Kiolabo Furniture Repair Kit Wood Markers & Wax Sticks

I bought this kit to deal with some heavy scratching on my floorboards due to the removalists' carelessness. Also, with time, some of the boards get slightly scratched with normal use, and I wanted to cover this up so that the floor looks nicer.

 

This is a nice starter set as has a mix of wood colours to match most timber furniture. I found my ones in here. The package has a set of coloured wax crayons and the matching-colour markers (which are the ones that use the most). It also has the crayons sharpener, which is really mindful.

 

I've used this product many times on my floorboards and once on a piece of furniture. I found it worked best on the latter as it's laminated very-dark timber, which is very forgiving, and the mix of wax stick and marker gave me great results. See my photo.

 

My experience with the floorboards is a bit different as they're honey coloured and the markers, even the lightest one, can still stain the timber. I found that the product works best when 1/ the scratch is light and there is not much decoloration, as the marker helps covering it up. 2/ When there is some sort of deep scratch that can be filled in with the wax as then the marker works great to mask the thing. 3/ When professionally-repaired wood pieces on my boards have a different colour from the original, as  the markers help unify tones. See my photos.  My experience is also that noticeable scratches are difficult to cover up with this product. At best, a bit of colour (especially if several coats are applied). The application seems to be permanent and the product quantity is long lasting. I've used it many times and I've had it for over a year. I follow the instructions on the package as I've found that they're important to prevent damages to the wood being treated.

I wish the product came with some filler compound to fix deep scratches and that the marker nib was smaller, as this would make them more precise and would prevent staining, which forces me to constantly wipe the area and being extra careful not to get out of the scratched line. However, this is a great kit for a great price, which I use all the time.  

 

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Amazon Basics Eyelet Hole Punch Plier with 100-piece Eyelets

This is a good-value-for-money sturdy basic eyelet punch plier with 100 golden-like small eyelets. It is easy to use and I've had no issues with the included eyelets and with others I had at home. Actually, the end result was more polished with the ones I had at home, I think because they're less taller. But the golden eyelets included in the package are lovely, as per my photo. I find that using the plier with thick paper requires some strength on my part, so ain't sure if I would be able to use it with leather or stronger materials.  
 
On the other hand, the plier is quite heavy to me and my hands (despite it being labelled as 'lightweight in the product page). Besides, it only allows me to place eyelets at 2 cms or less from the paper/material border. This is more than enough for most purposes, but it's frustrating to me as I wanted to place eyelets in my artwork in places that aren't that width, and that's not possible.

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Crescent N40D Nicholson Soldering Iron

I bought this soldering iron to have it at home in case of need, but, above all, to use it to burn paper that I then use in my artwork. This allows me to make patterns on the paper without creating flames and with minimal ash spread.

The iron takes a few minutes to fully heat up, and the temperature it reaches isn't too high. I know this because, once it does, the tip easily burns rice paper but not as fast average printer 80mgs paper. Yet, I don't put my hand on the tip because I will get burnt.

The stand is too feeble to stand the weight of the iron without the risk of the soldier auto-releasing and hitting me. It's safer when unplugged or when the stand is used horizontally, but when the iron is plugged the weight and tightness of the cable is too much for this paper-thin metallic stand to stand still.

I got what I paid for and it suits my needs and purpose.

MIND
The iron doesn't have an on/off button to switch.

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Tooluxe 40420L Cordless Soldering Iron, 1050° F (565° C) | AA Battery Powered LED Spotlight

I was looking forward this soldering iron to use it to create perforated papers for my artwork. The device is very light as it's made of toy-like plastic. The nib seems to be good quality and was perfect for my purpose. I bought it because it works with batteries and I thought that it would make portable. However, the battery barrel cover is badly designed and a total pain to be lifted and replaced. I had difficulty lifting it out. Then, when I did, I placed the batteries in, but the cover would not close properly. As the plastic is really weak, I didn't want to push it stronger for fear of breaking it. Unfortunately, I cannot comment on how the device solders. due to this issue and I've returned it. Needless to say, batteries aren't included.

