Dry Film Lubricants Low Friction Coatings

Dry film lubricants low friction coatings can be excellent means to achieving low friction.

Unlike greases, oils, or ‘wet’ lubricants, dry film lubricants low friction coatings can be utilized in extreme environments, such as very high temperature or pressure, Non Stick Coating even under vacuum, where other, organic-based compounds like PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) will ‘cold flow’, never survive.

Examples of common lubricating compounds include graphite, tungsten disulfide (WS2), and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2). Frictional performance can be exceptional from these unique structures, with coefficients as low as 0.02-0.04. Of course, friction is a system-dependent parameter, a function of load, travel distance, rate of travel, temperature, base material hardness, surface finish, mated surface characteristics, and other factors.

Everlube Products Pioneer and Leader in Solid Film Lubricant Technology.
How is their performance derived? Characteristics of dry film lubricants low friction coatings come from lubricating particles rubbing against themselves. There is no metal to metal contact. Of course, special binders, both organic and inorganic based, are often included for a variety of physical property or performance enhancements.

Dry film lubricants low friction coatings rely on hardness of the moving parts they cover. That is why base material selection is so important. Thickness ranges from 0.0001 to 0.0005 inch are typically all that is needed to derive sustainable low friction. Today, these materials can be applied by spray, wipe or dip, and, from the more advanced techniques, vapor deposition. Consequently, coverage of most any geometry, any surface, internal or external, will be feasible. Processing temperatures can be as low as PTFE Coatings room temperature but average about 400 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes most metals acceptable candidates so long as they meet other critical mechanical requirements for the ‘system’.

Here, though, surface finish will be critical. All roughness (peaks) between the surfaces needs to be removed. Otherwise, the very benefits of dry film lubricants low friction coatings may be negated, and severe galling or cold-weld may occur. Generally, for both sliding surfaces, cast materials are poor work piece candidates, unless surface finishes of 32 micro inch or better are assured.

Between the sliding surfaces, how many surfaces should you apply dry film lubricants low friction coatings? Generally, friction will be slightly higher coating both surfaces, rather than coating one surface only. But by coating both surfaces, you may may extend the life of the ‘overall system’. So, while differences may prove negligible, this is something you will have to determine. That is, whether longer wear life or lower friction is the choice for your gear, machinery, or metal lubrication.

Dry film lubricants low friction coatings have a long established history with the military and aerospace industries. Their ability to work in some of the more adverse environments is well known, including temperatures ranging from cryogenic to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit, compatibly with Water Based Spray Paint liquid oxygen, in a hard vacuum, and to withstand high frequency fretting, as well as loads in excess of 200,000 psi. Of course, this makes them proven candidates for automotive, marine, and countless other industries.

To be sure dry film lubricants low friction coatings will best serve your needs, first understand your requirements. What is the nature of your environment? Are the materials you’ve chosen for your work pieces suitable? Have they been hardened?

Often, failure is not the fault of the coating, but a failure to understand its limits. Know this, then ask all the right questions and surface engineer for success every time.

Top Stylus Pens and Brushes for iPad and Other Touch Screen Tablets

These are my top picks of the best stylus pens and brushes for drawing and painting on the iPadand other touch screen tablets. There is no shortage of choices when it comes to touch screen styli, but many of them are poor quality, or just not ideal for drawing, painting and other graphics editing tasks. The stylus options below are what I have found to the best choices for working with art and graphics appson a touch screen. For more reviews and general information on choosing a stylus, see my Touch Screen Stylus Roundup.For information about pressure-sensitive stylus pens for the iPad, see Before You Buy an Electronic Stylus, and my Smart Stylus Roundup.1. Non Stick Coatings TruGlide Pro Precision & Artist Paintbrush Tip© LYNKTecThe TruGlide Pro Precision stylus is fashioned after a regular pen-style stylus, but instead of a rubber tip, it features a soft, micro-fiber tip which glides effortlessly across the screen. In addition, the tip unscrews from the pen body, allowing you to attach alternate tips. LYNKTec has hit on a winning combination here with a microfiber tip stylus and a paintbrush option. The tapered paintbrush tip is made of a combination of highly conductive organic and synthetic fibers. When using the microfiber tip, a slight pressure is required for screen response. In contrast, the brush tip requires such a light touch that it feels as if you are not even touching the screen. The TruGlide Pro Stylus & Artist Paintbrush Tip Bundle includes the Pro Precision stylus in your choice of color, an artist paintbrush tip, and a metal carrying case.More Info2. Sensu Brush & Stylus in One© Artist HardwareThe Sensu Brush is an artist's brush and stylus combined in a sleek, attractive package. The Sensu Brush consists of a rubber-tipped stylus on one end, and an authentic hair artist brush on the other end. A separate cap serves to protect the bristle end of the stylus, and lengthens the stylus when the brush is used. A comfort grip is integrated into the brush end of the stylus. The Sensu Brush is available in either chrome or matte black finish. With the combination of a standard stylus nib, a real-bristle artist brush, and protective cap, the designers of Sensu Brush have hit on a real winner here. Of all the brush-style styli I've tried to date, it's the best.Non Stick Coating Spray More Info3. Nomad FLeX Brush© NomadBrush LLCNomad Brush is modeled after a real paintbrush and creates an unrivaled experience working with art apps. After the success of the original Nomad Brush, a number of new models have been introduced to meet a variety of needs. The original Nomad mil Brush has a longer handle, which is perfect for a tablet device like the iPad, and is offered with either a long or short bristle tip. The Nomad Mini is a similar brush stylus with a shorter handle. The Nomad Compose is a dual-tip brush stylus with interchangeable, screw-on tips. You can choose a long brush or short brush version and both versions also include a glide bevel tip with very short beveled bristles. Nomad Play is a paintbrush stylus designed for kids. It comes in four colors with a fun design for each color. My current favorite is the Nomad FLeX, which offers interchangeable nibs, includes a protective carrying case, and comes in your choice of five stylish colors--cobalt blue, charcoal, pink, silver, and red.More Info4. GoSmart StylusPhoto credit: © Thomas PRThe GoSmart Stylus offers a unique cross-hair tip which provides an unblocked view of the drawing point on your screen, for more precision. The stainless steel tip is coated with Teflon so it won't scratch your tablet's screen. Although I did experience an unpleasant squeaking noise with long strokes on my screen protector, I enjoyed the unimpeded view of the screen that this stylus provides. It comes in two styles--a pen shape and a rocket shape--and the strong rare-earth magnets embedded in the pen body allow it to attach to your iPad or Smart Cover. This would be a great stylus to use for detailed artistic work as well as note-taking and general use.More Info5. Wacom Bamboo Stylus© WacomThe Wacom Bamboo Stylus is attractive, well-built, and feels nice in the hand. It comes with a clip, and is offered in six color choices which perfectly match the iPad 2 Smart Cover. The tip of the Bamboo Stylus is a soft flexible rubber, and at 6mm wide, it is a bit smaller than other foam- and rubber-tipped stylus pens. The Wacom Bamboo Stylus doesn't offer anything special for working with larger screens and art applications, but it is a stylish and comfortable solid performer that Ceramic Coated works well for general use.More InfoChoosing an iPad Stylus for Touch Screen TabletsHere are some points to consider when choosing a touch screen stylus for your iPad or other tablet, along with the full round-up of stylus pens and brushes I have reviewed.

Non-stick Bakeware Care

Nonstick bakeware and cookware is so convenient for reducing the amount of grease or oil needed to cook foods, or to make baking easy to remove from the pans.  Unfortunately,PTFE Coating this coated kitchenware has its downside - it's just not as durable as non-coated pans, but you can help keep them in good shape so you can enjoy your nonstick cookware and bakeware for a longer period.   Here are some helpful tips that will increase the lifespan of your pans:How to Care for Nonstick Cookware10 Ways to Ruin a Nonstick PanKeeping Nonstick Bread Pans - NonstickPhoto © MifflinPractical Mini Loaf Pans| Silicone Bakeware| Bundt BasicsComments(0)See All Posts

How Do You Season or Cure Cast Iron Fry Pans or Skillets

Question: How Do You Season or Cure Cast Iron Fry Pans or Skillets?Uncoated cast iron skillets or fry pans must be cured or seasoned before you can use them - what is this process, and do the words 'curing' and 'seasoning' mean the same thing?Answer: Cast iron cookware should be cured, inside and out including lids, if the pan is new and has not been pre-cured by the manufacturer, or if your pan is old, Non Stick Coatings and the seasoning has worn off.Many manufacturers are now marketing pans that have been pre-seasoned.  In this case, the curing process has been done for you, but read the product manual carefully to see if there are any initial washing instructions to follow.The words 'curing' and 'seasoning' both refer to the process of coating your pan with grease and oven-cooking it, which fills the pores of the cast iron, and renders your pan with a natural, nonstick-type of coating.To maintain the curing on your pan, you should only rinse or quickly wash with mild soapy water after each use.  Too much scrubbing and hot water will remove the curing, and the pan will require a re-seasoning.  It is normal for your pan to require a re-seasoning occasionally.Curing/Seasoning ProcessPrepare your pan by scrubbing it with hot soapy water, ensuring there is no food residue or rust, and dry it completely.Warm the pan up slightly, and apply a coat of melted shortening to the inside and outside.  Liquid cooking oils are not recommended.Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and put your cookware in upside right, on a foil-covered cooking sheet, to catch any drips.  If you use a non-covered baking sheet, it will require a good scrub afterwards - the foil saves on the cleanup.Bake for approximately 20 minutes.  If it starts to smoke, reduce the temperature by 10-15 degrees until it stops.  This may increase the time by a few minutes, but will not hurt the cure.Drain off any excess grease, and put the pan back in the oven, this time upside down, for 1 to 3 hours.  A re-seasoning may only require half of that time.Turn the oven off, and let the pan cool down naturally before removing it.You now have a seasoned cast iron nonstick cooking utensil that will last a lifetime with proper care.  For tips on caring for cast iron, see Cast From The Past, by guest writer, Dan MifflinUpdate - Reader Recommended: Peanut Oil at 350 degrees also works well.Tips and Tricks on Home OwnershipPromotional Feature: View this video series to learnPTFE Coating Process how to take good care of your house.Read MoreReleated ResourcesCompare Prices - Cast IronCast From The PastCookwareOther ResourcesGadgets & ToolsKitchenware & AccessoriesCutting Board BasicsYou May Also LikeSmall AppliancesFood Prep ToolsLaundry & Fabric CareRelated ArticlesHow to Care for Cast Iron Skillets, Griddles and CookwareLearn How to Clean and Season Cast Iron Including GriswoldCast Iron - Lodge Cookware - Cookware - Pots and PansHow to Clean Cast Iron PansCast Iron Cooking Tips

