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Carla F.

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31 Reviews by Carla

  • Ohio Travel Bag

2/24/19

If you do leather work - belts, hats, purses, wallets - anything leather - you should know about Ohio Travel Bag.

The online catalog is a bit funky and hard to navigate, the 'search' function isn't the greatest but their depth of stock on things like buckles, rings, posts, decorative bits and such is amazing.

It looks like anyone with a computer can sign up for a 'wholesale' account that saves you a little - the prices aren't amazingly low and you can shop around and do better but this site has everything in one place. Not worth the hassle of shopping around in my opinion.

Take a look, see what I mean.

  • FRESH Music

2/24/19

We operate a video production studio and occasionally use music for client projects.

You always have a choice - custom produced music specific to your project ($$$$) or 'library music' that you pay the composer/producer for shared use.

Unless you're Coca-Cola or Honda- sized you are better off with the library music and Fresh Music is a pretty good source. (Sound-Ideas is another) They have a library of about a hundred CDs, each with a particular musical theme or genre. The cuts come in full length and usually 30 and 60 second versions to cut your commercial spots to.

A license to use any of the multiple cuts on one of the CDs in perpetuity is about $90 and once you have bought something from them they offer specials via email a couple of times a year that drops that price drastically - so pay attention to the sales and build your music library on the cheap.

You can review and audition all the music (and they also have some sound effects) for free and then pay for it before you use it. Easy peasy.

Kind of a specialized vendor but that's the nature of our business so I'm reviewing them.

  • Elcortezhotelcasino

2/24/19

We get to Las Vegas 3 or 4 times a year. When we first started going we shopped around for a comfortable and cheap place to stay. We originally settled on the Sahara (on the strip) but when it went bank-o and got bought up and renovated into a chi-chi boutique (meaning $$$$) it moved out of our orbit and a new 'home base' was needed.

We'd visited most of the other hotels in Vegas and honestly, at first the El Cortez wasn't high on the list. It was sort of a budget desperation move to stay there once - and it turned out to be a lovely experience.

We don't like the glitz and glamour (or the $$$ pricing) of the biggies and the El Cortez is an older place but fairly well maintained and the staff is exceptionally friendly as they separate you from your money at the gaming tables.

Its in the older section of town (Downtowm, not on the 'Strip') and a block away from the Fremont Street Experience. It may be one of the last original hotel / casino operations in Vegas and nostalgia is a fun thing for us.

Easy to get to from the airport (take the city bus, not a limo or taxi) very affordable, clean enough and like all casinos, once you're there and signed up for their affinity card you get great deals on rooms and such in your email inbox.

We do one 'junking' junket a year and rent a car to visit the thrift shops and the El Cortez has plenty of parking on site. Also cool if one of you is a smoker, there are 'pavilion' rooms over one parking structure (it's not as bad as it sounds) that have an outside access to the rooms so you don't have to schlep completely outside the building to satisfy your habit. If you opt for one of these pavilion rooms, ask to be placed on the side away from the "Giant Flame Spewing Praying Mantis"

Supposedly the slots are among the loosest in town but I don't play slots, I prefer the social interaction of the craps table as I watch my money dwindle.

Give it a try - you may like it as much as we do.The price is right!

  • Dealerselectric

2/24/19

We needed a VFD for used a machine tool we bought for our repair shop - it was 3-phase and we have only single phase so a Variable Frequency Drive was the route we chose.

Searching the web for suppliers and checking other more specific review sites brought us to Dealers Electric.

They offer VFD units and packaged / matched motors and VFDs at good prices - plus their sales people are extremely knowledgeable about their products.

Yes, it's kind of a niche market but when you get good service and prices from a supplier it's worth letting others know about it. So I did. Right here.

  • Columbia Bank

2/24/19

We've done business with Columbia Bank for years - our branch started out as "Commercial Bank" and then morphed into 'West Coast Bank" before being absorbed into Columbia Bank.

They're a big but not gigantic bank - and the staff at our local branch is very friendly and efficient.

