Rant about Home Depot

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hoppercar
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Re: Rant about Home Depot

Post by hoppercar »

I feel lucky, where I live in darlington indiana, we have an old family run hardware store that was started in the early 1900s....it still has hard wood floors, tall ceilings with ceiling fans...and a ding a ling bell when you open the front door. They dont even use a cash register, everything is added up by hand on a paper receipt.....it's very nice and relaxing to go in there. ....they have the best supply of nuts and bolts I ever seen...even the old whirly tower, where you get to scoop nails out by the pound and put in a papersack
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neanderman
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Re: Rant about Home Depot

Post by neanderman »

Bloomington, IN has a great hardware store named Kleindorfer's. Every time I go in there I'm more amazed. It's bit far for a single screw, but since my sister has a house over there, I just make a list of things I need and pick them up on the next trip.

But it's a sad situation when, most times, to get any kind of even minor specialty screw you either pay 3x what they're worth from Hillman, or you have buy 100 of them from MSC or McMaster.

I used to shop HD, because they were first in my neighborhood. But then they replaced almost all of their cashiers with self-checkouts with no way to skip bagging. Ever tried to bag an 8' 2x4??? Whatever happened to common sense?

I switched to Lowe's and only go to HD if Lowe's is out of stock.
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ctwo
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Re: Rant about Home Depot

Post by ctwo »

Harold_V wrote: Tue Sep 11, 2018 12:05 amWe don't have many options for buying things where we live, so I was happy to see them open this store (in Chehalis), which is about 25 miles distant. Previously we had to travel about 50 miles.
H
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tornitore45
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Re: Rant about Home Depot

Post by tornitore45 »

I used to shop HD, because they were first in my neighborhood. But then they replaced almost all of their cashiers with self-checkouts with no way to skip bagging. Ever tried to bag an 8' 2x4??? Whatever happened to common sense?

I switched to Lowe's and only go to HD if Lowe's is out of stock.
My sentiments, exactly. I consider Lowe's marginally better as a store and has not given me the same impression of being a disgusting "corporate citizen" as Home Depot.

As a side note, look what happened to Sears by shifting the corporate credo from quality to profit.
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curtis cutter
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Re: Rant about Home Depot

Post by curtis cutter »

Harold_V wrote: Tue Sep 11, 2018 12:05 am My experiences with HD have been pretty good. When it was time to run the wires from the electric meter (which is mounted on my shop) to the house panel, copper was going crazy with price. I had been quoted as much as $5/foot for some 3/0 and I needed about 250'. I checked with HD and bought it for $1.79/foot. They had not yet reacted to the constantly increasing prices. Made them look pretty good in my eyes! :-)

We don't have many options for buying things where we live, so I was happy to see them open this store (in Chehalis), which is about 25 miles distant. Previously we had to travel about 50 miles.

H
I was relieved when HD moved to the area. I was used to living closer to the "city" where there was a much greater selection of tools and materials. I specifically remember in 1995 looking for square drive 3" wood screws and no one in the Chehalis area knew of them. I had to go to Tacoma to get them. I was fortunate to be working in the Puget Sound area so I could get what I needed up there on my way home from work.

I still find I must do some hunting for things here in Lewis County. I was spoiled by finding bearings etc within a few minutes drive time but the trade offs of living in the country are worth it Harold.
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rrnut-2
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Re: Rant about Home Depot

Post by rrnut-2 »

After reading this, I consider myself lucky. 3/4 of a mile up the street is a family owned Ace hardware store, with the very uneven wood floors. They do use computers at the checkout, and can order most anything either from their other store 20 miles away or from the warehouse. Their bolt and hardware selection, I consider #3. 25 miles away is County Stores, another Ace hardware store, family owned, and bolts from 0-80 to 1.5" in diameter, and a huge selection of metric. I consider them #2. And of course, McMaster Carr; #1. If I can wait a day, it's McMaster Carr and they are cheaper on the quantities.

