Fuel Ghoul

3D Printing in Toronto at My3DAgency

3D printing is also known as Additive Manufacturing (AM) and refers to printing processes used to create three-dimensional objects in which layers of material are formed under computer control. This is the latest craze in creative duplication / replication and so many creative geniuses here in Toronto are pushing the envelope everyday.

 Among the innovators is Michael Gossack at My 3D Agency

My 3D Agency uses mobile scanning technology to do full body scans of our subjects in their desired pose. We take multiple scans to get the best possible data for the 3D prints.

Michael Gossack's 3D printing company is grass roots and entrepreneurial.

My 3D Agency specializes in duplicating props, people and equipment prototypes. Micheal made his name and grew his company from scratch on Toronto sidewalks by offering eight inch tall 3D selfies at very low prices. Today Michael spends most of his time putting fans' heads on their favourite superhero or sporting hero bodies and making custom wedding cake toppers.  A graduate level print engineer, Michael at My 3D Agency team loves new challenges.  Visit online or at his new location at 5 Dickens Street - Gerrard and Logan.

Michael's company scans, models and 3D prints the best 3D-figurines that you’ve ever laid your eyes on – and they’re photo realistic.

The organization uses more than just raw data to make their prints. At My 3D Agency, a graphic designer  combines, edit and texturize all the data collected for a print-ready
3D model. Below is Raymi the Minx who had herself printed wearing the black spandex boots and skin tight dress seen below which Michael told her at the time was not entirely optimal for printing.

Once the file is ready, its uploaded into a final print software for last- minute fixes and positioning. In a few hours, the full- colour model comes to life. The nozzles add layer upon layer as the eight inch statue grows steadily taller and more defined.

When the model is finished printing, it goes through a few steps of post-processing and finishing – and is then ready to be shipped out.

You can see Raymi's statue and read about her printing experience at Raymi the Minx.

Read about My 3D Agency on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest.

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Inside A Toronto Vehicle Wrapping Business

Fuel Ghoul has been studying the science of vinyl wraps and looking at the business from the design stage to the installation and finishing. Last week we visited Sign Source Solution vehicle wraps in Toronto Which we found online through Yelp - here is the Sign Source Solution vehicle wrapping YELP page. Raymi was there and she wrote up the Raymi Toronto visit with Sign Source Solution vehicle in Toronto in some detail and from an entirely different perspective.

Vehicle Wrapping Has Matured As a Marketing Tactic

One of the best ways to greatly increase 'market presence' in any size community is by wrapping a company vehicle with the firm's business logo and pitch. Then every single sales call expands the reach of the business. Statistics provided by the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA) highlight vehicle wraps as the lowest cost-per-impression signage option, above any other form of outdoor advertising. Depending on city and population size, a single vehicle wrap can generate over 30,000 impressions a day! 

Design is done in Illustrator or Adobe Photoshop but new equipment and methodologies may use Cadlink's Signlab to rip, print, and cut. Other designers use Corel Draw and still more are using for Flexi because their printers requires those files.

In many cases wrap shops are loyal to a single brand of material and may not even carry other materials, while other times wrap shops will order any material you like with no real preference between the top brands.  In any scenario, it’s good to familiarize yourself with the qualities associated with each material to choose one that fits the look you’re going for (ex: super glossy graphics or matte black) as well as the usage (ex: an around-town car vs. an off-road rally car).  With these things in mind you may choose a material for it’s looks, it’s durability, it’s reputation, it’s ease of removing it (if it’s a short term wrap), or the warranty (if it’s meant to be a long-term wrap).

While we watched the designers at the shop showed us how they apply the logos and brand slogans to prepared blank schematic canvases that correspond to each modern vehicle dimensions exactly; these specially prepared templates purchased from some vehicle design authority in automotive for about $5 dollars each and the designers cannot reuse the same plate as each is issued with a single use license.

Sign Source Solution has a campaign with local businesses celebrating automotive vehicle wrapping design by showing them spectacular examples of what their business vehicles could look like. Already Shanny in the City wrote about a vehicle wrap on a mini cooper, and Storia PR blogged about their vehicle wrapping design, and 

Sarafino displays vehicle wrap designs for their delivery van and also Claire Matthews of Yoga Truly Grimsby knew a vehicle wrap could help marketing as she expands her Yoga school in Port Colborne Ontario. She realized she'd be driving for at least an hour everyday and also was cognoscente that she would have to be very careful, and be a consistently good driver on the road.  

Sign Source Solution offers professional quality vehicle wraps and graphics for all types of vehicles. We wrap Cars, Vans, Trucks, Busses, Trailers, Racing Cars, Cube Vans, Boats and even Airplanes!

Designs used to be dependent on materials, but now they are so high quality that for the most part a single brand of material could do just about any job. But shops continue to have preferences as such diversification is good for market positioning..    

What is Vinyl?

Vinyl is a synthetic resin or plastic consisting of polyvinyl chloride or a related polymer, used especially for wallpapers and other covering materials and for phonograph records.

Waldo Semon

Semon is best known for inventing vinyl, the world's second most used plastic. He found the formula for vinyl by mixing a few synthetic polymers, and the result was a substance that was elastic, but wasn't adhesive. Semon worked on methods of improving rubber, and eventually developed a synthetic substitute

Chemist and inventor, Waldo Semon, found a way to plasticize pure polyvinyl chloride (PVC) — a synthetic polymer discovered by German chemist Eugen Baumann in 1872. In pure form, PVC was brittle and difficult to process. First attempts at using the plastic in commercial applications failed as a result. In 1926, Semon invented the vinyl still used today by introducing additives to PVC that made it flexible and more easily processed. Soon after the discovery, the use of vinyl in industrial and commercial applications began, and it was used in the manufacture of everything from wire insulation to raincoats and shower curtains.

Because vinyl can be formed into sheets, and is easily cut and coloured, and is flexible, durable and waterproof, its use in sign making was obvious, and its widespread use just a matter of time. In the 40s, thin vinyl film was introduced and one of its first uses as sign material was to decorate US Air Force planes with insignias. With the addition of adhesive backing, thin vinyl film, and a peel-away liner to protect the adhesive backing — commercially marketable film vinyl was born. The adhesive-backed film could be die-cut and mass produced for stickers, car graphics, and decals of all varieties.

