Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with supplies

Where are the baking supply stores in Vancouver

Xianny — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:23:07 -0800

What are some good cooking/baking/candy supply stores in Vancouver? More specifications under the cut. I'm looking for a few specific things:

- tablespoon ice cream scoop
- foil candy cups
- lollipop sticks
- candy thermometer
- good quality couverture chocolate and baking chocolate
- various candied fruits: orange peel, ginger, etc

I realise you can find most of these things in some department store or supermarket, but I usually have to visit 5 different stores before I find what I'm looking for. Lack of personal transport and time leads me to seek one (or more) go-to supply store. This magic store should be functional and affordable - no overpriced dinosaur cocktail stirrers - and located in downtown/east Van, N. Burnaby or S. Burnaby (Metrotown area). Thanks very much!

Do Prismacolor pencils ever go bad?

aquafortis — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 15:11:43 -0800

Do Prismacolor pencils ever go bad? I came across a stash of over 200 Prismacolor pencils that are about twenty years old. They seem fine so far, but are there any drawbacks I should expect from using them? Another mystery: I also have quite a few identical-looking pencils that say "Eaglecolor" instead of "Prismacolor". (e.g. "Berol Eaglecolor Sand 940; Berol Eaglecolor Copenhagen Blue 906.") Any info on what I've got would be appreciated. Thanks!

Non-traditional building supply sources?

odinsdream — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 08:20:49 -0800

I'm planning a home addition but would like peruse building material sources beyond what's available in consumer hardware stores. What sources do architects and contractors use for non-standard windows and other items? Is there a McMaster-Carr-equivalent for building materials? I'm in the early design stages of a home addition and am trying to figure out windows, in particular. Pictures 4 and 5 on this page show what I'm looking for.

Would a large array of windows like that be a completely custom thing? I.e., I'd need to contact a glass and metal shop and get it totally made from scratch?

In general, who are the vendors for not-exactly-standard building components like this, and where are they listed? Perhaps sources traditionally for commercial applications that I could rework into a residential environment?

Lock in low toner prices! And I did! And I was scammed! Help, please.

Anonymous — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 08:48:06 -0800

Okay, so I fell for the copier toner scam. How do I fix it? In my defense, they were actually really nice and I was on DayQuil and they sounded very convincing. I "ordered" the stuff today, and right after doing so realized what I did and I quickly tried to call them back and cancel the order, but the number they called from, 213-537-1910 is dead air and googling the number tells me that I'm a complete idiot for falling for it, but no way to call them back. Does anyone have any ideas? I feel like a complete idiot. Anon due to idiocy and wanting to take care of this before anyone else finds out. "Ordered" today and being shipped out on Monday.

p.s. I'm in Ohio, if that helps.

Cheap, Blank Notepads?

chrisalbon — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 16:17:16 -0800

Where can I buy cheap blank notepads. I few months ago I bought a Fujitsu Scansnap and turned my life paperless.

So far it has gone great and I cannot imagine going back. However, one thing would make it better: pads of blank paper.

I take a ton of handwritten notes and would like to scan them. Currently I use pads of lined paper, but this can be annoying because the scanner wastes time scanning the back sides of all the pages because it cannot distinguish between a page with just blank lines and a page of text.

I have gone to Office Max to find pads of blank paper, but all I could find was expensive sketch pads.

Anyone know where I can buy cheap blank notepads?

Make my office supplies last longer.

HotPatatta — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 08:04:00 -0800

How can I stretch office/classroom supplies? Where can I order cheap office supplies? Any hacks to avoid buying the real stuff (e.g., instead of buying glue, mix flour and water together)? My school gave me a classroom with no supplies. No paper, no pencils, no crayons, no books, no anything. Nada. My students come from impoverished homes and their parents can't afford school supplies, meaning I have to provide school supplies for 24 kids. Your suggestions, please.

Help me with the logistics of my paper craft.

sarahalisonmiller — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:54:23 -0800

Craft filter: I would like to begin selling a mixed media paper craft (a print embellished with embroidery thread). I'm happy with the crafty part...but now about the logistics: sourcing paper, paper size, ink quality, packaging. Sourcing paper: Where can I find archival quality paper (relatively heavy, but no more than 90 lb) at an affordable price? If I manage to start selling, I won't be able to afford to buy it at the local Michaels.

