Thanks to reader Jake who pointed us to an article in the Casper Star Tribune today announcing the resignation of Home Depot CEO Robert Nardelli, who was quoted below regarding the Depot’s Chinese acquisitions earlier this month.  From the article:

Embattled Home Depot Chief Executive Robert Nardelli, under fire from stockholders for earning hundreds of millions at the same time the company’s stock fell and market share dropped, resigned suddenly Wednesday and will walk away with a severance package of $210 million, the company announced.

Home Depot Inc. said in a statement that Nardelli, 58, will end his six-year tenure as the company’s president, chairman and chief executive effective immediately “by mutual agreement.” Vice Chairman Frank Blake, 58, will replace Nardelli as head of the world’s largest home-improvement chain, which is based in Atlanta.

The article goes on to suggest that Nardelli’s departure likely comes from his having become “a lighning rod for critics of hefty corporate executive pay” citing “a disastrous Home Depot annual meeting last May” where “Nardelli, the only director present, refused to answer questions or respond to criticism from shareholders about the hundreds of millions in pay, benefits, and stock options he had pulled down since he took over leadership of the chain in 2000.” 

As if to confirm their suspicions, the article reports that “Home Depot shares rose on news of Nardelli’s departure.”

For those not in the know, Nardelli apparently replaced Jack Welch, who was responsible for the shakeup six years ago that, according to the article, “reined in store managers, who ran each location as they saw fit, consilidated divisions, and decentralized locations.”  While that might make business sense, there seemed (at least in my opinion) to be unintended consequences: the loss of most knowledgable personnel at the store level.  (As Rick correctly points out in comments, Nardelli’s move to the ‘Depot came after he failed to replace Welch at GE.  Thanks, Rick!)

There’s a lot more interesting information in the article, which is a must read if you’re a ‘Depot follower. 

Embattled Home Depot CEO Resigns [CasperStarTribune.net]

Now, some Chinese workers’ll be able to buy the tools they made the same way you do: from The Home Depot.  From PR Newswire:

“This acquisition provides us with a great point of entry in one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing home improvement markets,” said Bob Nardelli, chairman, president, and CEO, The Home Depot.  “The Home Way is a strong brand that is already established as a value and price leader among Chinese consumers.  We welcome The Home Way’s leadership and associates into The Home Depot family, and we look forward to the opportunity to serve Chinese consumers.  In addition, we are grateful for the support of htis venture by local and national Chinese government officials.”

Apparently the ‘Depot expanded into Canada in 1994 and Mexico in 2001 via similar acquisitions.  Just out of interest, can any of our neighbors from the ‘North tell about the Canadian ‘Depot experience?

Chinese manufacturers, meet Home Depot management style.  Talk amongst yourselves.

The Home Depot Announces Acquisition of The Home Way [PR Newswire]

In the Metro Commentary section of the Philadelphia Inquirer’s online branch, columist Carl Golden writes:

I am terrified of Home Depot. And Lowe’s. And places like them.

Oh, sure, I watch all the TV commercials that show helpful store personnel in orange aprons skillfully demonstrating the latest in power tools to smiling customers.

Everybody looks delighted.

Me? I break out in a cold sweat every time I walk into one of these places and take in miles of aisles offering merchandise to build, remodel, renovate or demolish just about anything ever constructed.

I have this recurring nightmare in which I’m stranded in the middle of the store, unable to find an exit.

I know what you’re thinking: I’m about to make fun of Carl for his lack of DIY know-how.  I’m not.  After reading the rest of his column, this bit stuck in my mind:

While I stand on the cold concrete floor looking like an American tourist in downtown Moscow, I’m surrounded by a bunch of guys in tan work boots, ripped blue jeans, and dirty T-shirts with cartoon logos on them. They all seem to have tattoos on their biceps, sawdust in their hair, and paint smears on their forearms.

But they all seem to know precisely what they’re doing and why. They all seem to know exactly which gadget to pluck out of a bin filled with thousands of similar devices, or exactly how many boards they will need for whatever job they are doing, or just how many gallons of paint they will need so there is none left over.

I’m not laughing at Carl.  I feel sorry for him.  His problem isn’t his lack of knowledge; it’s his quick — and thoroughly wrong — stereotype of those of us who use tools and do for ourselves.  I have no tattoos, own very few pairs of jeans with holes in them (they suck for welding — don’t ask), and don’t wear T-shirts by themselves while working because they make me look like Onslow from Keeping Up Appearances.  Sure, I know guys (and women!) who fit his description wholly or in parts, but the point is this: DIYer are marked by only one trait — the fact that they do it themselves.

If Carl could just look part the stereotype and realize that he doesn’t need tan-colored work boots to solve DIY problems, he’d soon realize that all he needs is a strong desire to do so and the will to figure it out.

