Today we start a new series on improving videos. This installment covers the first steps in converting an inexpensive clamp-on work light to use instead of a pricey professional floodlight. In Part 1, we start with the mounting bracket for the light.
Creativity is not the finding of a thing, but the making something out of it after it is found. -- James Russell Lowell
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Taming That Gorilla (Glue)!
Gorilla Glue is great stuff! It will permanently bond a wide variety of materials easily, is sandable, paintable and totally waterproof. But a little of this glue goes a long way, and too much goes CRAZY!
Going with the idea that "more is better" is an easy mistake to make. So today, I'll show you what making that mistake looks like. That way, you can learn without having to make this messy error yourself.
Gorilla Glue is a polyurethane adhesive, basically the same chemical as those expanding foams that you can use to seal and insulate gaps in your home. It has a long work time, about 10-15 minutes. "Work time" is the time you have to make adjustments in the positioning of the pieces to be glued before it starts to set up. With some glues, repositioning after the work time isn't possible, while other glues can be repositioned after their work time has passed at the expense of the integrity of the bond.
Like its cousin, that expanding foam, Gorilla Glue foams up and expands as it sets. Because of that, you need to clamp the pieces being bonded. Without clamping, the expansion would force the pieces apart, which weakens the bond and messes up whatever positioning you set up during the work time.
One of the things about polyurethane adhesives is that they bond VERY WELL TO ALMOST ANYTHING. Wood, cloth, fingers... That's why that expanding foam usually comes with little disposable gloves. On the Gorilla Glue web site's FAQ, there is a question about cleanup. The answer says, "Cured glue can be removed with a chisel, scraper or sandpaper." Ouch. So, if this stuff gets on your skin, you'll just have to get used to wearing it until the skin cells underneath peel off.
Another oddity of working with a polyurethane adhesive is that you should slightly dampen the surfaces with water before applying the glue. That's because moisture activates the curing process in the glue.
So, here's the two test pieces that we'll use for our demonstration. These are just two little scraps of wood that were laying around. Here, I'm using a small spray bottle to mist a little water onto the pieces.
This photo shows a liberal application of the glue on each surface. The instructions say to "spread a thin layer". This is obviously too much.
Here, I've lightly clamped the two pieces. I haven't really applied that much force to the pieces, but you can already see the "oops factor" oozing out from the joint.
Here, at the 30 minute mark, we are seeing the expansion at work. Remember, that stuff is almost impossible to get off, which is why I have a bit of plastic bag protecting my bench vise under there.
If you thought it looked bad from the front, just look at what's going on in back!
So, let's try it again the (W)right way...
Here you see that I am applying just a few drops of glue to each piece.
Next I spread the glue evenly over the surface. I'm using a popsicle stick (mmmm... this one was orange...), but you can use any disposable item, like a coffee stirrer.
Back in the clamp again, notice that there is no ominous ooze this time to foretell doom.
An hour later, and only minimal excess has expanded from the joint. OK, maybe I could have only put it on one side. Now we both know.
So, the choice is yours: neat glue job or horrendous mess. It just goes to show that having the right materials for the job isn't enough. You gotta have that little bit of extra know-how: The WrightStuff.
Going with the idea that "more is better" is an easy mistake to make. So today, I'll show you what making that mistake looks like. That way, you can learn without having to make this messy error yourself.
Gorilla Glue is a polyurethane adhesive, basically the same chemical as those expanding foams that you can use to seal and insulate gaps in your home. It has a long work time, about 10-15 minutes. "Work time" is the time you have to make adjustments in the positioning of the pieces to be glued before it starts to set up. With some glues, repositioning after the work time isn't possible, while other glues can be repositioned after their work time has passed at the expense of the integrity of the bond.
Like its cousin, that expanding foam, Gorilla Glue foams up and expands as it sets. Because of that, you need to clamp the pieces being bonded. Without clamping, the expansion would force the pieces apart, which weakens the bond and messes up whatever positioning you set up during the work time.
