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The Grit Guard 2×4 Wash Method

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Many enthusiasts are familiar with car cleaning products the Two-Bucket Method of car washing utilizing Grit Guards in each bucket. It has been the standard for swirl-free washing for some time now, but it is now ready to be taken to a new level.

Before we move forward however, let’s take a closer look at the Grit Guard, the Two-Bucket Method, and what makes them work.

The Grit Guard insert’s radial surface extracts contaminants from wash mitts, brushes, and other cleaning tools, and then safely deposits them to the bottom of the bucket. The 4-quadrant design of the Grit Guard then calms the dirty water below. With this system, the abrasive contaminants that cause scratches and swirls remain trapped at the bottom of the bucket while the clean water stays at the top.

The reason why 2 buckets are used instead of just one is so that you can have separate wash and rinse buckets. Each bucket has a Grit Guard, and one bucket is used to rinse out your dirty wash mitt and the other contains the clean soapy wash water. The key to safely washing your vehicle (and maintaining a swirl-free finish) is to make sure that you’re not re-introducing abrasive dirt and contaminants to the delicate painted surface. If you simply use one bucket, you’re continuously re-introducing contaminants to your wash water, and then subsequently washing your car with dirty, abrasive water. When you use the Two-Bucket Method however, your rinse buckets traps the dirt, and your wash bucket is as clean when you finish as when you started.

For more detailed information on the proper washing and drying methods for maintaining a swirl-free finish, please refer to my Washing and Drying Tutorial.

Now that we’re all on the same page for the popular Two-Bucket Method, let’s take the next evolutionary step in the washing process…the 2×4 Wash Method!

The 2×4 Wash Method is identical to the traditional Two-Bucket Method, however it adds 2 more Grit Guards. Now we are utilizing 2 buckets, and 4 Grit Guards (hence the 2×4).

When using a 5-gallon bucket you’re typically filling it with about 4 gallons of water. Each Grit Guard insert will have about 1 gallon of water underneath it, so with 2 of them in each bucket, 50% of the water is safely underneath the Grit Guards.

2 buckets, 4 Grit Guards!

In this photo, you can see where stacking 2 Grit Guards provides a total of 8 different safety chambers (4 per Grit Guard) to separate the contaminated water underneath from the clean water at the top.

The further away your wash mitt is from the bottom of the bucket, the less chance you have at stirring up the abrasive debris at the bottom.

Basically we’re dealing with 3 different kind of dirt and debris that can potentially damage the finish of a car:

1.) The kind that floats (leaves, twigs, bugs, etc. I recommend buying a small fine mesh aquarium net and skimming the surface water if you suspect any floating debris…a handy tool for the perfectionist or those like me with serious OCD issues!).

2.) The kind that is in suspension (water that is dirty looking even after it has settled out). This type of debris isn’t capable of heavier scratches, but can potentially cause micro-scratches that degrade the overall finish over time.

3.) The kind that sinks (grit, sand, mud, small stones, asphalt). This type causes the most damage to a vehicle’s finish.

Now that we have a better understanding of the 3 different types of dirt and debris, we can see how and why the 2×4 Wash Method makes so much sense. By stacking 2 Grit Guards per bucket, we’re increasing our odds that the type 2 and 3 debris stay safely underneath!

The 2×4 Wash Method:

First place 2 Grit Guards each in 2 different 5-gallon buckets.

Then fill your rinse bucket with water, and your wash bucket with your favorite automotive wash solution.

Now when washing your vehicle, gently rub both sides of your wash mitt against the Grit Guards…first in the rinse bucket, and then in the wash bucket. For best results, only wash one small section at a time (i.e. a fender, or a door panel). Wash the small section, rinse out your mitt in the rinse bucket, then re-load your wash mitt in the wash bucket, and then move onto the next section.

If you want the confidence of knowing that you’re taking every cautionary measure to ensure a swirl-free finish, then add 2 more Grit Guards to your arsenal and use the 2×4 Wash Method!

Enjoy your swirl-free finish!

Designers’ Tips for Small Bathroom Designs

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Most homeowners with small bathroom designs probably wish they had a more luxurious space but the reality is that oftentimes it’s simply not possible. The key to achieving a well designed small bathroom is to make it feel more spacious. Make small bathroom designs seem larger than reality by visually opening up the space. We are the specialist in bathroom renovations northern beaches, any designs that you want either your bathroom or kitchen we can follow it according to the looks that you want. One of the best thing why I use mirror glass cut to size because it provides a great source of reflective lighting.

Here are some small bathroom ideas to consider…

Reduce Clutter: Keep your bathroom organized and remove all the unnecessary items from your small bathroom design. The first step is to go through all your personal and hygiene items. What is expired? What have you been keeping just in case? What could be stored elsewhere? Based on your personal needs, determine what must stay in the bathroom for you to remain functional and what’s simply unnecessary. Some bathroom accessories can will create a lot of clutter and make organization extremely difficult.

