New Home Depot plywood cutting policy?

Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • atgcpaul
    Veteran Member
    • Aug 2003
    • 4055
    • Maryland
    • Grizzly 1023SLX

    New Home Depot plywood cutting policy?

    I was at HD for a sheet of melamine this weekend. My first surprise was that an associate offered to help me get it onto the cart after I had pulled it off the stack. That's never happened before. However, then he tells me they don't cut down 3/4" sheets anymore. I told him that's new to me, and then he said just to take it to the back and he'd cut it.

    Posted next to the saw was a sign that they stopped cutting 3/4" sheets of anything as well as plastic sheet goods and MDF. I asked him why, and he said because it eats up the blades. I told him I'd be more than willing to pay for the service in the future and they'd more than make up the cost for a new blade. There's no way for me to carry sheet goods home unless I break them down first or strap them to my roof rack which I really don't like doing.

    I'll have to see if see if the other HD in town has stopped, too. How about in your towns? Are they still cutting 3/4" sheet stock?
  • leehljp
    Just me
    • Dec 2002
    • 8429
    • Tunica, MS
    • BT3000/3100

    #2
    I think it might be individual stores. I ran into a similar explanation at Lowes last year, except it was a "pay for more than one cut". I wish I had not taken that. The blade was so dull that it did more "shattering" of the plywood than cutting. I had to cut at least an inch off of each cut when I got home. I lost 4 inches of the Lowe's cut.
    Hank Lee

    Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

    Comment

    • tfischer
      Veteran Member
      • Jul 2003
      • 2343
      • Plymouth (Minneapolis), MN, USA.
      • BT3100

      #3
      Minivans get a bad rep, but one thing I love about our Grand Caravan is I can "stow & go" all the seats and then plywood fits in perfectly, with all the doors closing. I haven't had to have HD cut anything for me since we bought our van in 2007.

      If I did rely on pre-cutting my stuff to get it into the vehicle and HD refused, I'd probably pick up a cordless circ saw and do it in the parking lot myself.

      Comment

      • jussi
        Veteran Member
        • Jan 2007
        • 2162

        #4
        The branches in my area still cut plywood but won't cut mdf or particle board due to cancer dangers they say. I'm not sure but I believe it's a state regulation.
        I reject your reality and substitute my own.

        Comment

        • cwsmith
          Veteran Member
          • Dec 2005
          • 2737
          • NY Southern Tier, USA.
          • BT3100-1

          #5
          I too have a mini van, a 2006 Grand Caravan, and even with the second seat up, I can get an 4 x 8 in there.

          Not sure if my local HD still cuts. At one time they were charging for that I believe. However, I do recall that there were some complaints about accuracy, so I wouldn't be surprised if they stopped, as I don't recall ever seeing the panel saw or hearing the noise in the last several years.

          CWS
          Think it Through Before You Do!

          Comment

          • bmyers
            Veteran Member
            • Jun 2003
            • 1371
            • Fishkill, NY
            • bt 3100

            #6
            Isn't there a Lowes nearby where they can get new blades ?
            "Why are there Braille codes on drive-up ATM machines?"

            Comment

            • joedad
              Forum Newbie
              • Mar 2015
              • 24
              • Yardley, PA
              • Ryobi Bt3000

              #7
              I recently had a 3/4 sheet cut at local HD..no problem

              Comment

              • LinuxRandal
                Veteran Member
                • Feb 2005
                • 4889
                • Independence, MO, USA.
                • bt3100

                #8
                Originally posted by bmyers
                Isn't there a Lowes nearby where they can get new blades ?
                Love it, but I probably would be pretty snarky and ask them if they know there are building centers that sell consumables such as blades.
                I wonder how this will effect sales, because I have read before about people being harassed over cutting wood in their parking lot (against our rules).
                She couldn't tell the difference between the escape pod, and the bathroom. We had to go back for her.........................Twice.

                Comment

                • tfischer
                  Veteran Member
                  • Jul 2003
                  • 2343
                  • Plymouth (Minneapolis), MN, USA.
                  • BT3100

                  #9
                  Originally posted by LinuxRandal
                  I have read before about people being harassed over cutting wood in their parking lot (against our rules).
                  I could see this being a policy IF they had free or reasonably priced cutting available in the store. If not, and they *****ed at me, I would politely ask them to demonstrate how to load the uncut plywood into my vehicle, and barring that, I would insist they refund my money for the partially cut plywood and then I'd go to Lowes or Menards and buy it.

