How To Make Homemade Catfish Bait
January 27, 2012 | 
Author I’m a catfish lover by nature and here I’ll show you how to make catfish baits that will help you reel in the fattest of cats. I’m constantly at the lake with a lot of lines in the water at all times. Whether through the warm months of summer or into the depths of a frigid winter, I can show you how to reel in a cat no matter what the weather forecast with my time-tested homemade catfish baits.
Many new catfishermen think that you have to buy catfish bait from the local bait shop. Yet as time passes, you’ll come to realize that most guys lugging in the heavier cats are fishing with baits that they make at home. These homemade catfish bait recipes are what sets the men apart from the boys. Catfish seem to like a variety of different baits throughout the year. What may work one day in reeling in the fat cats may leave you coming home empty-handed the next. An important note is to keep track of local conditions. Introduce yourself to other local fisherman and find out what the catfish are biting on on a daily basis. I, along with many other cat lovers have always caught more catfish, more often than not, when chumming. Chumming is basically pre-baiting an area with small bits of the same type of bait you are fishing with for the day. If you’re fishing with tuna, then a tuna chum should be used to draw the catfish into the area of water you plan to fish. Now I know you’re ready to get your hands wet, so to speak, so on to the catfish bait recipes.
How To Make Catfish Bait – Homemade Recipes
The simplest of all cat fish bait recipes is the age-old hot dog. Simply cut up the hot dogs into one inch slices and push them up into a treble hook. Now you can stop there, but one of my favorite additions to the old hot dog catfish bait is to get a mason jar several days before going fishing and putting the cut up (one inch slices) hot dogs into the mason jar. Then thoroughly cover the hot dogs with garlic salt. Put on the lid, shake the jar ever so often and keep in the fridge until ready to go fishing. Cats love ‘em and I’m sure you will too.
Next on the list of catfish bait recipes is the grand-daddy of all catfish baits, and that is the time-tested chicken liver. People have been catching catfish on chicken livers since the beginning of time. The only problem with using them is that they are slimy and fall off the hook easily when casting out into the rivers and lakes. So here’s a simple 20th century fix that will keep those chicken livers on the hook. If you own a dehydrator, you just cut out some wax paper to fit your dehydrator trays and then lay out the chicken livers flat onto the wax paper on the trays. The chicken livers will take about three days total to dry out. You want them to dry to the consistency of beef jerky, pliable yet dried. For an added plus, sprinkle some garlic salt over the chicken livers as they are drying. Another great catfish bait recipe that will have you cleaning catfish for supper.
The last catfish bait recipe I’ll be offering here is for meat-eaters. Whenever your wife (or husband) is cooking any meat in the kitchen and there are trimmings to be taken from the meat, save those meat trimmings for catfish bait. I’ve even yanked in a few catfish in my days with just plain old chicken fat. I swear all catfish love garlic, so be sure to spread the garlic around whenever possible.
I hope these catfish bait recipes work as well for you as they have for me over the years. You’ll never know how to catch catfish with homemade baits until you try, so give it a whirl the next time you go catfishing and see how it turns out for you. You may just reel in a record!
Build a Train Table For Thomas the Tank Engine!
Have you considered building a train table or a hobby table for your children? Why not? It is actually very easy.
My son, Rob, wanted a table for his son so he could play with his Thomas the Tank Engine. That way, the pieces of the train would stay on the table and were not all over the floor. Rob wanted the table to be strong so if his son climbed on top of the table, it would not buckle under him. What he wanted simply was not available unless he wanted to pay a small fortune for it. For that reason, Rob decided to build the table.
It had to be fairly basic as he had a very limited amount of tools. It also had to be completed partly indoors and partly outdoors due to his limited space, and quickly as his son was having a birthday party in a couple of days. Rob wanted to unveil the table at the party.
The base of the train table size was determined by the sizes of precut lumber the local big box carried. This was to reduce the amount of board cutting. He wanted a good looking wood finish that could be stained or painted. He wanted the train/hobby table to be durable and strong for his son and to last a long time.
Rob finally decided to build a table 2 feet wide by 4 feet long and 2 feet high. Simple hand tools could be used and the result would meet his requirements.
If you have and can use basic wood working tools, you can make a table for your child.
Top Ten Things to Do in Spring
It must be serendipity that I am in currently in the janitorial industry and that I enjoy cleaning. I use my skills as a sales and marketing director to sell my ritual of welcoming spring.
