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Don't forget about your local hardware stores

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macklin01

Computational Oncologist / Biomathematician / Mode
Joined
Apr 3, 2002
Location
Bloomington, IN
Hi, all.

I thought I'd write a quick tidbit on a finding today.

For case modding and general, I've been a big fan of Home Depot. (And large hardware wholesale places like this in general.) They're big, they have good selection, and there's just something to be said for the "manliness factor" of walking through a huge building full of lumber and power tools. :)

But lately, I've found that there can be a much better value to be found locally. Here are a couple of examples:

I needed a small, special hex wrench to attach the aluminum knobs to my rheostats on a homemade fanbus. When I looked at Home Depot, I found $10-$15 hex sets which might have the right size. Not exactly what I wanted to shell out for one wrench. Next, I went to Radio Shack. They had a $12 set which definitely had the right wrench. Better ... Then, I went to Hardware Hank, a local chain of hardware stores in the Twin Cities. They had the wrench for something like $.75. (My memory's a bit rusty -- it may well have been lower, like $.28.) Not a bad deal -- I bought myself some Dremel tool bits with the savings. :)

Next example: I needed some sort of insulation which I could apply to my solder joints, since my fanbus would be in close quarters with the case. Nothing to be found at Home Depot, Walmart, Menards, you name it. At some Hardware Hanks, I could find a bottle of brush-on insulation for under $10.

One last example: Today, I wanted to get some rubber washers to dampen the vibrations from my case fans. Walmart, etc., had none. I looked at Home Depot, expecting to find scads of washers. There was very little selection, the ones they did have were too thick, and worse yet, they were $.29 each! I really didn't plan on spending more than a $2.00 on 8 small little washers. So, next on to Hardware Hank. Voila! I found 1/16" thick, 3/16" inner diameter, 1/2" outer diameter washers, whose rubber was softer than those at Home Depot, for a mere $.08 apiece, or a bit under a third of the cost. Not bad.

So, the moral of the story is, when looking for case modding gear, don't forget to check out your local hardware store. Not only is their selection sometimes better, but their prices are often lower.

-- Paul
 
Iron Hawk said:
Figures that my only local Hardware Stores are HomeDepot and Lowes :mad:
That's too bad ... they can be very tricky to find. They have a tendency of hiding.

When I was a kid, Ace Hardware Store was one of my favorite places in the world ... followed by the old pharmacy. :)

TTYL, Iron Hawk (nice avatar! :) -- Paul
 
Iron Hawk said:
Figures that my only local Hardware Stores are HomeDepot and Lowes :mad:

As you can tell by my user name, I am a huge fan of hardware stores, especially Ace. :D

Ironhawk, I admit that I am not familiar with BRADENTON, FL, but there are two Ace Hardware stores located in that area. One is at 641 44th Ave. and the other is at 5409 Manatee Ave.

I can't speak for all Ace Hardwares but you would be amazed at what you can find in some of these stores.

I am probably older than most members here but there is just something about a great neighborhood hardware store that you don't find in the big boxes anymore. Oh well....

Just my 2 cents. :)
 
Hardware Man said:


As you can tell by my user name, I am a huge fan of hardware stores, especially Ace. :D

Ironhawk, I admit that I am not familiar with BRADENTON, FL, but there are two Ace Hardware stores located in that area. One is at 641 44th Ave. and the other is at 5409 Manatee Ave.

I can't speak for all Ace Hardwares but you would be amazed at what you can find in some of these stores.

I am probably older than most members here but there is just something about a great neighborhood hardware store that you don't find in the big boxes anymore. Oh well....

