Fire Pit Basics - American Made

By Debbie Strickland

You're probably looking for American made products, especially fire pits and may need more information before making your purchase. We as patriots want to do all we can to support America and our workers here. By buying American made fire pits and other products we not only send a message to the world that we build and believe in the best, but we hold dear our memories of the past and hope for the future.

I recently found fire pits that were American made and constructed of cold- rolled steel. There was a lot of attention to detail, style and function. The rust patina finish fits any decor and with various themes and custom models available, your ideas are endless. This can be influential in your decision on the type fire pit you may need to fit your lifestyle.

By buying American made fire pits can help bring back American traditions and old memories you hold dear from your childhood. It could be camping with friends and family around the campfire, grilling at home or tailgating at your favorite game. Those of you who were not fortunate enough to experience this kind of fun in the past now have that opportunity for family, friends and yourself. Many times the fact that our American made products serve double duty as a grill is overlooked. When looking for fire pits make sure that they come with a poker, domed spark screen, grill top and an all weather cover to protect your pit when not in use.

American made fire pits are made to stand above the rest. Most should have sturdy legs welded in place to prevent wobbling, a safety ring usually surrounds the fire pit and can also serve as a foot rest and handle, Most are not portable and easy to take with you.However, there are several brands that are.

Safety is always a priority. Always read safety instructions before use:
Fire pits are designed for outdoor use only.
They are hot while in use. Never attempt to touch or move it while in use.
DO NOT use gasoline or other highly volatile fluid to ignite wood or charcoals.
DO NOT place them on grass or wood deck while in use. Heat may be conducted through the bottom of the pit and cause charring or fire. We recommend placing it on a non-flammable pad, cement pavers, bricks, large piece of flagstone, or dirt area.
DO NOT remove burning wood or coals from them.
DO NOT use under windy conditions.
Do not burn paper or other light weight materials to prevent material from floating away and starting a fire.
Barbecue mitts or the poker should be used to remove or replace the spark screen.
Charcoal lighter fluid may be used to start fire or coals. Cap fluid container before starting fire and place a safe distance from it. Never add lighter fluid to once a fire is started.
Use safety screen at all times when pit is in use. It is designed to minimize floating ashes, preventing fires and provide some protection from the open fire.

Although the patina finish gives it a rustic look, they still need to be protected and cared for to extend the life of the unit. Here are several suggestions to extend the life of your fire pit and family enjoyment:
When grilling, place aluminum foil in the bottom of it to make clean up easier
After fire pit has cooled and ashes/coals removed, place the weather resistant cover over the unit to prolong its life until the next use

We hope this overview of American made fire pits will serve you well with your lifestyle and also support American made products. We are the front line to bringing manufacturing back to America and putting our people back to work. Join us in our support of American made fire pits and support for the U.S.A. Be safe and God Bless America!

Debbie Strickland is the owner of http://www.funfirepits.com, http://www.thefirepitblog.com and remembers the days gone by where families connected around the campfire and when America used to make things. She wants to bring those days back.

Top Races Key for Career Progression for Racers Like Harry Tincknell

By Richard K Wright

Top season races such as the Macau Formula 3 Grand Prix, considered to be the jewel in the F3 crown, are considered to be necessary if young drivers such as the UK's Harry Tincknell are to progress in motor racing.

Many of the greats of Formula 1 motor racing have competed in the illustrious race held at Macau every year as part of a gala week of motor sports. The race itself has a glorious history and for the winner represents the opportunity to be listed alongside some of the previous winners and greatest names in motor racing.

Famous winners of the race include Riccardo Patrese, Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, David Coulthard, Ralf Schumacher and Takuma Sato.

Glorious history

It was in 1983 that an up-and-coming young - and extremely talented - racing driver named Ayrton Senna became the man to beat despite only racing Macau for the first time. The Brazilian went on to win his first Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix before graduating to Formula 1 and winning three world championships.

Gerhard Berger, who lost to Senna in 1983, has said since: "I still watch the results of it, because any guy who wins it in their first time there has to have something special... If a guy goes first time to Macau and is quick and doesn't have a material advantage then that means a lot for me."

