DIY: Cool Hanging Light Fixtures

I picked up a few cheap tea light fixtures the other day for short money. Tea lights are those short, circular candles that come wrapped in a metal sleeve which people usually use for either decoration or keeping food warm. The problem is, I don't really like tea lights.

Listen, before you tea-light-lovin' lunatics get on my case... tiny open flames as a form a light or heat ranks right up there with the bicycle as a form of high-speed transportation. Don't get me wrong, just because I don't like those little candles doesn't mean I don't like some of the interesting candle holders they make for them. There are some pretty cool tea light fixtures that I've come across that I think have potential to make for interesting lighting fixture projects.

Here are a couple that I found.

These are some glass bottle housings with the bottoms cut out and a metal base sleeved up through, ready for candles and hanging.

This one was even cooler. It has an old-school, handheld lantern feel that reminds me of Ichabod Crane. Don't ask me why handheld lanterns remind me of him, but in my opinion, guys getting chased by headless horsemen and handheld lanterns should never exist without the other when telling that story. I'm pretty sure that's some kind of literary law.

Anyway, first thing I did was to purchase a few replacement bulb sockets and cheap extension cords.

Each ran about $2.50 a piece at my local Home Depot. I cut the female ends off of the cords and stripped the wires back turning them into instant replacement lamp cords which could readily attach to the bulb socket.

The next step was merely to drill a couple 3/8" holes through the bottoms of these tea light fixtures. Hole size may vary depending on the bulb socket you purchase. Drill one in the center for the bulb socket to mount through and offset a second hole to slide the cord into. Slide the cord through the offset drilled hole and you are ready to attach to the bulb socket.

When you're wiring a 2 prong plug, the smaller prong of the actual plug is the hot and the larger prong is the Neutral. These fixtures usually have no ground. If you look at the cord, the two sides of the split wire itself are usually differentiated by something as simple as one half being smooth and one having lined ridges that run the length of the wire. This makes it easy to follow the hot or neutral side back to the stripped end that you will connect to the bulb socket.

The sockets I used have two screws, one brass colored and one silver colored. The brass connection screw is your hot. The silver is your neutral.

These bulb sockets come with a threaded end and a lock-nut to make installation a breeze. Pull the nut off, pop it down through your center drilled hole and reconnect the nut on the bottom to lock it in place from underneath.

The last step to use a little 100% silicone to seal the wiring into the drilled holes and protect the wires from chaffing, then just add the bulb of your choice. I tried to find some interesting ones for a more dramatic effect. Also, the bulb sockets I chose are switchable from the bottom so that they can be turned on and off from underneath once they are hanging in place.

So there you have it. Some very simple yet unique plug-in lanterns that are ready to hang.
See? Only a few innocent tea lights were ignored during this process. I'm sure they've found a wonderful new home at a baby shower or heating up fondue at a party you'd rather not be at anyway.

What Were They Thinking? Top 10 Building and Remodeling Mistakes

Ten of Our Favorite Building & Remodeling Blunders

From across the internet

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#10: Missed it by that much.

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#9: Like a bridge over troubled... nope. Just a bridge.

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#8: Our local hangout.

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#7: Manhole...Manhalf cover.

 

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#6: George of the Jungle. Watch out for that...

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#5: Architecture by M.C.Escher

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#4: That should take care of your leak.

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#3: It's fine. I did the same thing with a tree out front.

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#2: Your driveway is finished, Mr. Knievel

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#1: You said you had a 'handicapped bathroom'...?

Daniel Batal is the author and owner at Focalpoint Renovations

How to remove a stripped or broken screw in seconds!

How To Remove A Stripped or Broken Screw

I have watched more people strip or break screws installing decking, cabinets, doors... you name it. A lot of them ruin whatever it's stuck in trying to get it out. 

The one thing they have in common? 

Most of them don't know how easy it is to fix. Take a look

6 second stripped screw removal

I know what you're thinking...

You're welcome.

Daniel Batal is the author and owner at Focalpoint Renovations

Does Vimeo beat YouTube for SEO?

  Does Vimeo beat YouTube for SEO? Good question!

"Geez. SEO again, Daniel??"   Sorry, but...Yeah.

Listen, part of being a business owner nowadays is knowing how to advertise and drive business your way.

For guys like me in the remodeling and renovations industry, all we used to have to do was drop $5,000-$7,000.00 on a prime spot in our local Yellow Pages and.....boom, that was our advertising budget for the entire year.