                  Comment

                  • garymuto
                    Established Member
                    • Aug 2007
                    • 194
                    • Encinitas, CA
                    • Delta Cabinet Saw

                    #10
                    I had a sheet of 3/4 prefinished maple cut about a year ago. They had a dull ripping blade in the panel saw so I lost about an inch on either side of the cut due to splintering. I also had to wait for someone to do the cutting. No big deal.

                    Since then I take a cordless circular saw with a Freud combination blade in it along with a straightedge. I would argue that the cost of the saw and blade is soon covered by doing this. I probably loose less than 1/4" on either side of the cut now. Plus no waiting.... Priceless!

                    Comment

                    • radhak
                      Veteran Member
                      • Apr 2006
                      • 3058
                      • Miramar, FL
                      • Right Tilt 3HP Unisaw

                      #11
                      I used to a minivan that I hated - I bought it for the kids, then found my wife would not drive it - "too big for me" she said, and I ended up commuting to work with it while it soaked up gas. Never happier than when I sold it off.

                      But - its one redeeming factor was that it allowed me to transport a lot of plywood sheets without worrying about cutting them down. I've not had to buy full sheets since, so I've not encountered this problem yet.

                      Originally posted by garymuto
                      Since then I take a cordless circular saw with a Freud combination blade in it along with a straightedge. I would argue that the cost of the saw and blade is soon covered by doing this. I probably loose less than 1/4" on either side of the cut now. Plus no waiting.... Priceless!
                      I'm interested in the logistics of this - where do you cut it, in the parking lot, I guess? But how do you hold the ply up for cutting - do you take some workhorses along?

                      It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
                      - Aristotle

                      Comment

                      • atgcpaul
                        Veteran Member
                        • Aug 2003
                        • 4055
                        • Maryland
                        • Grizzly 1023SLX

                        #12
                        I've thought about buying a portable circular saw, but I have such an infrequent need for sheet goods that I've always just relied on HD or Lowes to cut it for me. Unfortunately my car's outlet doesn't have enough oomph to power my track saw. If I were to cut it out in the parking lot, I'd bring some 1x stock and lay that on top of one of the HD flat carts and then lay my sheet on top. Those carts support everything but a 1' perimeter of the sheet.

                        I've been doing some drywall in my bathroom. I bring my measurements and a utility knife. On my last trip I forgot my straight edge and borrowed the one off the shelf. Score and snap in the store on their cart and then load the cut up sheet into my SUV.

                        I've been thinking about building an angled support for the back of my SUV--like those pickups that transport granite to job sites. Maybe an elevated support could work. The back measures just under 4' because of the wheels but above that it's over 4'.

                        Comment

                        • Mr__Bill
                          Veteran Member
                          • May 2007
                          • 2096
                          • Tacoma, WA
                          • BT3000

                          #13
                          I have an older short Tahoe. On nice days 4x8's hang out the back with the doors open (not a lift gate) and bungee cords holding them. On rainy days I slide them in over the top of the front seat backs then lift them to the ceiling with a ratcheting strap hooked to the grab handles. Works for plywood and ridgid foam insulation, not so well for sheetrock. Last time I had the borg cut plywood the cut was off by an inch.

                          Comment

                          • garymuto
                            Established Member
                            • Aug 2007
                            • 194
                            • Encinitas, CA
                            • Delta Cabinet Saw

                            #14
                            Originally posted by radhak
                            I'm interested in the logistics of this - where do you cut it, in the parking lot, I guess? But how do you hold the ply up for cutting - do you take some workhorses along?
                            I use one of the flat lumber carts and cut it to size in the parking lot. The straightedge guides the saw but I should clamp the sheet down (I realized after reading your question) You have to be careful not to try to cut through the metal frame of the cart.. It might be easier if I took some scrap 2x4s or something to shim the plywood up and clamp the sheet and shims to the cart for safety.
                            Last edited by garymuto; 05-19-2017, 05:45 PM.

                            Comment

                            Working...