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Manual Handling Issues While Unloading Trucks: Crane Vans

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Manual handling issues have been the subject of many discussions and regulations. Manual handling while unloading trucks and vans poses the risk of injury that contributes to over 0.5 million cases of musculoskeletal injury reported in the USA each year.

Such injuries generally affect the shoulders, lower back and the arms, and lead not only to millions of work-hours lost annually, but also to compensation claims made against companies and their insurers. The cost to employers is both monetary, with increased insurance premiums, and in the form of man hours lost on the job. In most cases, the latter is more expensive to a employer than the increase in employee insurance costs.

Manual Handling Risk Assessments

Manual handling issues can be controlled by the use of effective risk assessments and audits and by the adoption of more effective materials handling practices. Although the maximum load that should be lifted manually with two hands is 51 lb in the USA and 25 Kg in Europe, workers will tend to lift heavier loads than this if it is expeditious to do so. Many will not wait until a lift truck is available.

This is often the case when unloading trucks. It can be very dangerous to attempt to unload a truck or van without the appropriate lifting equipment, yet many do so. This often results in serious injury or even death. Even when fork lift trucks are used, these occasionally overturn due to improper positioning of the load, again with potentially fatal results.

The Benefit of Crane Vans

Crane vans provide an ideal solution to this issue. The lifting equipment is already installed in the truck or van, so there is neither an excuse nor a need to avoid using it. Such equipment is graded to suit the loading capacity of the vehicle concerned so that there should be no load carried that the crane van cannot handle.

The advantage of ordering crane vans to handle your load is that they can load and unload from and to any type of premises, whether fitted with a dock or not. They can unload heavy goods just as easily to ground level at domestic addresses as they can at commercial or industrial units fitted with a modern unloading dock.

Rapid Loading and Unloading

There is no need to wait for a fork lift truck, and no danger of overloading or unbalancing a lift truck with unwieldy loads. A crane van will safely unload any cargo, from 20 ft steel bars and piping to delicate items of antique furniture without risk to the cargo or to personnel. There is also no need for a pallet truck to be lifted into the truck to move goods closer to the tail.

The gantry-style crane will safely move the goods from inside the truck to ground level. It can also unload to another truck, a box or any other type of location. This type of flexibility is impossible with a standard fork lift tuck, and unloading to a box would otherwise involve two operations.

If you run a business that involves transporting goods of any kind, and are looking for flexibility in the locations you can deliver to, then crane trucks are the answer. They not only facilitate loading and unloading, but also help avoid manual handling injuries and manpower downtime. Don’t give your workforce the temptation to break the rules to speed up unloading: crane vans will do it for you, safely and quickly.

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Source by Peter Nisbet

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Plastic Contract Manufacturing

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Plastic contract manufacturing is the process of manufacturing plastic products on a contract basis. There are many contract manufacturers of plastic products, rubber products and other specialty chemical products. They produce fabricated and extruded plastic products. The plastic fabrication facility of most of the plastic contract manufacturers include the latest Computerized Numerical Control (CNC) routers, mills and lathes for top quality machining of plastic parts and products. Plastic contract manufacturers handle plastic fabrication, CNC machining and CNC turning projects. They usually make plastic products from both natural and synthetic materials. Contract manufacturing of plastic provides plastic products of high abrasion resistance, high tensile strength, high tear strength and good oil resistance.

Plastic contract manufacturers usually make plastic products, components and assemblies at the lowest possible prices. They work together with their customers to determine the materials needed, time taken, design specifications, production developments and certifications required. Contract manufacturers of plastics come up with plastic products in any size, design or quantity, according to the needs of the customer. Most contract manufacturers have a full range of services for design engineering and manufacturing of plastic products.

Plastic contract manufacturing mainly focuses on the quality, repeatability and performance of plastic products. Some contract manufacturers specialize in producing the plastic components for high precision electronic and electrical products, consumer products, automobile products and parts. Many of them also manufacture the press components and precision components of other engineering plastics. Plastic contract manufacturers usually manufacture containers, jars, jigs and fixtures. Generally, contract manufactures use advanced technologies in injection blow molding and compression molding to produce high precision components for electronics and electrical plastics. The materials used in plastic contract manufacturing include low density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and high density polyethylene (HDPE).