Chemical engineering

   This editable Main Article has an approved citable version (see its Citable Version subpage). While we have done conscientious work, we cannot guarantee that this Main Article, or its citable version, is wholly free of mistakes. By helping to improve this editable Main Article, you will help the process of generating a new, improved citable version. [edit intro]Chemical engineering is one of the broadest fields of engineering. This stems from the fact that the discipline of chemical engineering is founded on mathematicsand incorporates all of the basic sciences such as chemistry, physicsand biologyas well as engineering knowledge and concepts. PTFE Coatings
The disciplinary definition would be that chemical engineering is the profession in which knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology, gained by study, experience and practice, is applied with judgement to develop economic and safe ways of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful products to benefit mankind.[1][2]
The occupational definition would be that chemical engineering is a field that deals with industrial and natural processes that involve the chemical, physical or biological transformation of matter or energy into forms useful for mankind, economically and safely without compromising the environment.[2]
Perhaps, the simplest definition is that chemical engineering is the design, development and management of a wide and varied spectrum of industrial and other endeavors.[3]
Contents1 History2 Chemical engineering applications3 Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering4 Professional societies and organization5 ReferencesHistoryThe industrial revolution of the early 1800's gave birth to many large-scale chemical plantsincluding the Lead-Chamber method for producing sulfuric acid. The raw materials included a nitrate which, in the final stage of the process, was lost to the atmosphere as nitric oxidegasand had to be replaced by costly fresh nitrate imported from Chile. In 1827, the French chemist Joseph-Louis Gay-Lussacdeveloped a tower that recovered most of the nitrogen oxidegases formed and reduced the consumption of nitrate. The first Gay-Lussac tower was installed at a plant in France in 1837. However, its use was not widespread until a British chemist, John Glover, invented an improved version of the  tower, patented in Englandin 1859. By the 1870s, Non Stick Coating the Glover–Gay-Lussac system was used throughout Britain and Europe. Because Glover's tower was essentially a mass transfertower, he is often considered to be the first chemical engineer.[4]
In 1791, a French physician, Nicholas Le Blanc, patented a method of producing sodium carbonatefrom sea salt.[5]By 1810, it was in widespread use. However, it produced the hazardous byproducts hydrochloric acid, nitrogen oxides, sulfurand chlorinegas. In 1811, Augustine Jean Fresnel, a French physicist, discovered a cleaner process for producing sodium carbonate by bubbling carbon dioxidethrough an ammonia-containing brine. Attempts to build large-scale plants using Fresnel's process were unsuccessful. In 1863, some fifty years later, a Belgian chemist, Ernest Solvay, successfully applied Fresnel's process using a tall gas absorption tower in which carbon dioxide bubbled up through a descending flow of brine, together with efficient recovery and recycling of the ammonia. Use of the Solvay process soon became widespread and it is still used today. Ernest Solvay's work is sometimes thought of as one of the first accomplishments of chemical engineering.[6]
The Haber process for the production of ammoniaby combining hydrogen and nitrogenwas first patented by a chemist, Fritz Haber, in 1908. In 1910, an engineer, Carl Bosch, while working for the Germanchemical company BASF, successfully commercialized the process and secured further patents. It was first used on an industrial scale by the Germans during World War I. Haber and Bosch were later awarded Nobel prizes, in 1918 and 1931 respectively, for their work in overcoming the chemical and engineering problems posed by the use of large-scale high-pressuretechnology. Their process is often referred to as the Haber-Bosch processand is considered to be one of the major chemical engineering achievements because it made possible the large-scale production of ammonia-based fertilizers that transformed the world's food production.[7][8]
Under the British Alkali Act of 1863, an Alkali Inspector and four subinspectors were appointed to curb the discharge into the air of hydrochloric gas from the Le Blanc sodium carbonate plants. During his long career, one of the Alkali Inspectors, George Davis, inspected many of the Lead Chamber, Le Blanc and Solvay plants in the Midland area of England. What he learned convinced him of the necessity for a new branch of engineering that combined applied chemistry and traditional engineering. In 1880, George Davis proposed the formation of a Society of Chemical Engineers which  failed to become a reality. In 1887, he gave a series of 12 lectures on industrial  chemical operations at the Manchester Technical School. His lectures can be regarded as the forerunner of the discipline of chemical engineering.[9][10]In 1901, Davis published a Handbook of Chemical Water Based Acrylic Paint Engineering.[11]He is considered to be the father of modern chemical engineering.
In 1888, the first chemical engineering curriculum, designed by Lewis Norton, began at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT). In 1892 and 1894, respectively, the University of Pennsylvaniaand Tulane Universityin Louisianaalso began chemical engineering programs.[10]
In 1908, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers(AIChE) was formed and, in 1922, the Institution of Chemical Engineers(IChemE) was founded in England.
In 1923, MIT Professors William H. Walker, Warren K. Lewisand William H. McAdamsproduced the classic book Principals of Chemical Engineering[12]which greatly stimulated the evolution of chemical engineering in the United States and encouraged the creation of chemical engineering departments in universities worldwide. In that same year, Professor E.C. Williamsestablished the first chemical engineering program in England at the University College London(UCL).[13]
Chemical engineering applicationsThe process design, operation and management of large-scale industrial facilities such as:
Petroleum refining processesproducing LPG, gasoline, diesel oil, fuel oils, asphalt, lubricants, waxes, etc.Natural gas plantsthat process raw natural gasto become suitable for consumer use by removing impurities and by-product natural gas liquids(NGL).Petrochemicaland chemical plantsproducing plastics, synthetic fibers, elastomers, agricultural chemicals (fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides), detergents(soap, shampoo, cleaning solutions), fragrances, explosives, widely used industrial chemicals (such as sulfuric acidand ammonia) and many others.Pulp and paper millsproducing paper products.Fossil fuel power plantsfueled by natural gas, fuel oil or coal.Nuclear power plantsDesigning processes and facilities for:
Industrial plants that produce all types of paints and coatings.Food and drink processing plants that process foodstuffs and drinks of all kinds.Pharmaceutical facilitiesfor producing new drugs.[14]Biochemicaland bioengineeringfacilities involving fermentation, enzymetechnology, and biological waste treatment.[14]The production of all manner of adhesives and composite materials for automobiles as well as the aerospaceindustries.Industrial plants producing glass and ceramics.Environmental engineeringtasks such as the design of air pollutionand water pollutioncontrol and mitigation facilities, performing environmental impact studies and air pollution dispersion modelingstudies, and selection or design of facilities to comply with governmental environmental protection regulations.
Safety engineering work such as performing hazardous operation studies(Hazops), risk analyses, and establishing and implementing safe operating procedures for industrial facilities.
Research and development in the fields of fuel cells, nanotechnologydown to the cellular level, computer chips, and other leading edge technologies.
In all of the above fields of endeavor, chemical engineers may also function as consultants, lawyers reviewing new technology patents, sales engineers, instrumentation and control engineers, and equipment manufacturers.
Chemical and Biomolecular EngineeringIn recent years, chemical engineering has become more and more involved in biomolecular engineering. At a 1992 meeting of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), they defined the term, "Biomolecular Engineering," as Research and development at the interface of chemical engineering and biology with an emphasis at the molecular level.[15]
Many universities now offer degree programs in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.[15][16][17][18]In the future, chemical engineering will not only encompass design work at large scales (e.g., petroleum refineries and petrochemical plants) but will also encompass work at very small scales down to the cellular level.[19]
Professional societies and organization
Argentina: Argentinian Association for Chemical EngineersAustralia: Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI)Brazil: Brazilian Association of Chemical Engineering (ABEQ)Canada: Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering (CSChE)Europe: European Federation of Chemical Engineers (EFCE)Germany: Society for Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (DECHEMA}India: Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers (IIChE)Israel: Israel Institute of Chemical Engineers(IIChE)
Japan: Society of Chemical Engineers, Japan (SCEJ)Korea: Korean Institute of Chemical Engineers (KIChE)Mexico: Mexican Insititute of Chemical Engineers (IMIQ)Pakistan: Pakistan Institute of Chemical Engineers(PIChE)South Africa: South African Institution of Chemical Engineers (SAIChE)Thailand:Thai Institute of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry (TIChE)United Kingdom: Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE)United States: American Institute of Chemical Engineering (AIChE)

