Re: [BlindHandyMan] My Tool Broke . What do I do now?

[Shane Hecker]

Awe, what's wrong with harbor freight?

Shane

  - Original Message - 
  From: Ray Boyce 
  To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 10:23 PM
  Subject: [BlindHandyMan] My Tool Broke . What do I do now?


  Hammer Drill How often has it happened and the first hole you drill or board 
  you cut something happens that
  kills your favorite tool.

  Everyone has been there, but what can you do to get your work done?

  Here are a few ideas that might help.

  First understand that every tool has a lifespan and one day or another there 
  is going to be a need for Repair or Replacement.

  If you purchase big name tools Milwaukee, Dewalt, Makita
  with decent repair contracts you can usually get your tool back in about 2 
  weeks.

  A few weeks or 2 at best is way too long to wait so Google the area you are 
  working in and have a list of local tool suppliers.

  Even if the store is close you will have to spend an hour running down to 
  the nearest big box store to purchase either a bottom end tool or endup 
  forking
  out more money then you should for an exact replacement.

  One way to cut back on the Sticker and Emergency shock is to keep an extra 
  Drill or Saw in your truck. It can be your old one or it can be a really 
  cheap
  knockoff that should last those couple weeks until you get your good tool 
  back from the factory repair shop.

  Another Idea is
  if you have the habit of cutting off your circular saw cord ask the repair 
  center to send you out an extra one when they do the repair.
  It might also be a good idea to ask them to send you an extra set of Brushes 
  for the tools motor. Brushes only cost about $5 so if you can put them in a
  safe place and change them quickly you can be back up working in just a few 
  minutes.

  Most tool manufacturers now provide full exploded views of their tools and 
  repair comment pages that will let you know what part goes where and how to 
  replace
  and order it online.

  And the final Idea has to do with keeping an extra tool with you.

  At one point in time it was my job to keep the warehouse up to date for a 
  contracting company. This meant that I was keeping track of hundreds of 
  tools
  and thousands of parts including shipping out tools to authorized repair 
  shops.

  If you can find a tool that may need some repair on Ebay or locally then 
  pick it up. Parts are often very cheap in relation to the tools retail cost.

  Again you only want to do this with name brand companies but for maybe half 
  or 1/4 the cost of a new tool you can buy a used one and rebuild it.

  This is not something you can do quickly when you are setting up your 
  business but it is something that you can do on a weekend when you have a 
  little time
  to get on the internet.

  Again your best bet if you NEED to have reciprocating saw is to buy a good 
  one with a good contract. Then pickup one of the garbage $20 ones from 
  COUGH
  www.HarborFreight.com
  It will get you through a tough situation at 3am when all the stores are 
  closed and you are an hour away from your business or home.

  Good luck

  and be nice to your tools. 



   


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8:12 PM


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[BlindHandyMan]

[Ray Boyce]

What is Cement, Concrete & Mortar
Concrete and Cement are often thought of as the same product but actually 
Cement is just one part of Concrete.

Concrete is a mixture of Aggregates and Binders (Rocks and Cement).
Depending on your needs you can use larger or more aggregate to get a harder 
product or you can use smaller aggregate to allow the mix to flow.

This difference is easy to understand when you compare the tough but 
formable sandy mixture that is shot onto Swimming Pools and the much 
stronger Rocky
mixes that are used for foundations and roadways.

Portland Cement is the binder material in Concrete and is made of
60% lime, 25% silica, 5% alumina, and small amounts of iron oxide and 
gypsum.

The Lime comes from limestone, oyster shells, chalk, and clay.
Silica and Alumina come from shale, clay, silica sand, slate, and blast 
furnace slag. Iron oxide comes from iron ore, pyrite, and other materials.

Concrete is made of
. Water
. Portland Cement
. Sand
. Intermediate Aggregate (3/8? - 1/16? Pea gravel)
. Coarse Aggregate (gravel, crushed stone)

Placing Orders or Buying Concrete
When ordering or buying concrete you will want to know the correct PSI or 
pounds per square inch Rating that is needed.

If you are purchasing Bags of concrete you will probably see 3 different 
types. General Purpose, High Strength and products with special additives.

Additives are often useful and can help in adhesion of new concrete to old 
or can allow you to pour in lower temperatures and reduce cracking.

For most projects you will want a general purpose Bag or Delivered product.

Water
Water is important for 2 reasons. First it provides activation of the Cement 
and also lets you pour the product into forms.

The lowest percentage of water to allow activation and curing is always the 
best because as the Concrete Cures and Drys the water in the concrete will 
form
hollow pockets and reduce the final strength.

On very Hot days evaporation is also a serious problem.

All Concrete should be allowed to cure for about 7 days.

Mortar
Mortar is a type of concrete but the aggregate is only sand. Mortar is used 
for Tile, Stone and Brick work to bond the finish material to a substraight
and to each other. Like Concrete the mixture should have the lowest water 
content possible however Mortar used for Tile work will have more water to 
allow
the trowel to float the area level and produce notches so the Tile can be 
set to the proper height.

Mortar mixtures can come ready to apply in buckets or premixed in bags dry. 
You can also mix your own mortar by using a 5:1 sand:portland cement mix.

[BlindHandyMan] Caulkand Where To Use It

[Ray Boyce]

Types of Caulk and how to use themAlthough some people think that a roll 
of Duct Tape and a Tube of Caulk is all that is needed to repair most things 
around the home there are a variety
of different caulks that can be used for hundreds of different projects. 
Selecting the right one for the job is as important as deciding to use it at 
all
so lets go over some of the different types of Caulk and when and where they 
are best used.

Acrylic Latex Caulkis probably your best friend. For most situations in the 
home you can get away with the basic $2 a tube Acrylic Caulk. Some of the 
places
you might find it is around door jams and anyplace that drywall meets a wood 
molding. It is good around the interior jams of a window and when you are
installing paint grade molding for baseboard you can clean up the corner 
joints and hit the counter sunk nail heads with a little to fill the gaps. 
Although
Latex Caulk does have some adhesive qualities you should never rely on it 
alone.

Siliconized Latex Caulkis your next step up in the caulk department. When 
you are installing outside windows you need a caulk that can last a few 
years.
The Silicon that is found in Siliconized Latex Caulk will give the caulk 
flexibility and should allow it to last maybe 10 years under the right 
situation.
Although this caulk does have Silicon in it you can paint over it. This 
caulk can also be used in bathrooms around the base of toilets and tile 
joints
near tubs. Although Siliconized Latex caulk works well in wet areas you may 
also want to go with a dedicated bathroom caulk that has been formulated 
just
for heavy water conditions. This type of caulk does have some stickyness but 
should not be used alone as an adhesive.

Pure Silicon Caulk is great for any High Water area. This caulk is often 
used to install kitchen Sinks as it has decent adhesive qualities and it 
lasts
long where water is a concern. You can use this caulk around tubs and in 
your bathroom but you can not paint this caulk. This is also a good choice 
for
caulking around outside vents and places where pipes or other items exit 
your home.

Specialized Caulk Products include adhesives and waterproofing products.

Concrete Crack FillerCaulking is great for fixing cracks in concrete but 
this is really probably just an overpriced siliconized latex caulk. Don't 
depend
on this material in high traffic areas.

Liquid Nailsis a great product if you are doing any Framing. This Caulk Type 
Adhesive can be used to glue Subflooring Plywood to your joists and reduce
popping and squeaks. This material is always used with a fastener like a 
nail and should never be used alone.  It should also be used when installing 
the
exterior Plywood, OSB sheathing on your home. Although there are a few 
different grades of this product it is probably always best to select the 
waterproof
type for both inside and outside work.

Drywall Adhesive is also a great way to reduce nail pops. Apply it to your 
studs before you install your drywall and it will help to bond your drywall 
forming
a much stronger wall.

Roofing Cementalso comes in similar tubes as caulk for easy application 
around flashing and shingle nails. Although its really not in the same 
category
it is good to keep in mind when you need to do repairs outside. This 
material is good for waterproofing but it is messy and not paintable.

