How to Choose your DIY Project

DIY is frequently thought of as a fix for all problems that might arise in your home, but this may not always be the case. Trying to attempt a project that is not meant for him or her might overwhelm a DIY amateur, and this is why we need to put in some thought into choosing the right project. Here are some questions to help you decide:

Do you have the tools for it? Some of the basic appliances such as a drill kit, hammer, pliers etc. need to be part of the investment made by any DIYer. If a job requires many specialized pieces of equipment, then it might indicate that it’s time to call in a professional for the same. On the other hand, if you find that it needs just one or two additional tools that might serve as a good investment for any future projects, go ahead and take the plunge.

KRP12 Drill Kit from B&D

Is it in your skill level? You might need to adopt a very realistic attitude to recognize when a particular project might be beyond your current skill level. Of course we all gain experience with every project, so if this is something that you can put off for later, you can always add it to your list of dream projects to take up in the future.

Do you have the time? This is the third and final question to be answered, as the amount of free time that you have would also dictate how long a DIY project would take. Try to calculate how long a particular project would take, and if you would be able to complete it in the timeframe you require.

We hope that the above questions would help you choose the DIY project that’s right for you! Don’t forget to check out the range of DIY tools from B&D, aimed at the beginner as well as the professional. Do visit our website here:

http://www.blackanddeckerindia.in

An Introduction to Metalworking - Black & Decker, India

Not all of us may want to try our hand at metalworking, but once immersed quite well into DIY it might start to sound appealing to us instead of calling the professionals for every small task. Here are some things to keep in mind before embarking on our first metalworking project:

Match the tool to your need: You will see a range of power tools available for metalworking – for example, Black & Decker offers you 5 types of Angle Grinders depending on the power and speed that you require for metal grinding, cutting and finishing. Some people might like to use angle grinders even for cutting rough edges off brick and mortar, and if you have such requirements, you must discuss this need with the store personnel before deciding on the model.

Safety gear: Especially in the field of metalworking, the efficiently of your safety equipment is nearly as important if not more than your metalworking tools. Protective eyeglasses, and a completely covered protective suit and gloves resistant to heat are an absolute necessity, as well as setting up a safe area such as a garage or shed for the actual working.

G720 800 Watts 100mm Small Angle Grinder

Training and Supervision: Before using metalworking gear on your own, try to spend some time training with a professional as well as a few supervised hours trying out simple operations. In this way, any basic handing errors will be corrected before you approach your own DIY project, and you will feel much more confident too.

Research and Information: “Metal” is a general term, and there are many different types like steel, aluminium, brass and bronze that react differently to heat and pressure – for e.g. aluminium is quite hard to cut. Try to gather information on some basic types of metal that you might be working with, and discuss your project with an experienced person to ensure you have a clear idea of the way you are going to deal with the chosen raw material.

Our ergonomically designed tools will definitely make the physical aspects of metalworking much easier for you. Please do check out our entire range at:

http://www.blackanddeckerindia.in

5 DIY ideas for Christmas - Black & Decker

Christmas is less than a month away, and this is the time when we are feverishly looking around for gifts to give our friends and family. Not just in the gifting aspect, but in many other ways, DIY can make our festive occasions more budget friendly as well as more personalized. Here are some great ideas for Christmas that you can do yourselves:

Christmas Tree: Pinterest has some lovely ideas for DIY trees for this Christmas. From smaller crochet ones to bigger ones made of cardboard, you can try them in whichever size you like. Even your kids will love contributing to this project, and you can plan Christmas tree based décor pieces throughout your home in this season. I also especially love this one made from books.

Make your own gifts and tree ornaments: Do you remember when you were looking for that special something for a friend or relative, and just couldn’t find what you want in any store? You can try out whatever you are comfortable with, like home baked goodies, or lovey handcrafted items such as monogrammed tableware. This is another DIY project the kids will love to take part in.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovemaegan/6440154073/ 

Fresh produce: If you have a kitchen garden, plant in such a way that you can harvest a lot of stuff around the festive season. Can you imagine the reaction of a dear friend when he receives an organic homegrown pasta ingredients basket? You can get very creative with this, from choosing the right basket to planning the list of ingredients that are easy to grow.