Why wouldn't you? It was delivered directly to every home and used by virtually anyone who had a telephone and a need. Even better, they would advertise on television, reminding people to "Let Your Fingers Do The Walking".

It was the proverbial gift that kept on giving!

...well, that is until AT&T sold its majority share of the phone book away back in 2012, admitting it was a "dwindling asset".
Sorry Old Yeller, say hello to the new phone book... it's called the Search Engine.

Jump forward to today and now we're all looking to find ways to get those Search Engines to post results related to our businesses.

One asset that seems to do well is YouTube. I post videos to YouTube all the time (usually embarrassing myself in the process) and they tend to rank well in Google search results, which is great for my business.
I'm fairly certain that Google just can't deny the sheer awesomeness of an up-and-coming film maker like myself, but someone pointed out the fact that Google owns YouTube probably didn't hurt either.

Please.... hater.

On my quest for film-making glory, I kept seeing videos pop up from a different source and decided it was time to take a better look at the another video-hosting website... Vimeo.


The first thing I noticed, with the help of my super secret-squirrel SEO tools, is that this was also a PR9 ranked website, just like YouTube. Can't do much better than that on the Google PageRank scale.

I also noticed it was pretty well laid out and user friendly. Another added benefit I realized, after a few uploads, is that it wasn't nearly as restrictive as YouTube had been to me in the past. Sometimes, I use a Creative Commons License bed of music in my videos and YouTube makes me jump through hoops before I can post the video.
Vimeo was interesting enough that I decided a real head-to-head challenge was in order.
So, without further adieu...

Vimeo vs. YouTube, let the battle begin!

I made a short video about an entryway remodeling project we recently did. I posted that video up to both YouTube and Vimeo to see how they would act in organic searches.

First off, I performed my pre-search ritual. I cleared my browsers History, Cache, Cookies, Site Preferences and set the search region for the United States. That means my search results aren't just competing against a local market, they are competing against the entire country for SERP (Search Engine Results Page).

Results always have thousands of pages but I don't care very much about anything other than the first page. Research has shown many times over that most people don't look much past the very first page of results.

The Golden Globe nominated video I uploaded was titled "Entryway Transformation" (Hey... a boy can dream, can't he?)
That was about 5 days ago, let's try typing those exact words into Google and see what comes up.

VIMEO

Well would you look at that!  

My Vimeo video came up as the #2 result on the very first page and it's only been up for five days! (...and you laughed when I said Golden Globes).

Can't argue with those SEO results.

Hey, I wonder where my YouTube upload of the very same video ranked?

Let's find out...

  GOOGLE

There it is, halfway down the second page. Still, not bad!
But, as we've learned... most people don't make it to the second page when they are searching, especially if the first page gives them what they are looking for.

How that happens is Google's biggest secret and why we are always chasing the elusive formula (algorithm) of exactly how they rank results.

 

 

 

So what conclusions can I draw from this?

• First of all, my biggest conclusion was that I managed to target a few keywords in my video title that were seemingly open to rank well. I'm sure if I had named this video "Remodeling an entryway",  I probably would have had a tougher time ranking well for a more competitive keyword like "remodeling" across the country. Then again, I did show how a local companay beat out HGTV and This Old House for that same word the other day. Maybe that's another experiment.

• The second conclusion that I made was that Vimeo seems to be beating YouTube in Google's search engine results for the identical keywords. Mind you, the YouTube result has a much cooler tiny video preview window that makes the listing really stand out. I guess you have to expect that sort of enhancement when Google owns one of the products and not the other. But, I am surprised that Google didn't seem to favor it's own product in this particular case. 

• My final conclusion was this: I think need to start posting more videos on Vimeo. Not just post relevant videos, but with equally relevant keywords in the titles. The cool thing is that not only can I post information in the video itself, but in the description area as well. (That's the perfect place for linking back to your own website, contact information and other blogs, projects, etc.)

Now all I need to do is figure out who to thank at the Golden Globes Awards ceremony. Shut up, it could happen.

Daniel Batal is the author and owner @ Focalpoint Renovations

Did Google Lie To Us?

 Did Google lie to us about the EMD update?

Ah, the never-ending hunt for better Google SERP.
(That's 'Search Engine Results Page' for anyone who is unfamiliar)

Businesses and website owners are constantly trying to do all the right things that will get our websites right up on the first page of Google when someone types in any number of search words or phrases that  relate to what our websites are all about.

It used to be a lot easier before Google got a lot more savvy with their algorithm and began figuring out who was using tricks to get their pages to rank higher in these organic search results.