While some people enjoy lounging, daydreaming or reading when the days are still cool but sunny I enjoy tying up loose ends and starting with a “clean” slate. So what if others do not share my enthusiastic spring dance in honor of mother-nature! Why do they insist on their own dance and will not applaud my magnificent performance? Here are my favorite things to do in spring:
1. Spring clean & de-clutter home & office:
Make a caddy of your basic tools. I use multi-purpose cleaner, microfiber cloths, lamb’s wool extension duster, furniture polish, disinfectant spray, trash bag and a laundry basket to put items I am removing from the room. If your ceilings are high you may need a small step ladder. I also have a broom to get behind furniture I can’t move and for carpet edges and corners. A vacuum with attachments is also very handy. Place your equipment outside the entrance of the room you are cleaning. Give each room a thorough, top to bottom cleaning. This is the perfect time to launder the curtains and bedding. If you are up to the challenge you can also flip furniture cushions, mattresses and rearrange the furniture. The best approach I have found is to start each room at the entrance door and circle the room. Start your high dusting, touching all surfaces on the walls such as picture frames, shelves, etc. If the curtains are not going to be taken down, remove the dust on the tops & fabric folds. Cobwebs can get anywhere, including the flat walls. Get under and behind the furniture with the duster and/or broom. Dust inside the window frame. Wash the windows. Use a microfiber with just a mist of all-purpose cleaner and dust the surfaces you can reach. The last thing I do is use my disinfectant spray and vacuum.
2. Get rid of clothes not worn:
I bring storage containers or boxes and kitchen trash bags and a black marker. First go through the shelved clothing, second the clothes that are hanging and third clothes that are in drawers. Make a pile on the floor of clothes that should be place in the garbage. Box up the seasonal things you are going to keep. Things you are giving away put into the trash bags. Use the marker and put your name and season of clothes on the boxes. Label the bags with the person’s name you are giving them to, yard sale or Goodwill. Store away the seasonal boxed clothes, put the give-away clothes in your garage or auto so you will not forget to take them away.
3. Clean yard, porches & garage:
All of these are good for family team work, but this one especially is. The garage needs and occasional de-clutter and cleaning. You will need a broom, plenty of boxes or plastic containers, a black marker and maybe some white mailing labels to write on. If you have a large major crisis in there you may want to copy the show “Clean Sweep” and get out three tarps on the drive or yard. Tarp number one is for things to keep, tarp number two is for giving away or yard sale, tarp three is trash. When you have everything out that you can, you may now dust, sweep and/or pressure wash. Organize tools by their use and season. Keep the yard tools together, garden tools and the basic repair tools together, etc. The sports equipment and toys are also organized and the off season sports equipment and toys should be boxed and put up. Tarp number one “things to keep” will be boxed up and labeled and neatly put back into the garage. Tarp number two “things to give away or yard sale” should be boxed, bagged or price tagged for yard sale. Label the give-away or yard sale items and neatly put back into the garage. Tarp number three “trash” items need to be bagged if they can fit into garbage receptacle or hauled to the dump if necessary. Now the garage is neat and clean!
4. Thoroughly detail autos:
Have a contest with someone if you are detailing two autos! Guard yourself from the sun. Tools needed are a vacuum with attachments, trash bag, towels, paper towels, 2 microfiber cloths and a large terry cloth, two old large beach towels, a long handled car wash broom if you have one, and a stiff brush for the wheels & tires and bucket & sponge. I also fix a small caddy with window cleaner, Mr. Clean, some Q-Tips, Armor-all, Febreze, car wash, wax with an applicator or soft cloth and tire “black” spray. Start on the inside and fill up your trash bag with any garbage in the auto. Look under seats and in the cracks of the seats. Pick up items that will hurt your vacuum. Take out all the carpets and lay them down to vacuum. Then fill a bucket with about a gallon of water and an ounce of Mr. Clean. Use this water first to scrub the seats with a very damp cloth, it may remove some stains and it smells good. Then wash the dash, wheel, seat dividers and inside the doors. Constantly clean your cloth in the bucket. Dip Q-tips in the water and use to get the dash cracks, corners and areas the cloth couldn’t get into. Spray Armor-All on a microfiber cloth and wipe down the dash and hard smooth surfaces made from similar material to shine up and make like new. When finished put that cloth away from the others so you will not use it again. Time for the inside windows! I use a window cleaner and paper towels to wash all the inside windows, then I go back over them with a microfiber cloth and it really polishes good. The last thing I do is vacuum the carpet. Be sure to adjust the seats forward and backward to get all areas. Last I give the fabric and carpet a spray of Febreze, carefully avoiding my windows. Vacuum the carpets that you took out. If you want to organize the trunk and vacuum, this is a good time. Now get the windows up and shut the doors. Empty your bucket and refill with plenty of water and a little carwash. Hose down the entire auto and wash by sections. Immediately rinse off each section as you go around the auto. When you think you are done walk around the auto for any touch-ups. Now use your stiff brush and scrub the wheels and tires a few times, then rinse. Hose off the carpets you removed and let air dry. Use a beach towel to dry off all areas of the auto. After drying and no water spots it is time to wax. My favorite auto wax is the new spray on wipe off type, but if you are using the paste wax it is done the same way. Put wax on a section at a time, and then remove it with the second beach towel. Let the paste wax dry before buffing off. Again check all around the auto for any areas that need touched up. After waxing I wash the windows with paper towels and then polish with the microfiber cloth. Your wheels and tires should be dry by now so you can spray your “black” spray on them. Now that is a sparkling beauty!