Family cards: This is one idea that many of us might have already tried out, but just in case you haven’t thought of it yet, this is a great way for family especially grandparents to keep a record of how kids have grown up over the years. You can print them out yourself if you have a photo printer, or else use a nearby store just for that last step.

DIY kindnesses: If you have any elderly relatives who don’t have help around the house, the best gift you can give them would be to go over before the holidays and help them with their pending tasks like hanging up a favourite photo or just assist in the cleaning chores. Take along your gadgets and appliances for the task, and it can be a breeze!

Hope this list gives you some good ideas, and one or two of them ignite a spark in your minds. Happy DIYing!

Do check out our tools and appliances that can help make your work easier around the house in the festive season. Our website is:

http://www.stanleyblackanddecker.com

Things around the house that you might have never tried to DIY - Black & Decker

DIY may sound very difficult to approach for those of us who have not tried it before. An article like this one gives some easy DIY ideas that even beginners can try out to increase our confidence. I am sure some of them such as clearing out the kitchen pantry are things we might have done at our homes, but anything like replacing a glass ourselves feels too forbidding. Here are some more ideas that might help:

 1.    If you have an old grater lying around, you can put it to good use as an earring stand. All it needs is a fresh coat of paint and it can look stunning! See this image for an example.

 2.    Before setting out to buy a new blackboard or writing board for your kids, look in your local paint shop for blackboard paint. This can turn any surface into a blackboard, so all you need to do is find a portion of the wall in your child’s room and make it a fun writing area. It can even be painted on a kitchen cupboard to turn it into your memo pad. See this link for a detailed “how to”.

 3.    One of the best ways to give a space a makeover is to use paint. It could be your front doors, or just a cabinet that’s looking worn out; a fresh coat of paint can liven up the space. This is a very easy thing to do yourself, just walk over to your local hardware store and select a shade and try it out in a small space first and you’ll see.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/maguisso/523808623/

 4.    This one from Pinterest really got my attention – a very simple yet brilliant way to use those    large mouthed pots and vases that are always stored up because of the trouble of arranging anything in them.

 5.    The next time your dining chair or footstool upholstery gets worn out, try changing it yourself. All you’ll need is some fabric, scissors, small nails or pins and a hammer, and you are sure to be surprised at how simple it is.

Hope some the above helps you embark on your first DIY around the house, do let us know how it turned out. Whether looking for a great hammer, drill or even a paint edger, Black & Decker has one in store for you. Do check out our products at our webpage:

http://www.stanleyblackanddecker.com

Why is DIY the way forward? - Black & Decker

While reading this article about some great DIY ideas for the weekend, it occurred to me how easy and approachable most of the mentioned ideas were. There was a point of time a few years ago, when figuring out and setting up something by ourselves was a forbidding idea, but in recent times DIY (Do It Yourself) has become a more common trend. Let’s have a short look as to why this is the case:

Learn new things: A DIY project can be a very interesting window into trying a lot of new things. From teaching kids to make their own bookmarks or calendars, to learning to fix that wobbly stool – there’s a wealth of stuff out there that we haven’t done ourselves just because we haven’t tried it yet.

Save cash: We all know how expensive it can be to get a plumber or service person home, and DIY makes it so much easier for us to save that amount so that we can spend it on something special that we really wanted. You might feel there is an initial investment when you need to buy those essential tools, but in the long run, you will still save on multiple service visits by the plumber or repairman.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hey__paul/6023959435/

Get stuff done early: Have you ever waited for days for that service person to land up to look at something – if so you know what I am talking about. This way your time is completely in your hands, and you can finish up that repair yourself as early as you want to.

Improves confidence: When you fix your first leaky faucet, your first thought is sure to be “Wow! Was it really that easy?”. No more procrastinating around the house because of an easy problem seeming to be so forbidding – and even if it comes to a point of calling someone over for complicated repairs, you’ll now exactly what’s in the inside of that pipe, which gives you so much more confidence.

Reduces dependence: You will feel so empowered once you start DIY tasks around the house, for the simple reason that you don’t need to wait on anybody else to take charge of your house.

In addition to the above great reasons, Black & Decker provides you a range of wonderful tools that makes DIY approachable for everyone. Do visit out website for more details:

http://www.stanleyblackanddecker.com