2012 in focus

This year sees a superb 30-car line-up for 30th anniversary celebration of the 59th SJM Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix, since it became the biggest stage there is in international Formula 3 competition. While the Macau event has a rich history dating back 59 years, it was 1983 - exactly 30 years ago - that the race was first made specific for Formula 3.

First run in 1954

First run in October, 1954 as a club race for local motoring enthusiasts, the Macau Grand Prix has evolved into what many believe is the finest street circuit race meeting in the world. It is now widely considered to be the jewel in the Formula 3 crown.

And in 2012...

Many of the latest and youngest up-and-coming drivers will be racing at Macau this year (2012) in an attempt to emulate the great drivers that have gone before. For these young drivers it is not only a chance to pit themselves against each other in a gruelling end of season race, but the opportunity to pit themselves against a tough course with tight turns.

For young drivers such as Harry Tincknell Racing PA such tough tests as the Macau F3 GP are a huge benefit in terms of developing their skills and helping them to progress through the ranks of motor racing.

Selecting the Best Tactical Flashlight

By Mike Brownlee

Tactical flashlights are specialized equipment designed for law enforcement, military and rescue professionals. There are a wide range of features that must be considered depending on the user specifications. So what makes a tactical flashlight different? In short, it's the quality of construction and the combination of special features. But there are also some key features that must be present in all of the best tactical flashlights. Let's take a look at some of the key features to consider when you are considering a purchase.

In an emergency we want a reliability, efficiency and equipment with all the right features. First and foremost, the unit must be reliable and durable. It must be waterproof, have a reliable switch and be ruggedly constructed for maximum impact resistance. The best of breed are designed to withstand adverse conditions and survive impacts without loss of function.

Energy efficiency is another key design component. Most have both high and low settings to conserve power when used for extended periods and provide maximum illumination when needed. Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology will produce a brighter beam while using less power than its incandescent counterpart. In addition, the LED bulb will have greater shock resistance and last much longer than an incandescent bulb. The Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulb is more efficient because it produces an equally bright light beam as an incandescent bulb while generating less heat and subsequent battery drain. Better efficiency means it's going to go easy on those batteries!

Assuming that your flashlight has the essential baseline qualities already discussed, then the choice of which one to buy comes down to the feature set of the unit. There are numerous features that differentiate tactical flashlights from each other. Military, rescue, and police personnel require a lightweight unit that can be easily carried, or securely fastened to the uniform or headgear. Some tactical flashlights are equipped to be mounted to a firearm. Hands-free operation is a highly desirable feature for both search and rescue and hunters so mounting to headgear may be needed. Military and police grade tactical flashlights sometimes include laser detection or strobe effects to disorient an opponent. The lens may need to be adjustable to allow for pinpoint light targeting or lighting a wide area. Whether you are law enforcement, military or a civilian and want the best tactical flashlight there is just no substitute for a tactical grade flashlight.

The best tactical flashlights will cost more but it will also serve you well when the failure is not an option and perform flawlessly for years to come.

Mike Brownlee is a sports and outdoor enthusiast. You can check out his new website at Best Tactical Flashlight, where he provides the information you need to make an informed 

Getting Ready For The Hun

By Robert L Wyatt

My husband likes to set up his deer stands a couple of months before opening day of rifle season. In the early summer months he puts out mineral blocks and salt blocks. A couple of weeks before the season starts he goes out and sets up scent pads near the stands.

When getting ready at home, he pulls together the things that he will need while in the woods. These are some of the things he chooses to take with him for the hunt. Cheese crackers, Moon Pies, candy bars, beef jerky, two bottles of water, thermos for coffee, binoculars, rattle bag, two grunt calls, bleat call, scent pads, liquid scent, scent away spray and a skinning knife.

He will go to the local Wal-Mart and pick up his deer tags and go to the grocery section to pick up the food items he likes to take with him to eat. He will bring it all home and get his backpack out and start packing up all of the items but the thermos.

The night before opening day, he sets out his camo suit, shirts, socks, gloves, jacket, hat and orange attire. He sets his alarm for 4am and fixes the coffee pot up so all he has to do is turn it on when he gets up. He tries to go to bed at 8pm to 9pm to get enough sleep for the big day. He starts going to bed early a few days in advance so he will be able to sleep at that time.

