How to iron a shirt

How to iron a shirt

Learn the proper way to iron a shirt:
Ironing is less of an art than it used to be. Today, fashion rules accommodate wrinkles, recognizing that pure linen and pure cotton will get wrinkled one way or the other. Other fabrics need no ironing to look crisp and ready to wear. Dry cleaners provide laundry and ironing for washable items at reasonable rates.
For the purpose of this lesson, we will assume that the shirt is a 100-percent cotton, standard dress shirt - not button-down, not tux, not that favorite rayon number with the never-seen-in-nature palm trees. (One learning-experience at a time is enough.)

1. A clean, dry shirt needs to be dampened before ironing, even if you own a steam-iron. Use a spray bottle or flick water with your fingers, roll the shirt in a clean dish towel and set aside for 10 to 30 minutes. The dish towel will feel slightly damp. Bath towels work, too, though they tend to stay dry on the outside.
2. Fill the iron with distilled water for steam (you will use the steam setting on only as needed). Set iron at, or just below, the cotton setting.
3. Unroll the shirt, and turn it inside-out. This is the step that separates the women from the girls. Ironing all the double-fabric surfaces (the collar, yoke, cuff and seams) on the back side first will give the front-side surfaces the smooth finish you expect from a professional.

4. Beginning with the button placket (the front piece of the shirt with the buttons), iron all double-fabric surfaces on the back side. Move from the button-placket side to the button-hole side. Along the way, remember the backs of the cuffs, the sleeve seams and side seams. As you move the shirt along the board, check for a pocket, which also needs back-side pressing. If you encounter any dry spots, activate the steam setting long enough to press them. When you've finished your back-side work, the shirt should still feel slightly damp or steamy.
5. Turn the shirt right-side out. Starting again with the front button-placket, work your way across the body of the shirt, saving the sleeves, cuffs, yoke and collar for last. Remember that when ironing the sleeves, the iron used for most shirt parts in a commercial laundry looks like a large waffle iron. To copy their technique, fold shirt sleeves flat at the inner seam. Iron them like that; do not let the crease you form extend past the shoulder-seam. Iron the shoulder yoke round on the small end of the ironing board without creases.
6. Almost done and down to the pretty parts. Open the cuffs and iron them flat. Give an extra press to the buttonhole side of the front. Save your last love for the collar. Iron flat, immediately moving the shirt to a hanger. Button the top button to hold the collar shape.

When you're finished, your shirt will be crisp, dry and smooth. You've saved the day or the dinner or the romance. Enjoy that wonderful just-ironed smell floating through the room, and the fact that now you know how to iron a shirt.

Scuba diving: setting up and testing your tanks

Scuba diving: setting up and testing your tanks

Instructions on how to properly set up and test your scuba tanks, including safety tips.

Scuba cylinders, sometimes referred to as tanks or bottles, are the heart of the system that allows divers to remain underwater and explore the ocean realm. These devices come in a variety of styles, sizes, colors and material. From steel, to aluminum, to fiber reinforced, the variations in design lend the individual cylinder to specific requirements set forth by the manufacturer. As with any life-support equipment, it is always best to follow the manufacturer guidelines and have a professional, certified, technician service the device. What follows here is the basic information needed to set up and test a scuba tank/cylinder and is in no way designed to be a short-cut or replacement for professional service.

Proper handling of a scuba cylinder is important for the longevity of the cylinder itself and for the safety of the diver. Avoiding scratches, dents, or sudden impacts to the cylinder is necessary to ensure a long service life. External damage can weaken the cylinder, unseat the valve or cause the cylinder to not properly connect with other equipment, namely the first-stage of the regulator harness.

When setting up at a dive site, it is a good idea never to leave a tank standing unattended. Most divers prefer to lay their tanks on the ground/sand to avoid any damage to the tank or injury that could occur by the tank suddenly falling over. Tanks should only be kept upright if they are secured, such as on a dive boat or a dock equipped with cylinder restraints. Keep in mind that while resting the tank on its side is best, it is important to make sure the valve area is not covered with dirt or sand. A good accessory is a valve cover that can be kept in place until it is time to attach the first stage to the tank valve.

When attaching the first stage of the regulator harness to the tank valve, be sure to make sure the connection is free of debris and water. Stand the tank upright and support it with your body or have it braced against something (by this time, most divers will already have the tank attached to their BCD or buoyancy compensating device). Loosen the yoke screw and slip the ?A-clamp? over the tank valve. Make sure the first stage seats correctly against the o-ring on the tank valve. Tighten the yoke screw ?hand-tight? only. Slowly turn the air valve on the tank to its open position, being prepared to turn it back off if any problems arise. If no problems are noticed, open the air valve all the way and then turn it back one-half turn. At this point most divers will draw a few test breaths from their regulator to make sure everything is connected properly and no unusual resistance is noticed.

Once the first stage is connected to the tank/cylinder, and the tank secured to a buoyancy compensating device, again place the entire system on its side or have it secured in restraints. With the added pieces of the scuba system, the tank will become even more susceptible to falling over. Proceed with helping others set up their scuba systems and then prepare for a day full of diving and exploring the ocean realm.