"Jean-David Beyer" wrote

I am always bemused by people wanting to make up sodium metaborate ...
stop bath from vinegar, and so on ... in most countries of the
civilized world ... you should be able to get what you need

It just doesn't take much to bemuse some folks.

Maybe in Civilized Shrewsbury they have a Midnight Chemical Supply,
but here in Decadent Cleveland I use the local grocery store --
for Calgon, borax, carbonate, ascorbic acid, acetic acid, sodium
sulfite, blah-blah-blah -- and when I need something at odd hours,
they are always open.

Another reason: I already have a cupboard full of chemicals. Why
stuff it full of more chemicals (that can't be used for anything
else [is metaborate a base stock for anything?] and will probably
solidify, leak or go off before I finish the jar) when I can do it
myself if 2 minutes?

I am in favor of stocking just the basics.

--
Nicholas O. Lindan, Cleveland, Ohio
Consulting Engineer: Electronics; Informatics; Photonics.