A new wave of Droids is coming Droid Mini Droid Ultra Droid Maxx

We're still waiting on an official MotorolaX announcement, but on Tuesday, Motorola unveiled two -- or three, depending on how you count them -- new Droids. Dubbed the DroidMini, the Droid Ultra, and the Droid Maxx (an Ultra with a bigger battery), these new Droids will surely soothe Verizon's nerves (the X is not going to be a Droid).
The Droid Maxx, as you might expect, was the star of the show. It matches the screen size of the latest "big" device, Samsung's Galaxy S4, with a 5-inch AMOLED Gorilla Glass screen and a 1,280 x 720 resolution (although that pixel density falls short of the GS4's 1,920 x 1,080 resolution and a Retina display).
As its Maxx name implies, though, the Droid Maxx Ceramic Coated specializes in battery life. It is 8.5mm-thick, 1.32mm thicker than the Droid Ultra, its nearly identical sibling, but that means it ships with a huge 3,500mAh battery that Motorola boasts gives 48 hours of continuous battery life (for the sake of comparison, the Razr Maxx HD lasts 32 hours, yet is 9 percent thicker).
The Droid Maxx's SOC (system-on-a-chip) is a new proprietary Motorola design with eight cores -- a dual-core application processor, four graphics cores, a contextual computing core, and another core for "natural language processing." The Motorola X8 will run at 1.7Ghz. The CPU cores are Qualcomm Krait-based, while the GPU cores are Adreno-based.
It will ship with 2GB of RAM, and 32GB of internal storage.
Its slimmer $199.99 Droid Ultra twin is 7.18-millimeter thick. It has the same 5-inch screen, comes in both black and red, and sports a 2,130mAh battery that doesn't do bad for life, with reported usage time of up to 28 hours.
Unlike the backing on the Maxx, which has a soft-touch matte coating, the Ultra's back sports a glossy coating. Also unlike the Maxx, the Ultra will ship with only 16GB of internal storage.
Finally, finishing off the trio of new devices is the 4.3-inch Droid Mini, which could be seen as the successor to the Razr M. It will sell for $99.99 on contract, and is the only one of the three sans an AMOLED screen, having a TFT 720p screen instead. It will carry a 2,000mAh battery that has a reported usage time of 28 hours, the same processor running at the same speed, and 16GB of internal storage, like the Ultra.
All the devices will ship with the same SOC, the Motorola X8, running at the same processor speed. All will also carry Android4.2.2 Jelly Bean, a 10-megapixel rear-facing camera with Wear Resistant Coatings 1080p HD video recording, and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera.
In terms of software features, the new "touchless control system" we've heard about in reference to the Moto X is on board these Droids. Users can just say "OK GoogleNow" to activate and then speak their commands to the phone.
There is also an active display feature that -- for certain features -- only illuminates a portion of the screen to conserve battery. These Droids will also have the same suite of new camera features that just leaked for the Moto X, with features like quick capture that lets you flick the phone twice to open the camera app, and then take a picture with a tap anywhere on the screen.
All three variants of the phones will ship on Aug. 20, on Verizon Wireless.

Vapor Deposition Corrosion Resistant Coatings

Vapor deposition corrosion resistant coatings can be an excellent source for corrosion protection. Especially for those applications requiring hard thin films.

Derivatives of ‘DLC’, also referred to as diamond-like coatings, as well as some of the carbide and nitride-based materials are very popular -- both for their general oxidation protection and chemical corrosion stability.

Additionally, these vapor deposition corrosion resistant materials can be combined, multi layered deposits for enhanced protection.Teflon Coating

Everlube Products Pioneer and Leader in Solid Film Lubricant Technology.
The key to success using vapor deposition corrosion resistant coatings will be both in their chemical compatibility with their environment and ability to form pin hole free structures. Pin holes, also known as ‘holidays’, are those microscopic voids in the coating that expose the bare metal. Failure to recognize the need for a corrosion resistant metal surface can present risks to coating performance. That is why it is essential you understand the nature of the corrosion, or aspects of the ‘corrosive environment’.

Ideally, the densest structures, with the least likelihood of microscopic voids, are those formed by Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). Keep in mind, though, especially in consideration of your base metal, process temperatures range typically between 1500 and 2200 degrees Fahrenheit. Which may make Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD), whose processing temperatures run between 750 and 900 degrees Fahrenheit, more desirable forms of vapor deposition corrosion resistant coatings.

Advancements now include even lower temperature processing through Plasma Enhanced (PECVD) or Plasma Assisted (PACVD) vapor deposition. In contrast, these coatings can be processed below 550 F, yet with excellent adherence, uniformity, and corrosion resistant properties.

When do you use vapor deposition corrosion resistant coatings? Advantages are most gained in dynamic environments, where parts are moving or abrasion is high. Where ‘micro hardness’ is key. For example, where other physical properties are sought concurrently, such as dry lubrication.

Greater demands for corrosion resistance from engineered products, higher standards of performance, are all driving the need for new combinatory materials. Many of these vapor deposition corrosion resistant coatings are non-objectionable with FDA and show growing acceptance in the medical industry. This includes non-implantable and implantable device.

Once the corrosive environment and mechanics are clearly understood, the proper design criteria for coating material and coating process can be met. Today, the most promising breakthroughs in vapor deposition coatings, and their evolutionary outlook, are in their combination and architectures. Ultimately, vapor deposition corrosion resistant coatings will offer us more choice in the most demanding mechanical and thermal environments.Non Stick Coating

Nonstick Coatings A Pet and Family Threat

October 30, 2012My in-laws own two exotic birdsof which I had the opportunity of caring for while they took a well earned vacation overseas. As my mother-in-law broke down her rules, she mentioned that the nonstick coating of their pans should not be heated dry because the fumes could kill the birds. I didn't know this little "fact", so after saying our goodbyes I decided to check some credible internet sites.Non Stick Coatings
Early in the twentieth century canaries were brought into mines to detect toxic gas. When the toxic levels exceeded hazardous amounts, the canary would become sick and miners would evacuate. Hearing about these bird deaths in the kitchen had me worried. I had replaced my nonstick with stainless a long time ago because the coating would become brown and useless after a few years and I grew weary of constantly buying pans. I had never heard of them killing a pet and with all the hype about diethylhexyl adipate released during microwaving plastics, I wondered if the brown tainted nonstick coating could also be harmful to people.
Perusing bird-friendly websitesprovided information on nonstick coatings releasing bird-killing toxins into the air, PTFE Toxicosis, but they weren't specific as to what toxins they released or if it could migrate to your food. Checking an online Teflon Material Safety Data Sheetprovided some answers.
Teflonheated to 500 degrees F will degrade the polytetrafluorethylene(ptfe) and release carbon, fluorine, and oxygen into the air creating flu-like symptoms in humans and apparently killing birds.The brown oxidation that results from the heating and reheating of nonstick coated pots and pans is a symptom of this chemical release, and those chemicals could migrate to your food.According to the MSDS there are no known chronic affects and no medical conditions which are aggravated by this release, even though the bird sites seem to think so, and using a nonstick Teflon coated pan should be nonfatal. The fact that the coating does break down over time still steers me away from this added expense, and why risk the possible lung irritation.Non Stick Coating Spray
With all the additives approved by the FDA that by themselves are relatively harmless, what possible unwarranted complications could the migration of chemicals leached from your own pots and pans cause? Mixing chemicals is never a good idea so I always stride on the side of safety and use stainless steel for my cooking. They may be more difficult to cook with but they last forever and burnt food will never destroy your good stainless steel pans. No matter how burnt it is.

The 7 Most Badass Acts of Vandalism Ever Photographed

NOTE: Everything in this article is against the law. If you do it, you will go to jail or something.
Most of us think of graffiti as an urban art relegated to back alleys, rap album coversand all of New York City in the 1980s. But sometimes an artist comes along who Teflon Coatings proves that with enough creativity, vandalism can transcend typical scribbles and dick pictures on the wall. OK, maybe we spoke too soon about the dick pictures, considering ...
#7. The Penis Bridge
Via Doobybrain.com
As any novice vandal can tell you, the key to a good public penis drawing is execution, and nobody has executed a better one than the Russian art group Voina. When Russia hosted an international economic forum, Voina decided it was the perfect time to get their classy protest on. And just so you know who we're talking about, these guys once staged an orgyin protest of their presidential election, so you know they've got their heads in the right place.
In 2010, the group decided to paint a massive dickon a drawbridge in the middle of St. Petersburg, coordinating the operation so that they could sprint out, paint it and get back before security grabbed them. The result:
Via 24flinching.com
We would give anything in the world to find out that they didn't know that was back there during this shot.
So picture this: You've got to cross the Neva River, but you don't make it to the Liteiny Bridge on time. As the drawbridge rises to the sky, so does an erect phallus that's painted on it. Plain as the nose on your face and the junk in your shorts, thanks to the lamps lighting up the street-dong for the whole world to see. We're not usually into graffiti this crude, but a 224-foot-long wiener rising toward the heavens is about as good as it gets. And thanks to river traffic, the penis was stuck there all night, until the bridgePTFE Coating Process was lowered at 5 a.m. And even after that, it took a few days to get the paint off.
So what was all the dick-painting about? Voina was mad at the Federal Security Service, otherwise known as the post-KGB KGB. They even released a statement: "We have painted a giant phallus to show what the FSB and Interior Ministry are doing in terms of security for the forum." Soooo, symbolism isn't their strong point. Fair enough. By the way, here's them actually doing it:

#6. The Barcaccia Fountain Ball Pit
Via NY Times
Have you ever wondered what it would look like if you unleashed 500,000 colorful balls on an unsuspecting city? Of course not, you're neither a Batmanvillain nor a 4-year-old. And you're certainly not professional prankster Graziano Cecchini, who not only makes a living pulling stunts a frat boy would shit his pants over, but raises the money to do them on such a scale that we can't even talk about his work with starving African children. The awkwardness would be sky-high.
So when Cecchini decided to turn one of the most historic fountains in Rome into an enormous Chuck E. Cheese style ball pit, he went big. The video below shows the release of the balls down the steps as unsuspecting Italians narrowly avoid clownish pratfalls. If you watch closely, you'll see a middle-aged man gleefully dancing a jig at the top of the steps. That's either Cecchini or somebody with a medical condition we shouldn't be making fun of.

By the time the balls rolled down the world-famous 138 Spanish Stepsand into the slope that led to the Barcaccia fountain, the historic 385-year-old monument looked like God's toilet bowl after heaven's free strawberry daiquiri night.
It was a perfectly executed $30,000 prankthat, according to Cecchini, somehow symbolized nothing more than "problems we have in Italy." What kinds of problems? Not-enough-balls problems, maybe? The vicious anti-play pit legislation up for debate in the Italian senate? An abundance of red testicles? Call us crazy, but we think this guy was more into whimsical mayhem than political statements. Coming from the same man who once dyed the water in the historic Trevi fountainred to protest money spent on a local film festival (See? the red represents the red carpet! Art!), we're not thinking this king of clowns had much more in mind than just a good time.Water Based Spray Paint That's what you get when you don't invite the artsy kids to your Chuck E. Cheese parties.