Injection molding is widely used for thermoplastics. This process avoids the hardening of plastic in the machine. Injection molding helps to produce more accurate moldings having better control on the material usage. Many contract manufacturers of plastic specialize in the manufacturing dies for injection molded products such as plastic compounds, fan regulators, fan regulator switches, electrical rotary switches, fuse boxes and other special purpose machine parts.

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Source by Jimmy Sturo

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What Are the Different Types of Commercial Food Processing Equipment?

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Food processing, by definition, pertains to different types of methods used in converting raw ingredients into dishes. If this is done on a large scale, as is the case in restaurants, then it can be termed commercial food processing. Like any other form of commercial process, the processing of food on a commercial scale is also dependent on machines and equipment to be efficient and reliable. As any person involved in the dining industry would agree, there are no set or uniform categories in different commercial food processing equipment that can be classified. Still, on a tentative note, commercial food processing equipment can be categorized into five groups. The following are details.

1. Blenders:

When it comes to blenders, the difference between the domestic variants and industrial variants is primarily related to the amount of ingredients that can be blended in one session. Needless to say, commercial food processing equipments, like industrial blenders, hold the capacity to process more ingredients than domestic blenders. Having a blender that can meet the needs of the establishment is imperative because, without it, the time and effort that will go into making any dish would be almost doubled.

2. Meat grinders:

Grinding meat is one of the most dreaded and difficult processes involved with cooking. In fact, usually only professional cooks like to grind their own meat because this is the only way that they can ensure the purity of the ingredients. Apart from being difficult, grinding meat can also be very time consuming unless it is being done through industrial grade meat grinders. These are grinders that are particularly created to be able to handle a lot of meat in as less time as possible.

3. Mixers:

In the case of commercial establishments, it is only natural for certain basic batters and mixtures to be made virtually every day on a large scale to avoid having to do it repeatedly. This makes the commercial kitchen a more efficient place which means that it can cater to more people. These establishments achieve this efficiency by using mixers having extremely large capacities.

4. Slicers:

When an establishment caters to hundreds of people in a single day, it would be unrealistic to expect them to manually cut and slice vegetables or any similar ingredients. Instead, this sub process is done through commercial food processing equipments known as commercial slicers.

5. Peelers and Cutters:

The situation with peeling and cutting is the same as slicers. Notably, peeling can take even more time than slicing or cutting if done manually. Hence, commercial food processing equipment that can handle peeling or cutting can be used to an extremely good effect.

The underlying theme of commercial food processing equipment is that they can increase the output of the dining establishment almost exponentially. Furthermore, when the food is being cooked for a lot of people on a commercial basis, it needs to be standardized. This is another quality of commercial food processing equipment.

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Source by Nicole Roberts

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How Outdated Phone Systems Are Killing Businesses

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Thriving in today’s economic climate requires unified communications

Yep, those old traditional landlines are on their way out. In 2017, almost 90% of phone numbers were connected to mobile devices or internet-enabled phones. And some experts have predicted 2020 is the year that landlines finally become obsolete. (To be honest, they probably won’t disappear that fast. After all, there are still people out there using analog modems, believe it or not.)

Yet still, even with landlines falling out of favor, many businesses rely on traditional private branch exchange (PBX) phone systems for day-to-day operations.

Their trust in these systems makes sense: landlines aren’t susceptible to remote hacking (though analog lines can still be hacked locally through good old wiretapping), they usually still work when you’ve lost power, and they’re based on-premise, which gives the owner total control. Owners love total control over anything that impacts their business, especially things that affect the bottom line.

But the world of work is changing rapidly, and for any business to succeed in this moment, they need a better alternative – unified communications.

How old phone systems hurt businesses

Older PBX phone systems in today’s business environment have some pretty serious limitations. Some of those are business-impacting and result in:

  • Poor customer service: Leaving a voicemail and waiting for a response is so ’90s! In fact, most consumers expect to communicate with businesses online, be it online ordering, email, text, or live chat. If the only way to reach your business is by phone, you’re likely missing out on a major opportunity to handle service problems quickly, retain customers, and boost your reputation.

  • Internal miscommunication: Old phone systems can be frustrating for office employees to use. Imagine leaving a voicemail about an urgent issue for your boss and not receiving a response for hours or days. Relying on outdated technology makes employees feel less productive, which can spiral into other issues.

