dust so I thought it would be nice to allow for some air flow. The picture window is the only opening and without a screen door, natural cooling is not going to happen.

Of course, the outlet is exactly where I’m running a stud. The fun never ends.

Next time on Little House in the Heights – you’ll see the installation of another window – this time in the kitchen. Also, I have more floor to bust up!

Until then, be safe and have fun.

Basement Remodel #3: Demo is about done...until the SO speaks up

rhybeka — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 22:00:52 GMT

so my cousin was kind enough to come up this past Saturday and help me complete 95% of the demo.All that is left is to finish taking up the linoleum and cutback adhesive (if I can), and apparently now my SO has added replacing the stair treads and risers. They were carpeted before, but I was under the impression they could just be ‘recovered’ with a new oak tread and riser. HA! Until I measured the current tread and found it’s 2x material. sigh so if we want oak stairs, that means replacing at least the treads. Anybody have any experience/resources for this? I may repost some of this in a forum just to see if someone can get me started. I reached out to my dad, but it’s been a while since he’s dealt with stairs. I didn’t mind if it was just a refacing project. I don’t even mind replacing the treads…so I guess for now I’ll just try to finish the linoleum and cutback adhesive removal. Hoping the installation of the walls will be starting in the next week or so!

Reinforced Mounting Lid For The Dust Deputy

Todd A. Clippinger — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 20:30:59 GMT

Since I did the Dust Deputy Review in Episode 27, I have been getting questions and have decided to answer them publicly with a video so everyone may benefit from the answers.

In this video I show how I reinforced the 5 gallon bucket lid that I mount the Dust Deputy to.

In Episode 28 I gave information to help the woodworkers decide which shop vacuum size might be the best to use with the Dust Deputy.

Here are the last 2 videos:

Episode 27: Dust Deputy Review

Episode 28: Choosing A Vac For The Dust Deputy

I hope you enjoy and find it informative.

Your friend in the shop-

Todd A. Clippinger

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Choose A Vac For The Dust Deputy

Todd A. Clippinger — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 15:34:16 GMT

In my last video I did a review of the Dust Deputy and showed how effective it is. ?This prompted several people to ask me about what size shop vacuum is necessary to work with the Dust Deputy. So in this video, I decided to explore that question and share the results with you.

??Even if you are not planning on using a Dust Deputy, you might find the information helpful in your decision to buy a shop vacuum.

If you have not seen how effective it is, check out my previous video where I review the Dust Deputy.

I do not usually save bloopers or even load them in the computer. Normally I delete them in the camera to save memory and reduce the files for editing. But I decided to save one for you at the end of the video:)

?I hope you enjoy the video and find it helpful.

?Your friend in the shop-

Todd A. Clippinger

Share the Love-Share the Knowledge

Review of Oneida Dust Deputy

Todd A. Clippinger — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 15:29:49 GMT

I bought my Dust Deputy 3 years ago and have been using it regularly since then. Many of you have probably looked at the Dust Deputy and considered purchasing the plastic cyclone with some hesitation, unsure of how it really performs.

In this video I give some good context as to how I use it, with what tools, and how I have it set up. I also open up the Dust Deputy bucket to show how much dust is inside after 3 months of use, and then I open the shop vacuum to see how much dust made it past the cyclone. I think you will be amazed.

So check out my raw thoughts and review of the Dust Deputy by Oneida.

Your friend in the shop-

Todd A. Clippinger

Share the Love-Share the Knowledge

Strategies For Reducing Playground Maintenance

Duke Mazzello — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 15:16:09 GMT

Children need open places to play, but a few structures and features can help them stay busy and get active. Since park playgrounds in large cities can be visited by hundreds of children each day, it’s crucial to streamline the maintenance process. Choosing the right materials and fixtures for the area will reduce the need for repairs or detailed cleaning work. This reduces labor and material costs over the life of the playground.

Sealed Components

Swings, carousels, and other toys that spin or rotate usually need periodical oiling. Failing to clean and lubricate joints between fixtures will lead to loud squeals and screams, which are followed with serious wear and tear. Open rollers and joints allow dust to get into the fixture and create friction. Look for features with sealed components for effortless maintenance and fewer noisy interruptions.

Vandalism Prevention

While you may have designed your park for children ages 12 and under, it may attract teenagers looking for a little mischief. Choosing play structures made from durable and smooth resin panels ensures that you can remove spray paint, marker ink, and other messes as quickly as possible. A maintenance team shouldn’t have to spend hours scraping off gum or pressure washing the structures to remove obscenities. Look for swings and play platforms that have sealed connectors and are anchored to the ground to prevent serious damage.

Better Mulch

Wood chips are the most common choice for ground coverings in play areas. They are inexpensive and easy to replace However, they break down fairly quickly and make quite a mess when scattered by running feet. The soft chunks of bulk rubber mulch will provide a cushioning surface while staying in place better than bark or wood options. This type of mulch is also easier to clean. A leaf blower or wide toothed rake can capture debris while leaving the rest of the material in place, and a water hose can wash away any spills.