You don't expect a lot from a bank - and some banks are dreadful (don't ask me about my experience with the thieves and blackguards at Wells Fargo, may they burn in H***)

I'm happy enough with Columbia Bank - and that's my $. 02

  • Charlotte Russe

2/24/19

I'm something of a 'shoe queen' and used to buy a lot of shoes from Charlotte Russe.

That was when they had a broad range of cute styles in a broad range of sizes. I wear an 11 and finding cute / fashionable heels is a challenge that this site used to meet admirably.

Nowadays their selection of 'larger' sizes is pretty grim and I drifted away from them to other sources - but I wish they'd figure out that girls feet are getting bigger and they should keep up with their customers' demographics.

Just hoping someone sees this review and it strikes a chord. A girlcan always hope, right?

  • SuperStitches

2/24/19

A couple of years ago our professional video production studio needed new 'rags' - theatre curtains - to replace an ancient and tattered background cyclorama.

Perusing eBay sellers there was a guy offering approximately but not exactly what we wanted (but at a very good price) so we initiated a dialog to see if something could be made custom for us.

The answer was 'Yes' - SuperStitches is a theatrical drapery shop in Youngstown Ohio and a phone call there got the owner on the phone. He (Terry Sheban) seems to be a one-man band making affordable theatrical draperies and I'm glad we found him.

Our first order was for a new backdrop about 11' high and 55' wide, made in two pieces. Terry sent samples of the material for approval and then custom made the drapes and shipped them for about half the price of other bids we received. A low price is nice but even better is getting a better deal than you expected. The drapes were perfect as delivered and very affordable.

Theatrical drapery is a rather specialized business (we have to deal with fire-$#*!ant or fire resistant materials because of being an 'assembly occupancy') and Super-Stitches knows all the ins and outs of the business.

We have subsequently ordered additional curtains and drapes and they've been exactly as specified and the company has been very responsive and we couldn't be happier.

The attached photo shows part of the original dark blue studio backdrop and a bit of the Chromakey drape they also made for us.

  • Adorama

2/24/19

I'm surprised at the number of negative reviews of Adorama -

I admit our 'first stop' for photo goods that we can't get locally is B&H but Adorama is our #2 supplier and we've done a fair amount of purchasing from them over the years.

We also accidentally found them on eBay and have done very well purchasing used or trade-in merchandise using a 'Best Offer'. We operate a commercial video studio and sort of 'bottom feed' on bargain equipment pretty regularly. We recently purchased used studio lighting (Colortran) and a used video switcher (Tricaster) from Adorama and it was smooth as silk.

All of our dealings with Adorama have been very pleasant - and we've never had to return anything so have no experience with that aspect of the business. But what experience we have had ordering photo goods from them has been accurate, fast shipping, well packaged and fully satisfactory.

As I said, I'm surprised at the number of poor reviews - although many of those reviews are from one-time reviewers and maybe are a bit biased. Human nature I guess.

  • eSnipe

3/19/18

I've used eSnipe for about 10+ years to bid on stuff I'd like but didn't want to fuss and fume at the last moment placing a bid.

So far out of maybe 40 or 50 uses it's been great - once in a while it doesn't place my bid but I've had that problem directly with eBay too - the web works in mysterious ways.

It's tempting to just go to the bay and bid my maximum price but I've had much better luck sniping in at the last few seconds. The cost of the snipe (1% for a winning bid) is very reasonable for the service and convenience.

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  • Del City

3/19/18

We don't use a lot of low-voltage automotive wiring products but we found DelCity when looking for 16- and 18gauge insulated wire for a project.

They have an extensive assortment in all standard gauges used for automotive repair and offer as short as 100'foot spools in most sizes - shorter lengths in larger wire too.

Also a ton of crimp connectors, insulated tubing, circuit breakers and switches useful for automotive and marine applications.

Fast and Free shipping with $100 order - and that's a great deal because a lot of wire is pretty heavy and freight cost is a killer. Pricing is better than I've found most anywhere - I don'tknow how they manage to supply LV wire so inexpensively but I'm not going to upset the apple cart and ask!

