Small GLOAT and a thought (long)

[Michael Ballent]

While shopping for supplies for my wife's ceramics class we needed cheese cloth. Of course I told her that we needed to go to the hardware/painting side of the store... She tells me that her instructor told her to go to the sewing department because its cheaper there... Well we go and locate the cheese cloth on the sewing department and find out that it's 54 cents a yard about half the cost of the pre-packaged stuff in the hardware department. I know that it's not a lot of bucks, but a penny saved is a penny earned :D

This got me thinking about other places places that use the same materials woodworkers use but for some reason cost less. Anyone else out there know of alternate suppliers/industries (like the cheese cloth example) we can use? :) I can imagine that there are places out there that sell casters for carts for less than like Rockler, or rubber bands for clamping.

I know this is not the typical gloat like I went to an estate sale and bought 16" jointer for 50 bucks but wanted to get everyones thoughts/ideas on the subject.

[Kurt Aebi]

Michael,

I know what you mean. I get a lot of my Taxidermy supplies anywhere else than the supply houses. I get a bunch of it at Wally-World, Mod-Podge for deer nose dimpling, 20 Mule Team Borax (the very same stuff the catalog houses carry at about 80-85% savings), I buy the velvet for horn mounts at the sewing area.

I am glad you brought up this topic as many of us get to where we are staying inside the "Box" and not thinking outside it. When my wife drags me out to Michaels or A.C. Moore's - I am always looking around for things that can be used in my woodworking. When she drags me to the fabric stores, I am always thinking - "would that look good as a jewelry box liner" and stuff like that.

Thanks

[Lars Thomas]

The one that amazes me is utility knife blades. Get them at the borg in the flooring department for about half the price as they are in the tool corral (different brand, but who cares).

[Greg Heppeard]

This got me thinking about other places places that use the same materials woodworkers use but for some reason cost less. Anyone else out there know of alternate suppliers/industries (like the cheese cloth example) we can use? :) I can imagine that there are places out there that sell casters for carts for less than like Rockler, or rubber bands for clamping.

We used to use old cut up inner tubes for rubber band clamps...that was years ago and I don't know if the black comes off the new tubes or not. I also don't know if they are as elastic as they used to be. :confused:

[nic obie]

At Wal-Mart lacquer thinner is $2/gal cheaper in the automotive dept than in the paint dept.

[Dennis Peacock]

At Wal-Mart lacquer thinner is $2/gal cheaper in the automotive dept than in the paint dept.

NOW you got me wondering about prices at the stores around here. I'll have to check it out.