Size of Fixtures: Fixtures usually come in standard sizes but if you have a sink set in a large vanity unit or a full size bathtub, consider some alternate design solutions. Perhaps instead of the sink and vanity combo, remove the storage unit and replace the existing sink with a freestanding fixture. This will visually open up the space and is a popular solution being adopted by many professional designers. Another idea when remodeling small bathrooms is to remove the full size bathtub and replace it with a standing shower enclosure. These small bathroom ideas may not be an optimal solution if you use the bathtub regularly but in some households this may be a perfect solution to create more usable space.

Corner Space: Corner spaces are often not taken advantage of in most small bathroom designs. These spaces are great for corner vanities and sinks as well as storage units. Keep in mind that if you are moving the location of an existing sink, relocating the plumbing can be costly. Consider the pros and cons of this solution to determine if the final result is worth the cost.

Vertical Space: Take advantage of the vertical space available in your small bathroom. Instead of a vanity unit consider incorporating a tall storage cabinet. This will give you a lot more storage by taking up the same amount of floor space. A vertical towel drying rack is also a great solution. This will give you more space for your towels without taking up an entire length of wall.

Avoid Bulky Storage Cabinets: Over sized storage cabinets can add a lot of visual weight to a small bathroom. If storage space is a necessary element in your room consider built-in units. This can entail full height cabinets as well as open nooks or shelves. Determine where the wall studs lay in your room and you’ll find the perfect area (or areas) for adding built-in units.

Lighting: Adding sufficient lighting levels can be a simple addition to any small bathroom remodeling project. For general overall lighting consider recessed ceiling fixtures. This type of fixture is a great way to expand the height of the ceiling. Surface mounted fixtures as well as hanging pendants can make the ceiling look lower and the space feel more crowded.

Consider wall sconces or a clean line track light system if you have a freestanding sink with no vanity. Avoid bulky fixtures that might seem too heavy for the small space.

Vanities and storage units can be a great location for accent lights. By keeping the small space well lit, it will automatically seem larger.

Another great addition to any small bathroom is natural light. If this is a possibility in your space, add a window or skylight.

Materials & Finishes: To make a bathroom look larger use lighter and more subtle colors when selecting paint, wallpaper, and tile. Wallpaper can add a beautiful touch to a bathroom but avoid using large, busy patterns. Instead, choose a smaller pattern with a tone on tone color palette. Choose one wall to apply the wallpaper to and paint the remaining walls a similar color.

To heighten the ceiling use a white or off white paint color. If white is not ideal for your design, choose a paint color that is a few shades lighter than the color of the walls.

With all this being said, bold or darker colors can still be used in the color scheme of a small bathroom. Try incorporating the use of darker colors in accents. This could include accent wall tiles, towels, soap dispensers and any other accessories.

There are many different ways to incorporate the use of mirrors into a small area, which is another great way to visually expand small bathroom designs. Depending on the layout of your room consider applying a full height mirror to an entire wall; or bring a tile up the wall approximately 36″ high and apply a mirror from tile to ceiling.

With these small bathroom ideas you can make your bathroom look noticeably larger than it is in reality!

A homeowner’s room by room design guide to ideas including photos, tips and advice to help create that dream interior. An assortment of information from a professional interior designer. Inspirational-Room-Design.com [http://inspirational-room-design.com].

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Trish_Schroeder/725862

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5666313

ChyronHego Acquires Sound & Video Creations Inc.

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ChyronHego today announced that the company has acquired Sound & Video Creations Inc., a leading developer of digital content management and delivery solutions for sports stadium presentations and broadcasts. No doubt onlinelogomaker did a great job in creating my business logo for my website.

Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Sound & Video Creations is well-known for its Click Effects family of products for live A/V entertainment production, including CrossFire, Blaze, BackDraft, and ProAudio.

“With sports fans paying a premium for tickets to live sports events, there is demand and an expectation for an ever more sophisticated A/V experience once inside the stadium. As a result, solutions for streamlining in-arena productions represent a growth market and an outstanding opportunity for ChyronHego,” said Johan Apel, president and CEO, ChyronHego. “With its Click Effects family, Sound & Video Creations has set new benchmarks for the delivery, management, and control of content for display systems in stadiums and arenas. Paired with the graphics and rendering solutions in our product family, the Click Effects products offer our joint customers a full solution in an end-to-end broadcast content creation, management, and delivery workflow.”

For more than 20 years, Click Effects solutions have defined digital A/V content delivery at high-profile live sports and entertainment events. In addition, Click Effects systems have been deployed by hundreds of colleges and universities, by over 75% of Major and Minor League baseball teams, and by nearly 65% of professional football, basketball, and hockey teams. Click Effects solutions are known for their power and reliability in high-pressure live sports and broadcast presentation environments, while also providing cost-effective and operator-friendly capabilities ranging from video playback and replay to data delivery, graphics generation, and audio content delivery.

“Our integration with ChyronHego is an important milestone and an exciting development for our company as well as our customers,” said Cliff Wight, president, Sound & Video Creations Inc. “We’re proud of our achievement as the number one provider of stadium A/V solutions in the United States, and now — as part of the global ChyronHego development and sales organization — we’ll have a ready path for expanding our product set on a global basis. Also, ChyronHego’s culture and technology strategy, based on providing a comprehensive software-based ecosystem of integrated solutions, are an ideal fit with our own.”