5. Get planting beds & flower containers ready:
You can start seedlings indoors or wait for the nursery centers to stock your favorite plants. Guard yourself from the sun. Tools you may want for the large planting beds are a tiller (if large area) rake, shovel, garden claw, landscape fabric or plastic, gloves, trash bag potting soil (my favorite is Miracle Grow with the water holding material). First pull all weeds and place in trash bag. Rake the surface of leaves, old mulch and debris, put in trash bag or compost bin. Use shovel or garden claw to turn the soil (till if large area) and mix in your potting soil. After the area is complete, cover with the landscape fabric or plastic. When you are ready to plant, cut holes in the landscape fabric or plastic and place plant where you want. To finalize your flower gardens, cover the fabric or plastic with mulch or rocks. For the flower containers, if they have previously been used they must be washed and let air dry. When the weather is warm enough you can plant. Place some large stones or broken pottery pieces in the bottom for drainage. Fill pots ¾ of the way full. Decide where to place your plants and surround them with potting soil and firmly press down. Give a good drink of water. Check on weekly to remove dead material and water if needed.
6. Start seedlings indoors:
Pick a few seeds you want to start, veggies, herbs, flowers (Burpee is my favorite brand). You can use a sun lamp, although I never have. Just don’t start too early or they will grow too large before you can transplant. The easiest way is to get the jiffy pots ready for water and seeds. You can also use a rectangle receptacle like a cake pan and fill with potting soil and sprinkle on the seeds and water. Pour off excess water. Save your seed envelopes to mark your plants or you won’t remember what you are growing and where. When the weather is warm enough and all chances of freezing are over they can be transplanted either in a prepared bed or container.
7. Write down new things to do in the summer and fall:
I like to write down things I haven’t done in a while, new things or things to do with particular friends and family; go to museum with mother; watch movie with Linda. Learn how to rollerblade, take a painting class, run a marathon, go boating and so forth. I have things to do indoors for rain and outdoors for sunshine. Keep your list next to your calendar and when you want something to do check one off. Make arrangements a week or so ahead so you will have a full social calendar.
8. Begin a customized fitness plan:
First schedule a check up with your family doctor and make sure you are okay to become more active. Define what you want to accomplish and a date to accomplish this by. If you have more than one goal, do this for every goal. Example: I want to lose 30 pounds by August. Next step is to plan out how you will accomplish this. Example: I will clean out my kitchen and replace with healthy low calorie foods. I will walk one mile every day. I will lift weights thirty minutes every other day and so on. Keep positive affirmations and motivational post-its on your bathroom mirror and refrigerator.
9. Get a new hair cut, hair style or color:
Be browsing the magazine for cuts and color you like to get an idea or two. Visit your favorite hair salon or one that a friend refers. Ask the stylist to recommend a cut and or color for your complexion, lifestyle and budget. Ask questions regarding maintenance before you decide. Your cut must be quick and easy to maintain if you lifestyle is very busy. If you are young you can easily go more dramatic and bold. If you are more mature or have a career you may want to stick with some classic styles and color, but different than you usually get. This is a great ego boost and when you are confident and happy, it will rub off on everyone around you.
10. Take a long walk, hike or bike ride in a scenic area:
This is a great family outing, or couples and friends outing. Bring your dog if you can. If you have a favorite park or recreation area, plan a day and a picnic for this event. This could ba a great way to scout out a camping area. Take the basics, sandwiches, fruit and water. Dress for the occasion and don’t forget sun protection. Bring a rain jacket or wind breaker in case the weather suddenly changes. Let someone know where you are going and bring a cell phone. Bring a Frisbee or football to mix things up. Just enjoy the time to spend with good company and appreciate the beautiful earth.
With a “clean” slate completed there is still ample time to soak up all the crisp air and sunshine. I feel I have accomplished something great and it makes me feel terrific about the next great season!
