Black Computer Desk from Target.com Review

Ethan and I decided to move our office to the basement. With the move, we also needed to down-size our current computer desk. We were looking for a black, small, basic, and relatively inexpensive desk. After many hours of searching stores and the internet, I found this desk at Target.com.

Black South Hampton Desk

This desk can be ordered from Target.com for $149.99.  It is also available in the color white, and a matching chair and hutch can be purchased separately.  The desk is made of composite wood and is painted glossy black.  The front “drawer” is actually a pull-out computer keyboard tray. The dimensions of the desk are: 21″ deep X 47″ long X 30″ high.  It is the perfect size for us so that we could incorporate the computer into our existing living room decor.

Shipping

Shipping can add huge costs, when ordering furniture on-line.  However, once I found this desk on target.com, I waited for free shipping to become available for this item.  Once ordered, it was delivered, undamaged, four days later (ordered on a Monday and delivered on Friday).  A bonus to ordering on-line with free shipping from Target is that if the product is damaged or not what you were expecting, the costumer can return it to any Target store at no penalty.

Assembly

The assembly of this desk was quicker than other furniture items I have ordered from Target.com.  The main “body” of the desk came assembled, including the pull-out tray.  The only assembly required was to fasten the four interchangeable table legs to the main “body” and screw the nob onto the pull-out tray.  The directions and labels of the parts were also very user-friendly. All the screws and washers were clearly labeled and grouped according to the steps outlined by the instructions.

Pros

• Size
• Price
• Sturdy
• Attractive
• Free shipping
• Easy assembly

Cons

• Very little storage room in the desk
• Chair not included

What do you think? What’s your experience with Target.com?

The End of our Summer Before and After Event…

Wow!  It seems like just yesterday we were getting ready for the Summer… and just like that, it’s over.  Unfortunately, that means our Summer Before and After event is also over!

Thanks so much to those of you who made this Summer’s event a success.  OPC donated more than $300 to Habitat, and hopefully inspired several of our fellow bloggers to donate and volunteer as well.

Next week, we’ll have summaries of each article posted so we can vote for a winner and award them a $50 gift card to the home improvement store of their choice.  This week, we’d like to honor all those who submitted articles, told others of our event, or made a personal commitment to donate to Habitat’s cause.  If we missed you, we promise it was a mistake.  Please let us know so we can ammend this article to include you!

Bloggers (& others) Who Submitted Articles

Thanks to each of you!  Your projects were very inspiring and made for great stories week after week.  I hope you’ll submit B+A articles next year – I’m sure your houses will be even more fantastic!

• Mary @ Not Before 7
• John & Sherry @ Young House Love
• Todd @ Home Construction Improvement
• Beth @ A Cotterpin House
• Melanie in Richmond
• Amy @ Cape Cod Makeover
• Nicole @ This D*mn House
• Jon @ Tales from the Eye
• Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality
• Andy in Odenton
• Carol @ Painter Gal’s Cottage
• Jane @ Beach House
• Katie @ In Pursuit of Our Place

Bloggers Who Wrote About the Event

In addition to all those mentioned above, these folks ran articles publicizing our event.  Thanks!

• Jennifer @ Tiny Old House
• Paul @ Homeowner’s Blog
• Larry @ Simpson’s Folly
• WhyS @ The House on Red Hill
• Amy @ Green Gardenista

Folks Who Committed Their Own Money

Paul @ Homeowners blog gets the big mention here, for committing his June blog revenue to Habitat.  Thanks Paul!

What do you think? Did you enjoy the event?  Did you donate to Habitat?  If so, let us know so we can honor you here.

Removing Algae / Fungus from Stained Roof

Ever notice discolored shingles on some roofs? I’ve seen a couple homes in my area with the dark streaks. This post will focus on what causes the dark streaks, how to best remove it, and what you can do to keep if from coming back.

What Causes Discolored Shingles?

The short answer: fungus. The longer answer: It’s actually a build-up of dead fungus cells. The fungus is an algae (Gloeocapsa magma) that thrives in warm climates with high humidity. Morning dew and rain create a moist environment for the fungus. And limestone from shingles provide the nutrients. There is some debate weather the fungus actually damages the roof. Some say it just looks bad, while others claim the fungus will accelerate the deterioration of your roof.

How to Remove fungus from a Roof

Obviously you can replace your roof. If your roof is old, and the shingles are failing, this may be a great option. Knock out two problems for the price of one. Make sure you purchase shingles with small granules of copper. The copper will prevent the algae from returning.