Foam in a can is also a great material for filling areas that are too big 
for caulk alone. Most of the time this material can be used alone. You fill 
the
void with foam and let it harden. You can then cut away extra foam and paint 
it. If you do need to paint this material always check the can to make sure
it will accept the type of paint you will be using.

Rope Caulkis really a glazing material that is used around windows. This 
material is similar to children's art clay and can be molded to fit areas 
around
windows.

Other then Caulk you might want to look at any of the foam insulation 
materials when filling larger voids or cracks.

The proper use of Caulk

Most Caulk tubes will have directions on the side that describe how they can 
be used. For the most part you want to limit the holes or cracks that you 
fill
to about 1/4? wide. Anything larger then that will probably result in 
cracking due to expansion and contraction.

If the material you will be working on needs to be water proof then Silicon 
is always the best bet but remember that most pure transparent silicon will
not take paint.

Always allow caulk to cure for the proper time before  using the thing your 
are working on. If you are caulking new windows or doors then let the caulk
set up for a few days before placing the item in to service.

Curing of caulk can actually take days, weeks, months or years. Some 
materials never fully cure and once they do they tend to crack. This does 
not mean
that the Caulk is not doing its job it just means that caulk is not molten 
steel (it is not meant to have structural propertie

[BlindHandyMan] My Tool Broke . What do I do now?

[Ray Boyce]

Hammer Drill How often has it happened and the first hole you drill or board 
you cut something happens that
kills your favorite tool.

Everyone has been there, but what can you do to get your work done?

Here are a few ideas that might help.

First understand that every tool has a lifespan and one day or another there 
is going to be a need for Repair or Replacement.

If you purchase big name tools Milwaukee, Dewalt, Makita
with decent repair contracts you can usually get your tool back in about 2 
weeks.

A few weeks or 2 at best is way too long to wait so Google the area you are 
working in and have a list of local tool suppliers.

Even if the store is close you will have to spend an hour running down to 
the nearest big box store to purchase either a bottom end tool or endup 
forking
out more money then you should for an exact replacement.

One way to cut back on the Sticker and Emergency shock is to keep an extra 
Drill or Saw in your truck. It can be your old one or it can be a really 
cheap
knockoff that should last those couple weeks until you get your good tool 
back from the factory repair shop.

Another Idea is
if you have the habit of cutting off your circular saw cord ask the repair 
center to send you out an extra one when they do the repair.
It might also be a good idea to ask them to send you an extra set of Brushes 
for the tools motor. Brushes only cost about $5 so if you can put them in a
safe place and change them quickly you can be back up working in just a few 
minutes.

Most tool manufacturers now provide full exploded views of their tools and 
repair comment pages that will let you know what part goes where and how to 
replace
and order it online.

And the final Idea has to do with keeping an extra tool with you.

At one point in time it was my job to keep the warehouse up to date for a 
contracting company. This meant that I was keeping track of hundreds of 
tools
and thousands of parts including shipping out tools to authorized repair 
shops.

If you can find a tool that may need some repair on Ebay or locally then 
pick it up. Parts are often very cheap in relation to the tools retail cost.

Again you only want to do this with name brand companies but for maybe half 
or 1/4 the cost of a new tool you can buy a used one and rebuild it.

This is not something you can do quickly when you are setting up your 
business but it is something that you can do on a weekend when you have a 
little time
to get on the internet.

Again your best bet if you NEED to have reciprocating saw is to buy a good 
one with a good contract.  Then pickup one of the garbage $20 ones from 
COUGH
www.HarborFreight.com
It will get you through a tough situation at 3am when all the stores are 
closed and you are an hour away from your business or home.

Good luck

and be nice to your tools. 

Re: [BlindHandyMan] exercise bikes

[Don]

Know problem,  the blind like me list, is a fine list for general 
conversations,  like  do you exercise, what kind of tread mill/ bikes do you 
use and every thing else, except handy projects, grin. the subscribe link for 
that list follows. 
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Regards  Don

  - Original Message - 
  From: Shane Hecker 
  To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 9:58 PM
  Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] exercise bikes


  The reason I asked about it is because I don't know of too many other places 
to ask about it. Sorry bout it being off topic.

  Shane

  - Original Message - 
  From: Don 
  To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 9:56 PM
  Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] exercise bikes

  This would be way off topic for the list, unless it pertains too maintaining 
a exercise bike. That's why you haven't seen it posted to the list.
  Regards Don

  - Original Message - 
  From: Shane Hecker 
  To: blind tech 
  Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 9:18 PM
  Subject: [BlindHandyMan] exercise bikes

  I haven't seen this brought up on the list before. Does anyone use an 
  exercise bike and if so, which ones do you like the best? I'm interested in 
  the recumbant bikes. Thanks for any info.

  Shane 

  [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

  --

  No virus found in this incoming message.
  Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
  Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.9/1238 - Release Date: 1/22/2008 
8:12 PM

  [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



   

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Re: [BlindHandyMan] exercise bikes

[Shane Hecker]

It's more comfortable, but I suppose not necessary. If the bike is useable, I'd 
be open to the standard style.

Shane

  - Original Message - 
  From: Dale Leavens 
  To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 9:54 PM
  Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] exercise bikes


  Hi Shane,

  Is there a particular reason why you prefer the recumbent style of cycle?

  The important things to consider are fit, most are fairly adjustable but not 
all, and method of resistance. If at all possible sit on or in what ever it is 
you think you want to buy and make sure it fits you. Your leg should end just 
short of fully extended at the extreme of the cycle stroke. Nearly everyone 
complains of bum distress from the seat of a regular style cycle. One should 
not be landing all their weight on the seat it is inefficient exercise and you 
are not getting good use of the largest muscle group in the body if the seat is 
hurting your delicate bottom. There are those physically unable to use the 
standard style of cycle of course and this is sometimes a consideration.

  The method of resistance is the next significant thing. These days there are 
magnetic resistance cycles, electronic, simple (and cheap) roller resistance 
where a roller applies pressure on the wheel and the belt & flywheel 
arrangement.

  Some are pretty noisy like the roller resistance type and they wear out 
rapidly. Though cheap they are generally unsatisfactory for any sort of serious 
or prolonged use.

  The flywheel & belt arrangement tends to be very smooth, and usually 
reasonably quiet. If they use a pendulum arrangement to measure and even out 
the resistance they are also very accurate and relatively inexpensive. The 
belts last for ever and are usually pretty easily replaced. They are extremely 
reliable.

  The electronic resistance styles and the magnetic resistance styles tend to 
be a little more expensive. They are relatively hi-tech and most somewhat 
difficult to use for the blind these days with those beeping electronic 
programmes mostly no one really knows how to operate. The magnetic ones though 
are very smooth and, in the higher priced models they are pretty quiet. I don't 
know how reliable or durable they are, I expect price determines that.

  Sadly, the more you pay the more junk you get, most of which you don't need 
and a lot of which is purely gimmick. Things like calory calculators, pulse 
monitors which are generally unreliable and except in very specific situations 
unnecessary, built in televisions all add cost but nothing to the intended use 
or value of the equipment. Much of that stuff is touch sensitive operated with 
LCD display output and useless to the blind. Buy the most expensive plane model 
you can find and you will probably be most satisfied. Bring along your own 
television it will be better and useful long after the bike is holding up your 
dust collection.

  Just a few considerations I hope you find helpful.

  Dale Leavens, Cochrane Ontario Canada
  [EMAIL PROTECTED]
  Skype DaleLeavens
  Come and meet Aurora, Nakita and Nanook at our polar bear habitat.

  - Original Message - 
  From: Shane Hecker 
  To: blind tech 
  Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 10:18 PM
  Subject: [BlindHandyMan] exercise bikes

  I haven't seen this brought up on the list before. Does anyone use an 
  exercise bike and if so, which ones do you like the best? I'm interested in 
  the recumbant bikes. Thanks for any info.

