Building Cheap Solar Panels

Everyone finds it ideal to have homemade solar panels installed even before your dream house is ready, it is most efficient and cost effective to build your own homemade solar panels rather than buying them, this way you could be saving thousands that you can use for other home improvements. The best part of it all is that you can save on your energy bills for a lifetime and don't worry -- solar panels aren't that hard to build, there are several great guides that give you step-by-step instructions to make a fully functional solar power system.

Even before starting to make your solar panels you need a little research and find the most profitable components for your DIY project. In fact we've done all the research for you and came up with a few conclusions. You need two basic things to get started, a solid DIY guide and all the necessary components. You won't be spending more than two hundred dollars since all the parts are quite cheap in most hardware shops.

You'll need to make up a list of all the components you need and carefully research for each one of them to find the best price. We've spend in excess one month to find all the parts that are required to install a fully functional solar panel. New solar cells can be costly, depending where you're buying them from. There are several retailers that are selling used solar cells for a quarter of the normal price. (You need to be careful some of these cells might be damaged). Anyway there's no need to worry because a solid DIY guide will help you not only build solar panels but give you step by step instructions on how to get all the necessary parts at the cheapest price.

Depending on how much energy you will need, you might have to build more than one solar panel and obviously the price will go up a little. Another thing to know is that solar cells are fragile even if they don't seem to be. They can easily be damaged so handle them carefully. A solid homemade solar panel plan should contain all the information you need to build and use a solar power system and not only that but it must have an online tech support team just in case you're having any difficulties.

Washed Up? Not Even Close! Homemade Laundry Detergent

We are going to save the big bucks by manufacturing our own liquid laundry detergent. Imagine strolling right past that aisle in the supermarket. You could even cackle to yourself as you pass those silly shoppers paying those crazy-high prices for designer detergents (trust me: it will never get old). Why? Because we get several gallons of laundry detergent for about a buck and some change. Here’s how:

You will need the following:

• 2 cups or 1 grated bar of unscented, organic soap (Fels Naptha, Sunshine, Octagon, or homemade lye soap)
• 6 cups water (to be added cup at a time)
• 3/4 cup Borax Natural Laundry Booster
• 3/4 cup all natural washing soda
• 1 quart HOT tap water
• 1 gallon tap water

Grate the soap (or totally cheat and throw it in the food processor — whatever makes you happy makes me happy).

Using an old kettle, heat soap and two cups of water (add the other four cups one at a time, stirring constantly). Don’t let it boil even if you are really enjoying yourself and have begun to quote Macbeth.

Measure & mix the Borax and washing soda. Pour the mixture into your bubbling brew. Stir.

Stir until dissolved and then remove from heat. Resist the urge to stick your feet in even though it does look totally inviting.

Add 1 quart of HOT tap water to the bottom of a large tub.

Pour the soapy mixture (which should be thickening slightly) into the tub and stir. Pour in that gallon of tap water now. Stir some more. Your arms will hate me.

While stirring, you have my permission to add scent to your goop. I like lemon or lavender or cucumber — something refreshing. I think apple scent would be pretty nifty, too.

Now you can refill your detergent bottles and enjoy some more cackling. You savvy thing, you.

Let the mixture cool before pouring it into the bottles and don’t be surprised if it separates a little bit. That’s normal. Really. Use 1/2 cup per load. It works like a dream.

Restaurant Home Made in Milan

Healthy fresh food served in a real home environment, the concept extends from the interior to the garden.

Home made paintball equipment

Scenario paintball is filled with industrious people. Rather than waiting for the manufacturers to bring an idea to market our inventive players seem to take matters in their own hands, literally.

In my many years of roaming the fields I’ve seen many home made innovations. Some were made with superior quality materials and craftsmanship while others fell into the cheesy department but regardless, I applaud the effort. In years gone by these items were made more by necessity than convenience. There were no huge manufacturing companies with large R & D budgets. Guns were crude and personal equipment was really nonexistent. If you wanted something or needed to improve a marker it was up to you. Of course with time and the explosion of our extreme sports popularity that has all changed, but the need for new and fresh innovation is still there and people across America still burn the midnight oil coming up with the next greatest homemade invention.

