Ways to Improve Being Handy?

[Feared]

Hey OS! Been a while.

Just reaching out for a little help. I recently got a job working at a Major Home Improvement, Contracting materials chain store, I'm around Construction materials, Lumber doing stocking, sales floor maintenance.

However my biggest weakpoint as of now, is I don't really know anything about Tools, power equipment, assembling & parts.

I grew up in apartments all my life, so we always had on site maintenance in case a water line gave out, or a boiler needed repairing. I've never had a yard to have a Shed, Decking, or Fencing to maintain and even with little things like assembling Tables my Dad never taught, explained to me the little nuances of nuts, bolts, screws, (when to use a Phillips, vs Flathead screwdriver etc) This is not only holding me back a little in the workplace as it limits my product knowledge, always having to refer a potential customer to another employee when inquiring about Hardware, or Tools. but also I would like to personally improve in this area just to be more useful around the house.

Any resources online, or otherwise I can use for this? Thanks ahead of time for any replies.

[RockinDaMike]

Re: Ways to Improve Being Handy?

YouTube University

[nc0ffey]

Re: Ways to Improve Being Handy?

The best way is just to get in and do it, YouTube and the internet in general is a great place to go if you find yourself with questions or tutorials on what to do.

I do a little bit of wood working, I started a few years back with a simple TV stand that was build to sit on top of a corner fireplace, the pictures are somewhere around here. Now I've done a number of things from laying floors, to building window seats and a day bed and stuff. The more you do it the easier it becomes and the better the final product is. I'll have to post some pics of my recent stuff at some point.

[slickdtc]

Re: Ways to Improve Being Handy?

Continuing to learn on the job ain't a bad idea, either. Although in an actual hardware store, I don't know how much building you'll do.

I worked at a major upscale department floor and was tasked with building all kinds of displays, often with little to no instruction on how to assemble. I hadn't picked up a drill, used a leveler, etc in years and/or ever, so I just got after it. Used my brain. Did my best.

No one ever got hurt!

[SuperBowlNachos]

Re: Ways to Improve Being Handy?

You sound like me! I got a job at Lowe's and thought I was going to be in lawn and garden as a muscle guy. I show up the first day and I'm in tools and hardware. I knew absolutely nothing manly about any of this stuff. I didn't even know what a Sawzall was (that's a reciprocating saw(that's a saw with a long thin blade)). I thought a table saw was the saw that sat on a table (a mitre or chop saw).

So my advice would be...

1. Learn where items in your department are. You may not know exactly what the best lumber material for a deck is, but if the customer comes in asking for 1x4s and 6x6s know exactly where to point them. Don't be afraid to tell them you are new and will call someone else over. This is totally sexist, but most men won't want your help anyways and some women will need it more.

Make a cheat sheet if you have to. My store gave us small notepads. I was in tools so I have about 20 aisles worth of stuff. I just wrote do each aisle number and put a general description. You don't wanna walk around like an idiot. I only learned it because of the daily stock sheets (which suck).

2. The notepad again... If you have a bad memory it's another reason to have one. My store eventually got iPhones with barcode scanners. So we could scan an item and see all there is to know about the stock of it. Before that though I would have to walk over to a computer and manually look it up. My memory sucks, so I had to write it down.

3. As for lumber I might think of random projects or ask your coworkers what projects they see being built the most often. Look up random plans for said projects and see what materials are most widely used. Your store probably has some DIY books that feature products all from the store that you could grab off the shelf and look at.

4. If your store does cuts for people don't be lazy on the saw. You aren't doing anyone any good if you are off by 5 inches on your cut.

[Feared]

Re: Ways to Improve Being Handy?

You sound like me! I got a job at Lowe's and thought I was going to be in lawn and garden as a muscle guy. I show up the first day and I'm in tools and hardware. I knew absolutely nothing manly about any of this stuff. I didn't even know what a Sawzall was (that's a reciprocating saw(that's a saw with a long thin blade)). I thought a table saw was the saw that sat on a table (a mitre or chop saw).

So my advice would be...

1. Learn where items in your department are. You may not know exactly what the best lumber material for a deck is, but if the customer comes in asking for 1x4s and 6x6s know exactly where to point them. Don't be afraid to tell them you are new and will call someone else over. This is totally sexist, but most men won't want your help anyways and some women will need it more.