Paper size: Right now, I am working with my own personal printer. It can handle paper up to 8 1/2 by 10. The actual image I am producing is approx. 5 1/2 by 8 1/2 (but I can alter this slightly without distorting the print). Ideally, the print would not take up the entire area of paper, but would have margins at the 4 sides. If folks who buy my craft might like to frame it, what size paper should I use and with what size margins? Should the margins all be equal?

Ink: My printer is an Epson CX8400. It seems that most people selling prints advertise that they use "archival inks." What does this really mean, is it really important, will my printer take them, and can I buy them at an average office supplies store?

Packaging: I know where to find plastic sleeves and thick envelopes, but is there something else I should know about packaging and shipping?

Whew. That's a lot of questions. Answer as few or many as you're are willing and able.

I'm tired of supporting WalFart.

RunawayOctober — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 10:09:34 -0800

Help me find more Mom-and-Pop shops in AZ. I'm looking for quirky shops just full of weird stuff - preferably craft supplies, home decor, clothing or second-hand stuff. Not looking for:
-Big-boxes
-Corporate

Definitely looking for:
-Kid friendly
-As close to Gilbert as possible
-Fabrics! Craft Supplies! (Especially designer cottons)
-The place you would go to find that gift for that one friend who's just so strange that you can't shop for them at the mall or WalFart.
-Second-hand or eco-friendly an absolute plus!

The joys of a well-stocked desk

onshi — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 05:55:31 -0800

WhiteCollarFilter: For the very first time, I now have a desk (and office!) to myself at work. What handy, practical, useful, or fun things should I keep at hand? I'm not really seeking desk toys and the like so much as the kind of creative, thrifty, perhaps unexpected objects, tools, and supplies you've found useful over the years. I've got some of the basics covered, including:

Misc. medicines (Advil, Tylenol, Pepto, etc.)

Tide detergent pen for lunch spills USB charger(s) for my mobile phone and iPod

Water pitcher, kettle & mug for making tea and a cache of snacks (granola bars) and diet cola to save money and so I don't have to carry as much with me on the way to work each morning

A small amount of cash (mostly change)

A backup umbrella

Lens cleaning solution and cloth for my glasses

Ideas?

Where to buy a straight razor in Montreal?

royalchinook — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 09:17:07 -0800

Where to buy a straight razor in Montreal? I'll admit that I haven't looked to hard on my own to find the answer for this but I was wondering if any Montreal-ers know of a good place to buy blades for a straight razor? They're for my wife who is a trained hair dresser and cuts a few peoples hair in our home (she vastly prefers razor with guard over scissors); her supply is getting dull. Thanks!

How interchangeable are laptop power supplies?

JeffL — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:04:59 -0800

How interchangeable are laptop power supplies? The power supply for my Toshiba Satellite laptop just got fried - there was a kink in the cord which finally caused a wire to fray, and now the thing is dead. I have an older power supply (also for a Toshiba laptop, albeit a much older one). Can I use the old power supply?

The dead power supply has an output labeled "15V - 5A", while the older one has an output labeled "15V - 3A". Will it work?

Office Supplies for a Visa Application

natabat — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 12:02:03 -0800

I'd like to put together a "K-1 Visa Kit" full of office supplies to make the process as easy as possible for my sister and her boyfriend. What do I need? She'll have the forms and documentation under control, so I'd just like to save her a couple of trips to the store if possible. So far, I'm thinking: envelopes, address labels (home and possibly common destinations, if I can figure that out), postage, a filing case, a 2 hole punch, ACCO fasteners (whatever those are), Kinko's card, and a calendar.

I've seen this (hence the hole punch and fasteners). Can you guys think of anything else she should have? She's in California and he's in France, if that makes a difference.

Alternatively, if I'm blowing the process out of proportion and this is kind of a stupid idea for a Christmas present, let me know.

Finally, I'd ask over at VisaJourney, but she might find it over there...

Mr. Bento you're a bloodthirsty foe, but your chicken is delicious!

indiebass — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 11:34:21 -0800

I bit the bullet and bought a Mr. Bento lunch box and it is awesome. Now what? I purchased Mr. Bento for a few reasons:

a) to save some money instead of buying lunches and Lean Cuisines (which is what I currently do) which has recently become more important

b) to eat healthier foods because I'm trying to shed a bunch of lbs, and what I'm doing now is OK but I think I could do better (plus, frozen foods have a TON of sodium), and

c) to help regulate portion size, because even when I eat healthy I do tend to have a lot of it, which is (let's face it) counterproductive, and I feel like only so much can fit into the bento compartments which means what doesn't fit doesn't come for lunch.