One of the things about polyurethane adhesives is that they bond VERY WELL TO ALMOST ANYTHING. Wood, cloth, fingers... That's why that expanding foam usually comes with little disposable gloves. On the Gorilla Glue web site's FAQ, there is a question about cleanup. The answer says, "Cured glue can be removed with a chisel, scraper or sandpaper." Ouch. So, if this stuff gets on your skin, you'll just have to get used to wearing it until the skin cells underneath peel off.
Another oddity of working with a polyurethane adhesive is that you should slightly dampen the surfaces with water before applying the glue. That's because moisture activates the curing process in the glue.
This photo shows a liberal application of the glue on each surface. The instructions say to "spread a thin layer". This is obviously too much.
Here, I've lightly clamped the two pieces. I haven't really applied that much force to the pieces, but you can already see the "oops factor" oozing out from the joint.
Here, at the 30 minute mark, we are seeing the expansion at work. Remember, that stuff is almost impossible to get off, which is why I have a bit of plastic bag protecting my bench vise under there.
If you thought it looked bad from the front, just look at what's going on in back!
So, let's try it again the (W)right way...
Here you see that I am applying just a few drops of glue to each piece.
Next I spread the glue evenly over the surface. I'm using a popsicle stick (mmmm... this one was orange...), but you can use any disposable item, like a coffee stirrer.
Back in the clamp again, notice that there is no ominous ooze this time to foretell doom.
An hour later, and only minimal excess has expanded from the joint. OK, maybe I could have only put it on one side. Now we both know.
So, the choice is yours: neat glue job or horrendous mess. It just goes to show that having the right materials for the job isn't enough. You gotta have that little bit of extra know-how: The WrightStuff.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
New Address!
The WrightStuff now has its own custom domain name! You can reach this site using:
www.WrightStuff.infoFor those of you that have already bookmarked greysteele.blogspot.com, not to worry - That address will still work. By the way, I'm busy working on two new videos (Repointing Brick Mortar and DIY Cheap Video Lighting), plus a Text'n'Pics article on some common adhesives. Stay tuned for more tips on how you can have... (wait for it)... The WrightStuff!
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
A New Direction
Well, things in my life took some strange turns since I started this little venture. Needless to say, I haven't been able to compose the content I wanted to present. Part of that was due to the aforementioned strangeness. However, a big contributor to my online silence is that I was having trouble coming up with ideas that could be presented with just words and a few still pictures. Learning to do something involves "doing", and that's an action verb, my friends. I think my initial list of topics for this blog was only about 8-10 items. Not a good sign.
So, I've decided to convert this to a Video Blog. Video will allow me to more easily show how to do things. I've been editing little videos for some time, mostly family stuff. I actually enjoy video editing quite a bit, so drawing on that talent seems a natural fit here. And, I've decided to open up the range of topics to things other than just handyman and home improvement subjects. This will now be a general "How-To" column.
The strange thing is, once I started thinking of things on this new direction, the topics just started flowing. I think I wrote down 30 ideas the first night!
I've done some "screen tests" on myself and I'm learning some new things about the videography side of things. I've already identified a few pieces of equipment that I need to buy (wireless lapel mic, better lighting, etc.), but I can add those in as I go. I have a friend that is a videographer/editor for CNN (Hey, Bill!) and he has been a tremendous help in getting me started. Now I just need to lose some weight, 'cause the guy on those screen tests isn't really appealing to the young female demographic I was hoping to reach... LOL
I shot my first project piece yesterday! That bad part is that it wasn't actually planned as a project piece; It just kinda came up. I was trying to rearrange some of the shelves in our audio/video cabinet to improve the airflow and help my entertainment gear run a little cooler. That's when I broke the cabinet. Did I mention that we have company coming this weekend, and that one of the things they'll want to do is watch some movies on our home theatre setup? Yeah, not a great day...
I was about to launch into an emergency repair, when that little voice in my head said, "You're supposed to videotape these little projects, remember?" Stupid voice...
Anyway, the first vid is in post-production - "in post", as we say in the movie biz, dahling... I'm sure the quality will improve over time (even if the host doesn't), but I hope y'all enjoy this first offering and learn something from it. More importantly, I hope y'all like this new direction.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Muscle or Money?
