I have a saying about hardware stores: The little mom and pop stores have a dozen of everything you need. Home Cheapo and Lowedown have a hundred of half of what you need. Another case in point. After much cajoling my 17-year old took out the old and bolted in the new tranny in his walk-behind last night. Needed a 3/4 by 3/16 Woodruf key as the one on the old tranny shaft was lodged in too well to be removed without ruining something (that tranny will likely be repaired soon). Well, it's 7:15 pm, but Ahh, I saw Woodruf Keys at Lowe's! So he doesn't get too discouraged I'll run and get one (I was so happy he picked up a wrench, even if I had to shame him into it!) Of course, they only had a smattering of sizes, just enough to be able to say they got them and to make me drive the 12 mile round trip and waste an hour of my precious time (the older you get, the more precious it is). #<*%)!ing LOWEs ! Let's see ... Auto Zone across the street. Not only didn't the kid at the counter not know what they were, they didn't even have any (I went behind the counter and looked!) Consumer Auto Parts? They have a drawer with a bunch of lables for the sizes they had when the bought the drawer full of Woodruf keys, but all the bins for the sizes people use were empty. Including 3/4x3/16. Elmwood Adams - small store in downtown Worcester Massachusetts, 100 yds from my dungeon (my boss calls it an office), 220 years in business - nice selection of Woodruf key sizes and about a dozen of each. Thank you very much! From now on, I'll wait till the next morning and go to Elmwood Adams every time I need something smaller than a ceiling fan, or home and office ice machine.
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