Homemade toys

Homemade toys have amused children and caught their imaginations for generations. Not needing batteries, or electrical sources, with no video screen or techno-music things like rag dolls and wooden cars have created imaginary worlds and hours of creative fun. With the concerns of lead and other dangers in commercially produced toys, homemade toys are a great alternative.

There are literally thousands of instructions for making everything from marshmallow shooters to rag dolls on the Internet, so this is by no means an all inclusive list but rather a starting point and jumping off place for your own imagination and needs. Often there is not that much skill that one needs to have but only love and a desire to make a child happy. If you find that you enjoy making toys consider making them to donate to your local children's hospital or police department. When my son was 2 years old he nearly died from a retropharyngeal abscess that was not discovered until nearly too late. As he was being rushed around the emergency room having MRIs and other tests and exams a volunteer came by with a smile and a stuffed animal for him to keep. It was not much to look at- little cat shape made from bright fabric scraps with permanent marker eyes, nose and mouth.Do you know, he still sleeps with that cat, four years later, and I bless the hands that made it every time I see it. It was a comfort to him during a very scary time.

Homemade wind generator

Demand for the energy is ever increasing and because of this we need to start thinking on the fact, that how can we produce energy at our own. We need to cut loose from energy companies, since the prices for energy is taking huge steps sky high. That is why, we have developed a set of easy to set-up homemade wind generators. They fit to every yard, where there is little wind, because wind generator doesn't need wind stronger than 1m/s which is really small wind. Also it doesn't need permission to set-up and it is relatively low.

To Build a correct homemade wind generator, there is no need to invent it by yourself, although this is a good way, because you can develop your skills, but if you just want to use free and clean energy, then we suggest you to buy a guide from us. Our guides have full detailed schemes, instructions and more.
Benefits from homemade wind generator are huge - you make your own energy, which is clean and free. You are not dependent from energy companies and you won't get any nasty surprises on your power bills. In U.S, White House announced their change of law, which means that when house produces its own energy from renewable energy source, then energy bills wont have TAX on it and now it is also possible to sell the energy that you have over produced, which means that you can even earn from your energy.

Set-up plans are easy to navigate and read, they are very detailed and hold up much information on how to set them up, how powerful they will be and how to avoid typical mistakes. Our guides also provide 24/7 help via our help desk. We recommend that you build your own homemade wind generator and cut yourself loose from energy companies.

Homemade Goat Milk Yogurt is Healthy

There is a lot of talk in the media and amongst health conscious consumers about probiotics and the benefits of cultured foods. The beneficial flora found in cultured foods help to improve digestion and strengthen the immune system and even contribute to the manufacturing of essential vitamins. Our bodies are naturally filled with trillions of these flora microorganisms but they are constantly being diminished and put off balance in battle with fungi, bacteria, viruses and protozoans leading to a wide array of diseases ranging from skin disorders and digestive problems to allergies and asthma and even more acute and chronic debilitating diseases like cancer. Daily supplementing with probiotic products and probiotic containing foods can help to ensure that you and your animal family can live a long healthy life. One sure fire way to ensure that you and your animals are getting the beneficial bacteria required for a healthy digestive system is with freshly made Yogurt right from your own kitchen.

Why Goat Milk ?

After experimenting with different kinds of milk, low fat, no fat, cow and goat, we have settled on regular goats milk as our dairy product of choice to be cultured for many reasons. First of all, the fat molecules in goats milk are one-fifth the size of cows milk making it more tolerable for those with digestive issues and damaged livers. Because of the smaller fat molecules, those who can not tolerate cows milk often do not have the same issues with goats milk. Goat's milk does not form mucous and is therefore better tolerated by those with asthma and allergies. Its flavor is comparable to, but milder then cow's milk and it has an alkaline reaction in the body like "mother's milk" where as milk from a cow has an acidic reaction. Many people and dogs have a lactose intolerance and do not digest cows milk all that well. Goats milk does have lactose, but it is of a different make up that is easier to assimilate. As yogurt, the goats milk is cultured and even easier to digest making it a wonderful immune boosting treat that you can feel good about eating and sharing with your animal companion.

Where Do I get Goat Milk?

