The Down Range Forum

Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: TAB on February 15, 2025, 02:36:47 PM

Title: If you work in a hardware store, have a beard....
Post by: TAB on February 15, 2025, 02:36:47 PM
If you don't know what an 8-32 screw is... shave your damn beard.
Title: Re: If you work in a hardware store, have a beard....
Post by: alfsauve on February 16, 2025, 09:55:17 AM
While I don’t look to big box employees for advice, I do expect them to know the basics about their inventory.

Title: Re: If you work in a hardware store, have a beard....
Post by: TAB on February 16, 2025, 10:18:18 AM
While I don’t look to big box employees for advice, I do expect them to know the basics about their inventory.

This was worse.  A true value hardware
Title: Re: If you work in a hardware store, have a beard....
Post by: alfsauve on February 16, 2025, 11:24:59 AM
There is a TruValue franchisee known as UH.  That's what the sign says,  UH.   We all got a chuckle when it went up.

Turns out it stands for Urban Hardware.  They're a little bigger and better stocked than most ACE an TVs I've been in. 

Title: Re: If you work in a hardware store, have a beard....
Post by: Big Frank on February 16, 2025, 05:18:02 PM
I haven't used an 8-32 screw in maybe 2 days. You think I should apply for that guy's job? I have a beard but it's not full-on Grizzly Adams like it was a couple years ago when someone called me mountain man. :)
Title: Re: If you work in a hardware store, have a beard....
Post by: Rastus on February 17, 2025, 09:21:14 AM
I've used 8-32's but prefer the 10-32's for projects where I piece together aluminum to make stuff.
Title: Re: If you work in a hardware store, have a beard....
Post by: Big Frank on February 17, 2025, 11:45:28 AM
I prefer something threaded 1/2'-28 or .578'-28.  :)

BTW, .578 is 37/64. Taps and dies are usually marked with fractions rather than the decimal equivalent, and 37/64"-28 dies are available for threading muzzles of .45 caliber or under.
Title: Re: If you work in a hardware store, have a beard....
Post by: alfsauve on February 17, 2025, 12:23:49 PM
Sadly, because so many things come from overseas these days I've gotten use to using 6, 7 & 8mm.  If an item has metric, I don't like to mix when I'm adding on or modifiying.
Title: Re: If you work in a hardware store, have a beard....
Post by: Big Frank on February 17, 2025, 12:44:07 PM
Too bad everything isn't metric. It would make things so much simpler.
Title: Re: If you work in a hardware store, have a beard....
Post by: MikeBjerum on February 18, 2025, 08:06:12 AM
When we moved I was concerned I would never again see the service of small town businesses. Then I found that our neighborhood Ace Hardware, family owned but several locations, was just like we had in our small rural communities. Older employees that knew without being told, and young who were working hard to learn from their mentors. Last year the family sold half their stores to another family group, name changed, but appeared to not change. Then the bad news. Slow change in inventory, still Ace but, the older staff is all gone, and the young ones have just enough knowledge to point you to the correct aisle ... most of the time.

The dumbing down of America continues  :'(
Title: Re: If you work in a hardware store, have a beard....
Post by: PegLeg45 on February 28, 2025, 12:03:31 PM
I've used 8-32's but prefer the 10-32's for projects where I piece together aluminum to make stuff.

Same here.

I just mounted a router to a router table of mixed brands. The mounting holes fit the 8-32's but I reamed them out and used the 10-32's instead.
Title: Re: If you work in a hardware store, have a beard....
Post by: TAB on February 28, 2025, 08:14:38 PM
didnt have a choice. there is 2 pins that hold my tilt wheel in place in my old truck.   i had to dismantle the collum to get to a minor and cheap broken part.   if you have ever taken apart an older ford steering collum to replace the starting actuator you know exactly which pins i am talking about.   easy, just requires an 8-32.   i for the life of me could not find one long enough in my screw box.