    According to a 2018 Unisys Corporation study, these frustrated employees are 450% more likely to quit than employees at companies with better tech solutions. Though this study sounds pretty far-fetched, and it is quite possible that the presence of outdated technology is an indication of a bigger problem with the business. Nevertheless, this questionable study supports the narrative that old technology can cause serious problems within a company. Thus, it is worth mentioning. Clearly, updating your system and improving communication for everyone beats recruiting and training new employees.

  • Less versatility: As many companies have made the switch to remote work, they’ve found landline phone systems to be far less versatile than VoIP-based PBX systems. Landline systems are tied to a specific geographic location and connect to the company’s separate phone network through phone hardware (e.g., phone cables, phone wall ports, etc.). Thus, they can’t be easily integrated with computer software applications, SMS and MMS messaging, video calling, chat apps, and other cool features required to make remote work easy. In contrast, a unified communications system supports all of these tools, making it super easy to onboard remote employees.

  • Difficulty diagnosing problems remotely: Diagnosing and fixing problems with traditional PBX systems requires troubleshooting from the IT department (if you have one, that is) or a technician from the phone system provider. The process involves testing connections, assessing internal and external parts, and likely fumbling with equipment on your building’s exterior. This means scheduling a day and time for the repair, and in the meantime, your system remains down, causing you lost revenue.
    On the other hand, to address problems with cloud-based systems, you have access to round-the-clock tech support that can tap into your system and get things back up and running quickly. No appointment required.

  • Hard to grow: When your business grows, it’s quite difficult to scale your old phone system up. Usually, with every batch of new users, you will have to add a bunch of new hardware. This hardware is usually proprietary, costly, and likely has to be installed by a skilled technician. Web-based phone systems are much easier to expand.

Why your business needs unified communications

As an alternative to your old phone system, it’s time to embrace unified communications. Generally speaking, this is a comprehensive service that enables all employees in your company to communicate in a way that delivers the best business results. Most unified communications components are based on Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), which gives you the ability to communicate from any location using the same phone number, extensions, and features.

And looking more specifically at a VoIP PBX system’s benefits over an old phone system, there are several advantages. You have the option of using both physical phones and “soft phones”, which are computers or mobile devices that use specialized communications software. VoIP PBX systems also connect to all of your business locations, enable you to respond to messages and requests in a timely manner, and can easily be scaled up or down at any time. In short, a VoIP PBX system moves and grows with the ever-changing needs of your business. Your old phone system limits your options to serve employees and customers, and it ultimately cuts into your profits.

Set up your Virtual PBX system today

Work with us to introduce cloud-based phone systems into your day-to-day business operations. Our VoIP PBX system helps you cut costs, connect all your business locations into one communications domain, send free SMS messages from business phones and desktops, and access free 24/7/365 tech support. Contact us today to discuss your needs and explore the best options for your company.

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Source by Sam Rozenfeld

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What’s on Your Jetson’s List?

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You’ve probably heard about making a “Bucket List” of exciting adventures you’d like to experience. I have had many things that I have gratefully checked off mine: Swimming with wild dolphins (AWESOME), skydiving (anytime again!), bungee-jumping (never again!!), hot air ballooning (thanks mum), and even having children (yes it is an adventure). So I was plateau-ing in my new adventures… I live in a warm paradise like I am on permanent holiday and I have not been climbing new mountains. It’s just been a steady journey for quite a while (except for my new cruising adventures!!)

One day, I noticed something about my thinking perspective. I was watching the new movies of Star Trek and I could see a future San Francisco superimposed onto my current memories. If you have read Speed Manifesting™ you’ll recognize the Key to Speed there.

Well it occurred to me that in my personal daily imagining, it was not a future at all – it was just more of the same old world, with different adventures, things and types of relationships. So I pondered what a future 20-30 years from now would be like, based on the current speed of technology and communication in our work, relationships and household.

And that brought up another desire – why does my home still look essentially like my grandparent’s home built 65 years ago? Same walls, same plugs, same doorknobs, same architecture. Where is all the new technology inside the structure of our homes? Why don’t we have walls that collect sunlight and glow back at night? Why don’t we have other innovations within the architecture and building of our houses? It’s not because of costs, and I realized quickly that it is standardization, building codes, suppression and protection of traditional industries.

Whatever. I want new!

So I stepped back and used the only few reference points I know.

1. Star Trek

2. George Jetson

I know you are laughing at me right now, I can hear you!

But seriously, where are my conveyor belts, Rosie the Robot, portal-elevators and anti-grav cars? We have a lot of new technology, but some areas are far behind the innovations.

