Advice The Home Improvement/Automation Thread

Do any of you manly-types ever stop in an Ace Hardware?

When I was a yute, the one in lovely Benson (Omaha) had an Ace with creaky wooden floors and a huge wall of wooden drawers, and had everything you’d ever want. There was no such thing as a big box hardware store back then, the first being Handy Dan which came around in the late ‘70s/early ‘80s.

The one nearest my house (now) doesn’t have the wooden drawers or floor, but it has darn near the same vibe. I’ve never left there without what I needed or pissed off about something, and I can’t say that about Home Depot.

Yesterday, one of my older brothers texted a picture of a lamp part and said he was ignored at “all the stores I’ve been to” and I suggested Ace. He texted back later to say thanks and that he’d found what he needed. He also left calm.

Just curious. I know most folks rely on online shopping these days, and was compelled to ask.

Used to have one in a smaller town just east of here, probably considered like the farest out suburb or something now. Not sure if it's still there. I bought a level there.

Had one at home. Not sure if it was Ace but it had exactly that vibe you're talking about. Love those places.

Big box places can't match that level of service but people will eschew that to save 50¢ now.
People at those old hardware stores actually knew about stuff. HD or whatever I don't even want them to "help" me. Just get out the way I'll find it myself.
 
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I go to my local Ace so they can stay in business and yeah, they do haver a selection of the odd small parts. Went there a few days ago, needed some hex inserts of a particular size to put in some wood. Great selection. But sorry ACe, I'm going to HD for anything more than a handful of small stuff. I know how to say no to "Do you need some help?" at the HD 5 miles further away.
 
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I remember going into town to the hardware store/farm supply/shop that had the heavy duty shit you didn't/gettin place as a kid and they had this contraption that didn't seem all that different from that thing the guy at the shoe store used to measure your feet but they stretched your old v-belt across this thing then I guess subtracted a little bit to allow for stretch and got you the right new belt every time.

I would love to have one of these things. Don't know the proper name. Gargling "old school v-belt measure gauge" just yields those dumb little spring gauges that measure deflection pressure for dummies who can't tell if a belt is loose or not just using their hands.
 
That place was in a town of 300 people 3 miles away and I usually drove the tractor up there. Totally cool for a kid of 8 or 10 to drive 50s era farm equipment wherever while "vehicles" needed a license and insurance and shit.

Sometimes I snuck around the block to play Asteroids at the café.

Sometimes I went to the little store and bought candy cigarettes with Canadian pocket change.

Once in awhile I even drove by Deanna's house 'cause she was really pretty.

All on my John Deere.



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I remember going into town to the hardware store/farm supply/shop that had the heavy duty shit you didn't/gettin place as a kid and they had this contraption that didn't seem all that different from that thing the guy at the shoe store used to measure your feet but they stretched your old v-belt across this thing then I guess subtracted a little bit to allow for stretch and got you the right new belt every time.

I would love to have one of these things. Don't know the proper name. Gargling "old school v-belt measure gauge" just yields those dumb little spring gauges that measure deflection pressure for dummies who can't tell if a belt is loose or not just using their hands.
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THose are so fucking cool. Damnit, if I was a younger man I might buy one.
Hmmmm, could be used for measuring Sasquatch prints.
 
its hard for that to make up for a 3x price difference though :/

Is that really the case or an exaggeration? I haven’t priced big ticket items at either type of place, so it’s an honest question. I know for a fact though that fasteners and basic hardware/plumbing fix stuff isn’t 3X the price. The last kitchen faucet I bought was from HD.

The closest Ace to me has a WAY better selection of fasteners than HD does, and easier to find on my own, or help if needed is always available. Knowledgeable help too.
 
Is that really the case or an exaggeration? I haven’t priced big ticket items at either type of place, so it’s an honest question. I know for a fact though that fasteners and basic hardware/plumbing fix stuff isn’t 3X the price. The last kitchen faucet I bought was from HD.

The closest Ace to me has a WAY better selection of fasteners than HD does, and easier to find on my own, or help if needed is always available. Knowledgeable help too.

It's a little bit more but nowhere near 3x.

Though if you're buying cabinet hardware to do a whole kitchen or something like tile to do a couple rooms the small cost difference per piece can get multiplied by dozens or hundreds even.
 
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That's the bare bones of it.
Theirs was mounted on a "sign" of sorts on the wall, presumably from a belt company.
Looked like something antique folks would pay good money for now.
Look pal, if you want one this is what's available. There were some that were 2X that and really looked like shit. This one fit your shoe-measuring device description. :fly: I recently acquired a piece of older shop gear that has 2 v-belts, then there is the air compressor and the drill press. hmm, maybe I DO need one.:oops:
 
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Is that really the case or an exaggeration? I haven’t priced big ticket items at either type of place, so it’s an honest question. I know for a fact though that fasteners and basic hardware/plumbing fix stuff isn’t 3X the price. The last kitchen faucet I bought was from HD.

The closest Ace to me has a WAY better selection of fasteners than HD does, and easier to find on my own, or help if needed is always available. Knowledgeable help too.
I'm thinking maybe a 25-50% markup compared to HD. And yes, much better selection on small, odd stuff. Less selection on generics like nails and wood screws. NO knowledgeable help at my Ace - pimply-faced teens and moms working part time.
 
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Look pal, if you want one this is what's available. There were some that were 2X that and really looked like shit. This one fit your shoe-measuring device description. :fly: I recently acquired a piece of older shop gear that has 2 v-belts, then there is the air compressor and the drill press. hmm, maybe I DO need one.:oops:

Theirs stretched out really long as some of that farm equipment can have some pretty long belts.

The side of the old combine looked like one of those aptitude tests where "if this pulley spins this way, which way does that one spin" 6 connections later.
 
Theirs stretched out really long as some of that farm equipment can have some pretty long belts.

The side of the old combine looked like one of those aptitude tests where "if this pulley spins this way, which way does that one spin" 6 connections later.
Totally get that. "Gerry, I need one of them JOhn Deere belts that decapitated Hip's daddy's, brother's uncle last week. No, not the one that took his foot. The other one that took his'n hand."
His'n. Heh!
Couldn't make up my mind which direction to gravy that. I settled on Love.
 
Got the permit dummy either shitcanned or demoted at the solar company.

6 rejections on the permit update and I threatened to walk away and get a different company in.

They have to change the master disconnect to one that’s fused and not just a lever. And add something to the solar array for the two strings they combined when they made the ill fated design change back in October.

Fuckin idiots.

Edit: Permit dummy has been "replaced" and is no longer with the company.
 
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I received this beast a few days ago. That buffer on the right - 21" diameter. Works like a charm. Yes I have a more normally sized buffer with 6" wheels. *Not a fucking bench grinder FFS!
Well maintained, grease fittings for the shafts. 9 possible speed selections by moving either of 2 v-belts Plumbed for water and no leaks - woo hoo.
that is all.
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