Once you’re satisfied with the basic shape of your ring, tilt it at a 30-45 degree angle and press it gently into the sander or Dremel. Rotate the ring until you’ve sanded down the entire circumference, then turn it over and smooth the opposite side. Once again, be careful not to remove too much wood from the edges of the ring.  Doing your sanding by hand will offer you greater control over how much material you’re taking off if you’re concerned about damaging the ring after all the hard work you’ve put into it. Beveling wears down the squared corners, making the ring more comfortable to slide on and off. While it’s not a necessity, a few quick passes with a heating gun can provide added durability and a more customized fit. Set the ring on a heat-safe surface and position the nozzle of the gun 6 inches (15 cm) above it. Wave the gun back and forth slowly until the wood just begin to smoke or darken around the edges. Exposure to intense heat will cause the fibers in the wood to draw up, making them stronger. Dab a small amount of beeswax or linseed, walnut, or tung oil onto a clean cloth and rub it over the completed ring inside and out. Wipe off any excess oil or wax and give the finish a few minutes to dry before trying on your new ring. Once it’s been treated, you’ll be able to wear it fearlessly in virtually any set of conditions.  Waxes and oils act as a natural buffer against dirt, moisture, and scratches, and will keep your ring from cracking or splitting over time. No need to worry if you’re unable to track down a fancy finish—the natural oils secreted by your skin will coat the ring with enough wear.

Summary: Bevel the edges of the ring. Heat temper the ring to strengthen the wood (optional). Apply a coat of oil or wax to preserve the wood finish.


A simple way that you can boost your study sessions, is to make some flashcards that have your spelling words on them.  To make a flash card, simply write down a spelling word on one side of the card and leave the other blank.  You can use flashcards in a few different ways to help you study more effectively.  Try studying with flashcards using some of these methods:  Glance at the side of the card with the word on it.  Flip the card over and try to spell the word from memory. Have a friend read the word out loud to you.  Try to spell the word without looking.  Have your friend tell you if your spelling was correct. Review your cards anytime to get more familiar with how to properly spell your words. While you can do well studying alone, studying with a friend can give you some extra help.  You can both improve your spelling skills as you work together to memorize the words on your list.  Try scheduling study sessions with a friend to get in some extra practice and make learning your words a bit more fun.  Studying with a friend can allow you both to quiz each other. Both quizzing and being quizzed will give you practice. Try including a fun competition to see who can spell the most words correctly. Mnemonics are mental associations that can be used to help remember things.  You can use basic mnemonic methods to help you remember the correct spelling of the words on your spelling test.  Consider using some of the following examples of mnemonics to help you do well on your test:  You can use acronyms to help with tough words.  For example, the word "weird" could be remembered by assigning a word to each letter.  "Would everyone inside read documents?" could be the saying you use to remember how to spell the word "weird". Try including difficult areas of a word in your mnemonic.  For example, Sep"arat"e is "a rat of a word to spell" could help you remember the tricky middle section of the word separate. The English language is made up of words that were borrowed from many other language families.  Because of this, many of the words in English can be difficult to spell.  However, learning the language of origin for a word can give you some hints when you are remembering how to spell it.  Take a look at some of these examples to get a better idea of how learning the origins of words can help you spell them:  Many English words come from Latin.  In words with a Latin origin, most "K" sounds are spelled with the letter C.  Many "S" sounds will be spelled with an "SC" combination. Words with Greek origins may spell the short I sound with the letter Y.  For example, in the word "symbiotic", the "y" has the sound of a short i.

Summary: Make some flashcards. Study with a friend. Use mnemonics. Learn the origin of a word.


Cooking your turkey at a low, even temperature will help ensure that you get a tasty, tender bird. Put the baking rack in the lowest position in the oven so you’ll have plenty of room for your turkey. Some chefs recommend starting the turkey at 425 °F (218 °C) and then reducing the heat after half an hour. This approach will speed up your cooking time by 30-90 minutes, but it’s important to remember to turn the oven down! The average cooking time is 20 minutes per 1 pound (0.45 kg) of turkey if your bird is unstuffed. If your turkey is stuffed, however, add an extra ¼ hour to the total cooking time. During the last 30-45 minutes of cooking, remove the foil over the breast and thighs. This will help the skin become brown and crispy.  Leaving the foil over the ends of the wings and drumsticks will help keep them from scorching. If any part of your turkey is browning too quickly, try turning the pan to help distribute the heat more evenly. When your estimated cooking time is finished, use a meat thermometer to check if the turkey is ready to come out. Place the thermometer in the inside thigh. The turkey is done when the temperature reaches 165 °F (74 °C).  Your turkey might cook faster than you anticipated, so start checking the temperature about halfway through the estimated cooking time. If the turkey still isn’t hot enough at the end of the estimated cooking time, put it in for another 20 minutes and then check it again. Don’t forget to check the temperature of the stuffing, too!

Summary: Preheat the oven to 325 °F (163 °C). Determine the cooking time based on the turkey’s weight. Remove the foil in the last 45 minutes to crisp the skin. Use a meat thermometer to see if the turkey is done.


Machine wash your garment if the label contains a symbol of a three-sided container with wavy lines on top. Think of this symbol as your washing machine filled with water to help you remember what it means. You can machine wash as normal, without any special considerations.  If this symbol has one line under it, use the permanent press wash cycle.  If this symbol has two lines under it, use the gentle wash cycle.  If this symbol contains one dot, wash it in cold water.  If this symbol contains two dots, wash it in warm water.  If this symbol contains three dots, wash it in hot water.  If this symbol contains a number, wash it in water the temperature (in degrees Celsius) of that number (e.g., if the number is 30, wash the garment in water with a temperature of 30 degrees Celsius, or 86 degrees Fahrenheit). You should hand wash your garment if the label contains a washing symbol with a hand in it. You should not put items with this symbol in the washing machine, as the fabric may be too delicate. Generally, you should not hand wash items at a temperature higher than 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Do not wash your garment if it contains the washing symbol with an X through it. This goes for both machine washing and hand washing. Instead, take the garment to the dry cleaner to ensure the fabric is cleaned appropriately.
Summary: Identify when to machine wash your clothes. Identify when to hand wash your garment. Identify when a garment cannot be washed.