Tag Archives: Tools

Common Landscaping Tools For Every Landscaper

March 08, 2024   Matt

Common Landscaping Tools For Every Landscaper

For the avid do-it-yourself landscaper, the right tools are important. After all, if one wishes to save money on the expenses associated with having a well cared for yard, it is best to make sure that he or she has all of the tools necessary to create an attractive landscape. By understanding some of the most common tools used for basic landscaping needs, you can ensure that you have everything you need to keep your lawn in the best possible shape, bringing delight and distinction to your grounds, be they large or small.

Shovels, rakes, trowels, and hand cultivators. These are the most basic of tools when it comes to landscaping. Every home should be supplied with these basic implements. They make just about every landscaping endeavor possible. Shovels to remove sod and turn soil, as well as dig the holes necessary for fixtures like trees and hardscapes, Rakes are essential to smooth out planting beds and prepare ground for things like sod without packing the dirt. Trowels and hand cultivators allow you to perform minute work that requires more attention to detail. All of these tools are necessary to the proper functioning and care of a landscape.

Pruners and shears. These tools are used to improve the appearance of woody plants and trees. They keep plants from encroaching in other areas, and they also promote the overall health of the plants. They help maintain a neat appearance, and if you have topiary concerns, they are indispensable in maintaining a set shape. There are hand pruners, tools that help with the smaller branches and are easier to use, loppers for getting thicker branches that are to large for pruners, and even pruning saws that can help you with the toughest of branches. Hedge shears provide a way for hedges to be trimmed more conscientiously than with electric or gas-run trimmers (although these are widely available and can make maintaining hedges much easier).

Lawnmower. This is perhaps one of the most common and most obvious of landscaping tools. It is meant to keep the grass at a reasonable level, and to keep the lawn neat and healthy. Related to lawnmowers in the trimming department are things like weed wackers, which are very useful in keeping edges that can’t be cut by a mower nice and neat. Additionally, the use of some special machinery, designed to eliminate thick brush is useful to have on hand, even it is only in the form of a machine rented once a year.

Other tools of interest. Of course, there are specialty tools that may be needed depending upon on the features of your landscape. If you have a water fixture, it is important to make sure that you have the proper pumps and filters, and that you have little skimmers that can allow you to remove larger pieces of debris from the water. Automatic sprinklers can make watering the lawn and your other plants much easier, and you should have a garden hose for special watering needs. Regular household tools such as hammer and nails, levels, and drills can be helpful if you have built landscape features like patios, decks, pergolas, and trellises. They can also be useful in building things like containers and creating raised beds.

Wheelbarrow. A wheelbarrow will always be of infinite use for the avid landscaper and improver. Wheelbarrows are very useful for moving debris as well as bringing needed implements to their proper places. They haul dirt and bring in plants. They make it possible to for one person to carry a load that otherwise she or he would not be able to handle. For the serious landscaper, a wheelbarrow is indeed necessary.

When you have all of the tools necessary to take care of your landscape, then you are well rewarded for your hard work. Acquiring the more common tools can also save you money in the long run, as they can be used over and over again. Additionally, many of the more common landscape tools are fairly small in size and easy to store in a garage or a shed. As long as they are kept neatly arranged in place, they are easy to get to when needed, and not hard to find. Proper maintenance of you tools is important: keep them from becoming rusty, and make sure your lawnmower and other gas or electric implements are well oiled and always have plenty of gas. Proper care of your tools ensures that you will be able to properly care for your landscape.

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Tools Every Do-It-Yourself Landscaper Needs

August 26, 2022   Matt

Tools Every Do-It-Yourself Landscaper Needs

There is no doubt that choosing to do your own landscaping is the best way to go for many people. Not only do you save a lot of money by not hiring professionals to do the work, you also will get to enjoy a lot of time outside. Landscaping is good exercise and a great way to spend an afternoon.

Any do-it-yourself landscapers will require a variety of tools, from basic to high tech, in order to get the job done right. Here are some of the tools that are essential for doing your own landscaping.

Software: Yes, believe it or not, a good landscaping program can be essential when you are designing the layout of your lawn and garden. I use the Master Landscape & Home Design by Punch! Software. I bought this program for my wife back in 2003, and we have used it a lot ever since. The 3D Photoview technology allows us to put in digital pictures of our home and garden and then implement any changes on the screen before we put them into effect in our yard. The PlantFinder allows us to find plants that are the most appropriate to the soil and climate conditions where we live, and it even has a calculator to help us estimate the costs of the plants from different stores. This is about as high tech as I get when it comes to landscaping, though.

