DIY Projects for Men: Basic Welding to Try at Home

There’s no need to be intimidated by at-home welding, because, these days, with the correct welding supplies , and knowledge of safety procedures, it’s simple and satisfying to try some DIY welding projects at home. A welder will find that these skills come in very handy for any number of odd jobs, particularly repairs around the house or car. A welder can also flex his creative muscles, using the skill of welding to create objects of beauty and style to compliment the home. In this article, you will learn how to create a beautiful coffee table using basic welding skills.
 

All the tools needed for this project are widely available at your local hardware, and you can expect the process to take about 10 hours, including cutting your pieces of steel to the correct length.

 

You will need:

* Welding table

* Metal grinder, about 13cm

* Reciprocating saw or chop saw

* 2 squares – one large standard square and one small carpenter’s square

* C-clamps, approximately three to be used to clamp project pieces to the welding table

* Weldcorp Gasless MIG Welder

* Welding helmet with lens shade and safety glasses. Safety is top priority when using welding tools. * Cigweld 0.6mm x 0.8kg Solid MIG Welding Wire

* Bending jig

* 1”-1.4” X 1/8” in thick square tubing cut to three different lengths:

- 4 pieces – 16” in length to be used as legs

- 3 pieces – 44” in length to serve as the top

- 2 pieces 17” in length for end pieces

* 5/16” solid steel rod for trim pieces. You can choose your own trim length depending on what you like, or you can also purchase decorative trim pieces. Some companies can also make trim pieces to order.

Before you begin, be sure to check that you have all the materials listed. You may need to purchase some items online, or ask any employees at your local hardware store. Take particular care in ensuring that you have all safety gear as required.

1. Cut the tubing to the specified lengths above. Check the reference chart for your welder, as it needs to be set on the correct settings for the thickness of the steel you will be welding. Be sure to test your settings by welding on a piece of offcut steel before you begin.

2. Using one of your 17” long end pieces, and one of the 16” long legs, align these two components in a 90 degree angle. Check that your angle is accurate using your big square. Then, using the C-clamps, clamp the two pieces to your welding table. Line up the leg flush with what will be the top of the end piece, making sure that the open end of the leg is showing. Repeat this process on the other side of the end pieces for the other leg, and repeat the whole process to create the other end piece of the coffee table.

3. With the feet pointing up, put one of your end pieces on the ground. To hold it upright you can attach a piece of scrap angle iron with a C-clamp, similar to how a bicycle stand works. Place the large square on the ground, and line up along the outside of one of the long tabletop sides and the end piece to ensure a 90-degree angle. Use the carpenter’s square to ensure a 90-degree angle between the leg and the long table top side piece. Set the end piece in place by readjusting the C-clamp. Tack weld the inside of the angle only. Repeat this process on the other side of the end piece with a second long tabletop side member. Right now, you only need to tack weld the inside angle. After this, lay your third long tabletop member in between the two you have already welded, measure to ensure that it is central, and tack weld the bottom (which is facing up). Repeat these steps for the opposite side.

4. Turn the table over so that it is standing upright, and finish weld the top of the table where the long tabletop side pieces meet the end pieces.

5. Turn the table over again so that the legs are facing upwards towards you, and finish weld the seams on the bottom of the coffee table, where you tack welded in step 3.

6. At this stage you need to finish weld the seams on the inside of the joints that you have not yet welded. To do this, you will need to move the table around, and you can use C-clamps to help you with this. Be sure to attach the welder’s work clamp after each time you move the coffee table and before you begin welding.

7. Before you add any trim pieces to your table, you need to smooth the welds with the grinder. The welds will be unreachable after the trim pieces are attaching. Make sure you wear safety glasses with side shields when you are grinding, and be careful as there will be sparks from the grinding process that can potentially ignite flammable materials.

8. After you have grinded and smoothed your welds, you can tack weld the inside of the brackets of your trim pieces. These inside welds will not show from the outside of the table.

9. Now your frame is complete. Before attaching your tabletop, it is a good idea to clean the entire table (including the tabletop you have chosen) with a cleaning solvent to remove machining oils. You can now paint your frame with a good quality, semi-flat paint in the colour of your choice.

