Have seen both sides of this issue. Have dealt with sales help that didn't know diddly and customers that knew it all. I also worked at a hardware store for years, gained a real education in the how and why of the way things work. But some people shouldn't be allowed out in public without a chaperone. Don't know why this story comes to mind when I read the encounter JBMat had. But a regular comes in and is looking for fiberglass resin or epoxy to repair some wood rot in his airboat propeller. I reply that we don't stock anything like that because it's not a good idea to repair wood rot in a propeller because if the prop breaks it's not going to be a good day for anyone involved. He tells me that it's an old airboat and not worth spending the money on a new propeller and there must be somthing that will work. I reply again with it's not a good idea and we don't stock anything that will work for that. He gives me a strange look and leaves.

A month or so later he is back in the store picking up something else and he tells me that he should have listened to me. Of course I ask what happened. He tells me that he went over to the auto parts store down the street and picks up some fiberglass and resin and fills the rotten areas in his prop with resin and then puts a layer of glass fabric over the patch. Said that it looked real nice. Waited a few days to make sure that it had cured well, made sure that the trailer was chained down, (also stated that he had made that mistake once and nearly driven the boat and trailer into his wifes car by hitting the gas when the rig wasn't chained to a tree), climbs on board, and starts it up. Said every thing was fine, he bumps the gas a couple of times and it is still good. Feeling brave now he stomps down on the gas pedal, then there is a really loud bang followed by a lot of vibration and more ongoing racket. Said that in the time from the bang to switching it off the propeller had broken, dented the boat, mangled the cage, and broken the engine mounts. He wasn't a happy camper, don't know what happened to the boat because I never brought up the subject with him again.

Fortunately nothing was hurt except his pride and the boat.