"Make sure the clean up crew doesn't get here too quickly, I promised my kids I'd take them by after school."
#5. Junk Griffin
Via Designtaxi.com
Not every art school grad is frittering away his life at Starbucks and waiting tables, contrary to what probably springs to mind when you hear "art school grad." One group of London artists, set designers, sculptors and art directors pooled their collective talents that would otherwise be wasted on the food service industry into one big project: Robots. Specifically, robots made out of reclaimed wood, trash and other junk. When two Roboters traveled to America in 2010, they decided that what Brooklyn really needed was a 9-foot-tall moving griffinperched atop a dilapidated building.
Via NY Times
Please tell us that thing breathes fire on unsuspecting pedestrians.
Unfortunately, the picture above isn't the first version of the griffin, because the first version was destroyed by the guy who happened to own the building the dynamic duo put their griffin on. And asking permission to construct a giant wooden contraption atop a roof on a NYC street wasn't in their agenda that day. So when the manager of the building took a glance up and saw what looks to us like the skeletal remains of a harbinger of the apocalypse poised to attack, he had the creators arrested and the structure dismantled. Some people just don't get it.
It didn't take long for someone else to appreciate the beauty of a leering mythical creature made of wood, so a restaurant owner offered his own rooftop for the sculpture. That kind of ruins the point of vandalism, but whatever.
Via Designtaxi.com
Maybe it's just us, but seeing it in that position, we really want them to make one that vomits.
#4. Street Art, Literally
Via Designboom.com
You know how sometimes filmmakers leave their cameras out for hours to make time lapse videos? And the results look like really cool neon lights over a harbor or street or a baby turtle smoking a cigarette or something? Imagine if you could make that in a few minutes without a camera and without neon lights. Ceramic Powder Coating All you have to do is slop tons of brightly colored paint on strategic points of a busy intersection and let the cars do the rest.

"Now that you're all culpable, no one can call the cops!"
That's what German art group IEPEdid with the help of 2,000 commuters in 2010. The art project, titled "Painting Reality," consisted of members of the group dumping 500 liters of different colored water-based paints at different points in one intersection. When the cars, buses and horses (they still use those in Germany, right?) drove their natural course, they tracked through the paint, drawing out their traffic routes in bright neon colors.

Imagine going to your regular German destinations, the lederhosen store and austerity measure factory and whatnot, only to later find out that you were tricked into participating in a goofy public art project without your consent. What started as a regular drive ended up looking like a giant toddler went nuts with some sidewalk chalk. And we're sure the commuters who now had paint splattered on the bottom of their cars were totally fine with it.

How to Bake a Cake With Rice Flour

Photo Caption White rice flour is the best choice for cakes.Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/Photos.com/Getty ImagesBrown or white rice flour may be used as a gluten-free alternative to wheat flour. When baking a cake using rice flour, it is best to use white rice flour, according to Lisa Lewis, Ph.D. However, different brands of white rice flour vary in texture, with some being more grainy than others. Water Based Coating You may need to experiment to find a brand of white rice flour that is similar in softness to the typical all-purpose flour.
Step 1Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 2Spay the two cake pans with a light coating of non-stick baking spray.
Step 3Mix together the margarine, sugar and eggs in a bowl until well blended.
Step 4Combine the rice flour, potato starch flour, tapioca flour, guar gum, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.
Step 5Pour the milk into a measuring cup and mix the vanilla extract into it.
Step 6Add the flour and milk mixtures to PTFE Coated the egg mixture gradually, using a low speed on your mixer and alternating between flour and milk. Mix just until well combined.

Chocolate Macadamia Nuts

3 1/2 cups whole macadamia nuts3/4 cup corn syrup21 ounces bittersweet chocolate, tempered1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, optional1 3/4 cups unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, optionalDirectionsPreheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the nuts in a large mixing bowl. Add the corn syrupand stir until evenly coated. Place the nuts on a baking sheet and roastin the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Using a wooden spoon, Ceramic Coating transfer the nuts onto a parchment paper-covered baking sheet pan. Do not touch them, as they are extremely hot. Let them cool at room temperature, or if possible, place them in the freezer because the cold nuts will help the chocolate to temper. When completely cooled, break apart any nut clusters that may have formed.      Place the cooled nuts in the coating pan or in a large mixing bowl. Slowly add one third of the bittersweet chocolate, one ladleful at a time. If you are using the mixing bowl, fold the nuts until they are thoroughly coated and the chocolate has set. If you do not fold immediately, the chocolate will set and the nuts will stick together. Add another third of the chocolate and fold thoroughly until set. Add the remaining third and fold thoroughly being sure all the nuts are well coated. Separate any clusters of nuts that may have formed. If you serve the nuts as they are, let the chocolate set completely. If you decide to move on to the next step, do not wait for the chocolate to set completely.      Add the powdered sugaror cocoa powder and stir until all of the nuts are well coated. If you'd like to coat half of the nuts in powdered sugar and the other half in cocoa powder, start with the powdered sugar. Before serving, place the nuts in a sieveto remove any excess sugar or cocoa powder. The nuts will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
How to Temper Chocolate(From Dessert Circus, Extraordinary Desserts Non Stick Coating You Can Make At Home by Jacques Torres):
Chocolate is tempered so that after it has been melted, it retains its gloss and hardens again without becoming chalky and white (that happens when the molecules of fat separate and form on top of the chocolate). There are a variety of ways to temper.
One of the easiest ways to temper chocolate is to chopit into small pieces and then place it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time on high power until most of the chocolate is melted. Be very careful not to overheat it. (The temperature of dark chocolateshould be between 88 and 90 degrees F, slightly warmer than your bottom lip. It will retain its shape even when mostly melted. White and milkchocolates melt at a temperature approximately 2 degrees F less because of the amount of lactosethey contain.) Any remaining lumps will meltin the chocolate's residual heat. Use an immersion blenderor whisk to break up the lumps. Usually, chocolate begins to set, or crystallize, along the side of the bowl. As it sets, mix those crystals into the melted chocolate to temper it. A glass bowl retains heat well and keeps the chocolate tempered longer.
Another way to temper chocolate is called seeding. In this method, add small pieces of unmelted chocolate to melted chocolate. The amount of unmelted chocolate to be added depends on the temperature of the melted chocolate, but is usually 1/4 of the total amount. It is easiest to use an immersion blender for this, or a whisk.
The classic way to temper chocolate is called tabliering. Two thirds of Water Based Coatings the melted chocolate is poured onto a marble or another cold work surface. The chocolate is spread out and worked with a spatulauntil its temperature is approximately 81 degrees F. At this stage, it is thick and begins to set. This tempered chocolate is then added to the remaining non-tempered chocolate and mixed thoroughly until the mass has a completely uniform temperature. If the temperature is still too high, part of the chocolate is worked further on the cold surface until the correct temperature is reached. This is a lot of work, requires a lot of room, and makes a big mess.
A simple method of checking tempering, is to apply a small quantity of chocolate to a piece of paper or to the point of a knife. If the chocolate has been correctly tempered, it will harden evenly and show a good gloss within a few minutes.

Non-Stick Teflon Coating Linked to Very High Cholesterol

teflon-coating-panExposure to chemicals used in the manufacture of non-stick cookware and waterproof and stain-resistant products could be raising cholesterol levels in children,Teflon Coating a new study published in Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine suggests.

Researchers analyzed blood levels of the chemicals perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluoroctanesulfonate (PFOS) in more than 12,000 kids living in West Virginia and Ohio.

Between 2005 and 2006, blood samples from 12,476 children and teens were taken. PFOA concentrations were, on average, around seven times higher than those reported in a nationally representative survey, but PFOS levels were similar.

Those with the highest levels were 20% and 40%, respectively, more likely to have abnormally high total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, Frisbee says.

Those with the highest PFOS levels were 60% more likely than those with the lowest levels to have high total and LDL cholesterol.

The study resulted from a class-action lawsuit settlement against DuPont, which operated the manufacturing plant linked to the water contamination.

Those with the highest blood levels of the chemicals were also more likely to have abnormally high total cholesterol and LDL “bad” cholesterol, study researcher Stephanie J. Frisbee, MSc, of the West Virginia University School of Medicine.

“These chemicals are in the environment and they are in us,” she says. “More than anything this study highlights that we had better figure out how we are being exposed and what this exposure is doing to us.”New Non Stick Coating

The chemicals have been used for decades in the production of a wide range of everyday products. PFOA, also known as C8, is mainly used in the manufacture of nonstick cookware, while PFOS is mostly used to make clothing, fabrics, food packaging, and carpeting water-resistant and stain-resistant.

The route of human exposure is not well understood, but recent studies suggest that just about everyone has some PFOA and PFOS in the blood. Identified sources of exposure include drinking water, food packaging, microwave popcorn, and even air. PFOA is now found in humans all over the world, including places where they have never heard of a Teflon pan.

Cookware containing Teflon, made by DuPont, and similar nonstick surfaces are made using PFOA. But the cookware industry has long maintained that cooking in nonstick pots and pans is not a significant source of exposure to the chemical, and the science appears to back up the claim.

Because the health effects of PFOA exposure are still unknown, the Environmental Protection Agency has asked DuPont and other chemical companies to stop using the chemical by 2015.Ceramic Coatings DuPont agreed to the voluntary ban, and the company has pledged to phase out the chemical before the 2015 deadline.