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  • McMaster-Carr

3/19/18

McMaster-Carr is a great source for most anything a machinist or mechanic needs in the way of small parts, hardware and shop supplies. Their prices aren't the greatest but the selection and depth of stock is amazing.

For prototyping you need only a few parts and McMaster has all sorts of the most ordinary to the most arcane -

Need left-hand threaded rod? Check! 8-32 Wing nuts? Check! 1" stainless steel round bar stock? #8 x 0.750" aluminum spacers? Check!

And the search feature on their website is amazing! Just start to type what you want and it anticipates and displays similar items. Two clicks and you're at the page with the part descriptions, pictures and pricing. Another click and the part is in your shopping cart.

They ship very quickly and the freight charge isn't outrageous. I think they still offer a flat-rate $9 but I could be confusing them with someone else.

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  • Harbor Freight Tools

3/19/18

We don't go to Harbor Freight for good tools, we go there for one-time tools.

Generally poor quality - but a good exchange policy that you'll need almost immediately. The only HF tools I've had consistently good results with have been the hydraulic parts like a porta-power or bottle jack and the engine hoist.

Electrical tools? Yikes! They often do not pass the 60-second smoke test.

Machine tools? An axe works better for cheaper. Welding and plasma cutting? Buyer beware!

The pneumatic fittings and quick couplings should be branded 'Max-Hiss' for the leakage.

Bottom line: Use it once, throw it away and you'll rarely be disappointed with HF products!

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  • Infofree

3/19/18

If you are looking for mailing lists this is a good place to start.

It's a subscription service that you can search for potential customers by geographic location, type of business, business size, etc.

The search works pretty well, it's relatively fast to produce a list and we're generally satisfied.

The only down side is the data is sometimes a bit stale - companies come and go and their mailing addresses change - but often remain in the database for long after their demise.

We do postal mailing to find new customers - our first send is a first class postcard to weed the address list for subsequent standard mail blasts. The undeliverable rate from Infofree is about 15-25% depending on the SIC code we are sending to.

That's probably about the normal rate of bad addresses but it's always disappointing to see all that expensive First-Class mail returned; but it does let us purge our list for subsequent flights.

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  • Taylor Says

3/19/18

I found this high-heel site a couple of years ago and ordered some shoes - which arrived and were very nice.

But the site still shows exactly the same styles but all are sold out - WTF?

Why show shoes you aren't going to sell? That's just dumb. It's been a couple of years and the styles I'd like haven't been replenished, so I'm guessing they are gone forever.

The few styles they do have in stock should be the only ones displayed. This 'tease' of unavailable styles makes no sense.

Tip for consumers:
Look but don't touch - they're out of stock!

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  • Orstamp

3/19/18

We needed a simple return address stamp when we moved and Oregon Stamp Co.(orstamp.com) came through.

Reasonably priced, fairly quick delivery and exactly as ordered. Very pleasant to chat with on the phone to get our order produced correctly.

  • Daily Kos

3/19/18

I read blogs from both the Red and Blue sides to get a balance.

Some posts on each are utter garbage - but reading both gives insight.

Kos is no better or worse - but I have found their information - particularly the insights and narrative into the Trump presidency - not only useful but endlessly entertaining.

Tip for consumers:
Use your critical thinking skills - there is much to be learned on this site if you keep an open mind.

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  • Prusa3D

3/19/18

After getting great reviews last year we ordered a Prusa 3D MK3 printer in kit form.

It was supposed to take 6 weeks to get here but arrived in 3 - and was well constructed and the assembly instructions were easy to follow.

It took a while to get good prints from it - but now we can reliably send a sliced file to the printer, walk away and come back in a couple of hours to a completed printed object.

Very cool. We get regular email updates from Josef Prusa about the new developments and have been very happy with the printer.

Tip for consumers:
If you're looking for a 3D printer definitely check out the Prusa devices.

