First it was Batman, now its Superman. Hollywood movie crews are becoming a regular occurrence in Chicago as the city opens its arms to the filming of yet another action-packed superhero sequel. Those who spent any time downtown last summer may recall the excitement (and street closures) from the filming of Transformers 3 which was in Chicago for seven weeks of shooting in 2010. And in 2004, the Windy City served as the backdrop for Gotham City in Batman Begins as well as its sequel.

 The Dark Knight in 2007. Now, the motion picture industry will return to Chicago to shoot scenes for Superman: Man of Steel, a guaranteed Blockbuster slated for release in December 2012. With its third big screen filming in almost the same number of years, Chicago is building a reputation as a hot spot for directors to shoot their next big hit. Supermans director Zack Snyder will be in town this August and September with his star-studded cast (including Henry Cavill.

Kevin Costner and Diane Lane) to make a 21st Century version of the classic comic book characters extraordinary adventures. In addition to Chicago, the movie will be on location in Naperville and Plano (which is rumored to portray Clark Kents childhood home of Smallville).While most details about Superman: Man of Steel have been kept under tight wraps, it is expected that the majority of Chicago-area filming will take place at Silica Sol Precision Casting the suburban sets in Plano and Naperville. The film has an estimated budget of $175 million and is anticipated by the Chicago Film Office to provide another shot in the arm for the local economy as the Transformers and Batman productions did the past several years. 

Since 2003, the moviemaking industry in Illinois has pumped over $679 million into the states economy (and that doesnt even take into account the more than 20 films shot here in 2010). Want to be an extra in the Superman sequel? Theres an open casting call in Chicago next week (Saturday, June 25) at the Chicago Academy for the Arts from 11am to 4pm. According to an article published in Crains this Wednesday, the studio needs a variety of adults and children to be extras, photo doubles and stand-ins. They are specifically interested in twin babies and military/athletic types. Additional casting calls will be held China Alloy Steel Casting Suppliers at Napervilles DePaul University campus this Saturday.

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Kitchens are truly important workplaces and are considered as probably one of the busiest places in the home. Countertops are an important facet of kitchen life, and are not viewed merely as simple work surfaces, but are also essential aspects of the design for this part of the home. It therefore helps that homeowners wisely choose the appropriate countertop layouts when redesigning or constructing their kitchens.

However, as much as you wish to improve your design patterns or buy the best, these countertops can be really expensive, and sometimes they wouldn't fit a standard budget of sorts. However, homeowners would still be able to find the appropriate ones, as long they do a lot of research and shop around for the right ones.They could also revive an existing countertop by resurfacing it, to provide for an easy and affordable way of refining the look of their kitchens. Granite and Other Stone Materials: In choosing the appropriate countertops for your kitchens, you may also consider using those made of granite and other natural stone materials. Granite is a material that is often seen as one which offers added luxury and elegance. 

 Granite is generally available in lots of colors, shades, patterns and texture. The best feature of granite, according to natural stone experts, is that it has the ability to absorb considerable amounts of heat, wear and tear. Granite is not a seamless material, and its pieces do not require the need be joined together. Maintaining this type of natural stone should also be a simple one, because it can be washed with water and a mild detergent. Ceramic is also a viable material for use as a countertop. These come in varied shapes, sizes, colors, formats and patterns. Buyers can choose either a rough or a smooth finish, and depending on the finishes, these materials can be truly affordable ones, or may cost as expensive as granite and other special stone type. Another unique natural stone material would be lava stone. This one's made from glazed volcanic Wholesale Pump Castings Factory rock, and is truly heat resistant, scratch-resistant and is a tough material for use as a countertop. Carbon Steel Castings Suppliers However, it costs much more than granite or ceramic.

Stainless steel, Wood and other Materials: Apart from using materials made from natural stone, there are other materials which should be suitable for use as a kitchen countertop. Stainless steel is an appropriate material, and should help give this part of the home a more modern and futuristic look. Materials made from steel are considered to be scratch-proof, durable, heat and stain resistant, as well as cool to the touch. However, you may have a bit of a hard time cleaning them, as finger print marks, dust and dirt easily show, but you could also opt for non-directional stainless steel finishes that help lessen the smudge made by scratches, dust and finger print marks. Wood is also a unique material for use as a countertop; however, you need to keep in mind that you need to combine wood with other materials, particularly near the drain board and sink areas. This material also needs regular polishing, and may also easily show scratches, stains and knife marks. Glass could also serve as a viable material for use as countertops. However, you should only use the type of glass that has been toughened and made heat resistant, and its edges also need to be properly smoothened. It's a good thing however, that most kitchen countertops sold in home décor stores come in standard sizes, because this should help when the time comes for resurfacing it using laminate material. Most of the laminate material used in resurfacing countertops are available in a wide array of styles, colors and textures, and are generally affordable.

