| How to Fix a Bicycle Wheel Posted: 19 Aug 2019 05:00 PM PDT Over time, bike wheels will start to wear and require maintenance to keep them safe to ride. If your wheel doesn't spin well, then you may need to adjust the cones and bearings to make your ride smoother. When your rim is bent or it wobbles, you can tighten and loosen the spokes to straighten, or "true," it. If one of your spokes breaks, installing a replacement is necessary before you can ride it again. Once you fix your bike, you'll be able to ride it again! [Edit]Adjusting the Cones - Take the wheel off of the frame. Disconnect the brakes on the wheel you're removing so it doesn't get stuck. Turn your bike upside-down so you can easily access the tire. Find the screw in the middle of the wheel's axle and rotate it counterclockwise by hand to loosen it from the wheel. Once the screw is loose, pull it out from the frame to remove it.[1]
- Set the handlebars on a towel if you're worried about them getting scratched.
- If you're removing the back wheel, you may have to disconnect the chain.
- Loosen the locknut from the wheel's axle. Look in the center of the bike wheel and locate the hexagonal locknut attached to the axle. Grip the nut with an open end wrench and hold the axle in place with another wrench. Rotate the locknut counterclockwise by 2-3 full turns.[2]
- Many bike multi-tools have open end wrenches on them.
- If you're adjusting the cone on the rear wheel, choose the side of the wheel opposite of the gears.
- Use a cone wrench to tighten or loosen the cone. The cone is the piece attached to the axle between the locknut and the bearings. Grip the body of the cone with a cone wrench and rotate it clockwise if your wheel spins too easily or counterclockwise if it's difficult to spin. Only rotate the cone by a quarter turn at a time so you don't accidentally make it too tight or loose.[3]
- You can buy a cone wrench from a sporting goods store or a bike shop.
- Make sure you use a cone wrench that matches the size of your cone or else you may not be able to make your adjustment.
- Check if the wheel spins smoothly. Set the wheel back in the frame and spin it to see how smoothly it rotates. If your wheel is still too sticky or loose, take it out of the frame and adjust the cone again until it spins correctly.[4]
- Always make your adjustments a quarter turn at a time so you don't damage the bearings or cones.
- Tighten the locknut back against the cone. Once you have your adjustment just right, turn the locknut clockwise by hand until it presses up against the cone or spacer. When the locknut is hand-tight, hold the cone in place with your cone wrench and tighten the locknut by an eighth turn to secure it.[5]
[Edit]Truing Your Bike Wheel - Locate the bend in the rim. Turn your bike upside-down so you can easily access and spin the wheels. Spin the wheel slowly and watch near the brakes to see how far the rim is bent away from them. Make note of the area where the bend is the largest by attaching a piece of tape to the nearest spoke.[6]
- Leave your wheel on your bike frame so you can easily spin it and see where the bend is.
- If your rim is severely bent and you can't spin it in the frame, you will need to replace it.
- Tighten the spokes on the opposite side as the bend. Determine whether the rim is bent toward the left or the right. If the rim is bending toward the right, then find the spoke closest to the bend that's on the left side of the wheel. Grip the spoke with a spoke wrench and rotate it counterclockwise to tighten it. Only tighten it by a half turn at a time so you don't damage it.[7]
- You can get a spoke wrench from a sporting goods store, a bike shop, or online.
- Don't force the spoke if it doesn't rotate or spin since you could break it.
- Loosen the spokes that are on the same side as the bend. If the rim bends to the right, then locate the 1-2 closest spokes to the bend. Grip anywhere on the spokes with your spoke wrench and turn them clockwise to loosen them. Only rotate the spokes by a half turn at a time so you don't over-adjust.[8]
- Make sure all of your spokes have an even amount of tension or else your rim will be crooked.
- Spin the wheel to see if it rotates smoothly. As you adjust the spokes, rotate the wheel and watch how far the rim bends away from the brakes. Tightening and loosening the spokes near the bend will straighten out the rim so you can ride it safely again. Keep making any adjustments until the wheel doesn't bend anymore.[9]
- Take your bike or wheel into a bike shop after you fix it to make sure the rim is still safe to ride.