But what about fulling functional roofs? The best way to clean algae from a roof is a 50/50 solution of water and oxygen bleach. First, wet nearby plants with clean water to protect them. Soak the roof with the bleach solution and then sweep with a stiff brush. Always work down the slope of your roof to prevent damaging the shingles. When you’re done, rinse the entire area with clean water. Don’t use a pressure washer. The high pressure will tear up the shingles.

How to Prevent Algae from Returning

To keep your roof Algae free, install strips of zinc or copper underneath the shingles near the apex of your roof. Make sure that some of the metal is exposed. Tiny amounts will seep out with rain, inhibiting regrowth. These strips will keep moss away too.

What do you think? Know anyone that needs to fight roof algae?

Free Sears Printable Online Coupons

This article is part of our regular posting of Sears Coupons.  Follow that link for the most up-to-date Sears Coupons and Deals.

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We all love coupons so here is a quick note about online, printable, Sears coupons. Hopefully they will help lighten the load of your next project or even Christmas purchase. They are both good till January 31, 2009.

1. The first coupons is $5 off a purchase of $30 or more. Savings can be applied to any item(s), regular AND sale prices. Good through January 31, 2009.

2. The next coupon is 10% off home appliances. Pick up that new appliance and Sears will even haul it the old one away. This applies to regular prices only. Again, valid through January 31, 2009.

And here is the link: Sears Coupons. Hurray!

All Sears.com Online Coupons >>

We also maintain an up to date list of all Sears.com Online Coupons available today, at that link.

Replace Broken Hoover Vacuum Belt

My vacuum cleaner broke a little while ago. And the evidence was beginning to show. It’s not like our house had slipped into the hazmat category, but it was time to fix the vacuum or replace it. FYI, I have a Hoover Savvy Vacuum (model number U8174900).

Required Materials

For this project, you’ll need a screw driver, and new belt. Amazon sells the Hoover Savvy Belt for $5.89. I recommend changing the HEPA Filter too. Amazon also sells the HEPA filter for $12.99. This is a great deal as these filters usually run about $30.

How to Replacing a Hoover Vacuum Timing Belt

There’s only a short list of vacuum problems I am capable of fixing. Fortunately, replacing the timing belt is one of them. This seems like it would be included in the manual, especially because they recommend replacing the belt every 3 – 6 months, but it isn’t. Take care when removing screws. My vacuum is plastic and a few screw housings have broken over time.

Step 1: Several screws secure the agitator brush in place. Remove these screws and the bottom plate. These are marked in the picture with red circles.

Step 2: The agitator brush will slide out. Observe how the brush was housed. Normally the timing belt helps keep it in place. Locate the broken timing belt and remove that too.

Step 3: Next, we need to remove the cover on the opposite side (that goes over the height adjustment knob). There are 5 screws to remove. Hoover placed 4 screws on the underside (marked in blue) and the last screw underneath the red Hoover emblem on the top side.

Step 4: Feed the new timing belt through the gap and around the cog that drives the agitator brush (highlighted in blue).

Step 5: Put the agitator brush through the remaining loop. Make sure the belt sits on the grooves/teeth in the brush, and push the brush back into place. Put all screws back into their original position.

New HEPA Filter

We’ve had our vacuum over two years and haven’t replaced the HEPA filter yet. I thought it was probably overdue. All I had to do was remove the waste canister and pull out the filter. The plastic top and bottom snap off. Easy as pie.

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What do you think? Ever needed to work on a vacuum?

Cut Baseboard Molding with a Coping Saw

The baseboard molding is going up pretty quickly. I got about half done last Saturday. There is a bit of back and forth, cutting the board to the exact length. Maybe one day I’ll purchase a better miter saw (with a laser guide). I cut all the outside corners at 45°. But I’m using a coping saw to cut all the inside corners.

Cope Cutting Baseboard Inside Corners

Cope cutting the inside corners takes a little more time. I’m using a coping saw to precision cut the inside corners so they match up appropriately. What’s the benefit? This is the best way to eliminate gaps between adjacent pieces of baseboard especially if the corner isn’t square. Plus, if ever the baseboards move (expand, contract, shift for some reason), these corners will hide gaps more effectively.

Necessary Tools

For cope cutting baseboard, you’ll need a few tools: a miter saw, coping saw, sand paper and/or a wood file. Make sure your coping saw has a thin, fine-toothed blade. Amazon sells a Stanley Coping Saw with 3 Extra Blades included for $6.49.

