Another reason Home Depot makes me want to scream

[JohnnyNoName]

I don't like Home Depot. Let me tell you why.

Usually, the stores are a mess, and the quality of materials is very poor. There never seems to be enough staff, even though they do seem to be doing a better job with this one lately.

Lowes isn't perfect, but I think they keep the stores tidier and I think the materials seem a little better. I don't know if they have more staff to tidy things up, or if the clientele at Lowes isn't as messy.

One of the things that infuriates me about Home Depot is the screws and nails section. It takes forever to find the things I am looking for. You'd think it would be an easy thing to have the hardware in the box that it says on the label, or the hanging bags to be in sequential order, but they never are.

Here is why I am venting tonight. I need some 1 1/2" brass screws for my current project. I look through my extras. I don't have any in the shop. I do have some #8 steel screws. I'm thinking "No problem. I'll use the ones to dry fit things together, so that the brass ones will be easier to insert later. I'll grab some at Home Depot this afternoon." I go to the screw and nail aisle - my Emyn Muil of Home Depot (sorry for the nerd fart) - and I start looking. I'm looking through all of the bags, because I need twelve screws. I find one #8, 1 1/2" brass screws. There are only two per bag. I keep looking... and looking... and looking. After twenty minutes I only manage to find two bags of them. Reluctantly, I look at the larger plastic boxes of them, because I don't need 100 brass screws.

I have the conversation with myself, "Do I buy the box of 100 for $17 or do I got to another store?" My laziness gets the better of me and I get the box of 100. Of course I also think, "Well now I'll have 1 1/2" screws in the shop for next time." (That's called justifying the expense to yourself in case you need to use it). I come home and leave the box of screws in the house on the kitchen table.

That night, I'm eating dinner with the family, talking away, going over the days events. I told them about the adventure at Home Depot. My daughter wanted to see the screws, so since they were next to me, I hold them up and show them to her. When I put the box back down, I'm staring at the box. I think to myself "Huh, those screws look short for 1 1/2"?" I double check the label. It says #8, 1 1/2" brass screws on it. I look back at the screws in the box. They are short. I'm sure of it. I ask my wife for her opinion. She agrees that they look short.

After dinner, I go back out the shop and get the steel screws and their package. I put them next to the brass screws, and dang it if I'm not right. The steel screws are 1 1/2", but the brass ones aren't! The brass ones are mush shorter then 1 1/2"! Both screws are labeled 1 1/2". They made by the SAME manufacturer!!! Now I have to shelp back out to Home Depot, go through the mess of returning them, and then try and find the screws I need.

AAAARRRGGGHHHH!!!! Damn you Home Depot! Damn you to some level of hell for lying hardware stores!

[PaulMarcel]

Great, this means we now have "nominal" lengths to look forward to in screws, too?

I bought a 100 pack of 1" brass screws and they do look a hair shorter than the 1" steel screws I have. I didn't give it that much attention other than "they look short". Wonder if there's a reason other than trying to drive you insane?

[JohnnyNoName]

Great, this means we now have "nominal" lengths to look forward to in screws, too?

I bought a 100 pack of 1" brass screws and they do look a hair shorter than the 1" steel screws I have. I didn't give it that much attention other than "they look short". Wonder if there's a reason other than trying to drive you insane?

I'm assuming it was a manufacturing/labeling problem. But who knows. They probably will make more money on something like this. How many people save there receipts on all of there Home Depot purchases?

Jonathan

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[JohnnyNoName]

Out of curiosity, I looked up Crown Bolt's website - the manufacturer of the screws. They don't mention anything about making quality products on their site's homepage. It's all about improving your "efficiency", "competitive advantage", and "profitability"... morons.

http://www.crownbolt.com/home/default.asp

Jonathan

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[wilburpan]

I'm assuming it was a manufacturing/labeling problem. But who knows. They probably will make more money on something like this. How many people save there receipts on all of there Home Depot purchases?

I've had no problems returning stuff to the local Home Depot without a receipt. At my local borg, if you paid with a credit card, they can look up the purchase in their system, and refund directly to the credit card. I've given up feeling weird about putting a $1.99 charge on my credit card for exactly this reason.

FWIW, here the Lowe's is worse than the Home Depot. I've heard enough stories to conclude that these sorts of things usually fall into how well your local manager runs the borg as to how good/bad your experience will be. That doesn't explain the short screws, but a well-run borg will let you return the screws without problems.

[woodhack]

This is why I started buying all of my fasteners from McFeely's. Great customer service and $1.00 for shipping. You have to plan ahead obviously but it's worth it.