Lawn mower: You might not realize it, but mowing the lawn is an essential part of any landscape. A lawn mower is therefore a critical part of doing your landscaping yourself. Buying a lawn mower can be a tricky business- you can get models with everything included but the kitchen sink. The fact is, a second hand lawn mower that works can be just as good as a brand new model straight from the catalogues. If you have a large area to mow, you will probably want to invest in a riding lawn mower to save time and aching muscles.

Weed Whacker: There are points on your lawn that your mower just won’t reach, around fences and right beside patios, around any fruit trees or berry canes. For these, you will need a good weed whacker. The best models come with several attachments, appropriate to chopping down a variety of weeds- especially if you have slacked off and allowed some of the hardier varieties to grow up. These can be death for the average string-and-coil whacker, and you will need some good plastic to stand up to them.

There are several other tools that every landscaper needs, most of them relatively low tech in comparison to those above. A variety of shovels, rakes, and pruning instruments are all essential, as are a good pair of gloves. All of these tools will be dependent on what you have planted in your landscaping, and more complicated designs may even require some basic knowledge of electricity, carpentry, and hydroponics.

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The Tools Needed For Radio Controlled Hobbyists

September 20, 2021   Matt

The Tools Needed For Radio Controlled Hobbyists

Building a radio controlled project requires a huge amount of time and detail when you are putting the pieces together, or even cutting the pieces out to be assembled. Most people who do it as a hobby will have many different tools that they use throughout the course of assembling a radio controlled project. If you want to build something for the first time, you will need some materials that will come in immensely handy throughout the process. Here I will name some of the main ones, but you will most likely need to find some more specific tools to fit your personal needs.

Of course, the first thing you need is the raw material that will be used to construct the project. Most radio controlled projects are made out of wood. If your plans don’t call for a specific type, you will have to choose it yourself, which can be tough. Balsa wood is the most popular choice, especially for toy airplanes and helicopters. It is extremely light, while maintaining a good level of solidity. You can build an entire airplane frame out of it, and it will have a minimal amount of flex. IF you are building a larger model of an airplane or other vehicle, then balsa may be too soft, in which case you will want to look for other woods.

The radio and motor equipment is the 2nd most important part. If you are a really enthusiastic radio controlled hobbyist as well as an engineer of some sort, then you may consider making it all out of the various components. It is possible to buy all of the electric components of the radio and motor systems separately. However, if you do this you will have to deal with all of the electrical concepts and parts including transistors, resistors, and all those other things that make it so daunting. There is no shame in buying transmitters or motors pre-assembled and just gluing them wherever they need to go. It will definitely save you some time.

The first tool that should never leave the arsenal of a radio control enthusiast is a good old X-Acto Knife. Even if you are buying a kit that allows for easy assembly, you will still need the X-Acto knife to shave off any bumps or extra pieces of wood / plastic that are getting in the way. If you are building it entirely from scratch, the knife will be perfect for cutting outlines from thinner pieces of wood, cutting notches for the electrical equipment to keep steady, or just getting everything to the exact shape that you want it. You can buy them for just a few dollars at your local hobby store, or home improvement store.

Depending on the material that you are using to build your project, you will need some type of tack or glue to hold it together. There are many different choices for this area. You can use superglue, wood glue, or epoxy, and each one will hold fairly sturdy. Look up the type of wood or plastic that you are using, and see what type of tack is recommended to fasten it. If you are building a remote control boat or even a submarine, you will have to consider the matter of waterproofing it to avoid ruining the electrical components when you first put it in the water. This is usually accomplished through some sealing putty for cracks and a spray-on sealant to keep the wood from soaking.

At some point you will have to cut all of the wood into the segments that you require to piece together the final product. While it is possible with a handsaw, it is definitely not the best choice. A table saw works best for larger pieces, but for finer details you would be hard pressed to find a better tool than a Dremel Tool. They look like electric toothbrushes, and have quickly rotating heads that can grind away balsa wood in a matter of seconds. They allow for maximum accuracy, whether you are shaping a piece of wood or making holes for wiring.

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Automotive Check Tools And Also The Modern Vehicle

November 03, 2020   Matt

Automotive Scan Devices And Also The Modern Vehicle

Many thanks to the enhancing intricacy of modern-day vehicles over the past few years, most expert vehicle stores and also garages currently call for an option of automotive check tools with which to accomplish day to day diagnostic job in order to determine any kind of problems with an engine or engine administration system in order to find what action is required in order to effect a fixing with the minimum of mistake and also maximum efficiency.

There are a variety of various tools offered to perform diagnostics and scans on different kinds of vehicle as well as to prepare to fix as effectively as possible. Knowing carefully what problems are causing an auto engine to act in a certain way is the key to being able to fix the fault in a prompt and also efficient fashion.