How to Cut Baseboard with a Coping Saw

The directions are pretty straightforward but this technique takes a little skill. Practice a few corners before you begin your project.

Step 1: Lay your first piece of baseboard in the inside corner. This piece should be cut square (0°) and fit snug against the perpendicular wall.

Step 2: Take your next piece of baseboard and make a 45° bevel cut with a miter saw. This reveals the profile of your baseboard.

Step 3: With a coping saw, cut along the profile. Slightly angle the blade so as to cut away more from the backside of the baseboard. Angling the blade will create a point ensuring the baseboard face fits tightly against the adjacent piece.

Step 4: Try out the piece. Note any places that need to be sanded or filed down further. Make any necessary adjustments.

Cope Cutting Tips

There are a few things to keep in mind.

• Make sure you account for the 45° bevel when you measure the length. You don’t want to go through coping one end to find the other is too short.
• If you are right-handed, I suggest moving around the room counter-clockwise (lefties move clockwise). This will orient you more comfortably when using the coping saw.
• Some profiles will be difficult to follow with just one cut. Make several cuts rather than trying to twist the coping blade.

What do you think? Any tips you want to pass along? Ever use a coping saw?

Hotel-Style Bedroom Makeover Before & After

If you haven’t figured it out by now, we love before and after pictures.   There’s nothing that is as inspirational as seeing what someone else has been able to do with a space. 

I was reading over at Cottager’s Wife this week and found this great article on a hotel-style bedroom makeover in their west coast cottage. 

Take a look and tell Cottager’s Wife what you think about it!

Review: Mosquito 86 Mosquito Prevention System

No, you’re not having deja vu.  You probably recognize Mosquito 86 from yesterday’s September giveaway announcement.   If you haven’t entered the contest yet, follow that link to enter.  It’s quick, easy, and you just might win one valuable Mosquito prevention system.

Besides sponsoring a giveaway on OPC, the folks at Mosquito 86 also gave us one to review.   What follows is our experience with the product.  To catch you up (if you didn’t read through yesterday’s post thoroughly), Mosquito 86 is a mosquito prevention system that attaches to a standard leaf blower to spread permethrin (dubbed “Agent E” by the Mosquito 86 folks).  Mosquito 86 promises to eliminate Mosquitos and other nasty pests from your yard with just a little effort on your part.  Overall, our experience with the Mosquito 86 product was positive, but not perfect.  See below for all the juicy details.

Mosquito 86 Setup Experience

Mosquito 86 sent us a complete gas blower kit containing: a gas blower, spreader attachment with backpack, Agent E, 2-cycle oil additive and all the instructions needed to get started.  From the time we opened the box until we were ready to spread was about 15 minutes, and that included mixing the gas in a new can.  Setup steps included:

• Unpacking the box and reading instructions.
• Mixing Agent E with water to fill the resevoir.
• Mixing 2-cycle oil additive with 1 gallon of gas.
• Starting the blower.
• Attaching the resevoir to the blower attachment via the quick-connect cord.

Mosquito 86 Application Experience

Once the blower is started and the resevoir connected, the Agent E & water mixture flows to the front of the blower attachment where it is atomized and then blown out about a dozen feet or so. 

Spreading the mixture is quick and simple.   Mosquito 86 claims a typical yard will require 15 minutes to treat.  Larger yards may take as long as 30 minutes.  Their estimate was correct.  We covered our 1/4 acre in about 20 minutes, and spent some extra time underneath our deck where we’ve had a serious Mosquito problem for more than a year.

Overall, from start to finish took us about an hour.  That accounted for time to snap a few pictures for this review.

Our only gripe in spreading the mixture is that the mixture flows from the resevoir to the front of the blower powered by gravity only.  This means if you lift the blower up over the level of the resevoir (say, to spray a tree or up a hill), the mixture stops flowing.

Did Mosquito 86 Work?

The simple answer is yes. The more complicated answer is not completely.  We saw a significant reduction in mosquitos in our yard, and even 8 feet up on our elevated deck.

We had a dinner party on the same day we applied Agent E under our deck. Most folks in our party who had experienced our back yard in the past noted an improvement.

We’ll continue to use Mosquito 86 throughout the Fall and into next year and post a long-term review sometime next Summer.

Want to Give it a Try for Yourself?

Mosquito 86 sponsored this month’s giveaway on One Project Closer. Visit the giveaway article and sign up to win a complete Mosquito 86 system.  It’ll help prevent Mosquitos and other annoying pests, and you can use the gas blower to help with all those Fall leaves we’ll be experiencing soon.

