Godard32 asked:

Promo Video of “Uninvisible”

DEON

Marc Hardey asked:


The California sun shines on you with a ferocity that makes you feel like a dried up prune. Since dawn, you have been “panning” along the stream. You fill the shallow pan with a scoop of gravel and sand from the bank, and then dip the container into the waterway. Then, you begin shaking the pan. Suddenly, something catches your eye. You spot a tiny gold bit glistening in the water. You look again and realize that several bits like that are floating in the pan. After standing up and doing your ceremonial dance of joy, you think about all the things you can buy with your newfound wealth. But there is one problem. You were not aware that gold, unlike other substances, quickly sinks to the bottom of a pan. This is due to its greater density. You have found pieces of “fool’s gold.” So, how to avoid being stuck with furniture that is fool’s gold? When buying a product, such as wood bar stools, make sure that the materials are genuine.

Fool’s Gold Has a Name

We have all heard of the expression “fool’s gold.” But what is it? “Fool’s gold” is actually the nickname given to a mineral called pyrite. Pyrite looks like metal, and has a brass yellow color, with a dark strip. While gold is soft and can be cut smoothly, pyrite is hard and weak. Pyrite represents a trend in today’s society, in which imitation materials and products are becoming more common. There is imitation leather, imitation gemstones, and even imitation crabmeat! You can also get “knock-off” shoes, clothes and electronics off the street. Though the quality of these products is inferior to the real ones, they are cheaper and easier to produce. When shopping for products such as wood bar stools, buy ones made of genuine materials.

Fake Can Be Dangerous

So, what is the problem with buying knock-offs or products made with imitation materials? In a word: quality. Recently, it was discovered that fake construction materials were included in several kilometres of China’s newest high-speed railway. The supplies that crooked suppliers forked out could cause the railway’s concrete supports to crack, endangering the lives of commuters. Contractors of the railway had been tricked into buying huge amounts of fake or inferior coal fly ash–frequently one of the components used in concrete. What makes the situation even more complicated is that fake fly ash looks like the real thing, and only lab tests can distinguish the two. Likewise, be cautious when buying wood bar stools. In the same way that not all men are born equal, not all wood bar stools are equal. Some are not made of real wood, but wood filings. So, in purchasing wood bar stools, be sure to purchase products made of genuine wood.

Wood Is Good

The simplicity of creating imitation-wood products has made it popular. How simple is the process? Painfully so. Consider:

* A layer of glue is added to the material that will simulate wood.

* A coat of lacquer colored like wood is then added to the glue layer.

* Finally, a protective layer is brushed on.

While these products are cheap to construct, they are inferior to real wood. Wood has been used since humans have been building structures, such as boats and houses. In fact, all boats were built of wood until the late 19th century. The material is also used to construct many wood bar stools. Wood types such as beech not only ensure that your wood bar stools look attractive, they also guarantee your wood bar stools will not collapse when you sit on them for the second time.

Today’s products tend to focus on the goal of cost-effectiveness. But never forget the meaningful lyrics of one famous song: “Ain’t nothing like the real thing, Baby.” Accept no imitation and choose wood bar stools.



ELWOOD

Baby on Board asked:


My husband and I are putting together some things from wood. We have tried sanding and sanding and it is as if the paint just seeps through the wood. Is there any way to paint so that you don’t see the wood grain and it is completely covered? Thanks!

ALLAN

Grant Campbell asked:


Bending wood is not the daunting task that it appears to be at first glance. Depending on the degree of bend, and whether or not the bend is compound, there are a couple of methods for bending wood.

First, you need to have a form to bend your wood around and clamp to to hold thedesired shape. Most bent wood will have a certain degree of “springback”, so you must build your form with an allowance for this. And, unfortunately, there is no established formula for determining the degree of springback that a given species of wood will produce. Springback is also influenced by the bending method used. That is to say that steamed wood will spring,

or “unbend” more than wood that is laminated and glued. Another variable is the type of glue used in laminating.

As a general rule, the tighter the bend, the more the wood will spring back, making the allowance a matter of trial and error at best.

As laminating thin strips is the easiest method, we’ll begin with that process. The finished thickness of the project will have a direct bearing on the size of the strips to be used, but generally, the heaviest strip to use is about ¼” thick. Tight bends may have to be done with 1/8” strips or thinner, depending on the wood species. Sounds like a lot of experimenting, but I’m afraid that’s a necessary evil.

The form required for laminating can be as simple as a piece of pipe or as complex as a multi-station die. I like to keep things as simple as possible.

When laminating thin strips, you can minimize effort and spring back by soaking the strips before bending, and clamping them in the mold without gluing. Once they are dry, remove them from the mold, spread the glue and re-clamp them in the mold. Line the mold with waxed paper to prevent the lamination from sticking to the mold.

When I soak strips, I do so in an open container, and depending on the wood and the size of the strips, I soak them from 15 minutes to overnight. I also mix in a half cup of fabric softener per gallon of water. I find that it softens wood nearly as well as fabric.

If the project is small, and open time on the glue is not a factor, I’ll use poly-vinyl-acetate, or aliphatic resin glue. If I need more working time, I’ll use epoxy or resorcinol. I stay

away from the quick setting epoxies, however, because they rarely harden to the extent that the slow sets do. If you’re using light colored wood, resorcinol dries to a reddish color which might be objectionable on a finished project.

