>Just thought I would share this. I tried to buy a set of full extention rails for a drawer in a night stand. Lowes wanted $13 and did not have any shorter than 16". I needed 14". Asked a buddy in the cabinet business where he got his and if they had 14".
End Result, a commercial supplier sold me a very similar set. Slightly different in that there was no left and right hand version, you just mounted one "upside down" and they did not come with the screws packaged with them, but they were only $4.27. Literally a 1/3 the cost of Lowes for what appearred to be nearly identical quality. And $.78 for screws. Just thought I would pass this on. It pays to shop around.
>I'm in the Richmond VA area and the place was Diamond Hill Plywood Corp. On Coffer Rd. on Southside. They are a wholesale outfit and I was told they don't sell to the public, but I walked into the office and asked. They went in the back, brought out the runners and let me look at them and I paid them the $4 and change and left, before they changed their minds.
I don't know the brand of runners, but they were supposed to be "heavy duty" 75lb runner I think. I had been looking at the KV runners from Lowes trying to decide if I could cut them down from 16" to 14". (No) The ones from Diamond Hill are probably Chinese, but there wasn't much difference in quality. The KV ones had a push button or "detent" you pressed straight in to release the drawer and there was a left and right. The cheaper ones had a little lever. So when you turned one over to make it a left, one lever lifted up and the other one went down. Not much of a problem to save 2/3's.
I had not posted the name of the store, because I assumed most of you were not in the area. I don't know if Diamond Hill has an internet site. I know they ship stuff to my friend's cabinet shop, but I imagine there is a minimum order. I don't even know if this is there only location. MY order was a real boon to their business. Anyday they sell ONE has got to be a good day.
My point was to not rely on Lowes or any of the Borgs for low prices.
>Yeah, the Borg is good for low prices on commodities like AC plywood, 2x4 studs, etc. (quality being another issue) and other things that people are likely to be cost-sensitive about (and shop around for) but for things like drawer slides, brass door hinges (I've gotten Emtek solid brass, heavy duty 3 1/2 hinges for about 40% less than what they wanted for Stanley light duty brass hinges), euro cabinet hinges, etc., you'll do far better going elsewhere.
[semi-rant warning ON] Frankly, I hate being in the places (I walk around muttering "I hate this place") so much I'll only go if I can't find what I'm looking for somewhere else, even if I have to pay a bit more (I'm definitely willing to pay to avoid the aggravation). [semi-rant warning OFF]
>I was watching tv the other day (still recovering from sugery) -- They had done some research on prices etc. The upshot was that the borgs - including the Walmarts etc., move into an area and undersell the local merchants ...... FOR A WHILE. After people are conditioned to shop there ,believing the borgs are always lower priced, they gradually raise their prices - often above local competitors. They normally will price match , but if thats the only place you shop, you don't realize there are better prices elsewhere. I do buy at the borgs but always price compare. When I built my shop, I made a list of the major supplies needed - IE: OSB, concrete blocks, drywall, 2X6's etc.. I printed this list on my computer and made several copies. My wife and I went to several lumber yards, the borgs etc and I filled in the prices on a list for each store. We went to dinner and I compiled a list with the best price & the low cost supplier. I ended up at Lowe's and they gave me the items for 10% below the best price I had listed. I saved around $2,000 that day vs buying all at one store.
Also tend to be VERY pricey for the little things.
Craig Daymon
>I wanted to get 1/2" and 1/4" I.D. O-rings to put on my router bits. The sort of small thing you buy for a project at the borg without thinking about it. They were over 50 cents each and only available in individual packaging. Thank goodness for Enco and McMaster-Carr! Paid less than I would have for 10 and I'm stocked for a long time! Same holds for wing nuts, washers, acorn nuts, almost any fastener. (Especially stainless.) You'd be surprise how much you can save (with extras to spare) buying the little things from supply houses.
I have found a similar place locally where I can buy slides cheaper than on-line and the big box stores. I recently purchased 22" 100 lb full extension slides for under $7 a pair.
It helps to look around. If you don't know ask a local cabinet shop where they get their hardware.
>My point exactly, but why use ten or fifteen words when two or three hundred will do. Shop around, check the wholesale market. Many have a "Counter Sales Desk."
>The problem is that those of us not in the business often don't have access to these sources. It has been my experience that if you're an individual these places won't even talk to you.
>That was part of my point. Even the "guy" working inthe back of this place said they woudl not sell to me. I ahd to wander in through the loading dock door. They literally ahd no street entrance. There was an arrow that pointed tot he the side. So I stumbled into the office. But in the end, the man in the office go up form his desk, answered my questions, looked up the inventory, went in the back and got the drawer slide. Let me look at it and took my money. Much better than Lowes, where I have to go fetch it myself. Press them and they may sell to you for cash.