Where to Buy Mosquito 86

If you aren’t the lucky winner of this month’s contest, you can still pickup the complete Mosquito 86 system on Amazon for only $199.  You’ll get it just in time to use it to prevent Mosquitos and clean up the millions of falling leaves that are just a few months away.  Mosquito 86 is also available at Target. 

More configurations, including getting only the blower attachment and the Agent E are available directly from Mosquito 86 at www.mosquito86.com.

What do you think?  If you’ve used this product, feel free to add your own thoughts below.

Giveaway! Mosquito 86 Gas-blower based Mosquito Prevention System

UPDATE:  This giveaway ended on September 30, 2008.  You can see the giveaway winner here.  If you’re looking to purchase a Mosquito 86 system, scroll to the bottom of this article.

This is the One Project Closer September Tool Giveaway!

This month, one lucky winner has the opportunity to win an innovative mosquito elimination system called Mosquito 86. Anyone who wants to enjoy the outdoors should know about this effective method that has previously only been offered by the Pros!

• Mosquito 86 operates as an attachment to a common hand-held yard or leaf blower to turn it into an effective mosquito killing machine.
• Mosquito 86 is NOT a fogger. It disperses a professional-grade mosquito killing solution with a high level of directional control and just the right velocity. It provides precise control over the air and agent stream, enabling you to easily apply to lawn, trees, bushes, and gardens.
• Mosquito 86 is most effective on mosquitoes, ants, biting flies, gnats, fleas and ticks. Mosquito 86 Agent E is EPA approved and safe around humans and pets.
• It will take about 15 minutes to apply. And results are immediate! The majority of local mosquitoes are eliminated within 24 hours of first use so you can enjoy a mosquito- and insect-free yard up to three weeks, depending on rainfall.
• The Mosquito 86 product line features complete kits with a choice of gas or electric blowers, or a universal kit with a custom adapter to fit many standard leaf and yard blower models, and Agent E pesticide solution.

What You Get

The winner of this giveaway gets a complete Mosquito 86 McCulloch 25cc 2-Cycle Gas Blower Kit valued at $200.00 shipped anywhere in the US or Canada, including:

• McCulloch 25cc gas blower
• Mosquito 86 blower attachment & backpack
• Agent E Mosquito killer

How to Enter this Giveaway

There are three ways to enter the contest each month.  In fact, you might already be entered into the contest and not even know it!  Here’s how to maximize your chances of winning:

• 1 entries:  Leave a comment. Leave a comment on this article to get one entry into the contest.
• 10 entries: Subscribe via e-mail. Just follow this link to subscribe to receive e-mail updates every day.  We’d love to be able to reward our RSS subscribers as well, but unfortunately RSS subscriptions don’t report any identifiable information for us to link you with the giveaway.

Details on all One Project Closer Giveaways

Giveaway Deadline

This giveaway ends at 11:59pm, EDT on September 30, 2008.

Purchase this Item

If you aren’t the lucky winner of this contest but still want to try the Mosquito 86, you can have it shipped to your doorstep from Amazon for $199.99.

The Fine Print

Only residents of the U.S. and Canada are eligible. One entry per person. Spam entries will not be counted. Spam entries are determined at the sole discretion of One Project Closer. For blog-based entries, the blog must be a legitimate blog and not a “spam” blog, or a blog set up purely for the purpose of entering contests.  All rules are subject to change without notice.

Home Improvement & Tool Giveaways at One Project Closer

Do you love free stuff? We do!  So we know you’re going to love what’s coming next…

Starting in late September ‘08, we’ll be selecting one lucky reader each month to receive a fabulous new tool or home improvement item shipped right to their front door.  Imagine getting home from work to find a new lithium ion drill driver, a high quality bench grinder, a gas powered leaf blower, or even a pro series table saw awaiting on your doorstep… for FREE.  We’re not talking just any old tools either.  These are high quality, brand name tools that you can actually use to get your house projects done.

So you’re thinking to yourself, “What’s the catch?”  The answer:  there is no catch.  All you have to do is enter the contest.  In fact, you might already be entered if you’re receiving this article by e-mail (see below).

