How To Make A Cheap Guitar Sound Great

Most beginning guitar players start with a rather inexpensive instrument. They usually have a mass production clone of a Fender Stratocaster or a Gibson Les Paul. The most popular clones are made overseas by Gibson and Fender themselves through the Epiphone and Squier lines. These are built to the same specs as the American made models. They are decent instruments in their own right but they can be improved greatly with just a pickup replacement. As long as the neck is straight and the tuning pegs are fairly tight, this is often all you need to upgrade to a pro sound.

Iv'e modified several Mexican made Stratocasters and I'll take you through the process. The first thing you want to decide on is what kind of sound you're looking for. Replacement pickups are available with a lot of variety in sound output. I like to use Seymour Duncan pickups because they have proven to be of high quality and reliability. They also have a good selection and have a CD of sound samples you can listen to. Most dealers have the CD's and you can also listen to the samples online. Choose your replacement pickups and you're ready to upgrade.

You'll need several things for the job. A good stable workbench or table, with plenty of room to lay your tools out, makes things much easier. Here's a list of what you need: 1.screwdriver set, both flat head and philips 2.soldering iron 3.solder 4.new set of strings 5.wire cutters/strippers

The first thing you need to do is remove your guitar strings. I usually leave the low E-string on to keep a little tension on the neck. Next remove the pickguard cover. Make sure you save all the screws in a cup as they are small and get lost easily. After you remove the screws you should be able to lift up on it and slide it off under the E-string. You should now see your three pickups and the wiring thats attached to them.

The new pickups come with a wiring diagram that is color coded but take a good look at each pickup before you replace it in case something isn't quite right with the color code. It's important that you replace one pickup at a time so as not to mix up the bridge, middle and neck pickups.

Heat up your soldering iron. Remove the first pickup. I usually start with the neck pickup. Cut and strip the wires according to the instructions and solder the wires to the new ones. Repeat the process for the other two. Not too bad, huh?

When you replace the cover/pickguard, be careful not to overtighten the screws or they might get stripped. Now would be a good time to clean the guitar before you put the new strings on.

Replace and tune the strings and plug in. You'll be pleased with the results. I have several of these upgraded strats for the price of one expensive one and more versatilty with different pickup sounds. You can do the same thing with an Epiphone Les Paul to produce a sound that rivals the Gibson for about a third of the price. Now you can spend more money on all the cool effects gadgets. Have fun and keep practicing.

Porter Cable Router Review - 690 LR

We have always liked the Porter Cable Routers, but they still need to go through our power tool review steps. The first thing we noticed was the case. When we opened the case, the router was a tight fit. We usually like a little room for bits or other items that belong with the tool. We took the router out, unpacked everything, and tried to put it back. Obviously it fits back into the case, but there is no room for any other related items.

At first we though it might be heavier than the weight of 8lbs. After picking it up we found that it was extremely light because of the machined aluminum case and base it is made from. This is good news! You want a lighter router because you don't want to fight the weight of the tool. Heavier tools create more force when used, and this can wear a user out.

The 1/4" and the 1/2" is a nice feature because most workers have both sizes of router bits. Putting the router bits in place is a breeze. The router comes with two wrenches that will let you tighten or loosen the collet. This is much easier if you set the router on a workbench instead of tying to hold on to the router. We were a little skeptical of the auto release system that keeps the bits from freezing up in the tool. Anyone who has ever had this happens knows it is very annoying. After setting the router up, the rest was a breeze. There is a t-bolt that will let you adjust the height of the router, this is a snap. Once you have the router at the proper height, you can fine tune the height using the micrometer adjustment. This is just a ring you turn with your hand. You can adjust it up to 1/128"

We started out with some sharp bits and ran it through pine. The router ate through that easily. The router just laughed at us. We went to a harder wood, oak, and then walnut. Again, it ran through these without heating up. Yes, we did have a sharp blade, but as a craftsman you should know that having a sharp blade is extremely important. Well, we were bored with this testing rather quick because the router was handling everything with ease. So we ran the router blade over a bunch of plywood, hoping the blade would dull down from the glue. Well, the router ran through that test fine. The bits didn't dull as quickly as we had hoped, so we filed them dull and tried the test again. Through the pine, the router ran fine. Then the oak and Walnut caused the motor to fight a little for some air. We did have a big bit and had it set deep. We took that bit out of the tool and it did slide out with no effort, so the auto release system seemed to work fine, but we weren't done testing it yet!

