Ed's Experiments and Stuff

Long time readers may remember that I have overwintered Swiss Chard in my basement under lights for the last several years.  This fall I started my winter Swiss Chard from seed to compare it to digging the old roots from the garden. I also had some collards that I bought from Home Depot that were originally planted out in the garden but with a cool, wet fall, the slugs, and the deer they weren't going to get a chance to do anything so I dug a couple of them up and planted everything in a window box.  As you can see the chard is pretty tight.  I was going to thin them but they seem to be more productive the way they are.  They don't make as many big leaves but there is a lot more stem production and since we eat both the leaves and stems I am getting a better harvest this way.  In this 6 x 8 inch area I am getting a cutting (for 2 people) a week.  It took about 6 weeks to get started though.  I think the best approach is to plant some seed and transplant the older garden plan

Where I live there is an annual vehicle safety inspection.  On this go around the mechanic said he would pass my wife's 2002 Accord this time but the headlight covers would have to be replaced because they were so yellowed and cloudy they were blocking enough light to become unsafe.  It was going to be pretty expensive for new headlight covers so I figured I would try one of the headlight restoration kits.  The local auto parts store carried a few different types but I settled on  Mothers on sale for less than $20.  The kit comes with 2 small sandpaper pads that are different on each side and numbered 1 to 4, a bottle of polishing cream (PowerPlastic ® Polish) , a Powerball polishing pad to use with the cream, and a microfiber towel.  Other items you will need are a drill, some tape (blue painting tape is easiest to use), a small pan with some water in it, and some paper towels. For headlights as bad as mine you use the 4 small sandpaper pads first.  However before you begin

My sister-in-law got a free rental weekend for a house in Nags Head. I had just read an Instructable on making sea salt and since we were headed to the beach it seemed like the perfect time to try it.  I found a few more articles and blogs on it and the basic process is Get sea water Filter out the sand and other junk Evaporate the water either by leaving in the sun or boiling or both Grind up to the consistency you want I got a nephew to got out in the surf with me and get a gallon milk jug and a couple two liter soda bottles of sea water.  First lesson learned - bring a bucket and wide mouth bottles or a funnel.  It is too hard to get the water in the surf to go through the little hole in these bottles and jugs.  It would have been better to have a bucket and then pour it in the jugs, filtering it along the way. When we got home I filtered it through some coffee filters which was a very slow process. I went back and reviewed the instructions and they all just filtered throu

Want a free cooler to keep your drinks cold? Stop by your doctor's office.  I know you're saying, "Really my doctor?"  But when you think about it, it makes perfect sense.  Every family doctor gives a certain number of vaccinations.  Vaccines need to be kept cold.  Therefore, your doctor will have a constant supply of coolers coming into the office, especially in the fall when the flu vaccines arrive.  I have a supplier since my wife works in our doctor's office but I would think they would be happy to put these coolers to use instead of throwing them away.  I have seen two types.  This one ships with dry ice and is not as thick but has more space inside. This one ships with ice packs that fit into the space at the bottom and along the sides.  The bonus here is the ice packs.  They won't stand up as well as real blue ice but they are free so what the heck.  This one is also thicker but won't store as much, not quite a 6 pack with the ice packs in p

Don't you hate when this happens? There you are digging in the garden and try to pry out a sapling stump and SNAP! If you can part with an old friend it is time to go buy a new shovel. If not (can you tell how much I have worn down the tip on this shovel?) it is time to replace the handle. Step one: Remove the Handle Notice where the rivet is installed through the handle.  Find the pre-formed end.  Look at the other side.  If it has been flattened much bigger than the hole through the shovel you will need to cut it off.  A Dremel tool with a cut-off wheel is the way to go.  Don't forget the safety glasses.  Now take a punch and hammer and knock the rivet through the shovel shaft.  Now you can knock the piece of the broken handle out of the shovel shaft. Step two: Fit and Drill the Hole in the New Handle But where to get your new handle?  I just read an article that mentioned the House Handle Company (http://househandle.com/index.html), a family owned business in

My wife and her sisters and cousins are going on girls weekend and to earn some husband points I decided to create some of these chalkboard paint stemware glasses I saw on Instructables.  http://www.instructables.com/id/ChalkBoard-Stemware/   I bought some cheap wine glasses at Wal-Mart and had some chalkboard paint left over from the wall of my basement shop. It is an easy process.  I wrapped a piece of electrical tape around the stem.  I used electrical tape because it is not as sticky as some other tape and so easier to get off once the painting is complete.  Also it is fairly thick so easier to find the end to unwrap it.  This makes it easier than something like tape you would use for wrapping paper. With the tape wrapped around the stem paint the bottom of the stem and base of the glass.  I used 3 coats.  One is not enough to cover well.  Two covered ok and was nice and smooth but I thought 3 would be more durable.  It will be interesting to see how well the paint holds up to