It's fun to be out in warm weather cutting big timbers and doing a project that sees quick, upward progress. In this video, you'll find instructions for building a post and plank-style retaining wall. This post-and-plank retaining system is based on the way seawalls (or bulkheads) work. You set posts into the ground, vertically, then plank behind them. This creates a wall with texture and shadow lines with nice hollows between the posts for plantings or grass. And, because there's so much pos...
Planters or organized beds with planter borders can not only provide mowing definition, but contain the flowers and hopefully keep out weeds that may grow into them from surrounding areas. Backyard planters can be big or small, permanent or portable. The simplest planters consist of edging for flower or vegetable beds. In the past, many used recycled railroad ties for this, and they still add a distinctive rustic appeal to garden beds. In recent years, however, pressure-treated landscaping ti...
To install a sliding patio or deck door, first decide a practical, aesthetically logical and structurally sound location for the entranceway. Do not locate a patio door closer than 4 feet from any corner, otherwise the solid-wood sheathing or metal bracing at the corners could be compromised. Also, plan ahead. We chose the door's location in part because it allowed the option of later adding a bathroom at the corner of the adjacent wall. For a step-by-step at the installation process, take a ...
Decks and patios are a major source of America's entertainment and relaxing enjoyment, but they can be hot in the summer sun. They can actually be dangerous if they reflect the sun's ultraviolet rays. And running your grill during a rainstorm that arrives the same time as your guests can be a real frustration. One answer is a sunroof over your patio or deck. If designed properly, a sunroof can cut the summer sun, but still allow winter sun rays to warm the house. The sunroof shown is a typica...
Butcher-block kitchen countertops have traditionally been very popular and these days are often used as companion tops with other materials, such as solid-surface tops. In addition to their aesthetic appearance, they can receive hot pans without damage. You can make up your own butcher-block countertop, or the same technique can be used to create cutting boards, or a top for a roll-around cart. The steps in creating the top are fairly easy, but the project does require some special tools, esp...
Lately, there's been a lot of building work going on around Dancing Rabbit. So for this episode of Dancing Rabbit TV, they're taking the opportunity to provide a one-two how-to natural DIY building lesson, an in-depth video about earthen plastering techniques and application. Tamar will guide you every step of the the build process, showing how easy it is to make natural plaster from just a few simple ingredients, both making and mixing the plaster, and then applying it to a natural home wall...
Core Data is a powerful data-management framework introduced with Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger. When you take advantage of Core Data, it slashes the amount of custom code you need to write in order to manage application data. Opening, saving and undo management can all be handled by Core Data, freeing you to concentrate on creating unique features for your application. This video tutorial, which presents a general introduction to using Core Data, will walk you through the process of building a simple...
This video tutorial will show you how to take an old computer keyboard and use its circuitry as a physical computing input device. Once you have this device, you can then use it to interface with programs that you write using software such as pure data processing, MAX/MSP, and Ableton Live to name a few. What you are doing is replacing the switches within your keyboards with others for input devices. Make sure the interface is plugged in when you are testing but it's probably a good idea to u...
Check out this electronics tutorial video to learn how to reconnect the hard drive for a third generation iPod. Getting the hard drive re-connected to the logic board inside a 3rd generation ipod can be a little tricky to do, but watch as a technician shows you how to do it. Try to connect the hard drive first and then lay it flat dowon on top of your new battery. This instructional video illustrates this simple process.
This four part origami series demonstrates how to fold one of the most difficult origami forms, the rose. Make sure to press clean creases as you move through the steps because you will need to employ every fold later on in the paper folding process. The verbal instructions are a helpful addition to the visual origami guidelines. It takes about fifteen minutes to fold this impressive origami rose.
Accidents will happen. This two-part video tutorial will guide you through the process of taking apart your 13" MacBook quickly and efficiently without damaging any of the components, the first necessary step of any successful repair. This tutorial will also be of use to those who wish to learn more about the guts of their MacBooks without actually disassembling their units. Replace your own display with this video tutorial.
This tutorial shows you how to take nice star pictures and star trail pictures with just a camera. This video also provides tips on choosing film, digital processes, and how to take late night photographs of stars in the night sky. You will need a tripod or a way to keep your camera absolutely still for long exposures. You can take photos of stars with a regular 35mm camera using a release cable, or use a digital camera with long exposure settings.