I’d be willing to bet a quarter — even after losing dozens to Sean lately — that the guy he saw plucking a gadget from the bin probably threw it back and looked at 10 more before he found the right one.  And, the guy who knew exactly how many boards he needed likely spent a good hour drawing the job out on paper to figure it out (by whatever method works for him) — and likely had some left over as he accounted for the screwups that are part of learning the job.

We rarely just know how to do the job — we figure it out as we go, reading books or asking friends, collegues, or even the people at the store for help.

Speaking of the people at the store… five or six years ago Home Depot employed a lot of knowledgeable staff that could really help, even with difficult electrical and plumbing tasks.  While there are exceptions, I certainly feel that the level of service has dropped significantly at Home Depot since.  We hear that this has something to do with a corporate restructuring a few years ago, but I know nothing of the details.

One thing I do agree with Carl about:  “The power-tool section is particularly bewildering. The selection is so vast that I can’t understand how anyone could possibly choose the proper one.”  Well, Carl, we’re here to help.  If you get a chance, check out our guide to selecting your next cordless drill.  And, in late January check out our Ultimate Drill Test where we’re putting together a massive test of dozens of the market’s most common drills.

A Fear of Mr. Fix-It [Philly.com]

A few years back my pipes froze on Christmas Eve.  It was a magical time of constant swearing and throngs of family members giving me advice — that would have been useful 48 hours earlier.  To help you avoid duplicating this experience, I give you this piece of advice: put faucet covers on your outside faucets. 

Such covers are made mainly from an insulating styrofoam cup that slips over your valve knob and secures via a draw-tight plastic cable.  Like the M.I.B. they are often times your first, last and only line of defense against freezing wind and frosty fallings from old man winter.

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Brad wrote in with this deal he found: “Not sure if this is at all Home Depots, but at one of the local ones here they have the three of these as a combo for around $175.  I’ve been looking for a brad nailer to do some small woodworking projects, and I think that this may be for me.  The brad nailer normally runs around $119, the finish nailer $179, and the pivoting driver $99.  Do the math and you’re saving a little over $200.  Check your local store to see if they are running with ths combo.”

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Featuring 215 drills and driving bits in a snap-open-and-fold-flat case, this looks like a pretty slick package for casual use around the home where it’s not as critical that you have the most high-dollar bits as it is that you have a variety — including the one that fits the project at hand.  Our favorite part: all those “pieces” aren’t mollys and screws — 115 of them are even drill bits.

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It’s time to stock up! Oh yes, Toolmongers, it is indeed time to get out there to your local big-box store and pick over the bargain bins and clearance racks.  Your target is not the plethora of turkey day supplies and wicker-mania, nor even freshly laid out Christmas madness that’s now being shoved out in the middle of October.  Nay, these are not the goodies we were picking over this week like a pair of starving lions on the savanna.

Your target is all the discarded summer merchandise – the hoards of local big-box summer goodness that have been living in the overhead storage racks like so much Fonzy.  Just this week alone our local big-box store had an entire makeshift aisle full of things like patio furniture, ceiling fans, grills and lighting for more than half off.  We picked up a nice 52″ ceiling fan w/remote for $25, a 22″ charcoal grill w/side supports for $50, and way too much more to go into here.

Note: This stuff isn’t in the circulars or ads because they don’t need to advertise to move it. So if you’re a shrewd bargain hunter (like we are), it’s time to leap upon on the deals and reap the rewards.

RIDGID’s really charging the market lately, not only offering their killer “lifetime service agreement” on power tools, but also releasing some pretty slick innovations — like this right angle impact driver.  Its shape allows you to fit it into all sorts of tight quarters — and still deliver 700+ in-lbs of torque once it’s there.

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We don’t know if this is a nationwide thing, but our local Home Depot has some great deals on charcoal grills right now.  This weekend we picked up a discontinued 22″ Char-Broil for $50 — on sale from $79.

If you’re in the South, there are still plenty of nice days left to cook out.  Heck, here in Texas it’s just getting to where we can go outside without fear of immediate immolation.

Personally, I have to also admit that I’m a first-time convert from gas to charcoal.  What really did it was the fact that every couple of years my gas grill would find a way to render itself useless.  I think it really comes down to the fact that if you’re not willing (or able) to shell out for a grill with cast-iron burners, you’re pretty much going to throw away your gas grill every couple of years.

Yes, I know it’s possible to buy replacement parts, and I’ve done that more than once.  But they never seem to fit right, and after a while the valves and such start to go — leaving you with a dangerous piece of gear.

So here I am learning to cook with charcoal at this late date.  Stop laughing.  (Better yet, drop me a line with some of your best hints and tips.  I could use ‘em!)

You’ve got to give Ryobi some credit for extending their One+ line well beyond the standard drill, recip, circ, and flashlight.  We’ve already written about their fan — a great idea — and now they’ve released a radio, too — both powered by the standard 18V Ryobi One+ batteries.

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The X-Workhorse is a cool little portable table designed to hold benchtop power tools — like a miter saw — on the jobsite.  It derives its name from the way it folds: Rather than folding the legs into the table top, the solidly-constructed sides rotate around a vertical center point creating an “X” shaped base.  The top is removable and snaps onto the side when the table’s folded for storage.

