Over the years here at the Art of Manliness we’ve sung the praises of the handwritten letter and simply writing things out by hand in general. Typically, when folks think about writing a handwritten note, they imagine doing it in cursive. Perhaps it’s because we’ve all seen movies set in times past where people open […]
via The Art of Manliness
How and Why to Improve Your Cursive Penmanship
How to Install Epoxy Garage Floor Coating
Your garage stores thousands of dollars in vehicles, tools, and who knows what else. Give it some love by installing a protective epoxy floor coating in just a few hours.
An epoxy coating brings the showroom look home, but also serves a functional purpose: it resists oil stains, beads water and is easy to wipe clean. Adding paint chips can hide floor imperfections and anti-skid additives will give you more grip on wet and snowy days. Conversely, if you live in an extremely hot climate, you need to be sure the epoxy can withstand hot tires which can lift the epoxy off the floor.
It’s all about the prep when installing an epoxy coating. Regardless of price, an expensive coating can chip and peel if it’s not installed correctly. Manufacturers instructions for installing their epoxy can vary, but make sure you still follow every step exactly as listed. Here are the basics steps you’ll need to follow, along with a few tips.
Step One: Prep the Space
All objects should be cleared from the floor and the area should be thoroughly swept. Use a leaf blower on low to remove hard-to-see dirt and particles. Tape your baseboards, steps and the edge of your garage floor, to limit where the epoxy covers.
If you have any major chips or damage to your concrete floor, you’ll need to repair those first.
Use a heavy-duty degreaser and scrub brush to remove all oil and gas stains from the floor. When you’re done scrubbing, rinse all soap and dirt away.
Lastly, apply citric acid and concrete etch, which creates tiny grooves in the floor for the epoxy to adhere too. Some people use muriatic acid, but that is a highly corrosive and toxic chemical. You’ve been warned.
Give your floor a final rinse with a pressure washer, or just rinse with hose and water, and then wait for the surface to dry completely.
Step Two: Apply the Epoxy
Mix your two epoxy chemicals together and immediately start applying the mixture to your floor. Start with the trim areas first, using a 2" brush, and then cover the floor using a standard paint roller and ⅜" nap. A roller extender is useful for this job.
If you are using paint chips, toss them onto the epoxy after it’s been applied to the floor. Do not mix it into the can.
Usually only one coat is required. A gallon should cover 200-250 square feet.
Here’s a tip: Don’t apply on a windy day or you’ll get twigs, leaves and other contaminants blown onto your new floors.
Step Three: Let It Dry
Depending on the temperature and humidity, an epoxy floor will dry to the touch in a couple hours but wait overnight before walking on it.
Epoxy floors need additional time to fully cure. Refer to your product instructions but typical cure time is 3-7 days.
Popular garage floor epoxy kits include Rustoleum for $99 and BEHR for $78.
Photos courtesy of Charles & Hudson.
DIY: Make Your Own Shoot-and-See Targets
Targets should be cheap, right? I mean, you’re just going to shoot them full of holes, after all. And sometimes, paper targets can be affordable… but targets that let you see your shots, like Birchwood Casey Shoot-N-C and Caldwell Orange Peel, can cost more than $2 each. Someone came up with a way to make[…..]
via AllOutdoor.com
DIY: Make Your Own Shoot-and-See Targets
The stunning process of making a Beretta shotgun
Here’s a short film by Ancarani Studio that shows the process of making a Beretta shotgun. It’s an artistic take on the process so shots are dolled up and it’s not like every Beretta gun comes with its own birth movie but I love seeing how futuristic robots and old fashioned human craftsmanship work together.
Human Technology is an artistic short movie celebrating the uniqueness and the distinction of every Beretta premium gun. This movie by Ancarani Studio, under the creative direction of Paola Manfrin, reveals through the minutia of the manufacturing process, the genesis of a luxury Beretta shotgun. A poetic journey through sterile robotic rooms is blended with five centuries of Beretta’s history, culminating in the final assembly by the gunsmith, ever the wise guardian of the art of manufacturing.
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Examination Guidelines on Patent Eligibility
The US Patent Office has released a new set of guidelines for judging patent eligiblity based upon the Supreme Court’s recent quartet of Bilski, Mayo, Myriad, and Alice. The guidelines do not carry the force of law but are designed to serve as a manual for examiners when determining eligibility. The guidelines follow the same two-step analysis […]
via Patently-O » Patent
Examination Guidelines on Patent Eligibility
MySQL Tutorials: A time to learn at Percona Live 2015
The many hours of intensive tutorials, led by some of the top minds in MySQL, have always been a major draw each year to the Percona Live MySQL Conference and Expo. And 2015’s event will be no exception. Percona Live 2015 runs April 13-16 in Santa Clara, Calif. and the first day is dedicated to […]
The post MySQL Tutorials: A time to learn at Percona Live 2015 appeared first on MySQL Performance Blog.
via MySQL Performance Blog
MySQL Tutorials: A time to learn at Percona Live 2015
This Is What Astronauts Actually See on Reentry
Ever wondered what astronauts see when they return from the International Space Station at the end of their mission, tucked tightly into a Soyuz space capsule? Well, it’s this.
In this video, astronaut Mike Hopkins (Expedition 37/38 )—who returned to Earth back in March—shows you. The real fireworks start at 12:40.
Oh and just as a reminder, this is what the reentry rollercoaster that is Soyuz looks like on the inside:
Pasta Making Machines’ Mesmerizing Extrusions
It’s a clinical way of looking at it, but that’s what pasta is: A bunch of extrusions. The same production method used to make aluminum cooling fins, vinyl threshold inserts and rubber hosing is also what creates tasty fusilli. And as a lifelong pasta lover, I became entranced by that GIF above when I spotted it over at BoingBoing, and I had to track down the machine doing the work. Which was fun because in the process I got to make my own GIF of conchigliette being made:
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via Core77
Pasta Making Machines’ Mesmerizing Extrusions