[Edit]Replacing a Broken Spoke - Take the wheel off of your bike. Disconnect the brakes from the wheel you're removing. Flip your bike upside-down and set it down on the saddle and handlebars. Locate the screw in the middle of the wheel and turn it counterclockwise by hand to loosen it. Pull the screw out of the wheel and then pull the wheel out of the bike frame.[10]
- If you're fixing a spoke on the rear wheel, then you also need to remove the gear cassette.
- Remove the tire, tube, and rim tape from the wheel. Let out all the air from the tie by pressing down on the tire valve. Once it's deflated, shimmy a tire lever between the tire and the rim. Pull the tire lever down to pop the tire and tube out of the rim, and then pull it off of the tire by hand. Locate the strip of rim tape on the inside of the rim and pull it off to remove it.[11]
- Don't try to remove the tire when the tube is still inflated since you could pop or damage it.
- Pull the broken spoke out from the wheel. Locate where the spoke connects to the outside of the rim and use a screwdriver to remove the nipple, which is the piece holding the end of the spoke in place. Then grab the spoke near the center of the wheel and pull it toward the center. The spoke will easily slide out from the holes when you remove it. Throw the old spoke away since you can't use it anymore.[12]
- Some spokes are straight while others what a J-shaped hook. If the spoke has a hook on the end, be careful when you remove it so it doesn't accidentally catch on other spokes.
- Thread the new spoke through the holes onto the rim. Put the threaded end of the spoke through the hole closest to the center of the wheel. Look at the pattern of your spokes to see if the new spoke needs to go over or under other spokes while you're threading it in. Guide the threaded end of the spoke through the hole on the outside of the rim.[13]
- You can buy new spokes from bike repair shops or sporting goods stores.
- Make sure the spoke you have is the same length and style as the old one or else it won't fit your bike properly.
- Screw the spoke nipple onto the threaded end of the spoke. Feed the threaded end of the spoke onto the nipple and guide the nipple through the hole in the rim. Rotate the nipple clockwise by hand to tighten it and secure it to the spoke. Once the nipple is hand-tight, use a screwdriver to spin it a quarter turn so you don't overtighten it.[14]
- Use the spoke nipple from the old spoke so you don't have to buy a new one.
- Tighten the spoke nipple with a spoke wrench to add tension to it. Grip the end of the spoke nipple sticking out from the rim with your spoke wrench and rotate it clockwise to tighten it. Compare the tension on the new spoke with the other spokes near it and keep adjusting until they feel the same.[15]
- You can also grab the spoke directly if it's easier than the spoke nipple.
- Put the rim tape, tube, and tire back onto the bike. Apply a layer of rim tape around the outside of the rim so the ends of the spokes don't damage the tube and tire. Slightly inflate the tube before threading it into the tire. Line up the valve stem on the tire with the hole on the rim and push the tire and tube back onto the wheel. Inflate the tube again to secure it in place.[16]
- You can buy rim tape from a bike shop or sporting goods store.
- Keep a bike multi-tool handy since they have many of the tools you'll need during repairs.
[Edit]Warnings - Even if you made the fix yourself, have the wheel checked at a bicycle repair shop to see if it's still safe to ride.
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Adjusting the Cones - Open end wrench
- Cone wrench
[Edit]Truing Your Bike Wheel [Edit]Replacing a Spoke - Wrench
- Tire lever
- Screwdriver
- Spoke
- Spoke nipple
- Spoke wrench
- Rim tape
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References |
| How to Make Blemish Balm (BB Cream) Posted: 19 Aug 2019 09:00 AM PDT Blemish Balm—or BB cream—has become a standard product in beauty kits around the world. BB cream evens your skin tone, protects you from the sun, hides your blemishes, and moisturizes your skin. Because of the high demand for BB cream, it can get very expensive. The good news is that it's really easy and inexpensive to make your own at home. All you need are 3 basic ingredients: foundation, sunscreen, and moisturizer. [Edit]Choosing the Basic Ingredients - Select a liquid foundation that is 1-2 shades darker than your skin. The foundation color will get lighter after you dilute it with the other ingredients. To counteract that, choose a liquid foundation that is a few shades darker than you would normally use. Since you're diluting the foundation, you may want to choose a higher coverage foundation than you normally would.[1]
- Foundation comes in light, medium, and full coverage formulas. If you want your BB cream to be sheer, light or medium coverage foundation will work well. For BB cream with a little more coverage, start with a full coverage foundation.