Ever try to load a roll of film onto a reel and into a sealed developing tank in complete darkness? If you have, you know that anything unexpected can throw a kink into your personalized process of developing photographs. This video demonstrates how to load film onto stainless steel reels. If you are interested in developing film by hand, it is a good idea to be aware of all types of winding reels and developing tanks so you don't fumble in the darkroom.
WordPress is a free, open source blog tool and publishing platform, popular for its customizability. This customizability, however, can be a double-edged sword for, while set up process is easy, intermediate users might get themselves into trouble when, looking to change particular setting, they seemingly find themselves lost in a veritable sea of tweakable parameters. In this video tutorial, you'll learn how to use the WP-Ustream WordPress plug-in, which will allow you to easily embed your U...
Eventually when you get a couple of thousand miles on your bike, you'll find that you'll need to replace your brake pads. Take a look at this instructional video and learn how to replace your brake pads on your bicycle. Most brake pads have grooves cut into them, this allows you to see how far the pads have worn away. When the grooves are gone, it's time to replace them. When you're going through this process, pay particular attention to how the parts come off the bicycle.
Take a look at this instructional video and learn how to load virtual console games onto your Nintendo Wii. You'll need the Twilight Hack and an SD card for this process. The Twilight hack allows you to run unofficial software through the SD (Secure Digital) card inserted into your Wii. Since the Twilight hack was found through the lastest Zelda game Twilight Princess, the game needs to be loaded every time before you can run any "homebrew" software.
Is you XBox 360 suffing from the "ring of death" (3 flashing lights)? Take a look at this instructional video of a two part series and learn how to fix the rod red ring of death. This tutorial does not cover the XBox 360's diassembling process, you'll need to know how to do that before you can perform this self repair on your game console.
Take a look at this instructional video and learn how to take apart and put together the iPod Shuffle. First, you'll want to remove the control button. You can do this with a box knife or an exacto knife. Next, you'll want to take out the on and off button. Remove the USB case next. The case is glued onto the iPod, so you'll want to use the knife again to slice and wedge it apart. If your shuffle stops working, most likely the problem is due to a blown LED, a loose connection, or something si...
MP3 provides great quality compression for about a 10th the file size of uncompressed audio. And most people can’t hear the difference between the MP3 and uncompressed audio. Any computer or portable player can play an MP3 file, so it’s a universal file format that makes it perfect for podcasting.
In this video series you will see how to install a stroker cylinder kit in a Honda Elite DIO scooter. This engine modification will increase the power and speed of your scooter. It's a detailed process so make sure to watch all parts of installing the stroker cylinder in the DIO scooter.
It's believed that most iPods carry the Wolfson Microelectronics WM8975 codec and although it does a great job converting the digital audio on the iPod's drive into analog audio, the iPod's amplifiers don't make the sound loud enough to hear through your headphones. Take a look at this instructional video and learn how to mod your iPod so that it'll bypass the iPod's amplifiers and run the audio out from the Wolfson DAC to your stereo. Keep in mind that this process requires breaking into you...
This travel tutorial video explains the visa procedure for a tourist visa into Ghana. The process is simple. Visa costs include the following:
Make a scary spider face painting. Learn the step by step process for painting a spider with face paints in this free video series about face painting ideas.
Nothing beats this delicious county ham when you're looking for a quick and easy 5 star recipe for the barbecue grill. The term "ham" generally refer to smoke cured pork butts(shoulder) and shanks. This is a ham butt, smoke cured and available most anywhere in the States. The additional smoke process on your grill or smoker makes it a 5 star premium ham fit for a kings table! In this how to video the BBQ Pit Boys show you step by step how to keep it moist and tender with a flavor that you can...
Learn how to add color, shape, and emphasis to your text and data in Microsoft SmartArt graphics in this tutorial. See which one works best for getting your point across. An organization chart? A time line? A process with sequential tasks? Non-sequential items? Pick one, and optionally customize it with colors, animation, effects such as shadows, bevels, and glows, and more.
Watch this instructional ceramics video to learn how to throw and shape with two ribs at the same time. Learn some basic tips of coning on a pottery wheel by squeezing slowly all the way up. It's another process in the wedging department that compresses the clay. Once you get the rhythm of the pottery wheel, give it a try and soon you'll be producing your own ceramics.