I then heard my own voice tell me, “then imagine it!”

And so began my new list. I call it my Jetson’s list.

Here is what’s on it so far…

1. anti-grav zero fuel car with solar powered air conditioning

2. crystal skylights inserted into my roof for natural lighting

3. solar-flowers for electricity (yes it exists, it’s just not around)

4. Air-ports that are PlanetPortal wormholes, taking you wherever you want to go instantly

5. peace and prosperity around the world through technology

It’s fun to stretch my imagination into bigger possibilities, and see a future 20-30 years that may very well be available. I may even get a home stargate portal one day.

What would be on your Jetson’s List?

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Source by Lori Mitchell

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Ireland Now The Most Treeless Land In Europe

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Ask people who have visited Ireland what they remember about the country and you will invariably hear mention of how green it is. Which is surprising, considering that Ireland is now the most treeless land in Europe. Ireland’s native forests were effectively wiped out during a four century orgy, removing from the face of the land trees that had first emerged in the aftermath of the last great ice age 10,000 years ago. When the last glaciers retreated from Ireland the first trees to rise again were those tolerant of cold conditions – birch, willow and juniper. They were followed by species less tolerant of cold. Broadleaved forests of oak, elm, alder and ash covered the lowlands. Native pines (such as Scots pine) rose in the highlands and in the poorer soil of the west. There was so much growth that by the time the first farmers began to cultivate the land between five and six thousand years ago Ireland was covered with broadleaves and evergreens. The economy of Ireland under the Celts was that of the forests. This great resource was the provider of raw materials, medicine, weapons, tools, charcoal, food (in the form of berries, nuts, fungi, fruit, wild animals, insects and grubs) as well as the basis for spirituality and wisdom. No other country has as many place-names connected to the forest.

As many as 40,000 still exist, which, without the woodlands and forests, mean little to anyone who doesn’t know the local history. There are many family names associated with native broadleaf trees (McIvor is Son of Yew, McCarthy is Son of Rowan, McColl is Son of Hazel amongst many others). The original Gaelic alphabet for the old Irish language came from the native trees of Ireland – alim (elm), beith (birch), coll (hazel), dair (oak). When the Romans conquered most of Britain, Ireland was said to be two-thirds mixed hardwood forest. Despite the emergence of agriculture and the practices of invading tribes, Gerald of Wales, a Norman who came to Ireland as part of Henry II’s war mongering entourage in the late 12th century, described Ireland in 1185 as a country of ‘many woods and marshes’ and ‘here and there, some fine plains, but in comparison with the woods they are indeed small’. Sweeney (from the 12th century story Buile Suibhne) refers to the oak, hazel, alder, blackthorn, sloe-bush, watercress, saxifrage, apple, rowan, bramble, ivy, holly, ash, birch and aspen. It wasn’t until the 17th century that beech and chestnut were introduced into the Irish woodland landscape.

A few generations later Ireland’s rich forests were gone. Ireland’s original farmers had started the destruction, clearing woodlands for cultivation, and this practice was continued by peasant subsistence farmers. The depletion continued as people used wood as a source of fuel and for building material. Then the colonizing English started to fell the woodlands to deny the Irish hiding places in the early battles for the land. In the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries they cut the forests down to provide timber for the British ships which would plunder and exploit other lands and other people. Since then the nature of Irish farming and Irish politics wrought more damage. Ireland, however, is still a forest country. The conditions are perfect for the growth of trees. Sadly this has led to the plantation of spruce, which grows three times faster in Ireland than elsewhere in Europe. Timber products are the largest EU import after oil. Ireland is only nine percent afforested, whereas the European average is 31 percent.

But there is hope. An Irish company called Rooted in Ireland has started to reforest parts of Ireland, beginning in Armagh. Each tree they plant can be bought as a gift for someone, and a portion of the purchase price goes to REACT, who are a charity engaged in peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland. A project like this has a huge social, environmental, and economic impact on the landscape of Ireland and will hopefully allow future generations to enjoy Ireland as it should be.

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Source by Peter Slevin

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The Silhouette- In Georgian and Regency England

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The silhouette was a picture of a person showing the outline only, filled usually with solid shadow, and most often, in profile. Its name comes from “Etienne de Silhouette,” a French controller general of finance who lived from 1709 to 1767. He was a notorious cheapskate, so that his name became synonymous with anything done or made cheaply, such as silhouettes, in addition to which he decorated a new house entirely (to save money) by cutting out little silhouettes from black paper.