Look for more articles coming soon!
How to Properly Repair Chips and Deep Scratches on Your Car
We all have received them on our cars – rock chips, door dings, bumper scrapes, etc… They can come from a rock thrown up from a truck on the highway, or its as easy as a parking lot ding from someone in a hurry or even an errant grocery cart. Most of these are unavoidable. They can happen even if you park far away from stores and regardless of the measures you take to protect your car. Not only do they detract from your cars beauty, but they can also make your car susceptible to rust and the environment. Here’s how to fix these paint chips, nicks and deep scratches and protect your car from rust.
Its not worth going to a auto paint and body store for chips and scratches. They will charge 10 times more for repairs you can easily do yourself. The first step is to locate the chips and scratches and see how deep they are. If they don’t go all the way through the paint you can buff them out. Using a cloth terry towel apply a small amount of scratch remover or cleaner wax. Rub in a circular motion over the chip or scratch and buff when dry. If this removes the chip or scratch after a couple of applications, great, then just follow with a good wax or polish. If you see white primer or metal in the nick or scratch scratch remover or cleaner wax will not work well.
Some cars have paint that is lacquer based and others have paint that is enamel based. The following tip works wonders on cars with lacquer based paint only. Get a clean rag and apply a small amount of lacquer thinner to it. Take this and rub lightly on and around the scratch, nick or chip. The lacquer thinner will actually start to move the paint around and cover the affected spot. This even works on larger scrapes. This treatment is not recommended on cars with custom paint jobs and may not work on all cars with lacquer based paints.
For those with enamel paint or scratches and chips where the above treatment didn’t work, then you have to touch up the blemish in your paint. First, you need to get the paint code so you can correctly match the paint for your car. This is located inside your door jam or on some Hondas inside the glove box. Take this paint code to your dealer and get a small bottle of touch up paint. The touch up paint will come in a small bottle with a brush applicator. Instead of using the brush, as it will apply too broadly and make your touch up of the chip or scratch really stand out, we recommend using a toothpick for better paint placement.
First clean the area of the chip or scratch. Then follow the directions on the touch up paint bottle. Usually it is mix thoroughly for 5 minutes (metallic paints may require more agitation). Then using the toothpick place the paint directly in the chip or scratch. When done allow to dry for several days before waxing or polishing (some cars have a clear cote which you would then apply in the same fashion to the affected area). By touching up the paint you have sealed the area from the environment and greatly reduced the chances of rust setting in and affecting your sheet metal. Rust is like cancer for your car and very difficult to stop once it starts, so it is better to be proactive and prevent it with proper car care and treatment and quickly identifying and repairing paint chips, nicks and scratches. For more great free info on automotive repair, treatments and headlight cleaning and restoration, please visit the link below.
Using A Poly Tarp As A Boat Cover
Tarpaulin Used as a Boat Cover
Your boat is an investment for your recreational time with your family, friends, and sometimes, just you. You may use your boat mainly at weekends during the warm weather months for cruising on the open water, skiing,knee boarding or fishing. Since it isn’t something that gets used every day, it needs to be protected in between uses. You have too big an investment to risk damage from inclement weather or too many sun rays. So your boat needs the protection that a heavy-duty white tarp can provide.
If you store your boat outdoors, it will be exposed to wind, sun, snow, sleet and rain. Though it may not seem to be an obvious danger to your boat, the sun’s UV rays can cause damage to the exterior of your boat. To prevent this type of damage, as well as damage from the other types of weather, tarp of top quality will meet all your boat covering needs.
When considering the best tarps to cover your boat, the white and silver heavy-duty ones are the best options. They are designed to hold up to the coldest temperatures and effectively cover your boat. The heavy-duty tarps have grommets spaced out every eighteen inches so they can be securely tied down, providing good protection from most weather conditions. You could use the less expensive blue lighter weight poly tarps with grommets every thirty-six inches but they are not meant to last as long for this type of coverage and are meant for light duty uses. They would be more useful when you only need enough cover to protect your boat for short periods, like in the summer when you use your boat frequently. However, during the winter months, you will want the protection that can be provided by the silver and white heavy-duty tarpaulins.
The blue poly tarps cost less than the white or silver heavy-duty tarpaulins, the poly tarps work well for light protection for short periods. They are also easy to cover and uncover your boat and fold away when not in use. During the summer months when you are using your boat a lot, this is what you need. Poly tarps are ideally suited for this type of use but not for the long term storage you need over the winter off-season. For this, you need the heavier duty protection of the white or silver tarpaulins. Investing in these for long term storage is just protecting the investment you have in your boat.