Living in the heart of a major metropolis like we do, there is not a lot of access to "fresh" goat milk unless the goats are raised at home in your own back yard. Unfortunately, this is not an option for us, so we scoured the healthy grocery stores for the most affordable pasteurized goats milk and came up with Meyenburg brand bought at Wild Oats grocery as the most affordable. There are other brands available and the milk is sold in several other outlets so you will need to find out what is available in your area. If you can find a local farm to get raw milk from that would be even better. However, there would be extra steps in pasteurizing the milk before making the yogurt. Because our milk is "store bought" and already pasteurized, I have left that step out of our instructions.

Duct-tape rose pen

The traditional bunch of red roses is essentially useless. But a duct tape rose pen - that, my friend, is both a romantic and a practical present.

What you need

Duct tape in two contrasting colours
Scissors
A pen

What to do

1. To make your first petal, cut a square piece of duct tape from the roll. Fold the top left corner past the centre of the square, making a triangle, then fold the top right corner towards the middle, leaving a strip of the sticky side of the tape at the bottom.

2. Make about 25 petals - it's easier to do them all at once rather than as you go along.

3. Wrap the first petal around the top of the pen, then add three more petals this way, making sure they are positioned evenly.

4. Before you wrap the fifth petal around the pen, make a small snip in the bottom of it and use this to make a pleat in the tape. Stick the petal to the top of the pen, as before. Continue to make this type of pleat in each petal before you wrap them.

5. To make a stem, wrap a piece of duct tape in a contrasting colour around the pen, just under the bloom. If you fancy giving your rose a leaf or two, take a long piece of duct tape and fold the right-hand edge to the bottom, making a triangle. Then, keep folding the triangle over on itself until you have about 2cm of duct tape left - use this bit to stick it to the pen.

Mosaic coaster

You can probably get away with giving the gift of a cup-of-tea-in-bed on the 14th - if it's presented on a handmade mosaic coaster that can be used for the rest of the year.

What you need

Small offcut of plywood or MDF
Pencil
Jigsaw
Sandpaper
Craft knife
PVA glue
Old plate(s)
Hammer
Safety googles
Cardboard box
Towel
Gloves
Cement (or PVA glue; see step four below)
Grout (either ready-made or in powder form to mix with water)
Sealant (optional)

What to do

1. Decide what shape you want your coaster to be and then draw this on to the centre of your plywood - you can do it freehand, or trace around a template. A simple circle, heart or square is best. Make sure the shape is wide enough to put a cup on.

2. Cut out the shape using a jigsaw; if you have any rough edges, use sandpaper to smooth them off. Score lines in a criss cross pattern on the top of the plywood and then brush it with a layer of diluted PVA glue (one part PVA to five parts water will do just nicely).

3. Make your mosaic tiles from old plates. The safest way to do this is to put your plate into a cardboard box, wrong way up, with a towel over it. Don your safety googles and, starting from the edge of the plate, use the hammer to break it into pieces. Continue to break the plate with the hammer until you get the pieces to the right size - mine were about 1-2cm wide.

4. Have a play around with designs before you start sticking the tiles on, to make sure your pattern works. When you are ready, put your gloves on and spread a thick layer of cement on to a section of your plywood, pushing your tiles into it. If your pieces are different thicknesses, push them into the cement to the desired level - a slightly uneven surface won't matter, but pieces that stick out too much will mean that a cup of tea won't sit too well on your finished coaster. If you don't have any cement, you can always use PVA glue, but you won't be able to control the height of the tiles. When the base is entirely covered, leave your coaster to dry.

5. When dry, fill in the gaps between the tiles with grout: spread it over the top of the tiles with your gloved fingers, making sure you get it into all the nooks and crevices. I also put a thin layer around the side of the coaster to get rid of any sharp tile edges. Let your grout partially set before you wipe away the excess with a damp cloth. Again, leave your coaster to dry.

6. To finish, remove any bits of grout from your tiles with a non-scratch scouring pad and then buff with a piece of newspaper. You can also cover the coaster with a layer of sealant, if you want to (recommended for people who always spill their tea).

Perimeter alarms

Enlarged hoppers using pvc
Push to talk radios with speaker wire and a toggle switch
Computer fans installed in masks for anti fog
Paintball guns welded together for a double barrel effect
Silencers made with pvc or plastic tubing
A wide assortment of land mines and trip grenades
Perimeter alarms using window security buzzers for base security (I have 4 of those I use and one is a motion detector)
Law rockets which have evolved from the potato gun into a highly sophisticated paintball weapon that can shoot a Nerf football over 50 yards very accurately
Tanks alone are a testament to the creative people in our extreme sport. Lawn mowers, bicycles, golf carts and the family van have all been converted by metal smiths electrical wizards and mechanics into elite machines that any foot patrol dreads to see coming

Scented car pouches

Even those who have never picked up a needle and thread before can have a go at this simple sewing project. It's an eco-friendly version of those disposable in-car air fresheners you hang from your rear-view mirror.