(Additional source: WebMD Health News reviewed by Louise Chang, MD)

I recently texlaxed my hair for the first time and I am very happy with the results

I recently texlaxed my hair for the first time and I am very happy with the results! I retained much of my natural curl pattern, but my hair is so much easier to manipulate and style now. It is thick, healthy and growing.WHAT IS TEXLAXING?Texlaxing is to pre-treat your hair prior to relaxing with oil or conditioner and then combining additional oil or conditioner with the relaxer itself before application. Texlaxing also requires reducing the amount of time the relaxer is left on the hair and eliminating or minimizing the comb-through process during application. A mild relaxer or kiddie relaxer is usually used for this process. The oil or conditioner, the decreased processing time and the minimal manipulation of the hair during the relaxing process is much milder and gentler on the hair. The oil or conditioner slows down the chemical reaction of the relaxer. It also keeps the hair moisturized and conditioned throughout the relaxing process. The idea is to leave the relaxer mixture on your hair for just a few minutes including application and processing time. You are basically doing a mild, under-processed relaxer. While your hair will retain some of its natural curl pattern and does not become stick straight, Ceramic Coating it will be much easier to manage and you may have more styling options.
Have you ever gotten a relaxer and for weeks afterwards your hair seemed thin and stringy? I've had this happen many times, but after texlaxing hair seems to remain full, thick and healthy. No more thin appearance, no shrinkage, no clumping and no tangling.
During the texlaxing process, your hair is much less stressed than it would be using a harsh relaxer undiluted. If you add a conditioner or oil (as I did) to the relaxer before applying, your hair is better protected and conditioned throughout the process. Hopefully, this will lead to less damage, less breakage and less dryness than you may have had with regular relaxing.
I came up with my own method of texlaxing and the results were great. I had no problems at all and my hair remains in good condition. After texlaxing, I realize that I am no longer "natural", but the texture of my hair, prior to texlaxing, was supernatural. The texlax process retained much of my natural hair pattern but straightened it out just a little bit, making it much easier to work with. It's not like a curl and it's not like a relaxer. It's neither nappy, kinky, curl nor straight, but I can now do what I want with my hair. Best Non Stick Coating If I wanted it straight I could blow-dry it straight and flat iron it after I wash and condition it, but I have no desire to do so. If I want to wash it and let it air-dry, it is still manageable with a little hair oil and humectant. It can also be roller-set or twisted/braided and a twist-out or braid-out can be done.
IS HAIR STILL NATURAL AFTER TEXLAXING?
If you are big on saying that your hair is "natural", please understand that once you texlax your hair it is, in fact, chemically processed and no longer what some may call "natural". As for me, natural did not work as far as maintaining my 4C hair in its natural state. It's beautiful for some, but I just didn't like the way it looked on me and it was out of control.ANOTHER BLACK DEBATE? TWO: FIRST IT WAS THE LIGHT SKIN VS. DARKSKIN ARGUMENT AND NOW IT'S NATURAL VS. RELAXED.
My choice to go back to relaxing or texlaxing had nothing to do with forgetting my roots, trying to look European, attempting to fit into some illusion of beauty or not wanting to look "afro-centric". It has nothing to DO with lack of self-esteem, self-hatred, anti-blackness or lack of cultural pride. It's about personal preference. Being natural or unnatural does not diminish blackness, black loyalty or pride in any way as some people like to contend.
The natural vs. relaxed black pride hair debate is getting just as tired as the light-skinned/dark-skinned debate. Why must we always divide ourselves as a race based on the superficial? Why can't we be happy with the beauty that is us, with all our varying and beautiful skin-tones from creamy vanilla to deep mahogany? Why separate people into classifications by how they choose to wear their hair? People are who they are regardless of the way in which they wear their hair, just as the clothes or make-up does not do not change whom a person is inside. These types of arguments cause us to miss out on the celebration of blackness!
WHY I WENT FROM RELAXED TO NATURAL TO TEXLAXED
I love me in all my ebony gloriousness, but the truth is that I simply could not manage or maintain my hair in its natural 4C state. After I washed it, it would take about an hour to untangle it while it was wet and the minute it got dry, it shrunk, crumpled, matted and tangled and looked dead and dry. No products would alleviate this situation. I make no apologies for my decision to attempt to go natural and then returning to chemical processing. It's my head and my hair and I have to do what works for me. India Arie sung "I Am Not My Hair" and she is right. I am definitely not my hair, but I do like to look nice and feel confident about my appearance without having a constant war with my hair and wearing a style that does not suit my face.
Hair that is 4C is extremely course, kinky and nappy and it is prone to tangling, clumping and shrinkage; at least mine was. About eight months after a hair horror, which resulted in a big chop, my natural hair grew back in and that's when I realized that my hair was 4C in texture. I had no idea what to expect when my hair grew back to some length, but I sure did not expect what sprouted out of my scalp!
HAIR HORROR STORY
As we all know, relaxers can destroy your hair, especially at the hairline and temples. It can cause weakened and damaged hair along with thinning and breakage or hair loss (alopecia). The worst possible scenario is that relaxers can cause scalp or hair follicle damage. I was victim of this about a year ago and it was devastating and traumatic.
I'd been relaxing and dying my hair for several years without a problem. I would do both on the same day. About a year ago, I did the same process I'd always used. I put an no-lye regular strength relaxer in my hair, following all directions. Then I conditioned my hair. Shortly afterwards, on the same day, I dyed my hair black like I always did, followed by a second conditioner. All was well for a few days, but then I noticed that my hair was falling out badly. My edges and temples were getting thinner and thinner. I tried deep conditioning and hot oil treatments but the shedding continued.
One night I washed my hair in the shower and when I went to rinse out the shampoo, I realized that my hair was all over my hands. It was also all over the shower floor. I was horrified. I rinsed out the rest of the shampoo and jumped from the shower in a panic, grabbed a towel and begin to dry my hair. It was coming out in clumps all over the towel! When I finally got up the nerve to run a comb through my hair, I noticed that the Water-Based Paint sudden and massive shedding had stopped. Then I looked in the mirror and screamed. I'd lost about three inches of hair all over my head, leaving me with about three inches of hair remaining but it gets worse. Not only had I lost about half of the total length of my hair, but I was left with a hairline so thin and sparse that my scalp showed through and both temples were almost completely bald. It looked like somebody had shaved off all the hair on both temples. Each side of my head had a bald spot about an inch wide and going back about three inches. The hairline at the nape of my neck was also broken off badly. It looked like someone had tried to give me a mohawk with an axe blindfolded! About three days later, the bald spots on my temples became inflamed. They were sore, red and had bumps all over them! I feared that the temple areas were permanently damaged and I'd destroyed the follicles completely
I can't blame anybody but myself. I can't blame the relaxer and/or the dye that I used, because it was probably a combination of using both on already damaged hair. I'd never used those two particular brands together and there must have been some kind of horrific chemical reaction from the combination of both products. It took about another two weeks for my temple areas to heal and they were raw and painful. I had to apply A+D Ointment mixed with Neosporin to them nightly. When I went out I had to wear a wig. I got one that somewhat resembled black hair. It was neck-length with a tight, natural-looking curl pattern that was similar to a straw-set. This look was more suited to my face and style.
Once my scalp at the temple areas healed, they were still pretty much bald. I began to moisturize and treat my hair daily, especially the temple area, with Wave Nouveau Daily Humectant Moisturizing Lotion mixed with a little Carefree Curl Instant Moisturizer. I also put some Extra Virgin Olive Oil mixed with a little water in a spray bottle and every night I'd shake it up and mist my hair all over with it. Once a week I'd co-wash and deep condition my hair, using a deep conditioner mixed with a little olive oil, a raw egg and a little baking soda. It sounds crazy but it worked. I was happy to see my edges and hairline fill back in and the temple areas as well. They were short but covered with hair finally. All this time I still wore a wig to cover and hide the damage and a few times I got my hair braided, but I felt that braids further stressed my hairline. I also did not like the cost and the amount of time it took to have braids done and removed.MY BIG CHOP
About eight months later my hair was in much better condition and growing back nicely. I decided that since I'd already gone eight months without the creamy crack (relaxer), I might as well do a big chop. Okay, maybe I did a medium chop. It was time to cut my hair short and go natural, but I found out that I am one of those females that does not look good with short, natural, 4C hair. I also had not dyed my hair in eight months and it was about four different colors. A total hot mess!
I finally did it. Chop! I got a pair of scissors and cut off all my hair all the way down to the new growth, which was about three inches long all over. Natural is wonderful, if you can deal with it. It depends on the grade of your hair and how a short and natural hairstyle suits your face. It did not suit mine and I could not get a comb through it when it was dry. It was like steel wool. I tried all kinds of product for natural hair and watched about a zillionYouTubevideos on natural haircare. I saw some beautiful ladies with the loveliest natural hair. Some of the natural curl patterns were amazing but I had absolutely no curl pattern at all. Teflon Coatings There were tons of videos to watch and most ladies stated that they loved their natural hair and it looked great on them. I only saw a few ladies, like myself, who were willing to admit that they couldn't deal with their natural hair because of the maintenance and because they just did not like the way it looked on them. One girl was literally in tears over the state of her natural hair. I could feel her pain. I felt like a failure with natural hair when so many had great success. No products worked for me and I tried everything! I stayed in the beauty supply stores and was constantly ordering stuff online. I spent crazy cash on these products, but nothing made my natural 4C hair manageable.
I needed to do something and fast. My schedule was about to get pretty hectic with work and educational pursuits. I considered a texturizer or relaxer until I came across some videos on texlaxing. I decided to try it for myself. I was scared because of my previous hair disaster. I was afraid I might burn all of my hair off again but things had reached crucial proportions.A WORD OF WARNING
There is always a risk that any chemical process can damage your hair, temporarily or permanently. Once you texlax your natural hair it is no longer natural. Texlaxing is simply a milder version of a relaxer and it is a chemical process that alters the structure of the hair and changes the texture and hair pattern. Water Resistant Coating If it is not done correctly, your hair may end up much straighter than intended. Also, you may lose the natural curl pattern you once had. Everyone's hair is different and the results of any chemical process cannot be guaranteed to be safe. If you have previously dyed hair, this process will strip all or most of the color from your hair. Your hair may even revert it back to it's natural color, so be aware of this and more importantly, if your hair has been recently colored, you should not be putting ANY chemicals in it and should wait at least several weeks. This presents a problem if you've been dying your hair for a long time or have gray hair coming in. If you can't dye your hair, you end up with a multi-colored catastrophe! I did find a way to dye my hair back to black/brown safely and naturally after texlaxing, with no chemicals, no damage, no ammonia or peroxide and no PPD (Para-Phenylenediamine), but that is for another article. You cannot repeatedly mix processes and chemicals close together on black hair with damage that can range from mild to severe. Remember what happened to me when I relaxed and colored my hair on the same day? Trust me, you don't want to go there!
HOW I TEXLAXED MY NATURAL 4C HAIR