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Ikea Australia

THE GOOD
> Ikea offers you anything you need for your home at affordable or very cheap prices. If you are a student, have a budget, are newly-wed, moved cities, moved countries, have and need to furnish your full house right now or buy essential items at good prices, this is your place.
> Cool design and styling. They really have an eye for colour, funkiness, simple functional well-designed items, some of them designed on purpose for Ikea by young designers, while others are replicas of well-known designers.
> Very friendly and even enthusiastic guys in their stores.
> Free metre tapes and pencils to take measurements all over the store.
> Pick up and/or delivery services are fast and very well organised. They are not cheap, but not more expensive than other private services that would do the same for you.
> I specially like some of the basic stuff for the kitchen, bathroom, pot plants area, and some of their organisational boxes. They are good quality, cheap and good looking. And no assembly or very basic assembly is required.
> They have a free concierge service at the exit of their stores, so you can leave your trolley and purchases with the guys there and pick them up when it suits you. 
> They have reward points system with Ikea Family card.    
> I like their meatballs with mash potato at their "restaurant". Guilty pleasure. 

 THE BAD
> They don't pay as much taxes in Australia as they should as evade plenty of taxes with dodgy well-planed evading tax systems. They make millions out of Australians like vulgar predators. 
> They have inflated prices for Australians, for the same items. Booohhhhh.
> Some shops are understaffed, so if you visit during the weekend, you will be fighting for the attention of the guys in the shop.
> No online shopping in Australia except for WA and SA. Pathetic. 
> Pick up service has some important downsides. They only pick up those products that are in their warehouse area of the shop, not in others, even if you buy plenty of them. You have to do that personally. Stupid!
> The delivery is just for bulky items. They don't want your small items. If you push them, they will take them to your place BUT you are responsible if they get broken or get lost. They are not liable. Seriously... Outrageous.
> They don't transfer items from one shop to another. Say you want a chair that is available in shop A but not in shop B, they don't care, you go to the shop yourself, they won't bring it for you to the shop you live close by. 
> If an item is out of stock, you cannot leave your details for them to inform you that the item has arrived. You have to keep checking their website. Of course, you cannot prepay and reserve any item. And of course, they don't tell when approximately is the item going to be back in stock. They give a dam about you.
> Some of their products are cheap and will do for an emergency, but they are crap. If I had the money I wouldn't go to Ikea. As simple as that.
> I hate flat packing, with a passion. But there is no option because if you want your things properly assembled, you do it yourself  or you pay a fortune to other people to do that for you. Bring me the old furniture shops. That was customer service as it should be.
> If you just want to buy a couple of things you have to walk like a kilometre to get to your thingie. 
> The coffee in their restaurants is very cheap, refillable, but you won't want to refill, ever :D.    
> I never experienced the benefits of their rewards card. I got plenty of promotional emails instead, and some of the discounts to members were so ridiculous that bordered  insulting. 

NOTES
+ The assembly service they offer is overbooked most of the time, meaning there is a waiting list or it will take them a while to go to your place. But most people buying in Ikea need those items right now. Buy a proper screwdriver and set of tools, that will get your things assembled faster. Otherwise, assembly guys are everywhere these days, check the yellow pages online. 
= I love their assembly instructions pages, no words. Effective in most cases, but not always. Like they treat us like 3-year-old customers. 
 - So much style and the style of the uniform of the staff is dreadful :O. 

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Bed Bath N' Table (Online Retailer)

 

Online Shop

I love Bed Bath N Table's cover duvets and some of their towels, and I have been buying them in real stores for years. However, my first experience online was very good.

The website is easy to browse, prices and discounts easy to spot, and the pricing is the same as in the shops.

The shipping took about 24 hrs to be dispatched, and my parcels were posted via Australia Post's registered mail.

Shipping is free for purchases over 150 bucks, which is great if you decide to buy a whole set of towels, duvet set or doonas because you will be paying around that money. If you expend less, their shipping fees are still reasonable and affordable, nothing to stop you from shopping. 

You know what a business is made of when problems arise and they have to deal with them. My first shopping online from BBT was affected by the mishandling of my parcels and my parcel got lost somewhere in the Universe. However, BBT's customer service was absolutely professional, caring and hassle free. They launched an investigation with Australia Post and sent my order again for the second time at no extra charge without waiting for the resolution of the case. That is what customer service should be. 

I received the parcel promptly, well packed, and they are the usual gorgeous products that I love from BBT.

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