The cost effectiveness of poly tarps is demonstrated in that they can be purchased in various sizes, do not need to be a custom fit to your boat and they provide a UV inhibitor that protects against solar damage. Using them during the summer is an ideal alternative to providing protection for your boat in a convenient way.
You have another option in canvas tarpaulin. This has advantages of its own, such as allowing the circulation of air to prevent moisture damage that can otherwise happen if you boat can breathe under the cover of poly tarp. Canvas tarps costs a little more but not significantly, so it is still economical. The only real disadvantage to canvas is that it is heavier than poly tarp and more cumbersome. Still, it is worth the investment.
The investment you have in your boat makes it imperative that you protect it well no matter what type of tarpaulin you decide to use. Tarpaulin pays for itself several times over by preventing repair costs that result from weather and sun damage. It also saves a good deal of money because you don’t need to use expensive storage facilities for your boat during the winter when you use heavy-duty tarpaulin to cover it. The ability to remain flexible in sub zero temperatures and provide protection for your boat in any weather makes silver and white heavy-duty tarpaulins good options for winter use. It makes good sense to use these tarps to protect your boat for long winter storage and during the summer when you are using your boat.
Who Will Pay Me to Advertise For Them on My Car?
If you are looking for someone to pay you a monthly salary just for driving your car as you usually do, car advertising companies are the answer.
How much can I earn?
If you choose wisely, you can get paid even up to $3200 a month for driving your car, but this offer seems to be available for truck drivers only. A person owning a regular sized car is getting a check worth about $400 – $600 every month.
Personally, I receive a $700 check every month, just for driving my car with an advertisement on it. More than that, the advertisement I chose makes my car look very stylish and I would keep it on even after my contract expires (that would be in 2010).
How much is that?
A simple calculation reveals that, by the time my contract ends, if I chose to keep all my car advertising money in my piggy bank, I will have earned more than $16,000 just from car advertising alone! Think about all the things you could do with all that money! And the best thing is that you practically don’t do anything for it.
How do I choose?
The best thing you can do when starting advertising on your car is to gather information about the agencies that provide such services because, according to the Web Trade Bureau, more than 95% of these companies are scams. If you accidentally do this mistake, you will only be given a list of other things you have to buy in order to make some profit.
As for those that are not scams, you have to be very careful when choosing the company you want to pay you, not to get fooled and only receive $100 a month, when the sum of money you should receive every month must not go below $300 in the worst case.
Know Your Mini Moto
The Mini Moto is a small scale replica of the World Super Bikes used by the likes of Valentino Rossi and ex champion Carl Fogarty. The Mini Moto comes equipped with either a two stroke air or water cooled engine which are, depending on the model, capable of speeds of up to 60Mph.
In this article I will underline the finer points of the components that make these speeds possible.
The two Stroke Engine
The two stroke engine produces more hp per pound than the four stroke engine. The two stroke engine consists of three moving parts, the piston, the rod and the crank. The piston acts as valve that opens and closes the intake and exhaust ports that are located on the walls of the cylinder. Unlike the four stroke engine that fires only every other time of the pistons movement, the two stoke engine fires every time the piston reaches the top of its travel. This means that the time spent generating power is doubled in the two stroke engine than that of the four stroke engine, as there is no engine coasting during passive cycles. This is the main reason that the two stroke engine can rev more highly and produce more power (for its size) that the four stroke.
Fuel
The two stroke engine needs to be run on a mixture of petrol and two stroke oil. This is so that the engine is kept lubricated whilst in use.
99% of all starting problems are caused by fuel problems. These can stem from bad or old fuel and improperly mixed fuel (please see mixing chart).
Do not use fuels that contain alcohol, as the can cause you bike to run ‘lean’. Be advised some racing fuels contain alcohol and are best avoided..
We recommend that you use normal petrol for a garage and a quality two stroke oil.
A mixture that is too lean I.e not enough two stroke oil can damage your mini moto’s engine as the moving parts are not properly lubricated. This can cause the engine to seize. However a mixture that is too rich can choke the engine and effect the performance and cause starting problems. You can tell if your mini moto is running too richly by the plumes of white smoke coming out of the exhaust and the lack of performance. A rich mixture (25:1) is needed to lubricate the engine during the ‘run in’ period, you may experience a lack of performance during this period. The pocket bike may run more slowly and acceleration can be sluggish, however when you change to a mixture of 50:1 you will really notice a difference. The leaner mix ignites in the combustion chamber faster and with a more explosive force than the richer mix. This means higher revs which means more power and acceleration.