We put the bit back in and tightened it as much as possible. We then beat on the side of the bit to jam it in there. We also dropped the router straight on the top of the bit and then gave it a couple whacks with a hammer. We basically did everything possible to make sure the bit would not come out, even though no one in their right mind would do all these things. Next, we loosened the collet, and this time the bit didn't come right out. We did wiggle it, and pulled with a pair of pliers and with that, the router bit came out. This told us two things. First, under normal wear and tear, the auto release system should work well, and the bits should not get stuck. Second, once the bit is in the router, it will stay in the router. You shouldn't have any worries about it coming out, unless you want it to.

All the other tests we ran the router through passed with flying colors. We dropped the tool a couple different times and it held up fine. The max height we used for the drops was 7 feet. I was pleasantly surprised that the base of plastic didn't crack.

With a couple of tricks, this router was very easy to turn into a table router for use on a table saw extension. This makes the tool that much more attractive.

After using the tool for a long time, our arms felt fine. We did not experience any vibrations what so ever.

Over all, our power tool review for the Porter Cable router is EXCELLENT. We were extremely impressed with this power tool. This router has great power and wonderful features. Any craftsman should be proud to have this router in his/her wood shop.

Pro's Good power, Comes with 1/4" and 1/2" collets, will also accept 3/8", Depth Adjustment, Seal power switch Con's Case is very small - tight fit for the router

Melamine Toxicity Testing - Practical or Political, Its Here to Stay?

Interest in melamine testing has skyrocketed with the recent scares in the United States after pork and chicken were given contaminated feed imported from China. With unprecedented scrutiny on the various industries which use melamine, operators may need the services of a testing laboratory.

Melamine (1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triamine) is a very useful organic trimer of cyanide, with the formula C3H6N6. It is used in the resins of many glues, plastics, as a plastic pigment and in some inks. It is relatively non-toxic (with a similar lethal dose as table salt), and was for a time considered as a nitrogen supplement for livestock. Waste melamine is still given to livestock in some areas, a practice which sparked a media frenzy in the United States over melamine contamination of human food supplies and animal fodder. As a result, interest in melamine testing procedures and equipment has skyrocketed in recent months.

Melamine is a very widely used ingredient in common household plastics. It is frequently used in materials and synthetic fibers, clothing, plastic food containers, and as a major constituent of a yellow dye that is found in many plastics and inks. Melamine dinnerware and bowls are all quite common, as its use in food surfaces like plastic wrapping and counter-top surfaces. Chemically, the compound is over 60% nitrogen by weight. The effect this has is significant, as it makes the melamine plastics almost impossible to burn.

As the plastic chars, it releases gaseous nitrogen, which most fires are nowhere near hot enough to burn. This makes melamine based plastics suitable when fire-retardant properties are required. Melamine is often given to livestock to increase the amount of protein they appear to be carrying in some tests. In mid 2007, it was revealed that the human population had consumed contaminated pork and chicken products, and that animals used in pet food imported to the US from a Chinese firm had been fed on melamine by-products.

The FDA has never judged melamine contamination to be particularly dangerous, as the substance is very non-toxic. Nevertheless, there are testing and quality control requirements placed on all foods in the United States, and as melamine is considered a toxin, these apply to melamine contamination too. There has been some speculation that the 2007 scare was a largely political affair, and that the threat of melamine contamination has been immensely over stated.

Despite the FDA's stance on melamine toxicity, all gluten products from China (the vector by which affected animals became contaminated) were temporarily halted when the scare first broke out. Additionally, the Administration has warned manufacturers, farmers and growers that the onus is on them to sell safe produce, not on the FDA to compulsorily conduct melamine testing itself. Importers, manufacturers, and agricultural sector businesses are likely to attract increased scrutiny from the FDA, which raises the importance of melamine testing equipment and services to many service providers.