10. Your tabletop can be made of any material you like: wood, slate, glass, tile etc. You should secure the tabletop with adhesive, flanges, or bolts drilled through the frame and into the tabletop. Depending on what material your tabletop is, you will need to determine the most secure way to attach it to your frame.

Once you have completed all of these steps, you will have a beautiful and entirely unique piece of furniture standing before you!

I am Loving Instagram

Yes, I am loving Instagram. For the last few months, I find myself hooked with Instagram app. At first, I set my profile to private but, as the days go by, I decided to share my photos to the public. The experience was inspiring especially when strangers sent a heart on my photo posts. To give a heart in return is easy too. I also observed that there are fake accounts in Instagram too. It is obvious and anyone could tell. Even though they follow my profile, I ignore their presence anyway. After all, they are bogus! Do you have Instagram? Please follow me at Instagram.com/amiable2amy . I will see you there.

Cool Dental Offices Around the World

Almost everyone dreads going to the dentist, so why not take away the clinical feel and make dental offices cool? Here’s some inspiration…

Hello Kitty

Japan always seem to be at the forefront of the weird and whacky in the world and they’ve done it again with this dental office. They’ve made a Hello Kitty themed dental office. Better keep this one from the kids, otherwise the trip to the dentist could cost you even more!

Royal Dental

With the price you pay for some dental visits you would like to be treated like royalty wouldn’t you? Well in Bucharest, Romania you really are treated like a king or queen at Royal Dental. The office has a white and purple majestic trim that makes you feel like you’re visiting Buckingham Palace’s own private dental office.

DFT (Dentistry For Teens)
Teens are stubborn at the best of times, let alone trying to get them to go to the dentists. So how about taking them to a dentist’s office specifically designed for their age group? DFT (Dentistry For Teens) makes going to the dentist ‘fun’. With video games, comics and Mac computers strewn throughout it’s a day at the dentists the teens won’t forget in a hurry.

Diner and Car Service Station

How about lovers of America in the 1950’s? Well Dr David Myers has made one just for you. He has built a dentist’s office in the mould of a 1950’s style diner and car service station. He built all the furniture by hand and has even included three parts of cars from the era as the reception desk and couches.

KU64 (Futuristic Dentistry)

The Germans have again set the bar high with this dentistry in Berlin. Designed by architects at the GRAFT firm, it is based off a modern and futuristic concept. It uses striking colour, with orange, white and smooth red lighting adding to what is an incredible interior. Silk screening is used to display anamorphic images in white onto orange surfaces and can only be seen from certain viewpoints.

Kinderdentist

Another German dentist’s office designed by the architects at GRAFT but this time instead of being futuristic, it’s been made with children in mind. That dreaded trip to the dentists would be a thing of the past if your kids were visiting this dentistry. It is based around a twelve-foot visual wave that makes you feel as if you really are underwater, especially when the fish swim passed.

 

Dentistry in the Jungle

It is difficult to get yourself to the dentists let alone your children, so surprise surprise there’s another children’s dentistry on this list. George Hankerson and Brent Kvittem – partners in this dentistry – decided to extend the normal ‘kid’s corner’ a little further making it a jungle themed dentistry. Don’t fear though if you’re not a kid because as you delve further into this office it gets more suited to the older clients.

 

If some of these have you got inspired, why not look up TU Projects a shop-fitting specialist?

Watching Paranormal Series on TV

Now, this incident happens a lot hehehe. There are days that no matter how I tried, I can't concentrate to write. What option should I choose? Yep, the easiest activity there is. It's TV watching and guess what I am obsessed in watching? Ghost stories. I like to watch paranormal theme TV series. Before, I like to consume my time in reading Psychology and History books but since I need a new pair of glasses, I put reading on the side ... just for now.

10 Parties Around the World That You Don't Want To Miss

Serious party-goers travel around the world to attend the biggest and best parties on the planet. So if you love parties, why not think about spending your next vacation doing just that - partying! Here are ten parties worth travelling for. And for those of you, who can’t quite make your way around the globe for a party, check out modernparty.com.au and get inspired to throw our own fabulous soiree at home.

Party 1: Burning Man
 

Burning Man is held in the USA and is an eight day extravaganza. Burning man is all about cutting loose and letting go of your inhibitions. Each year has a different theme and over 40,000 people turn out to celebrate. The party climaxes with the burning of a 72 foot wooden man.