Perhaps the ideal understood manufacturer of vehicle scan devices is OTC, who make a series of tools made for the finest and ideal rate. A thorough range is offered to allow technicians to be able to take on any job they discover, and the variety of OTC automobile scan devices is identified as one of the top choices for the expert, as well as being economical enough for domestic usage under certain situations.

Various work call for different devices, and some are a lot more intricate than others. Commonly, any work to fix a modern-day automobile begins with connecting the scanner right into the engine monitoring computer system and also downloading a log of present performance date. This will consist of gas intake, and also time considering that the last service. It will certainly give the mechanic a total introduction of just how the engine is operating, as well as where there may be errors occurring. The check will certainly reveal the auto mechanic checking out the engine whether there are any troubles with the fuel supply, the electronics, the air filters, and also the running temperature, it will certainly likewise give plenty of understanding into whether any kind of problems belong to a concern within the engine itself, or certainly within the means the monitoring system has actually been established up.

A total diagnostic of a car’s engine management computer system will commonly offer a practically immediate list of the efficiency information for the lorry, and also a good auto check device will certainly shave hours off an or else lengthy repair job, as the auto mechanic will be able to tell virtually instantly what is wrong, and what requires to be performed in order to repair the damage.

Of course, technology just functions well in the hands of those that comprehend it, as well as have the ability to sift with the data offered via a check as well as analyze it appropriately. Nonetheless, the most recent OTC vehicle scan devices have actually been created to be nearly fool evidence, and also are able to attract on the experience as well as understanding of numerous different developers as well as auto mechanic’s personal records in order to offer a much more accurate overview of the data as well as also present feasible solutions to a number of the most typical problems that a technician might encounter.

While some manufacturers release their very own range of tools, that are intended at major dealerships, a commercial technician might take care of various models as well as producers in their daily duty, and also this is why it is often a concept to acquire OTC automobile check devices, as they will be suitable with a series of different lorries from different international manufacturers, and therefore use better versatility without needing to jeopardize on high quality or pay consistently for scanners for each single automobile that gets on the market.

While commercial degree automobile check devices are expensive to install and themselves call for regular system updates that carry the most up to date setups for each brand-new car released, they spend for themselves virtually quickly many thanks to the time that they have the ability to save, and also the fact that without them, even the most skilled technician would certainly battle to discover the internal operations of the most up to date automobile engines, which have actually been created to be efficient, as well as durable, however are significantly too complicated for anyone yet the experts to take into consideration executing any type of deal with.

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Golf Course Tools Fundamentals: Winter Storage

November 01, 2019   Matt

Golf Links Tools Fundamentals: Winter Months Storage

Small engine automobiles, like golf carts, mower and also trucksters, require the exact same care and upkeep as an automobile or vehicle. Proprietors have a tendency to fail to remember that putting a golf cart or mower away for the winter months needs the exact same treatment as if you were preparing to keep a car for an extensive quantity of time. Too typically carts are saved away in some edge of the garage without much thought provided to how well they will certainly launch when the weather condition improves. Golf cart owners figure that concealing them away in a shed or garage, clear from the winter elements suffices. Not rather. Even if your golf cart or mower is new, they still call for some maintainance. Actually, obtaining them to launch trouble-free from period to period requires you follow a couple of factors of due-diligence.

First, take the tools you will need to properly place your golf cart in storage space for the winter season. This equipment consists of a wrench, a couple of bottles of distilled water, some cleaning dustcloths, gloves for you, safety glasses for your eyes, a hydrometer (it measures the gravity of the electrolyte solution) and also a voltmeter (to gauge voltage). You may desire to toss in some sodium bicarbonate and also vaseline as well.

The adhering to are measures you can take to guarantee your golf cart or course mower launches once more as spring occurs.

1. Check out the supplier’s upkeep guide
Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. Don’t attempt to play with the little engine if you’ve never dealt with one before. If you discover anything uncommon, take your golf cart or mower to the closest dealership for an examination. Don’t wait until springtime to have your little engine examined.

2. Get rid of the battery
Before saving your golf mower or cart for the winter months, remove the battery as well as disconnect it from the booster cable. Shop your battery in a refuge, far from heated elements, gas or heating system. Wipe it tidy and brush off the battery terminal with a metal brush. Examine for any type of cracks or borken components. If the supplier recommends special cleaning services for your battery, offer it an excellent cleaning prior to placing it away. If there are no spcial instructions, pure water ought to suffice. Prevent utilizing harsh cleaning chemicals. The majority of golf cart or lawn mower troubles are because of poorly preserved batteries.

3. Store in a safe, covered location
Shop your golf cart or lawn mower away from heating systems, heaters and gas containers. Additionally make sure that it is not place near any type of open home windows where water damage may happen.