According to industry insiders, it is likely that ongoing FDA melamine testing will show that contamination is more widespread than was previously known, and about as harmless as previously thought. No human has become ill as a result of the 2007 melamine contamination. Acute melamine poisoning can result in kidney and reproductive failure.

Melamine testing is conducted using rudimentary chromatographic techniques, including analysis via Gas Chromatography, or High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Importers of pet feed, rice gluten, or meat from China would be particularly well advised to engage the services of a professional food and drug testing laboratory who can perform both qualitative and quantitative analysis to determine whether something is contaminated, and to what degree.

A urine test is a common diagnostic technique, which is suitable for assessing livestock and pets. Any animal displaying visible symptoms of kidney failure or distress should be given attention by a veterinary professional at the earliest opportunity.

Interest in melamine testing has skyrocketed with the recent scares in the United States after pork and chicken were given contaminated feed imported from China, which was in turn consumed by pets and humans. The levels of melamine and the waste chemicals it is often associated with were so extreme that some estimates put the number of domestic family pet deaths over 1000, with many more casualties. With unprecedented scrutiny on this toxin in food sources, producers would be well-advised to contract the services of a drug testing laboratory or veterinary hospital if operators have any doubts at all.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Launches Program to Meet Melamine Detection Challenges

SAN JOSE, Calif. (December 2, 2008) - Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, announced it has launched a program focused on assisting government and commercial food testing laboratories in the development and implementation of methods for the analysis of melamine in food products imported from China. This new program comes in response to the recent alert issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The U.S. FDA Import Alert #99-30 sets forth guidelines requiring the "Detention without physical examination of all milk products, milk derived ingredients and finished food products containing milk from China due to the presence of melamine and/or melamine analogs." This alert is expected to put new pressures on food producers and retailers and increase demand for timely testing by commercial laboratories. The alert includes specific guidelines for product testing as well as requirements that need to be met before a detained product can be released.

"Thermo Fisher Scientific is able to provide a complete testing solution - including sample preparation, instrumentation, consumables and methods support - necessary to enable a laboratory to perform the sample analysis according to FDA alert requirements," said Marc N. Casper, chief operating officer of Thermo Fisher Scientific. "We're leveraging the knowledge of our food safety experts and our extensive portfolio of technologies and services to develop new testing methods that increase sample throughput and ensure that melamine testing is both rapid and thorough."

Melamine, an inexpensive industrial chemical used primarily in the manufacture of plastics, and cyanuric acid, a byproduct of melamine, have been linked to food contamination primarily in milk-based products and food additives. Melamine is added to increase the perceived protein content of milk products. Humans and animals cannot metabolize melamine and cyanuric acid, which can eventually crystallize in the kidneys, resulting in a variety of illnesses; melamine contamination has also been linked to several deaths in China. While the current FDA alert is focused on milk and milk-based products, melamine has also been found in pet foods, eggs and produce.

"We anticipate a significant increase in demand for testing following the FDA alert on milk-based products imported from China," said Dr. Stuart Cram, who is leading the Food Safety Program within Thermo Fisher Scientific. "To help our customers handle this expected increase in volume, we're consulting with testing labs and offering methods and technology support. We will also develop melamine analysis courses that we'll offer at our training centers worldwide and at customer sites. These actions should help our customers improve their sample throughput, which is paramount given the expected volume of product affected by the alert."

Thermo Fisher Scientific has developed a testing method based on a Thermo Scientific liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (TSQ Quantum LC-MS/MS) system. This method is currently being used as a reference by the labs under the Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) in China to develop an LC-MS/MS method for the detection of melamine in milk and infant formula.

In addition to the LC-MS/MS solution, Thermo Fisher Scientific can provide screening and confirmation techniques based on its Thermo Scientific gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) technologies. The company's ITQ™ Series quadrupole ion trap GC/MSn, or its TSQ Quantum triple quadrupole GC/MS with highly selective reaction monitoring (H-SRM), can perform quick and accurate analysis of melamine in complex samples such as milk and baby formula. Thermo Fisher's comprehensive offerings also include a range of sample collection, sample preparation and data management products. Completing the workflow solution is a broad portfolio of chemicals, consumables and equipment, along with e-commerce and supply chain services available through the company's Fisher Scientific brand.