  Shane 

  [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



   


--


  No virus found in this incoming message.
  Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
  Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.9/1238 - Release Date: 1/22/2008 
8:12 PM


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Re: [BlindHandyMan] exercise bikes

[Shane Hecker]

The reason I asked about it is because I don't know of too many other places to 
ask about it. Sorry bout it being off topic.

Shane

  - Original Message - 
  From: Don 
  To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 9:56 PM
  Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] exercise bikes


  This would be way off topic for the list, unless it pertains too maintaining 
a exercise bike. That's why you haven't seen it posted to the list.
  Regards Don

  - Original Message - 
  From: Shane Hecker 
  To: blind tech 
  Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 9:18 PM
  Subject: [BlindHandyMan] exercise bikes

  I haven't seen this brought up on the list before. Does anyone use an 
  exercise bike and if so, which ones do you like the best? I'm interested in 
  the recumbant bikes. Thanks for any info.

  Shane 

  [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



   


--


  No virus found in this incoming message.
  Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
  Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.9/1238 - Release Date: 1/22/2008 
8:12 PM


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Re: [BlindHandyMan] exercise bikes

[Don]

This would be way  off topic for the list, unless it pertains too  maintaining 
a exercise  bike.   That's why you haven't seen it posted to the list.
Regards  Don

  - Original Message - 
  From: Shane Hecker 
  To: blind tech 
  Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 9:18 PM
  Subject: [BlindHandyMan] exercise bikes


  I haven't seen this brought up on the list before. Does anyone use an 
  exercise bike and if so, which ones do you like the best? I'm interested in 
  the recumbant bikes. Thanks for any info.

  Shane 



   

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Re: [BlindHandyMan] exercise bikes

[Dale Leavens]

Hi Shane,

Is there a particular reason why you prefer the recumbent style of cycle?

The important things to consider are fit, most are fairly adjustable but not 
all, and method of resistance. If at all possible sit on or in what ever it is 
you think you want to buy and make sure it fits you. Your leg should end just 
short of fully extended at the extreme of the cycle stroke. Nearly everyone 
complains of bum distress from the seat of a regular style cycle. One should 
not be landing all their weight on the seat it is inefficient exercise and you 
are not getting good use of the largest muscle group in the body if the seat is 
hurting your delicate bottom. There are those physically unable to use the 
standard style of cycle of course and this is sometimes a consideration.

The method of resistance is the next significant thing. These days there are 
magnetic resistance cycles, electronic, simple (and cheap) roller resistance 
where a roller applies pressure on the wheel and the belt & flywheel 
arrangement.

Some are pretty noisy like the roller resistance type and they wear out 
rapidly. Though cheap they are generally unsatisfactory for any sort of serious 
or prolonged use.

The flywheel & belt arrangement tends to be very smooth, and usually reasonably 
quiet. If they use a pendulum arrangement to measure and even out the 
resistance they are also very accurate and relatively inexpensive. The belts 
last for ever and are usually pretty easily replaced. They are extremely 
reliable.

The electronic resistance styles and the magnetic resistance styles tend to be 
a little more expensive. They are relatively hi-tech and most somewhat 
difficult to use for the blind these days with those beeping electronic 
programmes mostly no one really knows how to operate. The magnetic ones though 
are very smooth and, in the higher priced models they are pretty quiet. I don't 
know how reliable or durable they are, I expect price determines that.

Sadly, the more you pay the more junk you get, most of which you don't need and 
a lot of which is purely gimmick. Things like calory calculators, pulse 
monitors which are generally unreliable and except in very specific situations 
unnecessary, built in televisions all add cost but nothing to the intended use 
or value of the equipment. Much of that stuff is touch sensitive operated with 
LCD display output and useless to the blind. Buy the most expensive plane model 
you can find and you will probably be most satisfied. Bring along your own 
television it will be better and useful long after the bike is holding up your 
dust collection.

Just a few considerations I hope you find helpful.

Dale Leavens, Cochrane Ontario Canada
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Skype DaleLeavens
Come and meet Aurora, Nakita and Nanook at our polar bear habitat.


  - Original Message - 
  From: Shane Hecker 
  To: blind tech 
  Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 10:18 PM
  Subject: [BlindHandyMan] exercise bikes


  I haven't seen this brought up on the list before. Does anyone use an 
  exercise bike and if so, which ones do you like the best? I'm interested in 
  the recumbant bikes. Thanks for any info.

  Shane 



   

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[BlindHandyMan] exercise bikes

[Shane Hecker]

I haven't seen this brought up on the list before. Does anyone use an 
exercise bike and if so, which ones do you like the best? I'm interested in 
the recumbant bikes. Thanks for any info.

Shane 

Re: [BlindHandyMan] Respirators and Dust Masks - Know the Difference

[David Ferrin]

Not me man, when ever I go up in to the older part of my attic the mask and 
gloves go on before hand. Good post Ray.
David Ferrin
 www.jaws-users.com
- Original Message - 
From: Boyce, Ray
To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 8:48 PM
Subject: [BlindHandyMan] Respirators and Dust Masks - Know the Difference


How often do you see someone wearing a pair of gloves to protect their
hands or steel toe boots to protect their feet but when it comes to
working in dusty
or toxic conditions they seem to think its ok to not wear lung
protection.

As someone that use to paint Cars and Airplanes for a living I can't
tell you how many shops I have worked in or visited where employees
think its not manly
to protect themselves from poisons and particulates.

After the first few months of coming home and spending 10 minutes
spitting out Auto body Primer and blowing my nose to get the auto body
filler out of my
sinuses I decided that any garbage I would take from my fellow workers
was not as harsh as ending up in a hospital bed with lung cancer or some
other disease.

The fact is one of the worst problems for all trades people is dust and
toxic fumes used in their workplace.

For plumbers there is the problem of fumes from lead solder and PVC
cements and particulate in the form of Asbestos insulation.

For Carpenters there is the constant dust from sawing wood. Until a few
years ago Pressure Treated Woods had highly toxic chemicals and still
today there
is a problem with inhaling both wood particles and the adhesives used in
Plywood and Glue Laminated products.

Insulation contractors have had Asbestos removed from their workplace
unless they are working on old projects but there is a now little talked
about problem
with Fiberglass Insulation that has been recognized by both manufactures
and the government to be a cause for lung damage. Additionally sprayed
foam based
insulation either iso or urethane have been known to damage lungs both
at the time of inhalation and long term effects due to out gassing.

Painters have to deal with Volatile Organic Chemicals and recently most
manufacturers are moving to a Low VOC mix where water based stains and
polyurethanes
are starting to replace oil and petroleum paints.

The fact is that anything that enters your lungs even if it is inert
(not toxic) can end up causing severe health problems.

So, what can we do to protect ourselves on the job?

Well the very least we can do is follow Manufacturer recommendations
when working with products that could enter our systems.

You should always read the warning labels on products that you use and
if you have any concerns that there could be additional problems because
you work
with the product on a day in day out basis then you can visit
manufacturer's and government websites to get some more basic
information.

For people that think dust masks and respirators are a joke I hope they
have a good health care plan and a manager that will visit them in the
hospital
and take care of their kids.

Lets go over the basic differences between Particulate / Dust and
Chemical / Toxin protection available to us.
Dust Masks

Our first line of defense in most situations is a dust mask. Everyone
has seen them they are white paper masks that fit over your mouth and
nose and help
to stop the larger particles of dust and paint or other larger items
from being inhaled.

Their cost and quality can range a bit but because they have no chemical
filtration ability you can only use them in situations where a good
outside air
supply is available and when volatile chemicals and pesticides are not
present.

A Volatile Chemical can be seen in Paint Thinners and Gasoline and other
products of that type. This is something that you can't stop without
filtration.

Dust masks are generally good for:

Cleaning up job sites
Sawing Wood
Painting Latex or other low Toxic Paints with a spray gun
Light Sanding where no Lead Paint is involved
Use of weed wackers and law mowers in dusty conditions.

Proper use of a dust mask means that the mask will fit tightly on your
face. If you have a beard or mustache you are probably out of luck. You
can try using
one but facial hair is not a known good filter of anything except food
getting into your mouth.