Party 2: Song Kran

Song Kran is Thailand’s New Year celebration and it is four days of non-stop water fights. It is a very hot time of year so no one minds getting wet. The water symbolises the washing away of the sins of the previous year, so for some the more water the better! Song Kran takes place in mid-April and is celebrated all over Thailand. The largest celebrations take place in Bangkok and Chang Mai. A word of caution: keep all your valuables in a water tight packet and if you are travelling by motorbike, be extra careful on the wet roads.

Party 3: La Tomatina

This party is a giant food fight! Each year in August around 30,000 people arrive in the tiny town of Buñuel to take part in the world’s biggest food fight. You need to wear your oldest clothing as you will definitely want to throw them away after the fun and games is over.

Party 4: Full Moon Party in Thailand
 

Backpackers love this party held in Ko Pha Ngan, Thailand during the full month each month. As many as 20,000 revellers head to this all night and day party.

Party 5: Glastonbury Music Festival
 

This party in June takes place in Pilton, England. It lasts three days and nights and sees revellers from all over the world celebrate music, the arts and the earth.

Party 6: Holi

This is a full moon party in March and it takes place in northern India. It is a Hindu festival that takes place over two days and features bonfires and then the splashing of coloured water over everybody and everybody. The theme is renewal.

Party 7: Bay to Breakers

This Californian party is a giant costume party and keg race that makes its’ way through downtown San Francisco. Over 70,000 people turn up in fancy dress!

Party 8: Australia Day

Every year in January the Aussies slip on their thongs and celebrate Australia over a beer and a barbeque.

Party 9: Queen’s Day

This Dutch celebration happens in January. The locals party to celebrate the Queen’s birth with beer and music.

Party 10: The Calgary Stampede

This is horsey party; a ten day rodeo that sees over one million visitors each year. It takes place in Canada and the throngs of rodeo attendees sure know how to party.

Do you know of any wild celebrations from over the world that we haven’t mentioned? Let us know in the comments below.

It's A Small World at #MagicKingdom in #DisneyWorld

Magic Kingdom is known to be the most magical place on earth. When I am here, it truly feels magical. This is one of the four popular theme parks in Disney World located in Orlando, Florida and is actually as old as I am. For more than four decades, this fairy tale land has drawn millions of guests from all over the world. I should say, Magic Kingdom is the most popular among the four theme parks. The iconic symbol of Magic Kingdom, Cinderella Castle.

I am lucky that Disney World is just an hour away from where we lived so basically, just in-my-backyard. Most Floridians purchased a yearly pass so that anytime we feel like it, we can go and wander in Disney World. We do have a yearly pass and when hubby and I went to Disney, we love to pick few attractions, have a meal, take photos and head home. That's fun and we are never exhausted from walking around the huge parks. Okay, on this visit, we tried the whimsical boat ride in #ItsASmallWorld.

On each row/seats, it can occupy 4 guests comfortably. Children would love this attraction since it is truly delightful to hear the music which you and I knows by heart. Assuming you did. I learned this song in my 5th grade during a Girls Scout Jamboree.

This is only a 10-minute ride towards the Seven Seaways Waterways which is truly an exciting and fun ride. Moms and Dads would probably enjoy this ride as well coz it relaxes their feet from walking around the park. Personally, I love this ride because it is relaxing and the music is wonderful to hear over and over again, hehehe.

This is the first glimpse of the entrance as the boat sail to the happiest short cruise ever. The ride is slow and once we are in, the music fills the air and the sound of the water lingers in my ears.

Inside are colorful decors which reminded me of the rides that I took in Epcot-Mexico. If you have been there, this ride is similar to Gran Fiesta Tour starring The Three Caballeros.

This song will be played over and over again:

It’s a small world after all (3x)
Its a small, small world

Its a world of laughter and a world of tears
 Its a world of hopes and a world of fears
 There's so much that we share
 That is time we're aware
 Its a small world after all

It’s a small world after all (3x)
 It’s a small, small world

There is just one moon and one golden sun
And a smile means friendship to everyone
Though the mountains divide
A nd the oceans are wide
It’s a small world after all

It’s a small world after all (3x)
It’s a small, small world

While my eyes are feasting with these colorful decors, deep down inside of me, I sing-a-long with the music. You know what's good about this ride too? When you visit Disney and it's 90 degrees outside, oh my goodness, this place is heaven too. It smells good too hehehe.