What you need

Paper
Pencil
Pins
Felt
Needle
Embroidery thread
Ribbon
Stuffing and perfume/essential oils OR petals, herbs or anything that smells nice
Embellishments (eg buttons, sequins, fabric)

What to do

1. Decide what shape your pouch will be - a heart is the most obvious for this time of year, but you could go for a simple circle. Draw your shape on to a piece of paper and cut it out.

2. Take two pieces of felt and lay one piece on top of the other. Pin your template to the felt and cut around it - this will give you two equal-sized felt shapes.

3. Pin the two pieces of felt together. Slip the ribbon (folded in half to give you a loop) between the two pieces and, using very small stitches as close to the edge of the felt as possible, sew it in place.

4. Do a blanket stitch almost all the way around the shape, leaving 3cm unstitched (if you have no idea what a blanket stitch is.

5. Use this opening to fill the pouch with stuffing spritzed with perfume or a few drops of essential oil, or with petals or herbs. Sew up the opening using blanket stitch. When the pouch starts to lose its smell, just spritz it with some more perfume or undo the blanket stitch, refill, and stitch up again.

6. Now for the fun part: decorate with beads, buttons, ribbon, sequins, or whatever you have to hand.

Photo flickbook

You could spend an hour making a handmade card, but with just a little bit more effort you can send your Valentine's Day message via the wonderful medium of the flickbook.

What you need

Digital camera
Tripod
A nice friend
Paper and printer
Bulldog clip

What to do

There are two ways to make a photo flickbook: if you have advanced video editing software, such as QuickTime Pro, all you need to do is take a short video on your digital camera and convert it into lots of images. If you don't have such fancy-pants software, then read on …

1. Before you start taking pictures, decide what your flickbook is going to be about. You could pick up a large piece of paper which says "I love you", blow a kiss, or do a little dance - anything goes as long as it's relatively short and simple. The flickbook is not the place to make a dramatic motion picture.

2. Stand in position. Get your friend to position the camera so that as much of you as needed is in the frame. Ideally, they should use a tripod, as this is the only way to guarantee every single photo will be shot from the same place. But if your tripod resources are depleted, a steady hand should suffice.

3. Act out your short scene very, very slowly while your friend takes as many pictures as possible. The best flick-books have at least 50 different pictures.

4. Using whatever picture editing/layout software you have on your computer, import all of your flickbook photos, in sequence, into picture boxes that are all exactly the same size (I suggest 8cm wide by 5cm high). So you don't waste paper, try to fit as many photos on one page as possible.

5. Print your pages and cut out the photos, keeping them in sequence at all times. Then put them all in a pile and bind on the left hand side with a large bulldog clip.

DIY jigsaw

The framed photograph is a standard Valentine's present - personalised, yet easy to organise the day before. But, while it is a pretty good offering, how much better would that photo of you both on the beach in Spain look made into a jigsaw puzzle? Now there's a thought …

What you need

Thick card (the back of a pad of lined paper works perfectly)
Photo
Spray mount
Pencil
Ruler
knife
Cutting board
Pencil
Sandpaper (optional)
Nice little box

What to do

1. Cut the card and photograph to the same size - using a craft knife will give you a nice clean cut. So that all of your jigsaw pieces all end up the same size, you want the length and the width of the photograph and card to be divisible by a common number (eg. 12cm by 24cm would give you 32 3x3cm pieces).

2. In a well-ventilated area, use the spray mount to stick your photograph to the piece of card (follow the instructions on the can). Leave it to dry completely for about half an hour. If you don't have any spray mount, you can use a thin layer of PVA glue or a glue stick, but these types of adhesive often make paper wrinkle up.

3. Use the pencil and ruler to divide the back of the card into squares: draw lightly so that you can rub out the lines later. Add some almost-circles to each side of each square, to make them into jigsaw pieces.