Texlax How and Why I Texlaxed My Natural 4C Hair After a Hair Horror Story

I recently texlaxed my hair for the first time and I am very happy with the results! I retained much of my natural curl pattern, but my hair is so much easier to manipulate and style now. It is thick, healthy and growing.WHAT IS TEXLAXING?Texlaxing is to pre-treat your hair prior to relaxing with oil or conditioner and then combining additional oil or conditioner with the relaxer itself before application. Texlaxing also requires reducing the amount of time the relaxer is left on the hair and eliminating or minimizing the comb-through process during application. A mild relaxer or kiddie relaxer is usually used for this process. The oil or conditioner, Silicon Coatingthe decreased processing time and the minimal manipulation of the hair during the relaxing process is much milder and gentler on the hair. The oil or conditioner slows down the chemical reaction of the relaxer. It also keeps the hair moisturized and conditioned throughout the relaxing process. The idea is to leave the relaxer mixture on your hair for just a few minutes including application and processing time. You are basically doing a mild, under-processed relaxer. While your hair will retain some of its natural curl pattern and does not become stick straight, it will be much easier to manage and you may have more styling options.
Have you ever gotten a relaxer and for weeks afterwards your hair seemed thin and stringy? I've had this happen many times, but after texlaxing hair seems to remain full, thick and healthy. No more thin appearance, no shrinkage, no clumping and no tangling.
During the texlaxing process, your hair is much less stressed than it would be using a harsh relaxer undiluted. If you add a conditioner or oil (as I did) to the relaxer before applying, your hair is better protected and conditioned throughout the process. Hopefully, this will lead to less damage, less breakage and less dryness than you may have had with regular relaxing.
I came up with my own method of texlaxing and the results were great. I had no problems at all and my hair remains in good condition. After texlaxing, I realize that I am no longer "natural", but the texture of my hair, prior to texlaxing, was supernatural. The texlax process retained much of my natural hair pattern but straightened it out just a little bit, making it much easier to work with. It's not like a curl and it's not like a relaxer. It's neither nappy, kinky, curl nor straight, but I can now do what I want with my hair. Coatings Industry If I wanted it straight I could blow-dry it straight and flat iron it after I wash and condition it, but I have no desire to do so. If I want to wash it and let it air-dry, it is still manageable with a little hair oil and humectant. It can also be roller-set or twisted/braided and a twist-out or braid-out can be done.
IS HAIR STILL NATURAL AFTER TEXLAXING?
If you are big on saying that your hair is "natural", please understand that once you texlax your hair it is, in fact, chemically processed and no longer what some may call "natural". As for me, natural did not work as far as maintaining my 4C hair in its natural state. It's beautiful for some, but I just didn't like the way it looked on me and it was out of control.ANOTHER BLACK DEBATE? TWO: FIRST IT WAS THE LIGHT SKIN VS. DARKSKIN ARGUMENT AND NOW IT'S NATURAL VS. RELAXED.
My choice to go back to relaxing or texlaxing had nothing to do with forgetting my roots, trying to look European, attempting to fit into some illusion of beauty or not wanting to look "afro-centric". It has nothing to DO with lack of self-esteem, self-hatred, anti-blackness or lack of cultural pride. It's about personal preference. Being natural or unnatural does not diminish blackness, black loyalty or pride in any way as some people like to contend.
The natural vs. relaxed black pride hair debate is getting just as tired as the light-skinned/dark-skinned debate. Why must we always divide ourselves as a race based on the superficial? Why can't we be happy with the beauty that is us, with all our varying and beautiful skin-tones from creamy vanilla to deep mahogany? Why separate people into classifications by how they choose to wear their hair? People are who they are regardless of the way in which they wear their hair, just as the clothes or make-up does not do not change whom a person is inside. These types of arguments cause us to miss out on the celebration of blackness!
WHY I WENT FROM RELAXED TO NATURAL TO TEXLAXED
I love me in all my ebony gloriousness, but the truth is that I simply could not manage or maintain my hair in its natural 4C state. After I washed it, it would take about an hour to untangle it while it was wet and the minute it got dry, it shrunk, crumpled, matted and tangled and looked dead and dry. No products would alleviate this situation. I make no apologies for my decision to attempt to go natural and then returning to chemical processing. It's my head and my hair and I have to do what works for me. India Arie sung "I Am Not My Hair" and she is right. I am definitely not my hair, but I do like to look nice and feel confident about my appearance without having a constant war with my hair and wearing a style that does not suit my face.
Hair that is 4C is extremely course, kinky and nappy and it is prone to tangling, clumping and shrinkage; at least mine was. About eight months after a hair horror, which resulted in a big chop, my natural hair grew back in and that's when I realized that my hair was 4C in texture. I had no idea what to expect when my hair grew back to some length, but I sure did not expect what sprouted out of my scalp!
HAIR HORROR STORY
As we all know, relaxers can destroy your hair, especially at the hairline and temples. It can cause weakened and damaged hair along with thinning and breakage or hair loss (alopecia). The worst possible scenario is that relaxers can cause scalp or hair follicle damage. I was victim of this about a year ago and it was devastating and traumatic.
I'd been relaxing and dying my hair for several years without a problem. Teflon Spray Coating I would do both on the same day. About a year ago, I did the same process I'd always used. I put an no-lye regular strength relaxer in my hair, following all directions. Then I conditioned my hair. Shortly afterwards, on the same day, I dyed my hair black like I always did, followed by a second conditioner. All was well for a few days, but then I noticed that my hair was falling out badly. My edges and temples were getting thinner and thinner. I tried deep conditioning and hot oil treatments but the shedding continued.
One night I washed my hair in the shower and when I went to rinse out the shampoo, I realized that my hair was all over my hands. It was also all over the shower floor. I was horrified. I rinsed out the rest of the shampoo and jumped from the shower in a panic, grabbed a towel and begin to dry my hair. It was coming out in clumps all over the towel! When I finally got up the nerve to run a comb through my hair, I noticed that the sudden and massive shedding had stopped. Then I looked in the mirror and screamed. I'd lost about three inches of hair all over my head, leaving me with about three inches of hair remaining but it gets worse. Not only had I lost about half of the total length of my hair, but I was left with a hairline so thin and sparse that my scalp showed through and both temples were almost completely bald. It looked like somebody had shaved off all the hair on both temples. Each side of my head had a bald spot about an inch wide and going back about three inches. The hairline at the nape of my neck was also broken off badly. It looked like someone had tried to give me a mohawk with an axe blindfolded! About three days later, the bald spots on my temples became inflamed. They were sore, red and had bumps all over them! I feared that the temple areas were permanently damaged and I'd destroyed the follicles completely
I can't blame anybody but myself. I can't blame the relaxer and/or the dye that I used, because it was probably a combination of using both on already damaged hair. I'd never used those two particular brands together and there must have been some kind of horrific chemical reaction from the combination of both products. It took about another two weeks for my temple areas to heal and they were raw and painful. I had to apply A+D Ointment mixed with Neosporin to them nightly. When I went out I had to wear a wig. I got one that somewhat resembled black hair. It was neck-length with a tight, natural-looking curl pattern that was similar to a straw-set. This look was more suited to my face and style.
Once my scalp at the temple areas healed, they were still pretty much bald. I began to moisturize and treat my hair daily, especially the temple area, with Wave Nouveau Daily Humectant Moisturizing Lotion mixed with a little Carefree Curl Instant Moisturizer. I also put some Extra Virgin Olive Oil mixed with a little water in a spray bottle and every night I'd shake it up and mist my hair all over with it. Once a week I'd co-wash and deep condition my hair, using a deep conditioner mixed with a little olive oil, a raw egg and a little baking soda. It sounds crazy but it worked. I was happy to see my edges and hairline fill back in and the temple areas as well. They were short but covered with hair finally. All this time I still wore a wig to cover and hide the damage and a few times I got my hair braided, but I felt that braids further stressed my hairline. I also did not like the cost and the amount of time it took to have braids done and removed.MY BIG CHOP
About eight months later my hair was in much better condition and growing back nicely. I decided that since I'd already gone eight months without the creamy crack (relaxer), I might as well do a big chop. Okay, maybe I did a medium chop. It was time to cut my hair short and go natural, but I found out that I am one of those females that does not look good with short, natural, 4C hair. I also had not dyed my hair in eight months and it was about four different colors. A total hot mess!
I finally did it. Chop! I got a pair of scissors and cut off all my hair all the way down to the new growth, which was about three inches long all over. Natural is wonderful, if you can deal with it. It depends on the grade of your hair and how a short and natural hairstyle suits your face. It did not suit mine and I could not get a comb through it when it was dry. It was like steel wool. I tried all kinds of product for natural hair and watched about a zillionYouTubevideos on natural haircare. I saw some beautiful ladies with the loveliest natural hair. Some of the natural curl patterns were amazing but I had absolutely no curl pattern at all. Corilon Coating There were tons of videos to watch and most ladies stated that they loved their natural hair and it looked great on them. I only saw a few ladies, like myself, who were willing to admit that they couldn't deal with their natural hair because of the maintenance and because they just did not like the way it looked on them. One girl was literally in tears over the state of her natural hair. I could feel her pain. I felt like a failure with natural hair when so many had great success. No products worked for me and I tried everything! I stayed in the beauty supply stores and was constantly ordering stuff online. I spent crazy cash on these products, but nothing made my natural 4C hair manageable.
I needed to do something and fast. My schedule was about to get pretty hectic with work and educational pursuits. I considered a texturizer or relaxer until I came across some videos on texlaxing. I decided to try it for myself. I was scared because of my previous hair disaster. I was afraid I might burn all of my hair off again but things had reached crucial proportions.A WORD OF WARNING
There is always a risk that any chemical process can damage your hair, temporarily or permanently. Once you texlax your natural hair it is no longer natural. Texlaxing is simply a milder version of a relaxer and it is a chemical process that alters the structure of the hair and changes the texture and hair pattern. If it is not done correctly, your hair may end up much straighter than intended. Also, you may lose the natural curl pattern you once had. Everyone's hair is different and the results of any chemical process cannot be guaranteed to be safe. If you have previously dyed hair, this process will strip all or most of the color from your hair. Your hair may even revert it back to it's natural color, so be aware of this and more importantly, if your hair has been recently colored, you should not be putting ANY chemicals in it and should wait at least several weeks. This presents a problem if you've been dying your hair for a long time or have gray hair coming in. If you can't dye your hair, Non Stick Coating you end up with a multi-colored catastrophe! I did find a way to dye my hair back to black/brown safely and naturally after texlaxing, with no chemicals, no damage, no ammonia or peroxide and no PPD (Para-Phenylenediamine), but that is for another article. You cannot repeatedly mix processes and chemicals close together on black hair with damage that can range from mild to severe. Remember what happened to me when I relaxed and colored my hair on the same day? Trust me, you don't want to go there!
HOW I TEXLAXED MY NATURAL 4C HAIR

