Category Archives: Yard & Outdoors

The Most Popular Portable Barbecue Grills

The Most Popular Portable Barbecue Grills

Barbecue parties are still undeniably popular even after several generations. Portable barbecue grills allow you to host your own grill party whether it’s in your own backyard, indoors, in the beach, while roughing it out on campsites or when you go on a family picnic. The current selection for portable barbecue grills also come in a lot of variety, thus you can be sure to find a portable gas or charcoal grill that will suit your style and your budget. Before you decide which among the current selections to purchase, it would be best to know the features of portable barbecue grills which are conveniently perfect for packing on your next adventure in the outdoors.
Weber Portable Grills. When it comes to barbecue grills, outdoor enthusiasts are definitely vouching for the Weber brand, and these reviews have been consistent up to their portable gas grills. The Weber 1520 Propane Gas Go-Anywhere Grill offers easy ignition through its push-button system and the burners provide even heat distribution. The same qualities in terms of temperature and power efficiency can be said about the Weber 386002 Q100 Portable Gas Grill and the Weber 121020 Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill. Both 386002 and 121020 also feature a relatively large cooking surface that can cater to bigger servings. Aside from the heating capacity, Weber is also known for their easy-to-maintain grill surface and impressive customer service.
Coleman Portable Grill. Being one of the leaders in outdoor equipment and accessories, it is no wonder that Coleman also dominates when it comes to portable grills. The Coleman 9949-750 Road Trip Grill LXE provides a good set of burners and an easy-to-assemble system.
Cuisinart Portable Gas Grill. Outdoor people who are also into healthy eating will undeniably appreciate the Cuisinart CGG-200 All-Foods 12,000-BTU Tabletop Propane Gas Grill. The portability of this grill is really notable, as it can grill for a middle-sized family and it only needs a flat surface such as a table top to start grilling. What is more impressive though, is its vegetable grill panel that allows for great and healthy side dishes.
Portable Kitchen Cooker. True to its name, the portable charcoal grill from Portable Kitchen Inc. is made from solid cast aluminum displays a simple, traditional design coupled with remarkable grilling capabilities.
High-quality portable grills are usually priced at around 0 up to 0, depending on their features. When choosing the right kind of portable grill, take the fuel source, the durability of the materials and its size into consideration. You should also choose portable grills which provide easy fold and pack assembly. Other features that you can consider are portable grills with rotisserie options, wheeled base and grills which have removable side tables for additional preparation space. Since a portable grill will probably be packed and stored until the next outdoor trip, choose a grill with an easy-to-clean surface. Proper storage and maintenance are important especially since you won’t be able to check your portable grill on a constant basis.Make your next outdoor trips more memorable and exciting by finding the right kind of portable grill.

Developing the Perfect Landscaping Idea

Developing the Perfect Landscaping Idea

Using landscaping ideas can be an effective way to attract wildlife, such as birds, to your yard and neighborhood. Thoughtfully placing bird feeders or houses around your yard can make it an inviting environment for different types of bird species. There are several advantages to utilizing landscaping ideas to increase wildlife populations around your home.
First, if these birds are spending time nesting in your yard, the less of a chance they will have to be eaten, killed, or harmed in some way. While they are there, your yard serves as a safe haven. The more they come to your yard and the longer they stay, the more protection they will have against predators and hunters.
The second advantage of trying out different landscaping ideas to attract wildlife populations to your yard is that you can enjoy bird watching with your children, grandchildren, or spouse. Bird watching is a wonderful pastime and can also be educational. You and your children can enjoy watching these magnificent creatures and at the same time you can let them in on little facts about each species.
Not only that, but you and your children or grandchildren can also use what you learn to do projects together, like making homemade birdfeeders to go along with the bird houses you put together using your landscaping ideas. Now, that is family time that you can be proud of. It sure beats watching TV, where there is no interaction with one another.
Lastly, another great reason to attract birds to your yard using landscaping ideas is because you can take beautiful photographs of every species and put together a wonderful book to share with your friends. Maybe you will even get enough to enter a few wildlife photography contests!
When looking for landscaping ideas, it is always best to visit a site you can trust to help you out. My personal recommendation is www.thelandscapingpro.com, it will help you with all of your needs. Remember, a beautiful and inviting yard will draw more wildlife to your neighborhood then you ever could have imagined.