Easy Cleaning

It’s easy for colds and bacterial infections to spread when kids who aren’t showing symptoms all play on the same outdoor equipment. Allowing dirt and debris to build up in seams between platforms and pieces also leads to infection if a child has a cut or scrape from play. Many modern pieces of equipment are designed with minimal seams and open floors to allow for dirt and debris to be rinsed away. Adding a quick rinse of the equipment at the end of the day won’t increase your labor costs greatly, and it could help protect the public health of both children and adults in your town.

Little House in the Heights #2: Let the demo begin

BillyJ — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 00:46:32 GMT

Okay. So I was off by a few days. I was going to post this segment several days (week???) earlier, but life got in the way.

Back to the story.

As all remodels begin, I assessed what was in front of me. Because the house is small, and I mean, SMALL, there is very little that I can actually do (or so I initially thought). Of course, after anyone looked at the hideous pink-flamingo bathroom (complete with a tub that would never come clean, fixtures that probably didn’t work, and a cabinet that was waiting for someone to carry away), I quickly decided to gut the entire bathroom. Working alone – one day.

Honest – this is the way the previous owner installed the faucet.

See the insulation? I don’t. It was sheathed with a silver wrap (behind the drywall). Nothing else. I know they did not care about the price of gas when the house was built in the 50s, but it looks like I have a little job of insulating the house ahead of me.

And now the bathroom is in the living room! Exactly 1-ton of demo.

Next was the kitchen. If you thought the bathroom was bad, the kitchen was far worse.

While I was demoing the bathroom, I found it quite strange that the bottom plate was completely rotted. Not just water damaged, but rotted. Then it became apparent – a constant leak. Their solution to solving the leak – spraying foam insulation around the suspected culprit.

Yes folks, that’s a 1 1/2” discharge pipe for the washer. No wonder water was everywhere. Oh, and look where it is tied into! Yep, it’s the last one out – not the first. I bet water was flowing out in every direction when the washer was running.

Now, besides the wonderful plumbing work they did, look at how they hooked up the water heater. As I was demoing the bathroom, I couldn’t figure out where a gas line was going. It wasn’t until I tore apart the kitchen until I realized they took a pipe off of an incoming line, ran it into the attic, down through a bathroom wall, and around to the tank. Look at how close the line is to the furnace line.

The red arrow is pointed to the tank, the yellow is the furnace line-in. Needless to say, both lines could have run together and reduced down to 1/2” (there’s about 100,000 btu total, with a total run of less then 15’).

The electrical was not much better. Below you see the power line (yep, the one wrapped in electrical tape) for the garbage disposal.

Besides the fact that any project attempted by the previous owners did not meet code, they did not understand anything concerned with building.

The hole was for the exhaust dryer vent. They did not seal off the vent, rather, they stuffed insulation between the studs.

Next step – put some holes in the floor.

Home Improvements #1: Seal Your Floor With Epoxy Flooring

frantylouis — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 09:31:08 GMT

This article originally appeared on Tech And Science Blog and has been republished by permission.

The most efficient way of protecting the concrete floors and thereby sealing them is known as Epoxy Flooring. An Epoxy Coating is a modern way technique of protecting the floor and so as achieving a high degree of attractive look. A floor is converted to an Epoxy floor when a protective resin is applied over the existing concrete floor. The reason the Epoxy floor looks glossy is due to the Epoxy resin used in the process. The special flooring type like the Terrazzo or marble is implemented with this particular Epoxy Resin.

Epoxy is considered to be hard and durable material and it is the reason why it is used in most of the flooring applications. The Epoxy floor is considered to have a prolonged durability even if there is a lot of traffic moving on it for several coming years, there are less possible chances of occurrence of any tampers and damage. Epoxy is also considered to be water proof and dust proof and hence the cleaning process including water has less effect on the floor. The concept of Epoxy found wide spread utilization in industrial settings for its affordability and durability for many years. But now with recent designer appeal of Epoxy has attracted lot of private home customers to go for Epoxy for their garage, hall and living rooms. Various homemade designs are targeted for customers to choose for their bedrooms and personal rooms.

The various places where Epoxy Floorings have been used are:

Home

If you are really concerned about your home to look nice with glossy and awesome flooring then you must readily go for the Epoxy floor design. Basically most of the people suffer from allergies or asthma with a lot of dust settled on their normal floors. But with Epoxy floors the concentration of the sediments decreases to a low level. Epoxy is also considered to be a hygienic choice for floor covering.

Industrial And Commercial Settings

Consider an example where there is an automobile shop which is intended to accommodate more than 10 trucks of different types to show as a demo. Now in this case the normal flooring process will have two disadvantages. One, there will be a zero attractiveness and no appeal. Second, the normal flooring will prove to be a weaker one with lots of damages and breakage. So, the more hard and durable Epoxy is chosen as a prime to every other alternatives.

Retail Outlets

It is a fact that the retail outlets, if popular manages to get a lot of traffic the whole day. So, with incoming traffic there comes a lot of dust and an ample opportunity for wear and tear on the flooring. Epoxy turns out to be the most stylish and durable way of constructing the outlet.

Epoxy with a lot of features has a lot of benefits as well. The common thing which many people might fear about is the cost to be high. But certainly everyone will be amazed to know that the cost is almost similar to any other flooring types. Added to this, Epoxy has a high degree of durability and with great looks it needs low maintenance.