Other then that we need to move up to the next level of protection.
Respirators

There are two basic types of respirators.

Charcoal Cartridge / Light and Medium Duty
and
Inline Forced Air (see next page)

Charcoal Cartiridge Masks can do a pretty good job protecting your lungs
for short periods of time if they are used correctly.

Each Cartridge system has different products that it can protect you
from. If you are spraying pesticides you do not want to use a Cartridge
that protects
against asbestos or some other particulate. READ THE PACKAGE! The
cartridge canisters may look the same but they do not work the same and
it may be just
as bad as using no protection at all if you buy the wrong filter
cart

[BlindHandyMan] Respirators and Dust Masks - Know the Difference

[Boyce, Ray]

How often do you see someone wearing a pair of gloves to protect their
hands or steel toe boots to protect their feet but when it comes to
working in dusty
or toxic conditions they seem to think its ok to not wear lung
protection.

As someone that use to paint Cars and Airplanes for a living I can't
tell you how many shops I have worked in or visited where employees
think its not manly
to protect themselves from poisons and particulates.

After the first few months of coming home and spending 10 minutes
spitting out Auto body Primer and blowing my nose to get the auto body
filler out of my
sinuses I decided that any garbage I would take from my fellow workers
was not as harsh as ending up in a hospital bed with lung cancer or some
other disease.

The fact is one of the worst problems for all trades people is dust and
toxic fumes used in their workplace.

For plumbers there is the problem of fumes from lead solder and PVC
cements and particulate in the form of Asbestos insulation.

For Carpenters there is the constant dust from sawing wood. Until a few
years ago Pressure Treated Woods had highly toxic chemicals and still
today there
is a problem with inhaling both wood particles and the adhesives used in
Plywood and Glue Laminated products.

Insulation contractors have had Asbestos removed from their workplace
unless they are working on old projects but there is a now little talked
about problem
with Fiberglass Insulation that has been recognized by both manufactures
and the government to be a cause for lung damage. Additionally sprayed
foam based
insulation either iso or urethane have been known to damage lungs both
at the time of inhalation and long term effects due to out gassing.

Painters have to deal with Volatile Organic Chemicals and recently most
manufacturers are moving to a Low VOC mix where water based stains and
polyurethanes
are starting to replace oil and petroleum paints.

The fact is that anything that enters your lungs even if it is inert
(not toxic) can end up causing severe health problems.

So, what can we do to protect ourselves on the job?

Well the very least we can do is follow Manufacturer recommendations
when working with products that could enter our systems.

You should always read the warning labels on products that you use and
if you have any concerns that there could be additional problems because
you work
with the product on a day in day out basis then you can visit
manufacturer's and government websites to get some more basic
information.

For people that think dust masks and respirators are a joke I hope they
have a good health care plan and a manager that will visit them in the
hospital
and take care of their kids.

Lets go over the basic differences between Particulate / Dust and
Chemical / Toxin protection available to us.
Dust Masks

Our first line of defense in most situations is a dust mask. Everyone
has seen them they are white paper masks that fit over your mouth and
nose and help
to stop the larger particles of dust and paint or other larger items
from being inhaled.

Their cost and quality can range a bit but because they have no chemical
filtration ability you can only use them in situations where a good
outside air
supply is available and when volatile chemicals and pesticides are not
present.

A Volatile Chemical can be seen in Paint Thinners and Gasoline and other
products of that type. This is something that you can't stop without
filtration.

 Dust masks are generally good for:

Cleaning up job sites
Sawing Wood
Painting Latex or other low Toxic Paints with a spray gun
Light Sanding where no Lead Paint is involved
Use of weed wackers and law mowers in dusty conditions.

Proper use of a dust mask means that the mask will fit tightly on your
face. If you have a beard or mustache you are probably out of luck. You
can try using
one but facial hair is not a known good filter of anything except food
getting into your mouth.

 Other then that we need to move up to the next level of protection.
Respirators

There are two basic types of respirators.

Charcoal Cartridge / Light  and Medium Duty
and
Inline Forced Air (see next page)

Charcoal Cartiridge Masks can do a pretty good job protecting your lungs
for short periods of time if they are used correctly.

Each Cartridge system has different products that it can protect you
from. If you are spraying pesticides you do not want to use a Cartridge
that protects
against asbestos or some other particulate. READ THE PACKAGE! The
cartridge canisters may look the same but they do not work the same and
it may be just
as bad as using no protection at all if you buy the wrong filter
cartridge.

One or Two Cartridge Masks

The main choice of using a 1 or 2 cartridge mask is  the amount of time
that you will be working. Each cartridge has a life time of use and this
may be
from only a couple hours to many hours. When you use a 2 Cartridge
System you extend your work time between cartridge changes and you also
allow for better
b

Re: [BlindHandyMan] cordless tools

[Dale Leavens]

I think that is probably a 16.4 volt Art.

This was my dilemma too, I had thought of buying their cordless saw which comes 
with the new Lithium Ion batteries and charger then substitute the batteries in 
the drill too and maybe I should have. The saw kit would have cost something 
like 70 bucks more than just buying the new batteries alone. I chose not to 
mostly because I needed a new full sized saw anyway. The Panasonic saw uses a 6 
inch blade and the only source I could see is Panasonic so I was a bit 
concerned about getting replacements and if I might not be able to get specific 
blades should I want them.

I did have a bit of trouble chasing down a source for replacement batteries. 
The price though it was high, did yield a good tool again. As the old batteries 
were wearing down I had forgotten just how powerful this little drill was/is 
particularly given the weight and balance.I am not sorry I spent that money, it 
truly is a superior drill.

Now I would like to get a rechargeable little router. I understand some of them 
are pretty good.

Dale Leavens, Cochrane Ontario Canada
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Skype DaleLeavens
Come and meet Aurora, Nakita and Nanook at our polar bear habitat.


  - Original Message - 
  From: Art Rizzino 
  To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 7:53 PM
  Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] cordless tools


  I have a Panasonic 12 volt drill that I liked but at this time I no longer 
use it because the battery has died.
  Unfortunately I replaced it with an 18 volt cheaper brand.
  The Panasonic is nicely balanced, at the time of purchase it had the highest 
toque of the other cordless drills.
  Art
  - Original Message - 
  From: Dale Leavens 
  To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Saturday, January 12, 2008 3:39 PM
  Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] cordless tools

  I have a panisonic 16 volt drill which I really like. It is light, well 
balanced with the torque of much larger and heavier drills. It is particularly 
good when working for long periods of time even with the arms up as in 
installing doors and such.

  It is expensive though.

  I did have a makita 14 volt for quite a while which I liked quite well but 
this one truly is superior. In fairness it is a couple of years newer but at 
that I have had it about five years now.

  Dale Leavens, Cochrane Ontario Canada
  [EMAIL PROTECTED]
  Skype DaleLeavens
  Come and meet Aurora, Nakita and Nanook at our polar bear habitat.

  - Original Message - 
  From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Saturday, January 12, 2008 2:54 PM
  Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] cordless tools

  I have and use a DeWalt 12 volt cordless. Got it for a gift. I'm not overly 
fond of it. It seems a little Lite-hearted on the #10 21/2 in screws and such.

  I also have a Craftsman 14.4 volt cordless. It is old and has since been 
updated several times. It worked well and I would be still using it except for 
the expense of replacing the batteries and charger. It has a heavier feel and 
seemed to have reasonable torque.

  If I had a choice, I would still be using the Craftsman. If I was pruchasing 
a cordless drill, these days, I would be interested in the battery size and the 
torque and the feel or weight of the drill.