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Harold_V
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Re: Rant about Home Depot

Post by Harold_V »

Curtis cutter commented on the tradeoff of values by living in the country. Yep! I agree. All it takes for me to come to my senses is a trip to one of the larger communities. The traffic, alone, drives me bonkers. Not that I'm inclined, but it sure is nice to be able to step outside when nude, and have nothing to worry about (except the remote possibility of confronting a cougar).

In fairness, the one thing I miss is natural gas (and there's 0 prospect of ever having it). We heat with oil, which is becoming prohibitive in price. I recall the first time we filled our 1,000 gallon tank, paying a whopping 72¢/gallon, delivered. Now I'm paying right at $3/gallon, and I bring it home in a 55 gallon drum. It's transferred to the storage tank with a home built electric pump. Propane is not a viable option, as it yields far less energy per gallon, and is priced accordingly. Not a bargain like it once was.

Jim's comments on McMaster-Carr ring true for me. I can recall ordering some tiny stainless sheet metal screws from them, which, including shipping, were cheaper by several dollars than the equivalent screw in steel from Fastenal.

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
John Hasler
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Re: Rant about Home Depot

Post by John Hasler »

Harold writes:
Propane is not a viable option, as it yields far less energy per gallon, and is priced accordingly.
Not a bargain like it once was.

Condensing propane furnaces can be more than 90% efficient, last longer, require less maintenace, and need no chimney. We contract for a year's supply (delivered as needed) for which we get a significant discount (and the assurance of a fixed price for a year).
curtis cutter
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Re: Rant about Home Depot

Post by curtis cutter »

I installed two propane furnaces in my house and saved the natural gas conversion kits but like Harold, the chances of natural gas coming here is about as likely as a hot water fissure opening up meeting all of my heating needs. It is ironic that Harold and I both live within about five miles as the crow flies of this plant:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pugetsoun ... 651598150/

I wish my wife would allow a wood stove as I have 23 acres of trees.....
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spro
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Re: Rant about Home Depot

Post by spro »

I'm not arguing that but Harold makes a good point. Natural gas as piped in, is another source of power. A few day ago the electric power failed for near 12 hrs. I had plenty flashlights and working gas stove. Food was not a problem. Having an outside tank would be a problem as this NE area is almost a Potemkin Village where a propane tank would out of bounds. For those unfamiliar with the upgrades to earlier systems; They ran a tube inside the original piping and tested it every way. Installed new pressure valve and "smart meter" so somebody doesn't have to get into shop to read meter dials ( remember those post cards where you indicated the dials' positions ?) People got those off by a division and a whopping bill later. :(
Still, it is the only power to cook and by that, somewhat heat, without electricity. Not even a pilot light.
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steamin10
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Re: Rant about Home Depot

Post by steamin10 »

ON my house, the meter failed. The turbine that drives the meter needles got gritchy, so I would go out an tap the meter with a hammer every week.. They eventually changed the meter out for regular maintenance, but I think they lost about 4 years of proper readings. Shhhh. At $300 per month they are catching up.
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Harold_V
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Re: Rant about Home Depot

Post by Harold_V »

John Hasler wrote: Sat Oct 13, 2018 3:47 pm We contract for a year's supply (delivered as needed) for which we get a significant discount (and the assurance of a fixed price for a year).
We have a neighbor who heats with propane. I'm not privy to the type of furnace he uses, but he is less than happy with the cost of operation. While propane is cheaper than heating oil, it's also contains far fewer btu's of heat per gallon, so it's not a bargain.

I'm heating 2,700 feet of house, plus the garage and basement, and an additional 2,560 feet of shop.

I had access to natural gas pretty much my entire life, until moving to Western Washington. While it's not free, it is one hell of a bargain as compared to any of the other heating systems, and I really like the cleanliness. Oil fired anything tends to be labor intensive in maintenance. Cleaning the boiler is not a fun task, that I can assure you.

If I was a younger person, I'd build an automated wood fired boiler that would supplement our oil fired boiler. I made provisions to connect it when I plumbed the system, but the issues of making such a device are a little more involved than I care to tackle right now. Still, if oil prices continue to spiral, it's not beyond my thinking to return to the idea. I've always enjoyed a challenge, and I have a few acres of trees that would lend themselves quite nicely to the task.

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
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