Archive for November, 2008

Just that spark missing for the Lexus IS 250

Sunday, November 30th, 2008

Lexus is a name that is very easy on the tongue and seems that it took some long and hard effort to coin it. It sounds perfect and perhaps too perfect to the point of being unable to evoke real driver emotion.

The IS 250 range is the entry level model which hopes to compete directly against the German offerings BWM 3 series, Mercedes C class and Audi A4. Although the IS has been around since 1998 and is only in its second generation, it has done a steady job technically and does not lag behind the big three.

All in all there are three main choices for the IS range namely I𔔲 (153 KW) , IS 220d (130 KW) and the I𔖖(228 kW). The IS range also has a convertible as well as a sports version targeted at the M3, R͂ and ᩣ AMG.

South Africa has at present only the IS range with pricing starting at R328 900.00 (manual) with the  most expensive model being R410 700.00 (SE auto). In general the IS250 is a good car and technically perfect as it was indented but for some reason the human elements seem to have been left behind.

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Stick Welding and the Process of Stick Welding

Saturday, November 29th, 2008

Stick welding is a process that uses a covered electrode that is also called a stick. The full name for Welding is Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) and is more widely used than many other methods of welding.

This works by melting the flux that covers the electrode as the welder welds a work-piece. As this process continues it forms gas and slag and these two things shield the arc and the weld pool of molten metal. After the work-piece is welded the welder must chip off the slag. The flux also adds scavengers, deoxidizers and other types of alloy elements to the metal during the weld.

There are many advantages of using this method. First of all this is one of the most inexpensive ways to weld because the equipment is easy to use, portable and inexpensive. You don’t have to worry about regulating the flux because the electrode does the regulating of the flux. This method is also less susceptible to wind and drafts than other methods, especially the welding processes that are gas shielded. No matter what position you find yourself in when welding, you can use this method in just about any position.

Throughout the world if you were to take a pole, stick welding is used more than any other form of arc welding. It is also versatile, flexible and used by a wider variety of individual. As an example, you can use this method to make small repairs around your home, you can repair equipment and it is used in the erection of still and other commercial types of joining metal.

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Gasoline Squeezing Pockets

Saturday, November 29th, 2008

Unfortunately for many people, gas prices are still continuing to climb. Many people are pushing their budgets to the limits and having to decide if they can fill the tank to get to work or fill the cupboards to feed the family. With family budgets at the breaking point, more and more people are eager to find out how they can get better fuel economy from the gasoline they buy to power their vehicles.

If you want to lower your gas costs “Click Here

As American’s with liberal driving habits and with many major population areas that are far-flung, requiring a great deal of commuting to and from work, people are struggling with changing their well-ingrained habits. For decades, most Americans have pulled into gas stations and filled up their fuel tank without giving too much thought to the cost, because the price of gasoline was fairly low, especially when compared to what others pay in other countries.

During the last three to four years, the price of gasoline in the US has been rising consistently and nowadays one gallon of gas can easily set you back $4 or more. While drivers with economy automobiles were able to fill up their small gas tanks for less than $20 just a few years go, these days a fill up for these smaller vehicles can easily cost $50.

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TIG(GTAW) Welding Process Overview

Friday, November 28th, 2008

The acronym TIG stands for Tungsten Inert Gas Arc Welding and the acronym GTAW stands for Gas Tungsten Arc Welding this is the same process but it is referred to by these two different names.

In the situation you will be Welder using an electric arc that generates the heat. You then have a tungsten non-consumable electrode that then produces the weld you are attempting to make.

One of the things that have to happen in this type of welding is that the particular metal that you are welding has to be shielded from contamination in the atmosphere or you will get a poor weld. Hence, the area is blocked with inert gass and sometimes used with a filler metal where it is deemed necessary.

This type of welding only works when you have a constant flow across the arc with an ionized gas that is called plasma. Plasma also has metal vapours within it. You will usually use GTAW if you have to weld thin metals like stainless steel, aluminium, magnesium or copper allows. GTAW also gives the person who is operating the welding process more control of the weld.

In welding terms, this means that this weld is much stronger and of a higher quality than many other types Welder . Many experts say that it is harder to learn, is complex and can be slower than other welding techniques.

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Tips for TIG Welding and TIG Welding Basics

Friday, November 28th, 2008

TSince TIG(GTAW) welding can be difficult there is all kinds of information that will help you understand it better and how to do it more effectively. Just like with any other method, you want certain things prepared before you begin, and its the same with TIG Welding.

What to prepare
The first thing you want to do is prepare the area where you are going to do your welding because you want it to be kept free of contamination. This means that you will have to really clean the area to make sure you have no grease, moisture or dust. You will also want to make sure there are no air drafts in this area because this could bring more problems.

The next thing to prepare is the metal that you are going to use for Welder . Using a stainless steel wire brush you can brush your joints so they are as clean as possible as to get the best weld possible.  Many welders will dedicate one brush to whatever metal they have so they don’t have to worry about cross contamination.

If have slag on any of the metal you can remove it with a file. Next, you will want to clean the base metal. The reason you want everything to be so clean is that if contaminated, the metal can either break down or make a bad connection. Of course, it depends on the metal which it will do, so cleaning everything can stop this from happening.

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Types of Welding

Thursday, November 27th, 2008

When you think about Welding you might think that there is only one type of welding. This is a common idea because most people only see the finished product. However, there are many different types of welding that you might find interesting.

Welding is a way of joining metals to each other to make them firm and the metal forms a bond that is tight. There are a variety of bonds that are done depending on the types of welding you use.

Types of welding fit under categories as listed here:

Gas welding
This type of Welder creates a flame from a burning gas and this creates the welding heat that is needed. You will see this in the following types of welding:

Propane torches — people use this when they want to sweat a joint or when they want to solder two pieces of metal together. This is one of the lowest heats and can be used for small things.