  ** This is a good question. I am looking forward to the list replies.

  Max in SC 

  -- Original message from "Lenny McHugh" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: 
-- 

  > Hi Mat, 
  > I have a new Skil 14.4v drill and really like it. I used it several times 
  > since Christmas I am very impressed. It is light weight and a lot of 
torque, 
  > I don't remember the actual torque rating. 
  > 
  > - Original Message - 
  > From: "Peawee" 
  > To: "BH" 
  > Sent: Saturday, January 12, 2008 1:53 PM 
  > Subject: [BlindHandyMan] cordless tools 
  > 
  > 
  > hi, I would like to get you all opinion on some of these brands cordless 
  > power tools. I would like to know which you think is the better for DIY 
  > projects. Also which in your opinion is the better tool. I would like to 
  > know your pro and cons on these tools companies. Also do you suggest other 
  > brands. thanks for you all input. 
  > 
  > Peawee 
  > [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  > 
  > No virus found in this outgoing message. 
  > Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
  > Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.0/1218 - Release Date: 1/10/2008 
  > 1:32 PM 
  > 
  > 
  > 
  > 
  > To listen to the show archives go to link 
  > http://acbradio.org/handyman.html 
  > or 
  > ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ 
  > 
  > The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. 
  > http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday 
  > 
  > Visit The Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various 
  > List Members At The Following address: 
  > http://www.jaws-users.com/JAWS/handyman/ 
  > 
  > Visit the archives page at the following address 
  

Re: [BlindHandyMan] cordless tools

[Art Rizzino]

I have a Panasonic 12 volt drill that I liked but at this time I no longer use 
it because the battery has died.
Unfortunately I replaced it with an 18 volt cheaper brand.
The Panasonic is nicely balanced, at the time of purchase it had the highest 
toque of the other cordless drills.
Art
  - Original Message - 
  From: Dale Leavens 
  To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Saturday, January 12, 2008 3:39 PM
  Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] cordless tools


  I have a panisonic 16 volt drill which I really like. It is light, well 
balanced with the torque of much larger and heavier drills. It is particularly 
good when working for long periods of time even with the arms up as in 
installing doors and such.

  It is expensive though.

  I did have a makita 14 volt for quite a while which I liked quite well but 
this one truly is superior. In fairness it is a couple of years newer but at 
that I have had it about five years now.

  Dale Leavens, Cochrane Ontario Canada
  [EMAIL PROTECTED]
  Skype DaleLeavens
  Come and meet Aurora, Nakita and Nanook at our polar bear habitat.

  - Original Message - 
  From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Saturday, January 12, 2008 2:54 PM
  Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] cordless tools

  I have and use a DeWalt 12 volt cordless. Got it for a gift. I'm not overly 
fond of it. It seems a little Lite-hearted on the #10 21/2 in screws and such.

  I also have a Craftsman 14.4 volt cordless. It is old and has since been 
updated several times. It worked well and I would be still using it except for 
the expense of replacing the batteries and charger. It has a heavier feel and 
seemed to have reasonable torque.

  If I had a choice, I would still be using the Craftsman. If I was pruchasing 
a cordless drill, these days, I would be interested in the battery size and the 
torque and the feel or weight of the drill.

  ** This is a good question. I am looking forward to the list replies.

  Max in SC 

  -- Original message from "Lenny McHugh" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: 
-- 

  > Hi Mat, 
  > I have a new Skil 14.4v drill and really like it. I used it several times 
  > since Christmas I am very impressed. It is light weight and a lot of 
torque, 
  > I don't remember the actual torque rating. 
  > 
  > - Original Message - 
  > From: "Peawee" 
  > To: "BH" 
  > Sent: Saturday, January 12, 2008 1:53 PM 
  > Subject: [BlindHandyMan] cordless tools 
  > 
  > 
  > hi, I would like to get you all opinion on some of these brands cordless 
  > power tools. I would like to know which you think is the better for DIY 
  > projects. Also which in your opinion is the better tool. I would like to 
  > know your pro and cons on these tools companies. Also do you suggest other 
  > brands. thanks for you all input. 
  > 
  > Peawee 
  > [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  > 
  > No virus found in this outgoing message. 
  > Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
  > Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.0/1218 - Release Date: 1/10/2008 
  > 1:32 PM 
  > 
  > 
  > 
  > 
  > To listen to the show archives go to link 
  > http://acbradio.org/handyman.html 
  > or 
  > ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ 
  > 
  > The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. 
  > http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday 
  > 
  > Visit The Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various 
  > List Members At The Following address: 
  > http://www.jaws-users.com/JAWS/handyman/ 
  > 
  > Visit the archives page at the following address 
  > http://www.mail-archive.com/blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com/ 
  > 
  > If you would like to join the JAWS Users List, then visit the following 
  > address for more information: 
  > http://www.jaws-users.com/ 
  > For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man 
list 
  > just send a blank message to: 
  > [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  > Yahoo! Groups Links 
  > 
  > 
  > 
  > 
  > 
  > To listen to the show archives go to link 
  > http://acbradio.org/handyman.html 
  > or 
  > ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ 
  > 
  > The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. 
  > http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday 
  > 
  > Visit The Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various 
List 
  > Members At The Following address: 
  > http://www.jaws-users.com/JAWS/handyman/ 
  > 
  > Visit the archives page at the following address 
  > http://www.mail-archive.com/blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com/ 
  > 
  > If you would like to join the JAWS Users List, then visit the following 
address 
  > for more information: 
  > http://www.jaws-users.com/ 
  > For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man 
list 
  > just send a blank message to: 
  > [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
  > Yahoo! Groups Links 
  > 
  > 
  > 

  [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

  [Non-text portions of this me

RE: [BlindHandyMan] Intro and question.

[Betsy Whitney, Dolphin Press]

Duh, forgot about those because they have an odd odor that my 
secretary hates. They definitley do work.
Betsy
At 12:31 PM 1/22/2008, you wrote:
>One more thought on our friends the roaches.
>The *Roach Motel* is also pretty effective in controlling the wee critters.
>I live in Eastern Oklahoma where the fairly high humidity makes a wonderful
>place for roaches to live, party and breed. (LOL)
>Cy, the Ancient Okie
>
>_
>
>From: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>On Behalf Of Betsy Whitney, Dolphin Press
>Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 3:55 PM
>To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: RE: [BlindHandyMan] Intro and question.
>
>
>
>Hi Alan,
>You'll probably get lots of opinions about this one, but here in
>Hawaii where roaches can be an issue, we use some form of boric acid.
>You can buy it in powder form, but that tends to be messy. We have
>something here called Harris Pills. My friend in Florida says they
>have a product that is called Boric Acid tablets. These can be tossed
>behind a stove or refrigerator, put on top of cabinets, tossed behind
>the washer, and near and in any warm dark place like around the water
>heater and under the kitchen and bathroom sink.
>
>My box says that they last about three months and that you only need
>one tablet per room. I find that they last much longer than that,
>but we have very few roaches in our home now. This house was a rental
>when we bought it, so it took us about a month to get rid of the roaches.
>
>Get rid of things like paper grocery bags, cardboard boxes. Many
>times those things have roach eggs in them and you can't see them.
>Since some foods come in boxes, I usually put the contents of the box
>or the whole box in a plastic container or a large ziplock bag.
>Remember, food boxes have glue on them and they have been stored in a
>warehouse somewhere before you get them home.
>
>As for something that you can put on your shelves, the only thing I
>know is some form of No Bugs MyLady shelf paper. This item has an
>insect repellant on it, so I have issues with putting my food and
>plates that we eat from on it. Some people put it down and then put a
>regular cupboard liner on top of it. It doesn't last forever, so
>removing it and replacement is a problem.
>
>However, most of us in Hawaii have figured out that if you put no
>shelf paper in your cupboards and wipe them down about once a year
>with some sort of pine cleaner, roaches hate it. My cupboards are
>lined on the bottom with linoleum. It took some time and work but is
>easy to clean. We bought scraps from our local flooring store.
>
>Roaches also like glue on envelopes and spines of books. They love to
>hide in the comb binding of braille books too.
>
>Oh, and about ants.
>Drawing a chalk line actually does work, but if you want something
>more aggressive, we use a product called Taro Drops. You just put a
>drop, really a drop, on a piece of paper and put it near where you
>see the ants. They eat it and take it back to their nest. Keep it
>away from places that animals can get to it because it is sweet and toxic.
>This is probably much more than you wanted to know about critters in the
>home.
>Betsy
>
>At 06:43 PM 1/20/2008, you wrote:
> >What do you do if it is ants or roaches?
> >
> >
> >
> >Alan D Wheeler
> >mailto:awheeler%40neb.rr.com"[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >Messenger: HYPERLINK
>"mailto:awheeler1965%40sbcglobal.net"[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >Skype: redwheel1
> >HYPERLINK
>"http://alan-wheeler.blogspot.com/"http://alan--wheeler.blogspot-.com/
> >HYPERLINK"http://reporter-guy.livejournal.com/"http://reporter--guy 
> .livejournal.-com/
> >
> >
> > _
> >
> >From: 
> HYPERLINK"mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com"[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>[mailto:HYPERLINK
>"mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com"[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >On Behalf Of Betsy Whitney, Dolphin Press
> >Sent: Sunday, January 20, 2008 10:40 PM
> >To: HYPERLINK
>"mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com"[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] Intro and question.
> >
> >
> >
> >Allen,
> >Welcome. What kind of critters are you trying to keep out? If it is
> >ants or roaches, the answer is differnet than mice.
> >
> >At 05:06 PM 1/20/2008, you wrote:
> > >For a lot of you this will be a re-introduction. My name is Alan Wheeler
> > >and I live in Lincoln, Nebraska where I am currently attending the
> > >University of Nebraska Lincoln.
> > >
> > >Now for my question: Am I recalling correctly that there is this adhesive
> > >sheeting you can put in cupboards that deters little critters from making
>a
> > >home inside them?
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >Alan D Wheeler
> > ><[EMAIL PROTECTED]  rr.com>
> > >Messenger: awheeler1965@ 
> >sbcglobal.net
> > >Skype: redwheel1
> > >HYPERLINK "http://alan-"http://alan- 
> http://alan-wheeler.blogspot.com/"http://alan--wheeler.blogspot-.com/>
>wheeler.blogspot.-com/
> > >HYPERLINK "http://reporter-"http://reporter-