Who are the biggest vinyl wrap  materials providers?

Here's an overview of the most commonly used vinyl products and some insights into the companies that make the vinyl for car wraps.

3M - The 3M Company, formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation based in Maplewood, Minnesota, a suburb of St. Paul. They are one of the largest and most well known vinyl producers in the world.  Their products are sold worldwide and they have developed several lines of film and laminates specifically for the vehicle wrap industry.  One example is their 3M™ Controltac™ Graphic Film IJ380. Usage of this film allows digitally and screen printed graphics to be applied in deep contours and 3D corrugations commonly found on many van models.

3M™ Scotchcal™ Graphic Film with Comply™ Adhesive v3 IJ170Cv3

New value priced cast vinyl solution with pressure-sensitive Comply™ v3 Adhesive
3M™ Controltac™ Graphic Film with Comply™ Adhesive v3 IJ180Cv3

Short to long-term removable film for fleet and vehicle graphics as well as interior and exterior signs.
3M™ Scotchcal™ Perforated Window Graphic Film IJ1229;

For window applications, allowing the ability to look thru the material, typically from the inside looking out. The company also offers a line of solid colors and textured wrap vinyl under the name of 3M Scotchprint Wrap Film Series which can be applied as vehicle wraps. Some of these colors and patterns are available as sample designs on custom-car-wraps.com.
Avery

Avery Dennison has become a major player in the production of vinyl for the vehicle wrap industry over the last few years. The company has developed a fairly new product for vehicle wraps called:
Avery MPI 1005 Supercast

With a 10 year outdoor durability this product has been very well received by the wrap shops as the next generation of wrap film. Avery Dennison also offers some alternative vinyls for flat surface application and outside wall graphics.

Oracal offers a fast and reliable way to fully wrap vehicles in solid, opaque colors. It provides an economical alternative to paint and delivers long term remove-ability from painted surfaces. The materials offered has a built in protective clear-coat which simulates factory applied paint and eliminated the need to over-laminate.

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Bluechem Engine System Cleaners, Chemically Advanced Automotive Engine Cleaning Solutions

Bluechem Group is an automotive lubricants manufacturer based in Europe. They make and sell over four thousand different chemical products, in just about every country, all over the world.

In recent years, this corporation has been developing a lot of products for well-known automakers that contacted them because of their increasingly high tech demands. After comprehensive testing in their labs, Bluechem research scientists modify the right effectiveness and compatibility to the vehicle maker's specific parts. The CTP GmbH uses state-of-the-art lab facilities in Germany to do research on fuel cleaners using gas chromatography, material testing, emission measurement and oil or water analysis. The short distances between production, laboratory and technical decision-makers enable more effective work and research processes.

In 2006 the CTP GmbH was nominated for the Innovation Award of Thuringia for the joint project with the Fraunhofer Institute "Method and apparatus for removal of deposits in internal combustion engines"  won a second prize. 

On their website, Bluechem describes themselves as a medium-sized enterprise that's aware of their social responsibility.  They write, "...we manufacture in Germany, fulfill our tax obligation and re-invest our company profits into research and development as well as into the expansion of our company sites. By supporting national and international charity projects we would like to make a contribution to make the world a better place."

Bluechem Canada is the exclusive dealer portal for Bluechem brand products in this nation. They have a unique challenge today here in North America to try and build presence in this crowded marketplace that's already full of legacy brands, dominated by big box retailers and existing automotive dealerships relationships.

Oil System Cleaners Extend Automotive Engine Life

Europeans better understand that simply changing the oil in your automobile is not a complete cleanse. It's a fact that a few hundred milliliters of used oil and sludge may remain in your engine after a traditional oil change. This sludge often has the worst and heaviest contaminants that could lead to mechanical breakdowns, premature engine failure, and costly repairs.

On Saturday, Fuel Ghoul traveled to North York Ontario to watch Ryan Wilford perform a product demonstration for Bluechem Oil System Cleaner.

Ryan tested a four cylinder direct injection engine, before and after adding the Bluechem oil system cleaner product. I added more details and photos from the demonstration to this product review thread on Smart Canucks.

Independent auto mechanic Chris Ko gave up his Saturday and his 2010 Honda Civic to Ryan Wilford for a few hours to run his compression tests - these were done before and after adding the Bleuchem product.

As detailed in Arob12 Canada Blog, Chris got a free oil change and 300ml of Oil System Cleaner in exchange for his time and trouble, but considering he helped Ryan remove the spark plugs and disconnect the engine's electrical system, twice, this wasn't really much of a bargain. 

After dissembling the engine (twice), Chris and Ryan executed the compression tests using an analog Moto-meter test device. I wrote up the whole story of Ryan Wilford's product demo on Digital Journal, Bluechem brings engine Oil System Cleaner to Canada.

The two compression tests showed the powerful cleaning agent in the used motor oil has a 'healing' effect on the engine.

Before the additive, the number two and number four cylinders were doing one full bar less work, and after the product was added all cylinders can been seen doing almost one full bar more work! This reduces the discrepancies between cylinder strengths that can lead to engine shake and that peculiar wobble which is so common in older model cars and trucks.  

Clean Automotive Fuel Systems Improve Fuel Flow

When a driver depresses the gas pedal in a modern automobile, they expect a peppy response; the pedal controls how much fuel and oxygen the engine receives and when depressed the driver expects immediate vehicular acceleration. But over time, carbon deposits can form in critical areas inside the fuel system, resulting in reduced fuel economy, and loss of power.

Periodic fuel system cleaning can help maintain optimal engine performance. The spray from the fuel injectors needs to be wide and fine for the spark to ignite it. Think of the way you want the nozzle of an aerosol spray can or hairspray to come out of the can — an even, fine mist. If the tiny nozzles on the fuel injectors get clogged, you get a gloppy stream instead. Engine performance is affected by everything from carbon deposits and corrosion to heat and friction.

