Comic for January 23, 2018
Keep Everyone’s Backpacks Off the Floor with this Sturdy Hanger
It’s not easy having a messy kids, because that usually means you’re the one that has to pick up after them. Josh Reese grew tired of picking up his kids’ backpacks, so he decided to make a solution.
In the never-ending effort to tidy up my kids’ bedroom, I ran into the problem of not having a good place to put their backpacks. The kids would just throw them on their beds along with their books and papers. I tried hanging the backpacks on the bedposts, but it looked messy and they always fell off anyway.
I went to the drawing board and designed a solution.
If you want to build your own hanger, check out Reese’s How-To on Maker Share.
Want to showcase your own projects? Join Maker Share today.
via MAKE Magazine
Keep Everyone’s Backpacks Off the Floor with this Sturdy Hanger
Watch This Guy Sink a Record-Breaking 660-Foot Basketball Shot From Atop a Waterfall
From the free-throw line—a distance of just 15 feet—I can maybe put the ball in the basket about twenty percent of the time. I’m not NBA material, but the league might consider drafting the guys from YouTube’s How Ridiculous, who just nailed a seemingly impossible 660-foot basketball shot.
There isn’t a human alive who could throw a basketball that far (a football field is about half this distance) so the guys took advantage of the towering Maletsunyane Falls in Lesotho, Africa, to pull off this trick shot. The group doesn’t mention how many missed attempts there were while they tried to snag this Guinness World Record, but they apparently spent six days at the falls so their shooting percentage was probably nothing to brag about.
[YouTube]
via Gizmodo
Watch This Guy Sink a Record-Breaking 660-Foot Basketball Shot From Atop a Waterfall
Unpacking Our Best AR-15 Build Tools to Help You Get Started
If you’re looking to build or customize a rifle that looks and shoots exactly how you want it to, you’re not going to find a better gun than the AR-15. With a seemingly endless supply of upgrades at your fingertips, modding or building your AR-15 from the ground up has never been easier.
For the most part, modding or building your AR-15 from the ground up is relatively simple and straightforward. And best of all, most of the tools needed for the job are probably lying around in your toolbox already.
And if this your first time building an AR-15, make sure to take a look at our list of essential gunsmithing tools to see if you’ve got everything to get started.
Today, we’re going to look at…
- Vise blocks
- Pin punches
- Wrenches
- Tool kits
- Screw kits
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s take a look at some of the best AR-15 build tools designed to make gunsmithing easy and convenient.
Brownells Upper and Lower Vise Blocks
When assembling your AR-15, it’s important that you use vise blocks to clamp your receiver halves together without damaging or distorting your upper and lower receiver.
Brownells Upper Receiver Vise Block
There are a number of different vise blocks available on the market, but the advantage of going with Brownells is that you’re able to get two high quality products without having to pay an exorbitant amount of money.
Brownells Lower Receiver Vise Block
The lower vise block will run you about $50, while the upper receiver block costs roughly $60. Brownells also has the two vise blocks available together for $80, which is a hell of a mark down if you want the pair.
Brownells Upper and Lower Receiver Vise Block Set
Both blocks are made from a heavy duty urethane plastic that’s strong enough to withstand pressure from your bench vise while also keeping your upper and lower receiver protected from damage.
Sporting Conversions Takedown Pin Tool
A takedown pin tool is built form a heavy duty plastic that’s strong enough to remove takedown pins without damaging your gun. It’s also helpful for installing your magazine catch without marring or scuffing up your lower receiver’s metal, because it lets you push the mag release back far enough so that you’re able to install your mag catch without any issues.
Sporting Conversions Takedown Pin Tool
Rock River Arms AR-15 Stock Wrench
The stock wrench is a basic spanner tool designed to make tightening and loosening castle nuts on your receiver quick and convenient. The wrench is created to give a firm grip on the nut in three places, making it easier to exercise control over the nut without causing any damage.
Rock River Arms AR-15 Stock Wrench
The Stock Wrench is a pretty straightforward tool, so don’t expect any fancy gadgets to be included. The tool serves only one purpose, but it’s its convenient size and non-slip rubber handle make it better for tightening and loosening nuts than a regular spanner.
Plus, it makes a great lightweight tool to carry around in your range bag.