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  • Digi-Key Corp

3/19/18

I hate to admit it but I've been ordering electronic parts for almost 60 years - starting with ordering from the encyclopedic 'Allied Radio' catalog in the 1950's. I was heartbroken when they were bought out by the Rat Shack (Radio Shack)

So then I found DigiKey - an online store with incredible inventory and excellent service. Our company develops and manufactures short runs (prototype quantities) of custom electronic devices for our clients - making 100 of something is rare for us, usually it's 10 or 25 pieces.- and Digikey seems happy enough with our small orders.

No minimum order (although the postage or UPS is sometimes more than the parts we order) and their website ha an excellent search facility and selection matrix for parts that makes finding and ordering easy. You also get real-time information on pricing and stock status for the parts you order. They even let you assign your own part numbers to the parts that you order and then they arrive with our part numbers on the labels. Pretty cool!

Their prices are quantity based and in hundreds or thousands of pieces it looks like you get the same deal as the big boys -

In dozens (maybe hundreds, I've lost count) of orders we've placed with Digikey only once or twice have they shipped the wrong part - and a phone call or email gets it sorted out very quickly.

Tip for consumers:
Definitely worth a try for electronic components!

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  • WW Grainger

3/18/18

I've been a Grainger customer for 40+ years - either as part of my employment working for someone else or in my own business.

They used to be 'wholesale only' and restricted their clientele to businesses - but the recession apparently opened their stores to most anyone with a pulse. It's a good thing.

I can call their toll-free number and usually it automatically connects me to the nearest branch store. Their phone sales people are very good and their database (either accessed online or by their rep) is first rate. I can find out what's in stock locally for will-call pick up if I need it urgently or their shipping is very fast if I'm not desperate.

Their prices are a bit on the higher side but they usually have what I need in stock - and I'm always in a rush when I call Grainger so 'in stock' beats 'lowest price'.

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  • Buy-Backdrop

5/22/17

We ordered four 8' x 8' backdrops from this company (to get the 20% discount on >$100 orders). That was a big mistake. Should have ordered only one and saved a lot of money on this junk.

Their backdrops are spliced every four feet with some sort of thermal glue. They are also shipped from China folded flat, so they have to arrive with creases at the fold lines.

So, when you apply a warm iron or garment steamer as recommended by them to remove the creases - the glue lets go and the backdrop falls apart. Worthless!

An email request to customer support has so fr been ignored for two weeks so I am presuming they have the same sterling customer service we have all come to expect from these offshore suppliers - i, e, no support at all and buyer beware.

Tip for consumers:
DO NOT BUY FROM THIS SITE!

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Carla Has Earned 66 Votes

Carla F.'s review of McMaster-Carr earned 3 Very Helpful votes

Carla F.'s review of Prusa3D earned 2 Very Helpful votes

Carla F.'s review of Digi-Key Corp earned a Very Helpful vote

Carla F.'s review of Infofree earned 2 Very Helpful votes

Carla F.'s review of Adorama earned 2 Very Helpful votes

Carla F.'s review of Taylor Says earned 2 Very Helpful votes

Carla F.'s review of FRESH Music earned 3 Very Helpful votes

Carla F.'s review of SuperStitches earned a Very Helpful vote

Carla F.'s review of Columbia Bank earned a Very Helpful vote

Carla F.'s review of Elcortezhotelcasino earned a Very Helpful vote

Carla F.'s review of WW Grainger earned 2 Very Helpful votes

Carla F.'s review of Harbor Freight Tools earned 4 Very Helpful votes

Carla F.'s review of Buy-Backdrop earned 9 Very Helpful votes

Carla F.'s review of Charlotte Russe earned 3 Very Helpful votes

Carla F.'s review of Orstamp earned 3 Very Helpful votes

Carla F.'s review of Ohio Travel Bag earned 4 Very Helpful votes

Carla F.'s review of HandcuffWarehouse earned a Very Helpful vote

Carla F.'s review of Dealerselectric earned 2 Very Helpful votes

Carla F.'s review of Del City earned 4 Very Helpful votes

Carla F.'s review of eSnipe earned 4 Very Helpful votes

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