There's advanced chemistry automotive engine cleaning products available to consumers that are not manufactured by major oil companies, or automakers, and as such they struggle for market share in a big box dominated auto parts aftermarket retail world.

Bluechem was recently included in a popular Hubpage that showcased five of the most advanced fuel system cleaners on the market here in Canada, and was this page and Bluechem Fuel System Cleaners in particular was discussed in detail on Canadian Content forums last month.

Bluechem-Canada Ryan Wilford - Fuel System Cleaner

Direct injection fuel delivery systems are two decades old design innovations that are now almost universally embraced by automakers because of how injectors maximize engine performance, reduce fuel consumption and lower exhaust emissions.

Direct injection fuel deliver systems insert liquid and oxygen directly into the combustion chamber at a very high pressure, low volume and for very short period of time. A computer controls the intricacies and enables the engine to make significantly more power with reduced fuel consumption and less carbon emissions.

But a major downside is that direct injection engines are prone to carbon accumulation on the injectors that can significantly impact performance and fuel economy and nobody tells consumers. That story is only starting to come out now..

The January 1015 AutoGuide has a story, Is Carbon a Problem with Direct Injection Engines? in which the author Gregg Cole writes, “We’ve heard rumblings that blackened buildup on the backsides of intake valves is a major problem and something that could be disastrous for motorists in the coming years.”

This idea that Europeans know fuel system cleaners better than Canadians was hotly contested on Red Flag Deals in Feb 2015.

Bluechem Fuel System Cleaner also removes carbon, gum, varnish, and other operationally caused contamination from the entire fuel system. It provides clean and powerful combustion reducing emissions. It binds water and moisture in the fuel system creating a stable combustible emulsion.. It lubricates and protects the entire fuel system. It wont harm senors opr impair the functionality of fuel filters.

You Don't Need To Be A Mechanic To Use Bluechem Fuel System Cleaner

Every 300ml bottle comes with a tiny red plastic funnel spout. With this in mind you might believe this handy Fuel System Cleaner dispenser is specially designed for home enthusiasts.

Bluechem Fuel System Cleaner Instructions: Use every 30,000kms service and oil change. Add to the fuel system. 300 ml (1 can) treats up to 80 litres (21 gallons) of gasoline.

The result is more power to the automobile, reduced emissions, and improved gas mileage. Chris Ko reported an immediate improvement in engine handling and performance.

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Getting an Oil Change at Jiffy Lube Beside the In Out Car Wash in Brampton

The In & Out Car Wash in Brampton is a spa for automobiles of every description and offers all manner of services beyond the traditional offerings you might expect at a first class urban facility. This place is an absolute bastion of car waxes, air fresheners and tropical scented detergents. Proud car owners parade through a glass tube watching their vehicles get dried, waxed and thouroughly cleaned.

The main building offers custom waxes and auto detailing, but look here at the bottom of the list and see Oil Changes, Rustproofing and Emissions Tests? Huh .. At the car wash? Not quite. This sign refers to services offered at the adjoining Jiffy Lube.

A Jiffy Lube Signature Service^® Oil Change is more than an oil change. It's a preventive maintenance program that enhances the reliability and longevity of your vehicle. It all starts when you drive your car or truck into authorized Jiffy Lube location. Here's an account of my experience on Friday Dec 19th 2014 getting an oil change in Brampton Jiffy Lube.

There is no appointment necessary at Jiffy Lube. Customers simply show up and wait for the work to be done, in a jiffy. They mindlessly surrender their keys to staff and then sit in a warm waiting room sipping free coffee, reading magazines and watching CP24 on a huge flat screen. They can always peer through the windows behind the counter and see their car being serviced in the garage, if so inclined. 

At Jiffy Lube the cars come in the bay with warm engines, and that's good because the sludge will move out from around the working parts easier when the metal is hot. The car is driven into the bay by a staff member with another mechanic watching the tires and guiding the vehicle over the pit in the floor of the garage. Once the vehicle is parked, the emergency brake is applied and the front hood release is 'popped' open. Now the work begins.

The vehicle is identified, or registered into the Jiffy Lube database if its a first time customer. The staff member records the owner's name, address, license plate, and mileage information. They know what type of oil works best for every vehicle and stock all manner of fluids for cars. After the car has sat for a few minutes, the worker above checks the oil and records its levels and colour. At Jiffy Lube there is a basement pit and the workers down there are called 'pit jockeys' and they do the dirty work but have the brightest smiles. With the car parked above, the pit jockey uses a crescent wrench to loosen the oil plug He wears thick rubber gloves because that oil could be scalding hot. With a sheet of folded tin to catch the fluid over sliding tray with a mesh screen.

The main function of engine oil is to reduce wear on moving parts; they also clean, inhibit corrosion, improve sealing, and cool the engine by carrying heat away from moving parts. Motor oils are derived from petroleum-based and non-petroleum-synthesized chemical compounds. Motor oils today are mainly blended by using base oils composed of hydrocarbons, polyalphaolefins (PAO), and polyinternal olefins (PIO), thus organic compounds consisting entirely of carbon and hydrogen. The base oils of some high-performance motor oils however contain up to 20% by weight of esters.drains it from below The worker below removes the oil plug and the old oil drains away into a recycling tank below. In engines, there is some exposure of the oil to products of internal combustion, and microscopic coke particles from black soot accumulate in the oil during operation. Also the rubbing of metal engine parts produces some microscopic metallic particles from the wearing of the surfaces. Such particles could circulate in the oil and grind against the part surfaces causing wear.

The oil filter removes many of the particles and sludge, but eventually the oil filter can become clogged, if used for extremely long periods. They place a pan or container underneath the oil drain plug, loosen its bolt with your standard wrench, and remove the plug, being careful to keep your hands and other vitals out of the way of the stream of hot oil. It should take no more than ten minutes to drain the old oil completely, and when the dripping stops the pit jockey replaced the oil plug on the bottom of the car.

You can count on Jiffy Lube to use the recommended weight and amount of oil for your model of car. Change the oil with up to six (6) quarts of quality motor oil  Double check on the oil change. Replace the cap, and in a few minutes, check to make sure your oil level falls between the low and full marks on the dipstick. Jiffy Lube will also replace the oil filter Here is the pit jockey applying a wrench to a Coke can-sized object found beneath the car. 

