"Jack" wrote in message

Sure, lots of reasons. What is paint thinner made from? What fuel is
used
to transport it? What fuel is used to keep the store heated? What is
selling for $100 a barrel?

Crude at $100 is up around 70 percent, but paint thinner at $ 8 then
is up around 400 percent.
Looks like greed and gouging to me at that rate.

There may be a bit of gouging, but that 70% applies to the cost of
everything involved in making and transporting the mineral sprits also. Add
fuel surcharges, heat, lighting, year end bonus for the CEO of Lowes, it all
adds up.

Have you price other materials? Take a look at the cost of copper tubing
and steel pipe. I'm paying $48 a foot for 12" pipe right now, 4" is about
$28.