We used to know a really good window and glass place down off the Dixie. I could take anything there and be sure of bringing home the parts (or even a reglazed window) that we needed. Screens, too, for that matter. But Lee retired and sold the place. The new owners moved the business away, eventually. My good connection was lost.
Most of my errands at Home Depot have involved a guess that what I am considering in the genre of home repair is actually what we need. Ominously, the gear in one of our window closing mechanisms had begun to slip.
After enough annoyance at the situation had built up, I took the window operator along to HD to see if it was still being produced. I did call first and was told that the item (if they had one like mine) would be in the Hardware Department, on aisle eleven, not in the Window Dept. The gentleman sounded mildly annoyed, himself, that I had not known that.
In aisle eleven, there was a multitude of packages of window operating mechanisms. Immediately, I picked up one that had the handle on the wrong side. Aha, this was my first elimination factor. After finding one that looked like ours, I read the back of the package which told me to select by a different criterion. All the Screw Holes had to align with the old one. Good info.
More looking, comparing, and annoyance at myself. Evidently spacial comparision of hole position by eyeball is related to lack of a sense of direction. I am challenged in both categories.
I ended up by holding up the bottom of the packaged mechanisms to the bottom of the old one to see if light came through all the lined up openings. Many were called and one was finally chosen. In this one shining package, even the hole in the arm that attaches to the window was the same size as the one I carried in. I had not even considered that necessary option.
A conversation behind me called attention to a Home Depot employee who was attending another confused customer and this customer was a man. Feeling marginally better about my own situation, I asked the employee if he thought THIS ONE was the replacement for my in-hand sample.
"That is EXACTLY the one." he beamed at me.
Feeling as though he had applied a gold star to my forehead, I took the exact one home.
It was, too . . .
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6 comments:
Sometimes, you feel like it's almost easier to build a whole new house than to replace one piece of the old one. Sigh.
Nice work on your part!
It was part of the addition on the back. I dread older things going bad and needing repair. They are in the almost-antique stage of usefulness.
Oh how we can relate. I've been trying to find a white sink to replace my light blue sink in the hall bath. It’s a temp fix, so I was looking for a used sink as a quick fix when we were preparing for the wedding. We finally found one after the wedding at Lowes. Full price, so we will just change the cabinet and sink at the same time.
To make it even harder, that cabinet seems to have been custom made for the space. It's a shame not to have a finish carpenter in the family, isn't it.
LOL, they built the house around the bathroon and kitchen cabinets.
Would you settle for a Swedish Carpenter in the family? Get it.. Finish - Finnish - Swedish...
Told you daylight savings time plays havoc with the thinking process!
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