The worker loosens and removes the air filter with the proper size oil-filter wrench, being careful not to drip oil on himself. He replaces the attachment, making sure to rub the new filter’s seal with a little oil and making sure its on tight (but NOT wrench tight). 

The Jiffy Lube oil change specialists visually inspect the vehicle's antifreeze / coolant reservoir levels and engine air filter. They check the condition of the serpentine belts, the wiper blades and exterior lights. They also check brake fluid levels in their transparent reservoirs.        

At Jiffy Lube the oil change technicians will also vacuum the interior floors of the vehicle. Clean exterior of windows Lubricate the chassis (when applicable)

The staff checks tire pressure and then checks and tops up the following fluids: - transmission/transaxle fluids - Differential/Transfer Case fluid - power steering fluid - windshield washer fluid - battery water (excluding sealed batteries) Bonus! You will also receive free top-offs on motor oil and any or all of these five vital fluids between service visits for up to 5,000 km.

Additionally, Jiffy Lube will perform a service review, which includes a visual inspection of the engine air filtration and the vehicle manufacturer's severe service* recommendations based upon the vehicle's current mileage.  Not many people know there is a Jiffy Lube on the east side. back in the car wash.

In all automotive engines there is some exposure of the oil to products of internal combustion, and microscopic coke particles from black soot accumulate in the oil during operation. Also the rubbing of metal engine parts produces some microscopic metallic particles from the wearing of the surfaces. Such particles could circulate in the oil and grind against the part surfaces causing wear. The oil filter removes many of the particles and sludge, but eventually the oil filter can become clogged, if used for extremely long periods.

Oil changes are part of life, and now the In and Out Carwash facility in Brampton really is an all-in-stop full care automotive vehicle maitenance destination.

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Fresh-O-Matic and the Future of Vending Machines

Vending machines have come a long way in the last decade with the rise of big red boxes that can sell almost any non perishable item, info kiosks and coffee vending machines that grind freshly roasted beans to make great tasting fresh brews better than the nearby coffee shop. Oftentimes the delicious coffee served in fancy restaurants is machine-made in the kitchen.

Today all manner of vending technology is hot with investors due to the advent of new Point of Sale (POS) computer systems. New machines can now come with cashless payment modules; they read credit cards or employee access badges and debit an account that's settled once a month.

The best food dispensers on the market today have efficient refrigeration units, and state of the art internal security systems. The rise of generic vending machines is probably the greatest single innovation however, as this makes anything possible, and in this way the various corporate Dealer Plans challenge innovative merchandisers and entreprenuers to grow wealthy by inexpensively providing high quality products for sale in hard-to-staff locations. 

Recently Fuel Ghoul explored Fresh-o-Matic and wrote a UER forum post about how I and went behind the scenes at this famous vending machine distibution center on the east end of Toronto near Hwy 401 and Markham Rd.

History of Vending Machines

The earliest known reference to a coin operated vending machine is in a first century work by the Hero of Alexandria, who was by most accounts a Greek engineer and mathematics scholar that resided in Alexandria, an enlightened city on the Eygyptian coast. His machine accepted a heavy coin and used gravilty to dispense holy water. When the coin was deposited, it fell down upon a pan attached to a lever. The weight of the coin produced a mechanical reaction which opened a closed a valve dispensing the precious liquid. I'm not sure if this machine ever actually existed, but it stands to reason that somebody probably built one from these handsome plans.

According to the wiki file on vending machines there were coin-operated devices that dispensed tobacco in London England as early as 1615, and over the course of that turbulent century they appeared many more in taverns across the country supported by Royalists and Roundheads alike.

In 1883 a more modern coin-operated vending machine was invented in the UK by Percival Everitt to sell postcards and stamps. It was a great commercial success and soon came into widespread use at British railway stations and post offices, dispensing envelopes, postcards, and notepaper.

The first vending machine in the United States was built in 1888 by the Thomas Adams Gum Company. The Tutti Frutti Gum Machine replicated the success of Everrit's postcard dispensing machine, and sold gum in the New York City transit system.  It was another twenty years or more before the snack food industry adopted vending machines, and the first refrigerated pop machines only came about in the 1930s. At first they were cooled with ice which of course required daily maitenance. 

Today according to Fresh-o-Matic vending machine industry stats page, vended canned cold drink sales totalled $16.6 billion last year, vended confections and snacks topped out at $7.6 billion, and the 'other' category is growing as the estimated 2013 North American annual vended dollar and product volume was $38.7 billion.

Today's Vending Machines Have Sophisticated Computer Circuit Boards

Computerized keypads and fluid mechanics are changing the vending industry. In grocery stores across the continental United States and Canada, shoppers can already buy toys, tools and computer software, and rent movies and video games from machines called 'Big Red Boxes'. At last count there were over 45,000 of the red box video vending machines in operation in almost all major population centers.

Airports and shopping malls are places where consumers are most likely to encounter new vending technology. Amazingly travellers today can purchase new socks, iphone accessories, Android phones, pet food, beauty products, perfumes and digital cameras. There are automated language software vending kiosks, as well as allowing travellers to be able to download movies to a portable flash drive that will play on their tablets.

in the near future vending machines will be even smarter and will be used for nationwide loyalty and rewards programs - contest winners can redeem prizes at these machines and the owners will be reimbursed by the participating companies. 

Office Managers and Business Owners Seek Healthy Snack Vending

Another trend is the rise of healthy snack foods in schools and work place lunchroom. Beyond granola bars, the most nutritious new compact refreshment centers are stocked daily with baked chips, dried fruit nibbles and fresh juices.  Deploying healthy snack options is all about lowering company insurance premiums by offering better choices. Employers providing more nutritious foods in the office notice employees working more productively at their desks for longer periods of time.

The realty of urban life and the rise of the 24 hour work day make vending machines rather attractive to consumers who work odd hours.  And the economics of the industry make it easy to see why retailers are turning to vending machines for all types of product offerings.   Retail stores produce about $250 a square foot a year in sales, while a 9sq foot vending machine can generate $5,000 to $10,000 per square foot in one year. 

