Discover the expert in you.
Discover the expert in you.
Shoes can change the mood of your outfit with color and shine; it's the little details that matter. Matching a navy outfit or pants can be simple by planning your accessories carefully and strategically choosing your shoes. Stay mindful of the other colors in the outfit and the formality or casualness of the occasion.
Table saws and other woodworking tools face strong vibration, heavy loads and frequent wear and tear in the workshop. While tool manufacturers have traditionally relied on cast iron when crafting work surfaces to meet these demands, Steel City Tool Works gave the table saw a new twist when the company introduced tools topped with granite. Granite-topped tools eliminate many of the potential problems associated with cast iron, such as rust and warp, leaving users with extremely flat, low-maintenance workspaces.
The Byzantine Empire began in A.D. 330 when the capital of the Roman Empire was moved to Constantinople, also called Byzantium, and lasted until 1453. The Roman Empire was later divided into two parts; after the fall of Rome in the west, the larger and much wealthier eastern Byzantine Empire alone ruled. With extensive trade routes bringing in goods and riches from all over the world, luxurious and ornate Byzantine fashion reflected their thriving, prosperous culture. The Byzantine influence is felt in fashion to this day in the collections of such designers as Dolce & Gabbana and Alexander McQueen.
Silver and gold flower blind is a great way to compliment natural curls in a wedding hairstyle. Use silver and gold flower bling for wedding hairstyles with help from an experienced hair and fashion expert in this free video clip.
Sterling silver and silver plate differences are really what separates a valuable piece from not so valuable pieces on the collector's market. Learn about sterling silver and silver plate differences with help from the owner of an antique store in this free video clip.
Different types of rings uses different gauges of silver wire depending on the circumstances. Find out about the different gauges of silver wire to use for rings with help from a longtime crafts expert with years of experience in this free video clip.
Making a paper clip with needle-nose pliers won't take more than a few quick moments of your time. Make a paper clip with needle-nose pliers with help from a longtime crafts expert with years of experience in this free video clip.
Sometimes a leather shoe can be fixed quickly and easily with a regular fabric marker. Paint to fix leather shoes with help from an L.A.-based visual artist and product developer in this free video clip.
The secret to getting shiny bronze makeup is found within a few key areas of the process. Get shiny bronze makeup with help from a professional makeup artist with over ten years of experience in this free video clip.
Making a coin disappear by rubbing it into your forearm is an age-old trick that will surely garner a lot of gasps from the crowd. Make a coin disappear by rubbing it on your forearm with help from a magic teacher and performer in this free video clip.
Cast iron sewer pipes are common in many older homes. Cast iron was preferred as a drainpipe material for its long lifespan and rugged construction. If you plan to move your toilet's location, the drain into which it empties will also have to be moved. Cast iron is typically cemented together and may prove difficult, if not impossible, to remove without cutting into it. The process of moving a cast iron toilet drain requires some plumbing skills and a few specialized tools and materials.
Blacksmiths were once the only place to go when you wanted something fabricated from metal. Most blacksmithing now is done in factories working to mass produce iron and steel items. Some blacksmiths still work independently selling wrought iron crafts and tools. Blacksmithing has also become a hobby for people who like working with their hands and setting up a small anvil and forge in the backyard. Iron locks are one item that can be made with a small forge.
Finding a refrigerator with a steel back doesn't mean the appliance is an antique or even a vintage appliance. Many modern appliance manufacturers create vintage-style refrigerator units that may feature steel backs. The construction techniques used to create these appliances as well as model numbers can help determine dates of construction with greater accuracy than simply looking for steel backs on the units.
Aluminum driveshafts may seem like an expensive gimmick to some, but they do offer a number of tangible benefits. The aluminum shaft's decreased mass yields numerous benefits in terms of performance, performance potential and safety. Whether or not it's worth the cost depends primarily upon your application -- the car, the powertrain and how you intend to use it.
Metal roofing, often made of galvanized steel, provides a convenient way to roof outbuildings, such a storage sheds. Metal roofs do appear on certain residential homes, but installing the main type of residential steel roofing, called standing seam, is quite complex and best left to the professionals. Homeowners who have good handy skills, however, may have the ability to install a steel roof on a smaller structure themselves, with the assistance of a helper or two.
Reinforcing steel, commonly known as rebar, is an essential building material used to provide tensile strength to the concrete. The concrete is held together and protected from cracking since it cannot bear weight without added tension. Rebar comes in lengths that range from 20 feet and 1/2-inch or 5/8-inch thick. The first step in reinforcing concrete involves first calculating how much rebar is needed per linear foot.
Stairs constructed with metal are associated with an industrial and utilitarian appearance, but they can also be used to complement an architectural theme or to improve safety for public sites. A variety of steel treads are available, but grate treads are especially practical in locations where water and heat are issues.
PrintMaster is a desktop publishing application developed by Broderbund. The company released PrintMaster Platinum 18 in 2004 and PrintMaster Platinum 2012 in 2011. Broderbund designed both products for graphics editing, image design and greeting card creation. The two versions differ primarily in terms of included features, system requirements and compatibility.
