Monthly Archives: October 2009

Round, Cylindrical or Hemispherical: Rubber Feet Dilemma Solved

You need some rubber feet but don’t know what shape to buy? Look no further. Here is the information you need.

Do you want the top of the self-adhesive rubber feet to have a flat surface? You should choose a cylindrical rubber foot. Cylindrical rubber feet are basically shaped like a coin….flat top, and flat bottom.

They are perfect for situations where you need to use them between two flat surfaces. Some suggested uses are for the back of pictures and art hung on the wall; for kitchen and bathroom cabinets to cushion the close; and craft projects like coasters and stained glass projects. We’ve even seen them used to place sheets of glass on tabletops to separate the glass from the surface underneath. Cylindrical rubber feet are available in both clear and black.

Do you want the self-adhesive rubber bumpers to be rounded? Then you need to purchase hemispherical rubber feet. Think of a ball cut into half – rounded on one side; flat where the adhesive attaches to the surface.

Hemispherical rubber feet are perfect for separating electronics equipment to help air circulate between two boxes. They are also ideal for applying to surfaces when you need a little bit of a grip on the surface underneath.

Here’s a unusual use for a hemispherical rubber foot: Apply with the adhesive side down on a bookshelf or display cabinet to hold propped up items in place. Clear rubber feet work perfectly on glass shelves! Like cylindrical feet, hemispherical rubber bumpers are available in clear or black.

Solar Energy in China: Here Comes the Sun

Growing demand for renewable energy sources has skyrocketed all over the world, but no where is this more evident than in China.

Take a look at the city of Rizhao where miles of dark tubing cover the roofs of apartment buildings and private homes. The reason? Using solar powered hot water heaters is mandatory in Rizhao. In fact, due to requirements such as this one, China has become the largest producer (and consumer of) solar hot-water heaters. Rizhao’s commitment to solar energy is deep: it has pledged to become the very first city in China to become carbon-neutral.

The good news for all of us is that the surge in solar panel requirements has created more supply, and thus lower pricing for all of us. The lower prices help make solar energy more affordable even here in the US.

As new panels are shipped to us, we will be passing on the new lowered prices to our customers. West Florida Components has just lowered our prices on all new solar panels by an average of 16%. Good news for all of us!