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Welding Terminology

Wednesday, November 26th, 2008

If you are interesting in Welding there are many different terms that you will want to familiarize yourself with in order to read magazines or books on the topic. Here is a list of common terms that are important to know in Welder

ACETYLENE — this is a gas that you will be working with to do Welder . It is a very flammable gas so you have to be careful with it. This gas is made up of carbon and hydrogen and it is used in the oxyacetylene type of welding process.

AIR-ACETYLENE — this is a flare that you can produce using low temperature. It is created when you burn acetylene with air and not oxygen.

AIR- CARBOM ARC CUTTING (CAC-A) — Using the heat of a carbon arc - this is how you do this type of arc cutting.

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How Welding Started

Wednesday, November 26th, 2008

When you drive your car or look at a light fixture in the street or open your microwave, chances are that there is something in any of those items that has been welded. These products and others have been a part of the process of Learn Welding for more years than you might imagine.

Welding actually started a very long time ago during the Middle Ages. Many artifacts have been found that date back to the Bronze Age. These have been small boxes that were welded together with what is called lap joints no one is exactly sure what these were used for, but this was important to that time.

The Egyptians also made a variety of tools by welding pieces of iron together. Perhaps this is where Maxwell’s Hammer comes later? Who can say! Then came the rise of the Middle Ages and many people there were able to use blacksmithing for iron. As with any new invention or technology there were a lot of modifications to welding to get to what we know as welding today.

There were several significant inventions in the 1800s that influenced welding included here:

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Walking In The New Forest

Monday, November 24th, 2008

The National Park offers something for everyone. Whether you want to see it from its miles and miles of trails on cycling trips and New Forest Walks, boat rides along the coastline, or perhaps just to visit some of the many museums and historic sites located within The national park boundaries, no visitor will be disappointed. The only let down is that one has to go home sooner or later!

To ensure you get to see the absolute best and beauty of the New Forest it is a good idea to take up one of the many guided tours that are available within the Forest. The choice is yours and what your preference might be but experienced Forest Rangers offer tours either cycling, walking or horseback. This is a way to ensure you capture the entire beauty of the forest.

When ever you are visiting the New Forest, at what ever time of the year, there is always something to see. The ever changing seasons will note typical and beautiful scenery changes even making a familiar walk different every time. Experienced guides such as wildlife experts, geologists and Forest Rangers will take you through the wonders and natural beauty of this wonderful countryside.

Of course the New Forest is steeped in history and if you would like to hear about some historical news about the places you are seeing during your walk then there are many guides that can offer this throughout the tour as well, and details are normally available at the tourist information centres that can be found around the forest.

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Corsa From Vauxhall - Vauxhall's Little Success By Jon Barlow

Monday, November 24th, 2008

Vauxhall’s little Corsa started life way back in 1983. Back then it was known as the Nova in the UK and was a replacement for the ageing Vauxhall Chevette. I remember the Chevette well as my friend’s Mum owned one and we persuaded her to let us borrow it the day after my friend passed his driving test on the fourth attempt (you could tell he was a natural behind the wheel). The car was a pretty revolting shade of purple and showed a few battle scars as my friend’s Mum wasn’t exactly an expert driver either. This didn't bother us however as it was an ideal moment to discard the learner plates that had festooned the bonnett for a long while. We were then ready to hit the streets with our puny cassette radio blaring. What we did manage to hit within about ten minutes was a car full of rather large Rastafarian gentlemen who were none too pleased with the damage that we had caused to their bright orange Fiat Super Mirafiori. It took a considerable amount of diplomacy to resolve the situation but luckily we managed to escape with our dignity, and our front teeth intact. A few years later I got a job with a company that had a Vauxhall Nova “Club” as a pool car and I must admit I did not enjoy driving that thing around at all. It was not actually so bad to drive but the car was white with yellow trim and had a yellow and white checked interior that made you feel like you were driving a deck chair. This was finished off with some tasteful white windscreen wipers. It was truly hideous and I was glad the day when somebody stole it and set it on fire which was a very popular past time back in the late eighties. I’m not sure who left the keys in it making it easier to steal though. I’m sure it couldn’t have been me. Vauxhall dropped the Nova name in 1993 and adopted the Corsa title as everyone was getting confused, as indeed they always have been between Vauxhall and Opel names over the years. The more rounder Corsa B model was quite a departure from the previous squarer Nova but proved to be just as popular although the A model British Nova still has a loyal following although they are becoming rare these days. Corsa B inspired the Tigra coupe model but unfortunately this did not prove to be so popular. The new millennium heralded the appearance of the Corsa C model which was a more technologically advanced version of what had gone before. Parent company GM named the new chassis design "Gamma" and it was developed to be used as a platform for other models.This has become a popular practise in the motor industry. “Ecotec” engines were carried over from the previous model due to their proven reliability although a few alterations were made in particular to the old DI diesel engine which made way for the improved CDTI version. The Corsa C was a huge success in the UK consistently selling in large numbers and achieved best selling car status as well as best sales in its class of “Supermini” throughout the early part of the decade. As a result of this success Vauxhall even resurrected the Tigra again in 2004 although it is now known as the “Twin Top”. 2006 saw the arrival of the Corsa D which has a new Gamma platform that was co-developed with Fiat and also features on the Grande Punto. The latest Corsa looks and feels like a bigger car and is more refined than its predecessors. Sales have been good to date with the Corsa still ranking in the top five of best selling small cars. A clever option on the Corsa is the “Flexfix” integrated bike rack which can be pulled out from the car’s rear bumper and incorporates the number plate together with the lights; which are often obscured by traditional bike carriers.