When bending thin woods such as guitar sides, the wood is commonly soaked as above, but it is bent over a hot bending jig, either electric, or heated with a propane torch. Brittle woods are supported on the outside of the bend with a thin stainless steel band to help prevent cracking.

Green woods can be bent much in the same way, or by heating the wood over hot coals or with a good heat gun.

For projects where lamination is objectionable, or when the wood is to be bent in compound curves, a steam box is the answer. One can be made fairly economically from PVC pipe, but it needs to be supported to keep the pipe from deforming.

The ends of the pipe need to be closed with a ***** cap on at least one end, to allow access to the interior. Fit the other end of the pipe with a DWV reducing tee, and attach a radiator hose to the side outlet and to a new gas can large enough to hold sufficient water to last through the job. The water may be heated with a hot plate or a propane burner.

Drill through the pipe slightly below center in two or three locations and insert dowels for the wood to rest on. Steam must be allowed to circulate freely around the wood for even ***********. A hole about ½” in diameter should be drilled in the cap furthest from the steam

inlet to allow circulation. When you build the support frame for the steam box, pitch the box

toward the steam inlet to allow the condensation to return to the water supply.

Rule of thumb says that wood should be steamed fifteen minutes per inch of thickness, but here again, some experimenting will be necessary.

The wood needs to be placed into the form as quickly as possible, because as the wood cools, it is more difficult to bend. Make sure that your wood is at least two feet longer than the finished part, because it’s nearly impossible to bend a 3/4” piece of wood that is less than a foot long, so that last foot will have to be cut

off after the wood is dry.

Clamp the wood in the form securely, and leave it there until it is completely cool. If you are working with multiple pieces, place them in the steam box a approximately the interval required to place the piece in the form and clamp it, and remove them from the box in the same order.

With a little practice and a little luck, it shouldn’t take long to become proficient in wood

bending. Good luck with your project, and if I can be of any help or answer any questions, feel

free to respond to this post, or email me at campbell5017@bellsouth.net .

To get the e-book “How To Bend Wood” as well as other e-books I have written on various aspects of woodworking, click here, or copy and paste this link into your browser.

http://tinyurl.com/3chxox



AUGUSTINE

Craig Elliott asked:


As energy costs are rising, the wood stove is coming back into favor with many homeowners. While a wood stove can heat an entire home or help offset the high cost of electric or gas heat, consideration for children in the home must be a top priority.

A fence either purchased or custom built, must be installed around the wood stove if young children are present. Crawling infants and toddlers are most at risk as they are too young to understand the dangers of a wood stove and the word ‘no’ is simply not enough.

The enclosure must be tall enough that only an adult can step over it. It must also be made of materials that cannot be climbed on. Vertical rails or fine mesh can keep a child from climbing over the fence. The enclosure should also be placed far enough from the wood stove that a reaching child cannot touch the surfaces of the stove.

Even with a fence installed, a crawling child or toddler should never be left alone unsupervised in a room with a wood stove burning. Toddlers, especially, like to toss items over the fence. Heavier objects such as blocks could easily ***** or break the glass front of certain models of stoves. Plastic items, should they reach the top of the stove could easily melt and release toxic fumes into the area.

From an early age, children should be taught the dangers of a wood stove. It should be explained that fire is indeed hot and should not be played with in any form. The same explanations given to children about the kitchen cook stove and safety should apply to a wood stove heater.

Children are fascinated with fire. As you are loading a wood stove with either logs or pellets, this becomes a perfect time to discuss with them the dangers. You don’t want a child to be terrified of the wood stove, but at the same time you do want to instill a healthy respect for the appliance.

Older children can help with wood stove chores, such as bringing in firewood or pellets. They can also help sweep up the area or engage younger children while the parent is occupied with the stove. Other chores, such as loading the stove or emptying the ash pan is best left to older teenagers or adults.

Another concern with wood stoves, not just for children, is the pollutants put into the indoor air by the stove. If a child has an allergy to smoke or asthma, a wood stove could make an attack more likely. Care should be taken that such a child is out of the room when the stove is opened for filling or for cleaning the ash pan.

Before purchasing any wood stove, make sure that the stove is EPA approved. Do not take the salesman’s word for this; ask to see a demonstration model that includes the EPA sticker. The EPA has stringent requirements for wood stoves that will help keep indoor pollutants to a minimum.

The disposal of the contents of the ash pan is another concern when children are present. Ashes should not be dumped in any area where children are likely to play, as there could be hot embers alive in the ashes. A better solution is to dump the ashes into an ash bucket and allow it to sit twenty four hours or at least overnight. Ash buckets should be kept within the confines of the fence until totally cold.

Firewood or pellets should also be kept within the fenced enclosure. Any wood chips or pellets that have fallen outside the fence should be swept up immediately if young children are in the home. Both chips and pellets pose a choking hazard for children who put either into their mouths.

A pot of water should be kept on the wood stove when the stove is in use. Wood heat is a very dry heat and the water will help keep the air moist. This is especially important to help keep children’s skin from drying out during the heating season. Infants are more at risk, but children and adults of any age can be affected by the drier air of a wood heated home.

The use of precautions and safety measures can make children and wood stoves a happy mix. For centuries, children were raised in homes with either a wood stove or an open fireplace. With diligence and supervision, any home can be heated with wood and still have happy, healthy children.



GAYLORD