- If you can, go with a familiar brand that doesn't irritate your skin.
- Choose a sunscreen formulated for the face with SPF 30 or higher. No matter your skin tone, you should wear sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun's damaging rays! SPF 30 will work for most people, but you may want to consider using at least SPF 50 if you spend a lot of time in the sun or if you want more protection.[2]
- Go with an oil-free sunscreen that's formulated for the face. If you use a generic body sunscreen in your BB cream, you may end up with a greasy look or clogged pores.
- Look for a sunscreen made with titanium oxide or zinc oxide. Try to avoid sunscreens made with trolamine salicylate, octinoxate, oxybenzone, and other chemicals.[3]
- Grab your favorite face moisturizer. Any moisturizer—cream or liquid—will work for making BB cream, so go with something that you know works for you and reacts well with your skin. You can also go with a good face moisturizer that already includes SPF 30 and skip the additional sunscreen![4]
- If you aren't sure about what kind of moisturizer to use for your skin, the general rule is that dry skin responds better to lotions and liquids and cream moisturizers are better for oily skin.
[Edit]Adding Optional Ingredients - Add a primer or chafing gel for a smooth application. If you have a favorite makeup primer, consider adding that to the mix so that it goes on smoothly. Primer can also make the BB cream last a bit longer on the skin.[5] If you don't have a standard makeup primer on hand, you can try experimenting with chafing gel instead.[6]
- Chafing gels, like Monistat, are made to protect your inner thighs and bikini area from rubbing together uncomfortably.
- Ratios are totally customizable, but a good place to start is 2 parts moisturizer (if your moisturizer has SPF), 1 part primer, and 1/2 part foundation.[7] If you're using a separate moisturizer and sunscreen, use 1 part moisturizer and 1/2 part sunscreen.
- Adding primer or chafing gel may improve the consistency and create a more matte finish.[8]
- Keep in mind that chafing gel may cause breakouts if you have oily skin.[9]
- Include a liquid illuminator product for a dewy, highlighting effect. For glowing skin, consider adding a liquid illuminator. Illuminators come in a range of shades, so choose the one that works best for your skin tone.[10]
- For example, if you have a light skin tone, try a champagne color that matches it. For other skin tones, you may want to experiment with peachy, pink, or golden illuminators.
- How much you use completely depends on the results you want. You may need to experiment to find your perfect mix! Consider starting with 1/4 part or 1/8 part.
- Add anti-aging serum to smooth the look of wrinkles and fine lines. The great thing about making your own BB cream is that you can mix many of your favorite skin care products together for fully customized results. If wrinkles are a concern, add a little bit of your favorite anti-aging serum to the mix.[11]
- You will only need a tiny squirt of optional ingredients like serums, since you don't want to alter the consistency of the BB cream too much. Start with 1/8 part and work up from there. The exact amount you use really depends on the product you're using and the results you want. For example, a thin serum might make the BB cream too thin, so you'd need to use a very small amount.
- Consider using concealer for additional coverage. BB creams are pretty sheer, so if you want something that will even out your skin tone and hide problem areas better, consider using liquid concealer for coverage. You can use concealer instead of foundation for the most coverage, or just use a small amount alongside the foundation for less coverage.[12]
[Edit]Mixing the BB Cream - Find a small, airtight container and a stirring stick. You will only want to make about 1 ounce (30 ml) of BB cream at a time since it may dry out or change consistency after a few weeks. A clean, 1 ounce (30 ml) container will do the trick, or you can use something a little bigger.[13]
- Emptied travel-sized shampoo containers and old, cleaned-out foundation jars are good options.
