Easy Do-It-Yourself Paint Repairs

Paint is considered to be the clothes of your house.

Although paint problems may look ugly and major, you

can actually be saved from the obligation of calling a

professional painter and spending huge amounts of

money on them. You yourself can be your very own

Picasso in doing paint retouches of your house.

Break Down

All kinds of paint, whatever brand it may be, can only

last for a specified number of years on your wall,

before the break down process starts showing. When you

are experiencing paint break down, it basically means

that the first or primary layer on the surface is

weakening.

This problem is commonly experienced in old houses

that have several paint layers. When the break down

process starts, paint will start cracking and peeling

from your wall or your wood surface. Because of this,

your wood or drywall will be exposed.

To fix this, try scraping or pressure washing your

surface. After that, fill any holes using putty if it

is wood or spackle if it is a wall surface. After

filling in, get a sand paper and fine sand the

surface.

When you’re done, wipe of the dust and let it

completely dry. Basically, when you pressure wash or

when it is raining, 24 hours should be allotted for

the surface to dry. Once you’re sure that it is dry,

and then you can start painting.

Moisture Build-Up

Another cause of paint cracking is moisture build-up,

leak or excessive condensation.

Most probably, you can find mildew and mold along with

this problem. This kind of problem is often

experienced in the bathroom. However, it can also

occur in other parts of the house because of leaky

roofs and close outdoor shrubs. Your paint can sag

down due to the moisture. But in this case, you won’t

see any chipping debris.

If moisture build-up is the cause of your pain

cracking, then you would have to do another remedy.

Since you will be targeting on the mildew, and if it

is an interior surface that you are fixing then you

can make use of a solution that consists of three

parts water and one part bleach. If it is an exterior

surface, you can wash it off using an exterior

solution intended for pressure washers.

Both of these can be bought at your local shop. You

can also try renting a pressure washer from some

stores that provide services like these during the

weekend.

Fading Color

The last most experienced paint problem would be

fading color. This is usually experienced with

surfaces on the exteriors of the house. However, it

can also occur indoors when specific colors were used

for the walls. Basically, paint color fades when it

exposed too much to the sun.

To avoid this kind of problem, most people would try

no to use bright and bold colors such as deep red. If

you have an affinity for deep colors, but don’t like

the fading ones, then try to look for hues which have

a ruddy or golden tone with them.

You can try consulting a paint associate about this.

Try to find out how much red oxide or yellow oxide

colorant was mixed for the specific color that you

want. Basically, if the paint associate says that each

colorant has about 1 ounce or so in the tint base to

create the color, then you have spotted a color that

can resist fading for a very good period of time.

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A Little Home Brewing Fun for the Kids

In any family when one person gets excited about something new, everybody gets in on the act.  And that is certainly true of children.  They love to be active in whatever hobbies mom and dad love to be part of.  So if you bowl, the kids want to go and play the video games.  If you love Shakespeare in the park, the kids will go and play on the ground nearby.  So if you can find a way to give the kids a part of what you are doing, that keeps the family together.

That may seem tough with a hobby like home brewing.  After all, the process of brewing is pretty involved and there is boiling water and sterile instruments to think of.  That kind of thing really isn't fun for the kids.  So if you can find a way to make a "beer" just for them, then they too can enjoy the excitement and feel part of what the adults are doing.

A way to fill this need is to brew up a delicious batch of ginger beer from for the kids. And the nonalcoholic beverage drinkers in the family will love it too!  Of course, ginger beer is not real "beer" in the sense of an alcoholic brew although it can be mixed with beer for delightful and very British toddy.  But it's so easy to make that the kids can get involved and they will love the beverage that results almost as much as mom and dad love their home brewed beer.

It’s a good thing to have the procedures, tools and ingredients for your ginger beer all ready to go on brew day because it’s a great surprise to the kids to let them know that they are going to get to make their own beer too!   Because the steps for making ginger beer are fast, easy and harmless, the kiddos can have a ball doing it using a very simple recipe and even if they drink it all gone, it's easy enough to whip up another batch.  

The ingredients for ginger beer are not exotic and they can be found at any grocery store.  They include…

. Be ready with 8 plastic bottles that will hold a pint and 4 bottles that will hold a quart and some bowls to mix the ginger beer up with.

. Ginger - you can get it fresh at larger grocery stores.  Two ouches is enough.

. Cream of tartar - about one teaspoon will do.

. Two lemons sliced.

. A pound of sugar

. An ounce of yeast 

. Boil one gallon of water.  

Now it's just a matter of putting it all together.  Cut the lemons in big sized rings and combine them in a big bowl with the other ingredients.  The only other preparation you need to do besides boiling the water is to crush the ginger so it mixes with the water and other parts of the beer.

Now just chill the mixture to room temperature and add the yeast.  Put it in the larger bottles to let it ferment for a couple of days.  Once that is done, skim off the residue on top and your ginger tea is ready to enjoy.

Do It Yourself Handyman - Finding Power Tools for Left Handed People

I May Be Left Handed But I'm Always Right Funny Gift T-Shirt T-Shirt

 Most power tools on the market are designed for everyone to use. However, if you happen to be left handed, then you may realize just how difficult it is to operate particular power tools. The on/off switch being in a location that isn’t convenient or easy to get to in the event of an emergency is the most common complaint. 