WearEver Pure Living Ceramic Coated Cookware

WearEver Pure Living Ceramic Coated CookwareRating:Star0StarStarStarStarNovember 23, 2012The WearEver Pure Living Ceramic Coated Cookwareadds the heat retention of aluminum with the nonstick but durable ceramic coating to create an everyday set of cookware that will last and be enjoyable to use.
Ease of Use/Performance: 5/5
Convenience/Storage 4/5
Appearance/Design 5/5
How much I enjoy 5/5
Total: 5/5
Buying cookware can be a nightmare with so many chefs recommending their own line of pots and pansbut even the familiar store setting can be intimidating. When you’re not sure what to get one place many people turn to is users themselves so here is my review of the WearEver Pure Living Ceramic Cookware.Teflon Coatings
The new Pure Living line of cookware by WearEver has an aluminum core with an outer coating that is easy to clean, I’m not sure what the outer coating is though. The inner surface is coated with a ceramic nonstick material that shows as a pure white inside and is very nonstick.
Each pan has a nice aluminum edge and bottom with handles riveted on to the base and a silicone handle that provides a comfortable and safe grip when using on the stove. You do have to be careful as the silicone will heat up in the oven so when taking any of the Pure Living cookware out of the oven mitts of some kind are required.
The Pure Living cookware is both stove top and oven safe up to 750 degrees so the high broil setting is no worry for the ceramic coating or the silicone handles. The bottoms of all the pans are textured with both a circular ridge pattern and the classic WearEver W logo’s to create more surface area on the bottom of the pan to increase the speed of preheating.
The thick aluminum adds to heat retention while cookingand the pans work well for everyday coking in the home for both general foods and those special occasions. I have been using the WearEver 10 piece set I received almost every day and can attest to their durability and clean up ease.
The nonstick coating really works well for eggs and meats cooked with or without oil and the cleanup of even the worst burnt on mess is easy. You will not have to presoak these pans in water to get rid of burnt on foods and cleanup is a breeze without having to put the pans into the dishwasher but they are dishwasher safe.
I tried to overcook an egg and cheese in the 8 inch sauté pan and it cleaned right up with a quick swish of water and a dishrag which I will have a video of on my website. Ceramic Coating The WearEver pans and lids are dishwasher safe but I really think you can just skip that part most of the time and save room for the things that really need the help of a machine to clean them.
I tried the Consumer reports method of testing cookware by using a dollop of oil in the pan and then cooking four eggs one after the other without adding more oil. After a few times trying this to get a good video I decided to quit and just use the one video tape I did before of just frying the one egg and showing the cleanup.
The four eggs came out well and the fourth egg slid around in the pan with as much ease as the first so the pans work well as a nonstick cookware set. I did a lot of cooking in a short time and tried to use the pans every day since I got them cooking a variety of foods like hamburgers, fish, sausage, eggs, pancakes and even straight cheese.
The pans are first and foremost very nonstick and food even when cooked slightly beyond done does not stick to the pan, even the little bits. I tried burning a few things after cooking like the leftover bits of egg when I cooked eggs and the egg simply wiped off the sides and bottom.
Cooking with foods like pancakes is great as you don’t need to use much spray or oil and a little dab of butter works just as well for tasty and light pancakes with that touch of butter. I tried a recipe of toffee and after pouring out the butter and sugar mixture I burnt the rest and it only succeeded in burning the sugar and leaving pools of oil with dark bits floating in them.
This was kind of interesting but cleanup was the real test and after a bit of cooling then a simple rinse and swish with a dishrag the pot was as clean as ever. Cleanup with the WearEver Pure Living Ceramic Cookware is probably the best feature after your favorite recipes of course and it is a nice treat not to have to soak pans.
The 10 piece Pure Living set comes with an 8 and 10.5 inch sauté pan, a 3 quart covered sauce pan, a 3.5 quart covered skillet and a 5 quart covered Dutch oven along with a plastic spatula and spoon. Teflon Coatings The lids for two of the pans also fit the sauté pans so all the pans can be used with one of the glass covers that has a central silicone handle.
The glass lids have a vent hole in the top and are riveted onto the glass with a steel rim around the edge of the lid the fits into the pans. The glass covers are also heat proof and can be used in the oven so you can cook on the stove top or in an oven for both gas and electric cooking.
The WearEver line of cookware comes in a red and champagne color and for the ten piece set costs about $95 but smaller sets and individual pieces are also available online. I highly recommend the Pure Living Ceramic Coated Cookware which adds durability and easy cleanup to the nonstick coating beyond what conventional Teflon does.
Pure Living @ WearEver
10 Piece Pure Living Set @ Amazon
Pure Living Cookware Video

The History of Spacesuits - History of Spacewalking

See More Aboutspacesuitairplanerocketnasajet(Continued from Page 1)Walking on the Moon's surface a quarter million miles away from Earth presented a new set of problems to spacesuit designers. Not only did the Moon explorers' spacesuits have to offer protection from jagged rocks and the searing heat of the lunar day, but the suits also had to be flexible enough to permit stooping and bending as Apollocrewmen PTFE Coatings gathered samples from the Moon, set up scientific data stations at each landing site, and used the lunar rover vehicle, an electric-powered dune buggy, for transportation over the surface of the Moon. The additional hazard of micrometeoroids that constantly pelt the lunar surface from deep space was met with an outer protective layer on the Apollo spacesuit. A backpack portable life support system provided oxygen for breathing, suit pressurization, and ventilation for moonwalks lasting up to 7 hours. Apollo spacesuit mobility was improved over earlier suits by use of bellows-like molded rubber joints at the shoulders, elbows, hips and knees. Modifications to the suit waist for Apollo 15 through 1 7 missions added flexibility making it easier for crewmen to sit on the lunar rover vehicle. From the skin out, the Apollo A7LB spacesuit began with an astronaut-worn liquid-cooling garment, similar to a pair of long johns with a network of spaghetti-like tubing sewn onto the fabric. Cool water, circulating through the tubing, transferred metabolic heat from the Moon explorer's body to the backpack and thence to space. Next came a comfort and donning improvement layer of lightweight nylon, followed by a gas-tight pressure bladder of Neoprene-coated nylonor bellows-like molded joints components, a nylon restraint layer to prevent the bladder from ballooning, a lightweight thermal super insulation of alternating layers of thin Kapton and glass-fiber cloth, several layers of Mylar and spacer material, and finally, protective outer layers of Teflon coated glass-fiber Beta cloth. Apollo space helmets were formed from New Non Stick Coating high strength polycarbonate and were attached to the spacesuit by a pressure-sealing neck ring. Unlike Mercury and Gemini helmets, which were closely fitted and moved with the crewman's head, the Apollo helmet was fixed and the head was free to move within. While walking on the Moon, Apollo crewmen wore an outer visor assembly over the polycarbonate helmet to shield against eye damaging ultraviolet radiation, and to maintain head and face thermal comfort. Completing the Moon explorer's ensemble were lunar gloves and boots, both designed for the rigors of exploring, and the gloves for adjusting sensitive instruments. The lunar surface gloves consisted of integral structural restraint and pressure bladders, molded from casts of the crewmen's hands, and covered by multi layered super insulation for thermal and abrasion protection. Thumb and fingertips were molded of silicone rubber to permit a degree of sensitivity and "feel." Pressure-sealing disconnects, similar to the helmet-to-suit connection, attached the gloves to the spacesuit arms. The lunar boot was actually an overshoe that the Apollo lunar explorer slipped on over the integral pressure boot of the spacesuit. The outer layer of the lunar boot was made from metal-woven fabric, except for the ribbed silicone rubber sole; the tongue area was made from Teflon-coatedglass-fiber cloth. PTFE Coated The boot inner layers were made from Teflon-coated glass-fiber cloth followed by 25 alternating layers of Kapton film and glass-fiber cloth to form an efficient, lightweight thermal insulation.

How to Clean a Fish Finder Screen

Fishfinders make a day of fishing more fun and productive. Fishfinders are an invaluable tool to the modern fisherman. In addition to showing the location of fish, a these devices can also provide information about the waters depth and temperature, among other things. Fishfinders do require some routine maintenance to keep them in top working order. Over time the screen can become foggy or blurry due to exposure to dirt, PTFE Coating oil and other contaminants. I have owned several different types of these devices over the years and have learned the hard way that you need to take special care when cleaning your fishfinder to prevent damage to the anti-reflective coating on the screen.
What You Need
Rag
Water
Lint-free cloth
Eyeglass cleaning solution
Steps
1) Use a rag to wipe away any dust, dirt and debris from the surface of the screen. Be careful not to scratch the screen.
2) Moisten a clean rag with fresh clean water. Wipe the screen with the wet rag and allow the screen time to dry.
3) Open a bottle of eyeglass cleaning solution. Apply the eyeglass cleaning solution to a lint-free cloth. Make sure that you use an eyeglass cleaning solution that is approved for use on a surface coated with anti-reflective material.
4) Apply the moistened lint-free cloth to the surface of the screen.Non Stick Coating Use a gentle motion to rub the cloth across the entire surface of the screen. Apply more eyeglass cleaning solution to the lint-free cloth, if necessary. Repeat this process until the screen is clean and free of any contaminants.
Caution
Do not use abrasive cleaning solutions or ammonia based cleaning products on a fishfinder screen. These types of cleaning solutions can damage the anti-reflective coating on the screen. Make sure that you only use an eyeglass cleaning that is approved for use on surfaces coated with an anti-reflective material.
Published byDave Colton
Dave Colton began practicing law in 1993. He has over 20 years of legal research and writing experience. Colton also has extensive hands-on experience in construction, remodeling and contracting. In addition...  View profile

PEEK Corrosion Resistant Coating

PEEK corrosion resistant coating (polyether etherketone), PEK (polyether ketone), and PAEK (polyaryl etherketone) are a family of partially crystalline engineering thermoplastics (plastic polymers) that can be used at high temperatures. These resins have excellent chemical resistance. Non Stick Coating Their high thermal stability comes from rigid ketone and phenyl groups, while their high strength and thermoplastic state below the decomposition temperatures come from the ether groups.