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Many people are afraid of using lye when it comes to soap making, whether it's the hot or cold process, you need to ensure your taking the proper precautions, lye is caustic, dangerous and will burn you if you aren't careful but don't let that deter you because it can also help you to make some of the healthiest and most beautiful soap you'll ever try. 

Although lye soap making is a simple enough process, it does add a few days to your soap making procedure, however, on the other hand it allows you to make several batches at any one time. Lye is commonly used, in fact it's an ingredient found in cloth, paper and detergents. strangely enough, lye has a chemical reaction with the oils in soap making and the lye disapears, producing a different substance in this case, Soap. Lye is found in all soaps. You can't make soap without this one crucial ingredient. There are different processes of soap making, but somewhere along the line, lye has been used. 

Here are  tips to help you with lye soap making: Mining Machining Casting Keep your lye stored carefully, lye absorbs moisture and carbon dioxide very easily so ensure that it is kept in an airtight container. China Alloy Steel Casting Factory Lye also dissolves easily in water, water and lye together have a chemical reaction and it causes the water to heat up rapidly, always ensure you are wearing an apron, rubber gloves and safety goggles to avoid any burns or spills. #3 When using lye only use stainless steel, plastic, ceramic or glass containers and utensils. Do not use other metal containers because they often react with the lye, causing your soap mixture to be ruined. Make sure your pots are 100% stainless steel, some pots have linings on underneath them that are a different metal. 

Its  relatively easy to start lye soap making, and to get started you really only need a few ingredients, some easily found utensils, good directions and maybe a recipe or two to get you started. Having somebody show you how to make your soap is a crucial step to the success of your soap making and one that will not only save you some money but also your time. with all that said, it is incredible that this very chemical will help you to produce the most  amazing soap! Just remember though to follow the instructions, follow the recipe and show it the proper respect and your lye soap making will be a true success. About Author Suzanne Currie :

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Majority of construction firms opt for galvanized steel to fortify fragile edifices. Galvanized iron strips are frequently the chosen support because of its inexpensive cost. This specific product is perfect for industrial applications primarily because of adaptability. It can be utilized for structural scaffolds, fencing enclosures and signs. Galvanized steel is covered with zinc to prevent corrosion which is described as galvanization. 

This is described as putting metallic coat in metal pieces through an electro-chemical methodology for protection purposes. Galvanized steel will not oxidize even if the zing covering is scraped compared to regular metal. - This kind of steel is not only corrosion-resistant. It can also withstand sudden temperature adjustments, scraping, and the usual deterioration. Nonetheless, this material manifests the pliable strength of metal characteristics. Galvanized metal can endure massive abuse without being vulnerable to the destructive effects of rust. Galvanized steel bands are inexpensive but durable. Moreover, metal that has gone through galvanization can be controlled like its normal counterpart. 

On the other hand, stainless steel is difficult to mold and manufacture. You still need the services of technical experts to work on this variety. - Special treatment China SULZER Duplex Stainless Steel Casting Manufacturers is not required. Once metallurgical bonding is performed, the galvanized metal gets heavy-duty protection that allows it to survive forceful handling during the installation process. The protective coat will not be affected even if the material is dropped, stamped on or rubbed intensely against concrete or iron surfaces. It can make use of the cathode shield which means that zinc can safeguard the steel up to one-fourth inch in thickness. 

Galvanized steel reinforcement is hardly affected by environmental exposure unlike the rebar with epoxy coating which is at risk to ultra-violet rays. This form of coating cracks up after being exposed to UV rays or exposed to temperatures which are less than 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The possible result is late installation because of the frosty weather. Galvanized rebar provides reliable protection against corrosion because the coat safeguards the steel prior to the implementation phase. There is a uniform outside layer from corner to corner of the metal component. China Alloy Steel Casting Factory The whole rounded piece is protected evenly because the zinc coat spreads up and down the corners of the steel's corners. Galvanizing specifications make sure that a full 100 percent of the bar is covered with zinc. There are no inconsistencies that you have to worry about when you choose this technique.

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