DIY Life

A few months back, the control knob on my clothes dryer broke. Since it involved only a minor DIY repair job, I thought this a fab opportunity to try shopping for spare parts online. Result? A 10 out of 10 experience. I used PartSelect and was really happy. Other likely-looking choices include PartStore and big box store sites like SearsPartsDirect, to name just two of the many sites out there.

I was thrilled with how easy it was to locate such a tiny and obscure plastic doo-dad via the Web. Thrilled because ordering it online was possible in the first place. Also thrilled because such sites make simple appliance repairs easier for the beginner DIY'er. Interested? After the break, I'll share what you should know before cracking out that credit card:

The Speed Factor. Buying spare parts online saves you lots of valuable time. In the olden days, you would have to flip through the phone book to find likely parts suppliers. Then you would have to make some phone calls. Next, you would waste at least an hour driving to and from the supplier.

How brave are you? I like to think that I'm fairly tough, especially when it comes to taking pain, but this DIY project is way out of my league. Branding is where the skin is burned to make a scar. In these instructions, they use a soldering iron to burn an image into the skin. The permanent scar is called a "brand". Here's what you'll need:

1. A friend who is willing to hold a 450 degree Celsius iron to your skin, or a friend who is willing to let you do this to them
2. Soldering iron
3. Face mask
4. Wooden spoon
5. Anesthetic
6. Emergency first aid

Please note that the article we're linking to here is not a typical site that we would normally link to. While there wasn't any offensive material on the article we are linking to (except of course for the article itself which is about intentionally burning one's skin), be warned that the rest of the Viceland site may well have offensive material. Oddly, in addition to the items listed above, the article recommends having some jellybeans on hand. If you're still reading then you are either brave or stupid, but either way, you might be interested in checking out their full instructions on DIY branding.

So you've wanted to be a musician since you were little -- you've practiced hard, and now it's all coming together. You're good, like really, really, good, and you're getting gigs. People love your show when they stumble upon it, but nobody is seeking you out. You're in need of some serious promotion, but you don't have the backing from a label, and you're not ready to pay a promoter. Self-promoting can be hugely successful, but it's also very hard to do correctly. These steps will help you get yourself out there and noticed by all the right people. Check them out in far more detail and you'll be on your way to success.

1. Identify your goals
2. Target the right audience
3. Have a promo package
4. Find your niche
5. Bribe em' - everybody loves free stuff
6. Branding
7. Keep track of your contacts

One important tip is Know when to act small. The easiest place to get publicity is in your own area. Think local and you'll grow. People will start to take notice, and you can branch out from there. If it's the local club scene that gives you your first shows, keep that home-base and the press will start to cover the other places you go.

Who knows, you might learn so much about promoting that when the big labels do approach you, you'll turn them down for a DIY gig.