Mystic Toad Press Blog

Today, more and more people are looking for ways that can reduce stress in their lives and provide peace of mind. As a result, gardens have made a re-entry. A home garden is a nice place to hang with family and friends. Placing good garden furniture can add additional spice to this enjoyment. There are different uses of placing outdoor furniture in the garden. People can use it for sitting, resting or simply as a decorative that can glorify the surroundings.

Cost of garden furniture primarily depends on the material that has been used to manufacture them. Usually, they are manufactured using outdoor wood, plastic, cast iron, wrought iron, copper and stainless steel. The best way to buy furniture for the garden at a cheaper rate is to shop around and compare prices offered by different sellers. Sellers tend to reduce prices and provide discounts on their products so as to increase their sales and withstand the competition in the market. Another way is to look for furniture sales during trade shows and floral exhibitions. Bulk purchases can also help in getting things at lower price. Online shopping is another good way of obtaining furniture for the garden at cheaper rate. There are numerous websites on the internet specializing in the sale of outdoor furniture. Sometimes, people even prefer to get their outdoor furniture constructed in their homes with the help of carpenters. One more way is to visit garden sales that sell used or second hand furniture.

This integral part of the power to gearbox is essential in stabilizing the gearbox and driving the locomotive. This unit is critical depending on the type of locomotive you are going to modify.

Small engines usually have some space problems and the can motor drive shaft to the gearbox drive shaft is almost non-existent. To solve this dilemma you have a choice of two means of fastening the two drive shafts together and still maintain stability of the gearbox. One is the old method of using neoprene tubing to act as a drive mechanism and to stabilize the gearbox. The other is a U-Joint and couplings however, this method requires a means to stabilize the gearbox.

The newer tubing available today is far more stable and holds its elasticity far longer than the original tubing. Previously the tubing lost all elasticity and became brittle. On the other hand the U-Joint and couplings works similar to the drive shaft on an automobile. The draw back is that when the shaft turns there is a monetary break in the stabilizing properties of this type of mechanism. The coupling can slip out of its hold due to the torque and the desire of the gearbox to ride up or spin on the main gear.

To compensate for this anomaly one must find a means to hold the shaft connection steady. One way is to build a bracket with a bearing to be attached to the frame of the locomotive. The shaft of the can motor is then inserted into the bearing and the bracket is attached to the frame. Once this is done, the U-Joint and coupling are placed on the can motor shaft and the two interfaces, can motor shaft and gearbox shaft, are coupled together.

With this method you must have a means to adjust the couplings so the do not bind. This is usually done by having drilling an oblong hole at the attach point for the can motor. This allows the user to move the can motor backwards or forwards before tightening the fastener down. However, many times the space between the two shafts is so small the neoprene tubing method is the only means that will work.

The other type of stabilizer is the torque arm. This one is my favorite however, it is complicated. You have to build the torque arm from scratch. The trickiest part of this operation is the drilling and taping of two holes in the gearbox casement. You must be very careful not to penetrate the void in the gearbox casement.

The other part is making the torque arm its self. This is a relatively long piece of brass sheeting at about a quarter inch wide. You would cut it to meet the length of the locomotive you are working on. One end is bent up 90 degrees. This end would have two holes drilled to match the two holes on the gearbox encasement.

At the point where the can motor would be stationed you would build a bracket with a right angle tab. The bracket would be drilled out to match the can motor configuration and the two screw holes in the can motor. The bracket would then be soldered to the torque arm. The end of the torque arm would be equal in length from the gearbox encasement to the end of the can motor.

On the bottom of the torques arm just beneath were the can motor sits you would solder a sold brass shaft of 2mm in diameter and about inch in length. Also, you would solder in place a small half spring at the same soldering point. Then you would drill an oblong hole in the frame where the original motor attach point was located. This hole will allow the 2mm shaft to ride up and down much like the real torque arm does. The motor is heave enough to stop the gearbox from trying to spin.

This is, in my opinion, the best stabilizer of them all and keeps the drive mechanism in perfect alignment.

Joy Ball has been involved in the restoration and maintenance of a variety of Brass Model Locomotives. Through her years of expertise, Mrs. Ball has perfected the art of train restoration often spending countless hours preserving vintage Brass Locomotive to the running condition of even the newest Brass Model Replicas. It should be noted that the above article was written by Joy’s husband Michael Ball. Receive her free newsletter at http://www.brasslocomotiveworks.com.

Custom printed lanyards are an extremely popular item and are readily available for purchase through a large amount of suppliers. Many suppliers have detailed e-commerce sites that allow buyers to select a lanyard style and customize it without ever having to leave their office or home. The finished product is typically delivered within one to three business days. Custom printed lanyards are relatively inexpensive, especially when purchased in large numbers. Often available for as little as a few cents per item, the choices in style, color, material, length, and print are seemingly endless.

Custom printed lanyards are often imprinted with a logo, slogan, name, or symbol. Employees, students, hospital staff members, seminar attendees, government workers, or military members commonly wear them. A variety of attachment hardware is available to secure important items. Many company employees use lanyards to display identification badges while on the job.

An inexpensive source of advertising, custom printed lanyards serve as popular incentives and giveaway items at trade shows, seminars, and conferences. They are also used as promotional items at concerts, universities, and other venues.

Pet owners have also taken advantage of what custom printed lanyards have to offer. A lanyard worn around a dog or cat’s neck can be custom printed with the owner’s name, phone number, and address. If the pet were to become lost, the custom printed lanyard can provide valuable information to lead to the pet’s safe return. Registration and immunization tags can also be attached to the lanyard by using a split ring.

Lanyards Info provides information on printed, custom, beaded, badge, neck, key lanyards, and cell phone accessories and jewelry. Lanyards Info is the sister site of Lapel Pins Web.

Black Blood, in Jeremiah’s Vines
[A Dream Poem]

And I heard the crackling of wood, and I noticed the Lord God had made men of wood, and fire came from his mouth.

Then the wind poured its grief upon usover our sins; and I heard the words for the seventh time, “Go to the mountains!”

Foolish people of this land pray and understandfor He cometh! Thereof, toss yourself to thy knees, for the roar of rebellious men will bleed: black blood, through the vines of Jeremiah.

Note: 5/10/05, 11:28 AM #639

Article

Writer Visited US
The Correo Newspaper
(Huancayo, Peru)
4-20-05 (page 9)

Dennis Siluk, renowned writer from the USA, was recently in the Mantaro Valley area and visited the Peruvian University “Los Andes” Language Center where there was pandemonium during his meeting with students and staff of the Language Center.

In a short dialog with the students he highlighted the ancient and beautiful Peruvian culture and congratulated the students for being involved in learning the English language; a language which predominates in the world and does not have frontiers, in communication.

He ended up his visit donating books to the Coordinator, Licensed Rigoberto Ricaldi Hurlado.

This is Mr. Siluk’s most recent article and poem [Poet/Author, Dennis Siluk: http://dennissiluk.trippod.com].He is a world traveler, and likes the mysteries of [in] life.He believes in the ghostly world, as well as the physical one;the Maya calender and its astronomy and mysteries, as well as loving the Inca legends, and the land of Peru. He also believes in the birth of a new world coming. Rosa Penaloza

Poet/Author, Dennis Siluk: http://dennissiluk.trippod.com