KWBaker

I use thread-lock when I cannot use nylon lock washers. It works fine but applying the blue liquid to a positioned bolt just before the washer and nut go on can be a little tricky and often leads to blue drops under the piece. Enter Blue Gel. I bought it as it was slightly cheaper than the predominant brand without actually reading the word “gel.” It’s like toothpaste, and it is so much better than liquid. One can apply it to the threads of a bolt before feeding it through the piece. No dripping in cramped spaces; no blue spots all over one’s fingers

-- Richard Haven

Permatex 24206 Medium Strength Threadlocker Blue

Available from Amazon

Very few free icon websites offer straightforward download options without having to go through an account setup first. SVG Repo contains over 500,000 open-licensed vector icons and symbols that are easy to search and instantly downloadable. Helpful!

(via Dense Discovery)

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Best come-along

Maasdam Pow’r Pull

Come-alongs are a must-have for country living. They’re most often used to tug vehicles out of ditches and unsuccessful stream fordings, and to tighten fencing. I’ve also used mine for erecting and tightening large tents and canopies, pulling objects into and onto trucks, hoisting 350 lb carcasses for butchering, encouraging crunched automobile bodies back into proper shape, pulling stumps, straightening sagging barns back to verticality, moving large logs, turning trailers to face another direction, erecting pre-assembled 2×4 wall sections built on the floor, cinching loads onto flatbed trucks, dragging heavy boats up the ramp onto the dock or onto their trailers, erecting wind generators, extracting and installing engines in vehicles and boats. In other words, moving just about anything up to 2 tons. Come-alongs should not be used to move people, since a well-used cable can snap.

The Maasdam Pow’r Pull is the best (though not the cheapest) come-along you can buy. It is built better than knock-off copies — especially the $19.95 ones — in every way. There’s an accessory wire gripper that enables the Maasdam (or any other pull tool) to tighten fences, clotheslines etc. I’ve beat the hell out of my 1969-model, and it has never failed. It will pull 2 tons. You can buy very expensive aluminum giant come-alongs from several firms, but the fine print with them sez that they are also 2-ton, so I don’t see much point in them except they are beautiful and classy-looking. Any tool that carries a high loading should be of the very best quality, as failure can be deadly or at the least scary. The Maasdam is good stuff.

Hints for working with a come-along: Many folks loop a come-along’s cable hook around an object and then hook it back onto the cable like a noose. This is very unsafe, as the hook will either cut or seriously damage the cable. Users should invest in a couple of suitable “Shackles” (any hardware or boat store) for such duty, and never hook anything directly to a come-along’s cable. Hint for comealong use where there are no trees or objects to anchor it to: Bury your spare tire a couple feet down and hook to that. Come-alongs also need some sort of anchor for the mechanism. I keep a length of 3/8ths chain for that purpose. — J. Baldwin

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Better than a come-along or winch

Tirfor Griphoist® Wire Rope Hoist

I don’t know anything else non-explosive, that you can pick up with one hand, and that can move five tons one hundred feet — with safety, precision, and astonishingly little work. Like many good tools the Tirfor is a thing of beauty, superbly designed and engineered. With 100 feet of cable (or more) its reach is much greater than a come-along, and this can often make all the difference. Its speed is much faster, too, not just the speed in moving something (the lever is double-acting) but speed in setting up or moving the set-up around. Often when you need to move something, minutes if not seconds count. The action is precise. A come-along winds the cable upon itself, and often when the cable comes under tension the cable wrap slips a bit. The resulting jerks can cause all kinds of problems in a situation where precise movement counts, and a sudden shift in load may cause failure somewhere else. Finally, the Tirfor has a much more effective (and safer) mechanism for smoothly *lowering* a heavy load. Most (ratcheted) come-alongs are very poor at this. — George Dyson

In Europe these tools are known as Tirfor Hand Winches. In the US they are branded Griphoists. They do the work of motorized winches — haul logs, or move stuck tractors, raise towers, and so on — but with the deftness of a human hand. Because there is no ratchet or coil, a Griphoist permits very small adjustments, unlike either come-alongs or winches. The patented double grip mechanism of the Griphoist/Tirfor is considered so reliable that some versions of the unit are rated by the UL to be suitable for hoisting humans — for instance in hoisting window-washers scaffolding. They come in models rated from 1500 pounds up to 8 tons. — KK

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How to move five tons

Johnson Bar, or Pry Truck, gilmorekramer.com

I have always had a penchant for large, heavy objects, and therefore long ago started to pay close attention to how to move things which had weights far past the threshold of “mere human” move-ability. Palette jacks are the first and foremost tool for moving such things, but there are serious limitations with palette jacks in close quarters, or just getting a heavy load raised to the point where you can put a palette under it.