The main Aisles I'm responsible for have been 4 aisles of construction material. So 2 Aisles of Lumber, Railing, Composite Decking, 1 aisle that contains Masonry/Concrete, Shingles/Roofing materials, and Drywall/Plywood. I've already learned to pick up the Lumber we carry is either Pressure Treated, (chemical treated for extra rot, insect resistance) or Non treated; natural wood with no chemical treatment. I've learned to start to identify Dimensional lumber the 1x's, 2x's, and the thicker 4x4, 6x6 posts, and timbers. Plywood, and Drywall comes in standards 4 ft x 8 ft widths, and come in 1/4. 3/8, 1/2, 5/8ths, and an Inch thickness, and is used in construction framing, and underlayment. I'm not as good with the Masonry, Concrete, and Decking and I agree that most Men rarely ever ask for my help but they are all mostly contractors and seem to know their business, while most women in my store do ask for help. I try to help them as best possible.

Make a cheat sheet if you have to. My store gave us small notepads. I was in tools so I have about 20 aisles worth of stuff. I just wrote do each aisle number and put a general description. You don't wanna walk around like an idiot. I only learned it because of the daily stock sheets (which suck).

2. The notepad again... If you have a bad memory it's another reason to have one. My store eventually got iPhones with barcode scanners. So we could scan an item and see all there is to know about the stock of it. Before that though I would have to walk over to a computer and manually look it up. My memory sucks, so I had to write it down.

Started carrying around a large stack of post its on my 2nd day, needless to say it's already filled up with notes. There is a LARGE amount of things to know in a Big Box Hardware store, I still don't know where Everything is located after about 2 months on the job. So I wouldn't blame your memory.

3. As for lumber I might think of random projects or ask your coworkers what projects they see being built the most often. Look up random plans for said projects and see what materials are most widely used. Your store probably has some DIY books that feature products all from the store that you could grab off the shelf and look at.

Good idea going to start reading some DIY magazines, manuals to try and improve my overall general knowledge.

4. If your store does cuts for people don't be lazy on the saw. You aren't doing anyone any good if you are off by 5 inches on your cut.

Already learning on the saw. We have measured guidelines for a Crosscut (straight up and down cut) and a Rip, going widthwise across the board. The saw we have is not really meant for precision cuts though as the blade is a 1/4" thick and doesn't get changed often; but most people only use it to cut plywood boards, and 2x4's in a half or quarters to fit it into their cars.

Thanks, I think my best route is continuing to learn on the job, and lean on my co-workers that aren't bothered to spend a little extra time teaching me. Going to try and learn the Forklift, and Narrow Aisle truck this week. I would love to go onsite with some contractors on a building project just to watch and observe how foundation is laid, concrete is filled, and lumber, nails, and drywall, start to become a building or home... to really get some in depth knowledge. I learn more from seeing things performed and doing, rather than reading or taking a computer course.

[SuperBowlNachos]

Re: Ways to Improve Being Handy?

Plywood, and Drywall comes in standards 4 ft x 8 ft widths, and come in 1/4. 3/8, 1/2, 5/8ths, and an Inch thickness, and is used in construction framing, and underlayment.

Plywood also comes in different qualities (that may not be the right word).

You will have some that is super smooth that could be used for something like a table top (or in my case I made bean bag boards) and what everything thinks of which is the stuff that is super rough. There is a style in between too.

I still don't know where Everything is located after about 2 months on the job.

Random items I got asked about often. Garage door openers, and garage storage systems. In Lowe's they weren't near each other.

https://www.boltdepot.com/fastener-information/printable-tools/Fastener-Basics.pdf

Everything you need to know about fasteners (nuts and bolts). They leave out deck screw though which look nicer.

Zinc (not good for outdoors), galvanized (good for outdoors), and stainless (better for outdoors and shiny) are the biggest selection of what stores sale. With the other types probably sold in smaller quantities or variety.

On that PDF check out the chart at the top of the 2nd page that shows how to identify the length, thread type, and length of screw (along with the other information about it).

Flat head is what most people (including myself) call a screw that uses the single slotted screwdriver, but that isn't the technical term. Most wood screws have flat heads (as shown on the PDF) so they don't stick out of the wood. That is the name of an actual screw head.

I'm just rambling now.

[Mabster]

Re: Ways to Improve Being Handy?

Good idea going to start reading some DIY magazines, manuals to try and improve my overall general knowledge.