For the latest information about Thermo Fisher Scientific solutions and the wide range of applications for food safety, please call 800-532-4752, e-mail analyze@thermofisher.com or visit www.thermo.com/foodsafety.

Thermo Scientific is part of Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving science.

Microbiology

ChromaDex™ is pleased to announce the launch of a comprehensive range of microbiological testing services.

As the leader in phytochemicals, ChromaDex™ has expanded its resources to offer fast and accurate microbiological testing with cost effective prices.

This technology allows for testing of a greater variety of sample matrices, quicker turn around times, and lower costs. We have defined package deals at special prices, or we can have our experts work with you to help determine which assays will best suit your needs.

ChromaDex™ Microbiological Testing Services:

1. Microbiological Test Panel #1
2. Microbiological Test Panel #2
3. Microbiological Test Panel #3
4. Microbiological Test Panel #4
5. Total Aerobic Count
6. Yeast and Mold
7. Enterobacteriaceae
8. Coliforms
9. E. Coli
10. E. Coli 0157:H7
11. Salmonella
12. Staphylococcus aureus
13. Pseudomonas
14. Listeria

Melamine Toxicity Testing - Practical or Political, Its Here to Stay?

Melamine (1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triamine) is a very useful organic trimer of cyanide, with the formula C3H6N6. It is used in the resins of many glues, plastics, as a plastic pigment and in some inks. It is relatively non-toxic (with a similar lethal dose as table salt), and was for a time considered as a nitrogen supplement for livestock. Waste melamine is still given to livestock in some areas, a practice which sparked a media frenzy in the United States over melamine contamination of human food supplies and animal fodder. As a result, interest in melamine testing procedures and equipment has skyrocketed in recent months.

Melamine is a very widely used ingredient in common household plastics. It is frequently used in materials and synthetic fibers, clothing, plastic food containers, and as a major constituent of a yellow dye that is found in many plastics and inks. Melamine dinnerware and bowls are all quite common, as its use in food surfaces like plastic wrapping and counter-top surfaces. Chemically, the compound is over 60% nitrogen by weight. The effect this has is significant, as it makes the melamine plastics almost impossible to burn.

As the plastic chars, it releases gaseous nitrogen, which most fires are nowhere near hot enough to burn. This makes melamine based plastics suitable when fire-retardant properties are required. Melamine is often given to livestock to increase the amount of protein they appear to be carrying in some tests. In mid 2007, it was revealed that the human population had consumed contaminated pork and chicken products, and that animals used in pet food imported to the US from a Chinese firm had been fed on melamine by-products.

The FDA has never judged melamine contamination to be particularly dangerous, as the substance is very non-toxic. Nevertheless, there are testing and quality control requirements placed on all foods in the United States, and as melamine is considered a toxin, these apply to melamine contamination too. There has been some speculation that the 2007 scare was a largely political affair, and that the threat of melamine contamination has been immensely over stated.

Despite the FDA's stance on melamine toxicity, all gluten products from China (the vector by which affected animals became contaminated) were temporarily halted when the scare first broke out. Additionally, the Administration has warned manufacturers, farmers and growers that the onus is on them to sell safe produce, not on the FDA to compulsorily conduct melamine testing itself. Importers, manufacturers, and agricultural sector businesses are likely to attract increased scrutiny from the FDA, which raises the importance of melamine testing equipment and services to many service providers.

According to industry insiders, it is likely that ongoing FDA melamine testing will show that contamination is more widespread than was previously known, and about as harmless as previously thought. No human has become ill as a result of the 2007 melamine contamination. Acute melamine poisoning can result in kidney and reproductive failure.

Melamine testing is conducted using rudimentary chromatographic techniques, including analysis via Gas Chromatography, or High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Importers of pet feed, rice gluten, or meat from China would be particularly well advised to engage the services of a professional food and drug testing laboratory who can perform both qualitative and quantitative analysis to determine whether something is contaminated, and to what degree.