The popularity of the silhouette was indeed in part because it was inexpensive (much less so than having a portrait painted, for example), and could be quickly produced, but also because it was a delightful form of art in its own right.

There are several types of silhouettes but the most common were cut from black paper with scissors. They could also be called “paper cuttings,” “shadows”, or, as in England, “shades.” Once the black shape was finished, the paper would then be glued to a white (or at least, lighter) background card and there was your finished likeness. The silhouette was also popular in America, where you could have one made on the street, such as in Philadelphia, for a penny, and within minutes. In size they resembled a small photograph, and once the daguerreotype was invented, the silhouette quickly decreased in popularity.

During the last decades of the eighteenth century (Georgian England) and into the early nineteenth, (the Regency) however, silhouettes were still the rage. In the courts of France and Germany they even replaced the miniature portrait. The miniatures, as I explain in a different article, were popular among dignitaries as diplomatic tools, and among all who could afford them, as personal tokens. The silhouette , by contrast, made portable likenesses of loved ones affordable for nearly anyone, and could even be used as wall decorations . All you needed was a person capable of creating them (a “profile portraitist”) and a few pence. In time, their popularity swung right back towards the rich, who, “commissioned silhouettes to be painted and encrusted with precious stones in jewelry and snuff boxes. Royalty commissioned porcelain dinner services with silhouettes. Common folk filled albums with silhouettes of family and friends. “

In addition, making silhouettes was a popular parlour game (called Shades), where anyone could try their hand at the art. The finished pieces may not have been works of art, but the making of them was surely a merry way to pass the time. (The game called “Shadows,” by contrast, was when one made shadow-images on the walls using mostly the hands; nothing was drawn or taken away from the exercise except a few laughs.)

The Concise Brittanica states that silhouettes were done “by drawing the outline cast by candlelight or lamplight,” which is surely how the average person did it. However, “once photography rendered silhouettes nearly obsolete, they became (merely) a type of folk art practiced by itinerant artists and caricaturists.”

Auguste Edouart, a Frenchman, cut full-length silhouettes. Another itinerant was the American boy silhouettist Master Hubard, who cut profiles in 20 seconds.

A beautiful example of a silhouette is one we have of Cassandra Austen, Jane’s beloved sister. (Use the link at the bottom to download my April ezine, which includes illustrations with this article.) Notice the lighter detailing? This was done by virtue of the fact that one’s “shade” could be reduced (“using a reducing instrument known as a pantograph”) then painted using “soot, or lamp black, on plaster or glass. After painting the face dead black, the hair, hats, ribbons, frills, and other essential accessories of the day, would have been ‘dragged’ out, using a fine brush, with progressively more and more diluted pigment.”

Another style of silhouette (with yellow background, see example in download) is Jane Austen”s self-portrait. Though more simply executed than the first, it is an excellent example of the art. According to one antiques’ website, the silhouette of the past would likely have been done in any of the following four formats:

  • Painted on paper, card, vellum, ivory, silk, or porcelain;

  • Painted in reverse on glass;

  • Hollow cut with the aid of a machine or, very rarely, by hand. In this process the figure is cut away from the paper thereby leaving a negative image. The paper outline is then backed with a contrasting color of paper or fabric; Or,

    Cut freehand with scissors or a sharp edge and then pasted to a contrasting (usually light-colored) background. “

    In England, from the late 18th into the early 19th century, (the stylistic Regency, in other words) a famous silhouette artist was John Miers (1756-1821). Preceding him was John Field. JC Lavater, a German who dabbled in science, used a machine to make what he called “scientific” silhouettes. (I suppose that “scientific” in this case, means “accurate”.)

    If you click the link below to download the ezine, you’ll see, as the final illustration to this article, a silhouette called, “Swinging Corpse,” which is an image from Bill Nye’s History of England, published in 1900; (Called, “A Reluctant Tax Payer”!) The image has been doctored (the background cut away) to make it a silhouette, but as I have also been doing a series on “Murder and Mayhem During the Regency”) I thought this particular silhouette was an appropriate closing image. (smile)

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    Source by Linore Rose Burkard

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    12 Excellent Reference Books for Collecting Vintage Costume Jewellery in the UK

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    You have a thirst for knowledge and want to know more about the vintage costume jewellery in your collection. But which book to buy if you are living in the UK?