Brownells AR-15 Armorer’s Wrench
Know how the Stock Wrench was a purely functional gunsmithing tool designed to get the job done more easily? Well, if you’re not about living that minimalist lifestyle and want the Swiss Army Knife of wrenches, the AR-15 Armorer’s Wrench is right up your alley.
Brownells AR-15 Armorer’s Wrench
As you can see, this wrench is significantly thicker than the Stock Wrench. That’s because the Armorer’s Wrench is built for work. This heavy duty tool is strong enough to withstand heavy use without breaking or bending, but is delicate enough to protect your gun from scuffs and scratches while handling stock and pin-style barrel nuts.
Magpul AR-15 Armorer’s Wrench
The Magpul Armorer’s Wrench is for when you want the Cadillac of spanners.
Magpul AR-15 Armorer’s Wrench
This sturdy wrench is designed to maximize grip and comfort. Just like the other armorer’s wrench, it works with both pin and stock-style barrel nuts, is compatible with standard-sized muzzle suppressors, and is able to tightly grasp castle nuts without causing damage to the nut.
Oh, and you can also open bottle caps with it, which is great for cracking open a cold one after you finish working on your build.
Overall, when it comes to armorer’s wrenches, it’s the quality and durability that makes the Magpul wrench stand out from the rest. You can expect to put this thing to endless work with numerous builds without issue.
Brownells AR-15 Critical Tools Kit
The critical tools kit is perfect for the first-time gunsmith who has taken an interest in learning how to build or modify their AR-15.
Brownells AR-15 Critical Tools Kit
Just like its name suggests, the critical tools kit come with all of the essential tools that you will need in order to work on your rifle, such as…
- Brownell’s AR-15 armorer’s wrench
- A lower receiver vise block
- An upper receiver action vise block
- Two pivot pin tools
- A pin punch for your bolt catch
What really makes this tool kit awesome is its value. For less than $100, you get a premium set of tools that will help you get started with your build. That’s cheaper than most people will pay just for the two vise blocks!
Wheeler Engineering Delta Series AR-15 Ultra Armorer’s Kit
If you’re looking for everything you could possibly need in a gunsmithing toolbox Wheeler Engineering’s Ultra Armorer’s Kit has got you covered.
Wheeler Engineering Delta Series AR-15 Ultra Armorer’s Kit
This heavy duty tool kit is filled with literally everything you need to build, modify, or maintain your AR-15. In fact, one of the selling points of this kit is that it enables you to perform more than 50 different types of operations when working on your AR-15.
The kit comes with a number of useful tools, including:
- A bench vise for your AR-15
- Vise blocks for your upper and lower receiver
- Combo tool for torqueing and tightening nuts
- Pivot and roll pin installation tool
- A workplace mat to keep your AR-15 parts protected
- Delta ring tool
- Bore guide
- Bolt carrier, bore, chamber, and magazine brushes
- Custom carry case for your tools
As you can see, the Ultra Armorer’s Kit is one of the most comprehensive set of gunsmithing tool sets on the market. All of the tools are built with to be durable and easy to use, and are able to withstand heavy usage without any problems.
Wheeler Engineering AR-15 Armorer’s Essential Kit
If you don’t want to spend nearly 300 bucks on gunsmithing tools, but you still want to make sure that you’ve got everything you need to start your AR-15 build, Wheeler’s Essential Kit might be right for you.
This tool set is perfect for beginners and for people who’ve got some gunsmithing tools lying around already. It comes with all of the heavy duty instruments that you need to build your AR-15 or modify the one you’ve already got.
Wheeler Engineering AR-15 Armorer’s Essential Kit
Each kit includes the following items:
- An AR-15 combo tool for different types of bolts
- A torque wrench
- Vise blocks for your upper and lower receivers
- Pivot and roll pin instillation tools
Additionally, the tool set also comes with a durable bag to carry around your tools and keep them protected from the elements. And while the Essential Kit isn’t quite as comprehensive as the Ultra toolset, its tools are made with the same heavy duty design that’s built for longevity and maximum usage.
Multitasker Twist AR-15 Tool
The multitasker twist tool is a screwdriver multi-tool designed to help make maintenance and optics adjustments quick and easy. This compact tool is the size of a pen, making it easy to carry around in your pocket or in your range back.
Multitasker Twist AR-15 Tool
Features include:
- 10 different bit heads
- Adjuster for your Aimpoint sight
- 3/32” pin punch
- Pocket clip
While not a necessity for building your AR-15, this tool certainly is handy you’re trying to clean or adjust sights. The tool also comes in a sleek black finish, but for about $10 more, you can get a desert camouflage tool instead.
