Become familiar with the tools and materials required to solder. This lesson teaches you the proper way to cut, clean, and deburr pipe, and demonstrates proper flux application (flux is not only for the pipes you are soldering, but also for the pipe fitting). After watching Seth demonstrate with ½ in. copper pipe, you will be well on your way to safe soldering, and repairing your own plumbing in no time!
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Are you turning a corner and repainting your home, but dreading painting those tricky corners? Part one of two, this lesson from painter Russ Olinatz teaches you techniques for clean, professional paint edging around corners, ceilings, and windows. Learn which hand to use, how to create and transfer a bead of paint to get a straight line where wall meets ceiling, which color to paint first, and how to feather your paint to avoid obvious lines, even around windows.
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Learn how to create unique and elegant gifts by etching designs into mirrors and glass! This is the first of two lessons on glass and mirror etching from Royal Design Studio and gets you started by teaching you: what tools you will need; how to prepare your materials; basic safety tips; and how to apply your patterns to the mirror or glass. The techniques shown here for burnishing vinyl patterns can be used to secure any sticker or taped design you want etched into a mirror or glass.
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Going to college is a wonderful thing, but what about student loans? Some call student debt “good debt,” but is there such a thing? Focused Spender will tell you that any amount of money that you owe to someone else is never a good thing. “The Total Money Makeover” by Dave Ramsey changed her life, and now she is here to help you change yours by taking control of your money (and not letting your money control you). If you long for financial security someday, take control of your finances today.
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Looking for a great do-it-yourself way to add interest and color to your home? Thinking about painting a statement wall? Consider stenciling—with elegant designs and easy to use stencils, your paint project just got easier. In this lesson, Cutting Edge Stencils demonstrates how to use an interlocking stencil to update a wall. Learn how to align stencils, make sure your design is level, and how to use the registration to ensure correct spacing. Beautiful just got easy.
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Whether speed or comfort is your concern, a SRAM rear derailleur will result in a better ride, by making gear changes fast and smooth. And SRAM’s “double tap technology” means you won’t lose speed or grip while shifting. In this lesson from Art’s Cyclery, Daniel explains how to make adjustments to the low and high limits, as well as the cable tension, on your SRAM derailleur. Finally, learn why it is best to have the pulley on the derailleur close to the cog when adjusting the B tension screw.
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Patina is the result of the process of oxidation on certain metals and glass; changing the material’s appearance over time, making it appear aged or tarnished. But with the process of patination you can also intentionally create beautiful designs or patterns on a surface, by using chemicals to speed up the oxidation process. Learn how make attractive custom art pieces for your home in this three part series from Royal Design Studio. Begin by familiarizing yourself with the chemicals and tools!
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Are you remodeling your house and looking for a way cut costs but not corners? Or perhaps you’re pretty handy with power tools, and are looking to expand your skill set? Learn how to cut and polish a granite countertop in this three-part series by Paul’s Toolbox! Paul offers tips for preparing and cutting the granite, as well as safety protocols (like always wearing a respirator, whether dry-cutting or wet-cutting, and always using a GFCI cord). Home improvement just got easier.
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Cycling is an environmentally friendly way to get exercise, enjoy the outdoors, and even save on gas money. The first step to getting started cycling is getting the right bike; the second step is getting the right fit. In this lesson from Art’s Cyclery, Luke demonstrates how to get the correct saddle height, and the right saddle fore and aft positions. Finally, to take pressure off of your back and wrists, learn how to flip the stem for a more comfortable angle on your handlebars.
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So you’ve got a great bike, and you’ve made adjustments so that it fits you perfectly. But do you know how to determine the correct handlebar width? In this lesson from Art’s Cyclery, Gerald demonstrates two easy ways to measure for the perfect handlebar size—by lining up the handlebar with your shoulders and eye-balling it, or by measuring the distance. Whichever you prefer, just remember that different companies measure this distance differently, so a handlebar size is not universal.
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Helmets are extremely important when doing cycling of any kind! Protect yourself from serious injury by wearing a properly fitting helmet. In this lesson from Art’s Cyclery, Luke demonstrates a proper helmet fit, explaining that you want the fit and the retention system to be enough to hold the helmet in place. Learn where the chin straps should go, and how tight they should be. Finally, since helmets are designed for protection, learn what to look for the next time you’re in the market.
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Whether mountain biking or road biking, packing efficiently for whatever length of ride is critical. In this lesson from Art’s Cyclery, learn what is essential for your ride, including fuel, and a repair kit for fixing flats, and the different size packs to hold it all. And though mountain biking can require more supplies, these can be stored inside a hydration pack, which is standard gear for a mountain bike ride. Whether you are stuck with a flat or low blood sugar, don’t be caught unprepared!
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As a mountain biker, you enjoy covering extreme terrain at high speeds—and nothing gets in the way of your daredevil stunts like frequent stops for seat adjustments. Make these requisite interruptions a thing of the past with the KS LEV seat post! Art’s Cyclery demonstrates how to orient the seat post in the frame and mount your inline barrel adjuster. Once your cable spring is in place, you’ll be able to remotely control your seat post height for the ultimate in extreme rides.
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Don’t let inclement weather keep you from enjoying your bicycle—buy a bike trainer and pedal away indoors while watching your favorite sports team or cooking show. In this video from Art’s Cyclery, Luke demonstrates how to set up a bike trainer, mount a bike, and adjust the trainer legs (if you don’t want to use riser blocks for your front wheel). While Luke demonstrates on the Blackburn Tech Fluid Trainer, these procedures can be applied to any trainer.
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Finding the right saddle size is key for an enjoyable bike ride—your seat must be narrow enough to avoid chafing, but wide enough to support your weight. But the good old “guess and check” method isn’t good enough for deciding what fits. Instead, learn how to measure your Sitz bones at home! Art’s Cyclery demonstrates to how to take this measurement, and how to calculate your correct saddle size from the result. Exercise doesn’t have to hurt; find your optimum saddle size today!
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Rattling and vibrating on your ride feels and sounds terrible, and it also puts you at significant risk. One of the most common causes of vibration and rattling on bicycles is a loose headset—so learn how to fix it yourself! Art’s Cyclery recommends which tools you should use for the job (the Ritchey Torqkey is especially recommended since using it will ensure you never overtighten a bolt) and demonstrates a sure-fire way to determine whether or not a loose headset is the source of your rattling
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You’re getting serious about cycling—so much so that you just purchased a new road bike. Despite the fact that you may have paid a pretty penny for your new ride, don’t be surprised if you have to put it together yourself. Not to worry—just learn how to put your new investment together correctly! Art’s Cyclery shows you where to apply grease, and how to attach the wheels, bike stem, and seatpost. Pump up your tires and you’ll be ready to ride!
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So you want to surprise little Tommy or Susie with a bike for their birthday, but suddenly you are expected to know how to assemble all of the parts in the box! Don’t worry—Brad from Art’s Cyclery is here to demonstrate how to assemble a child’s bike, from the tools that you’ll need (like an Allen wrench and Torqkey) to tips for tightening the pedals quickly. Your kid may not realize the love and talent that went into putting their bike together; but they will know there’s nothing you can’t do.
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Don't get stuck when using stucco! This lesson from stonemason Mike Haduck shows you how to apply and texture stucco on an outdoor wall. Learn to apply a thick scratch coat, then wet the stucco and apply a second white coat. See how you can use a broom to brush the stucco in horizontal sweeps to smooth the surface and help the next layer stick. Once your second coat is almost hard, cake on new stripes of stucco in many directions with a small trowel to create the Swedish design.
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