    There are hundreds of reference books to choose from and most have been written in the US by authors who have a collection based in the US. How specific is that to us in the UK?

    So here’s a brief guide of 12 books to give a good over view of knowledge from Victorian through to the eighties and beyond. Actually there are more than 12 books here, because some authors have written more than one book that is useful.

    This guide should cover general unsigned pieces and some signed pieces of jewellery. However there are no specific books ever written for the majority of the mass produced signed costume jewellery made by UK companies or made for the UK market apart from Wilson and Butler.

    1. Costume Jewellery: A Collectors Guide by Caroline Behr (Miller’s) (ISBN 1-84000-373-1)

    A good place to start with a general over view and time line from Victorian, Art Deco, Arts and Crafts, 1950s, Czech, Austrian and some designers. Easy to read and has good photographs. Hand bag size and ideal to read on the train

    2. Vintage Costume Jewellery: A Passion for fabulous Fakes by Carol Tanenbaum (ISBN 1-85149-511-8)

    A must to buy and has the time line with expanded information. Includes Art Nouveau, Birmingham silver, machine, intro to Bakelite and plastic and a glossary. Loads of good photographs but none of the backs (a must for identification but rarely included in any book)

    3. Secrets To Collecting Jewelry: How to BUY MORE for less! by Leigh Leshner (ISBN 0-89689-180-1)

    Again a time line and over view through history but an absolute gem of a book because it has shows the backs and mechanism or findings that are essential to dating jewellery. This book looks at style and materials with specific photographs. Prom jewellery, art plastic, retro, manufacturing methods, Scandinavian, cameos. Mostly brief information but a very good visual guide. US book with $ price guide (2005). Another fabulous book to read on the bus or train as fits into your bag.

    4. Jewels and Jewellery Clare Phillips (V & A) (ISBN 978-1-85177-535-4) or Jewellery: The Decorative Arts Library edited by Janet Swarbrick (ISBN 1-902328-13-2)

    Could not decide which of these UK books was the most informative. So have I have included both

    Jewels and Jewellery contains materials, a chronology of styles and manufacturing and distribution. Photographs of museum and pieces. Includes silver filigree, Berlin Iron, pearls, glass and enamel. Faith jewellery, cut steel, mourning and love jewellery not just jet or bog oak. Lalique, Ashbee, Liberty Cymric, Wilson, Gaskins and a time line pre Victorian to the 2000s.

    Jewellery is a visual celebration of the world’s great jewellery making techniques. From the ancient world until 1989. Full of information and photographs with more specific references to Jewellery in the UK.

    5. Popular Jewelry of the ’60s, ’70s & ’80s by Roseann Ettinger (ISBN 0-7643-2470-5)

    Three decades of jewellery showing fashion and political trends that influenced the designs. US book with $ price guide (2006) The majority of vintage jewellery found is from this period and so makes this book invaluable to read. Well illustrated with pieces that are recognizable here in the UK. Including Mod jewellery, eastern influence, Pop Art, novelty, revival pieces, love beads, Art Metal, jade, plastic, wood and pave. The author has produced other reference books on other decades which are well worth investing in.

    6. Collecting Art Plastic Jewelry by Leigh Leshner (ISBN 0-87349-954-9)

    Bakelite is rare to find in jewellery in such quantities and variety as in the States. It is useful to recognize and see the variety of designs plastic has been used or with other materials. Celluloid, Lucite, thermoset, thermoplastic, laminated, reverse carved are more commonly found here in the UK and easily over looked. This book does make you look at plastic accessories in a whole new light. Does not contain enough information on galalith, the early plastic type that is more common in the UK. For this read books on Jakob Bengel.

    7. Collecting Costume Jewelry 303: The flip side Exploring costume jewelry from the back by Julia C Carroll. (ISBN 978-1-57432-626-0)

    This is the book that gets to the basics must have knowledge of vintage costume jewellery. The different components including the stones and cabochons that can be invaluable in dating and hardware clues that can be missed. Cameos, rhinestones, signed jewellery and photographs of the signatures, art glass, pin backs and so much more. I look at this book and always find something that I have not noticed before. One of my most valuable books in terms of knowledge. Also has a section of designers including Jonette Jewelry Co (JJ) that are not always found in other books. US book with $ price guides (2010)

    Julia Carroll has produced other books including Costume Jewelry 101 and 202 in this serious. Both books are well worth having for reference as well.

