DC Weekend Projects

Affordable Woods for Raised Garden Beds

When diving into the world of gardening, one of the smartest investments you can make is in raised garden beds. These splendid little plots not only save your back from bending over repeatedly but also boost drainage, reduce weed invasions, and extend your growing season. However, as any green-thumbed enthusiast

What Paint To Paint A Chicken Coop?

Lifestyle Featured

What Paint To Paint A Chicken Coop?

If you're anything like me, your chickens are more than just egg-laying machines; they're part of the family, each with their own quirky personality and feathered flair! There’s nothing quite like the clucking of happy hens pecking around the homestead. They gift us with fresh eggs, keep the bugs

$Furnace Cement vs Refractory cement - What do I need to use?$

Foundry Featured

Furnace Cement vs Refractory cement - What do I need to use?

Furnace and refractory cement are two essential materials used in high-temperature applications, such as furnaces, kilns, and fireplaces. While both cements are designed to withstand high temperatures, they differ in composition, durability, and application methods. Understanding the differences between these two cements is crucial when choosing the right material for

Pizza Oven Cooking Two Pizzas

Top Fire Bricks Alternatives

Fire bricks are a type of refractory material that is used in the construction of furnaces, kilns, chimneys and other high-temperature applications. Fire bricks are made from fire-resistant clay, which can withstand temperatures up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. While fire bricks are a reliable and long-lasting option for these

Sand Casting Recipes: A Comprehensive Guide

Sand Casting Recipes: A Comprehensive Guide

Learn how to make your own casting sand at home from easy-to-source ingredients. 3 different formulas for you to try!

3 Wood Stains That Are Safe For Use In The Vegetable Garden

3 Wood Stains That Are Safe For Use In The Vegetable Garden

Safe wood stains to use in your vegetable garden without worrying about harmful chemicals.

Man with pizza from brick pizza oven

How to build a simple Wood-Fired Pizza Oven from bricks.

I don't think I've ever meet someone who doesn't like pizza, as a great staple around the world for many it has become an icon of comfort and also a point of contention, when it come to pineapple as a topping... today we will find out from a pizza expert

Non-Toxic Natural Wood Finishes & Preservatives

Lifestyle Featured

Non-Toxic Natural Wood Finishes & Preservatives

Many modern wood stains & preservatives contain harmful chemicals that can cause allergic skin reactions & permanent respiratory damage! Without care and failing to follow safety precautions, You can add a much higher risk to unwanted exposure to these chemicals, some woodworkers later in life develop an advection to many wood coating

What Soldering Iron/Station do I need?

What Soldering Iron/Station do I need?

It is a challenge choosing the right soldering station, not only for the newbies but also the experienced professionals. Today’s electronic equipment has really advanced, and is advancing every year, with ever increasing complexity, while a decreasing in dimensions and weight. This has resulted in difficulty in the assembly

A black smith heating a metal rod to be forge.

Build a blacksmith forge for $50 from junk.

Disclaimer: The material on this website is provided for general information only, and on the understanding of how a forge works, this is not professional advice on how to make one. I am not responsible for your safety. Any damage or loss caused by the use of this information is

10 Awesome fire pit ideas that are bound to impress friends and family!

10 Awesome fire pit ideas that are bound to impress friends and family!

So you're looking for some inspirational ideas to help choose or even make/design your very own fire pit, you have come to the right place! we have collected 10 amazing (though some in their own special way) fire pit ideas! If you are seriously thinking of making your own

How to buy Loose Diamonds online without being SCAMMED.

How to buy Loose Diamonds online without being SCAMMED.

Buying loose diamonds online can be a scary prospect, thoughts of whether or not you are getting a good price? are the diamonds real or fake? or even, what makes a "good" diamond. The diamond market is one that screams "caveat emptor" *(buyer beware). But fear, not all will be

How to refill your blowtorch & blowtorch safety measures you should take.

How to refill your blowtorch & blowtorch safety measures you should take.

