Archive for the ‘General’ Category

Protec Cases

June 8th, 2013 admin

When my friend got his Alto, he also looked at the protec cases at Guitar Center. He got the most wonderful case for his Alto.  It has very plush, thick fabric all over the inside,  much plusher and thicker than the felt in other cases I have seen.  The “fur” is about 1″ deep if you draw it out, and the horn sinks into it..

The case is not totally open and empty inside with a notch for the end of the horn to fit into and a small partition for stuff like most cases.  You open the case and the surface that the fabric is on is flush with the opening of the case.  There is a part where the shape of a saxophone has been indented into it, which holds the horn snugly on all sides, but underneath the thick furry soft stuff it is not hard.  It has an amount of give or springiness that almost feels like that padding that you put underneath carpet.  Of course, if you push hard enough you will hit something underneath.  It almost feels like it was carved out of a solid piece of wood, but it’s way too light.

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Korg Monotron

May 22nd, 2013 admin

I’ve loved every second of playing with my Korg Monotron this year. Especially when hooked up to Echoboy. I purchased my korg monotron at guitar center. But the time has come to put some accurate takes down and my fudge fingers keep getting in the way. I’ve tried a plectrum (pretty good for expression but not so accurate) and an ear-bud (accurate but flimsy). So I tried a regular pen, and it works.

 

 

 

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Envelope Printing

May 10th, 2013 admin

A few months ago I started printing my return addresses on envelopes directly on my printer, but after printing a batch of maybe 100 envelopes, for a few seconds after the machine said “Cooling device, please wait…”. I had never seen it say that before. So I went online and had my envelope printing done by Printing America. The envelope printing from printingamerica.com is the best in my opinion. I am very happy with their service. Fast and reliable.

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Removing Stuck Dowel Pins

April 24th, 2013 admin

I have suffered from these difficult dowels, especially on cylinder studs, and have tried WD40 and easy outs with limited success.  The dowels pins are delicate, and any deformation renders them useless. I recommend buying pins. They are not that expensive.  To help prevent this problem, I recommend the following. Replace any studs or dowels that show corrosion.  This is the main reason they stick.

Take a drill bit that is slightly smaller than the cylinder or case hole. Wrap a layer of 400 grit sandpaper around the tip (not the drilling end), and lightly hone the hole.  When you reassemble, pack the dowel area and stud with grease.  This will help prevent the dowel corrosion. I was at Home Depot the other day and saw a clever plumbers tool.  It slipped inside a pipe, and when turned, the splined tip “cammed out” to grip the pipe ID.  It works similar to a stud remover.  If they make one small enough, it may work well on the dowels.

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Capo

March 31st, 2013 admin

Planet Waves has be come my favorite capo of all time. Easy to use and doesn’t harm neck as some capos do.
The Shubb is well made, but it is not the best design because you have to guess on the tension needed before closing the lever. If you guess wrong you squeeze the neck possibly marking it. I’ve done it on one of my acoustics and it is a maddening mistake that you can’t take back. To some extent that was user error, but if someone who knows as much about guitars as I do makes the error then others will too and it only takes once.

With the Planet Waves NS capo you have the least amount of tension necessary to fret the strings. You start with zero tension and work your way up until there is no buzz. It never clamps down like spring and lever designs. It works more like real fingers and doesn’t go sharp. It is also much more low profile than most other designs.

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Vehicle Lifts

March 31st, 2013 admin

I am trying to find vehicle lifts. I’ve got a big set of axle stands, but the jacking required to get a car onto them is downright dangerous. Had a moment the other week. Want to get some more sensible lifting organised.

The garage has an uneven floor that slopes towards the door by roughly 15mm per metre. It’s got a high roof, but the roof trusses are cheap and have a horizontal beam that would limit the lift to about 1.2m.

Had been considering a 2 post lift together with floor concrete and roof mods, but I’m moving towards a mobile scissor lift that I can store out of the way when not in use. It’s a rented workshop so probably easier not to modify it.

Got to be better than where I am at the moment. If I will experience trouble or annoyances with a newly purchased vehicle lift I will let you guys know.

 

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Drawstring Bags

March 11th, 2013 admin

Draw string bags are quite useful when there is a need to bring some things around. The bag can be folded and kept somewhere while not in use and just taken out when there is a need to put a bunch of stuff in it. Companies or stores can also use these bags for promotional purposes. The name of the company or its logo can be printed on the bag so their name can be seen around while the bag is in use.

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Cooking Food

April 18th, 2011 admin

Some of us like cooking food. Some are forced to cook because no one else is able to but somehow enjoys it especially when the outcome is tasty. Those people who enjoy cooking try different recipes. Some are even able to experiment especially those who are a bit gifted in cooking. If you are trying to cook something new, try searching for healthy foods that also have good taste. There are different sites that offer different suggestions on how to make healthy and tasty food. It does not have to be all vegetables but a balanced diet with regular food that we always see around us. It’s good to learn a new recipe, better if it’s healthy.

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Sunscreen: Skin’s Defensive Protection

March 16th, 2011 admin

As summer approaches, our skin faces more challenges because of the increased levels of UV light and pollution. Many people know the benefit of slathering on an SPF moisturizer before going outdoors as it protects the skin from harmful elements like sun damage. On the other hand, you can maximize your skin care technique by being defensive against the sun. Sunscreen helps prevent wrinkles and blotches and even protect the skin from cancer and other skin diseases.

Summer is the best time to start using travel size sunblock because it is during this time that skin is exposed to intense heat. Skin deteriorates during this season because it lacks hydration and suffers under the harmful UVA and UVB rays of the sun. There are specialty sunscreens formulated for kids that are gentle and best for active kids whether they are heading for the beach or pool, day camps, school, or a family outdoor activity. Hypoallergenic sunscreens are best for people with sensitive skin preventing rashes or break outs that occur in other regular sunscreens. For people who are always on the go, there are natural sunscreen face stick that are so convenient as it comes in easy to use stick dispenser. There is always hope for our skin to be in its optimal condition. With the perfect summer skin care system, you are indeed on your way to making yourself enjoy and glow in the sun.

Posted in General, Gift Ideas, Kids Health, Mens Health, Skin Care, Sunscreens, Toddler Care, Womens Health Tags: , , , , , , , No Comments »

Gold Bars

January 31st, 2011 admin

There are different investments a person can venture in. Some investments are also things of value like gold bars and diamonds. They are precious stones that don’t degrade in value but instead increase as the years go by. They can also be given as gifts to someone. They are not as easily spent like money and can be kept in a safe place for use in the future or when really needed. It may also be a good investment to keep some of these somewhere as insurance.

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