Ah, the ultimate question that every handyman eventually faces:
But what if your ego is wrong? What if your mouth is writing checks your body can't cash? Can admitting that your not up to the task possible be less humiliating than trying and failing utterly? When that wobbly chair you repaired spreads its legs like Bambi on a frozen pond, will the pain in Great Aunt Edda's broken hip be minor compared to the agony of having to pay someone else to repair your repair?
Not a fun game.
So how do you make this decision? On the one hand, there are definitely areas where, if you don't know what you're doing, then you should keep your hands in your pockets. On the other hand, if you never try anything new then how will you ever learn new skills? Where do you draw the line?
Six Signs That You Need Professional Help:
Sure, you can swing a hammer with the best of them. You can miter a joint, rewire a lamp and paint anything that stands still long enough to get a brush on it. But can you weld? Ever laid a foundation? Do you even have the faintest idea where to start with this project?
There's no shame in calling in the pros when you are way over your head. They'll get the job done right the first time, and with a minimum of bloodshed and disaster. If you have the time, watch them do their work and you'll learn something for sure. As long as you don't get in the way, most contractors are happy to talk about their work. See them using a cool tool? Ask how much it cost and where you might buy one. By the time the job is done, you'll have gotten much more than your money's worth. And maybe next time, you'll feel more confident in tackling a similar task.
2 - Does the job require special tools?
There's a big difference between not having the right size or type of drill bit, and not having a pneumatic jackhammer. Granted, you could go out and buy a jackhammer, but how often are you really going to need it. If there is a good tool rental place nearby, you could probably rent one for a lot less money. But what if the tool you require is massive, like ... oh say, a bulldozer. Easy there, big boy... Just put down the credit card and back away from the project and nobody gets hurt, OK?
3 - Will someone get hurt if you screw up?
I don't take down trees bigger than about about three inches in diameter. Its just a rule I have. I'm just one of those people that doesn't particularly enjoy being squashed like a bug. I've seen way too many Funniest Home Videos where the tree went a completely different direction than the do-it-yourself lumberjacks intended. Sometimes it clobbers a pickup truck. I've seen one demolish an entire garage. Of course FHV never shows the videos where someone is seriously injured, but you just know they get them anyway. "Timber! Oops. Fred? Fred? You OK, Fred?" I'm just not into that, so I don't do it.
4 - Is doing it yourself illegal, immoral or fattening?
Some jobs should only be done by licensed professionals. Do you know the electrical or building code in your area? Are you familiar with local permitting and inspection procedures? If you're scratching your head and/or tilting your head to one side like the RCA Victor dog, then you need help.
5 - Is it really cheaper to do it yourself?
Have you ever had a gadget like a DVD player go on the fritz and when you take it to a repair shop they laugh at you? They laugh because there is no sense in repairing some things. It is just cheaper to replace them. By the time you pay someone to take the cover off and shine a light in there, you've already exceeded the cost of a whole new gizmo. The same principle applies to hiring a professional. Sometimes, after you have tallied up the cost of materials, the inevitable new tool purchase and - lest we forget - your time, the pro can just do it faster, cheaper and (wince) better. Just like Ford can crank out a car on their assembly line much faster and cheaper than you could in the privacy of your garage, the pro has it down to a science. He can swoop in, use the right tool for the right job and has all the materials in his truck. He's probably not going to have to drive to Home Depot five times to finish the job like some of us do. He's in, done, and out like a comic book superhero. "Who was that masked electrician?" Time is money and he buys his materials wholesale. Sometimes you can't compete with that.
6 - Can you find how-to references?
There are tons of how-to books, magazines, DVDs and web sites out there that will walk you through a lot of things, step by step. They can help you avoid common pitfalls and warn you when you should throw in the towel and call for help. Use those resources. Repeat after me: "Google is your friend..." But if you can't find, in the entire world-wide-web, any instructions on how to do something, well, that's probably a good indication that it's not for beginners.
Do I do this job myself, or do I pay someone to do it for me?Sounds simple enough; deceptively simple. But answering this question can have your intellect staring down your ego until one of them blinks. There's going to be that part of you that puffs up it's chest and declares, "Of course I can do this!" To do otherwise is a blow to your pride, a smudge on your reuptation and that of your forebears! The honor of all handymen around the world would suffer, and they might just come looking for you, pointing and laughing until you dissolve into a puddle like the Wicked Witch of the West after Dorothy gave her that much-needed bath. "What a world, what a world..."