One of the most invaluable tools, when it's time to build your steps or stairs, is a simple steel carpenter's square. Craftsmen mark and block off the measurement of the steps on the face of the square, creating a jig -- a guide or template -- to use in outlining the steps on the riser. This makes short work of cutting out the steps precisely and easily. Once your measurements are complete, with the riser length, step rise and step run calculated or obtained, make a jig that transforms back to a square when you're done.
If you do a lot of home projects, you're bound to find it helpful to have a strong and solid workbench to help you handle the variety of building materials and tools you'll need over time for repair and construction tasks. You can make your own steel workbench from materials found at your local scrapyard or hardware store. Use a simple design plan that gives you sufficient work area for general tasks. Basic welding skill and a few tools are all you'll need to construct a sturdy steel workbench that will last for years.
Engraving candles is a great way to add a personalized touch to your creations. Learn about engraving candles with help from a craft expert in this free video clip.
Aluminum is a strong and low-maintenance railing material. It usually has a powder or PVC coat finish that both prevents corrosion and serves as a decoration. Aluminum railings provide excellent protection and a pleasing aesthetic effect around swimming pools, balconies and staircases. The railing posts must be anchored both to support prefabricated railing panels that fit between them and to withstand wind and weather forces.
Cast iron soil pipe is most commonly used in drain, waste and vent systems. Cast iron pipes are resistant to corrosion and crushing, which makes them ideal for underground installation. There are two types of cast iron soil pipe. Hub and spigot pipes have one male end and one female end. The installation method for this sort of pipe often requires special lubricants and tools. The no-hub type is a simple straight pipe that requires no special tools to install.
When you see the "silver soldered" stamp on the bottom of a dish, it means that the joints are silver soldered -- but it doesn't mean that the dish itself is silver. More likely, it is nickel or German silver, a metal alloy that is shiny like silver, but contains no actual silver. Nickel silver tarnishes easily, so if your dishes haven't been maintained in a while, they may appear very dark. Bringing out the shine is simple, using materials you probably already have on hand.
A valance adds a finishing topper to a window. You can use a valance on its own or in conjunction with drapery or blinds. Valances resemble swags but they have a more solid appearance and they are generally installed on a rod or board as opposed to simply being draped. A belted valance is more decorative than a panel-style valance. Belted valances have the soft curves of swags but with the benefit of the full top coverage of a typical valance.
Leather can stretch under excessive weight either immediately or over a period of time. Discoloration is usually a side effect of this problem. Fortunately, it is possible to shrink leather with an uncomplicated process and return the discolored section to its original shade. The process requires only a few simple supplies.
Freshly painted fascia board is attractive. Within a couple of years, however, the paint can start to peel and you’re looking at a weekend of climbing up and down a tall ladder to scrape, prime and repaint the fascia. Wrapping the fascia with aluminum will keep it looking fresh for years. Installing aluminum fascia trim is one of the simpler do-it-yourself home projects, but getting it right at the top of the gables requires some angle cutting.
Wood burners make use of a renewable resource for generating heat in your home. Wood-burning stoves are built of a variety of materials, including cast iron and brick-lined steel. Determining whether you're better off with a cast iron stove or a brick-lined one will depend on how you intend to use it, the cost you are willing to pay and the lifespan required.
Tin ceiling panels add an ornate, Victorian-style flair to a room and reflect light, creating the illusion of a larger space. Despite their sturdy appearance, tin sheets are thin and relatively easy to cut and nail for quick installation. For best results, install panels from the center of the room out and measure carefully when cutting the panels into the edges and corners of the room.
A good pair of leather work boots are expensive to buy and often difficult to fit. It is easy to buy boots that fit in the store, but are loose when you start using them. Instead of fighting with the store to return the boots, you have a few options for tightening the leather work boots on your own.
An aluminum gazebo provides a strong outdoor structure. It's useful for entertaining as most have canopies and a mosquito screen to protect you and your guests from bugs, wind and other outdoor elements. The structures come in a few pieces, mainly consisting of the top roof frame and posts and a few small pieces to connect it together. Assembly usually requires no more than a ladder, hammer and screwdriver.
Cast iron is durable and retains heat extremely efficiently. However, cast iron does not have a surface that can be cleaned readily, like ceramic surfaces. Give your cast iron pans and skillets the benefits of both materials by applying ceramic glaze onto the cast iron. Not only will the ceramic glaze be slick and washable, but applying the glaze yourself allows you to hand select the glaze color. This enables you to match your ceramic-covered cast iron with the rest of your kitchen.
Coil spring spacers are more versatile than they might seem at first glance, capable of both altering a vehicle's ride height and changing its handling characteristics. A number of variables can dictate exactly how the spacers affect your car: the type -- ring or block -- the material and, perhaps most importantly, the spacer's location in or above the coil spring.
If you are in the market for a new faucet, your choices may seem endless. With some faucets costing considerably more or less than others, knowing a few things about how they're made will help you make a wise selection.
Any time you attempt to dye a leather item at home, you risk ruining the expensive material if you don't know exactly what you're doing. The softness and delicate nature of lambskin leather makes it especially easy to accidentally scratch when you attempt to dye it yourself. Although the act of dying lambskin leather is not complicated, and can be accomplished within a couple of hours, taking your time and handling the item with care will keep the leather safe as you dye it.