The Work Glove: A Forgotten Safety Tool

The Work Glove: A Forgotten Safety Tool

Today, construction and industrial development is a way of life for a majority of the world’s population. Safety measures are continually improving for construction and industrial workers. One of the most important developments in safety equipment for these workers is job-specific work gloves.

Take a look at a few of the many types of gloves available for various industries:

Disposable Gloves – Available in many sizes and thicknesses, these gloves are typically found in the food service and medical industry. Polyethylene and vinyl gloves are commonly used in food service industries, offering comfort and breathe-ability in general purpose applications, such as food processing. Latex gloves are typically found in the medical industry, offering protection against chemical processing and the handling of acids and caustics. Disposable gloves are also used in industries requiring metal treatment, paint and varnish manufacturing, petrochemical and oil refining, the handling of rough castings and steel bars, the use of electronics, light assembly, inspection and quality control.

Heavy Utility Gloves – With a synthetic leather palm and reinforced thumbs and fingertips, these gloves are durable and comfortable. They can also be used in a variety of industries including light demolition, landscaping, and material handling. Heavy Utility Gloves are also great for any job requiring heavy machine operation.

Cold Condition & Waterproof Gloves – These gloves come in different sizes and styles to fit different needs. They keep hands warm and dry in inclement weather conditions. Cold Condition Gloves are perfect for the ocean import and export industries as well as winter resort work, and airport trades. As an added bonus, they are among the best gloves for recreational skiing and snowboarding.

Leather Welding Gloves – Welding gloves are used in welding and heat applications along with any other application requiring heat, flame, or spark protection. The first step in choosing the proper welding glove is learning the different types of heat:

Radiant Heat is generated by the sun or any source of fire.
Ambient Heat is the surrounding atmospheric temperature.
Conduct Heat is the direct contact of a hot surface.

The next step is to consider the weight of materials being handled, the contact temperature, and the time of exposure to the heat. It is important to choose a welding glove that fits the needs of all the variables in consideration.

Cut Resistant Gloves – The name says it all. A lot of industries require the use of sharp objects, and these gloves are perfect for all of them. High performance strings provide cut and abrasion resistance, and high performance yarns further protect the hands when working with sharp objects. Various material weights provide longer durability and additional dexterity where needed. Some styles are dipped or coated with a polymer to provide a better grip and increase durability. Common uses include, but are not limited to, food preparation, glass and metal handling, automotive work, and electronic work.

There are many more types and styles of gloves available. Though the most important safety tool you can have is knowledge, job-specific gloves are the key to hand protection. Always choose a glove that fits your hands well and provides the best protection for the job at hand.

Pictures Of Landscaping – Using Other Peoples Ideas To Design Your Landscape.

Pictures Of Landscaping – Using Other Peoples Ideas To Design Your Landscape.

One of the most common searches on my site is for pictures of landscaping. So I know that a lot of folks rely on photos of other peoples designs to get ideas. But at the same time, while I do have a large picture directory of other peoples projects on my site, the most common questions I receive are still related to specific shapes and design ideas.

It would seem that with as many pictures of landscaping there are to look at online, just about everyone could find a close match to their own property that could be copied. It would seem so…..if every yard was square or rectangular. However, the fact is that most yards aren’t square or rectangular. So even with the endless landscaping ideas and examples out there, it’s still highly unlikely that you’ll find an exact match to the shape of your property.

Don’t tell anyone… but even as a professional, I still use pictures of other peoples landscaping as an educational tool and to get new ideas. However, unlike most people, I don’t search for an exact idea to copy. I look for unique, creative, and new ideas and pieces of the puzzle.