4. If you have never used a craft knife to cut before, practice cutting circles on a separate piece of card first, so you get the hang of it.

5. Using the craft knife, ruler and cutting board, carefully cut out each of the pieces. The best way to do this is to cut along the straight lines first, then attempt the circular parts (try to cut these in one go - this gives you a much cleaner cut).

6. When all pieces are cut, smooth over any very rough edges with a piece of sandpaper. If you haven't got a perfect cut for every piece though, don't worry - this is handmade gift and you're not striving for perfection.

7. Present the pieces in a nice gift box -

Junk jewellery

Necklaces, bracelets or keyrings - anything can be made into a special piece of jewellery by adding bits and bobs that have memories attached to them.

What you need

A selection of small items
A keyring, chain, piece of thin leather or a piece of string - this will be your base
Safety pins, jump rings and/or head pins

What to do

Before you start, gather small items that mean something to you and your partner (this could be anything - a spare button from your favourite shirt, the ring pull from the fizzy drink you shared on holiday in Blackpool, a badge from a gig you went to together, the plastic heart that fell off last year's Valentines Day's present ... you get the idea).

Not everything you find can be added to your jewellery: first, they have to be attachable (ie they must have a hole somewhere) and second, not everything will work as a charm (that massive stone you picked up on Bournemouth beach might remind you of a great weekend, but does your girlfriend really want to wear it around her neck?)

There are no real instructions for this project, as all you need to know is how to attach each of your pieces to your base. If you are a dab hand at jewellery-making, then read no further - you already know what to do. If you require a little more assistance, then read on.

If the hole in your item is large enough, just thread it directly on to the chain/keyring/piece of string. Easy peasy. If it isn't, you can attach it in one of three ways: using a jump ring or a head pin (available from beading shops), or using a safety pin.

Safety pin: the easiest method. Just open the safety pin, thread on your item and close it. Now thread it directly on to your chain/keyring/string.

Jump ring: using a pair of round-nosed pliers, open the jump ring and slip on your item. Then slip the jump ring on to a link of a chain/around a keyring or piece of string. Use the pliers to close the ring tightly and, to make the join more secure, dab it with instant-bonding glue.

Head pins: useful for adding beads that can't be threaded directly on. Thread the bead on to the head pin and make a loop in the top of it with the pliers. Close the loop tightly after you have attached it to your chain/keyring/string.

When your piece of jewellery is finished, add a little note with it explaining what each item reminds you of.

Silhouette book mark

You can't sew, you don't knit, and rather than getting your hands covered in glue you would rather buy your intelligent, eloquent, Guardian-reading partner a good book. You might think this makes you truly thoughtful, but with just 15 minutes' work you can knock up a beautiful bookmark to make your shop-bought present a little more special.

What you need

Coloured card
Pencil
Ruler
Rubber
Craft knife
Cutting board

What to do

1. Cut a piece of card 5cm wide and 21cm high. At one end, about 1cm from the top, draw a "U" shape: as it is easier to cut straight lines that curved lines, I made my "U" out of three straight lines. Cut along these lines with your craft knife, using the ruler as a guide.

2. How intricate you make your design depends on how good you are with a craft knife: if you don't feel confident cutting curves freehand, go for something made up of straight lines so you can cut with the help of a ruler. Draw your design lightly on to the front of the card with a pencil, so you can rub it out later. It doesn't have to be complicated to be effective.

3. Cut out your design carefully: it is worth taking your time as a slip of the hand means you might have to start again. When you get to the curved lines, try to cut them in one go - this will give your cuts a neater edge.

Homemade Presents

Forget forking out for disposable red plastic tat. With a bit of PVA glue and some elbow grease, February 14 can be a nicely non-commercial affair. These quick and easy projects, suitable for beginners and experts alike, will result in handmade gifts that are sure to delight the recipient. And don't worry if your handiwork doesn't quite turn out as expected - it really is the thought that counts.

The Plow Cycle

Speaking of homemade tools, reader sizod sends us this eBay special which looks pretty easy to build yourself: “Plow Cycle — the easy-to-build, easy-on-you snow removal tool. Recycled from an old bicycle, it’s perfect for people who like easy snow shoveling. It’s fun to use. I know what you’re thinking: snow shoveling can be FUN? It lets you use the leverage (the wheel) to lift the blade, carry the blade, and toss the show. With both handles parallel, you avoid back spasms and hernias.”

If you look in the auction description, there’s a link to lots more pictures of the Plow Cycle in use for other tasks as well.

Living in Texas, I don’t get that much opporunity to throw snow. Can any of you northerners (or Canadias) give us a take on this? Is it worth building?

Cheap Trick Thursday: last-minute, cheap and easy homemade Halloween costume ideas

If you're still stumped, here are some Halloween costume ideas to get you ready for Fright Night:

1. Hit the thrift store for ready-made (and cheap) options, as well as inspiration. It's the logical destination when outfitting yourself for any costume from another era, but Goodwill, the Salvation Army and other shops sometimes also have ready-made costumes and disguises for adults and kids in stock at bargain prices from folks who are cleaning out their closets.

Last weekend at the Goodwill store on Greenmount Avenue in Waverly, I spotted several adult costumes, including Cinderella and a generic demon/evil thing, as well as some cute animal footie pajamas that looked very Tigger-esque.

Thrift stores can also be a source of inspiration ...

... because you'll never know what you'll find. The Greenmount Goodwill also had sporting equipment like helmets that could be fun, as well as graduation gowns for would-be judges. And I attended a party once where three people were dressed as mechanics named "Joe" because "Joe" apparently donated all his shirts with the little name patch on the chest to a thrift store.

The Thrift Store Shopper has a good to help you find shops.

2. Check the recycling bin. Use a refrigerator box or other packing material to fashion yourself into an iPod nano.Use discarded aluminum and plastic containers and disposable plates or bowls to add details.

3. Never underestimate the power of a sweatsuit. About.com has an amazing list of ideas for sweatsuit pairing inexpensive monochromatic sweatsuit separates into costumes such as a cat up a tree or a dalmatian.

UPDATED: And don't miss even more Halloween costume ideas compiled with the procrastinator in mind.

Easy Homemade Soap

A basket of handmade soap, towels and sponges are perfect for gift-giving, and for drawing the attention of the chickens.

Soap is essential to our existence and enjoys a rich history of prolonging human life (and enabling us to tolerate close quarters with one another). As with any process that dates back a few millennia, there is quite a bit of legend and myth surrounding both the origin and manufacturing of soap. But once you cut through all the grime, you see that making your own soap is easy, inexpensive and cleanly rewarding.

Stories of cleanliness

In one of the best-known legends, soap takes its name from Mount Sapo, a place where the ancient Romans performed many animal sacrifices. Rain then washed the mixture of animal fats and wood ash onto the clay banks of the Tiber River, where women scrubbed their families’ clothing and first discovered that the soapy water made the clothes much cleaner. Although animal sacrifices would probably not have created enough fat to make soap, it is from this legend that the name for the process of making soap, saponification

Most experts credit the ancient Babylonians with first producing soap, since they carved a tablet with the first-known soap recipe in 2800 B.C. The Babylonians, Egyptians and Mayans were bathing regularly in sudsy bubble baths, while other early (and stinky) peoples were still whacking each other over the head with wooden clubs in caveman fashion.

Early soap makers boiled animal fats, water and lye (made from wood ash) in large kettles. They tested the strength of their lye solution by floating an egg in it. In 1790 LeBlanc, a French chemist, figured out how to create sodium hydroxide (lye) from sodium chloride (table salt). Soapmaking practices changed dramatically, and using soap no longer involved risking your hide.

Bubbies Homemade Ice Cream & Desserts

Bubbies Homemade Ice Cream & Desserts has been manufacturing super-premium ice cream and gourmet ice cream desserts for over 23 years in the beautiful setting of the Hawaiian islands. Along with our incomparable ice creams and sorbets, we also specialize and are the leader in mochi ice cream. Imagine a harmonious combination of creamy gourmet ice cream wrapped in a sweetened rice confection, all resulting in a delectable bite-sized, one and a quarter ounce ball of happiness. The perfect ending to an amazing meal or anytime for a gourmet sweet snack. These magnificent morsels are available in twenty flavors with a special flavor.

Enjoy Bubbies Ice Cream, homemade specialty desserts and premium mochi ice cream whenever and wherever you find gourmet products, knowing it is made from quality raw ingredients but mostly because it tastes so good.......possibly better than any other ice cream you have ever eaten.