RE: [BlindHandyMan] Intro and question.

[Cy Selfridge]

One more thought on our friends the roaches.
The *Roach Motel* is also pretty effective in controlling the wee critters.
I live in Eastern Oklahoma where the fairly high humidity makes a wonderful
place for roaches to live, party and breed. (LOL)
Cy, the Ancient Okie

   _  

From: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
On Behalf Of Betsy Whitney, Dolphin Press
Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 3:55 PM
To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [BlindHandyMan] Intro and question.



Hi Alan,
You'll probably get lots of opinions about this one, but here in 
Hawaii where roaches can be an issue, we use some form of boric acid. 
You can buy it in powder form, but that tends to be messy. We have 
something here called Harris Pills. My friend in Florida says they 
have a product that is called Boric Acid tablets. These can be tossed 
behind a stove or refrigerator, put on top of cabinets, tossed behind 
the washer, and near and in any warm dark place like around the water 
heater and under the kitchen and bathroom sink.

My box says that they last about three months and that you only need 
one tablet per room. I find that they last much longer than that, 
but we have very few roaches in our home now. This house was a rental 
when we bought it, so it took us about a month to get rid of the roaches.

Get rid of things like paper grocery bags, cardboard boxes. Many 
times those things have roach eggs in them and you can't see them. 
Since some foods come in boxes, I usually put the contents of the box 
or the whole box in a plastic container or a large ziplock bag. 
Remember, food boxes have glue on them and they have been stored in a 
warehouse somewhere before you get them home.

As for something that you can put on your shelves, the only thing I 
know is some form of No Bugs MyLady shelf paper. This item has an 
insect repellant on it, so I have issues with putting my food and 
plates that we eat from on it. Some people put it down and then put a 
regular cupboard liner on top of it. It doesn't last forever, so 
removing it and replacement is a problem.

However, most of us in Hawaii have figured out that if you put no 
shelf paper in your cupboards and wipe them down about once a year 
with some sort of pine cleaner, roaches hate it. My cupboards are 
lined on the bottom with linoleum. It took some time and work but is 
easy to clean. We bought scraps from our local flooring store.

Roaches also like glue on envelopes and spines of books. They love to 
hide in the comb binding of braille books too.

Oh, and about ants.
Drawing a chalk line actually does work, but if you want something 
more aggressive, we use a product called Taro Drops. You just put a 
drop, really a drop, on a piece of paper and put it near where you 
see the ants. They eat it and take it back to their nest. Keep it 
away from places that animals can get to it because it is sweet and toxic.
This is probably much more than you wanted to know about critters in the
home.
Betsy

At 06:43 PM 1/20/2008, you wrote:
>What do you do if it is ants or roaches?
>
>
>
>Alan D Wheeler
>mailto:awheeler%40neb.rr.com"[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Messenger: HYPERLINK
"mailto:awheeler1965%40sbcglobal.net"[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Skype: redwheel1
>HYPERLINK
"http://alan-wheeler.blogspot.com/"http://alan--wheeler.blogspot-.com/
>HYPERLINK
"http://reporter-guy.livejournal.com/"http://reporter--guy.livejournal.-com/
>
>
> _
>
>From: HYPERLINK
"mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com"[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:HYPERLINK
"mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com"[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>On Behalf Of Betsy Whitney, Dolphin Press
>Sent: Sunday, January 20, 2008 10:40 PM
>To: HYPERLINK
"mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com"[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] Intro and question.
>
>
>
>Allen,
>Welcome. What kind of critters are you trying to keep out? If it is
>ants or roaches, the answer is differnet than mice.
>
>At 05:06 PM 1/20/2008, you wrote:
> >For a lot of you this will be a re-introduction. My name is Alan Wheeler
> >and I live in Lincoln, Nebraska where I am currently attending the
> >University of Nebraska Lincoln.
> >
> >Now for my question: Am I recalling correctly that there is this adhesive
> >sheeting you can put in cupboards that deters little critters from making
a
> >home inside them?
> >
> >
> >
> >Alan D Wheeler
> ><[EMAIL PROTECTED]  rr.com>
> >Messenger: awheeler1965@ 
>sbcglobal.net
> >Skype: redwheel1
> >HYPERLINK "http://alan-"http://alan- http://alan-wheeler.blogspot.com/"http://alan--wheeler.blogspot-.com/>
wheeler.blogspot.-com/
> >HYPERLINK "http://reporter-"http://reporter- http://reporter-guy.livejournal.com/"http://reporter--guy.livejournal.-com/
>
>guy.livejournal.-com/
> >
> >
> >
> >[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
> >
> >To listen to the show archives go to link
> > HYPERLINK "http://acbradio."http://acbradio. http:/

[BlindHandyMan] Introduction to Rainwater Collection in Residential Construction

[Boyce, Ray]

The collection of rainwater for drinking and general use is not
something new but as we have seen in the past 10 years droughts are now
common in the USA.
As of October 2007 over 40% of the United States is under drought
conditions both due to increased building and low amounts of rainfall.

For these reasons it is important to understand our impact on the land
and when we can make modifications that will both save us money and
precious water
resources. In other HowTos we will cover how we can reduce our use of
water but here we will explain the concepts of rainwater collection.

In general rainwater for use in drinking is a serious commitment. If you
live in a location that allows you to collect your water for potable
reasons such
as drinking and washing of food and your body you need to have not only
a clean but pure water reserve. This means that the water that is
collected from
the roof of your home must be collected and stored in an approved
Potable Water container called a Cistern.

A Cistern is a Tank that is made out of various types of materials. I
have seen people make concrete block structures that are lined with a
food grade rubber
material and there are off the shelf Plastic Stainless Steel and
Aluminum Cisterns that are manufactured and past testing for drinking
water. There are
also lower grade Cisterns that are made of plastics that can only be
used for gray water uses like washing clothes and flushing toilets. And
the lowest
grade containers are only good for watering landscaping and may not be
suitable for vegetable gardens.

