Lowes / Home Depot Opinions

[George Cole]

Have you ever gone to Home Depot or Lowes looking for something, anything, you needed to start, work on, or finish your woodworking project? And when you were looking for "it" couldn't find it? They did not have "it"? That the majority of "it " things they have are for contractors or home repair?
I have a idea. When you buy something at either place you get a receipt asking you to respond to there opinion poll. By all means respond. Just tell them that your not a contractor and would appreciate some decent furniture grade wood, something other than pine, oak, popular and cedar siding. Tell them you would like some quality router bits. maybe some Forrest saw blades any thing that we don't have to drive all over the planet to get. I don't expect them to be a Peachtree, Woodcraft, Rockler, etc., but some improvement over there current offerings would help....

Thanks for your time, I feel better.

George Cole

[poolhound]

I hear you George.

When it comes to wood the last place I would go unless desperate and needed something very quick is HD (other than 2x4s etc). I am lucky however that I have a number of options for lumber and tools that are not too far away. There is a rockler 2 miles away and a woodworkers source about 6 miles. For good un milled wood and sheet materials at at least a third the price of HD I do have to go about 10 miles though.

I would appreciate it if HD or lowes could use their buying power to get some of the better blades and bits at an affordable price though.

[Uncle Cracker]

I have responded in the past to such surveys, but I think it just going in one ear and out the other. Big box stores are about profit, and much of this derives from a) reducing their inventory costs, and b) appealing to their target of potential buyers, namely, the weekend DIYers. Those in the craftsman category generally do not fit this demographic. And your assertion that big boxes are geared to the contractor may be inaccurate, as well. The "contractor" who gets his material from HD is generally small-time, possibly unlicensed, and usually under-funded. Larger, financially stable contracting companies generally buy from wholesalers, in larger quantities, and get advanced pricing protection on better quality materials at same or better prices than they can get them in HD. I have many associates in various types of contracting, and aside from the occasional box of screws or case of adhesive that they run short of while on a job, none of them can refrain from laughing when the subject of HD or Lowes comes up.

[germdoc]

I agree with the above. Given the growth of woodworking as a hobby and the explosion of new, relatively cheap power tools, I don't see why they don't offer a variety of milled wood that is roughly surfaced for cabinetmakers. I mean, we live in an area full of maple and walnut, yet that wood is hard to find and very expensive compared to red oak.

Also, why sell jointers and planers if all you offer is 4S lumber? Seems to me if they had more rough lumber they would sell more jointers and planers!

[mschrank]

Personally, I'm fine with the big boxes not stocking "fine" woodworking supplies. That's not their market niche. It's bad enough that you can't get knowledgeable help with the products they do sell...they surely aren't going to be of any help when you're trying to buy a decent handplane or router bit.

[germdoc]

I understand that their niche is home refinishing and small contractors. I can get handplanes or router bits from a catalog, but it's the wood that's the issue. I just think that there's a market for fine hardwoods in my area--several hundred thousand people surrounded by hardwood forests, with nearest Rocklers or Woodcraft over 100 miles away.

(I've been trying to get my buddies to go in with me on a Woodcraft franchise, but so far no takers. I've heard the buy-in costs are incredible.)

[Bruce Cohen]

It's bad enough that you can't get knowledgeable help with the products they do sell...they surely aren't going to be of any help when you're trying to buy a decent handplane or router bit.

Hey Mike,

You're lucky to find someone who even knows the difference. I worked there for two years and I do know what I'm talking about.

It's even worse than that.

Bruce

[poolhound]

Isnt a handplane one of those models you make out of paper and launch with your hand!

Does this qualify me to work in the tools section of HD?

[rjwaldren]

A while back I was dropping in some new electrical in the garage. I picked up a few things at home depot one day and went back to get the rest the following day (knowing it was on the shelf the previous day). Overnight they chopped the electrical department in half. When I asked, they said it didn't sell well. That's the driving force - If it doesn't sell in high volumes, it's gone. Unfortunately that means those oddball things you only occassionally need are unlikely to be there.

Oddly enough, locally, both Lowes and HD have started carrying Maple Ply and boards and a low end Agathis (HD) ply in addition to Oak and Birch. The ply is the same shop quality as their normal offerings and it's shoved into the same space that used to house only the oak and birch, so selection is limited.

[LinuxRandal]

Isnt a handplane one of those models you make out of paper and launch with your hand!

Ask for a handplane locally, and get walked over to the electric handplanes (for doors and such). Only after describing it, would you get walked over to their "selection", which includes a couple of Buck brothers, probably more suitable to a kids toy.

[footprintsinconc]

I hear you George.

When it comes to wood the last place I would go unless desperate and needed something very quick is HD (other than 2x4s etc). I am lucky however that I have a number of options for lumber and tools that are not too far away. There is a rockler 2 miles away and a woodworkers source about 6 miles. For good un milled wood and sheet materials at at least a third the price of HD I do have to go about 10 miles though.

I would appreciate it if HD or lowes could use their buying power to get some of the better blades and bits at an affordable price though.

if their buying power results in you buying sheet material + unmilled wood at a THIRD the HD price, then why do you think that the blades and/or bits will be at an affordable price?

they already have a huge markup, they arent about to give anything at a discounted price.

[rnelson0]

Given the growth of woodworking as a hobby and the explosion of new, relatively cheap power tools, I don't see why they don't offer a variety of milled wood that is roughly surfaced for cabinetmakers.

Because it would cut into their custom cabinetry business?

In general, I go to whichever place helps me the most to get an idea of pricing and what's required. If they're unsure or the deal isn't there, I go to the local hardware store (another 30 minutes of drive time, round trip). But it's great for the commodity items or for learning.

And, of course, the random mags I buy with projects in them. Makes those $.50 bags of screws real expensive, though

[LarryG]

(I've been trying to get my buddies to go in with me on a Woodcraft franchise, but so far no takers. I've heard the buy-in costs are incredible.)

The monthly catalogs, or the sales flyers, or both, carry a little come-on for potential franchisees. IIRC, the sum they are currently advising you to have on hand is $561,000. (I couldn't tell you how they arrived at such an odd figure.)

BOT ... while I share George's frustration, in some respects, I think Cracker nailed it. We're just not their market. And when I think about what they charge for garden-variety red oak and poplar, I shudder to think what a stick of REALLY nice wood would be priced at.

[mater]

BOT ... while I share George's frustration, in some respects, I think Cracker nailed it. We're just not their market. And when I think about what they charge for garden-variety red oak and poplar, I shudder to think what a stick of REALLY nice wood would be priced at.

I agree with Larry. Their oak and popular is expensive compared to some lumber mills around here.

[footprintsinconc]

I shudder to think what a stick of REALLY nice wood would be priced at.

that would be behind lock and key, and no, you cannot pick through and take the straight ones only!