Rant

[baldrocker]

Hi all.
Yesterday I decided that I had to have a set of transfer punches.
So off to the local Bunnings I go, no luck, not surprised for they
may be a fairly specialised item. Next stop local bearing supplier
who also sells all sorts of tooling, no luck. Off to the local engineering supplies
no luck.
Now my rant is not that I couldn't get what I wanted but that at every place

I HAD TO EXPLAIN WHAT TRANSFER PUNCHES WERE!
Please could some of you guys with 10, 20, 30 years experience rejoin the workforce?

Eventually ordered on line from McJing (no connection).
I feel better now.
BR

 

[dsquire]

baldrocker

yea, that can be a bit frustrating after the second or third go round. Just goes to show that there is no good replacement for experience.

cheers

Don

 

[Macca]

What a coincidence, I picked up some transfer punches from mcjings last week. I have no immediate need for them, but when I do need them they will be there.

 

[CrewCab]

Tell me about it ........... I'm currently working away from home, yesterday I called in at a local plumbers merchant and asked for a 15mm (1/2" for the US contingent) pipe bending spring .......... the spotty youth behind the counter replied ......... a "what" .......... never heard of one ............. and of course there was no one else available .............. even sadder ............... it was the 3rd plumbers merchant's that I went to before I managed to get one :wall:

It's about a basic a plumbing tool as you can get ............. bit like a hss cutting tool for a lathe ???

<rant mode "OFF" >

CC

 

[kustomkb]

I went to the specialty fastener store,

"Theres no such thing as a 2-56"

"our stainless fasteners only come with a black oxide finish"

:-[

 

[Powder keg]

I alwayse get " What do you want THAT for?"

Wes

 

[Maryak]

There is only one form of Service, Generation Y understand. : and its not military service

Best Regards
Bob

 

[ksouers]

I've had similar experiences at one of our chain hardware stores several months ago. I explained to the older gentleman working the tool section at Home Depot I was looking for a tap. He deftly ushered me over to the hammers. I must have had that deer-in-the-headlights look so he made a swinging motion with his hand and said "You know, tap, tap, tap". I couldn't say anything, just turned around and walked out.

Kevin

 

[Kludge]

Kevin, you were in Hawaii and didn't tell me?

Aside from not having any of the really cool stuff here, even common items are outside the range of understanding of the typical big box employee. I find waving them off and treasure hunting on my own is far more expedient.

What a mess.

BEst regards,

Kludge

 

[stevehuckss396]

I've had similar experiences at one of our chain hardware stores several months ago. I explained to the older gentleman working the tool section at Home Depot I was looking for a tap. He deftly ushered me over to the hammers. I must have had that deer-in-the-headlights look so he made a swinging motion with his hand and said "You know, tap, tap, tap". I couldn't say anything, just turned around and walked out.

Kevin

I laughed for a good minute and a half.

 

[tmuir]

I'm buying more and more of my tools off the net now as I find it's cheaper even including the postage and I can actually get what I want.
I have in the mail coming to me from Hong Kong at the moment a full set of ER32 collets, 19 from 1mm to 19mm and including the $75 postage they are still $20 cheaper than buying a set of 6 locally. :

 

[Tin Falcon]

I just have to retell this story . I used to work as a weights and measures official. We went to the various store and inspected the scales and other measuring devices. My boss and I were in the big box home store with all the blue signs. there was an open box of flexible conduit with a printed ruler on the side of the box. We asked the dept clerk how they measured the stuff when it was sold. ,he said they used the box. An honest answer. We then advised the store manager that this procedure was not legal for trade and suggested he obtain a metal yard stick and attach it to the shelf near the item. His reply? you are gonna love this.
" Where Do I get one of those?" I was nice I went to the tool area pulled one off the shelf and handed it to him . I should have suggested a good hardware store or the home depot LOL
Tin

 

[raggle]

How long a post can we have in a rant? This one could become a thesis/PHD dissertation.

"They" do not know their own stuff!

SWMBO and I got together on the 'net over 6 years ago (who says such romances won't last?) One thing became clear early on, we couldn't share a PC, needed one each, in part because I use Linux and she will have nothing to do with it. Our homes were 175 miles apart and although I'd got a broadband connection no such thing was available in the little village in Kent where she lived. And I was going home less and less.

She was not keen to open up her machine to install a network card so we'd settle for wireless connection through Access Point. This on the recommendation of my knowall youngest son (not a jibe, he really does know it all)

Off to PC World, UK's biggest retailer (?) at one of their branches in the 2nd city. I'd seen the Belkin product there 6 months before but it was no longer on display. So I asked at the counter.

"What's it for?" said spotty youth.
"Wireless connection between 2 PCs using a dialup connection"
"Can't be done. You need broadband"
"You had them here last year, my son bought one"
Blank stare.

Next day in Kent SWMBO collared a chap in a van, whose signwriting inferred he was an IT networking specialist.

"Hmm, yes, in theory. But it would be slow."

Youngest son was outraged when we told him. "Who ARE these people??" He then identified the necessary bits for me to order online and I was up and running (with no direct assistance) next day.

I'd thought it was all due to kids not being allowed anything sharp or hot or dirty these days. Now I know better. They don't listen. Maybe you are also unaware that you become invisible when you hit 60 yrs of age.

Knowall son btw is now 38 and will present me with my first grandchild next week.

Ray

 

[artrans]

I can top them all went to a bagel store I said I well take a dozen bagels girl said we only have 12.I said ok thats fine. And we want to no whats wrong with the world. Can you picture what would happen if you asked for a flat bastard. :big:

 

[Tin Falcon]

Art could it be the store was used to selling by the bakers Dozen ??
Tin

 

[ronm]

If you want to be looked at like you're from another planet, just walk into an Auto Zone, pick out the youngest person behind the counter, preferably blonde & female, & ask for a point file.... ;D

 

[shred]

"What's it for?" said spotty youth.
"Wireless connection between 2 PCs using a dialup connection"
"Can't be done. You need broadband"
"You had them here last year, my son bought one"
Blank stare.

Interestingly dial-up Access Points really have all but disappeared from the market although they were everywhere many years ago. The shop people still should have known of them.

My favorite is when the store person asks "what's it for?" or "what are you doing?" when you ask for a piece or part so they can direct you to some total replacement. "Making a model steam engine" is not an answer they covered in employee training 101.

My local big-box did hire one guy that knows his stuff in the tools department, but even he mostly has to say "sorry.. we don't have that' when I ask for something.

 

[CrewCab]

ask for a point file.... ;D

Now somewhere

I have one of those ;D

CC

 

[raggle]

Interestingly dial-up Access Points really have all but disappeared from the market although they were everywhere many years ago. The shop people still should have known of them.

This event took place in 2003/4 - they were available in that very branch 6 months earlier. I refrained from getting him to call the manager, as I suspected he would know no better. In cases like this I vote with my feet and seek out somewhere sensible.

I'd had a similar incident when looking in 1998 for an in-car AA NiCad battery charger for my posh new digital camera which ran away with batteries. I had no idea if they existed. Neither did the kid behind the counter, who said if they did they'd probably run down my car battery in a very short time. Oddly, that store was in the same group as PC World.

All is not lost - I've met some very bright kids lately. I think they're being short changed and with the coming gloom will have to learn fast.

Ray

 

[compound driver 2]

try asking for a pot of "Black Strap" or a tin of "Foliac". I use both on traction engines and eat one as well.

I hate modern society, I loath the way people think im insane because i burn coal as i drive down the road.

The most iritating questions I get asked is "How many miles to the gallon do you get"
and "where are the batteries"