- Add a coin-sized amount of moisturizer to your clean container. Starting with moisturizer is helpful since it's probably a white cream. Once you have the white base, you can mix in other ingredients to create the consistency and shade that you want.[14]
- Ratios are going to vary depending on the results you want and the products you use. However, keep in mind that you'll be using more moisturizer than any other product.
- If you need more guidance, try this formula: 2 parts moisturizer, 1 part primer, and 1/2 part foundation. If you're using a separate moisturizer and sunscreen, use 1 part moisturizer and 1/2 part of sunscreen.
- Add a marble-sized dollop of sunscreen to the container. If your sunscreen is separate from your moisturizer, you only need to use about half as much as your moisturizer. A marble-sized amount should work fine, but you can always customize it to your liking.[15]
- Stir in foundation to add color to your BB cream. The amount of foundation you add completely depends on the shade and coverage you want. Mix in a tiny dollop at a time, stir, and assess the shade. Then, add a little more, stir, and so on. Aim to use about 1/2 the amount of moisturizer you used.
- For example, if you used 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of moisturizer, try 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of foundation.
- Add pencil-eraser sized dollops of your optional ingredients and stir well. Exact amounts will vary depending on what you're adding, but pencil-eraser sized dollops are a good place to start. Stir in each ingredient individually and assess the consistency and color before adding something else.
- Amounts will vary, but these ingredients should only make up a small portion of the BB cream.
- Be sure to stir all of the ingredients together thoroughly!
- Test the color by applying the BB cream to your neck. Your neck is better than the back of your hand or your jaw for testing makeup shades because it has the most consistent coloring. Put a dab on your neck and rub it in to see how it will look. The BB cream should match your skin tone very closely and blend into your neck with no visible lines.[16]
- Adjust the color by adding more foundation or more moisturizer. Adding more foundation will darken the color of the cream and increase the amount of coverage you get. Adding more moisturizer will lighten the color and make the coverage more sheer. Stir in the products a little at a time and adjust as needed until you get the perfect shade.[17]
- If you used a lot of foundation to get the shade you want, next time consider starting with a darker foundation. On the other hand, if the BB cream started way too dark, next time begin with a lighter foundation.
- You can also darken the BB cream and add a glow to your skin by adding a bit of bronzer. Start with a tiny amount and adjust until you get the color you like.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Container with lid
- Stirring stick
- Moisturizer
- Sunscreen
- Foundation
- Primer (optional)
- Chafing gel (optional)
- Serum (optional)
- Illuminator (optional)
- Bronzer (optional)
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References |
| How to Do a Woven Wheel Stitch Posted: 19 Aug 2019 01:00 AM PDT The woven wheel stitch creates bold, circular shapes. You can use woven wheel for flowers, the sun, or any other round cross stitch elements. A finished wheel will stand out from the fabric from bunching up the thread under the "spokes" that serve as the framework for your wheel. This is an easy stitch to learn and do, so try making a woven wheel for your next cross stitch project! [Edit]Creating the Spokes - Thread a needle with 2 strands of embroidery floss. Cut a length of embroidery floss that is about the length of your arm from hand to shoulder. Then, pull 2 strands away from the 6 strands in the floss. Set the other stands aside to use when you run out. Insert the 2 strands through the eye of a tapestry needle and pull the floss until it is about 1/3 of the way through the eye.[1]
- You may also want to tie a knot in the end of the embroidery floss to ensure that it does not slip through the fabric when you make the first stitch.
- Mark your fabric to indicate the centerpoint and ends of the spokes. If your fabric is not already marked to indicate the center of the wheel and where each of the spokes will end, make these marks yourself. Use a pen or fabric marker. Position the spoke marks so that they are equidistant from the centerpoint.[2]
- Make an odd number of marks around the centerpoint so that you will end up with an odd number of spokes. For example, you could create a wheel with 9, 13, or 17 spokes.