One of the things Google did was to target websites which had an EMD. If you don't know what an "EMD" is, it's an "Exact Match Domain". The idea was to put an end to lower grade sites that were ranking for search terms mostly because those keywords happen to exist in their domain name regardless of whether it provided the most useful and relevant information on the site itself.


Example: WWW. HISTORYBOOKS.COM used to come up quickly for the search terms "History books" but with this new update, those factors would mean much less than the actual content and relevance of the site itself.


Back in March 2011, Google's Matt Cutts warned viewers in a video that brandable domains tended to be the way to go. He said at the time:

“Now if you're still on the fence, let me just give you a bit of color, that we have looked at the rankings and the weights that we give to keyword domains, and some people have complained that we're giving a little too much weight for keywords in domains, and so we have been thinking about adjusting that mix a little bit and sort of turning the knob down within the algorithm, so that given two different domains it wouldn't necessarily help you as much to have a domain with a bunch of keywords in it.”

In October, 2012, they did exactly that with the launch of the EMD update.


But did that Google update really put an end to the advantage of the EMD?


Let me give you an example of why it not only didn't seem to kill the EMD, but it actually seemed to strengthen it.

THE SAGA OF A BOY AND HIS SEARCH ENGINE...

I was recently doing research to see how my competition was ranking and what I could learn from it (I own a renovations company in New Hampshire, so I was using the largest surrounding markets for comparison)


Here was something I found that completely shocked me.

In my industry, one of the harder words to rank for is "remodeling". Of course, my industry keywords aren't as commonly searched as some other industries' keywords, but there is pretty stiff competition to rank for them, nonetheless.


So, imagine my surprise when I found that the #1 ranked website (after the paid listings) for the keyword "remodeling" when search in the Boston, MA area was "www. remodelingboston.com".  (Yes, I put a space in there because there is NO way I'm giving them any more power than they already seem to wield).

I should explain that before I do any of these searches, I log off of my Google account and do a complete history, cache, cookies and preferences erase. I want to make sure none of my personal preferences or past searches are being taken into account when I perform a  fresh search.

At first glance, it sure looked like this was one of those EMD websites that we heard were taken care of so I naturally assumed they must have quite a website beyond just their domain name to be ranking so high.

This is what I found when I clicked on their site:

Pretty simple stuff as far as websites go. Certainly not the high tech website I expected to be crushing mine in the Boston market.

Well, we all know it's not about the look as much as it is the performance. So, two of the things we do know are really important are Content and Backlinks.

Let's start with the Content. Well, let me rephrase that.  I would start with their content but... I couldn't find any.
I was able to find a one page description of how they handled 'Renovation Planning' but there was no blog, no articles or insights... nothing.

Certainly they must have a lot of articles posted on other reputable sites linking back to them?
That's what I thought until I used a few online backlink checkers to see if maybe they had some strong backlinks that I could take advantage of as well.
Here's what I found using a fairly common online backlink checker (www.ahrefs.com):

Wait.... ONE backlink??

How is this possible? It must be a fluke... right? I thought the same thing but no matter which program I used to discover their backlinks, there just weren't any significant backlinks to be found. I could see they were affected by the same Panda, Penguin, Pigeon and other animal-named-Google-update-rank-killers that a lot of us were. The few backlinks they used to have had flatlined into non-existence yet... there they still stand, top of the heap.

What I noticed next made me pull even more hair out. (Fortunately, I have quite a bit)

Look who is ranked #3... WWW. REMODELBOSTON.COM!

Another almost Exact Match Domain?!

I know what you're thinking, "Hey Daniel, did you happen to check out their content or how many phenomenal backlinks this magical site has?"

Why, yes I did!

They had three times as many backlinks! (*ahem* the first site had one, they have three. I'm really exceptional at this kind of math)

Oh, and just for fun... take a look at who they are beating in the Boston marketplace for first page Google SERP using the search term "remodeling"... just some other slackers named HGTV .COM and THISOLDHOUSE .COM!

Can it honestly still be so simple that as long as your website has anything to do with the subject that your Exact Match Domain name refers to, you still have a huge advantage over your competition?

Listen, I'm sure there is a very logical and rational explanation as to why these sites seem to defy the very logic almost every "SEO guru" has told us or even the overt hints that Matt Cutts has given us about the most important things being 'Providing fresh, relevant content and staying involved in the global conversation'.


If that's so, then I have a "global conversation" of my own I'd like to start; I invite any and all comments from my readers to help me figure out why these websites are still ranking so high!