Brake technology has come a long way since the first auto engineers wrapped a leather belt around a steel drum and tightened it to slow the car. Over a century later, we have brake pads made of sintered bronze, fluid made from liquid silicone and rotors made out of everything from cast iron to synthetic diamond. Somewhere in between are aluminum rotors, which are an improvement over iron rotors in all but one somewhat crucial area.
Counting coins by hand can be a hassle. It takes 50 pennies to make a standard roll of pennies. There are 40 nickels in a $2 nickel roll. Fifty dimes make a $5 dime roll. There are 40 quarters in a $10 roll of quarters, and 20 half-dollars in a $10 half-dollar roll. You can make sorting easier by weighing coins and finding out their value automatically, rather than individually counting each one.
Aluminum floor plates are used in industrial settings, such as walkways, aircrafts and ambulance floors, where slip-resistant platforms are crucial. Unlike steel, aluminum is corrosion resistant, making it a candidate for lightweight and durable platforms. Aluminum floor plates often come in different alloy grades and sizes depending on the manufacturer, but they may be cut to size before delivery for easy installation.
If you're looking for a way to distress a bronze metal finish for an antique look, you can do so through an oxidation process. Oxidizing bronze finishes creates a patina, which brings out the natural colors of the metal, such as blues and greens, while also making the finish darker and less shiny. Distressing bronze requires the use of a special chemical solution known as liver of sulphur, to make the oxidation process possible.
Aluminum pipe is used in industry, manufacturing, mining, wastewater treatment, construction and agricultural irrigation. Lightweight and portable, aluminum pipe is available in different lengths and wall thicknesses to allow transport of low-, medium- and high-pressure liquids. Four-inch aluminum pipe that is 40 feet long is used in all types of irrigation systems including traveler, big gun and center pivot systems.
A cast-iron shower base provides a sturdy, durable floor for a shower stall. With proper maintenance, this type of shower base can last for decades. Before you install the shower base, you need to build support to protect the subfloor and prevent the base from shifting within the shower frame. Installing a cast-iron shower base is a relatively straightforward task; however, careful planning is essential for maintaining the structural integrity of the shower enclosure.
The term aluminum laptops refers to notebook computers housed in aluminum enclosures. Several major computer manufacturers have begun to move away from traditional rigid plastic enclosures and toward chassis constructed out of aluminum, due to the material’s natural rigidity and tendency to remain cool. Though they share the same external construction materials, aluminum laptops can differ significantly in specifications and features.
Performing a teardown on any computer is difficult, and particularly on Apple products. The same engineering that makes Apple products durable also makes disassembly difficult, even when removing the rear aluminum backing from a MacBook Pro 15-inch screen. Removing the rear aluminum backing requires a complete teardown of the display.
Epoxy is a generic term for various polymer materials that consist of a resin and a hardener. Epoxy is used in everything from antiques repair to plumbing. Varying types of epoxies are suited for repairing cracks in cast iron objects, depending on what the purpose the object being repaired serves.
Bronze pieces start out bright and shiny, but over time, your bronze medals, plaques, statues and household items can develop a dull patina on their surface. Bronze is a metal alloy mainly consisting of copper and tin, which oxidizes when exposed to moisture and air, forming a characteristic dark greenish patina. You can restore the shine to your bronze items fairly easily, using some household and cleaning supplies you probably have right at your fingertips.
Lifting steel beams into place presents special problems because of the ability of their edges to cut. It is legal to use nylon slings to lift steel beams, but there have been accidents, and you should follow the recommended safety precautions. Among isolated failures, some of which led to lawsuits, the 2008 failure of a $50 piece of nylon webbing sent 6 tons of steel crashing onto Manhattan streets, killing seven people.
Metal doors provide a strong barrier between the outside world and the inside of a home. Many homeowners install a window in a metal door to increase the visual appeal of the home. Because some furry friends need access to the fire hydrant when owners are out for the day, pet doors take the worry out of leaving a pet indoors with no place to potty. Cutting a square opening or hole through the metal door is necessary for these projects.
Standard development organizations, such as ASTM International, American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and others, classify steel grades based on their chemical composition and properties. Their composition may include carbon, alloy or stainless steel grades. Depending on the grade, industries use steel in manufacturing, building and as a tool or for other properties.
Acetone is a chemical used to remove finishes or paint and can also be found in some nail polish removers. Acetone that is accidentally or intentionally applied to your leather surface can cause a bleached-out spot in the leather dye. To repair the leather you must remove the acetone and carefully refinish the surface to restore its appearance.
Cast-iron heaters present an interesting challenge. Their presence is a necessity, yet the space they occupy seems completely unusable in any other form due to the intensity of their heat. One way to overcome this problem is to build a heat-reflecting table over the heater, thereby transforming the space into something more useful and opening the space above the heater for further adaptation and use. The process of rendering the table heat-resistant involves simply attaching a fabric buffer and a heat-reflective metal surface using carpentry staples.
