Summary: /* Start with tinder */ [[Image:Firelogcabin.jpg|thumb|250px|left|A classic "log cabin" style fire. Photo by kw.traveller/[http://www.flickr.com/photos/kw_traveller/4660176968/in/photostream/ Flickr]/CC]] There’s more to building a a good fire than just squirting some lighter fluid on wood and flicking a match. Sure, it works to get things started. But if you build a proper fire and pay attention to the arrangement of the wood, your results will be longer lasting, hotter and safer, whether outdoors on the trail or in the fireplace in your living room. ”This article is part of ”’a wiki anyone can edit.”’ If you have advice to add about starting fires, log in and contribute.” ===Know your science=== Before you start building a fire, it’s worth taking a minute to understand what makes a fire possible — namely, fuel, heat, oxygen and a sustained chemical reaction. The first is easy. In this case, your fuel is wood and tinder. The heat in the equation refers to the initial heat you provide to start the fire, whether from a match or by rubbing two sticks together. To provide enough oxygen, we need to make sure the wood and other burnables aren’t so tightly packed that the fire snuffs itself out. The last bit is simply a reminder that a burning fire is actually a chemical reaction. Fuel and oxygen are consumed, producing heat and light as byproducts. Block any component of that reaction and your fire will go out. ===Start with tinder=== Tinder refers to anything that ignites easily and can feed the initial flame to the next step in the chain. Good tinder includes paper, dry grasses, dried moss, pine needles, wood shavings, and even lint or wax. Denim, if frayed and unraveled will do in a pinch. If you’re building an outdoor fire, pine needles and dry grass are likely to be your most plentiful sources of tinder. For indoor fires, grab the Sunday paper and crumple it up. What? The Sunday paper is on your iPad? Yet another drawback of digital publishing… ===Kindling=== The next step in the chain is kindling. Where the main goal of tinder is to ignite quickly, kindling consists of larger materials so that when the heat from the tinder moves on to the kindling the fire grows. The best source of kindling will usually be dry twigs or small pieces of wood chipped from your main logs. Try to find twigs about 1/8 to 1/2 inch thick. Other good sources of kindling include bark or cardboard. Whatever you use, make sure it is very dry. ===Fuel=== [[Image:Teepeefire.jpg|300px|right|thumb|The classic teepee, one of the many architectural methods of fire-building. Photo by Matt DeTurck/[http://www.flickr.com/photos/dalboz17/295420227/ Flickr]/CC]] Once the tinder ignites, it feeds heat to the kindling which then catches on fire and passes even more heat onto the actual fuel. This is where your logs come in. This is also where you’ll find a number of different fire “architectures.” * ”’The teepee:”’ Stack your larger fuel logs in a teepee or cone shape around the tinder and kindling. As the the fuel begins to burn, the outside logs will catch at the base and then fall inward as they burn, feeding the fire. * ”’The trench:”’ Best used when you don’t have a lot of fuel. To build a trench fire, dig a small cross under the fire; dig down about 4 inches. Lay your tinder at the center of the two channels and then build the fire on top of that. The two channels you’ve dug out will pull in air and create an updraft that helps feed the fire. * ”’The log cabin:”’ Build a four-walled box outside your tinder and kindling by stacking your fuel logs in alternating directions, just like a log cabin. This method creates an effect similar to a chimney, and the heat on the inside pulls oxygen through the gaps in your “cabin” walls, feeding the fire. * ”’The pyramid:”’ Also known at the upside down fire, the pyramid starts with two larger logs laid on the ground, parallel to each other. Then lay a foundation of other logs across your base. Then add another layer in the opposite direction to the one below it. Continue adding layers, using smaller, thinner logs as you go up. Add your kindling above the last layer and then the tinder on top of that. Light from the top and the pyramid will burn down. This method works well in indoor fireplaces. ”’Tip”’: Which architecture is best depends on the situation you’re facing. The teepee is best if the fuel wood is wetter, since logs outside the main fire can dry before they burn. The pyramid is compact and requires very little maintenance, making it ideal for an all night fire. ===Summon the god of wind=== Occasionally, you have to fan your fire to keep it going, especially if it’s small. We recommend this method: 389DkzjHpus [[Category:Survival]] [[Category:Travel]]
Summary: /* Flip the switch */ [[Image:Ceiling fan.jpeg|thumb|300px|left|Photo by Michael Calore/Wired]] When was the last time you paid any attention to the humble ceiling fan, spinning all lonely-like above your head? Stop giving it the runaround and show it some love. Here’s our guide to calibrating, hacking and improving your ceiling fan. ”This collection of tips and hacks is part of ”’a wiki anyone can edit.”’ If you have advice to add about putting a new spin on your ceiling fan, log in and contribute.” ===Flip the switch=== Ceiling fans don’t cool or warm a room, but they can circulate the air such that it feels warmer and cooler to you. The trick is make sure your fan is spinning the correct way: In the winter, that means the fan blades bring the warm air down from the ceiling, to circulate heat around the room. Since in the the winter you do not want to feel a draft, much less one on your neck, you turn the fan so it draws air upwards. In the summer, you want a breeze so the fan turns to blow the air down, creating a breeze you can feel and the sensation of “windchill” reducing the apparent temperature of the air. Note, this might seem counter intuitive, that you are blowing warm air down at people in the summer, but the heat transfer from moving air, i.e., a breeze from a direct flow, is greater than the decrease in heat transfer caused by a few degree difference in temperature (as would be in a room with properly circulating air). See CeilingFan.org [http://www.ceilingfan.org/ceiling-fan-direction/] for a nice explanation. (or for additional confirmation, ceiling fan manufacturers, e.g.: [http://www.casablancafanco.com/Support/FAQs/#a7]) Turn on your fan and note which way it’s spinning. If necessary, flip the switch which should be on the main fan drum near the pull chain. ===Fix a wobbly fan=== Wobbles are worse than annoying. They will actually wear down the motor bearings and bushings, leading to nights filled with dreadful squeaking and whining. The first trick to balancing a ceiling fan is mark each blade with a bit of tape. For added visual help when the blade is spinning, put a bit of florescent paint on each piece of tape, one color per blade. The paint will make it much easier to keep track of the blades when they’re spinning. Now go around each blade and tighten all the mounting screws to make sure everything is firmly in place. The next step is to stop the fan and use a ruler or yard stick to measure the distance between the ceiling and the leading edge of each blade. This will tell you which of the blades — if any — is out of alignment. If the edge of a blade is clearly out of whack (step up to eye level to check) you can try gently bending the blade’s mounting bracket up or down. If that works then you’re home free, if not, read on. ===Balance it=== If the wobble is too severe for you to correct by bending the blade brackets, or if you just don’t trust yourself to bend it properly, you can add weights to the blades to correct a wobble. You’ll need a binder clip and some small magnets or weights (U.S. quarters works well). Clamp one of the small weights to the blade using the binder clip. Start by placing it in the center of the blade that’s farthest out of alignment and turn the fan on to the speed to produces the most wobble. You may have to move the clip from blade to blade until you find the best position to correct the problem. Once you’ve found the most promising blade to work with, begin to slide the weighted clip in and out along the length of the blade until the wobbling stops. Once you have found the perfect spot for the clip, apply some very strong adhesive to the weight on the back of the blade where the clip is located. Remove the clip, and your fan should be working properly. If this isn’t working, or if you’re not confident that your adhesive is strong enough to hold the weight on, head to your local hardware store and pick up a balancing kit. The kits are cheap and consist of a set of self-adhesive weights and a weighted clip. ===Light it up=== The fan works fine, but it’s pretty boring to look at. Some inventive hackers have taken to installing POV systems on their fans. These consist of a strip, or several strips, of multi-colored LEDs arranged along the fan blades. When the fan spins, the LEDs flash at a rate that produces an image. A POV system can be used to draw groovy patterns and shapes, or to display text. You can get Adafruit’s popular [http://www.adafruit.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=6&zenid=0618fd2e29f7f72634d5d8419a1918c8 SpokePOV] ($38 to $100), which is made for bicycle wheels, and modify it to light up your ceiling fan. Also, [http://www.instructables.com/ Instructables] user UncleBone has created [http://www.instructables.com/id/Ceiling-Fan-LED-Display/ his own ceiling fan POV]. Check out his step-by-step instructions for further ideas. Here’s a video: MzyIxa1K78E ===Overclock it=== ”Got any advice to share about turning your ceiling fan into a wind-ripping turbine? Please log in and add it here.” [[Category:DIY]]
Are you planning on going on a cruise? Well if this is your very first time, you may not be very sure what to expect. Having a few tips to help you out can be very helpful to you. So, here are some important cruise travel tips to keep in mind when you go on a cruise. Tip #1 – Have a Carry On Bag – The first one of cruise travel tips that you’ll need to remember if you’re going on a cruise is to make sure that you have a carry on bag. Once you get on the ship, you’ll want to visit your cabin but you can’t expect your baggage to show up for awhile. So, it’s a good idea to have a carry on that has some clothes and a few essential toiletries on hand. Tip #2 – Get a Map of the Ship – Cruise ships are huge. You don’t want to get lost and a map can definitely be a huge help to you. Make sure you have the map and take a bit to look it over so that you’ll be able to more easily get around the ship. Tip #3 – Walk to Where You’re Going – When you are going to dinner or you are going to a show on board, you may want to walk wherever you are going. You’ll find that the elevators are probably going to be full and often many people are trying to wait for an elevator and they may not be in a great mood. So, just go ahead and take a stroll and get a bit of exercise walking to wherever you need to go. Tip #4 – Keep the Noise Down at Night – If you are out late at night, make sure that you keep the noise down. You don’t want to go around slamming the doors of your cabin, since it can wake many people around you up. So, have some courtesy and shut your doors as quietly as possible to avoid encounters with grumpy cruise mates. Tip #5 – Avoid Wearing Expensive Jewelry – When you are on a cruise ship, don’t go around wearing your most expensive jewelry so everyone can see it. Of course there will be some formal dinners where you will want to look great, but leave the most expensive jewelry at home. You may become the victim or a thief if you go around flaunting expensive jewelry. Tip #6 – Tip Generously, is the last one of the cruise travel tips listed here; When you are out there on a cruise, make sure that you tip generously whenever possible. Most of the people on the ship make very little money except for by your tips. So, make sure that you are kind enough and generous to give a great tip. Finally, make your cruise travel memorable and all that you want it to be by doing a lot of planning before you travel. For detailed information on planning visit [http://www.your-cruise-travel.com] and for more information on cruise travel tips visit this particular page [http://www.your-cruise-travel.com/Travel-Tips.html] By Doris Jumbe Copyright(@)2007-2008 Cruise Travel Tips Article All Rights Reserved Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Doris_Jumbe
U2 – Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own (From the Album “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb”)
Welcome to xamldev.com