FYI:  If I don't answer right away... it's because I'm busy registering my new home improvement website domain, WWW. RemodelingRenovationHomeImprovementConstructionUSA.COM.

Daniel Batal is the owner @ Focalpoint Renovations

Ugly Entryway Gets A Facelift

Here we go again! Check out this entryway transformation...

We encourage you to stop by our website to see our other  remodeling and renovations projects!

http://focalpointrenovations.com

How To Install Slip-on Grips, Harley Davidson

Disclaimer:
This article is not for those riders who think everything worth buying comes from (and is installed by) a Harley Davidson dealership. This is directed at those old school cropper, choppers & bobbers like me who do whatever they want to their bikes, whenever and however they want to.

That being said... *ahem*

Today I'm venturing even further off of the path that we've beaten at Focalpoint Renovations (if that's even possible at this point).
On a one night get-away trek to Laconia, New Hampshire's Bike Week event this year, I picked up a pair of chrome slip-on grip covers. I later discovered that the installation requires a minute of attention that, surprisingly, I couldn't find readily available via search engines.

So...I decided to post one.

 How To Install Slip-on Grips, Harley Davidson

FYI: There are two types of grip replacements... The more expensive requires you to open the throttle assembly and reconnect the throttle linkage into the new grips. Not particularly difficult but, what we're covering here is the more cost effective versions that in this case require you to cut the stock rubber grip away from the throttle for installation.

I found an aftermarket pair  that closely resembles the Drag Specialites Razor grip (which run about $110.00) up here in Laconia for $25.00/pair but only if you’re willing to take a razor knife to your stock rubber grips. If reading that scares you, you should probably stick with what you have or pay a dealer to swap your grips.

First things first... KNOW YOUR HANDLEBAR WIDTH. Most stock Harleys tend to run either 1" or 1 1/4". Mine is a '93 XLH 1200 which has a set non-original set of 1" bars (Thank you Chop Shop!). You obviously want to buy a set of grips that will fit over your existing handlebar size. Also, there are two sides to a set of bars, one being the stagnant (non-operational) on the left side and the throttle (operational) grip on the right.

The left is the easiest. 

Depending on the grip adhesive used, you can most likely twist off your existing grip with little effort. The factory adhesive isn't designed to weld the grip on, only hold it there securely. Using a steady force, it can be twisted off by working it back and forth while pulling outward. Installing the new grip requires little more brain power than doing the opposite. I cleaned my bars of residue and used a small amount of 100% clear silicone sealant to adhere the new grip. There are lots of grip adhesives so this is a bit of 'pick your poison'.

The throttle grip, on the other hand, is a little more of a pain-in-the-butt. Start by closing the petcock from your gas tank, twisting the throttle even when the bike is off can allow fuel into a carburetor. I have to admit that I should have taken more pictures during the removal process but all I did was to slice the original rubber grip 5 or 6 times lengthwise and pull it back towards the farthest point of the handlebar using vise grips. A utility knife helped cut away the rubber from the inner, harder plastic throttle core. Think of it like peeling the toughest banana you've ever encountered.
I removed the original rubber grip and then carefully scraped most of the excess with a sharp utility blade. Once I had most of the rubber grip off, it was pretty easy. 
 
It will look like this:

Before you start scraping, another important note is that there are ridges along the length of the inner throttle that allow the grip to maintain adhesion when you twist on it (accelerate). Below is the same image with one of the ridges circled in red. If you use a blade to clean the throttle like I did, try not to scrape those ridges off so that the new grip has something to grab onto.

Does that picture still look a little yucky to you?

Same here, but I also tried not to let my O.C.D. kick in too much while removing the original excess rubber and glue because I figured those lumps would actually help hold the new grip in place (which it did).
I just wanted to make sure the new grip slid on securely so, I used a 50/50 mix of dish soap and water to lubricate the new grip and slid it on a few times along the way for a test fit.
That's fairly important as well. You don't want to adhere a new slip-on grip without making sure it fits the way you want it to. Once I had it where I wanted it... I cleaned and dried both surfaces of throttle and grip and applied a small amount of 100% silicone sealant along the surface of the throttle, slowly twisting the new grip up into position and carefully making sure that no extra oozed its way out.

I let it set up overnight without touching it and....viola.

So, there you have it. A cost effective alternative to some of the more expensive Harley Davidson grips on the market.
Feel free to add any of your own personal experiences in the comments section below and try to remember to keep the rubber side down!