Just my 2 cents. :)
Woohoo, Ace is the Place! Yeah! :)

Okay, so this was probably the least informative post I've ever done, but it sure was fun! (And it sure beats debugging code. :( )

Nice search there, Hardware Man! -- Paul
 
The Ace Hardware stores are as convieneintly located, Bradenton Is rather large and neither of the stores are located near me. I have been in one of the ACE stores and I was not Impressed with their selection of hardware. I dont even think they had a lumber yard. But they did have everything you could ever want for inground sprinkler systems.:p I will keep my eyes pealed for a good Hardware store, we had an aubichon (sp) that was in biking distance from my old home in VT. I used to go down there and buy parts that we forgot to get while at HomeDepot to when we were finishing off our basement. It always seemd like we were running short on copper pipe couplings, and they always gave me grief when I tried to buy the canistor of propane we needed to fix all of dads leaky joints when we installed the bathroom. Mine almost never leaked!!!:D
 
Iron Hawk said:
The Ace Hardware stores are as convieneintly located, Bradenton Is rather large and neither of the stores are located near me. I have been in one of the ACE stores and I was not Impressed with their selection of hardware. I dont even think they had a lumber yard. But they did have everything you could ever want for inground sprinkler systems.:p
Results may vary? Actually, though, they're not for the lumber. (Home Depot's okay there, although real, honest-to-God lumber yards are pretty nifty, too.) I was thinking more for the little replacement screws, washers, and knick-knacks that turn out to be so handy for case modding. -- Paul
 
Hardware Man said:


EXACTLY!!! :D :D :D

(I like your thinking Paul)
Hey, thanks! And I like your avatar! :)

Gotta' run -- I've been having too much fun on this thread! :)

And I've been having fun with the reduced case rattling from when I slow my fans down to 2000 RPM. WooHoo! The best $1.28 I've ever spent! :D

-- Paul
 
I have Ace Home Depot and Lowes plus a few local places. Ace is and ALWAYS is, the most expensive of the bunch. I'm amazed at what they charge for dremel stuff. They are $4 higher than HD on the cutting wheels. I went to go get a couple drill bits and I paid 14 for 1 and 7 for another for my rheobus mod. Went to HD the next day to pick up some stuff, checked the price on the bits and they were $8 and $2.50.

Ace is the place............................... to get ripped off!
 
GruntmaN said:
I have Ace Home Depot and Lowes plus a few local places. Ace is and ALWAYS is, the most expensive of the bunch. I'm amazed at what they charge for dremel stuff. They are $4 higher than HD on the cutting wheels. I went to go get a couple drill bits and I paid 14 for 1 and 7 for another for my rheobus mod. Went to HD the next day to pick up some stuff, checked the price on the bits and they were $8 and $2.50.

Ace is the place............................... to get ripped off!
Again, I really think it depends on what you're looking for. For the record, I haven't been to an ACE in years. I'm talking about smaller hardware stores in general. HD can deal in volume to reduce prices on expensive things like power tools and Dremel accessories. Small stores don't do the volume in dremel cutting discs, I'm sure, so their prices are going to be higher. It's the little odds and ends .... like being able to buy screws from bins by the pound instead of in individually-wrapped packages, which are inherently more expensive. -- Paul
 
hey gruntman, here in davis,ca, the lady that owns acehardware owns half the town...i think a little overcharging over the last 30-50 yrs is responsible for that ^_~
 
FIY: Ace Hardware isn't a chain across the U.S. It is a co-op of with every other Ace store. For those of you don't know what a co-op is, it is an thing sorta like OPEC, where all the owners of the stores decide the prices of stuff they sell. It's not some big place like Home Depot were you can get lost. I know this because my dad owns three Ace hardwares. My dad's store has wood too, and all the products are much better quality and cheaper than the Homo Depot, and the people actually know what they are talking about here.
 
MdkSniper said:
FIY: Ace Hardware isn't a chain across the U.S. It is a co-op of with every other Ace store. For those of you don't know what a co-op is, it is an thing sorta like OPEC, where all the owners of the stores decide the prices of stuff they sell. It's not some big place like Home Depot were you can get lost. I know this because my dad owns three Ace hardwares. My dad's store has wood too, and all the products are much better quality and cheaper than the Homo Depot, and the people actually know what they are talking about here.

That makes perfect sense, I have been in a dozen ACE hardwares all accross the east coast. i remember the one we had in Massachusets had alot of fertilizer and birdseed, the one that I have been to down here has lots of irigation stuff.
 
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