Ace Hardware

[EddieWalker]

During the Lockdown, Ace became my go to store. No lines to get in, they always had something in stock that I could use for the job I was on. It might not of been the exact thing I was looking for, but it was close enough that I was able to keep working.

Since then, I still go to the different Ace stores, but not as often. For me, as a contractor, their limited selection makes it harder for me to be sure that I will find what I want.

 

[Oaktree]

I was in there yesterday wanting a #00 Phillip's screwdriver to change the battery in my phone. The young gal walked me right to them. Yup, knowledge there.

Clerks in the box stores seem to know where most major items are kept if you know what you're looking for. Finding one (in any store, large or small) who can help you select the right item for what you're trying to do is the challenge.

 

[WinterDeere]

Our local ACE is also our local Stihl dealer. Good people. They give me 10% off on Stihl saws and I have a separate non taxable account for farm related purchases.
Nice place to stop in and talk to neighbors.

Same. I'd do most of my shopping there, except ours is closed on Sundays, when I most often find myself needing a hardware store for home projects. Ace is 10 minutes from home, closest Lowes Depots are all 25+ minutes.

They're a few dollars more than the big box chains, but I don't mind that for a convenient family-run business. It's really only their hours that end up costing them much of my business.

 

[Hay Dude]

Mines open Sundays, which is pretty convenient.

 

[Oaktree]

They're a few dollars more than the big box chains, but I don't mind that for a convenient family-run business. It's really only their hours that end up costing them much of my business.

I guess it depends on the size of the project. Additional cost adds up on a large project.

Most of the locally owned hardware stores around here got bought up and consolidated into Aubuchons 8-10 years ago. AFAIK they're open 7 days a week, though not as long hours as HD, Lowes, etc. Dunno about the Ace...it's the furthest away of the bunch, and not on the way to anywhere I generally go.

 

[WinterDeere]

I guess it depends on the size of the project. Additional cost adds up on a large project.

The last few major plumbing projects on this house, I've grown to realize I'm one of very few still doing old-skool copper sweat fittings. That's hard for me to accept, as it's the most reliable and long-lived plumbing system in modern history, but PEX and that Shark-Bite crap have won out on shelf space at most stores.

 

[paulsharvey]

Mines open Sundays, which is pretty convenient.

Our close early on Sunday, I think 6pm, and other evenings I am pretty sure it's 7pm.

 

[deserteagle71]

The last few major plumbing projects on this house, I've grown to realize I'm one of very few still doing old-skool copper sweat fittings. That's hard for me to accept, as it's the most reliable and long-lived plumbing system in modern history, but PEX and that Shark-Bite crap have won out on shelf space at most stores.

Longevity of copper fittings may be fine where you live. Out here in some locations the naturally occurring chemicals in the well water will eat up copper in no time.

 

[ultrarunner]

Longevity of copper fittings may be fine where you live. Out here in some locations the naturally occurring chemicals in the well water will eat up copper in no time.

I've got 102 year old galvanized still on the job...

Also have another property now 50 years old with 3 copper leaks now... two at fittings and one a pin hole...

 

[dadohead]

The last few major plumbing projects on this house, I've grown to realize I'm one of very few still doing old-skool copper sweat fittings. That's hard for me to accept, as it's the most reliable and long-lived plumbing system in modern history, but PEX and that Shark-Bite crap have won out on shelf space at most stores.

Our new house is copper mains with PEX runners.... it's just got to last to the next husband.

 

[WinterDeere]

Our new house is copper mains with PEX runners.... it's just got to last to the next husband.

lol... it's a shame that's how we come to view things, eventually. But I'm much the same.

I did actually have an unexplained pin hole in a 1/2" soft coiled copper line running up to our 2nd floor laundry, just this summer. Bizarre, as it was in the middle of the line, no fittings or anything near the pin hole. Hopefully it's not a precursor of things to come.

A house my mother sold in the early 2000's had one lead pipe, as an un-metered secondary main from the city. It fed only her outside spigots, and since it was unmetered, no one dared to draw any attention to it. The water department in that town was formed in the early 1850's, so I suspect that lead pipe was original to the house, when it was built in the 1860's. Likely the rest of the house was moved over to a new metered and "un-leaded" main in the 1950's or 1960's, and only the outside spigots were left on the old main. Point is, whatever the age, it was still operational and without any flow or leakage issues.

 

[dadohead]

My son's 1922 duplex had lead water line feeders coming from the street. Milwaukee has been slowly replacing them by neighborhood. His started leaking this year right at the basement floor (multiple pin holes) so he got bumped to the top of the list. Glad they are gone.

 

[Runner]

Here is the day our water main tap broke (on the City side of the meter, thankfully). This has actually happened twice in the 18 years we've lived here. This has happened a lot in our neighborhood, so the City has now dialed back the pressure on that main so much, you can barely run a small lawn sprinkler. Oops, sorry, I don't think this had anything to do with Ace Hardware. Carry on.

 

[lman]

Longevity of copper fittings may be fine where you live. Out here in some locations the naturally occurring chemicals in the well water will eat up copper in no time.

Wow, what does the water do to your stomach?