 

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The Science of Getting a Sexy Mouth, How Dentists Become High Tech Beauticians

Earlier in August 2014, I published an article on Eligible Magazine entitled Get Your Sexy Mouth On which outlines how getting a sexy mouth makeover can dramatically increase a single person’s sex appeal.  Our human mouths are one of the most sexual parts of our bodies, and there are several ways that your dentist can help improve your mouth's appearance beyond whitening, straightening and cleaning your teeth. The scientific instrumentation inside a modern dentist's office is getting smarter, smaller, more comfortable and more affordable every day.

Kristal is a top rated dentist in Oakville who works alongside Dr Anil Ralhan; she was kind enough to let us photograph her for this piece. She is not a cosmetic dentist because there really is no such designation in dentistry, however she's a good choice for anyone seeking help making a sexy mouth.

The term Cosmetic dentistry, when it does appear in advertising and other semi respectable messaging, is generally used to refer to any dental work that improves the appearance (though not necessarily the function) of a person's teeth, gums and bite.

Many dental practitioners refer to themselves as cosmetic dentists for marketing reasons, regardless of their specific education, training, and experience as beauticians or estheticians. This has been considered unethical by the Ontario Dental Association, and other goverining bodies around the world. Here in Oakville, Dr Ralhan does NOT refer to himself as a cosmetic dentist, however their Oakville dental office specializes in oral aesthetics, and these folks do pride themselves at being the best choice in the area for someone looking to upgrade their smile.

Earlier this summer, Katie Lister met with Oakville dentist Dr. Anil Ralhan to explore her dental options. This veteran dentist explained everything possible and listed the possibilities and what he does, and the entire repository of aesthetic procedures he can do at the clinic.  He admitted that she doesnt need much, as Katie already has a remarkably white, all natural smile. However if she so desired, she could have any one of the following six procedures:

1.  Teeth whitening is the most common cosmetic dental procedure. While many tooth bleaching options are now available, including several over the counter products, dentist-supervised treatments remain the top recommended solutions for lightening discolored teeth. Ie "L A S E R ' more on that laser.

2. Teeth sculpting and bonding can now be performed in a single office visit. Tooth reshaping removes parts of the enamel to improve the appearance of the tooth. It may be used to correct a small chip in a tooth, or to alter the length, shape or position of a bite full of teeth; it can be used to correct crooked or excessively long teeth. Also known as enameloplasty, odontoplasty, contouring, recontouring, slenderizing, stripping or sculpting, the removed enamel is irreplaceable, and this may sometimes expose dentin.  This procedure offers fast results and can even be a substitute for braces under certain circumstances.  2a. Bonding is the process in which an enamel-like dental composite material is re-applied to a tooth's surface, sculpted into shape, hardened and then polished.

3. Dental bridges are false teeth, known as a pontics, which are fused between two porcelain crowns to fill in areas left by missing teeth. Two crowns hold the pontic in place, these are attached to adjacent sides of the false tooth. This is known as a fixed bridge. This procedure is used to replace one or more missing teeth. Fixed bridges cannot be taken out in the same way that partial dentures can. In areas of the mouth that are under less stress, such as the front teeth, a cantilever bridge may be used. Cantilever bridges are used when there are teeth on only one side of the open space. Bridges can reduce the risk of gum disease, help correct some bite issues and even improve your speech. Bridges trap food and require commitment to serious oral hygiene tactics but may last up to ten years or more.

4. Veneers are ultra-thin, custom-made porcelain laminates that are bonded directly to the teeth. They are an option for closing gaps or disguising discolored teeth that do not respond well to whitening procedures. Depending on the procedure, tooth reduction may be necessary.

5.  Gum lift is a cosmetic dental procedure that raises and sculpts the gum line. The procedure involves reshaping the tissue and underlying bones to create the appearance of longer or more symmetrical teeth.

6. Bite Reclamation is used on patients who have had years of excessive wear to their teeth due to grinding or acid reflux that can alter their vertical dimension. Opening a patient's bite can sometimes even remove unwanted wrinkles in the skin around the patient's mouth.

Oakville dental office also contains recreational technology like gaming consoles in the waiting room, and an operatory with multiple flat screens on armatures that can be swung about anywhere in the room, one for the dentist and one for the patient.  Dr Anil Ralhan says there are patients he has that come here looking to relax and take a few hours off from their hectic day.  The dental assistant gives them headsets and puts their favourite TV show on screen so they can 'go to the beach' for an hour.

Young Sexy Teeth Can Never Be Too White

Laser teeth whitening is the best choice of all available teeth whitening options, as this new technology requires no personal effort, and can deliver spectacular results in a short period of time for a reasonable cost.

Sexy mouths often have puffy lips over healthy red gums. Contrary to the effects of testosterone on a man’s facial structure, the effects of a woman’s estrogen levels actually serve to maintain her youthful face and appearance. Estrogen helps preserve female juvenile facial structures during puberty and even during final maturation. It has been shown that the more estrogen a woman has, the larger her eyes will be, and the fuller her lips will be, characteristics which are perceived as more feminine, and indeed more healthy.  Surveys performed by sexual psychologists have found that men universally find a woman’s full lips to be more sexually attractive than lips that are thin. And so its logical to deduce that a woman’s full lips are more sexually attractive to males because they serve as a biological indicator of a woman’s health and fertility.

Skin, lips and white teeth all work together to make an irresible sexy mouth.

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Spinrite Dyes Yarn For Knitting; See Inside Factory that Supplies Outlet Store in Listowel Ontario

On 12th November 2013 Fuel Ghoul drove to Listowel Ontario on a business trip to buy knitting supplies at Spinrite Factory Outlet and there I did manage to sneak a peek inside the Spinrite woollen mills.