We recommend that a fuel mixture of 25:1 is used to ‘run in’ you mini moto, and a mixture of 50:1 is used thereafter.
‘Running in’
Your mini moto should be ‘run in’ for the first 3-4 tanks of fuel. During this period we recommend that you use a fuel mixture of 25:1. This means a mixture that is made up of 25 parts petrol to 1 part of two stroke oil. During the ‘running in’ period be careful to not rev the engine to its maximum as this can damage the engine. The ‘running in’ period will allow the moving parts to become well oiled and the clutch and brakes to ‘bed’ themselves in. After you have run the minimoto on this fuel mixture for 3-4 tanks, check the chain and tighten accordingly, check the tyre pressure, tighten the bolts on the brakes, forks and wheels. You may also need to readjust the throttle settings to allow for the higher revs that changing to a leaner fuel mix produces. The bike should now be ready for a fuel mixture of 50:1.
Clutch
The mini moto uses a centrifugal clutch to power the drive the sprocket, which in turn drives the back wheel of your mini moto.
When you start your mini moto the clutch spins as the engine ticks over . The clutch is engaged when you pull back on the throttle. The increase in speed of revolution of the clutch makes the clutch expand and grip the inside of the clutch bell which turns the sprocket that drives the back wheel of your pocket bike.
The clutch can be set up in different ways depending on the type of performance that you want from your minimoto. Adjustable clutches are not standard on mini moto’s but an after market Polani or Blata style adjustable clutch can be used in your new mini moto. These allow the rider to adjust the mini moto’s set up in according to their preference. Setting the clutch to engage too late when the engine has built up too much power may cause the clutch to slip and never fully engage. This can result in excessive wearing. However setting the clutch to engage too early, before the power has built up in the engine can cause your pocket bike to ‘bog down’, resulting in slow acceleration. The perfect set up is to get the clutch to engage just as the engine has built enough power to rocket the mini moto away, but without making the clutch slip, this is achievable through trial and error.
Spark Plug
Making sure that your spark plug is fresh is important in a two stroke mini moto engine. You can tell a lot from the colour of the spark plug. The top part of your spark plug is covered in ceramic insulator which, when brand new is white. This part of the spark plug can change colour according to how your engine is running. The plug should appear as a nice tan colour when the engine is running perfectly, this indicates complete combustion. A greyish or white colour indicates that the engine is running too lean which can result in engine damage. In this case you should clean and check your fuel system for any obstruction, check your fuel mixture, check for loose intake manifold bolts and carburettor mounting leeks, faulty gaskets and leaking crank seals. Anywhere that your engine could potentially leek and suck in fresh air can be the source of a lean condition.
A blackened or oily spark plug indicates improper combustion and is the result of running too rich. This can be caused by too much oil in the mixture or the spark plug could be faulty and misfiring. Check the fuel mixture and replace the spark plug.
Air Filter
Your new mini moto is equipped with an air filter. Some bikes such as the B1 Origami rep liquid cooled and the Mini Dirt bike have a ‘cone’ style K and N style air filter. The 2005 mk2 mini moto and the B1 Origami Replica air cooled bikes have a standard mini moto air filter. Both air filters purify the intake of air that is sucked into the carburettor. This means that the air filter should be cleaned regularly as the mini moto’s performance can begin to suffer as the engine can become starved of air if the air filter is choked with debris. To reach the air filter, remove the bikes bottom fairing, remove the protective cover by unscrewing the holding screws. Clean the air filter in petrol but make sure that the filter is dry before reattaching to you mini moto.
Tyres
The tyres on your mini moto are filled with air (pneumatic). Please consult your mini moto handbook for the appropriate psi. It is important to check the tyre pressure regularly, an under inflated tyre will affect the performance of your mini moto, acceleration can become sluggish and cornering can become dangerous.
Chain
Before riding your mini moto you need to make sure that the front and back sprockets are aligned and that the chain is perfectly straight running between them. Once you have established this make sure that the chain is tensioned correctly (please see your mini moto handbook). To test the tension of the chain you can manually push the pocket bike, if you hear a ‘pinging’ or ‘popping’ sound the chain is too loose. If the chain is noisy and starts to bind the chain is too tight.
Make sure that the chain is well oiled. The chain needs to be oiled before every ride.
Gearing
The gearing of you mini moto is dictated by the number of the teeth on the front sprocket and on the back sprocket. The sprockets can be changed as an easy way to manipulate top end speed and acceleration, quite like changing gear on a mountain bike. A front sprocket with more teeth will improve acceleration, however the top end speed will be reduced. A larger rear sprocket will produce a higher top speed but acceleration will suffer. The gearing on your bike can be adjusted in accordance for the track you are intending to ride I.e. a small track with a lot of bends will suit gearing for improved acceleration, however a track with long straights will require a mini moto that is geared for a higher top speed.