The “Johnson bar” (also known as pry truck, pry bar, mule, or wheeled steel lever) is a tool that solves those problems, and it has a host of other uses which you will discover. The pry truck is a miracle of simplicity and unbelievable strength. Moving a 1500-pound (680kg) lathe is child’s play with one of these levers, and I have moved multi-ton steel shipping containers (empty) with them. With two levers (and two people) almost any large object can be shifted and moved into position or onto more convenient conveyance (dollies, casters, or just onto steel pipe rollers.) Given two people, some time, and some shims, one can get large objects raised off the floor enough to slide a palette under with a palette jack or dollies. While it seems like this should remain in the realm of “industrial moving”, I’ve found that I use it almost once a week for other odd jobs around the house, like levelling a shed, moving a palette of floor tiles in the basement, etc.

Unlike a floor jack that needs clearance, this can be put under things with only ~1/4″ (~64mm) of gap between the floor and the object. It takes a few minutes of experimentation, but one can learn very quickly how to move objects by levering them off the floor and then rotating the handle around it’s axis to make objects move 4-6 inches (10cm-15cm) at a time.

Every time I use this tool, I wonder how I would have ever been able to do any moving and transport task without it and I can’t imagine not having one handy. Apologies to Archimedes: Give me a big enough lever on wheels and a place to stand, and I shall move the world.

There are several varieties and sources to purchase them. I have always used the woodhandled variety, however I can’t imagine there’s much of a difference between various models other than capacity. They’re somewhat expensive, but I’ve never seen one on the “used” market — I suspect once people have such a useful item, they only part with them during estate sales. — John Todd

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How to …

Moving Heavy Things, Jan Adkins 2004, 48 pages

Sooner or later, most people need to move something too heavy to lift or too awkward to handle. This little book presents the basic physics, tactics, and best moves. Lift that piano without fear of hernia. Get your truck out of the ditch without calling for help. Stand that 500 lb. 55-gallon drum up on end with a flick of the wrist. Here are the tools, knots, and safety precautions you’ll need. The formulas and tables for calculating the capacities of ropes, chains and cables are here, too, all described in the proper lingo (e.g. “swigging” and “parbuckling “ – very useful moves) and illustrated with the author’s classy drawings. Long out of print, and really missed, this classic book is now available again. — J. Baldwin

• Precept Two: The Geezer Ploy When the old fellows didn’t have diesel cranes to pull their fat out of the fire, they were obliged to be fiendishly clever. Ask yourselfhow they would have set up for your problem in 1900, in 1800, 1700, and so forth.
• Precept Five: Applied Sloth As stated in the stagehand’s axiom: “Never lift what you can drag, never drag what you can roll, never roll what you can leave.” Creativity germinates in indolence, and the cleverest people are often the laziest: they are always looking for an easier way. The easiest way is often the simplest, most direct, and the best way.

The universe can be a wonderful place, and cheese curds are here to prove it. Whether deep fried, covered in gravy, or skewered and stirred in a Bloody Mary, these delectable snacks are a hallmark of dairy-based comfort food. It’s hard to beat a fresh curd, still warm and straight from the source.

Read more...

From world-class pizza to outstanding barbecue, any of these will ensure your gameday spread is great.

Michael Symon's Ultimate Barbecue And Grilling Tips - Exclusive ...  Tasting Table

Keep your hands and fingers toasty on your next cold weather outing with this refillable warmer.

Visit Uncrate for the full post.

Based on Bell's first model, the graphics on this helmet are the same worn by Steve McQueen in 1964.

Visit Uncrate for the full post.

We found stunning historic locomotives and retro railcars at this remote museum in Northern California. Here's a look around.

Vessels from names like Apreamare and Fratelli Aprea could reshape the US market. 

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Seeing our photo art printed as large-size photographs hanging on a wall or being delivered to a paying client is a real thrill. The common sizes for enlargements are simple from a cropping standpoint, but sometimes our photos would look better processed as custom size photo prints.

Our friends at Artbeat Studios are experts at printing special requests, offering custom size photo prints as high-quality paper prints and as the specialty finishes of acrylic, metal, and canvas prints.  

Let’s see what’s involved in making custom size photo prints.

