December 27, 2020 Shopping Post a Comment

How Are Handpans Made?

The handpan is a finely tuned percussion instrument that has caught the fancy of musicians all over the world. Since its introduction during the year 2000, the handpan has gained in popularity and has become a household name in many parts of the world.

The question foremost in the minds of music enthusiasts is, how are handpans made? This article hopes to answer this question rather briefly, but it will surely give you the answer you seek.

Step No:1

Steel is the metal that is normally used in making a handpan. The correct grade of square steel sheets is needed first. These are sourced from regular sellers.

Step No:2

Normally, most handpans are made by hand. The steel sheets are hammered by hand until it gets the dome shape. This takes time and effort. However, some companies use machines to achieve this shape.

Step No:3

The dome shape is now cut out and a process of heat and chemical reaction enables the addition of nitrogen to the steel. This process is known as nitriding. This process hardens the steel and prevents rusting. However, if you are using stainless steel you don’t have to nitride.

Step No:4

The next process is to set the tone fields on the dome. Normally there are about 7 to 9 tone fields in each instrument. The center point, generally known as the “ding” gives out the ding note. The other notes are now incorporated on the top of the sheet or dome. These are spaced out in a particular pattern as decided by the tuner or artisan. These points are then hammered to create the tone fields. This could be a depression towards the inside or a protrusion towards the outside. The maker decides this.

Step No:5

This step prepares the shell for tuning. This process involves hammering the tone fields to compress the metal and then a process of heat treatment is given to stabilize the shell.

Step No:6

The actual tuning takes place in this step. This is the process in which each tone field is hammered to generate the required sound.  The constant hammering brings the tone field into the specific shape required. Slowly the metal is coaxed to put the right pitch and play the correct note.

Three notes can be produced by one tone field. This is a process that is time-consuming and may take months to perfect.

Step No:7

In this step, the top part of the shell is firmly fixed to the bottom shell using a strong glue. The bottom half has a hole in the middle of a particular size to allow airflow. This enables the instrument to resonate when being played.

Step No:8

The entire instrument is tuned and re-tuned to achieve perfection. You have to allow the instrument a few weeks to settle down before you book it to your buyer as the metal has the memory to revert to its previous shape. Re-tuning will help to maintain the shape better.

Step No:9

This step involves cleaning and polishing the handpans. This will help to remove the excess glue in the fixture and also smooth the edges. You now have a wonderful instrument ready to enchant the world.

October 24, 2020 Health Post a Comment

What Is NOT Included In Medicare Supplement Plans 2021

Medicare Supplement Plans 2021 are always top on the priority list for those who realize that insurance is an important element in their lives. They probably have been managing this far without much trouble, only because they have the support and reach of the Medicare that has been offered by the federal and/or state government. At a certain point in their lives, they realize that they now have to think of something more if they want the kind of protection and cover that their health calls for. This is when a supplement plan or a Medigap as it is also known, is looked at seriously. Though most people will give you a lot of benefits that you could enjoy, few are willing to explain what is not included in this kind of supplement policy. Read on to find out, so that yours is an informed decision.

Some Exclusions To Know About

One of the main things that are not included in a Medigap plan could be long-term care. This would include the care that you could access in a nursing home. For instance, you might be recovering from surgery and convalescing in a hospice. In this case, this might not require skilled nursing care as such. All you require is someone to be with you as a companion; for which you would have to pay. In this case, the payment made for this care is usually not covered under a Supplement Plan. This applies to private-duty nursing as well. This is also not covered under a Medigap policy. If you envisage having to pay a large sum for such care, it would be better to specify this and raise a query with your insurance provider.

Aids

Here, aids refer to hearing, dental or vision aids that you need to acquire to make your quality of life better. It could also be a simple piece of equipment like an eyeglass or a replacement set of dentures. For aids such as these, Medigap will not provide the necessary coverage. Therefore, do not get taken in by anybody who is promising you coverage for things such as these through a supplement plan. These are specialised equipment which might not fall into any kind of insurable category.

Getting to know what is included and what is not, helps you make the right decision at the appropriate and opportune moment. Do not be led astray by tall promises; they are not going to help in any way.

September 19, 2020 Health Post a Comment

Medicare Supplement Plans Comparison Chart 2021 – Why Is Plan G The Best?

Take a good look at the Medicare supplement plans comparison chart 2021; you are most likely to feel a bit giddy with all those letters B and F and G and C doing the rounds in your head! There is no doubt that you will find things so confusing, you might end up saying that you don’t want Medicare or Medigap or any kind of assistance from an insurance company. Well, this is not where we are driving you – we are here to help you understand all that you can do to keep sane and not get overwhelmed by this overload of information.

Has COVID Worsened Your Insurance Plans?

Just like any other sector, the insurance sector feels equally vulnerable and fragile in the recent pandemic situation. Though this is a sector that bases all its calculations and projection on the evaluation of risk; in the COVID conditions, these projections have not been possible. This has been because of the sheer magnitude of the problem. One more important reason is that since it is a pandemic, involving every part of the world, it is difficult to make predictions that are fairly accurate. The companies are dependent on the data that keeps changing practically every day.

Find Out Why Plan G Scores Over The Others

The benefits that you get when you take a Plan G are more or less the same as Plan F – so why is it better? Let us explain why. In most plans, including F, the extra out of pocket costs that you pay are not covered. These are in excess of the amount you are entitled to in Part B. If you want to make sure that these out of pocket expenses are taken care of, G is your only remedy. From the money that you get from your first level Medicare, you can cover most expenses that you would incur either at the hospital or nursing home that you need to visit for treatment. There are always some additional costs that cannot be covered in the Part B section. This is where G comes in as a saviour. It takes care of extra expenses and leaves you feeling safe and well.

Study the various aspects of the supplement plan – knowing what Plan G can do for you puts you on a real good and comfortable wicket, as far as 2021 is concerned.