Prophecy: That darned Bluerauder.

[Mike Poore]

In Breadfan's excellent thread "The cost of cheap"
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=35894 , my dear friend, Charlie, used the analogy of the poorly manufactured toilet valves and unmentionable inner-tank workings, to make a valid and thought provoking point in his argument.

Well, guess who has a wad of bath towels surrounding the base of said facility in Barbara's bathroom, to catch/soak up the puddle of water from Charlie's crap plastic used to keep the whole thing together? Me, that's who!

I suggest any of you reading this or Breadfan's thread, go to Lowe's, or wherever, and get your replacement pieces-parts, now, because there will be a national shortage of said parts, as toilets world-wide start to fail, due to Charlie's revelation.

Bluerauder's posts are always thoughtful, and informative, only, in this instance, I wish he had chosen another analogy, say, the 2006 Chevy Wimpala SS, to make his point. :rofl:

[magindat]

PM me for my address.

You owe me a bottle of cleaning wipes used to clean the Coke I sprayed on my keyboard and monitor!

[High-C]

Go to a local Ferguson plumbing supply... Their paychecks keep my DTR running...:cool:

[JACook]

Go to a local Ferguson plumbing supply... Their paychecks keep my DTR running...:cool:

Interesting you should bring it up. Just installed a Kohler Memoirs tub and Devonshire crapper
in my front bath. Got 'em both from Ferguson's. :)

[Bluerauder]

Go to a local Ferguson plumbing supply... Their paychecks keep my DTR running...:cool:
The smaller locally owned hardware stores are having a hard time competing with the big box stores like Home Depot and Lowe's. We had a very convenient Service Star affiliate called "Pitkins" right up the street in the local shopping center. They were here when the houses were built so they were familiar with most of the paint schemes, hardware, doors, ceiling lights and such. You could always find just what you needed for a replacement. Unfortunately, their business was taken over by folks rushing off to Home Depot.

High-C might remember the hardware store called "Fishers" over in Springfield. So far, they have been able to resist the tide of the big boys and they do it by word of mouth and reputation. Basically, if you are having a hard time finding something .... a fitting, valve, etc. everyone knows to try "Fishers" 'cause there is a very high probability they will have the item in stock. It's about 15 miles from me; but they have bailed me out on more than one occasion.

I would rather pay a little more for local service to a hardware store that is 5 minutes away than save a buck or two by driving 20 minutes to and back from the big box stores. My time is more valuable than that and I ALWAYS need something else right in the middle of a job. I really don't want to waste 30-40 minutes in the middle of a project.

[Breadfan]

I actually didn't know Pitkins was gone, I hadn't heard that name in a while though...there are plenty of places like that in jeopardy and you get some of the best service there.

Same goes for auto parts.