Table of Contents:

• Aspect Ratios
• The Need for Custom Size Photo Prints
• What Type of Photos Can Be Custom Size Photo Prints
• Processing for Custom Size Photo Prints
• Displaying Custom Size Photo Prints
• Artbeat Studios for Custom Size Photo Prints
• Recommended Photography Gear

Aspect Ratios

^{Illustration by petrroudny via iStock}

The common print sizes have been around for a long time, some predating the use of film, going back to when cameras used coated glass and metal plates. What makes a print size usable for many subjects is more about aspect ratios than actual sizes. 

Photographically, an aspect ratio is the relationship between an image's height and width. This exercise works in digital imaging as well as film photography. Ratios usually are expressed as a notation of the numbers involved, such as 3:2 for an aspect ratio of 3 to 2. 

The 3:2 aspect ratio is common for film and digital photography and is used for Full Frame format and 135 format 35mm film. You can test the aspect ratio by looking at the dimensions of the image. A 24mm x 36mm image area can be reduced to a 3:2 notation.  

The Need for Custom Size Photo Prints

^{Photo by carloscastilla via iStock}

Aspect ratios determine what sizes are made as enlargements if using the entire image area captured or wanting to keep the same dimensions. A Full Frame file or 35mm negative will print directly to the snapshot size of 4x6”, and enlargements will be 8x12”, 16x24”, and so on.

Some other well-used and familiar aspect ratios in photography are 4:3, the aspect ratio of Micro 4/3rds sensors, which is also used in video as 1.33:1 as the standard TV broadcast format for years. 16:9 is the aspect ratio of modern widescreen TV and a common format in videography. All of those 8x10” and 16x20” prints we got as enlargements are the 5:4 aspect ratio, introduced early on as 4x5” film.

To get a 3:2 image to fit into a 5:4 print ratio, they will need to be cropped to fit. We can crop into almost any aspect ratio we want. We’re not constrained solely to full image area or one of the common sizes. And with digital photography, we can stitch together multiple frames into a panoramic image that can be virtually any size.

What Type of Photos Can Be Custom Size Photo Prints

^{Photo by thitivong via iStock}

This leads to the thought of what type of photos should be made as custom size photo prints. The short answer is that any photo could be resized into a custom size or aspect ratio. 

Creating panoramic images by panning across the view of a scene, taking multiple images, and then stitching those image files together in one larger image results in some very odd and non-standard aspect ratios for the resulting finished photograph. A panorama may be printed out in a 10x30” print for a 3:1 aspect ratio, but any size is possible, depending on how much stitching is done. 

Other image files could be made into a wide range of sizes as the aspect ratios are changed in post-processing. One reason to change to a custom size could be to accommodate an odd-sized subject or to enhance a subject through creative cropping.

Processing for Custom Size Photo Prints

^{Photo by Vertigo3D via iStock}

Like all common sizes, custom size photo prints look best when printed from high-quality image files. 

For Artbeat Studios, custom size photo prints, a resolution of 150 ppi is preferred, though they can print anything from 100 ppi to 300 ppi. A good rule of thumb for the maximum size to print an image is to divide the number of pixels in a file by the ppi. A 3600x5400 pixel image divided by 150 ppi gives a result of 24x36” as the maximum size for extreme sharpness, though a larger size is certainly doable.

In the post-processing program you use, there will be a control for cropping that lets you specify a size or is unconstrained. Choose whatever function lets you constrain the aspect ratio to a specific size to achieve a specific aspect ratio. 

Then adjust as much as you want, checking the finished file size for the targeted ppi. For Artbeat Studios, you’ll also want to save it as Adobe RGB 1998 color profile. Save as a JPEG or TIFF (LZW compression) and upload the file. They can handle a file up to 500MB or larger if you email or file transfer a link.

Displaying Custom Size Photo Prints

Displaying the custom size photo prints you have made is where the real fun is. Depending on what type of print you've made, paper, metal, acrylic, or canvas, you have all sorts of display options, including framed and unframed.

Artbeat Studios can make huge enlargements, paper, canvas, and acrylic can be printed up to 48x96 (4x8 feet!), and metal prints can be made up to 40x60” for awe-inspiring displays of wall art.

Artbeat Studios for Custom Size Photo Prints

Artbeat Studios is a great source for creating your custom size photo prints out of their fine papers and specialty materials of HD acrylic, metal, and canvas. 