4. Place it away tidy
Tidy your cart or lawn mower before keeping it. Laundry off any type of leaves, turf, recurring dirt, dried or wet mud, as well as moisture pockets from both the major exterior and also beneath. Rub out grass as well as dust from around the blade utilizing a long-handled brush – Do not use your bare hands! When you tidy your lawn mower, disconnect the ignition system lead cord, wind it up gently and tape it together.

5. Get rid of remaining fuel
You ought to end up off any kind of gas that is staying in your storage tank (if it makes use of fuel) or add a fuel preserver prior to storage space. Review the guidelines for the gas preserver meticulously before using. After including it plug your lawn mower or cart and also let the engine run for a couple of minutes. This should offer the gas preserver sufficient time to undergo the carburetor. One good thing concerning gas preservers (also called stabilizers) is that they keep the fuel fresh in the engine for as long as half a year. You can now shut off the engine.

Follow these easy actions for storage space and also your golf cart or lawn mower will certainly launch in a breeze.

~ Ben Anton, 2008

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Usage Rug Cleansing Tools To Look After Your Rugs

April 20, 2019   Matt

Usage Carpeting Cleaning Devices To Look After Your Carpets

You’ve invested a ton of money on gorgeous rugs that match your home decoration. And also they are ever so comfy on the feet! You do not intend to see your financial investment obtain destroyed by dirt, oily dirt, and discolorations that can wear your carpet down and make it look and scent much older than it really is. So make certain to use carpet cleansing tools to look after your rugs.
I make certain you prefer to have your carpeting looking and scenting clean and fresh than looking old and smelling poor. A poor scenting rug can be the result of food preparation odors, animal odors but it can additionally originate from regular on a daily basis dust and also crud. Rug cleaning equipment can keep your rugs appearing like brand-new.
When one hears words rug cleansing tools we immediately think of the big steam cleansers that are utilized to shampoo the rugs, but your regular old vacuum belongs to your carpet cleansing devices armor.
So you can completely recognize why having a top quality vacuum cleaner is so very vital. Your vacuum is your initial defense versus eliminating completely dry soil, dust, and also grime. Things like mud, food crumbs, as well as pet hair. A great vacuum will obtain deep into the carpeting and also attract out more of this debris so it can’t abrade and wear your carpet.
Obviously there is even more to maintaining your carpets clean than cleansing with your vacuum cleaner. You’ll require to make use of some sort of carpet cleaner to get rid of oily sticky soiling, in addition to odors. Oil down payments if left in the carpeting will eventually create degeneration in your rug. If your carpeting is light tones these oil deposits will quickly make your rug look dull.
Great you know you need to shampoo your rugs but picking from the broad variety of rug cleaning devices on the marketplace can be mind boggling. So see to it you do some study. Not all devices is created equally.
Some systems are known for leaving a deposit on the rug which after that substances the issue due to the fact that it draws in deposit to it which totally beats the initial purpose of cleansing the carpeting.
The just how water extraction systems are the very best option when it comes eliminating oily soil crud. The device sprays a remedy of water and detergent right into the rug then uses an extremely powerful vacuum cleaner to suck the water as well as soil back up into the holding tank.
Vapor cleaning is one more alternative in rug cleansing devices. Heavy steam is really great for getting into those tiny fractures and crevices that are typically hard to get to. Heavy steam cleaning is safe for your carpets, your drape, as well as your furniture as long as it is done effectively. An additional benefit to heavy steam cleaning is that there are no chemicals yet you have an extremely hygienic clean due to the heat aspect. It will certainly clean dust, eliminate parasites like carpeting termites. A really risk-free procedure!
Heavy steam carpeting cleansing devices functions a lot like a central heating boiler where the storage tank gets warmed up to an extremely heat, around 250 F, and the vapor or vapor is enabled to get away via the powerful jets. The vapor sanitizes and cleans up the surface area extremely swiftly as well as very successfully. Your house will certainly glimmer!
Another kind of rug cleaner is the dry steam cleanser which will certainly work virtually in any type of location including fridge seals, patio doors, and obviously your rugs. The newer versions have a special self cleansing system, plus they warm in much less than 30 seconds. They likewise feature a selection of pressure setups that permit you to change the rate as well as thus the kind of cleaning.
You can either call the pros ahead clean your rugs or you can rent out a rug cleaner. If your carpetings are soiled truly severely you are most likely best off calling the pros as they have the experience, the professional cleaning problems, and also the strong equipment to obtain your carpetings tidy. A specialist cleansing will certainly likewise give you more time between cleanings.
Whichever type of carpet cleaner you pick, and also whether you do your carpetings on your own or work with the pros it is essential to use carpet cleansing devices to take care of your carpets. Regular cleaning will maintain your carpets looking new and fresh and also it will certainly extend the life of the rugs.

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