A urine test is a common diagnostic technique, which is suitable for assessing livestock and pets. Any animal displaying visible symptoms of kidney failure or distress should be given attention by a veterinary professional at the earliest opportunity.

Interest in melamine testing has skyrocketed with the recent scares in the United States after pork and chicken were given contaminated feed imported from China, which was in turn consumed by pets and humans. The levels of melamine and the waste chemicals it is often associated with were so extreme that some estimates put the number of domestic family pet deaths over 1000, with many more casualties. With unprecedented scrutiny on this toxin in food sources, producers would be well-advised to contract the services of a drug testing laboratory or veterinary hospital if operators have any doubts at all.

Interest in melamine testing has skyrocketed. With unprecedented scrutiny on the various industries which use melamine, protect your company and your consumers by contracting the services of a testing laboratory such as Midwest Laboratories.

http://store.midwestlabs.com

Preparation of Flat Specimens

Specimen stamping presses are used to produce the most commonly implemented specimen shapes (shoulder specimen to DIN EN 10002, JIS Z 2201, ASTM E8, etc.) up to a thickness range of 8mm. The final shape of the specimen is stamped slightly over dimensioned (strain-hardening zone) and can then be simply and quickly ground down to size. The slow cutting speed and the optimized configuration of the die reduce the size of the strain-hardened zone to less than 10% of the specimen thickness. The specimen grinding machine must not only remove this hardened zone, it must also guarantee the shape tolerances (parallelism in the test dimension) stipulated by the standards.

Test Automation

The number of required tests has climbed steadily in the last few years and the run time for the individual tests must be reduced. Automation reduces also the statistical spread of the test results.

These are the reasons why many testing laboratories are already equipped with automated Zwick testing machines.

Operator influence on the test results is minimized because all the specimens are tested exactly alike. Test results can be better compared with one another and are statistically more reliable.

There are many other good reasons for testing automation. Here are a few examples:

• Laboratory personnel are relieved from simple routine tasks and can dedicate themselves to more challenging laboratory duties.

• Zwick handling systems can test complete specimen charges overnight as well and do not require supervision.

• The amortization of these handling systems is usually less than two years, dependent on the specimen quantity.

• Logbook functions allow the exact auditability of the testing conditions for every single test.

• Different test types such as tensile, roughness, and hardness can be combined in a single system.

• The test results can be transferred directly to a higher-level computer system.

Zwick has developed a modular system for automated testing to allow the required tests to be performed efficiently and reproducibly. Customer-specific solutions can be individually configured from the standardized components.

Some examples:

miniHasy For fully automatic tensile testing of metal specimens (e.g. to ISO 6892, EN 10002-1), coupled directly to the load frame.

X-Linear System with expanded specimen magazine and integrated cross-section measurement for tensile and bending tests.

Polar Universal system for tensile and/or bending tests, roughness tests, and hardness tests as well as for multiple sorting specimen disposal with industrial robot.

Portal Universal system for tensile and/or bending tests, roughness tests, and hardness tests as well as for multiple sorting specimen disposal with linear axes.

Hardness Tests

The term “hardness” is generally defined as the resistance of a material to the intrusion of a harder body. Several test methods are used in the field of metals.

Mobile Ball Indentation Test to Brinell The portable PZ3 tester is available for determining the ball indentation hardness to ISO 2039-1 of materials and components that cannot be tested in a laboratory. A ball-shaped indentor is pressed with constant test load into the material under test. The indentation depth under load is the determining parameter for the hardness value.

Rockwell Hardness Test DIN EN ISO 6508 and the ASTM E 18 stipulate various Rockwell hardness scales (HRA, HRB, HRC through HRK) for testing metals. In contrast to ball indentation hardness, where the indentation depth under load is measured, the indentation depth in the Rockwell processes is measured in each case for a defined preload. Different indentors (diamond, balls of different diameters) are available corresponding to the different Rockwell scales.