Watch this video from the Artbeat Studios YouTube channel to see the unboxing of a 30x82” custom size photo print:

In addition to superb quality, they offer fast turnaround times, affordable prices, excellent customer service, and various professional services. Try them out for all your printing needs and for custom size photo prints.

Recommended Photography Gear

Learn More:

• How To Turn Photos into Wall Art
• How To Create a Gorgeous Large-Format Prints

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Last month, we linked to a ranking of Nicolas Cage's best nine movies over at Pop Culturista to celebrate the actor's birthday. While any such list is an invitation to argue because it's so subjective, that list mainly suffers from being short. Cage has done more than 100 movies, so why not rank the top 100? The Cage Gauge does just that. Note at the top of the page that the list comes in three links. This list includes feature films, direct-to-video movies, animation, documentaries, and at least one TV pilot.

The Cage Gauge is an ongoing project by Luke Buckmaster. Every time a new Nicolas Cage movie comes out, the list is adjusted, and the bottom movie may fall off the top 100. So when Renfield opens on April 14, Left Behind will probably disappear from the list. We don't know what movie disappeared yesterday.

A new Nicolas Cage movie - The Old Way - means an update to THE CAGE GAUGE: the only world's only comprehensive, up-to-date ranked list of every Cage movie. From yours truly https://t.co/mMKolLwPsf

— Dr Luke Buckmaster (@lukebuckmaster) February 1, 2023

Buckmaster explains how he ranks the movies here. For example, Fast Times at Ridgemont High wasn't left off the list because it was bad, but rather because Cage's role was so small. With the exception of a couple of agreed-upon masterpieces, the ranking is very different from the one we posted for Cage's birthday. -via Metafilter

^{Photo by Kemal Vildirim via iStock}

Working in photography can be very rewarding, both monetarily and as artists. Finding jobs can sometimes prove challenging, but we will have a decent primary or secondary income through consistent effort. 

What types of freelance photography jobs we want will depend on several factors, such as what we’re proficient at doing, what type of market we’re in, and how much time we want to invest. Also, keeping in mind our digital imaging, sometimes the question of finding photography jobs near me is not the overriding concern since remote work is a large part of some genres of photography.

Working photography jobs also require a lot of skill sets beyond basic photography, such as bookkeeping, partnering with local businesses that may be related to our chosen fields, and finding providers for additional or primary products we can use to fulfill our client’s orders, such as enlargements or photo books.

Let’s dive into this exciting field!

Table of Contents:

• What are Freelance Photography Jobs?
• Equipment for Photography Jobs
• Types of Jobs
• Delivering Photographic Products
• Running a Business
• Recommended Photography Gear

What Are Freelance Photography Jobs?

^{Photo by maximkabb via iStock}

Freelance photography jobs aren’t committed to any particular employer long-term, though they can end up being long-term, depending on the style of photography and the type of client. 

A freelance photographer is self-employed; in the USA, that means receiving a 1099 instead of a W2. Alternatively, these jobs can be billed by invoices and receipts. Working these jobs involves much more than photography, which we will detail at the end of this article.  

Equipment for Photography Jobs

^{Photo by JyG Fotografia via iStock}

What equipment does a photographer need for freelance photography jobs? The specific cameras, lenses, lighting, and so on obviously depend on the photography style. 

Some general principles can be applied, though. Any camera and lens gear we use should be high enough quality for the images we’re providing and dependable enough for us to rely on them to work properly through the current gig and onto the next.

Entry-level cameras and kit lenses can provide all of the optical excellence required but may not have the ruggedness for extended professional use and usually are also lacking in certain features that make some jobs easier, such as exposure bracketing or wide apertures.

We can get that ruggedness and grab bags of features in full-fledged professional-level cameras, of course, but some of those may be out of reach of some budgets, especially if you are just starting out.

Prosumer-level cameras and lenses are perfect for anyone trying to break into freelance photography jobs or seeking to ease the workflow for their existing businesses. Prosumer cameras, lenses, and other gear are a few steps above entry-level or intermediate equipment. 

In addition to being heavier duty, prosumer items usually incorporate other upgrades such as faster apertures, exposure bracketing, higher-speed motor drives, high-end video modes, and more. The prices for prosumer gear are quite favorable for smaller or beginning businesses.

Types of Jobs

^{Photo by hobo_018 via iStock}

The types of photography jobs near me run the gamut of all types and styles of photography. Basically, whatever photography job you can get paid for may be used as freelancing work, but a few styles seem to lend themselves better to the world of freelance photography jobs. 