Blowtorch safety precautions. Whenever using any kind of torch it is important to follow safety procedures to make sure you and anyone around you remain safe. A refillable butane torch is no exception. After filling the blowtorch fuel cell with fuel, per the manufacturer's specifications, it is important to remember

How to cast with Delft Clay

How to cast with Delft Clay

Casting with Delft Clay is an easy and pleasant experience and does not require many tools or prep work. Users of Delft Clay can expect a high-quality result even with little knowledge at a beginner's level. Let's not waste any time and get straight into it. What you need: * 1

$How to make Refractory Cement 3+ Recipes$

Foundry Featured

How to make Refractory Cement 3+ Recipes

Whether you are building an amazing pizza oven, a gorgeous and fully functioning fireplace to complete your backyard oasis, or even a forge/furnace, it is important to have a good recipe for making your own refractory cement right at home. Whether you are completely unsure of how to begin

Greensand, Sand Casting & Greensand Recipe

Greensand, Sand Casting & Greensand Recipe

Sand Casting is the process of using sand to produce a negative mold to pour whatever medium you what your cast to be. The sand itself is not normal sand in most cases, it has had things added to make it more resistant to heat and to cast a finer

Build Your Own D.I.Y Foundry For Casting & Refining

Build Your Own D.I.Y Foundry For Casting & Refining

This is one of the most detailed tutorials on how to build your own do it yourself foundry I have found on the internet. So please Watch and enjoy! Also, be sure to check out the eBooks and links below for similar foundry's construction ideas and methods. Good luck. Best

How to make a "Microwave Kiln"

How to make a "Microwave Kiln"

I have updated this page 2 times before since the authors of two different videos have removed their videos about creating a microwave kiln but to my surprise, there is now an even better video: About Video. I found loads of videos on how to use this type of kiln

Make a fresnel lens solar furnace from scrap!

Make a fresnel lens solar furnace from scrap!

What is a Fresnel Lens? You can think of a Fresnel lens as a flat magnifying glass off made out of plastic they were first used in the early lighthouses to channel the light, today they can be found in a lot of household gadgets, toys, and certain types of

Greensand Recipe - How To Make Green Sand

Greensand Recipe - How To Make Green Sand

Sand casting is a vital procedure in metal casting where sand is used in the process of molding. Also referred to as sand molded casting, this process usually occurs in foundries which are specialized factories where metal casting occurs. It is not actually green in color but it is an

Homemade crucible for melting scrap metal

Homemade crucible for melting scrap metal

Need a crucible to melt your scrap metal? You can make one of your own using a few simple tools and materials. Here’s how to do it. What You'll Need: * 1 gallon of sand * Heat-resistant cement * 1 bag of charcoal * 4 bricks- Ceramic plant pot * 5-gallon metal bucket * Iron

Centrifugal Casting Machines for hobbyist jewelers.

Centrifugal Casting Machines for hobbyist jewelers.

Small Centrifugal casting machines are often used by silversmiths and in the dental industry. The video below demonstrates the basic operation of a Centrifugal casting machine for the jewelry creation process. Where can you buy a small casting centrifuge? The most affordable and trusted place we have found to purchase

Bronze casting (history)

Bronze casting (history)

A brief history of bronze and lost wax casting During the third millennium B.C., ancient Greek artisans experimented with beeswax carvings and discovered that bronze had distinct advantages over copper in the creation of statues. Bronze is an alloy of 90 percent copper and ten percent tin. It has

Getting Started With Delft Clay Casting

Getting Started With Delft Clay Casting

Delft Clay works a lot like sand casting does, however allows finer details in the cast, and with the aid of a metal flask ring(s) it makes the casting process enjoyable and fairly easy, even for a beginner. What is Delft Clay? The Delft Clay method of casting is

$Basic: Heat-Resistant Refractory Concrete Mix$

Basic: Heat-Resistant Refractory Concrete Mix

This article has been superseded: How To Make Refractory Cement Refractory Concrete is a type of concrete that is designed to withstand higher temperatures, such as those found in kilns, furnaces, and boilers—often called heat-resistant concrete or refractory cement. Regular concrete doesn't do too well with high temperatures, in