I would love to go onsite with some contractors on a building project just to watch and observe how foundation is laid, concrete is filled, and lumber, nails, and drywall, start to become a building or home... to really get some in depth knowledge. I learn more from seeing things performed and doing, rather than reading or taking a computer course.

Kind of a combo between the DIY front and the construction site, there a Cable channel called DIY network where some of that on site knowledge could be gained. It's included in most basic packages so chances are if you've got cable or satellite, you've got DIY Network. The shows might be more entertaining then sifting through youtube vids. They range from backyard make overs done by professionals to reality type shows that have first time home owners giving remodeling their first attempt. Some are better then others but they give lots of tips and some instructions on things. While they aren't going to give you hands on experience you'll gain some visual knowledge and learn things just from watching.

[Hassan Darkside]

Re: Ways to Improve Being Handy?

Honestly, is there a better way to learn than to do in this case?

I suppose acquiring job-specific knowledge is one thing, but as far as learning to be more handy, you can't beat DIY projects. Find something that needs to be done, or even better, find something that you want to do. There's usually some pretty detailed guides to accomplishing these things. I also have a love/hate relationship with reddit but /r/DIY usually has a lot of unique projects.

[Ghost Of The Year]

Re: Ways to Improve Being Handy?

*Insert "That'll make you go blind" joke, here*

[Bullit]

Re: Ways to Improve Being Handy?

When I was I kid I wanted to learn how to work on cars. I talked my Dad into buying me a junker. I gave him the money I had earned, he bought the car. Then I went to a library and checked out a book on engines. I just took the whole car apart piece by piece and read up on what each piece or part did within the engine. Then when I had the whole thing down to the frame. I checked out a book on body work and learned who to repair that.

So after all that, I then proceeded to put the whole thing back together again, piece by piece. When I was all done it ran and looked like a dream. That was my first car when I was 16 and I loved that car. Eventually sold it when I went into the Army when I graduated High School. Paid $350 for it and sold it for $35k

Junk

Fixed

[nc0ffey]

Re: Ways to Improve Being Handy?

When I was I kid I wanted to learn how to work on cars. I talked my Dad into buying me a junker. I gave him the money I had earned, he bought the car. Then I went to a library and checked out a book on engines. I just took the whole car apart piece by piece and read up on what each piece or part did within the engine. Then when I had the whole thing down to the frame. I checked out a book on body work and learned who to repair that.

So after all that, I then proceeded to put the whole thing back together again, piece by piece. When I was all done it ran and looked like a dream. That was my first car when I was 16 and I loved that car. Eventually sold it when I went into the Army when I graduated High School. Paid $350 for it and sold it for $35k

That is awesome, what kind of car was it? I bought an 85 Firebird when I was in college with the intention of fixing it up. Sadly once I graduated and got a full time job I made the mistake of buying a new truck and sellung the Firebird, I've regretted that decision since about a week after I sold it.

Hopefully down the road I can do something like that.

[Bullit]

Re: Ways to Improve Being Handy?

That is awesome, what kind of car was it? I bought an 85 Firebird when I was in college with the intention of fixing it up. Sadly once I graduated and got a full time job I made the mistake of buying a new truck and sellung the Firebird, I've regretted that decision since about a week after I sold it.

Hopefully down the road I can do something like that.

Just added pics. It was a 67 Camaro and I put a 450 in it.

[Redacted01]

Re: Ways to Improve Being Handy?

You can come organize my garage and do the built-in shelving and desk I want in my office. Your payment is improving your skills

[HealyMonster]

Re: Ways to Improve Being Handy?

When I was I kid I wanted to learn how to work on cars. I talked my Dad into buying me a junker. I gave him the money I had earned, he bought the car. Then I went to a library and checked out a book on engines. I just took the whole car apart piece by piece and read up on what each piece or part did within the engine. Then when I had the whole thing down to the frame. I checked out a book on body work and learned who to repair that.

So after all that, I then proceeded to put the whole thing back together again, piece by piece. When I was all done it ran and looked like a dream. That was my first car when I was 16 and I loved that car. Eventually sold it when I went into the Army when I graduated High School. Paid $350 for it and sold it for $35k

Junk

Fixed

dude, I'm surprised you didn't like go to work at harvard sweeping floors, but then doing the math problems on the boards at night and became best friends with ben affleck...


thats a heck of a job bro, considering you just figured it all out. I couldn't imagine how it felt walking away with a 35K check in hand.

how expensive was it to restore? Like all the parts and everything you replaced