Here’s a short list:

• Wedding Photography Jobs
• Portrait Photography Jobs
• Real Estate Photography Jobs
• Small Product Photography Jobs
• Videography Freelance Jobs

Wedding Photography Jobs

^{Photo by Kobus Louw via iStock}

One of the first ideas when searching for photography jobs near me for many photographers breaking into freelance is shooting weddings. In addition to weddings, we could widen this base to encompass engagement photos, proposals, bridal portraits, and videos.

There are many variables concerning wedding photography jobs, such as how fancy the event will be, how many participants, what venue is being used, and how many physical prints, enlargements, and photo books are being delivered as final products.

One thing to remember about weddings is that they are by nature demanding gigs since they are special events that are considered once in a lifetime for most people. You can also find similar freelance photography jobs like corporate ceremonies, holiday parties, and business meetings.

Portrait Photography Jobs

^{Photo by Arturo Pena Romano Medina via iStock}

Portrait work is also usually easy to find as photography jobs near me since most of us have a built-in base of ready-to-use subjects for creating a portfolio - our friends and family. Once you have a body of work to show potential clients, you start booking clients and delivering images. 

This is another type of photography in which you will want to offer physical images such as photo books and enlargements as opposed to or in addition to forms of digital delivery. 

Group portraits and environmental portraiture are freelance photography jobs that may be easy to book when talking to businesses around you. When looking for photography jobs near me, it pays to do some canvassing of local businesses to offer some of these different photography styles.

Real Estate Photography Jobs

^{Photo by CHUNYIP WONG via iStock}

Another great local source for photography jobs near me that freelancers should consider is the real estate market. We can split this into two general types of real estate photography, residential and commercial. While they overlap a lot in methods and techniques, there are some differences between the two types of work.

Freelance photography jobs in residential and commercial real estate take advantage of the  continuously changing landscapes of the market. In other words, work is often available in every season of the year. 

Photographers looking for these jobs tend to stay either in commercial or residential, though overlap can be advantageous for the bottom-line profits of the freelance photographer. 

However, it bears mentioning that residential real estate photography usually involves quick turnaround times, while commercial real estate photography jobs often have much higher volumes of images delivered. Drone photography can be added to either genre for extra opportunities.

Small Product Photography Jobs

^{Photo by ijeab via iStock}

So many businesses are selling their goods online, and most need clear images of what they’re offering. Photography jobs near me could be found in the multiple small businesses providing their take on goods and services. 

Dog groomers, local jewelry designers, microbreweries, food trucks, and framing studios are just a few of the scores of local businesses needing great pictures of what they do or make. With low-cost shipping and digital drop boxes, we aren’t even limited to sticking with just photography jobs near me.

Videography Freelance Jobs

^{Photo by wellphoto via iStock}

Much of what we discussed about freelance photography jobs will likewise be helpful when considering our offering professional videography services. In fact, weddings, lifestyle videos for products, and drone videos for commercial real estate are in very high demand for photographers with this skill set.

How Much Do Photographers Make?

Asking how much do photographers make in these types of photography jobs is a sensible question, and one that doesn't have a very specific answer.

How much you make as a photographer depends on a myriad of factors, including:

• Your level of experience
• Your ability to market your services effectively
• Word of mouth from clients
• The type of photography you do
• Where you live and work

These are just a few examples of factors that change the "how much do photographers make" question one that's hard to answer.

As a baseline, though, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that the median hourly wage for photographers is $18.73. However, judging how much do photographers make is difficult because the pay range extends from about $10.00 per hour to more than $37.38 per hour.

Delivering Photographic Products

The one thing that all of these ideas for freelance photography jobs have in common is that you are making images for someone. So, how does the client receive their photos?  

For some of these photography business ventures, digital delivery of the images may be the norm, such as for small product and real estate photography. A Dropbox account or something similar is common, as are FTP upload services or heading off a disk or flash drive of the images. 

Physical prints are expected or welcome when offering your services as a photographer for weddings and portraits. Partnering with a high-quality printing company such as Photo Book Press is an ideal solution.

Photo Book Press makes amazingly high-end photo books that can be used as classic wedding albums, softcover books for presenting as lower-cost alternatives, and superb acrylic print enlargements in sizes from 6x6” square tiles up to 20x24” wall art prints. 

Quick shipping and professional services add to the appeal of partnering with Photo Book Press for the physical delivery of images made from freelance photography jobs.