So now I'm looking to stock the kitchen with the things I'll need to make delicious and nutritious bento lunches. I have brown rice, natch, and Mirin but what else do I need to pick up? I got a jar of Giardiniara yesterday, which are italian pickled veggies (I understand pickled veggies are a common bento course) so I'm not necessarily looking to make traditional Japanese bento food every day, but I do love it so I certainly will be making some, learning how to along the way. The only requirements will be that it is, more or less, "healthy" and that it isn't overly complex to make. (I understand that's one of the Raisons d'être of the bento). I'm less interested in making everything 'cute', which seems to be the focus of a lot of the bento websites I've seen. I'm more concerned with the food itself than the aesthetics.

So, hive mind: you've never failed me before. Can you help me make a startup shopping list for my Mr. Bento lunch adventure?

Where can I buy 4x5 Polaroid Sheet Film in Rome?

Bengston — Sun, 13 May 2007 10:23:18 -0800

Where can I buy 4x5 Polaroid Sheet Film in Rome? I'm heading off to Italy this afternoon for a little over two weeks. Although I don't have much time to do any photography lately I still want to take some photos with my field camera and so I purchased a couple of boxes of Polaroid film, however I figure it is very likely that once I get there I am going to feel compelled to take more than a couple of photos a day. Does anyone know where in either Rome or Florence I can pick up some more 4x5 Polaroid sheet film? I currently have typ 59 and type 54 but I would be interested in other types also (but I don't have any ND filters so they would need to be rather low ISO) Is it going to cost me an arm in a leg more than what I am used to? (I normally order from B&H)

Looking for foam core board

photoslob — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 21:15:17 -0800

I'm looking for a source of cheap foam core board. Any suggestions? I'm looking for foam core board that is black on one side and white on the other. I need it in 4 ft x 8 ft sheets. The two large art supplies stores in my area can't get it. I've looked online and I'm not able to find it.

In case you're wondering I need it to make v-flats for a photo studio.

Darts in Manhattan

Shanachie — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 14:10:14 -0800

I'm trying to find a place to a really nice set of steel tipped darts/flights/case in New York City. There used to be a great store in the low 20's on the East Side. Does anyone know a place?

The brown can is getting lighter and lighter.

trinarian — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 13:48:37 -0800

Mainlander resupply mission to Hong Kong. I'm living on the mainland now and will be going to Hong Kong to get my work visa in the next week. I'm hoping to find some notably absent supplies. Where can I buy

1) Decent spray-on deoderant.

2) A decently priced pair of Western brand [or well cut] jeans ($40-50, not $70-100) and perhaps some khaki's. Boxers would be cool too. Real ones, not the Chinese style.

3) Good, if obscure, books like Vonnegut and Spence's Chinese history books. Is there something akin to a Barnes and Noble attatched to one of the many Starbuck's?

4) Camera accessories like 55mm filters, wide-angle lenses, etc.

5) A beard trimmer.

Where can I find purse- and bag-making supplies online?

orangemiles — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 07:42:58 -0800

Where can I find purse- and bag-making supplies online? I need things like clasps (NOT the magnetic snap ones that are abundant), straps, handles, etc. I also need a source to purchase ready-made 2" adjustable shoulder straps, like what you'd find on a messenger bag. Thanks in advance for your help, online shopping geniuses of the green board.

Watercolor paper - artist gift recommendations?

freq — Mon, 29 Aug 2005 09:25:50 -0800

I'm looking for recommendations for high quality watercolor paper for my girlfriend as part of a birthday gift. - bonus if it works well with acrylics - Recommendations for good watercolor paints also appreciated. She has mentioned before that "the good stuff" is really thick, expensive, and doesn't get all wavy when saturated. I want to give her a stack big enough that she won't be miserly about using it. I recall her mentioning some lesser papers need to be stretched to stay flat, and I think she will be more likely to start working with watercolor again if she can avoid this step.

Feel free to chime in with other creative additions to the package that would motivate you as an artist. She's a great illustrator, has boxes of supplies, is equally at home with crayon / pencil / acrylics / markers. I want to give her something special for a little inspiration to get back into the paints. Budget is a couple hundred dollars, but i could be persuaded to go more if you have something completely over the top to suggest.