Don’t Forget to Have Fun
Whelp, that’s our list of best AR-15 build tools to help you get started with your rifle.
As you can see, building or modding your AR-15 is a complex process. For this reason, it’s always a good idea to come up with a tool checklist before starting your build. That way, you don’t have to worry about stopping midway just because you forgot to buy a pin punch set or something.
Also, if you’d like to learn more about building your first AR-15, Glock, or a variety of other popular guns, make sure to check out our build guides to learn a little but about gunsmithing.
The post Unpacking Our Best AR-15 Build Tools to Help You Get Started appeared first on Pew Pew Tactical.
via Pew Pew Tactical
Unpacking Our Best AR-15 Build Tools to Help You Get Started
Lantac Bolt Action AR-15 BCG
Lantac USA posted up a photo of a new AR BCG that has an external handle. This unusual looking BCG turns your AR into a bolt action rifle when built into an upper with no gas system installed. My friend Brian M. turned his .300blk AR into a bolt gun by simply blocking off the […]
The post Lantac Bolt Action AR-15 BCG appeared first on The Firearm Blog.
Making a Paracord Bull Whip
Adam Fieldson of WhipWorks makes beautiful bull whips by weaving nylon paracord. Here, he walks us through the painstaking process of making one of his whips – a gift he presented to Tested and Mythbusters star Adam Savage. You can purchase his work in his Etsy shop.
Tips: How to create a PDF of a webpage for offline reading in iOS 11
Tips
Tips: How to create a PDF of a webpage for offline reading in iOS 11
Though there are certainly alternatives like Pocket, often the simplest way of saving a single page of a webpage for later reading on an iPhone or iPad —especially if you want to annotate it —is saving it as a PDF.
In Apple’s Safari browser, the first step is to navigate to the page you want, then find the Share button. This is a square icon with an arrow, and will be located at the bottom or the top of the app, depending on your device and its orientation.
Tapping the button opens up the iOS share sheet. On the bottom row, swipe until you find the “Create PDF” option.
If you like, you can then make simple sketches and highlights using iOS’s markup tools, which are the same ones that pop up when saving a screenshot. Here, however, you will have to tap the pen icon in the upper-right to get started. Once you’re finished, or if you have no changes to make, you can hit “Done” to move on.
Select “Save File To…”, and you should see a list of possible destinations, including cloud services like Google Drive and iCloud Drive, and/or subfolders where relevant. If you go the cloud route, you may have to take extra steps —in Google Drive, for instance, you’ll have to open that app and specifically designate a PDF as accessible offline. To view a file you’ll need to load an appropriate app —often dictated by the destination.
via AppleInsider
Tips: How to create a PDF of a webpage for offline reading in iOS 11
This One-Pot, No-Roux Macaroni and Cheese Is Crazy Creamy
I am an equal opportunity macaroni eater. I like it baked. I like it made with a roux. I even like it out of the blue box. You may think the convenience of Kraft can’t be beat, but you’d be wrong. This homemade recipe comes together in about 15 minutes, with only one pot (which you don’t have to drain) and no roux.
Two things make this recipe easy and effective. For one, the pasta is boiled in milk, not water, meaning the starch released is retained, not drained. Shredded cheese is coated with a bit of cornstarch to facilitate an even, not clumpy, smooth and rich cheese sauce. It’s easy. It’s creamy. It’s hard not to eat it all in one sitting. To make it, you will need:
- 2 cups dry macaroni
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 8 ounces shredded cheese (I used cheddar but feel free to mix it up)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon mustard of choice (yellow, Dijon, and stoneground all have their merits)
- Hot sauce (optional)
Pour the milk in a sauce pan and season it with salt. Add the butter, bring it to a boil, and add the pasta. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until the macaroni is tender and the milk has thickened. (If the milk evaporates too quickly, just add a little more.) While the pasta is cooking, toss the cheese with cornstarch so that each strand is coated. Stir the mustard and hot sauce (to taste) into the pasta, season with salt and pepper if needed, then stir in the cheese, handful by handful, letting each one melt completely before adding the next.