The PEEK corrosion resistant coating can have melting temperatures in excess of 650 degrees Fahrenheit, with mechanical properties retained to about 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Tensile properties of the PEEK corrosion resistant coating are comparable to most engineering thermoplastics. Creep resistance is outstanding and may sustain large stresses over a useful service life without measurable strain.

Everlube Products Pioneer and Leader in Solid Film Lubricant Technology.
Wear rates and friction are becoming increasingly important against metals. And corrosion protection is often an integral part. For these reasons, the PEEK corrosion resistant coating (and related polymers) is becoming increasingly important, as demands for their structural performance grow, particularly at elevated temperature.

Wear factors of the PEEK corrosion resistant coating, including PEK or PAEK, appear much less affected by load and speed components, independent of PV. Wear performance seems to be better at low pressures and high speeds, rather than high pressures and intermediate speeds. PTFE Spray Coating All display excellent resistance to wear over wide ranges of pressure, velocity, temperature, and counterface roughness.

Properties of the PEEK corrosion resistant coating now include the lubricating and non stick characteristics of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) but with much greater resistance to abrasion.

Every day Americans throw away 60 million plastic water bottles

Every day Americans throw away 60 million plastic water bottles. That's 21.9 billion every year, and that's just in the U.S. So what can you do? Buy a reusable water bottle and use it all the time. Coupled with a water filtration system, like Brita or Pur, you're reusable bottle will help conserve water while reducing the amount of plastic that ends up in landfills all over the country. It may seem a little expensive to get started but an added benefit to reusable water bottles is the cash you'll save on hydration. I used to spend at least $60 a month on water bottles and jugs of purified water. Now I spend $14 every six months for filter replacements on my Brita pitcher. Here's an overview of the different kinds of reusable water bottles available.Metal bottles PTFE Coatings
Gaiam, Klean Kanteen, Sigg, and Eco Canteen are some of the brands available if you're looking for a metal water bottle. They come in all sizes, colors and styles. They even have smaller versions for children. The real benefit of using metal is that polycarbonate bottles have been shown to leech possibly carcinogenic particles into your drinking water. The stainless steel or aluminum bottles are safer because the metal is non-leaching and usually treated with a water based coating to keep the water inside tasting fresh. The coating also keeps flavors from sticking once inside your reusable water bottle. I have both Gaiam and Klean Kanteen brand bottles and love them both. I like the slimmer design of my Gaiam bottle but found that the Klean Kanteen is less likely to be dented if dropped. Metal bottles aren't great at keeping beverages cold but most of the ones ive found have openings large enough for ice cubes to be used. The metal water bottles are 100% recycle but since they are virtually indestructible you won't need to. They range from $13-$35 in price.
Plastic water bottles
If you choose to go plastic you can find safe options. Check therecyclingsymbol on your bottle, if it is #2 HDPE (high density polyethylene), or a #4 LDPE (low density polyethylene), or a #5 PP (polypropylene), your bottle is fine. Most plastic bottles sold in stores are #1 and are only rated for one time use. Naglene is one brand that offers reusable plastic bottles featuring HDPE (#2) and LDPE (#4) plastic. The Naglene is made of hard rigid plastic and some people complain that it breaks when dropped from high places. The other brand of plastic bottle I found was the Soma crystal water bottle. Made of FDA approved non leaching plastic it is also flexible and harder to break. I didn't as many style or color options but the reusable plastic water bottles do come in a variety of sizes and Naglene offers a wide variety of non leaching plastic products. They range from $5-$15 in price.
Whether you're doing to save money or you want to do your part to reduce, reuse, and recycle; reusable water bottles are an easy way to do it. The countless designs offered on some of the bottles also make it easy to match your bottle with your personality, making it something you want to carry with you every day. Non Stick Coatings Small changes, like buying reusable water bottles, are just as important as big changes like finding alternative energy. Go green, one bottle at a time.
Published byStephanie Michael
I'm going to teach all over the world. I want to experience the things that other people just dream about. I want to see the wonders of man and of nature. I will learn something new everyday. I'll do it all...  View profile

Reduce Your Waste with a Reusable Bottle

Every day Americans throw away 60 million plastic water bottles. That's 21.9 billion every year, and that's just in the U.S. So what can you do? Buy a reusable water bottle and use it all the time. Coupled with a water filtration system, like Brita or Pur, you're reusable bottle will help conserve water while reducing the amount of plastic that ends up in landfills all over the country. It may seem a little expensive to get started but an added benefit to reusable water bottles is the cash you'll save on hydration. I used to spend at least $60 a month on water bottles and jugs of purified water. Now I spend $14 every six months for filter replacements on my Brita pitcher. Ceramic Coating Here's an overview of the different kinds of reusable water bottles available.Metal bottles
Gaiam, Klean Kanteen, Sigg, and Eco Canteen are some of the brands available if you're looking for a metal water bottle. They come in all sizes, colors and styles. They even have smaller versions for children. The real benefit of using metal is that polycarbonate bottles have been shown to leech possibly carcinogenic particles into your drinking water. The stainless steel or aluminum bottles are safer because the metal is non-leaching and usually treated with a water based coating to keep the water inside tasting fresh. The coating also keeps flavors from sticking once inside your reusable water bottle. I have both Gaiam and Klean Kanteen brand bottles and love them both. I like the slimmer design of my Gaiam bottle but found that the Klean Kanteen is less likely to be dented if dropped. Metal bottles aren't great at keeping beverages cold but most of the ones ive found have openings large enough for ice cubes to be used. The metal water bottles are 100% recycle but since they are virtually indestructible you won't need to. They range from $13-$35 in price.
Plastic water bottles
If you choose to go plastic you can find safe options. Check therecyclingsymbol on your bottle, if it is #2 HDPE (high density polyethylene), or a #4 LDPE (low density polyethylene), or a #5 PP (polypropylene), your bottle is fine. Most plastic bottles sold in stores are #1 and are only rated for one time use. Naglene is one brand that offers reusable plastic bottles featuring HDPE (#2) and LDPE (#4) plastic. The Naglene is made of hard rigid plastic and some people complain that it breaks when dropped from high places. The other brand of plastic bottle I found was the Soma crystal water bottle. Made of FDA approved non leaching plastic it is also flexible and harder to break.Water Based Acrylic Paint I didn't as many style or color options but the reusable plastic water bottles do come in a variety of sizes and Naglene offers a wide variety of non leaching plastic products. They range from $5-$15 in price.
Whether you're doing to save money or you want to do your part to reduce, reuse, and recycle; reusable water bottles are an easy way to do it. The countless designs offered on some of the bottles also make it easy to match your bottle with your personality, making it something you want to carry with you every day. Small changes, like buying reusable water bottles, are just as important as big changes like finding alternative energy. Go green, one bottle at a time.
Published byStephanie Michael
I'm going to teach all over the world. I want to experience the things that other people just dream about. I want to see the wonders of man and of nature. I will learn something new everyday. I'll do it all...  View profile

Airbrushed Nails How to Get Beautiful Fingernails

Beautiful nails have always been important components of fashion and style of women. Since a long time, women decorated their nails in unique way to look them beautiful. Nail care and nail art has earned an important part in the beatification program of modern women. Novel ideas are being practiced by stylish women to beautify nails in more attractive manner. Airbrushing of nails is another important tool to make beautiful nails that look nice and gorgeous.This classy know-how to decorate beautiful nail has been taken from the idea of airbrushing toys, garments and other commodities. The surface of the nail is taken as canvas for making the art work. You need to make very little arrangements to make airbrushing of your nails. Ceramic Coating Stencils, acetone, a coating for the base, variety of nail polishes, airbrushing a machine with complete accessories are needed to perform the work on nails.

To begin with the job, draw a design or picture, which you intend to draw on your nail surface. You can create your own design or can get hold of a design from the store in your locality. The next work is to prepare the nails so that the beautiful nail art remains there for a long time. Clean wash your hands and nails perfectly with a soap and brush the corner of the nails for any dirt in side. Remove the old nail polish or oily substance from the nail with the help of a nail polish remover or acetone. Non Stick Coating Spray Use a napkin to make them dry.
Start coating the nails with the base coat or while color on which the stencil would be made. The coating at this stage should be evenly made. Preparing the base coat is important because the stencil is placed over it. The airbrush gun is applied on the stencil with only one color at a time. Make successive work with the airbrush gun taking different colors as required by the design. After the removal of the stencil, clean other portions of the finger with the nail polish remover to find beautiful nails.

The finishing touch is given by a brush to apply the top-coating on the airbrushed nails. It has to be done with delicate brush strokes without hampering the design or the color of beautiful nails. Too much of stroking with the brush during the finishing stage may ruin the entire beatification process. PTFE Coatings It is just giving nice and subtle touches for top-coat before they get dried up. You can put the nails in front of a fan to get them dried faster.

You can do away with the finishing touches with brush strokes and apply to varnish on the airbrushed nails. The use of varnish comprises of water based transparent coating spread on beautiful nails as a mist. This helps in protecting the paint of the design as well. Now, you have the fantastic airbrushed nails to add to your beauty and style. Be sure that after a few sessions like this, you will be doing this perfectly well and your friends would be surprised to find such beautiful nails.