This cinematography tutorial video provides the basics of working with a photographic light meter as well as how to read the meter. A light and flash meter is nothing expensive. All you need is something that will measure the light and your flash. Most light meters are relatively the same. Metering is a relatively simple process. Just key in the ISO, key in the shuttle speed, push the button, and it gives you the f-stop to use on your professional photo camera.
In this how to video, John W. Nixon from Eagle Lake Woodworking demonstrates how to build an Arched-Top keepsake made from Cocobolo. This unique arched-top keepsake box is an eye catching item with a unique feature on the inside, a place to frame a picture. The process for making a dovetailed box is detailed in this video, as well as, the procedure for shaping the arched lid. Watch this how to video and you can create an arched top keepsake box to give as a gift or keep for yourself.
Join Spore artist / animator John Cimino as he walks through the process of building a creature with the Spore Creature Creator. Learn how to move around, use the camera and everything you need to know to get started in this video game engine software.
Watch this ceramics tutorial video to learn how to make your own butter dish. If you don't use butter, you can follow the same process to make a slightly bigger dish for cheese. This project is easy enough for beginners. The tips in this helpful how-to video will have you making your own butter dish in no time.
For too long the family refrigerator has had to endure a boring existence. Merely a place to store food and the occasional family photo, its place as an enduring destination for family entertainment has been overlooked for too long!
This video painting tutorial shows how to paint Bodhidharma in Sumi-e ink. The Sumi-e ink painting process is a traditional Japanese painting technique from the Niigata prefecture, demonstrated here with a stone ink well. This particular style of painting complements this Buddhist drawing. Learn how to paint Bodhidharma by watching this instructional video.
Once in awhile, however, you will run into the issue of having to replace the belt on a Kirby or any other type of vacuum cleaner. Even the most experienced repairmen will admit that replacing the belt on the Kirby is one of the most difficult repairs they face. However this how to video will show you how to do make this vacuum belt repair yourself. Go through the step by step process of dismantling the powerhead and swapping out the belts on the roller brush.
In creating the Style D One Sheet movie poster for REVENGE OF THE SITH, Artist Matt Busch begins painting and takes you through the complete process. Learn how to paint a lightsaber from Star Wars by watching this video art tutorial.
Artist Matt Busch finally begins the color painting process, showing how to lay in your under-painting with acrylic washes. The episode also touches on 'procrastination' (let's face it, a common artist trait) and even covers using an Air-Brush! Learn how to paint Star Wars by watching and following along with this video tutorial.
Babies naturally drink milk from their mother's breasts, but how much milk they intake is a more greyish area. While some babies latch on to that nipple and make big slurps in very little time, other babies are very reluctant and slow at sucking, so the process may take longer.
In this video tutorial, Chris Pels will show how to deploy a web site using the Copy Web Site Tool in Visual Studio. First see how to connect to a remote web site and deploy an entire site to the target location. Next, learn how to synchronize an entire source and target web site. In addition, see how to copy and synchronize individual or groups of files including how the Copy Web Site tool provides status indicators of differences between files. As part of this process see how the tool provi...
In this video tutorial, Chris Pels will show how to extend the standard set of ASP.NET configuration settings with your own XML configuration elements. First, see how to create a configuration section handler which is required to interpret and process the information in custom XML configuration elements. During this learn how to use declarative model for defining the behavior of a configuration section handler. Next, see how to add a custom section handler and custom elements to an ASP.NET co...
In this video tutorial, Chris Pels will show how to make standard HTML elements in an .aspx page accessible from server side code so they can be used in page processing like a standard ASP.NET server control. First, see how the addition of a runat=”server” attribute to a standard HTML control like a div allows it to be referenced in server side code with full Intellisense. Next, see several examples of how you might manipulate HTML elements on a page with this technique. Lastly, see how this ...
In this video tutorial, Chris Pels will show how information can be passed from one page to another using a query string. First, see how to construct a query string including variable names and values from information on a data entry form. Next, see how to access the query string information when the page is posted including how multiple query string variables are handled. As part of the server side processing of query string information, see how to implement validation for existence of query...
