An interesting blue box expereience

[Salty]

I was there this past weekend to get some pipe and fittings to make a 'clean out the gutters from the ground' attachment. What I wanted was a fernco 2" coupling, a length of ABS 2" pipe and an elbow. Fit this on the end of my blower and presto...clean gutters.
However, I could not find any 10 ft lengths of 2" black ABS pipe. In fact, they had no 4 ft pieces either. Then I realized that the only 10 ft pieces of the black ABS was 4". They had plenty of fittings. In fact, the sweep 90 was cheaper than the reguler 90 and the sweep worked better for my application.
I think it would be difficult for someone to find enough pipe to do much of a construction project with such a scant selection of pipe.
Someone didn't outlaw ABS pipe did they?

[Uncle Cracker]

Don't know about outlawed, but now that you mention it, it does seem like stores are only stocking what might be needed for a repair job. Most of the drain work I see nowadays is PVC or styrene.

[cgallery]

I was at my local Lowes a couple of weeks ago looking for some cedar boards. They only stocked up to 8'.

Went to Mendards where they had twelve footers. I believe Menards had even longer out in the yard.

[LCHIEN]

i usually design a project, select the components I need, then I go to the hardware store and see what they actually have. Bring a paper and pad so i can redesign it while standing in the aisles, to use what's available. Usually I end up with some monstrosity and take an hour longer at the store than I should have.

[crokett]

Most houses today are plumbed with PVC rather than ABS. The BORGs stock what is demanded. My house the original plumbing is ABS but any new work I do is PVC. You can still get ABS at plumbing supply houses.

[Garasaki]

Usually I end up with some monstrosity and take an hour longer at the store than I should have.

Good lord do I hear you there. A trip to the borg is usually a 1.5 to 2 hour ordeal for me, and I get plenty of exercise striding to and from every far reaching corner of the big box to compare items.

Then I generally end up buying 2 versions of everything so I can make design changes when I get home without having to make a trip back to the store.

"I'll just return it later" I always think.

And I have big tubs in my garage and storage room in my basement dedicated to things I'll eventually get around to returning to the BORG...

[crokett]

I just return them on my next trip since I bought two and what I needed was a third thing....

[leehljp]

i usually design a project, select the components I need, then I go to the hardware store and see what they actually have. Bring a paper and pad so i can redesign it while standing in the aisles, to use what's available. Usually I end up with some monstrosity and take an hour longer at the store than I should have.

Same here. There are two ways I construct projects: 1. I get my basic design and modify it with what is available - and it usually looks it; 2. Build a project little by little and advance ONLY when I find the right part/piece.

[sscherin]

I've learned that to get what I really want I need to drag by butt out of the house early on a week day or my lunch break and hit the industrial supply shops.. They are typically open at 7am for the contractors. The service is 100% better and the parts usually cost a lot less.

[cabinetman]

I have one of the HD Pro Books. It's got most of the plumbing parts (pictures) to pick from. I still have a time getting exactly what I need. Using the internet when planning helps a lot for a better assortment and getting the correct terminology.

What ticks me off is the boxes with the fittings may contain anything. People just don't put parts back where they belong.
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