Consume the gooey, cheesy mass of carbs with gusto while you plan your next batch. Not only is this recipe super quick and easy, it adapts very well to variations, meaning you can churn our the cheesy experiments almost as fast as you can dream them up.
via Lifehacker
This One-Pot, No-Roux Macaroni and Cheese Is Crazy Creamy
Your Customers Are the Key to Expanding Your Business
Your Customers Are the Key to Expanding Your Business
As a business owner, you know only too well that without your customers, your business would grind to a halt. Your customers are your business’s lifeblood.
You also know that the key to improving your bottom line is expanding your business.
Depending on the nature of your business, expansion could mean opening new stores in multiple locations or adding new products or services to your current offerings. However, regardless of your expansion strategy, one thing remains constant: Your customers make expansion possible.
Customers Are a Source of Revenue
Your business needs money not only to stay operational, but also to spread its wings.
There are multiple sources of business revenue. You can secure a business loan from a traditional bank, get a business cash advance from a specialist lender, run an online crowdfunding campaign, borrow from friends and family, or even make a deal with an equity investor.
While these are all ideal capital sources, none beats your customer as a source of revenue.
Except for your customers, all those other sources have a downside. When you take a loan, for instance, you’ll need to repay it with interest. If you go the equity route, you’ll need to dish out a share of the business, diluting your ownership stake.
But when it comes to customers, you get money when they buy your products or services. The more they buy, the higher your sales revenue, and the greater your profits. You can then use those profits to fuel your business expansion efforts. When you use profits to expand a business, there are no interest rates or share dividends to worry about.
Customers Can Be Your Brand Ambassadors
What if we told you that there is a way to market without spending a dime?
Don’t believe it? Listen up. Your existing customers can help you to market your business to the people in their social circles.
Did you know customers are 4 times more likely to shop from a certain brand when they have been referred by a friend? Clearly, word-of-mouth is still king when it comes to marketing. Therefore, you have to do all you can to leverage its power.
You already know that there are several other marketing options at your disposal. Digital marketing platforms such as Facebook and Google have proven effective, to begin with. Plus, good old television and print advertising still yield good results. But each of these options cost money, especially TV and print.
To turn a customer into a brand ambassador, you need to offer great products or services. Then, use loyalty programs to hook them in and get them excited. In time, they will naturally tell their friends about your business. As a result, you’ll get more customers. And more customers mean more sales!
RELATED ARTICLE: THE BEST WAYS TO BEGIN MARKETING YOUR STARTUP
Customers Are a Source of Information
A botched business expansion strategy can have disastrous effects. For one thing, you could lose a lot of money. For another, it could harm your brand’s reputation. It’s never a good sign when a store opens in a new location only to close down a short time later.
To plan and execute a perfect business expansion strategy, you must do your research and gather the right information.
For instance, if you’re planning to introduce a new product, it’s essential to forecast how your target market will receive that product.
One of the best ways to understand how customers will respond to a new product is to conduct a customer survey. This might involve giving product samples to some of your existing customers. Ask them to try the new product out and provide feedback.
Depending on the feedback you receive, you can gauge whether to launch the product as is or make improvements before launching.
The gist of it all is that customers are a valuable source of data. They understand your brand better than anybody else, so they’re well placed to offer information that can help you execute a successful expansion.
Need to Crowdfund? Your Customers Have Got Your Back
In 2017, businesses in the UK raised more than 60 million pounds through crowdfunding. This shows that crowdfunding is quickly becoming a go-to source of capital for many business owners.
However, the untold story is that for every business that holds a successful crowdfunding campaign, there are many others that fail at it.
So, what contributes to the success of a crowdfunding campaign?
There are many factors, but you generally need to craft a moving story about your product or business. Then, you need to widely share the campaign on social media. Importantly, you need people to believe in what you’re selling them.
When you already have existing customers who love your brand, you’ll have a head start with your campaign. Many of these customers know your potential. They therefore won’t hesitate to contribute to your campaign, especially if you’re raising money to develop an even better product.
Customers Can Fuel Business Expansion
As we have illustrated, customers have the potential to drive your business expansion efforts. However, as a business owner, you need to know how to tap into this potential.
Do so by offering excellent customers service, ensuring that your existing products provide value, and always going the extra mile to put a smile on a customer’s face. Remember, one loyal customer is far more valuable than two new customers. The happier your existing customers are, the more they will buy your products and spread the word about your business.
The post Your Customers Are the Key to Expanding Your Business appeared first on Business Opportunities.
via Business Opportunities Weblog
Your Customers Are the Key to Expanding Your Business