Besides just holding power tools, it also has small rubber feet on the top to hold a piece of plywood (or whatever you’ve got that’s flat) to create a portable workbench.  That’s where the advantage of the “X” shape really comes into play with the strength it brings.  Even though the X-Workhorse is made mainly of lightweight aluminum and plastic, the box indicates that it’s rated to hold 750 lbs — something we definitely had to see for ourselves. 

So, when Husky sent us an X-Workhorse to review, we thought we’d try something none of the other reviews we found around the ’net did: putting almost 1,000 lbs. on it.

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Ever wish Craftsman offered their lifetime warranty on power tools, too?  Looks like Ridgid wants to make a name for themselves, and they’re doing it by offering one of the sweetest power tool deals around.  They call it their “Lifetime Service Agreement.”  It’s free, and — get this — it even covers normal wear items like batteries.

Think that’s hot?  Try this formula: Ridgid’s new 24V XLi lithium-ion tool line + free batteries for life = best. deal. ever.

As a guy I knew in college once said after telling me how his roommate came home the night before with identical Sweedish twins, “That #(@$ just doesn’t happen.”

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Here’s an idea we’re surprised more manufacturers haven’t thought of: a portable fan that’ll run off your tool batteries.  Ryobi’s P3300 portable fan is just that — a two-speed (1200/1400 RPM) fan that runs (a claimed) 6 hours on a single 18V “One+” series Ni-Cd battery charge.. 

It’s been an especially hot summer all over the country, and we’re sure you (like us) have been seeking any way at all to stay cool.  If you’re inside in the shop, you’ve probably got a couple of fans around.  But what if you’re out in the field — or even just in the driveway — where you’re out of reach of easy power?  Or what if you want to drag the fan around with you under the car?  This looks like the ticket.

We wonder how long it’ll be before we see other manufacturers adding this to their cordless lines.

We couldn’t find pricing for you yet, as the P3300 seems to have just barely hit the Ryobi website.  (In fact, the 360-degree view feature doesn’t seem to have been implemented yet.)  We can, however, tell you that you’ll find it at Home Depot — and probably only at Home Depot.  We’d also bet that it’ll be reasonably priced.  Say what you will about Ryobi, but don’t accuse them of overpricing.

The P3300 18V Portable Fan [Ryobi]

A well lit work area is one of the starting points of any project in the garage or shop, and when we recently went looking for a light to go in one of our work areas, we came across the diamond plate utility light from Lithonia Lighting.  This unit hit all the high points that makes a true Toolmonger grin.

The diamond plate utility light is a 48” shop light featuring a 6-1/2 In. reflector with a pull chain on/off switch and mounting chain hangers.  There’s no extra wiring to speak of; You just plug the unit into a normal electrical socket –  if you’re installing it in your garage you could use the same outlet your garage door opener is plugged into — and hang it from the ceiling using whatever hooking device you deem suitable for its 8 lb. bulk. 

It uses two 40 watt T-12 bulbs, which are not included in the package but will only cost a few extra dollars more.  Best of all, did we mention its diamond plate?  Seriously, what’s cooler than diamond plate?

We found our light at The Home Depot for just a tad over $20, a cool-looking value for the money.

Diamond Plate Utility Light [The Home Depot]

When exiting the check out lane of your local Home Depot now until the 30th of July, be sure and grab one of these customer appreciation coupons from the cashier. They’re valid from the 27th thru the 30th of July and good for 10% off store wide purchases up to $2000 at The Home Depot. See the back of your coupon for further details.

So if you are considering that large summer purchase anyway, go down to the Depot and pick one of these bad boys up first.

Home Depot [Home Depot]

The Cable Cuff is an inexpensive, all-purpose alternative to the bread twist ties and zip strips currently in service holding your cords and cables together.  The main advantage: they’re re-usable.

A thumb lock on the top releases a catch and opens the cuff, and since it’s made from high impact plastic it’s quite durable. They’re available in range of sizes and able to span cables or cords of 1 to 5 inches diameter. 

We came across these while looking for a way to keep shop extension cords and power tool cables wrangled.  They’re sold through Home Depot for $0.98 to $1.35 cents each.

Cable Cuff [Home Depot]

Is it just us, or does the Home Depot website’s search feature seem to never locate the item you’re looking for? 

We were looking for a specific item today and had no luck at all finding it by search term even when using each part of the name individually and in all possible combinations.  Once we’d made the trip to the store itself and had the item in hand we tried searching for the product number and did find it online.  It was there the whole time, but just never showed up.

This is really frustrating.  Home Depot, if you’re listening out there, we like to search to see what you have available before we come in to buy.  We have a Lowe’s equidistant to us in the opposite direction, so it’s frustrating to have to drive all the way down just to discover that we have to drive back in the opposite direction.  You’ve got a search feature — why not give it a once-over and make sure it locates items easily?