    8. Baubles, Buttons and Beads: The Heritage of Bohemia by Sibelle Jargstorf (ISBN 0-88740-467-7)

    This is another gem of a book; as we had an abundance of vintage jewellery imported into this country from Bohemia up until the Second World War and then in smaller quantities after. Still available to find and collect but prices are rising. Sections on buttons, filigree, glass beads, plastic and glass cameos, 1930s, enamel and more importantly the history. After reading this book it has helped me date and identify cameos, filigree brooches and brightly coloured rhinestone jewellery of the 1920s and 30s. Hand finished and machine made dress clips and the different finishes used.

    Sibylle Jargstorf has produced other books on beads and glass that are invaluable.

    9. Cameos: A Pocket Guide by Monica Lynn Clements and Patricia Rosser Clements (ISBN 0-7643-1728-8)

    Although there are many books on cameos, this small packet guide is full of cameos in materials other than shell. Shell is the most collected cameo jewellery type but for me it did not have an appeal. I wanted to know more about the glass, plastic, metal and gemstone cameos that I was finding. How to identify the materials used and when were they made. This book has an abundance of photographs covering a huge amount of cameos in these materials and more importantly recognizable for the UK market. US book with $ price guide (2003) For more in depth information on cameo jewellery then obtain any of the editions of Cameos: Old and New by Anna M Miller.

    10. Victorian Jewellery by Margaret Flowers (No ISBN)

    Not a book on vintage but antique jewellery that is now out of print but still available in several editions. First published in 1951 but well worth reading. Insight into the Victorian influences and seen in revival pieces. Birmingham’s role in mass produced jewellery. This book is often sited in later books as being influential. Has the Victorian period in 3 parts and each section has the most used motifs of that period. Did make me laugh at the sheer snobbish attitude of the author at times but well worth reading. Few photographs and mostly in black and white that are not that clear.

    11. Scottish Jewellery: A Victorian Passion by Diana Scarisbrick

    Scottish jewellery is found in abundance in the UK. From the mid nineteenth century with the rise in popularity, had factories in Scotland and England churning out designs and pieces in the thousands. This continued into the late twentieth century mostly in Birmingham. This book is a good introduction. Not as in depth as could have been and do not expect information on vintage Scottish souvenir jewellery from Miracle, The Ward Brothers, Exquisite or Hollywood. Pages of photographs of agate and silver brooches and bracelets. But complicated by the photo guide at the end of the book. A good starter book to recognize Scottish motifs.

    12. Warman’s Jewelry: Fine & Costume Jewelry 4Th Edition by Kathy Flood (ISBN 1-4402-0801-8)

    This is the 4Th edition of the Warman’s Jewelry Identification and Price Guide. So 3 other books to obtain and read. In this edition two centuries are covered with pearls, figural, cameos, Art Nouveau, Art Deco and plastic. The difference between Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian jewellery. Again page after page of jewellery photographs. Good mix of fresh antique, vintage and modern jewellery. A mix of world wide designs hat I found applicable to the UK. US book with $ price guide (2010)

    This is just a brief reference of general books for vintage jewellery that will change as more books come onto the market or I discover out of print books. Then there are more specific books on Bengal, Avon, Sarah Coventry, Egyptian Revival jewellery, Haskell, D & E, Wilson & Butler and so many more to read

    Even with this amount of information I still feel that I have just skimmed the surface. As said previously there is a lack of information on jewellery from Ciro Pearls, Sphinx, Exquisite, Miracle, Hollywood, Thomas Le Mott and many other companies that mass produced jewellery in this country in the twentieth century, which is now very collectible world wide.

    This article is copyrighted and may not be used in any part without our permision.

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    Source by Susan C Weaver

    / By edd / spiral-freezers/ / 0 Comments

    Industrial Shelves: Space Saving Management Tips

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    Modern design systems have made industrial shelves quite popular and trendy. They are in demand for residential, industrial, agricultural, institutional and commercial purposes for space-saving management. In purchasing storage shelves, there are many factors you have to consider. You need to know exactly what your needs and requirements are. It is important to plan and assess the areas for shelving installation. Whether it is for your garage or pantry, warehouse, store or any type of business, shelves provide the solution to install order and maintain organized systematic shelving.