This is a very important aspect to rainwater collection that can not be
overlooked because if the tank that you store the water in has been
previously used
for petroleum or pesticides there is no way to ever clean it well enough
for human consumption. Additionally as said above there are different
grades of
Plastic containers and although you may save a few hundred dollars the
lower grade containers are never good enough for drinking water. Always
ask for
Potable Water containers and if you decide to build your own tank ask
for a Potable or Food Grade Liner that looks just like a Swimming Pool
Liner but
can be used to make safe container tanks.

Ok so now we know that we will collect the water from our roof and we
will store it in a potable grade container if we are drinking it.

Well how do we get it off the roof into the container and where do we
put the container?

When you purchase your container you can buy either above ground or
below ground containers that can withstand someone walking over them. If
you have the
option below ground is great because it frees up area in your yard.  If
you are thinking about using rainwater for your total needs you may need
to install
up to a 10,000 gallon water tank which is rather large. Something of
that size is about 10'x10'x10' or a 10 foot cube of water.

If you are installing a smaller tank you can locate it above ground but
either choice you make you should allow for easy access to the manhole
because you
will need to check and add chemicals to your water every few months. A
total clean out and scrub down should be performed between 12 and 18
months depending
on your location.

To get the water from the roof into the tank you will use your rain
gutters but you will need to make some adjustments to them. If you have
a 3? gutter
you may want to increase the size. Your down spouts will need to be
retrofitted with a roof washer clean out which will allow the first
hundred gallons
of water to be discarded because it will contain dirt from the roof.
The rest of the water can be piped to your tank with PVC pipe. Although
it is recommended
that you use CPVC pipe in external applications  because it is UV
protected the plain schedule 20 or 40 PVC waste pipe that you get at
your supply store
will last a long time. You could even paint the outside with latex paint
to extend its life but it is probably not necessary.

Now that the water is in your tank you need a way to get it back out so
you can use it.  A shallow Well pump is your best bet they cost about
$100 and can
supply your whole house or give you enough pressure to water your garden
and lawn.  Most are rated at about a 50 foot head which means they can
push the
water up to the second story of the home.

Before you can drink your water it must be filtered and decontaminated.
Some home owners use a chemical treatment in the tank which is why you
should allow
easy access to your tank at all times even if it is buried. Other home
owners use a Mechanical filter that everyone has seen at the home stores
but to
purify the water you will also need a UV Light Filter that basically
exposes the water to UV Light and frys the bacteria. Proper instillation
of UV Filters
is important and you must maintain them so you will either need
extensive research or a professional to install one correctly.

Well thats about it you collect the water off your roof and store it in
a tank then use a Wel

[BlindHandyMan] How to pick a Low Flow Toilet

[Boyce, Ray]

 Over 10 years ago back in 1994 a Federal Law mandated the use of 1.6
Gallon per flush Low Flow Toilets. This meant that companies had to rush
to market designs that were less then up to the task of the standard 3.5
gallon tanks that most home owners were use to but today there have been
many
advancements.

As a matter of fact there are many companies that are surpassing that
1.6 Gallon requirement and offering 1.4 even 1.2 gallon flushes saving
home owners
tens of thousands of gallons of water each year.

The reason this is so important for our environment is that less water
has to be sent to homes for flushing. The water that comes into a house
doesn't know
how it is going to be used so all of it has to go through treatment
meaning chemicals. This is not only costly on our environment but it is
also costly
in our pockets as our local water treatment plants have to be expanded
to provide more water when new homes are built.

As a consumer and not a conservationist you can look at it this way...
They build a larger water treatment plant = higher taxes, you use more
water in your
toilet = higher water bill , They treat the sewage leaving your house =
higher taxes.

No matter which way you look at it someone is getting paid every time
you flush.

So, what things should you look for when picking a low flow toilet?

The first and most important is the flush volume needed: Toilet flush
needs range from about 1.6 to 1.2 gallons and you must take into account
the number
of people in your house and ages when you factor if you should select an
ultra-low flow toilet because even though technology has improved if all
other
factors are the same you will see less clogging in a 1.6 gallon unit
then in the ultra low models.

The second most important design feature is the width of the waste trap.
The Toilet waste trap is the built into the bottom of the bowl and is
the pipe
that the waste exits. If you look down into your toilet you can see the
initial opening and if you look on the side of some toilets you can see
the S Snake
of the Trap. What you want is the largest opening that is available in
the selection you choose from. So if you have the choice between a
1-7/8ths inch
trap and a 2-1/4 inch trap width you want to pick the larger size.

Trap Glazing When you look on the outside of your toilet you will see a
ceramic glaze which is shiny and colorful. This is the same stuff that
is on a ceramic
dish or vase.  Glaze is actually colored glass. What happens is a paint
type slurry made of Silica sand and other additives is painted on the
outside of
the toilet and then it is placed in an oven and baked at thousands of
degrees Fahrenheit. This turns the Silica into a Glass and it give the
Ceramic piece
a smooth surface that is easy to clean. This is the same idea in toilets
and many brands even the higher priced ones do not have a fully glazed
trap. This
causes clogging due to friction and whatever model you choose you should
always go for a fully glazed trap unless you enjoy using a plunger.

Power assisted flushing mechanisms are relatively new to the market and
may or may not aid in the flow of your toilet. The basic idea is that a
bladder
or air pump forces the water through the toilet at a higher rate. They
are showing up in the lowest flow models but they add substantial costs
to the initial
purchase and also for repairs later. Choosing a non conventional flush
mechanism also means the lack of parts to repair your toilet so you can
expect to
have to order parts instead of just picking them up at any and every
store that has plumbing supplies.

epa water saving toiletsThese are the basics when you are looking at
conventional low flow toilets other types of toilets are available for
cabins and remote
locations that actually use no water at all and simply burn the waste in
a small furnace. Eventually we might all end up using such systems but
for now
a 1.6 or lower flow toilet is a great solution for your remodeling or
new building needs.

**
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Re: [BlindHandyMan] A Little mor on Smart Strips

[chiliblindman]

A lot of people in industry use power strips and have the computer programmed 
in the power section to turn on when power is applied.  They always use the 
strip to turn it on and a lot of times (unfortunately) to turn it off also.
..bob

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Re: [BlindHandyMan] Voice Operated Learning Remote Control

[Lenny McHugh]

Well after speaking to the support folks, I am a little disappointed. The 
surfboard does not have all of the options listed in Ray's post. That was the 
ascenda which they discontinued. They had too many complaints that it was hard 
to set up. The surfboard is much simpler and does not control surround systems, 
dvd or vcrs.
He told me that it may not work for my mother if the TV is too loud surfboard 
won't hear her very well. It is designed to be about an arm's length away.
I wish that I would have ordered their charger. I didn't realize that it will 
only work with their charger. And when I described how I want it to change 
source inputs he is not sure that it can do it. It is now designed for simple 
surfing and to control the tv and cable box. I will have about 30 days to toy 
with it. I am still optimistic that I can get it to work.
Later

- Original Message - 
From: Ray Boyce 
To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com 
Sent: Saturday, January 19, 2008 2:58 PM
Subject: [BlindHandyMan] Voice Operated Learning Remote Control


Using technology so advanced that it has been used in interplanetary space 
probes, Innotech's Voice Operated Remote Control Technology uses the sound 
of
your voice to control your TV, VCR, Cable Box, Satellite, and Home Theater.

The Voice Operated Remote Control converts spoken words into remote control 
signals using Innotech's acclaimed remote control infrared code library.

Able to recognize over fifty commands in any language Innotech's Voice 
Operated Remote Controls are so automated they can perform complex 
multi-step operations
from a single word and even surf the channels while you just lean back and 
watch!

