You can find pre-cut and pre-dried slabs in lumber stores and stores that specialize in woodworking supplies. Online stores are a great place to purchase unique slabs made from rare varieties of wood as well. Look for slabs that are at least 2 inches (5.1cm) thick. You can cut the slab from a piece of felled lumber, or have a lumber mill do it for you. Choose wood that was felled during the summer. It will be easier to remove the bark later on. Knots, burls, and limbs often reveal surprising patterns and textures. Take these into consideration when picking your slab. If you choose to buy a slab from the store, you need to wait 1 to 2 weeks before you use this. This will give the wood enough time to adjust to the humidity of your home. If you cut the slab yourself, or had a saw mill do it for you, air-dry or kiln-dry the slab first. Secure the slab to your workbench with hand screws. Add a MDF (medium density fiberboard) strip if you need a straightening guide. Cut the slab to the length you need with a 7 1/4-inch (18-cm) circular saw.
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One-sentence summary -- Purchase the slab from a store if you want to minimize your work. Wait 1 to 2 weeks for store-bought slabs to acclimate. Cut the slab down to the right length, if needed.

People who have smoked for a long time or who smoke more than 2 packs of cigarettes per day have a much higher risk of developing lung cancer. Chewing tobacco and snuff also increase your risk. Even if you do not smoke yourself, frequent contact with second-hand (like being exposed to chemicals and smoke) increases your risk considerably, especially if you live with a smoker. If you have had radiation to treat past cancers, or any other disease, your risk of developing lung cancer goes up. In general, though, under these circumstances, the benefits of treatment outweigh the risks. Gasoline fumes, diesel fumes, mustard gas, vinyl chloride, and coal products may increase your risk of developing lung cancer. This factor explains why people in certain jobs have higher incidences of the disease. Exposure to other chemicals, including arsenic, coal, silica, chromium, and asbestos, may also make you more susceptible to lung cancer. These chemicals are mostly impossible to sense, however, and so are difficult to avoid. Quarry miners that work with ore or coal have an increased risk of lung cancer. If you have a relative who has been diagnosed with lung cancer, you may also have a higher risk. Lung cancer rates increase with age, with people over 60 carrying the highest risk. Men develop lung cancer more frequently than women do.
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One-sentence summary -- Monitor your tobacco use. Be aware of second-hand smoke. Understand the effects of medical radiation. Note any exposure to cancer-causing chemicals. Know your family medical history. Factor in your age and gender.

The easiest way to heat milk is in the microwave, but you'll have to keep an eye on it. One cup (250 mL) of milk should reach room temperature within 45 seconds and boil within two and a half minutes. Stir it every 15 seconds to keep it from boiling over. You can also try setting your microwave to 70 percent power for a slower boil. You should still stir the milk every 15 seconds. When boiling milk on the stovetop, use a deep pot so the milk has room to bubble and crawl up the sides. If you're making a sauce or a glass of warm milk, set the heat to medium. To keep the milk from boiling over, don't turn your back on it and stir it every few minutes. Lower the heat when the milk starts to boil to avoid scorching it. Milk boils over when a layer of protein and fat forms at the top and prevents steam below from escaping as it heats. Eventually, the steam breaks through violently and the milk boils over the sides of the pot. Keeping a long-handled spoon gives the steam a way out before too much pressure builds. You should still put the spoon to use every few minutes and stir the milk to release steam. If you're making cheese or yogurt, you should heat milk by one degree per minute. Heat it at low to medium-low for 30 to 40 minutes and stir it every few minutes. When you see tiny bubbles and steam, the milk has met its boiling point of 180 degrees Fahrenheit (82 degrees Celsius). If your stove runs hot and you can't boil milk slowly enough directly over a flame, you could use the double boiler method.
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One-sentence summary -- Heat it in the microwave. Boil milk on the stovetop in a large, deep pot. Try keeping a long-handled spoon in the pot. Heat milk for culturing slowly.

A big, dark, simple design is easiest to work with. Print in black and white or dark colors -- you need to see the pattern through the screen. It also has to fit inside your embroidery hoop. If you don't want to use your computer's imaging program, you can draw one yourself. Just make sure it's the right size, is dark enough, and won't transfer to your screen. Unscrew the hoop that opens it and pull your fabric taut across the base of the hoop. Replace the top and twist the screw back in. It doesn't matter if it's centered; you'll only be using the material within the circumference of the hoop. Sheer curtain material works well as your screen. Pick a fabric that's meshy and not quite translucent. The fabric should be directly touching the pattern. Use a pencil to trace your image; if you mess up, you can always go back and erase. Only trace an outline. Cover the outside of your pattern (where your tracing lines are) in a layer of glue. This should not be on your pattern; it should be surrounding it. This glue acts as a shield when you apply the paint -- if you go outside the lines, it won't show on the fabric; it'll just be left on the glue. The glue can go as crazy as it wants outside the pattern -- just make sure it doesn't go inside. When you're finished, wait for it to dry completely. 15 minutes should do the trick. The sheer fabric should be away from the material, separated by the width of the embroidery hoop. Smooth out the fabric underneath the screen to create an even pattern. If you have an ink squeegee, use it to apply your paint to the material. If you don't, use a sponge paintbrush and hold the screen firmly. Be careful that you don't incur any smudges when you lift it off! If it hasn't dried thoroughly, the paint may run. Give it a solid 15 minutes to dry completely. Iron your fabric, following the directions on the bottle of ink or paint you used. Wear away!
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One-sentence summary --
Print off your design on your computer. Place your sheer fabric material in an embroidery hoop. Place the hoop on top of the pattern and start tracing. Flip the hoop fabric side up. Position the screen in place. Pull off the screen and allow your material to dry.