    In choosing a storage shelf, whether wood, metal, glass reinforced fiber, plastic, or a combination of wood and aluminum or wood and stainless steel, consider its durability, lifespan, stability, safety and cost. Other elements such as beauty, size, height, mobility, ease of access all come into play in determining your shelving options. The popular type nowadays as a storage equipment is the metal shelf with a capacity of 150 lbs to over 1,000 lbs. per shelf. They can be made of aluminum, galvanized, chrome plated or stainless steel.

    A type of metal shelf is the wire racking system used in food service, retail and general storage. In the home, this metal shelving is also ideal for record stacking. Not only do these metal shelves have designs which are attractive and pleasant looking, they are also very convenient and sturdy. For your office workspace, retail displays and showrooms, you can choose designer wire shelving with a carrying capacity of up to 750 lbs. to provide an element of artistry and beauty to the space.

    If your carrying capacity needs are 1000 lbs and up, there are the chrome plated wire shelving models to choose from. They have many outstanding features like an anti-corrosion resistance property, no dust or dirt build up and access from all sides with high visibility. Other shelving options are based on the T-Post upright with variations for shelves. You can choose from 18, 20 or 22 gauge shelves made of galvanized, open wire and other types with pull out shelves to fit your exact requirements.

    Technological advancement has also provided a pre-engineered galvanized steel shelf model designed for harsh environments like areas which are very humid or in unheated warehouses. Applications will be for storage of solvents, cleaning agents and oily or greasy materials. You can avail of it in sections of 36″ wide by 84″ high with a choice of three depths.

    Additional benefits from metal shelves are they are cost effective, flexible and space savers. They are also quite versatile. Not only can they be used for industrial applications, many homeowners have already put them inside their homes, garage, dens and patios. There are many variations of metal shelves like clad shelving, open/closed shelving, mobile, archive, double rivet, torment boltless resistant rivets, etc.

    If your resources will permit, you can also opt for stainless steel shelves to save on space and time. When it comes to beauty and durability, stainless steel shelves are very hard to beat. You can use them as a mobile shelf which you can easily transport from place to place or a static shelf which is fixed in a location. The added benefit of stainless steel industrial shelves is that they are easy to clean, very durable, fully secured and stable.

    Before making your choice, be sure to conduct your preliminary research and due diligence search in hardware, home depots and home improvement sections in malls or via the numerous websites of industrial shelves suppliers. The time and effort you spend will help and guide you to pick out the right type of industrial shelves. You will be able to secure the appropriate storage and space saving solutions that will fit your logistics requirements.

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    Source by Fem Mascenon

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    What Is the Technology Behind a Touch Screen?

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    Have you ever wondered just how the touch screen on your cell phone, tablet, LED television, or any other device actually works? It is amazing to think that we can now issue commands to our devices with the touch of our hand and while this technology might seem new, it has actually been around since the 1960’s.

    In fact, the technology behind the touch screen can actually traced right back to the 1940’s but it was only two decades later that it actually became feasible to use on a large scale.

    ATMs have been using technology since 1965 which is when E.A. Johnson invented the first finger-driven touch screen that actually used the same capacitive touch mechanism that is still used in cell phones and other devices to this day.

    Although there are other types of touch screen technology such as resistive touch or multi touch technology, capacitive touch technology is the one that is preferred for mass produced consumer products.

    How is a Capacitive Touch Screen Made?

    Today, a capacitive touch screen works through the use of an ITO touch film that is attached to the screen. This touch film is basically a semiconductor that has been printed out using semiconductor manufacturing methods such as roll to roll processing which uses a roll to roll evaporator system to create an electronic device on a flexible plastic.

    A roll to roll evaporator system from industry leading manufacturers are able to mass produce ITO touch film that can be used on various devices such as smart phones, LCD or LED screens, tablets, and PC monitors.

    Roll to roll technology is the preferred method over other technologies such as roll to plate and plate to plate technologies due to it offering a continuous process and higher throughput than the others. That ITO touch film is then programmed using software that enables us to give our devices instructions through the use of our fingers on the screen.

    In fact, semiconductor manufacturing processes such as the roll to roll evaporator system are used for many other products too, such as solar panels, cameras, and printers.

    Summary

    So now you have a basic idea of where technology came from and the technology that is used to produce the semiconductor film that is used on touch screens today. Without machines that use a roll to roll evaporator system, we would not be able to enjoy the many touch screen devices that are available to us today.

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    Source by Rosario Berry