Running a Business

^{Photo by trumzz via iStock} 

Not to be left out when considering working freelance photography jobs is the very real aspect that you are running a business, not simply taking good photographs. 

Take a look at this very informative video from the Joy Michelle YouTube channel:

Beginner Photography Business Tips

Booking photography jobs means we, as photographers, also have to be good business operators. Skills to learn or to farm out to other freelancers are bookkeeping, billing, taxes, advertising, and the like. Keeping up with regulations, insurance, and standard business concerns means we can stay in our preferred photography job.

What types of freelance photography jobs you want to do and how successful you can be at them depends on how serious you are about running the business side of things. It also depends on you already being a fantastic photographer. I hope you enjoy your journey!

Recommended Photography Gear

Learn More:

• How To Start a Photography Business On the Side
• Passive Income Photography Ideas
• Custom Artwork Ideas for Your Photography

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Like love itself, flowers can be delicate and unique. And that is exactly why it’s so tricky to get both right.

In our many years of testing for this guide, we’ve found that online flower delivery services are spotty. Think shipping delays and cargo jostling, extreme temperatures, and variability in when and how buds will open up. Plus, they’re not cheap.

To that end, we think most people are best served by a reliable local florist who can deliver their own bouquets at peak bloom, without shipping complications or additional overhead. But if you don’t know of a local florist, online services can be a useful and convenient option.

Over the years, we’ve tested more than a dozen services at different times of year, ordering various arrangements to ship to multiple locations around the country. Only one service — our top pick UrbanStems — has regularly met our standards for reliability, longevity, and a crowd-pleasing assortment of stylish bouquets. We also recommend Costco, a trustworthy option that offers more classic flowers for incredible value.

I consider myself fortunate to have lived in the time and place that I did. Access to hunting and shooting…Read More >

The post Squirrel Hunting: Fun with Clothes On appeared first on The Shooter's Log.

Grand Banks are pleased to release this two and half minute film that reveals the underlying relationship between the Classic range of Palm Beach Motor Yachts and their highly contemporary GT line of models.

Focusing on the PB55 and the GT60, the film morphs one model into the other to visualise their similarities, and their differences as we explain how this new sporty aesthetic emerged.

PB55. A TIMELESS, AWARD-WINNING CLASSIC.

Shortly after it was launched, the PB55 was the deserving recipient of the ‘Best Boat over 30ft’ award.

Making the most of her extended length and beam, the PB55 offers the broadest range of bespoke options. Owners can choose from stateroom configurations with either a forward or midship master as well as an upper or lower galley. Personal style can be reflected in a wide range of exquisite fabrics in the living and accommodation spaces.

As is customary with the Palm Beach Classic series, the salon, galley and staterooms are furnished in hand-crafted, glowing golden teak.

A NEW PRODUCT FOR A NEW CUSTOMER. FROM PB55 TO GT60, PALM BEACH PUSHES THE BOUNDARIES.

At first glance, the PB55 and the GT60 bear only the family resemblance of distant relatives. While one is a high-tech timeless classic that oozes the charm and style of a bygone era, the other is a super-sleek ode to modernism and speed.

However, look a little closer and their shared DNA starts to become more apparent. Both are designed and constructed using Palm Beach’s proprietary V-Warp Technology. This revolutionary process delivers class- leading speed, fuel efficiency and range, as well as comfort and ease of handling in all conditions. Both models display an ingenious use of ergonomics to optimise the use of internal space and offer a range of configurations.

But where they differ is in style and personality. The GT60’s pared-back aesthetic and use of carbon fibre combined with sumptuous internal finishes is futuristic when set aside the refined traditionalism of the PB55. In their different ways, both are exquisitely beautiful. But they are by design suggestive of different lifestyles and experiences on the water.

SUPER-SLEEK SPORTSTER. CUE THE GT60.

The GT60 is the ultra-contemporary model of the Palm Beach range. Designed and built using proprietary V-Warp technology, she’s an extraordinary combination of performance and style. She has a top speed of 43 knots but her efficiency in the water is such that she burns very little fuel to get there.

Her styling is an object lesson in the virtues of clean, uncluttered design – sharp and flowing lines, graceful curvature, smooth and highly durable surfaces, the GT60 has a sculptural elegance that is complemented by the chic and sophisticated materials and fittings that adorn her spacious interiors.

The GT60 offers unrestrained excitement on the water and unrestrained luxury at anchor.

The post Palm Beach GT60 – A MODERN CLASSIC appeared first on Southern Boating.

