January 10, 2020

What To Think About Before Buying a Farm

Farming has been around since the beginning of time, but it is still a necessity today. Each year brings new technology, ideas, and innovations that continue to expand the industry. Farms are located worldwide, producing much of what is eaten and consumed each day. Those who decide to go into this business must be careful to remember a few things.

Labor

Nothing will be finished unless there are workers to get the job done. Even though technology is a major part of farming today, human hands are still needed in all areas of productivity. Someone must oversee the equipment, while another watches over the crops or animals. When hiring for your farm, remember you will need a diverse workforce.

Equipment

Machinery needed will vary depending on what type of farm you have. If taking care of crops, you will need things such as tractors, combines, and mowers, as well as a variety of other heavy-duty materials. Dairy farms will likely need feeders, watering gear, and waste-handling systems. Some farms require specialty equipment like a ribbon mixer or an industrial mixer; however, the need for these types of items will be determined by the size of the farm.

Property

If you choose to farm, location plays a major role in this process. Cold environments make it harder to work the ground and care for animals year-round. If your land consists of woods and not pastures, you will be limited in the amount of work that can be done. Larger farms tend to bring in more income because of the vast amount of land and opportunity there is. Setting an end goal for your farm will help decide what type of land to buy.

Farming is an American tradition that has grown and changed throughout history. The majority of farms require long days and hard work in order to prosper, but the outcome can be worth the toil.…

Car Wash Maintenance Checklist

An automatic car wash can seem like a complicated facility, but that’s because at least to most people, it is. On top of that, automatic car washes are insanely expensive, setting up a single car wash bay can set you back as far as $80,000. So, as a car wash owner, you want to make sure that everything works perfectly to conserve the investment and keep the customers coming. One way to do this is by following a car wash maintenance checklist.

Preliminary Checks

Immediately after opening up the establishment every day, you need to run some daily routine checks before admitting any vehicles into the wash bay. Begin by cleaning the wash bay and decluttering the area around the building. Then, check your water supply and restock the detergent levels. After that, runs some checks to make sure that everything works, from the conveyor belt, spray nozzles, blowers, and friction curtains. Also, check for leaks and any other warning signs that something might be wrong.

Periodic Inspection and Repairs

Thorough inspections and checks should be done at least on a weekly or monthly basis, depending on the workload on the car wash. These comprehensive checks involve examining various components, such as pivot arm, wheels, bearings, and railing for wear and tear. During routine maintenance, any moving parts need to be re-greased, damaged parts are replaced, and the compressor drained and purged. Normally, thorough inspection and maintenance are done by professionals.

Pay Station

Most automatic car washes have an electronic payment system. The pay station is also prone to damages and malfunction and needs periodic maintenance. In most cases, dirt, oil, and water may build up in the validator, causing the whole system to malfunction. Customers who don’t know how to interact with the pay station may also end up breaking it. Check the pay station regular to ensure that it works properly; otherwise, it can paralyze the entire operation.

Maintaining a car wash doesn’t have to be difficult; you just need to work the routines down to a system. Plus, you can always hire a maintenance service to help with routine servicing.…

All the Fascinating Facts You Never Knew About Aluminum

Other than knowing that it is handy for wrapping up leftovers and is used in aluminum die castings, what do you really know about aluminum? This unassuming metal is quite versatile and interesting. Read on to amaze your friends, prepare for a turn on Jeopardy, or just for the fun of learning about it.

It Is the Most Abundant Metal in the World

Aluminum accounts for about 8% of the earth’s mass. The abundance means that it tends to be inexpensive. Over 270 of the earth’s minerals contain aluminum. It is also the most abundant metal found naturally on earth.

It Is Almost Always Used With Another Metal

Even when the aluminum content is up to 99%, aluminum is almost always used with another element as an alloy. Silicon, magnesium, copper, manganese and zinc are the most common elements used with aluminum to enhance hardness, strength or corrosion resistance, among other properties.

It Doesn’t Rust

Since aluminum does not contain iron, it does not rust. It does, however, oxidize. When exposed to water, a white film of aluminum oxide forms that acts as additional corrosion protection.

It Has Been Used for Thousands of Years

In Ancient Greece, they used alum, a type of aluminum, to die clothes. A form of aluminum was used as an astringent for wounds. It wasn’t until the 19th century that it was produced industrially as a metal.

It Is Highly Reflective

This silvery-white soft metal is highly reflective. It reflects around 92% of visible light and 98% of infrared rays. This property makes it perfect for light fittings and mirrors.

It Is One-Third of the Weight of Steel

The fact that aluminum is so lightweight makes it ideal for many applications where steel would be too heavy, such as airplane and car parts. Its density and stiffness are also about one-third that of steel.