Throttle
The throttle on your new mini moto is a ‘twist grip’ style throttle. When you twist the throttle the throttle cable is pulled back revving the engine. It is important to keep this cable free from obstacles and clean. If the throttle begins to feel ‘loose’ of ‘gives’, the tension of the cable can be adjusted via the adjusting screw.
Brakes
The brake system comprises of brake levers, brake cables, brake callipers and brake discs.
The brakes on your mini moto are operated by levers found on the handle bars. The right hand brake controls the front brake, and the left controls the back brake. Pulling on the handle pulls the brake cable which in turn pulls the lever located on the bake calliper. This action pushes the brake discs towards each other. This creates friction on the brake disc which slows down or stops the bike.
The brakes can be adjusted in the following ways.
The brake cable can be tensioned using the adjustment screw found on the brake lever. Unscrew the locking nut, twist the screw to reach the desired tension. Re screw the locking nut.
This is a two person job. Adjust the screw on the hand brake so that is at the end of its travel. Undo the clamp that holds the brake cable on the lever located on the brake calliper. One person needs to push the lever forward as far as it will, the second person needs to pull back on the brake cable and re fasten the clamp. The crake cable will now be highly tensioned.
Pull Start
To start the mini moto pull slowly to turn the fly wheel. This pumps some fuel around the engine, which lubricates the moving parts. Pull the pull start firmly in order to start the engine. Important, do not pull the cord to the end of its run as it can break. If the mini moto does not start check the choke and the throttle cable.
Choke
The choke controls the amount of air that is allowed into the air/fuel mix. The choke is adjusted via a lever located on the side and back of the engine. The choke is off when the lever is down, and on when the lever is up.
When you start the mini moto the choke should be on, when the mini moto is warm and ready to ride the choke needs to be off.
Carburettor
It is recommend that any adjustments to the carburettor are made by a professional. The carburettor pumps and mixes the fuel and air. The small diaphragms, orifices and ports mix the air and fuel very precisely, this process demands clean fresh fuel.
Jet
The jet can be adjusted by the screw located in the access hole to the right of the choke lever. The jet is adjusted by the manufacture however the conditions of where you wish to ride may be different, which means that you will need to make adjustments. Turning the screw clockwise will make the bike run with a leaner mixture, and counter clockwise will richen the mixture. Only adjust the screw 1 tern a at time and then test the mini moto, this is trail and error. Please note that it is best to find the optimum setting for performance and then run a slightly richer mixture as a mix that is too lean can seize the engine.
How to Build a Boat – Small Wooden Sail Boat
To build a wooden boat you will need wooden planks. Now, the dimensions of the planks will depend on what wood you are using. If you are using cypress wood then there will be eight different dimensions according to which you will have to shape the planks.
All of these eight kinds of planks will be required for building the boat. However, if you are building the boat out of oak then there will be about six different types of plank requirements. If, Georgia pine then three types while if it is white pine then it will be just one dimension and five planks of this same dimension.
Now, when you are building a sail boat then obviously you will build one with a flat bottom. Ask yourself how to make a boat and then you know that the most important thing to keep in mind during this type of boat building is the stem. No matter what you build your boat out of, the stem will have to be of good white oak. Then you will need the sideboards, two in number. Saw them properly and then plane them.
Now make the mould which can be made of old material also. Leave some space for the stringers and make the stern board next. After this is ready, nail up the sideboards to the stem with a hammer making sure that you nail then in a double row. Now you can set in the moulds. While doing this keep in mind that the moulds should be perpendicular to the boats centre. Fasten all the moulds and the transom and then use the galvanized nails that are used for permanent nailing of a boat.
Now it is time to put on the bottom. Do this by turning the boat upside down and then nail the floor with the sideboard along with the stringer. Make sure that there is no caulking; for this you need to make the joint between the boats as tight as you can. Now, turn it over on its bottom and get the seats placement. The seats should strictly be made of cypress as then they will be pretty comfortable. Then what you have to do is cut slots, two, out from the centreboard. After this you should fasten two posts at these points.
Now you have to nail in the keel and the floor firmly so that no mishap occurs. Now place the beams of the deck, curving them as you do. Now when everything is done you should get the cockpit ready si that the combing can take place. After you do this, get ready for the canvas deck. Paint with thick paint, white in color. More or less after this, your boat structure is built. You will only have to place the oars and additional material to turn into a complete boat. This is therefore the basic of how to make a boat, one which is a wooden sail boat.