If you are an elementary grade teacher or maybe a crafty mom, seeing these displays will definitely inspire you. Take this place as an inspiration for your crafty ideas.

Here is a cute sight. The display is so vibrant with multi-colored backdrop and these are made out of paper-mache', how cool huh? There are almost 300 dolls dressed in their traditional attire and singing It's A Small World. How delightful it is to hear the song in your own native language huh? Well, I was trying to listen if I can hear the song in Filipino but, I think I missed hearing it.

The backdrop display features 7 continents. Check out the photo above, can you guess where this is? Other places that you will probably recognize are the following:

Scandinavia
The British Isles
Western Europe
Eastern Europe
The Middle East
Asia
Africa
Antarctica
South America
Australia
South Pacific Islands

Did you know that Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman wrote the song “It’s A Small World” song? It’s about peace and brotherhood as well as cultural unity and harmony. The Sherman Brothers were aiming to write a song that can be easily translated to many languages … then came, “It’s A Small World”.

I tell you what, don't blink coz each area is truly adorable. colorful and fun to see.

Here, it looks like a 3D. The splash of colors and the artistic design crafts with glitters and some of the materials are made from fabric truly are awesome to see. These are such a delightful sights to enjoy!

The 10 minute ride seemed dragging but, I was so happy about it because this place is fun and I don't want to end it anyway. It is like looking or sailing to a gigantic book and just enjoying the child-like arts and style. The bold colors are attractive; the geometric designs are just awesome and adorable to look at.

Each display is meticulously assembled/created to the last detail. I love the flower display, the children of the world dolls which by the way, when it comes to their dress, authentic fabrics were used. How fascinating right?

While these dolls are singing in their native language, they are dancing or moving too. It's fun to watch.

While seeing these displays, some places have spectacular designs which reflects their culture. I wonder how it feels when other guests can't see the representation of their country?

Towards the end of the ride, there was a message display which says "Good-Bye" and written in different languages. This attraction is truly amazing, fun, exciting, entertaining, wonderful and relaxing. You should not miss this place especially if you have kids with you.

Walking out from the exit behind and yap, I was contented with the ride. Would I recommend this? Yes I am. If you are a thrill seeker, this is not for you though hehehe but, I encourage you to try for a change.

This is the outside look of the "It's A Small World"attraction, a carnival look.

We were curious that is why we took the ride. Besides, we were tired from walking all around the park. After this attraction, we check out Belle's area , remember "Beauty and the Beast"? Next time, I will post the photos in that area. I will see you next time right? Thanks for stopping by. Hugs!

5 Basic Truck Maintenance Tips

Whether you drive a small delivery truck or a mammoth eighteen wheeler, performing maintenance on your vehicle should be high on your list of priorities. After all, if you own the truck, then it’s essentially your primary business partner and if you drive for a freight or trucking company, then your truck is like your colleague.

Undergoing a thorough maintenance check and performing the basic maintenance procedures regularly will save you time and money in the long run by keeping the truck in good condition.

In a report issued by the National Truck Accident Research Centre in 2013, five percent of crashes were caused by mechanical failure. When you consider the number of trucks on the road at any one time, those statistics are startling.

Here is our list of the 5 most important maintenance checks to carry out on a regular basis:

Cleaning Your Truck

Long haul trucks are constantly exposed to severe conditions, including unimaginable road surfaces ranging from flood waters to hundreds of kilometres of dust and gravel to narrow bridges and steep inclines. That’s why we are listing truck cleaning as the number one maintenance tip. You can do the cleaning yourself or have a professional company like AMC Melbourne   perform a total clean for you.
 

Many of the lines and couplings from the cabin to the trailer are located along the backbone, so a clean vehicle makes it easier to spot faults, tears, or inconsistencies along the inner core. Washing off any road debris and dirt will make your business partner look as it should and will help ensure the longevity of the paintwork.

Don’t Forget Oils and Filters
 

Checking the basics like oil, batteries and coolant is a no-brainer, but its important to remember that the transmission oil and filter should be changed regularly, depending on how much work and how many kilometres the truck has been subjected to.

