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Post columnist John Kelly rolls up his sleeves to help Manassas artist Robin Croft make one of his “drawings in the wild,” a ghostly ship made from scavenged wood.

Building a driftwood 'Death Ship' in Virginia
Excellent Tips For Having An Awesome Home Improvement Project

There is more to home improvement than a new floor or a paint job. It will take a lot of research to get your home to look like you have always dreamed. You can boost your home improvement skill set by following the tips below. You can create the home of your dreams, and save money while you do it.

If you are thinking of purchasing a home, hire a professional inspector to check it out. This way, you do not have to figure out on your own or rely on a seller let you know about things that must be repaired or replaced if you purchase the home. A third party is a great way to keep things civil.

Take advantage of the experience of a home designer or architect to plan any major home improvement project. If you don’t have the expertise to back up your vision, your plans are most likely going to be dysfunctional from the start. A professional designer will have the ability to create a plan that also meets all required building codes.

Refinishing your cabinets, instead of choosing to replace them, can save you quite a bit of money. You could paint and place new doors to get a new look. You will spruce up the look of your kitchen and make it look brand new.

You should put windows in the bathroom for more ventilation. Mold can grow quickly in the moisture left behind by daily showering. Even if you keep repainting your bathroom walls, it still won’t sufficiently kill off the mold. Instead, you need to try things that get rid of it once and for all. Install a ventilation fan or a window to reduce the humidity in the space.

Home improvement is not a skill reserved for experts only. If you are just a novice, it will take an investment of your time, but your skills will improve. With attention to detail, you can accomplish tasks that you can be very proud of.

Gathering Driftwood from a recent visit to the Beach at Talacre. Found a great piece of wood for beginner woodturning projects, possibly ash? I took it home and cut it in half and left it for a few weeks.

Mounted it into the lathe using the chuck faceplate it was fairly uneven so rather than use the drive and prongs went with this method.
I used a really sharp bowl gouge to take off some timber then switched to my homemade carbide chisel. I rough shaped it and then finished it off with a old sanding belt ive got lying around.

Added Lichtenberg figures using the MOT, it took a while and many soakings to get it to burn. I would have thought with it having spent time in the sea it would be saturated with salts but it doesnt appear to be the case and i had to do numerous wettings, getting it to travel up the neck was quite a challenge.

Drilled it out and inserted a test tube so i can put an actual live flower in it with water to keep fresh.

No splitting or cracking yet although it was about 6 months from going to the beach and actually getting it onto the lathe.

Music with thanks!
Andreas Theme Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Woodturning a Simple Vase from Driftwood on the Lathe – Lichtenberg Figures
How To Remodel Your Home The Right Way

You have made the decision that it is time to make some needed repairs or improvements to your home, right? You have come to the right place. The first step in this process, of course, is to find out a little about home improvements and how you should go about making them. Use the advice offered in this article to guide you along the way.

Take the time to make every project your own, instead of simply copying what someone else has done. Add your own unique style for your home improvement ideas, giving your personal touch can go a long way.

In terms of renovating your roof, use white tiles or other similarly-hued materials. The lighter color will reflect the suns rays instead of absorbing them, reducing the heat build up in your attic. It is possible to realize great savings on your energy bills in this way.

Use a wet sponge on your drywall. Skip the sanding and sponge drywall seams instead. If you practice, you can use a wet sponge as effectively as using sandpaper. Sponging doesn’t create tons of dust like sanding does, either.

You can use hot glue to attach hardware such as bolts, nuts and screws to storage containers. When seeking one little piece of hardware, it can be problematic even with the best labeling system. These labels provide better organization so that you do not have to waste time.

If you are doing a project in a room that has gas connections, such as a fireplace or a stove, shut off the gas before you begin working. You should exhibit caution when you are doing this. Safety is the number one priority in these situations and you don’t want anything bad to happen.

You now have some great information on how to improve your home. You are one step closer to realizing your goals! In addition to showing you how to make home repairs the right way, the above article may have helped you become aware of specific areas you need to work on. If you have any questions, simply reread this article.