With saws, the most common complaint for left handed people is that the blade is on the right hand side which makes it difficult for them to operate. The left handed individual has two choices – hold it the wrong way and hope the cut ends up being straight or face it the other way around with the blade coming at you and the materials coming at you. Neither is a very effective option. 

Still, many left handed individuals feel like they have been cheated by the power tool industry. In fact, the Left Handers Club, a group that was formed in 1990, has been sparking the interest in many power tool manufacturers to address the situation. It seems like saws are the one main power tool that hasn’t yet been adapted for left handed individuals. For them, a table saw works best because you can choose to cut on either the right side or the left side of the blade. 

There are some great power tools on the market that can be used easily for left handed individuals including power screwdrivers, routers, nailers, drills, and sanders. This is because the manufacturers have worked hard to redesign them. The on/off switch is generally located in the middle of the power tool so it can be accessed from the right side or the left side. 

Left Handed Manual Can Opener, Orange Handle

A mainly unknown brand of power tool, Porter-Cable, has introduced a circular saw kit that features the blade on the left hand side. The reviews of this power tool show it is very inexpensive, around $100 and sees to work very well for a variety of materials. This might be a great saw for left handed individuals to try out. It seems like it would be much safer than the right handed saw options we discussed above. 

Panasonic offers a cordless drill that is designed for the left handed individual. In addition, it is getting rave reviews for being a great working power tool that recharges very quickly. Unfortunately, there still aren’t enough to make a good selection.

Left handed tool belts are becoming a very popular item manufactured by many tool makers. This is very helpful and a step in the right direction, especially for left handed individuals who work in the construction industry. They commonly wear a tool belt for eight to twelve hours a day, five or six days per week. 

It appears that the power tool industry has made some steps in the right direct when it comes to making the majority of power tools accommodating for both left handed and right handed individuals. Moving the power switch made a huge different on many of these power tools. In the past, left handed individuals had to reach in front of the power tool, and that could be a potential risk for injury. Now most of the major power tools have the power switch in the center. 

Fiskars 1294508697WJ Left-hand 8" Bent-left, Stainless Steel - Orange

Since there are so many left handed people in our society, and it is no longer something looked down on, there is a huge demand for power tools to work for them. Creating power tools that appeal to this market seems like a great opportunity for power tool manufacturers. There has been some progress in this area over the past ten years, and the trend indicates that more changes will continue to meet the power tool needs of left handed individuals. They will be able to purchase power tools that are effective, safe, and work with them instead of them having to find a way to adjust to the right handed set up. 

Do It Yourself Handyman - Factors to Consider when Comparing Power Tools

 

With the market being saturated with various brands of power tools, it can be a really tough decision to choose the right ones. Here are some basic areas of comparison that you need to take into consideration. They will also help you get the best deals on the power tools you do decide to purchase.

Of course, the purchase price is something we are all going to look at. It doesn’t matter how great of a power tool is, if it is too much for the budget then it can’t even be considered. Most power tools are reasonably priced but you are going to run across some heavy duty, top of the line power tools that have a price tag to reflect it. 

Keep in mind the cost is more than just the purchase price. Take the cost of essentials into consideration as well. Depending on the type of power tool, these essentials can be sandpaper, belts, blades, bits, or a number of other items. Optional accessories are also something to consider. 

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What features are you looking for in a particular power tool? Don’t get caught up in all the features that one has to offer. You may end up paying a great deal more for a power tool that has features you don’t intend to ever us. Take a good look at those features though because you may find a few you could really use that you didn’t think of. That will definitely make a particular model more appealing to you.

Since most power tools are designed to last a very long time, you want to find out about the availability of replacement parts. You also want to find out about customer support. It can be over the phone, by mail, or on the internet. It is important that customer support is available to you in the event you have questions, comments, or complaints about your power tool purchase. Manufacturers who have been in business for a very long time are likely to still be there down the road when you need a replacement part for your power tool.

The quality of a power tool is very important. A good way to compare the quality of a particular type of power tool is to check reviews online from other consumers. These reviews are free to look at and very unbiased. You can also check with magazines that do comparisons such as Consumer Reports. However, you will probably have to pay for a subscription to get this information. Their monthly magazine has features for a variety of products. You can search their archives online to find articles and reviews about power tools.

It is a good idea to purchase a particular model and brand of power tool only after you have physically looked at it and touched it. It is too heavy? Does it seem to flimsy for the job you plan to do with it? How noisy is it? Does it fit properly in your hands? These things are all very important and will affect how compatible the power tool is for you. 

Safety should be a top priority on your list when it comes to selecting power tools. What is their safety rating? How many accidents have occurred with a particular model of hand tool? What safety features does the power tool offer you? All power tools on the market have basic safety mechanisms in place, but keep in mind that some only offer the bare minimum as regulated while others go the extra mile to ensure their customers are safe while operating them. 

Sometimes walking into a store of power tools is like taking a child into a candy store. However, to get the most from the power tools you purchase, follow these guidelines. Don’t be blind sided by the brand name or the design of a particular power tool. Take the time to find out exactly what it has to offer you.