There's NO Tour of Sprinrite Woolen Mills Available to Public

Don't even ask for a private tour. You have to be very special indeed to walk through those doors with a digital camera in your hand because they frown on a whole lot of picture-taking inside the plant as they hope to keep their best trade secrets safe from prying eyes on the internet. I had to swear an oath on my honour as a respectable alternative energy blogger that I wouldnt betray them and I'm still not even sure these pics I'm sharing today are altogether safe, but they are fascinating .. im sure of that

What exactly happens behind closed doors at Spinrite?  Enquiring minds want to know... Do you want to watch the employees of this leading yarn manufacturer make the yarns and  knitting supplies that they sell across North America and all over the world online? It is pretty interesting...

Kader Cekerek Gave a Tour of the Spinrite Factory Outlet in Listowel

We started at 11:50 am right beside a lunchroom that was filling up with employees and the smell of beef stews and sandwiches drifted into the busy hallway. We all lined up to push a button on a wall dispenser and get an issue of ear plugs, but alas they were too effective and blocked Kader's low pitch voice entirely.

Here comes the wool.

You may have heard people say that something or someone is 'dyed in the wool'? and by that they mean something or someone has a permanent and unchanging adherance to some value or tradition. The saying comes from the schmutz trade or drapers.. You see woven fabric can be dyed in a number of ways; it can be coloured after it is complete, or the threads may be dyed before they are woven. When a color is "dyed in the wool," that means the wool itself is dyed before being spun into threads, so the colour is least likely to fade or change. The fibers below appear to be fresh spun and were dyed in the wool; this is preyarn at the beginning of its long journey through the plant.

Above you can see this bright coloured loosely spun fiber arrives at Spinrite already 'dyed in the wool', or perhaps this material is coming from a different part of the plant? the warehouse?  I loved the colour contrast of this photo. These fibres are so soft before they are spun into yarn - I would have no trouble finding or making a place to take a nap at lunch in here as there are so many soft places to hide and sleep.

I snapped a great many pictures in here - I photographed the entire wool dying sections of the plant but cannot publish them as they are too explicit and expose too many woolwrights' secrets

The air in here has a lovely smell of gentle solvents on a clean cement floor. The staff likes to drink soda pop and every station has an open can beside their machine's controls. The air is filled with odd sounds over a melodrous rattle and hum as miles and miles of yarn is processed, weaved, cleaned, dyed, dried, and bound on spools or wound in skeins for more complicated processing deeper in the plant.

Spinrite makes Advanced Yarn for Knitting

The green spools of yarn on this rack are a composite thread for a green and blue compound weave happening a little further down the line. The blending machines are each manned by one or more persons who smiles and nods as we pass; they're busy keeping an eye on the rigors of the machines.

Inside the Reeling Room, skeins of coloured yarn are wound and cut and moisturized before being packaged in paper bands. Kader says the finishing process has four stages; the wool is balled and then labelled, shrink wrapped, boxed and sent to the warehouse.

Look at the soft pink wool for babies issuing from the steel labeling machine inside the plant.

You can read our travel blog about shopping for yarn and knitting supplies in Listowel, and see all my pictures of the Spinrite Factory Outlet store on Flickr. The photos that I snapped inside the plant are particular close-up shots that won't reveal any trade secrets or liability are all published in the Typepad photo gallery Spinrite Wool Mill.

The tall brick building above was erected in the mid 1900s and is the biggest legacy structure remaining today - remember they aren't really woolen mills at all anymore, but instead the entire complex is a dye shop. Spinrite makes beautiful coloured yarn for knitting and creates and distributes many different brands including Caron, Bernat, Peaches and Cream Yarn, and Phentex yarns which are some of the most popular labels in Canada.

There is a long history of fulling and looming and carding and weaving local wool in Listowel Ontario. There is a much longer history of sheep farming around here and when the first of these woiol mill buildings was erected over one hundred and twenty five years ago, there was a lot of raw wool for milling and terrific profits could be made working that material into blankets, rugs and drapes and sending them to distant markets by train. The process of fulling the freshly sheered fibres requires repetitive mauling and water powered mills were well suited to wool textile production. Spinrite is around today because it catered to the home market with yarn for knitting.

North Perth was once part of the Queen's Bush Settlement 1820 - 1870s ?

There's an explanation detailing some of the earliest (1830s) settlement stories of the Queens Bush on Dumpdiggers, the post is about the randomness of buying knitting supplies in Listowel and how this sleepy village beside the Maitland river came to boast a thriving wool mill. History buffs visting the town can still see the beautiful homes built in the 1800’s.  Visitors are encouraged to take a walk through downtown Listowel which still has many old buildings and step inside the historic Carnegie Library, and enjoy the architecture of Livingstone Manor or the four-storey bell tower of the Italianate-style house that operates as a bed and breakfast.

There's more to Listowel Ontario, the Spinrite Factory Outlet Store and its massive selection of discount coloured yarn.

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Pet Owners: Elimay Supplements Ease Pain From Arthritis in Dogs

Did you know that arthritis is more common in pets than it is in humans? And more painful too. But in a weird twist of fate, the latest science in mitigating pain in dogs was perfected with human test subjects.  Haha humans are better test subjects than dogs because they can use words to accurately relate the efficacy of treatments, and they can describe the side effects. Once the science has been perfected in humans, then its applied to dogs!

Elimay Supplements Pain Care is designed to help ease suffering caused by inflammatory diseases in dogs, including extreme allergies, bruising from rough play, and the most common cause of inflammation is arthritis in dogs.  Arthritis (from Greek arthro-, joint + -itis, inflammation; plural: arthritides) is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints. When the cartilage wears down, the bones then rub against each other cause the most common form, ostheoarthritis (degenerative joint disease).  Big animals can suffer from various arthritic conditions, including back pain, leg and hip joint pain which can cause chronic limping, and a variety of other muscle and tendon problems associated with simply getting old. 

Elimay Pain Care is a nutritional supplement that helps with chronic pain.

Up until just recently we had a beautiful white boxer dog living in our house named KC, and at the end of her life she was an old dog with sore legs and hips and many stomach issues.  So we added more carpets to make life softer for her and gave her exercise as we could. Hell we lived our lives for that dog.

We built ramps over stairs.

KC had trouble in the winter time and so we would build a ramp up steps inside and outside our apartment - then one day we made it permanent. People always said we should extend it to lower the incline, thinking it was a whellechair ramp, but we knew better - it was for KC our beloved boxer dog (and too dangerous for anything or anyone else). 