By Michael Snyder Economic conditions are much worse than you are being told. Throughout the past year, prices have been rising much faster than most...

We Just Witnessed An Economic Sign That Hasn’t Happened Since The Peak Of The Great Depression In 1932

A rare Jaguar re-bodied by Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti is up for sale by Jaguar itself.

Visit Uncrate for the full post.

From true crime to paranormal encounters and self improvement, these podcasts will help travelers burn through ribbons of asphalt with captivated minds.

Latin is a dead language. Depending on the source, the number of fluent speakers globally ranges from ~2k to ~2m people.

But everybody who’s spent time on the internet is familiar with at least one Latin phrase: “lorem ipsum,” the first two words of the dummy text designers use to gauge the layout of a page. It tends to appear in the wild when somebody forgets to replace the Latin with their intended message (often in hilarious fashion).

The backstory of how “lorem ipsum” appeared in our lives is complicated, according to Slate’s Jack Shepherd.

The full passage is attributed to Cicero

The famous Roman philosopher penned it as a long-winded way of saying, “No pain, no gain.”

From there, the story goes that a 16th-century typesetter used “Lorem Ipsum dolor…” in a book of typefaces, and the tradition continued for hundreds of years.

But Shepherd found those origins unlikely because the popular translation of Cicero’s text didn’t appear until 1914.

So who introduced lorem ipsum?

The British design company Letraset, which used the phrase to advertise its services in the 1960s.

Why? Nobody really knows. Probably because an employee was a fan of Cicero.

Their decision led to years of lorem ipsum-ing, as well as lots of fun recent spinoffs: Online text generators let designers use everything from Hipster Ipsum to DeLorean Ipsum for planning layouts.

BTW: Until 2014, Latin was the official language of Vatican City.

America’s legion of devout bird hunters tends to be migratory.

Once a week we’ll send out a page from Cool Tools: A Catalog of Possibilities. The tools might be outdated or obsolete, but the possibilities they inspire are new. Sign up here to get Tools for Possibilities a week early in your inbox.

Flexible epoxy

3M Scotch-Weld 3532

This is as close to “bombproof” as I have found a glue to be. It seems to stick to just about anything, although 3M says it’s for metals and plastics. I have used it for gluing D-rings – and other things – into my whitewater canoes.

The rings have been able to hold me boiling through big rapids, often upside-down. For this application the glue joint needs to be flexible and waterproof…and this stuff hasn’t ever failed me. How it is different from epoxy: Fills gaps. Flexes under stress without giving away. Sticks to smooth plastics like PVC or vinyl. Seems a LOT stronger than epoxies. You’ll have to find this in a specialty store or order it over the web. Shelf life is 1 year. — Fen Sartorius

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Mixes up epoxy

3M Scotch-Weld EPX Applicator

I always used to buy epoxy locally in disposable dispensers that are supposed to dispense equal ratios of the components. The dispensers never work that well: one side always starts to move first and then to get a reasonably equal mix I have to mix up a lot more than I need.

The 3M duo-pack adhesives are sold separately from the dispenser. Because the dispenser is not disposable, it can be a decently built tool, like a caulk gun for epoxy.

The way it works is that you slip on the adhesive cartridge. The applicator has a plunger that pushes up the adhesive cartridge. Think caulk gun. The epoxy comes in double tubes like a doubled tube of caulk. When an adhesive has a different mixing ratio the tubes in the cartridge have different diameters. And there is a different plunger that fits in the tube. The supported mixing ratios are 1:1, 1:2 and 1:10 because those are the ratios of adhesives available. When you buy the system you get the first two plungers, but the 1:10 plunger is sold separately as it is used only for DP-8005 and DP-8010, I think. Just like a caulk gun you can, but you need not remove the adhesive cartridge between uses. The gun stays clean. There is no need to clean it. (Unlike a caulk gun, the adhesive doesn’t leak out the back and get on the gun.)

In fact, if you’re not so worried about waste there’s even a further convenience: static mixing nozzles. These nozzles attach to the end of the epoxy tube and do all the mixing for you so that it really works like a caulk gun: what comes out is ready to use, completely mixed epoxy.

But even if you don’t use the somewhat wasteful mixing nozzles you can still use the gun to extrude the correct ratio mix of 3M adhesive products and then hand mix. I have been able to mix up just the amount of epoxy I need when with the old system I would have mixed ten times what I needed. (No exaggeration here.)