Check the Electrical System Regularly
 

Regularly checking the electrical system can save your life and possibly someone else’s. Start at the front of the cabin and work your way around the truck, systematically checking every light, warning device and electronic signal. Once again, this regular maintenance check may be time consuming but it means that you and the other people on the road are a lot safer because of it.

Standard Tyre Checking
 

Once your truck has had a thorough cleaning, give them a standard safety check. This should include pressure, tread, and sidewall condition, making sure you pay extra attention looking for splits and tears that may not be immediately visible. For added security, roll the truck forward enough that a different side of the tyres is visible.

Remove Any Loose Items
 

Check the cabin for loose items that can become missiles in an emergency. Bin anything that’s not necessary and safely secure anything important. Be sure to always have a bottle of filtered water in the cabin as well as two or three protein bars in case you get stuck somewhere for more than a couple of hours.

A regular maintenance check not only saves you money it also saves time in the long run. Think about it: Wouldn’t you prefer to change a faulty tail light globe in the comfort of your own surroundings than in the middle of the desert?

The Fort Matanzas National Monument

Are you looking for a great place to visit this Spring? Check Saint Augustine, Florida. There are three places that I can recommend : Fort Matanzas, Castillo de San Marcos, and the Old City or Saint Augustine. Here are some of the photos that I took in Fort Matanzas.

The ferry ride is free of charge.

Obviously, it is windy up here.

The passage to go up here can only accommodate one person at a time.

this is Fort Matanzas.

We are all excited at this pint.

the cannon at the sentry box.

the ferry

awesome view

Taken inside the Fort Matanzas.

The ride going back to the Fort Matanzas Welcome Center is smooth and  free..

What a great view from here.

The top is the lookout area.

Only few of us dare to come up here.

 Here I am at the tower roof. While standing here, hubby was at the sentry box area waiting for me to go down. We stayed in Fort Matanzas for almost two hours enjoying the view and listening to the guide how this Fort plays vital in Florida history.

Dealing with AC Issues

In less than two months, we will be back living in the gulf coast. Yes you read it right, we are leaving Florida but, not totally since we have rental properties down here. We sold our house that we currently living and we agreed on the buyer's request that closing will be on May since we are not in hurry. We love this house and the quiet neighborhood but, we have to move to be closer to our family.

I remember the first day that we saw this house. It sits on a corner lot with a good size backyard. When we walked in, our hearts drop when we saw the outdated kitchen and dingy inside look but, it has great potential. We found out that there was no AC too and that's quiet expensive to add into the expenses of buying a house. Since we love the structure of the house, the location and the outside look of the house, we decided to buy it.

That was two years ago. We splurge the kitchen, enhanced the look of the laundry room, added new AC , change the bathroom fixtures, and added new paint in the entire house then guess what, we have 48% profit when we sold it last month. Unknowingly, we are actually flipping houses. How cool was that?

Right now, we are looking for a new and desirable property to buy in the gulf coast location. We are not intimidated with foreclosure properties even if there's an AC issues. We can always find an AC repair company to deal with it. If you are living in North Carolina and encountered the same issues when buying a property, you can find ac repair in Raleigh nc here. Anyway, wish us luck that our home buying activity this month will be smooth and that we can find the property that we need.

Disney Character Topiaries

To clip the foliage and twigs of shrubs and trees in order to create a defined shape such as the Disney Characters takes time, skills and creativity. It does take a real talent to do all these art works. This spring season, Disney World's EPCOT theme park celebrates the International Flower and Garden Festival presented by HGTV. Now on it's 21st year, this yearly event has drawn millions of Disney guests all over the world. Throughout the EPCOT theme park, amazing floral displays of breath-taking blooms, colorful gardens and beautiful topiaries welcomes the guests.

Find this topiary in Future World.

Find this wonderful topiary at the entrance.

You will find the topiary of goofy in the Future World.

You will find this topiary near the Electric Umbrella in Future World.

You will see this topiary in Future World.

You will see this right at the entrance.

Find this topiary at the Future World.

located at the Future World

at the entrance

Nearby the Electric Umbrella

The International Flower and Garden Festival is a special event scheduled from March to May. These are just few of more than a 100 topiaries in Disney. Most of the amazing topiaries are located in the World showcase and that's where we will be going anytime next week. Anyway, thanks for stopping by. See you all tomorrow.