Availability of DIY Basic Tools In This World Beating UK Economy

marchie

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Last week I ordered a Makita 2000w Angle Grinder to cut a concrete base up [I have the same model bought off the shelf in 2012 at the local B&Q Store but it's now gathering dust at our hovel in France]. Fair enough, the item was next day from the Screwfix Central Warehouse to our local Screwfix Depot, and it arrived shortly after 12 noon the next day.

I now find that I need to trim the bottom of the door that led onto the concrete base to get a proper fit over the wooden door strip that will need to raised by the application of CT1 waterproof adhesive under the door strip. My Surform Plane blade needs replaced, so just tried to place an online order for a £4.79 blade at Screwfix. 'Available for Next Day Delivery only from our Central Warehouse'! I need the bloody blade today! It's hardly a specialist/high value tool is it? Had to resort to buying a block plane at £6.48 to get the job done before we leave for the Spanish Winter Sun and where I'll be able to buy the tools by the shedload off the shelf ...

What a joke this country has become

Steve
 
I have a Makita 110v industrial drill/breaker & transformer you could have borrowed Steve, also 240v plane. A tad late now, could be a good idea local folk looking for a particular tool could post who has what thread to borrow…any damage would require a fix.
 
Got to Toolstation and moaned that I had had to order a new Block Plane because no large Surform Blades in stock. Assistant says she's sure she saw one when she picked my Order. Sure enough, there was a Blade on the shelf, just not on 'the System' ...

Steve
 
Got to Toolstation and moaned that I had had to order a new Block Plane because no large Surform Blades in stock. Assistant says she's sure she saw one when she picked my Order. Sure enough, there was a Blade on the shelf, just not on 'the System' ...

Steve
I would have thought something like that would be typically on the shelf in the average tool hardware store?
 
Got to Toolstation and moaned that I had had to order a new Block Plane because no large Surform Blades in stock. Assistant says she's sure she saw one when she picked my Order. Sure enough, there was a Blade on the shelf, just not on 'the System' ...

Steve
Kudos to the sales person for remembering he/she saw one, albeit not on the store system.
 
I would have thought something like that would be typically on the shelf in the average tool hardware store?
Not according to Screwfix, David, despite their adverts claiming delivery to site in, IIRC, 20-60 minutes [excluding Special Orders such as Stanley Surfor Blades ....] :rolleyes:. Less Screwfix, more Screwup ...

Steve
 
Going the same way as Jewsons!
The advert used to be jewsons have got the lot! We coined it as Jewsons got f##} all
 
Depends a bit on where you live, there is a very good builders merchant not far from where I live and I can generally get most run o’the mill stuff there.
 
I have to agree with how poorly stocked shops and tools stores are. Ok you can get things fairly quickly from central depots etc. But HOW GREEN IS THAT? Surely all these extra journeys that a packet of fuses or blades for planes or lump hammers need to make to get to customers are not doing the environment any good? It extends beyond tools too. I love it when you ask for an item an the shop assistant utters the well used phrase "we don't stock those as there is no demand for them". To which one could surely say yes there blooming well is ME!
 
Try getting your hands on a left hand screwdriver these days. 😂
Easy, they're just to the right of the tins of striped paint, and immediately behind the sky hooks for Ford Anglias, alongside the Long Weights [about 20 minutes until you tumble to them being Long Waits ...] :ROFLMAO:

More difficult is finding a stockist of 50p Verbal Agreement Stamps [my 1976 April Fool on my mother who queued for the whole of her lunch hour in the local Post Office and local Barclays Bank] ...

Steve
 
When restoring an old Land Rover I chose to replace the Series2a sills with Series 3 ones. The 2a ones were beyond straightening and no longer available. As the 2a was a plaything I was not worried too much about original look. The Series 3 LHS was about a fiver, the RHS four times the price. Methinks that there was an excess of production of left hand ones. A bit off thread sorry but torpedo hinge post reminded me.
 
Got to Toolstation and moaned that I had had to order a new Block Plane because no large Surform Blades in stock. Assistant says she's sure she saw one when she picked my Order. Sure enough, there was a Blade on the shelf, just not on 'the System' ...

Steve
I went to the local Screwfix for something (I forget what) and mentioned that what I really needed was marked out of stock. The woman there told me they had plenty in stock. Saved a trip to Toolstation!
 
I went to the local Screwfix for something (I forget what) and mentioned that what I really needed was marked out of stock. The woman there told me they had plenty in stock. Saved a trip to Toolstation!
Yep humans ....when you get to speak to them ....sometimes get it right LOL
 
I went to the local Screwfix for something (I forget what) and mentioned that what I really needed was marked out of stock. The woman there told me they had plenty in stock. Saved a trip to Toolstation!

I hope your follow-up question was "why haven't you fixed the stock levels then?"

Not my job....
 
I hope your follow-up question was "why haven't you fixed the stock levels then?"

Not my job....
Almost certainly they'd not be able to. The system will record what has been put in stock and what has been sold (or written off). Very unlikely that branch staff will be allowed to adjust inventory records, for security reasons.
 

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