Looking at a Problem From the Light Side
For an old, handmade oil lamp, Catherine Smith of Sherman Oaks needs ribbon wick a quarter of an inch wide and the thickness of two matchbook covers . Can you smoke out a source or two, or will Smith always be in the dark about this otherwise illuminating situation?
Because of arm problems, Toby-Ann Kelson of Fullerton needs a plastic table-top hair dryer. Can you help with this hair-raising problem, or will Kelson have to resort to wearing a wig before this blows her mind?
Martine Erickson of Arcadia is looking for an electric bun or roll warmer . Can you do something to warm Erickson’s heart, or will it cost too much dough for her to be on a roll?
Reader-to-Reader Help Line: Two readers are somewhat out of focus this week. Olive at (213) 596-6437 needs a 16mm editing-splicing machine , and Bob at (818) 288-4186 is looking for a sprocket adapter for an Airquipt Festival slide projector. Please get into the right frame of mind and see to it that our two readers have a better view of life.
Note: The Reader-to-Reader Help Line is only for one-time items or for products no longer available in stores. And you must give us written permission to publish your telephone number, so that others may contact you directly.
Bill O’Brien of La Habra, who wanted a magazine catchall that hangs on a wall, will no longer be up the wall. A. Cunningham of San Juan Capistrano says she bought one of these from Dansk Products, Cohoe Center, Route 5, Enfield, Conn. 06082. And an Arcadia reader said she would be happy to make one for O’Brien; if he (or anybody else among our readers) is interested, please let us know.
Sharon Seims of La Canada and Fran Crowell of Long Beach, both of whom were looking for potato ricers, should soon become spud-niks. Martha Ferreira of Rowland Heights says Cookin’ Stuff, 350 W. Whittier Blvd., La Habra, (213) 691-0470, carries several ricers, in addition to numerous other kitchen gadgets; they will also try to find items that are no longer manufactured, Ferreira says. Reader N. Reuben says a kitchen store in the Farmers Market on Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles has carried it. Frank Johnson of the White Elephant, 3422 W. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, (818) 842-0721, says they sometimes carry ricers; he also suggests Avery’s, 901 E. 2nd St., Los Angeles, (213) 624-7832, as a place that carries every kitchen item imaginable.
What’s more, Mildred Smith of Yucaipa says Lechter’s, a kitchen-gadget shop at Inland Mall in San Bernardino, (714) 889-4530, carries an assortment of these potato ricers. In addition, half a dozen readers said they have ricers that they wouldn’t mind parting with; a stamped, self-addressed envelope will surely squeeze these names out of us.
Michael Peter of Hollywood, who wanted bedspreads with stars that glow in the dark, should soon be in heaven. Helen Price and J. Mounce of Burbank both say to try any K mart; the pattern is called Comets. Michael D. Batchelor of Riverside says he bought such a bedspread a year ago at a Target store in Riverside. And Elizabeth Urman of Westminster says the Lillian Vernon catalogue, 510 S. Fulton Ave., Mt. Vernon, N.Y. 10550, features the spreads for $21.95 a set.
Pat Davey of Northridge, who wanted a clear-plastic bubble umbrella, has been joined in her search by Shelley Morgan of Culver City and Debbie Miles of Hawthorne (who heard that some Boston Stores far from her might have a few). We’d hate to rain on anybody’s parade, but so far the only sources we’ve found are two readers who would be willing to open up their hearts and fold their ownership of plastic umbrellas. If our three searchers are still interested in being in the clear, a stamped, self-addressed envelope would be helpful.
For Elizabeth Perreault of Hollywood, who wants plastic covers for custom-made shoes, Caroline Bales of Alhambra has this advice: Don’t enclose leather shoes in plastic; they need to breathe. If you must cover them, get plastic shoe boxes or use the small plastic bags that groceries come in.
Hain cannot answer mail personally but will, space permitting, respond in this column to readers who need--or have--helpful information. Write (do not telephone) to You Can Help!, You section, the Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles 90053.