He crawls into bed and drifts off to sleep, dreaming of killing a 20 point buck. He sleeps soundly, snoring softly.

The alarm goes off and he's up! Going this way and that to get his gear on and turn on the coffee pot. He goes upstairs and wakes up his son and gets him going.

The coffee is made and poured into the thermos and put into the backpack. He kisses me good bye and they load up their guns and backpacks and get into the pickup.

They stop by a local restaurant to eat breakfast and stop and get soda for my son.

The drive is not too long, just about 15 miles. They pull in and it is very dark. They get out their backpacks and take out their guns from the gun cases and load them all up and walk into woods.

My husband is exhilarated by the fresh crispness of the morning air. He loves it! The walk is not too far, just over the hill. He climbs into his stand and gets all his gear organized around him and sets up a cup of coffee to drink. He is in heaven or is heaven where he is? To tell the truth it is probably one in the same to him.

Vibram Lace, New High Speed Disc Golf Driver

By Steven Pease

The long awaited high speed driver from Vibram Disc Golf has just hit the shelves and is getting in the hands of disc golfers everywhere. The Lace is the 9th disc in the Vibram line, the first high speed driver, and a disc that I and many others have been waiting for for a long time.

When I first heard Vibram was going to start making golf discs out of a rubber compound, I thought it wouldn't work, I thought it would be flimsy and bouncy and could not compare with the long tested plastic compounds used by the other disc manufacturers. I was wrong, the last 3 discs Vibram has made, have definitely changed my mind. The rubber compounds are long lasting, perform as stated, and don't require a break in period to do what you want them to do.

I was lucky enough to get a brand new lace driver to try out before it's release and review the disc for Vibram. The weather this week is not what is normal in Minnesota in the middle of November, the temp was in the mid 50's with a 10 to 15 mph breeze. I took my son in law with me and we went to test the Lace and compare it to the Vibram Trak. Vibram says that the Lace is a faster Trak with more glide.

Vibram disc golf durability test

One of the things you notice about Vibram discs right away is that there is no break in period, the discs fly brand new like they've been broke in and they're ready to go. Vibram says the Lace is a stable, high speed, long range driver, with lots of glide. Comparing the Lace to the Trak, I found that there are similarities and some differences.

The trak is a disc that I have been using since it's release. I really like the Trak because it fits into a good spot in my bag. The Buzzz has been my go to disc for basically any shot under 200ft for many years. The Trak fits perfectly above the Buzzz for shots from 200 to 300 feet that I need to make a straight controlled shot. I can throw it dead straight 5 feet above the ground up to 300 feet down the fairway, very consistently.

The Lace fits in right above the Trak, and will work good for a lot of players that can't throw a high speed, wide rim disc. You don't have to snap it hard to throw it straight, yet when you do snap it hard, it still flies straight. The Lace flew straight and long, both into the wind, and with a tail wind. The Trak is a fantastic tailwind disc, but unlike the Lace, it does have a tendency to turn over when thrown into the wind.

My son in law throws harder than I do and I wanted him to throw the Lace to see if it turned over on him. He has trouble with a Nuke turning over on him, so I thought it would be a good test. To my surprise, the Lace stayed as stable and straight for him as it did for me, and he threw some of his longest drives ever.

From the testing we did, the Lace looks like it would be a good disc for players that have made it past the beginner stage. The Lace will work well for intermediate players and advanced players. The Lace is easier to throw than any other wide rim high speed disc I have seen, and will last a long time because of the rubber compounds it is made from.

I'm going to run a contest during the month of December to give away the Lace that I tested. To win the contest send me your best story of the funniest thing that has ever happened to you while playing disc golf. The winner will get the disc and get their story published in a future article on this site. Email all entries to me atsgpease@msn.com for your chance to win. The Lace was available on Black Friday. Even here in Minnesota it's still nice enough to go out and play. Go to Gotta Go Gotta Throw on Friday and pick one up and hit the course, and see what it will do for your game. And send in your entry to get a free Lace of your own.