Brinell Hardness Test DIN EN ISO 6506 and the ASTM E 10 stipulate various Brinell hardness scales for testing metals. In contrast to Rockwell hardness, where the indentation depth is measured, the Brinell hardness is calculated based on the average diameter of the indentation. Different indentors are available corresponding to the different scales. This testing method is particularly common for cast parts or metal parts with rough surfaces.

Vickers Hardness Test In Vickers hardness testing to ISO 6507 or ASTM E 384, similar to Brinell testing, the diagonal measurement of indentations formed by pyramid-shaped indentors is used in determining the hardness. This process can also be automated using diverse optical systems.

Martens Hardness (Universal Hardness) Test Martens hardness testing (formerly known as universal hardness) allows hardness specific results to be determined from the measurement of an indentor’s indentation depth independent of the material (ISO 14577). In addition to these hardness values, other parameters can be determined, thereby providing insight, for example, into the creep behavior of the materials.

Universal Hardness Test So-called universal hardness testers allow the combined execution of classic hardness tests: Vickers, Brinell, Rockwell.

Impact Tests

Impact Tests

The following testing methods are commonly applied to metals:


* Charpy (EN 10045, ASTM E23, DIN 50115, and ISO 14556 for instrumented tests)

* Izod (ASTM E 23, BS 131 - Part 1)

* Impact tensile test

* Tests to Brugger


Pendulum impact testers with a work capacity of up to 750 J are available for these different tests, sample types and cross sections.

The Charpy test has a very broad range of applications and can be performed for tests to EN or ASTM with the same basic machine and same hammer after a simple and quick fin exchange.

The Zwick pendulum impact tester PSW 750 is designed for tests to Charpy in the range to 750 Joules. The testing machine RKP 450 is a universal pendulum impact tester up to 450 J for Charpy, Izod, impact tensile and Brugger tests. Both machines can be modified to support semi- or fully automatic specimen temperature control (for both positive and negative testing temperatures) as well as feeding.


Instrumented Impact Tests

In instrumented pendulum impact testers, the hammer fin is equipped with a force sensor. This allows the force progression to be measured during the impact process.

In addition to the impact energy, additional information on the material behavior can be gained. Force-travel diagrams, for example, are a reliable indicator of whether a specimen has suffered a ductile or brittle break.


Pendulum Impact Tester RKP 450

Testing Equipment for Fracture Mechanics, Rotary Bending, and Dynamic Fatigue Tests

The rotary bending test to DIN 50113 serves to determine the reversed bending stress strength of round specimens. In the dynamic fatigue test to DIN 50100, a sinusoidal varying load is applied to round specimens.

In both applications with the rotary bending testing machine, the specimen is stressed strictly varyingly. As the stress is highest at the specimen surface, the surface condition of the specimen is particularly important in these test processes.

The Zwick vibrophore can be used for dynamic tests to determine the vibration resistance over time and the fatigue strength of materials and components, for example, dynamic fatigue tests to DIN 50100 (Wöhler curve) under tensile, pressure, cyclic, and alternating loads.

The vibrophore can also be deployed to build up oscillation in CT or COT specimens for fracture mechanics tests on components such as camshafts, connecting rods, axle pivots, and screws.

With the appropriate add-ons, tests under different environmental conditions (temperature, aggressive media) or torsion and bending tests are possible. The various tests can be either force or strain controlled.

The fracture mechanical parameters such as the KIC value to ISO 12135 6.2 or ASTM E 399 or the CTOD 0.2 BL value to ISO 12135 7 can be determined either with static or dynamic testing machines and the appropriate testXpert® software.

Testing over Extended Temperature Ranges

The use of metals far above room temperature (up to 1600 °C) also calls for testing in the applicable temperature range. The design of Zwick materials testing machines allows the adding-on of the high-temperature unit directly in the test area. It is thus possible to perform tests at room temperature as well as at higher temperatures. For room temperature tests, the high-temperature components such as high-temperature oven, high-temperature extensometer, and roller lever are simply pivoted out of the test area. Zwick also offers the necessary hardware and software solutions for optimized test processes using multiple high-temperature units in a test system for tests based on international standards such as ISO 783, EN 10005-5, and ASTM E21 and E 8.