If you have a set of stairs that a dog must walk up and down everyday, consider putting in a dog ramp, and cover the ramp with carpet which is what we didnt do.

We gave KC massages and dog baths

In special circumstances, when our senior dog had a particularly active day keeping up with small children or younger dogs in the park we'd pour out a hot bath and massage her hips and legs. Renee sometime used bath salts to help increase the effect of her masage to increase circulation and get the blood flowing over the bones and joints, but its true I thought this a little extreme. She would put a heating pad in KC's bed a night too, and we'd wake up to find her asleep on the rug beside her bed.

We were sure to place food and water bowls within easy reach

Senior pets eat more comfortably when their food and water wbowls are raised up six inches off the ground as this much elevation has been proven to reduce gastrioric bloating - the dog doesnt gulp as much or swallow as hard is one theory on the practice. Vets will tell you that large breeds are more susceptible to gastric bloat . So feeding your elderly pet multiple small meals, rather than one or two large ones, is a wise idea.  I detailed much of this, with even more original pictures, in an article I wrote on HealthMad in tribute to KC the Boxer Dog with Arthritis and other stomach issues that prevented her from having as much fun as other dogs.  Due to Elimay's unique forumation I dont expect we would have had any trouble feeding the pain remedy.

Component Ingredients of Elimay Supplements: Pain Care

Each bottle contains 60 chewable, swallowable, gel capsules. As near as I can determine the three principle ingredients of Elimay Supplement's Pain Care formulatiuon are Tumeric and Boswellia serrata and Phenylalanine which is an α-amino acid with the formula C₆H₅CH₂CH(NH₂)COOH.

Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid classified as nonpolar because of the hydrophobic nature of the benzyl side chain. L-Phenylalanine (LPA) is an electrically neutral amino acid, one of the twenty common amino acids used to biochemically form proteins, coded for by DNA.

Tumeric (Curcuma longa): 1, 2 and 3

Tumeric has been reported to possess antioxidant properties in vitro and in animal studies. Turmeric preparations have been found to scavenge free radicals (peroxides) and phenolic oxidants.

The most significant active ingredient in Tumeric is Curcumin.

Trials that offered medical examinations before during and after, for one entire year, revealed both preventative and therapeutic benefits of curcumin when compared to animals not receiving curcumin, with better response at higher doses. Histologic examination revealed evidence of apoptosis of cancer cells. In mice, six weeks of a 2% curcumin diet was found to decrease cellular proliferation and increase apoptosis of implanted androgen-dependent LNCaP prostate cancer cells.

Boswellia serrata is a mystical plant of the Far East. Its known to many herbalists in Asia and especially on the Indian sub continent where it is called Salai and referred to in Sanskrit as shallaki. It is found in Rajasthan, Andhara Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh in India, where the trees often grew in sacred spots and healing places. Only recently has Western medicine discovered that resin extracts from the Boswellia serrata tree can have profound anti-inflammatory effects in short term applications and long term convalesence.

Pain Care Soft Gel Capsule Delivery System

BITS® Soft Gel Capsules are formulated in the form of a twist-off. Your dog can simply bite into the  capsule like chewing gum, swallow it, or the soft gel capsule can be removed by twisting off at the snap point, and the contents can be squeezed onto your dog's meal

This is the label on the Elimay Supplements Pain Care bottle available online for $25

More info about arthritis in dogs on Urban Dog Spa blog in Distillery District.

PM me if interested,

Im selling Elimay on Red Flag Deals classified ads for $90 for four bottles.

Smart Canucks conversation about arthrits in dogs.

Free Ads Planet arthritis in dogs, four bottles of Pain Remedy for ninety dollars .

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Modern Chemistry in Action: Spray Foam Insulation

Last week Fuel Ghoul rode along with a mobile spray foam insulation crew and got his eyes and ears filled with good information on how they insulate the exterior walls of upscale houses in Toronto.

Below are pictures and stories of the men and machines of AirSeal Toronto, spray foam insulation mobile appication crew. Here's the Support Tech opening the back door of the truck first thing in the morning. I followed and watched as he started the fifty kilowat diesel generator at the front of the trailer, and then powered up the compressors and pumps and switched on the heaters in the onboard Graco H-40 REACTOR, a two component proportioner that heats the liquids to the necessary temperatures to make perfect foam insulation.

Airseal uses the BASF Walltite Eco system which bills itself as 'the insulation that pays you back'.

 

Walltite Eco is a medium density polyurethane foam insulation system designed to improve the energy efficiency of residential, commerical and industrial buildings. Its composition includes some recycled plastic material, and a 'zero ozone depleting blowing agent' which makes it an environmentally friendlier green option than most other insulation alternatives.

Walltite ECO™ is a made by combining two component liquids, Elastospray 8000A Isocyanate and  Walltite Eco v.3 F Resin. These two liquids are heated under high pressure and mix as they leave the nozzel of the applicator's spray gun. The chemical reaction occurs in midair; the two hot liquids combine and expand rapidly to make a rigid foam.  As Walltite ECO™ is born, it goes from liquid to foam in seconds, expanding twenty to thirty times its original volume. It is completely dry within seconds, and is fully cured in twenty four hours.

Below is the onboard Graco H40 REACTOR temperature display panel, a two component proportioner which ensures the ingredients of the foam will be delivered at the right temperature and will be in the correct amounts to combine properly as far as fifty feet away from the truck, which is the length of the heated hose. Temperatures of A and B component are set to 115 degrees Farenheit.   

The barrels contain the two chemicals, isocyanate and resin which react to make foam.

They are heated under pressure and spring to life and literally take shape in mid air. By the time the material hits the wall, the reaction has occurred.

Here is the crew starting in the basement of a new home in Forest Hill. They start at the bpttom of the building doing the exterior wall 'headers' and work up and in as they go. The team takes over the jobsite for a few hours each day; they often work lunches and late into the evening to be there when the other contractors are absent.  These guys are very careful not to expose any other tradespeople to the noxious gasses often created during the spray foam application process (I had to wear a breathing mask, visor and cover-alls as I followed the applicator around the basement).