I first got this system because I was trying to glue zinc-plated magnets to polyethylene. I tried regular epoxy. It doesn’t stick well to either one of these materials. There are two adhesives that I think are of particular note in the 3M lineup.

The DP-190 (which I have only used a tiny bit) is supposed to stick to everything except the “low surface energy” plastics. I saw that it is recommended for use with the zinc-plated rare earth magnets (by the magnet sellers). The DP-8005 is designed to stick to low surface energy plastics. I got it for my application.

I also got a small mat made out of teflon because nothing is supposed to stick to that. This was great for repairs using epoxy. I repaired something and laid it on the teflon and it peeled right off after it was cured.

According to 3M, epoxy shelf life is less than a couple years, so you don’t want to buy a lifetime supply at any given time. The shelf life of DP-8005 is only 6 months. The shelf life of the Scotch-Weld Two Part Urethane is 1 year. — Adrian M.

McMaster-Carr sells a very similar product much cheaper, half the cost, for $23. It does not use 3M cartridges. I have had good experiences with Lord adhesives that this gun does use. — KK

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Best source for magnets

SuperMagnetMan, supermagnetman.net

I have been buying Neodymium Iron Boron (NIB) super magnets for years. Back then, Wondermagnets was the only source for hobbyists and they had quite a have changed. For the past five years, I have been ordering my magnets from “Mr. George the SuperMagnetMan,” unequivocally the best source today. His prices are the best on the net. His selection is vast: no one else has the stock he has or the variations in size of commonly available shapes. This is no exaggeration or hype. He’s got stuff you can’t get anywhere else and is constantly adding new items, like axially- and diametrically-magnetized NIB wedding rings and radially-magnetized ring magnets. He has magnets so large they are dangerous (fortunately he has put videos on YouTube that show you how to safely handle these monsters — with large leather welding gloves and a special wooden wedge and a 2×4!). He also sells magnetic hooks, pyramid shaped magnets, magnetic jewelry, teflon coated magnets, heart, star, and triangle magnets. You can even get powdered magnets that act like iron filings on steroids! You name it he’s got it. Most magnets are N45-N50 grade, the highest strength you can buy.

Some of the products I have ordered are the magnet powders, radially-magnetized ring magnet, various size sphere magnets, conical magnets, large rectangular magnets, cubes, and many others. Shipping charges are reasonable. Service is great. One time I ordered a bunch of stuff and never completely checked what I got. I went to use one of the magnets months later and found out it was the wrong size. He sent me the right size in the mail a few days after I emailed him.

Mr. George seems like a pretty cool dude, too. An electrical engineer, Mr. George develops magnet products himself and caters to other engineers, inventors, and hobbyists. He can have custom magnets made to order. He has also put up a series of educational videos on YouTube and has done a lot of work with kids. He has a saying, something like, “Give a kid a magnet and you have a friend for life.” — Laral

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A strong hold on brake fluid

Seal-All Adhesive & Sealant

Like other adhesives, this one can be used on metals, glass, wood and leather, but it is the only household product I have ever used that will withstand constant exposure to gasoline and/or brake fluid. J-B-WELD will work in some cases, but you have to thoroughly clean and dry the surface or it will fail. Seal-All will seal a leak in a master cylinder-reservoir (non-pressure side) even if you apply it over brake fluid that has already wept out onto the surface. I have also used it to seal an old Coleman fuel tank, and also a weeping fuel fitting on the bottom of a gasoline tank on my bike. This stuff is not what I would consider a toolbox item, but I ride my bike far from home on occasion, and this is one of the items I like to keep in the “just-in-case” bag. — Jackie Gregory

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Squeezes tubes dry

Tube-Grip Dispensing Plier

This Tube-Grip easily squeeze tubes of adhesive, calk, sealant, etc. with more precision, less waste with better finished results than other methods. Learning curve is short for starting and stopping applications. Tubes are squeezed beginning from the tube’s bottom seam, and 96% use of product efficiency is claimed. Very thrifty.

Mechanical advantage is claimed to be ten times more than by hand whether gripping vs. pinching. Less fatigue, more control. Concentration on product flow is enhanced because less physical effort is used during application. Tube squeezers for toothpaste and art paint are a different category. Some calling projects are too small for standard tubes of calk, or are in confined areas where a large gun won’t fit.

Tent seam sealing with drippy sealer is controlled better with whole arm movements and a hand grip vs. finger squeezing. I’ve used this 2” dispensing plier for at least 5-years and would not consider many squeeze tube projects without it. A 2 1/2” model also exists. — David McKenzie

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