$45.95

Innotech Systems Inc

Overview

x10

Features
. Full Universal Remote Control
. Operates with voice or keys
. Learning Remote
. Includes Charge Base Station
. Includes Innotech's acclaimed Infrared Code Library for TVs, VCRs, Cable 
boxes, Satellite receivers, DVD, and audio components
. Control up to four devices (TV, VCR/DVD, Cable/DSS, AUX)
. User -Trained Voice Recognition
. Language and accent independent
. Map any voice command to any button
. Train up to 54 voice commands
. Easy Set-Up
. Friendly "Voice Prompts" talk you through the set-up process
. Simple training process combines macros and voce commands
. Handy "Auto-Search" feature finds the right code for your entertainment 
device
. Four independent "Personalities"
. Every family member has their own personal voice commands and favorite 
channels
. Powerful Macro capability
. A single voice command can send multiple button presses
. Multi-String Macros send out different button sequences on subsequent 
commands
. Up to 24 macros
. Favorite Channel Selection
. Channel Scan for Hands Free Surfing
. Non-Volatile Memory retains set-up information, even with the battery 
removed
. Priority Press TM simplifies commands and reduces button presses
. Fast Volume for rapid voice-controlled volume changes
. Note: "Hands-Free" IR Remoted Control for paraplegics is best accomplished 
using the Sptifire IR Remote Control interfaced with the Voice Activation 
Software
residing on the user's PC.
. Invoca requires (4) AA alkaline batteries
Covering over 98% of the world's home entertainment systems, the Innotech 
IR Code Library includes codes for well over 5,000 TV, VCR, satellite, 
audio,
home theater and cable box models -- more than available from any other 
source. And the library is constantly enhanced as new consumer products are 
brought
to market. 



 

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Re: [BlindHandyMan] A Little mor on Smart Strips

[Rob Monitor]

HI, if I remember right allot of power strips will not protect your electronics 
if it is turn off...
  - Original Message - 
  From: Tom Fowle 
  To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 1:18 PM
  Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] A Little mor on Smart Strips


  Did I miss something? what's wrong with a regular old switched stirp
  except you have to power down the computer first then remember to turn off
  the strip. That's what i do here. doesn't solve the
  battery powered synthesizers though.

  The smart strip is a problems since even when the computer goes "offf" it 
  isn't really off and the smart strip has to know to ignore the minimum
  current drawn by the box in standby.

  Tom



   

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Re: [BlindHandyMan] Just have a seat

[Betsy Whitney, Dolphin Press]

I wondered what the cleaning liquid does to dogs. If nothing else it 
would get them wet and smell like bathroom cleaner. That can't be 
good for them...

At 08:57 AM 1/22/2008, you wrote:
>I think the new your ones may be different slightly,
>the ones in San Francisco are built by Decot, a french company
>and the door is swinging I think.  If you pull and it doesn't
>open it's busy.  I don't think the french ones have
>so many buttons, but it's been ten years since I saw one.
>
>Quite a design problem, considering all the variety of pseudo humans that
>need to be accommodated.
>
>They turned out to be a popular spot for various other bodilly fluid 
>doings! 
>
>Tom
>
>
>
>To listen to the show archives go to link
>  http://acbradio.org/handyman.html
>or
>ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/
>
>The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is.
>http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday
>
>Visit The Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From 
>Various List Members At The Following address:
>http://www.jaws-users.com/JAWS/handyman/
>
>Visit the archives page at the following address
>http://www.mail-archive.com/blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com/
>
>If you would like to join the JAWS Users List, then visit the 
>following address for more information:
>http://www.jaws-users.com/
>For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy 
>Man list just send a blank message to:
>[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

Re: [BlindHandyMan] A Little mor on Smart Strips

[Tom Fowle]

Did I miss something? what's wrong with a regular old switched stirp
except you have to power down the computer first then remember to turn off
the strip.  That's what i do here.  doesn't solve the
battery powered synthesizers though.

The smart strip is a problems since even when the computer goes "offf" it 
isn't really off and the smart strip has to know to ignore the minimum
current drawn by the box in standby.

Tom

Re: [BlindHandyMan] Just have a seat

[Tom Fowle]

I think the new your ones may be different slightly,
the ones in San Francisco are built by Decot, a french company
and the door is swinging I think.  If you pull and it doesn't
open it's busy.  I don't think the french ones have
so many buttons, but it's been ten years since I saw one.

Quite a design problem, considering all the variety of pseudo humans that 
need to be accommodated.

They turned out to be a popular spot for various other bodilly fluid doings! 


Tom

Re: [BlindHandyMan] Help with Re-Wiring a Switch

[Bob Kennedy]

This isn't all that hard to fix.  I'm going to skip the obvious like turning 
off the power before you start...

What you will need to do first is remove the switches from the box.  If you are 
lucky, you can remove the junction box without a whole lot of trouble.  But 
before going to that trouble, measure the depth of that box.  It is probably a 
double wide box.  At an electrical supply store, or home center, see if they 
have anything deeper.  I like the boxes designed for use with drywall.  They 
have a screw on diagonal corners on the front.  Turning the screw clockwise 
flips up a little wing in the back and will draw the box tight to the wall.  

All you have to do to make the outlets independent is to make a set of jumper 
wires long enough to tie into the existing black and white wires already in the 
box.  Join the whites together, then the black can run to one leg of the 
switch.  This way you are feeding the switch independently and the outlets 
aren't depending on the switch to continue the flow of power.  The trick is 
going to be figuring out which black is supplying power.  If you tie into the 
wrong black you'll still have the same problem with an extra wire in the way... 
 You can probably tell which wire is supplying the room by the direction the 
wires enter the box.  If you have a set of wires coming up from downstairs, 
that is more than likely the supply.  If they have all come from the attic then 
you will need to test the wires for the hot one.  

There are several ways to test for a hot line.  If you don't have fancy test 
equipment and want to make a simple test, use a couple jumper wires with 
alligator clips.  Make sure they are shielded from the rest and connect the 
other ends of the jumpers to something like a radio.  When you hear the radio 
you found the hot wire.  You should only need to find the hot black wire, and 
connecting to the white is or should remain the same if they followed code 
putting the wiring in the first time.  

Try this and let us know if you have any more questions.

 
  - Original Message - 
  From: Victor Gouveia 
  To: Blind Handyman Listserv 
  Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 3:06 AM
  Subject: [BlindHandyMan] Help with Re-Wiring a Switch


  Hi all,

  I have two switches in my upstairs bathroom that I need to re-wire.

  This message is going to be a long one, so if you don't want to read any 
further, feel free to delete at this point.

  The reason it's going to be a long one is because I need to describe the 
layout of my bathroom that I may get some advice on how to tackle this.

  First my house and bathroom description.

  As some of you may or may not remember, I have a back split home, meaning 
that the front of my house looks like any other bungalow, and the second/back 
part of my house looks like a two level home with no basement, save for a crawl 
space underneath that portion of the house.

  The bathroom, and indeed both my bathrooms, are located on the back split 
portion of the house, right over each other.

  As you walk up the stairs to the uppermost level, at the very top of the 
stairs, you make a 180 degree turn to the right, and you are staring right at 
the doorway to the bathroom.

  As you walk in the door way, you can only move straight ahead and to the left 
of the door, as the right most wall extends to the doorway. As you've no doubt 
deduced, behind that wall is the stairway leading downstairs.

  Straight ahead of the doorway, is the linen closet to the right up against 
the right wall, and to the left of that, the bathtub/shower combination, with a 
standard 5 foot tub. That particular wall is the front wall of the back split 
part of the house. If you continue turning your head to the left of the tub, is 
the toilet, which sits up against the outer wall of the house, with a window 
right over the toilet.

  Now we have come to the wall that houses the actual problem, that being the 
wall with the sink and counter top.

  As you walk in the door, one would make a 90 degree turn to the left, take a 
step or two straight ahead, then make another 90 degree turn to the left to 
face the sink/counter/vanity, which all sits recessed against that inside wall 
and behind the doorway. I should note here that the door opens to the stairway 
wall, not to the sink wall which I have to work on.

  If I can take you back to the doorway?

  If you are standing directly in front of the doorway facing the way out, 
directly to the right of the doorway is the light switch, which sits on a 
portion of wall equal to six inches, and which comes to an outside corner. If 
you continue to feel with your hand around the outside corner, level with the 
light switch, the wall recesses in for about two and a half to three feet to 
the inner wall of the bathroom.

  About nine to twelve inches from that outside corner is another light switch 
for the fan and an electrical outlet for plugging in shavers or electric 
toothbrushes and t