Learn the language of disc golf http://spease.hubpages.com/hub/Disc-Golf-Lingo

How to enjoy disc golf during the winter, even where it snows http://spease.hubpages.com/hub/Winter-Disc-Golf

Lid On or Lid Off?

By Mar Druschel

On January 1st, 1961, the first motorcycle helmet law was enacted in Victoria, Australia. Since then, multiple studies have been conducted in Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Japan, the United States and various other countries. The results of these studies have concluded that helmets effectively prevent or reduce severe head injuries when a rider is involved in an accident. However, there are some crashes that will be fatal no matter what gear the rider is wearing. In the US alone, about 5,000 motorcycle riders die in crashes every year and another 85,000 are injured. When analyzing the fatalities it was determined that 41 percent were not wearing helmets. Since it is estimated that helmets are approximately 37 percent effective in preventing fatal injuries, we can postulate that if 100 riders are killed when not wearing helmets, 37 could have survived if all 100 had been wearing helmets. So based on this simple math the pro-helmet crowd thinks that over 1/3 of motorcycle accident fatalities can be prevented just by implementing Universal Helmet Laws.

The anti-helmet faction dispute the fact that helmets increase motorcycle safety. They argue that helmets are unsafe if you're going faster that 15 or 18-MPH and that wearing a helmet increases the possibility of cervical spine injuries. They also tend to think that wearing a helmet actually helps cause accidents by impairing one's hearing and peripheral vision. Some activists claim that risks associated with riding a motorcycle is about the same as it is for a pedestrian which I think is pretty lame since no pedestrian is going to be travelling at high-speed when they bump into something.

In the US we have forty-nine states with mandatory seatbelt laws, all states except for New Hampshire. We have nineteen states (and Washington D.C.) with mandatory helmet laws, another 19 basically let adults choose to wear a helmet or not but require helmets for younger riders. Twelve states have no laws whatsoever. Personally, my preference would be that all fifty states implement a Universal Helmet Law. This isn't because I worry for their safety, it's because I think of the devastated spouses, children, and families left behind when the unexpected happens. So before you decide to ride without a lid, think about your friends and family. Nobody plans on being involved in an accident, but what if you are? Wouldn't you like to be one of the percent of motorcycle fatalities that didn't happen because you were wearing a helmet? Please choose wisely.

Mar Druschel invites you to browse our DOT certified helmets athttp://www.braincagehelmets.com/. The goal of Brain Cage Helmets is to to consistently bring you the latest in product technology and innovation. Be safe! Be smart! Be encaged!

Need A Good Esky For Fishing and Camping?

By Julie M Edwards

For the fisherman and boaties and campers, they usually know what they want but cannot always find it. Because they have been involved in these activities for many years they have learned what they personally need in an esky.

For the fisherman, if they catch Mackeral for instance they need a long esky and depending on how many fish they catch and how long they stay out as to whether they want a 100litre, 210 litre, 260 litre and maybe a 700 litre. Yes! They do make them this size.

There is also a special esky just for the fishermen. One that makes it easy for them to cut up their fish on and not have to worry about any yukky liquids dripping into the esky.

The happy campers for example have to have a esky that will keep ice for the time they will be out camping. This maybe two days, a week or more. A square shaped esky will be more suitable for them as it keeps ice much longer because the lid is smaller and this is where the heat comes in. Less heat on the lid, less ice melting.

Another benefit is that you can stand your bottles of drinks and milk up so there is no chance of fluids leaking out all over everything. And if you are a wine lover or even bourbon drinker this can be very handy.

Depending on the time you usually spend camping will depend on the size.

In the tropical climates most households will have more than one esky and some families will have up to six different sizes. This could be one for in the car for carrying frozen/cold groceries home from the supermarket. If there are children in the family who play sport, then a larger one will be necessary. For going to a barbecue or just for a few drinks with friends then another size will be necessary.

Trying to use the one size for everything will only result in a lot of wasted effort carrying it and/or a lot of wasted ice. To get the best ice benefit from your esky it should be topped up with ice to the top. If you are only putting a few items in a big cooler then you will have a lot of ice melting.

Also look out for the types of catches, you want stainless steel and whether to are any large handles or ropes to make carrying easy.

So if you want to find a good esky check out the following website.
http://www.bigbearcoolers.com.au/