But what if your ego is wrong? What if your mouth is writing checks your body can't cash? Can admitting that your not up to the task possible be less humiliating than trying and failing utterly? When that wobbly chair you repaired spreads its legs like Bambi on a frozen pond, will the pain in Great Aunt Edda's broken hip be minor compared to the agony of having to pay someone else to repair your repair?
Not a fun game.
So how do you make this decision? On the one hand, there are definitely areas where, if you don't know what you're doing, then you should keep your hands in your pockets. On the other hand, if you never try anything new then how will you ever learn new skills? Where do you draw the line?
Six Signs That You Need Professional Help:
Sure, you can swing a hammer with the best of them. You can miter a joint, rewire a lamp and paint anything that stands still long enough to get a brush on it. But can you weld? Ever laid a foundation? Do you even have the faintest idea where to start with this project?
There's no shame in calling in the pros when you are way over your head. They'll get the job done right the first time, and with a minimum of bloodshed and disaster. If you have the time, watch them do their work and you'll learn something for sure. As long as you don't get in the way, most contractors are happy to talk about their work. See them using a cool tool? Ask how much it cost and where you might buy one. By the time the job is done, you'll have gotten much more than your money's worth. And maybe next time, you'll feel more confident in tackling a similar task.
2 - Does the job require special tools?
There's a big difference between not having the right size or type of drill bit, and not having a pneumatic jackhammer. Granted, you could go out and buy a jackhammer, but how often are you really going to need it. If there is a good tool rental place nearby, you could probably rent one for a lot less money. But what if the tool you require is massive, like ... oh say, a bulldozer. Easy there, big boy... Just put down the credit card and back away from the project and nobody gets hurt, OK?
3 - Will someone get hurt if you screw up?
I don't take down trees bigger than about about three inches in diameter. Its just a rule I have. I'm just one of those people that doesn't particularly enjoy being squashed like a bug. I've seen way too many Funniest Home Videos where the tree went a completely different direction than the do-it-yourself lumberjacks intended. Sometimes it clobbers a pickup truck. I've seen one demolish an entire garage. Of course FHV never shows the videos where someone is seriously injured, but you just know they get them anyway. "Timber! Oops. Fred? Fred? You OK, Fred?" I'm just not into that, so I don't do it.
4 - Is doing it yourself illegal, immoral or fattening?
Some jobs should only be done by licensed professionals. Do you know the electrical or building code in your area? Are you familiar with local permitting and inspection procedures? If you're scratching your head and/or tilting your head to one side like the RCA Victor dog, then you need help.
5 - Is it really cheaper to do it yourself?
Have you ever had a gadget like a DVD player go on the fritz and when you take it to a repair shop they laugh at you? They laugh because there is no sense in repairing some things. It is just cheaper to replace them. By the time you pay someone to take the cover off and shine a light in there, you've already exceeded the cost of a whole new gizmo. The same principle applies to hiring a professional. Sometimes, after you have tallied up the cost of materials, the inevitable new tool purchase and - lest we forget - your time, the pro can just do it faster, cheaper and (wince) better. Just like Ford can crank out a car on their assembly line much faster and cheaper than you could in the privacy of your garage, the pro has it down to a science. He can swoop in, use the right tool for the right job and has all the materials in his truck. He's probably not going to have to drive to Home Depot five times to finish the job like some of us do. He's in, done, and out like a comic book superhero. "Who was that masked electrician?" Time is money and he buys his materials wholesale. Sometimes you can't compete with that.
6 - Can you find how-to references?
There are tons of how-to books, magazines, DVDs and web sites out there that will walk you through a lot of things, step by step. They can help you avoid common pitfalls and warn you when you should throw in the towel and call for help. Use those resources. Repeat after me: "Google is your friend..." But if you can't find, in the entire world-wide-web, any instructions on how to do something, well, that's probably a good indication that it's not for beginners.
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