Now here’s a piece of advice and the point to this entire article.

When looking at pictures of landscaping, pay attention to the details, ideas, and principles that are universal to most designs. Look for the things that are common and repeated often by different designers. These are the elements that look good because they are generally based on basic principles of art. These are the things that will probably incorporate well into your own design project regardless of shape.

Other peoples landscaping pictures are a great design tool to help you get your project done. However, instead of hopelessly searching for your exact layout, borrow several ideas from several different designs. You’ll save yourself a lot of frustration and have a much better chance of creating something unique to your own property.

The Work Glove

The Work Glove

Today, construction and industrial development is a way of life for a majority of the world’s population. Safety measures are continually improving for construction and industrial workers. One of the most important developments in safety equipment for these workers is job-specific work gloves.
Take a look at a few of the many types of gloves available for various industries:
Disposable Gloves – Available in many sizes and thicknesses, these gloves are typically found in the food service and medical industry. Polyethylene and vinyl gloves are commonly used in food service industries, offering comfort and breathe-ability in general purpose applications, such as food processing. Latex gloves are typically found in the medical industry, offering protection against chemical processing and the handling of acids and caustics. Disposable gloves are also used in industries requiring metal treatment, paint and varnish manufacturing, petrochemical and oil refining, the handling of rough castings and steel bars, the use of electronics, light assembly, inspection and quality control.
Heavy Utility Gloves – With a synthetic leather palm and reinforced thumbs and fingertips, these gloves are durable and comfortable. They can also be used in a variety of industries including light demolition, landscaping, and material handling. Heavy Utility Gloves are also great for any job requiring heavy machine operation.
Cold Condition & Waterproof Gloves – These gloves come in different sizes and styles to fit different needs. They keep hands warm and dry in inclement weather conditions. Cold Condition Gloves are perfect for the ocean import and export industries as well as winter resort work, and airport trades. As an added bonus, they are among the best gloves for recreational skiing and snowboarding.
Leather Welding Gloves – Welding gloves are used in welding and heat applications along with any other application requiring heat, flame, or spark protection. The first step in choosing the proper welding glove is learning the different types of heat:
Radiant Heat is generated by the sun or any source of fire.
Ambient Heat is the surrounding atmospheric temperature.
Conduct Heat is the direct contact of a hot surface.
The next step is to consider the weight of materials being handled, the contact temperature, and the time of exposure to the heat. It is important to choose a welding glove that fits the needs of all the variables in consideration.
Cut Resistant Gloves – The name says it all. A lot of industries require the use of sharp objects, and these gloves are perfect for all of them. High performance strings provide cut and abrasion resistance, and high performance yarns further protect the hands when working with sharp objects. Various material weights provide longer durability and additional dexterity where needed. Some styles are dipped or coated with a polymer to provide a better grip and increase durability. Common uses include, but are not limited to, food preparation, glass and metal handling, automotive work, and electronic work.
There are many more types and styles of gloves available. Though the most important safety tool you can have is knowledge, job-specific gloves are the key to hand protection. Always choose a glove that fits your hands well and provides the best protection for the job at hand.

CCTV: An Introduction To CCTV

CCTV: An Introduction To CCTV

What is CCTV?

Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) is an installation of directly connected components creating a circuit which cannot be viewed by anybody outside of the circuit.

This is different to a terrestrial television broadcast system which anybody with an antenna and reception equipment can view.

Who needs a CCTV system?

CCTV systems can be found virtually everywhere in these days. They are no longer considered an expensive luxury item, especially when you consider your increased level of security.

CCTV systems can be found in both the private and commercial sector and are used for security/ crime prevention purposes and providing Health and Safety protection to the members of the general public.

You will have seen CCTV systems operating in town centres, football stadiums, high street shops, sports centres, petrol stations, on public transport – the list is endless.

A CCTV system is a proven method of increasing the level of security of your premises. Its visual appearance alone will deter a criminal from approaching or entering your property for fear of being captured and identified on the system.

