Shower Doors

With power tools a task can be completed in a tenth of the time it would have taken with a hand tool and that should warm the cockles of any DIYer’s heart. How does a power tool differ from a hand tool? Well for starters it operates using some form of a motor. The motor can be powered in a number of ways, i.e. batteries, electricity, compressed air – or even the burning of fuels or propellants.  Power tools are classified as being stationary – they sit in place and cannot be taken anywhere such as a table saw, a lathe or a bench saw or they can be portable – that is one can be carried around as needed. Examples of portable power tools include drills, angle grinders, and electric sanders, nail guns, and paint sprayers.

Here is a list of some of the most common power tools you will find:

Drills, Drill presses, Circular saws, Bandsaws, Chainsaws, Concrete saws, Tile saws, Belt sanders,

Disc sanders, Floor sanders, Electric screwdrivers, Nail guns, Paint sprayers, String trimmers (whipper snippers), Blowtorches, Angle grinders, Impact wrenches, Jigsaws, Routers, Lathes, Power wrenches, random orbital sanders, Table saws, Planers,

Power Tools and Safety

While power tools are marvellously convenient and make just about any job around the home easier and faster to complete, it is important to use them safely because power tools can be quite dangerous.  Firstly, you should wear hearing protection as many tools operate over the safe decibel limit and can cause hearing loss.  It’s also important to use eye protection and work with gloves on.  Don’t rush and follow safe operating procedures such as ensuring that the “danger end” of the tool is facing away from your body.  Turn off the power tool whenever it is not in immediate use.

Buying Power Tools

When buying power tools – don’t necessarily go for the cheapest.  If your power tools are going to be used frequently, it is better to go for those which are sturdily built, safer and easier to use.  Cordless power tools maybe better to work within space limitations but corded power tools are often more powerful, and you don’t have to worry about the batteries running out.

Your Bathroom Can Look Spectacular Utilising A New Product

If you are thinking of redesigning your bathroom space, the latest trends in design lean towards products that are environmentally friendly, therefore there is even more reason to make use of a stunning new product that has a hand-carved stone appearance from Interlam.

Natural products and natural fibers, that are combined with technology and that make use of renewable materials and recycled resources, is hugely popular and a sought-after product that is available all over the world, and is making inroads into the SA market and creative world of design.

There is a real trend towards using recycled materials as well as reusing resources; this modern trend is rapidly gaining popularity.

Design just got better and more exciting, show-casing the superb hand-carved stone collection which is based on the elements of nature which include fire, earth, water and air.

The incorporation of this natural stone look can create a dramatic backdrop to practically any surface, making you feel as if you are one with nature.

With a markedly handmade finish, this three dimensional appearance will alter the ordinary into the amazing. High humidity will not affect the quality of this hand carved stone collection.

The natural stone look could design a stunning feature in any bathroom; you can fashion a spa-like ambience in the bathroom of your dreams, creating a perfect refuge from the hustle and bustle of your usual every-day routine. All you need to add are a couple of fluffy towels and aromatic oils, and the look will be complete.

It is really easy to weave a little magic and breathe new life in a tired room. Use textures and paint for a fresh new look.
Colour inspirations will guide you, and streamlining your storage will  make a world of difference.
Sleek chrome wall shelves are neat and fuss-free and will help in keeping all your toiletries and bathroom accessories tidy and out of harm’s way.
Make the most of the space you already have; if your suite is too tired and you are unable to renew it you will be surprised at how inexpensive some are, but the secret is to shop around to find out what they are going for and many tiling and bathroom outlets have sales and special offers that will give you good value for your rand.
It is not essential to spend a fortune if you are looking to revamp an old bathroom. Buying a whole new suite for your bathroom is often extremely costly, but there are definite ways and means to give that tired room a lift with a couple of inexpensive ideas.
Buy fluffy new towels, or a sparkling mirror to lift the look, or investing in new window treatments, mirror tiles for the walls and a lick of paint can do wonders.
Accessories bought from flea markets for an antique ambience, soft candle light and lovely new light fittings make a huge difference.
If your tiles were bought in the seventies, then specialty paints will give your tiles and bath a spanking new surface.
With a little bit of imagination and a small budget it is surprising how different your bathroom can look, and this can be done for little outlay.
For that tired looking bathroom there is much that can be done; bathroom DIY ideas are simple, all you need is a little bit of time and a lot of imagination.

What’s it all about? Almost like the revolution in Egypt, Yemen or Libya, a change is coming about in the world of coupons. In the beginning there was the “mighty Groupon”, then came hundreds of its followers worldwide and now, a new era begins – the era of the coupon aggregators. Only question remains is: what comes next?

Up till now: Social Buying websites, also known as Group Buying, Coupon Buying or Daily Deal websites have existed for approximately two years, give or take, the most familiar of them being the “Groupon”. Groupon, which originated in the U.S., has since managed to go public and raise millions of dollars (most of them spent or “taken” to the founder’s pockets). The basic method behind these websites is: High quantity sales in return for steep price reductions. By promising increased sales, merchants lower their products prices, thus making the product more appealing to online buyers. The websites then profit from each product sold on their website. Their percent is taken from the merchant.
It has been said that there are currently 500 daily deal websites worldwide. Others say the number is much higher. There are currently 250 coupon websites in the US, 110 in Canada, 23 in China, 30 in South-Africa and many more in Europe and the rest of the world.

To where from here? Many reviews have been written about the sustainability of these websites, most of them claiming that the method itself is flawed and therefore the expected life time of such websites is limited. Others argue that the difficult financial times ahead, in the years 2011-2012, will only increase online consumers reliability on these website’s thus prolonging there “shelf life”. All agree that this method will not last forever but no one knows to say exactly till when they will be around. The question remaining is what changes can be expected in this market, if any?

One such change has already begun claims David.B, the CEO of “Dealafrica”, one of South-Africa’s leading Daily Deals Aggregator websites. According to him, thousands of South-African Internet users have already began “voting with their feet” and instead of subscribing to one or two coupon websites are now subscribing directly to the daily deal aggregator websites themselves. These websites do not sell the products directly but rather collect the deals being offered on all the various daily deal websites, and centralize them in one place thus saving users the time and effort to search for the deals on the separate websites. An additional advantage is the various filtering options that these aggregator websites, thus allowing the users to only view the deals that interest them and even receive a daily email according to their predefined preferences.

As a result of the new trend, numerous aggregator websites have been popping up over the last few months in South-Africa. As of the last count there were 5 or so.

An International point of view: The “new” trend is apparently not so “new” to some parts of the world, with the U.S. leading the way as usual. Various online international websites, such as Techcrunch, Cnbc.com, and cnet.com, have already begun reviewing the subject claiming that the move from coupon websites to the aggregators was expected. One such reporter claimed that: “People are constantly looking for faster and more convenient ways to get things done and daily deal aggregators are definitely one of those ways”.

Show me the money. As with any trend, it is important to keep your eye on the money. For a trend to succeed there has to be a financial motive for the people making it possible. Proof of this trends “worthiness” can be found in the increased interest that the major online players have been showing, including Google and Facebook. Fact is, these players have not only shown an interest but have actually fired the first few shots with Google buying out the deal aggregator website “Dealmap”.

Where this new trend will take us only time will tell.