How to Enter OPC Tool Giveaways

There are three ways to enter the contest each month.  In fact, you might already be entered into the contest and not even know it!  Here’s how to maximize your chances of winning:

• 1 entries:  Leave a comment. Leave a comment on the month’s giveaway article to get one entry into the contest.
• 10 entries: Subscribe via e-mail. Just follow this link to subscribe to receive e-mail updates every day.  We’d love to be able to reward our RSS subscribers as well, but unfortunately RSS subscriptions don’t report any identifiable information for us to link you with the giveaway.

Why do we value subscriptions and blog entries more than comments? In the past, we’ve had a few online sweepstakes sites pick up our contests.  These sites redirect hundreds of people to the giveaway articles.  While we want to allow these folks to enter, we want to give our regular readers and fellow bloggers the best chances of winning each contest.  After all, the blogging community is really what keeps us going!

See the Fine Print below for additional details.

Current & Past Giveaways

• Irwin Vise Grip Tools Set (ended 9/21/08)
• Mosquito 86 Mosquito Prevention System (ended 9/30/08)
• Ceiling Fan ($175 Gift Card) from Home Depot (ended 10/31/08)
• DIY Network Tape Measures (5 Winners!) (ends 11/30/08)
• $100 Home Depot Gift Cards (2 Winners!) (ends 12/17/08)
• Dewalt Tracksaw ($500 Value) — Coming Soon!

What are the Odds of Winning?

That depends on the number of entries received.  Needless to say, writing an entry on your own blog or becoming an e-mail subscriber gives you a leg up.  For example, if there are a total of 300 entries for a giveaway, an e-mail subscriber has about a 3% chance of winning, and a blogger who wrote an article has a 25% chance.

We expect that, over time, more and more people will enter these contests.  We fully intend to increase the frequency of the giveaways as our budget grows, and as additional manufacturers and retailers contact us.

Why Are We Giving Away Tools?

Well, there’s actually a lot of reasons.  The first and most important is that we want to encourage increased participation and readership at our site.  We really enjoy the conversation this venue generates, and the resulting sense of community.  We’ve met some great people through our participation in others’ blogs, and their participation here.

Second, we want a regular venue for tool manufacturers and retailers to highlight their products.  We receive regular e-mails from these groups looking to gain publicity for their products.

Finally, we absolutely LOVE to make people happy.  It really is tremendous fun to receive a gift in the mail, and these giveaways allow us to share in our readers’ happiness.

For Manufacturers, Retailers, and PR Firms

Welcome to One Project Closer and thanks for your interest in sponsoring a giveaway!

More and more, customers are turning to the internet to research and purchase home improvement products.  Independent, well-designed home improvement blogs like One Project Closer have become a trusted source of information for prospective buyers.

Sponsoring a giveaway on One Project Closer guarantees you two articles focused entirely on your product (a giveaway announcement and a winner announcement).  Each article provides a summary of the features and benefits of your product and contains links back to your product’s sales and information pages.   Both articles will be submitted to all major search engines, and will remain available online in perpetuity.  In addition, a permanent graphical link is placed on the home page of this site (www.oneprojectcloser.com) for the duration of the giveaway (normally, 30-31 days).

Articles on One Project Closer can generate many thousands of brand and product impressions and hundreds of follow on sales.  Sponsorship is a great way to gain publicity for your product, obtain links back to your product’s sales pages, and create goodwill in the online home improvement community.

For more information on sponsorship, send an e-mail to giveaways@oneprojectcloser.com and ask for additional details.  You can also see our Giveaway Rules and FAQ for more information.

A Note to Financial Product & Service Companies

One Project Closer engages in the marketing of financial products including credit cards, loan products, etc. In the past, we have had financial institutions question their ability to work with us due to the giveaways provided on this site.  Accordingly, please note:  we do not provide any, giveaways, “points”, or any other incentives for trying products or services on our site, unless specifically requested to do so in a written agreement on the part of an advertiser.   The only giveaways we provide are free products or services, usually in the home improvement field, that are provided by advertisers or that we purchase.  The only way to gain entries for our giveaways is by using the methods identified above (leave a comment on the article, subscribe via e-mail, or write an article on your own site).  A reader cannot gain entries by trying products or services, etc.

Federal Law prohibits certain types of affiliate marketing that encourage users to sign up for financial products by offering additional points or incentives to do so.  We never modify the terms of an agreement and market financial products only in accordance with the advertiser’s / financial institution’s requirements.  We never provide giveaways, points, or other incentives to encourage users to try products or services unless we have gained prior written authorization from the affiliate.  For financial affiliates, we have a strict policy never to offer these types of incentives for fear of jeopardizing our ability to work with them.

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