CCTV solutions can be tailor made to suit individual requirements. They can be as simple as one camera and a monitor, but it is quite common to have multiple cameras/monitors and recording devices in one installation.

The Elements of a CCTV System

There are three basic elements to a CCTV system,

1. Camera
2. Lens
3. Monitor unit

The camera is the element which captures the image and transmits the picture back to a monitor. The camera needs a lens to be able to focus on the subject. There are a wide variety of lenses to suit different applications.

The monitor is the receiver unit which converts the captured image into a picture, allowing you to see it.

Colour or Monochrome?

This is a very common question, but ultimately only you can decide.

A CCTV system should be designed to suit your needs, to fit into the environment on your property. The installing company should provide guidance on the suitability of different options, features and benefits – including colour and monochrome units. It may be that you need a camera that will work in colour during the day and automatically switch to monochrome at night!

Recording

As circumstances don’t normally permit the luxury of having a dedicated person to sit and watch a monitor 24 hours a day, the image captured by the camera needs to be recorded so that it can be viewed later, if necessary.

Traditionally, this was done with a time lapse Video Cassette Recorder (VCR) which worked on the same principle as a domestic video but with the ability to record for a much longer period of time.

However, the VCR has now been superseded by the digital Hard Disk Recorder (HDR). Rather than using tapes, the HDR stores the images on to a hard disk drive similar to the way a home computer stores data.

More than one camera?!

Most systems today comprise of more than one camera, but you don’t; a monitor and recorder for each camera.

Equipment is available that will split the monitor into four separate screens displaying four cameras, or a four way sequence unit can be used which allows you to choose which camera you would like to view. Alternatively, the automatic mode it will sequence through the four cameras that are connected.

However, the most common way of controlling multiple cameras is via a multiplexer.

To keep it simple, a multiplexer incorporates the above facilities but also has the ability to individually code mark each image from each camera and because of this, a multiplexer allows all of the cameras on a system to be recorded onto one tape or hard drive unit. The multiplexer then uses these code marks to play back the recorded picture from the camera that you wish to view.

Historically multiplexers and recording units were separate pieces of equipment, but recently a number of manufactures have developed units that do both jobs.

I want……I need…….

These days, a CCTV system can be designed to fit any scenario you care to imagine, using options from the vast range of equipment available from manufactures worldwide.

For example, cameras can be internal, external, highly visible or covert. They can be static or fully controllable/movable from a remote location. You can have one camera or hundreds; you can record for one day or 21 days. With a suitable internet connection, you can even view your property when you are abroad.
Get the picture??!!!

Quality Counts

Although an avid DIY-er can buy equipment that claims to be a CCTV system from their local store, and electrical companies have jumped onto the CCTV bandwagon and will install systems too, it is always advisable to seek the advice of a specialist company.

Why?

In around 70% of cases, CCTV footage is found to be inadmissible as evidence in a Court of Law because the quality of the evidence is considered inadequate. This can result from the poor design and bad installation of the system and highlights the importance to seek professional advice from the outset

Only a specialist company who are professional in their approach and can demonstrate experience in design and installation should be approached. Most importantly, you must feel confident that the company you choose will listen to and understand your individual CCTV requirements. Their experience with lens optics and camera technology will guarantee you satisfaction with your system.

A specialist company will also ensure the best value for money , for example by using a different lens or camera mounting positions which can not only monitor the area at risk but also give an outline view of the surrounding area at the same time.

Data protection

A CCTV system must be registered in order to comply with the data protection act of 1998.

Since 24 October 2001, it has been a criminal offence to have an unregistered CCTV system that records people in a public or a private place (conditions apply).

The Code of Practice contains legally enforceable ‘Standards’ that must be met to ensure compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

There are also a further 30 points of good working practice which, when used in conjunction with the Standards, are designed to build and maintain public confidence in CCTV systems and to ensure that installers and users operate within the law.

The Code of Practice is available for you to view at www.dataprotection.gov.uk.

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