Spray Foam Tech Rolls Saran Wrap Around his Hazmat Helmeted Head

To the left, the prime applicator technician applys Saran wrap directly over his hazmat suit and visor. He wraps his whole head four or five times and will peel away layers as he works.  I chuckled as I watched him roll the Saran Warp around hs whole head. This is because the spray foam material will stick to his visor and make it impossible for him to see anything after about twenty minutes of spraying. He peels the wrap away as he goes. He will peel away the layers and eventually he'll need to reapply more which is far easier than trying to clean the plexiglass visor on his breather mask.

Read this Bizcovering business magazine article, What is it like to be a Spray Foam Insulation Guy? and you'll get a pretty good understanding of what these guys do all day long.

The foam adheres to virtually any surface, providing a gap-free, airtight envelope of low permeability even in extreme hot or cold weather, and Walltite Eco is specially composed so it does not support fungus or mold growth.

Its a fact that sunlight, which contains ultraviolet light degrades polyurethane foam, and so it must be covered and protected from direct exposure. In some situations this job falls to the support tech.

The support tech is the truck minder; he keeps an eye on fluid levels and temperatures and pressure. He changes tanks when liquids run low. He also watches the diesel generator in the truck, and helps the applicator move and adjust the long length of heated hose on site. This skilled and charismatic truck driver also keeps an eye on the property during the course of the day. Part of his duties include being a watchdog to keep everyone else away from the house when the spray foam work is being created and applied to walls inside.

Spray foam technicians are well trained by government sponsored health and safety reps, and BASF, and other chemical manufacturers product application training teams. All the same, spray foam insulation businesses and the process itself has been called into question lately, specifically by a recent CBC marketplace documentary news story showing how spray foam can go very wrong by examining the unlivable homes of justifiably some unhappy customers. But these are isolated cases, and even the highest-performing system will not work if it is not installed correctly. Only certified, approved applicators who have undergone rigorous training can install WALLTITE® Eco for example.

The Canadian Urethane Foam Contractors Association (CUFCA) with headquarters in Winnipeg Manitoba, estimates that spray foam insulation is installed in between 300,000 and 400,000 homes across Canada every year, and the numbers grows 30 to 40 percent larger each year. 

How much does spray foam cost?
The initial expense of insulating your building with Walltite ECO™ spray foam insulation is higher than using fiberglass at around $3 dollars per square foot, but it will actually add value to your building and save money on heating in the winter. Here in Canada, the initial costs can often be offset by the ability to downsize the heating and cooling systems and by taking advantage of government subsidies and green initiative building programs.

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Kitewing vs Kite Man; History of Men With Kites

Kitewing is a hand-held, lightweight wing that can provide propulsion to a man or woman harnessing the wind while wearing skates, or rollerblades or on a bicycle wheel cart called a dirtsurfer that is sometimes used to traverse sandy beaches and desert spaces.

Once known as the Skimbat, skiing or skating with a Kitewing is a popular method of harnessing wind for pure enjoyment

My friends just joined togther and bought a Kitewing from a dealer in Oshawa, and we're going to get another to race them. We're looking for a place to race my kitewing in the GTA and asking about for other local Kitewing owners on Toronto Forums. 

History of Kitewing

England 1893 ~ Captain B.F.S. Baden-Powell designed a stack of six large hexagonal kites for use in the Boer War in South Africa to lift soldiers into the air to observe the enemy. Captain Baden-Powell also did a series of tests using kites to carry messages from one ship to another.

United States 1915 ~ Samuel Perkins researched man-carrying kites for observational uses by the U.S. Army during World War I. He used kites that were nine to twelve feet high in trains of three to six. Perkins work never passed the trial stage.

But modern materials, and advanced aerodynamic engineering make this work today

Kitewing is safe and easy to use. It is simple in design and construction, yet it seems as though every detail has been carefully considered, tested,and refined. From set up to transport, to the way that the wind flows over the wing- all aspects have been carefully thought out. 

For example, the wing folds and travels easily in a lightweight ski bag. Owners can take it with them on ski trips to expand their downhill or frozen lake  options. Windy or icy conditions can wreck a mountain ski vacation, but with a kitewing, a wind blown lake or field becomes a playground. The best videos are of people using the toy at home, after work, or having races with buddies on a local field, cottage lake, or golf course.

Here is the Kitewing Instagram group which is a good place start to think about the history of this propulsion system / extreme sport.

Jean Paul Richter said “The test of an enjoyment is the remembrance which it leaves behind” .

Erik Hopman is one of the foremost Kitewing pioneres

Kite Man is a comic book character, a supervillain in publications from DC Comics.

Kite Man first appeared in Batman vol. 1 #133 (August 1960), and was created by Bill Finger and Dick Sprang.

Kite Man is featured in Batman: The Brave and the Bold voiced by Jeffrey Combs. As a boy, he was obsessed with Benjamin Franklin and attempted to recreate his famous kite-flying electrical experiment. However, he failed to take adequate safety precautions, wore metal braces, and stood in a bucket of water. The subsequent electrical shock psychologically traumatized him and forced him into a life of kite-centric crime. In "Terror on Dinosaur Island," a flashback depicts him as the leader of a group of thieves equipped with high-tech glider kites that allows them to commit crimes.

In "Long Arm of the Law," Kite Man steals a sample of Plastic Man in order to complete a theta beam gun that will enable anyone to copy Plastic Man's powers, or petrify someone with elastic powers. He also obtains a sidekick named Rubberneck and gains stretching powers from theta beam exposure, and fights Batman and Plastic Man. However, he and Rubberneck are defeated when they are entangled together and the theta beam gun turns them to stone.

Kitewing is my superhero character. DIY crime fighter who patrols the streets and punishes thugs  

I went on Red Flag Deals and asked for kite wing like gadgets and propulsions systems a man or woman could buy that would tranform them into crime fighting superheroes

To the left is a snapshot of an extreme sport called power paragliding which looks quite controllable - this may soon be safe and efficient way to travel across rough country where there are no roads.