Finally you must remember that decent boat design software helps you to build the boat of your dreams. Probably the best idea is to get some sort of 3D boat design software that is affordable, easy and flexible to use and is suitable for anyone from the hobbyist model boat builder to professional mass ship producers.
Outboard Motor Basics
An outboard motor is just a self contained engine that sits outside rather than inside a boat. Most engines are comprised of the basic engine and a cooling system plus associated electrics that are required to make it work and then attached to the engine would be a gearbox which in turn would be connected to the propeller via a drive shaft. An outboard engine contains all of these items but they are designed into one unit that can be hung and secured over the stern (back) of a boat and be used immediately. These come in sizes measured in Horse Power with most manufacturers producing a range of models from 2 to 300 horse power with the higher number meaning more power. The only external component that may be required would be a fuel tank on some models. Most small outboards come complete with a built in fuel tank but larger engines which would use more fuel would use an external fuel tank to give a larger fuel capacity.
Steering a boat using an outboard motor involves making the unit swivel on its mounting to change the direction that the propeller is facing rather than using a rudder which is the method used with an inboard engine set up. There are two ways in which this is commonly done and those are using a tiller or what is referred to as remote steering. A tiller is basically just a handle attached to the engine that reaches into the boat and can be used to move the engine from side to side on its swivel mounting. A remote steering system is where the boat can be steered by an electric, hydraulic or cable system via a steering wheel from a position other than directly beside the engine. This is set up so that it works in the same way as a car turn the wheel to the left the boat turns to the left and turning the wheel to the right makes the boat turn to the right.
The speed of the boat is controlled by the throttle which regulates the flow of gas into the engine and this can be done in different ways depending on the type of steering you have. With a tiller controlled boat the throttle is usually found on the steering handle in the form of a twist grip the same as on a motorcycle. If the boat has remote steering the throttle would be in the form of a handle that can be reached from the position that the boat is steered from. On some boats that have a tiller operated engine pushing down on the end of the tiller handle causes the propeller to lift at an angle and this is another method of controlling the speed of an outboard powered craft.
There are two types of drives for an outboard the most common method being a propeller and the other method known as a jet drive. The jet drive is simply where the motor sucks in water from in front of it and then expels it at pressure from the rear thus producing forward thrust.
Boat Insurance Guidelines to Obtain a Good Deal
Boat insurance is mandatory on almost all states and countries. However, having boat insurance is not enough. The issue of whether the coverage of your boat insurance is suitable for the use you will give to your boat is just as important. Therefore, you need to understand the different concepts that apply to this kind of insurances in order to select the insurance policy that best suits your needs.
Following you will find some basic guidelines that will help you understand the different clauses on boat insurance policies so you can decide which one best adjusts to your requirements. There may be some coverage that you can do without and other type of coverage that you would prefer to have that is not included. Once you know this, you can request your insurance company or broker to design a boat insurance product customized for your particular necessities.
Common Deterioration Excluded
Regular wearing out of boat parts is not covered by boat insurance and therefore you should not expect to be able to claim for damages caused by such reasons. Thus, it is advisable to do proper maintenance to your water vehicle to ensure that no claim is rejected due to lack of coverage of common deterioration. This is an important fact and it works just like car insurance with the sole difference that due to the constant contact with water, boats tend to deteriorate a lot faster.
Values Insured
There are different clauses on boat insurance that relate to the value of the boat. There are mainly two systems to calculate the value of the water vehicle: stated or agreed value and actual cash value. Stated or agreed value is the value that the insurer and insured establish in the insurance contract prior to signing. Both parties agree which is the value insured and in the event of a claim the whole or a portion of that value is covered according to the type of damage or liability.
The Actual Cash Value on the other hand, is not a fixed value and relates to the market price of the boat at the time of the accident or claim. Though these policies tend to be a lot cheaper, there might be discussions at the time of claims and thus, an agreed value is advisable because the amount is already fixed in the contract and there will not be any discussions about that issue.
Liability Coverage
Liability Coverage is a very important part of a boat insurance policy. This covers the insured for any damages caused to third parties whether on board of the boat or not. Therefore if you will invite friends or acquaintances as passengers or use the boat in areas where other people can be damaged by the regular use of the boat, it is advisable to pay special attention to this type of coverage.
Combined Policy
The most common boat insurance policies provide a combination of property coverage and liability coverage. Therefore it does not matter whether the property is damaged by an accident or someone is injured. Even if both things occur, the insurance will cover for all the costs provided they do not exceed the insurance amount limit.