- Insert the needle through the back of your work. Identify where you want the end of 1 of the spokes of the wheel to be. Then, push the needle up through the fabric at this location until the knot is right up against the back of the fabric.[3]
- Be careful not to pull the knot through!
- Bring the tip of the needle back down through the centerpoint. Find where you want the centerpoint of the spoke to be, and then push the needle down through the front side of the fabric at this location. This distance will be half the diameter of the wheel, so consider the desired diameter if you are not using a pattern. For example, if you want a wide wheel, then insert the needle into the fabric from the end point of the spoke.[4]
- Pull until the thread is taut after you insert it through the center, but don't pull so hard that the fabric puckers.
- You should have 1 spoke at this point.
- Push the needle back up through another spoke mark. Identify the end of the next spoke and push your needle up through the back of the fabric at this location. Pull the thread until it is taut.[5]
- The back of your fabric will look a little messy as you create the foundation for this stitch, but that's normal.
- Insert the needle through the center again and repeat the process. Bring the needle back down through the center of the wheel and pull the thread taut to create your second spoke. Keep doing this until you have created the desired number of spokes.[6]
- Remember to make sure that you end up with an odd number of spokes or the stitch won't work properly.
[Edit]Weaving around the Spokes - Insert the needle through the back of the fabric. Locate the center of the spokes and push the needle through the fabric right along this point. Ensure that the needle comes up near the center, but between 2 of the spokes. Pull until the thread is taut.[7]
- Don't bring the needle right through the center. Bring it up through the fabric right next to the center.
- Weave the thread under the first spoke and over the next. Insert the needle through the space between the thread and the fabric to weave under the first spoke. Then, bring the needle over the next spoke to weave over.[8]
- Do not push the needle down through the fabric. Keep it between the thread and fabric as you weave over and under.
- Continue weaving over and under going all the way around the wheel. By making an odd number of spokes, you will weave over certain spokes on 1 round and weave under them on the next round. You do not need to keep track of the rounds. Go over and under the spokes without skipping any or changing direction.[9]
[Edit]Finishing the Wheel - Weave until the spokes are not visible. If you are working on a wheel that overlaps other designs or that is a standalone design, you can work the woven wheel stitch all the way to the ends of the spokes. Keep weaving in and out of the spokes until the ends are no longer visible.[10]
- Keep in mind that when the flower underlaps other flowers, you will not be able to weave all the way out to the ends of the spokes. In this case, you will need to use a different stitch, such as a backstitch, to fill in the spaces between the remaining spokes.
- Backstitch to fill in and secure the outside of the flower. Insert the needle into your fabric from the back side and pull the thread taut. Push the needle back down through the front side of the fabric about from where it came out of the fabric. Then, bring the needle up through the fabric again about ahead of where you pushed it down through the fabric. Insert the needle through the front side of the fabric at the location of your previous stitch.[11]
- Use this stitch to fill in remaining spokes once you reach the end of the shortest spoke. You can make the stitches longer if you prefer, such as by backstitching from 1 spoke to the next. This will help you to retain the appearance of the woven wheel stitch.
- Backstitching around the outside of the flower 1 time will make the stitches extra secure and you can also use a contrasting color to add a visible border to your design. For example, you could border a lavender wheel with dark purple, or use white or black thread to add even more contrast.
- Insert the needle near the edge of the spokes and tie a knot. After you are done filling in and outlining your woven wheel design, push the needle into the fabric right along the edge of the woven wheel. Try to get the needle slightly under the edge of the woven wheel to hide this stitch. Tie a knot in the thread on the back side of the fabric to secure it.[12]
- Your woven wheel is complete! Make more by following the same process.
- Always complete full wheels in your design before working on underlapping ones. This will make it easier to keep the elements in the cross stitch design snug.
[Edit]References |
-Step-1-Version-2.jpg)
-Step-2-Version-2.jpg)
-Step-3-Version-2.jpg)
-Step-4-Version-2.jpg)
-Step-5-Version-2.jpg)
-Step-6-Version-2.jpg)
-Step-7-Version-2.jpg)
-Step-8-Version-2.jpg)
-Step-13.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment