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May 4,2008 (WeekendEdition) |
This weekend turned out to be both cold AND rainy. However, it did not dampen our efforts yesterday to check out both the annual Somerville Open Studios and the Shobu Aikido "painting party".
There were over 300 artists participating in the event. We did not have time to see them all, but we did spend a bit of time at the Vernon Street Studios.
There were a lot of photographers, painters, and mix-media artists at that location. We found some interesting works, but managed to restrain ourselves and did not make any purchases for the office.
We also checked in on our friend Ted Beatie from last year. Ted has some new works from his travels to Morocco and Burning Man.
On our way to the Vernon Street Studios we stopped in Daniel Maher's stained glass workshop and had a very interesting chat with Daniel about some of his "found glass" creations and his current restoration work for a church in NYC.
Daniel opened his studio on 500 Medford Street over ten years ago. Back then the neighborhood was just beginning its transition. Today, the studio is in one of the most lively artist communities in the Somerville area.
If you are looking for something to do on this rainy Sunday, put on some walking shoes and head on over to Somerville. The event ends at 4PM today. [Permalink] - Wan Chi Lau
Shobu Aikido of Boston is moving to Somerville. We stopped by the new space to check it out. Apparently we had just missed the painting party. There were still a few of the crew doing some touch-up work and cleaning up.
The new space is beautiful! There are two large garage doors in the front which will be replaced with glass doors. The entire space is free of obstructions (unlike their current space) and will allow students to move freely across the entire mat.
To the side of the dojo is a community garden. The dojo has obtained a small plot to grow flowers and such. The students are really looking forward to being a part of the Somerville community.
Shobu Aikido is hoping to have the new dojo ready for a June opening. There is still quite a bit of work left to do. The dojo is always looking for corporate sponsors, donations, and help of any kind. If you want to be part of a vibrant and energizing community, we encourage you to check out Shobu Aikido of Boston. [Permalink] - Wan Chi Lau
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Apple Macintosh computers have been able to support multiple monitors since the days of the Mac II. Having multiple displays is great, but it does take up desk space. Mounting them on the wall was not practical until the introduction of LCD panels.
Today, we'll show how easy it is to mount your LCD on the wall. A wall mount for an LCD monitor runs between $30 and $200 depending on the number of articulations and the amount of weight it can support.
Our particular mount can be adjusted in the horizontal position. The monitor may be tilted forward or backward from vertical by about 20º, useful for setting the most comfortable view angle. The wall plate has a built-in bubble level to make it easy to set it absolutely vertical. The plate attaches to the wall via 2 large screws. Just be sure the screws are set into the studs and not just the sheetrock.
The mounting plate's hole locations are standardized, so attaching to the monitor was simple. We did have to use the supplied spacers because the screws were too long. With the wall plate attached and the arm mounted to the LCD panel, all we had to do was slide the arm onto the wall plate.
Once the monitor was on the wall, we adjusted its position to a comfortable viewing angle and tightened down the joints. Total time for the project...19 minutes from start to finish :-) [Permalink] - Wan Chi Lau
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All the folks here in the office carry different pocket tools. One of the tools is single purpose, but most are multi-functional gadgets. We thought it would be interesting to take a quick look at the collection and ask, if we could only carry one...which one would it be???
The five tools (Gerber, Al Mar, Leatherman, LoggerHead) all have some functions in common. All but one can be used to tighten something. Three of them have a blade. Two have multiple bits for screws and nuts.
Four of the tools are approximately the same size when folded. All may be carried either on the belt or in the pocket of a pair of jeans. Everyone felt that the Loggerhead Tools, while useful in certain situations, is just not versatile enough to go solo.
The Gerber, Loggerhead, and Skeletool either have pliers or a plier-like capability. The Al Mar, Gerber, and Skeletool all have a blade of about the same size, but the blade of the Skeletool is the most substantial of the three and is as comfortable to hold as the Al Mar Folder.
We also agreed that the Al Mar Folder, while a great looking pocket knife, just can't compete with the multi-purpose Gerber and Skeletool, especially if there is a need to open some beer bottles!
Given our criteria of having to carry just one, we all picked the Skeletool. Not because of its awesome looks but because of its "just right" set of tools. We think Leatherman was spot on in their picks of what to include in the Skeletool. We'll report back in a few months to let you know if we still feel the same way. - Wan Chi Lau (permalink)
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When Leatherman announced the Skeletool last year, RainyDayMagazine was one of the first in line waiting for a unit. We were hoping to get them under the trees of a few our our readers. Unfortunately, Leatherman decided to delay the holiday shipment. WHAT? Holidays are when merchandizers biggest sales. Why would anyone pass that up???
Apparently, Leatherman was not satisfied with the quality of the some of the units coming off the lines. Some companies would have let those slip by to unsuspecting buyers and handle it when they fail in the field. However, that is not the Leatherman way.
They would rather delay one of their biggest launches in recent memory AND pass up on the 2007 shopping season rather than put something into the wild that may not live up to expectations. We can live with that.
Fast forward to March, the Skeletool is now shipping and it is phenomenal! The build quality, fit, and finish of the stainless steel version exceeded all of our expectations. This tool will feel right at home on display at MOMA or tucked in the glove compartment of a 20 year old pickup truck.
The Leatherman Skeletool is a minimalist's multi-tool. It has a pair of plier, a blade, wire cutters, bit driver, and a bottle opener. It is made of aluminium and stainless steel. Weight have been strategically removed from the structural components such that strength has not been compromised. It also made the tool look totally awesome.
This Skeletool feels great and looks great. We can't wait to put it to work! The FirstUse review will be in a few weeks. Something tells us Leatherman better crank up its production line because we expect dealers will be have a hard time keep these in stock. If you want to get your hands on one, you better get your order in today. - Wan Chi Lau (permalink)
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Judging from the emails, many of you are just as interested in the OXO Luau as with the DemiGlow. We were going to post the Luau's FirstLook on Monday, but thought we would post it this weekend since there were so many questions.
The Luau rechargeable LED lantern package has three pieces: a lamp, a circular charger, and an AC wall adapter. A dimmer is cleverly integrated into the bottom of the lamp. The brightness of the lamp may be controlled by rotating the entire base.
The shape of the Luau's charger is circular. This design ensures the proper placement of the lamp on the charger and eliminates the need to orient the contacts. The bottom of the charger has a channel to allow the wire to fit into the base so everything lays flat on the floor or table.
The charging base glows green when the lamp is removed and orange when charging. Like all Candela lamps, if charged, the unit automatically turns on when removed from the charging base.
We really like the execution of this Luau rechargeable LED lantern. It is great looking, surprisingly light, comfortable to hold, and is rated to last for about 6 to 10 hours on a charge. This Luau will be a nice lighting companion whether for sitting out on the patio or on walks along the beach at dusk. Folks here will have more comments once they have taken it out for a stroll. - Wan Chi Lau (permalink)
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A week or so ago we mentioned that Candela has been sold by Vessel to OXO. OXO has extended the line with the introduction of a few new lamps based on the Candela technology.
Today we will be taking a FirstLook at the DemiGlow. The DemiGlow is based on the same recharging mechanism as the original Candela, but updated with an energy efficient LED instead of an incandescent bulb.
These smaller DemiGlow lamps are sized to be used in place of the normal votive candles. The obvious advantage with the Candela lamp is the safety aspects of a contactless charger and the flameless light. The use of an LED now makes the DemiGlow more reliable. A separate battery pack will allow the unit to be easily serviced when it needs to be replaced.
The battery packs were shipped separate from the lamps, but ssembly was very simple. The lamp module is released from the shade with a twist of the base. The +/- orientation is clearly marked on the battery and the holder.
The batteries all have a small charge in them. This was useful for testing whether the lamp and battery were properly assembled. The recommendation is to let the battery fully discharge then recharge it overnight.
In the photo, one of the unit already appears dimmer than the others. We'll let them all discharge fully overnight before the first charge. - Wan Chi Lau (permalink)
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Another week has passed, but the post-CES stream of gear coming into the office continues to give the delivery guys a rigorous workout. Quite a few interesting things showed up on the loading dock the last few days.
The largest item is the GE Advantium Microwave Convection Oven. It is the next of the DIY projects for the RainyDayKitchen, a series we started at the beginning of 2008.
The other items which showed up were equally innovative. We came across a company called Civilian Lab. They make a line of unique gear harness and case for active folks. We'll have an indepth look at both in the upcoming months.
We also had a most interesting conversation with OXO, the kitchen utensils people. We learned that they have since acquired the Candela line and have put their manufacturing muscles behind this fantastic product. We will be looking at some of the new Candela offerings (Luau, DemiGlow) later in February.
Some RainyDayMagazine readers may find this next little bit of information more useful than others :-) One trend we appreciate very much is the shift to using flash drives for sending out PR/Marketing materials to editors. Not only is the information in a much more usable form, but once we no longer need it, we still have a perfectly useful flash drive and no paper to throw out or recycle! Leave it to the Dirt Devil folks who make stuff to help us all clean up to think of ways to give us less stuff to clean up! - Wan Chi Lau (permalink)
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The crew in the RainyDayKitchen has tested their share of cleaning tools and gadgets. When we asked them to check out the new Dirt Devil line they were thinking it would be more of the same. However, when they saw the new Dirt Devil line, volunteers were suddenly a lot easier to find.
First up is the Dirt Devil KRUZ. The KRUZ is a cross between a dust buster and an upright vacuum. It is designed for chasing down dust bunnies and quick crumb cleanups.
The KRUZ comes partially assembled. There are three main pieces (handle, motor, base) which fits together to form the unit. The connectors are all designed to align and mate uniquely. Most will find it simple to assemble the pieces.
We probably should read the directions, but since we rarely do...we saw no reason to start now :-) The assembly steps seemed logical enough: attach the handle and base to the motor. You will need a Philips screwdriver.
The base of the unit plugs into the motor via a central tube. On the side of the tube are two metal pins. There are matching holes at the bottom of th motor unit. The two pieces snaps and locks together.
The handle attaches to the upper part of the motor by sliding onto it. It is held in placed with three screws. Again no force is needed to mate the two pieces. If it does not fit, you have the orientation wrong. The entire assembly process took us about 15 minutes.
When fully assembled, the KRUZ stands about 4' tall. The switch is at the top of the handle. The unit will fit neatly in a corner. We will let it charge overnight before taking it on its FirstUse run.
The KRUZ, with its tiny footprint, can be stored just about anywhere there is a free square foot of space. There is a perfect spot in the kitchen in the corner next to the bookcase. It will be readily accessible, but yet mostly out of sight. However, the KRUZ is so good looking that you may not care even if it is out in the middle of the room! - Wan Chi Lau (permalink)
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Dirt Devil became a household brand when they introduced the hand vac back in the 1980s. Years later, the original Dirt Devil design was reissued as the "Classic."
Fast forward to 2007: the entire Dirt Devil line has been revamped by Karim Rashid, with an eye toward both modern forms and innovative functions.
RainyDayMagazine will be reviewing them in our RainyDayKitchen section this year. Some will be featured in this year's Spring Cleaning issue. Others will be used in our Fall Cleanup project. Look for a RainyDayPuzzler at the start of February where you can win something and get a jump on your own Spring Cleaning (hint, hint). - Wan Chi Lau (permalink)
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Yesterday we laid down all of the whole tiles in the center of the room in about 2 hours. Another five hours were spent on making the single cuts for the various tiles along the edge. Today, we finished up the more difficult compound cuts of the corners and around the door mouldings.
There are two ways to place a tile around door mouldings: under it or around it. To place the tile under the door moulding, the moulding must be removed. To place the tile around the moulding, the tile needs to be cut. We opted for the latter option.
The easiest way to fit the tile around a moulding is to use a form tracing tool. The tool is simple to use. Just press it against the shape, trace the outline onto the tile, and cut. We found that it was not necessary to cut too deep into the tile, just deep enough so it can be removed using some needle-nose pliers.
There is a compound cut every time a tile hits a corner. There were ten of them in the kitchen. We found the old saying "measure twice, cut once" really was something one should take to heart when making these compound cuts.
This size project can easily be completed by two people in one weekend. The main recommendation we have is to work from the center, take care in aligning the tile edges, and to wear knee pads :-) - Wan Chi Lau (permalink)
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Indoor renovation projects in the Winter are great because not much can be done outside :-) It is also feels good to have accomplished SOMETHING right at the beginning of a New Year!!!
We decided our first RainyDayRenovation project of 2008 is going to be retiling the floor in the kitchen. The floor which is there now is a single sheet of patterned linoleum. The light color gave the 10x15 sq ft room a nice spacious feel. However, it easily shows dirt from the traffic and it is difficult to keep clean. We wanted something which will both warm up the room and make it a little easier (ie: show less dirt) to maintain.
The original floor in the RainyDayKitchen was still in pretty good shape so there was no need to pull it up or put down a new plywood subfloor. This saved us about a day's worth of work.
The interns spent a few days moving all of the stuff into another room, vacuumed and washed everything. For good adhesion, it is VERY important for the floor to be grease and particle free.
To complete the entire project will take most of the weekend. Our recommendation is to lay down all of the whole tiles first, next do the ones which requires only a single cut, and finish with the more complex ones.
Laying down the tiles are pretty easy, just peel and press. The key to a good looking job is to realize that little errors will accumulate over the course of several tiles...so LINE THINGS UP before proceeding on to the next tile. The tools required are simple (rolling pin, angle square, box cutter).
For a 150 square foot room, a reasonable estimate is between 10 to 12 hours of work. This is excluding all of the "prep" work: moving, cleaning, buying tiles. The job can be done in much less time by the pros, but it will cost you about 10x more :-)
Tomorrow, we'll show you the completed project. If you have started your own RainyDayRenovation projects, drop us a line or send us some pics when you are done. We'll be happy to share it with everyone! - Wan Chi Lau (permalink)
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RainyDayRenovations 2007
RainyDayRenovations 2006
RainyDayRenovations 2005
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