06-27-2007, 10:13 PM
This could get long... so be forwarned.
Ran some errands today, and stopped at Michaels Crafts and Art Supply (big chain store) looking for a few things... simple things... all art and craft related...
Sodium Carbonate (aka "washing soda" or "soda ash"). Used extensively in dyeing fabrics, plating of metals, and general cleaning solutions. Just the sort of thing I SHOULD find in the tie-dying or fabric dyeing sections, right? Nope.
As long as it comes in a little tube of "tye-dye", for $7, I can get it..
Otherwise nothing. Oh, and glitter.. they have lots and lots of glitter...
Epoxy. Looking for a two part resin and hardener... little thinner than the standard "one step" 5-minute expoxy to use on some fiberglass mat to repair a fiberglass bumper on my dad's lawn tractor. Epoxy.. simple, very "craft and art supply" sorta thing.. right?
Nope. I can have JB Weld, Devcon 5-minute expoxy, or Elmers glue. Seriously.. that's ALL the glues they had. The spot for Gorilla Glue was empty.
Wax.. parafiin or beeswax.. used to make candles. They have an entire AISLE of candle making supplies... So they'd have the Wax.. right?
WRONG! I can buy any of 50 varieties of candles... molds... lots of different ungents, ointments, pigments, and smelly stuff to put IN candles to make them smolder, smoke, stink, or whatever. NO WAX.
3/16" leather punch. Now, here's something ANY craft store should have, right? Just a punch to punch a hole in a leather rifle sling that I need to modify.... Leatherworking.. Craft Store.. No brainer, right?
Wrong again!
But if I need leather moccasin kits, or leather cord FOR said moccasin kits, I'm covered. What a releif! God help you if you actually need to cut, punch, dye, finish, tool, or stain any leather... They have NOTHING.
OK..
1/16" thick cork sheet...
It's a CRAFTS STORE, about 3 ACRES OF CRAFT STORE...
They have GOT to carry CORK SHEETING!
NOPE!!!!! I can buy a 2'x4' bulletin board... but no cork sheet.
Last try...
I need some acetone... use it for cleaning metals for a variety of things.
Do you think they just might carry ACETONE?!?!? The SINGLE most common solvent ON THE ENTIRE PLANET?!?!?
OH MY GOD! YES! They DO carry Acetone!!
In a 9 oz plastic bottle.
For $9.99.
The same price as a QUART at the hardware store.
It's a REAL good thing that none of the employees asked if they could help me on my way out...
They would REALLY not have liked my language.
Now, except for the acetone which I can get at the hardware store... I will spend $30 over the internet, plus probably $50 in shipping, to get what I need for some SIMPLE DAMN PROJECTS!
If I need a picture frame, or some glitter, or plastic flowers, I'll go the Michaels.
Otherwise, they can kiss my "Art and Craft Supply" using arse.
Ran some errands today, and stopped at Michaels Crafts and Art Supply (big chain store) looking for a few things... simple things... all art and craft related...
Sodium Carbonate (aka "washing soda" or "soda ash"). Used extensively in dyeing fabrics, plating of metals, and general cleaning solutions. Just the sort of thing I SHOULD find in the tie-dying or fabric dyeing sections, right? Nope.
As long as it comes in a little tube of "tye-dye", for $7, I can get it..
Otherwise nothing. Oh, and glitter.. they have lots and lots of glitter...
Epoxy. Looking for a two part resin and hardener... little thinner than the standard "one step" 5-minute expoxy to use on some fiberglass mat to repair a fiberglass bumper on my dad's lawn tractor. Epoxy.. simple, very "craft and art supply" sorta thing.. right?
Nope. I can have JB Weld, Devcon 5-minute expoxy, or Elmers glue. Seriously.. that's ALL the glues they had. The spot for Gorilla Glue was empty.
Wax.. parafiin or beeswax.. used to make candles. They have an entire AISLE of candle making supplies... So they'd have the Wax.. right?
WRONG! I can buy any of 50 varieties of candles... molds... lots of different ungents, ointments, pigments, and smelly stuff to put IN candles to make them smolder, smoke, stink, or whatever. NO WAX.
3/16" leather punch. Now, here's something ANY craft store should have, right? Just a punch to punch a hole in a leather rifle sling that I need to modify.... Leatherworking.. Craft Store.. No brainer, right?
Wrong again!
But if I need leather moccasin kits, or leather cord FOR said moccasin kits, I'm covered. What a releif! God help you if you actually need to cut, punch, dye, finish, tool, or stain any leather... They have NOTHING.
OK..
1/16" thick cork sheet...
It's a CRAFTS STORE, about 3 ACRES OF CRAFT STORE...
They have GOT to carry CORK SHEETING!
NOPE!!!!! I can buy a 2'x4' bulletin board... but no cork sheet.
Last try...
I need some acetone... use it for cleaning metals for a variety of things.
Do you think they just might carry ACETONE?!?!? The SINGLE most common solvent ON THE ENTIRE PLANET?!?!?
OH MY GOD! YES! They DO carry Acetone!!
In a 9 oz plastic bottle.
For $9.99.
The same price as a QUART at the hardware store.
It's a REAL good thing that none of the employees asked if they could help me on my way out...
They would REALLY not have liked my language.
Now, except for the acetone which I can get at the hardware store... I will spend $30 over the internet, plus probably $50 in shipping, to get what I need for some SIMPLE DAMN PROJECTS!
If I need a picture frame, or some glitter, or plastic flowers, I'll go the Michaels.
Otherwise, they can kiss my "Art and Craft Supply" using arse.