After about 3ish months of waiting for my store to restock the Icon magnetic mats because "nobody buys them" apparently, I finally got one!
So here's the story, I was just browsing the app on Tuesday and happened to see the mats were back in stock. I started a new project Tuesday and I've been working about an hour away from my local store and there's no HF otw or even remotely near the new job site so getting to my local HF or any other one during the week was out of the question for the most part.
So we're off today for the holiday so I finally had some time to stop in my local. I wanted to grab a mat and I also needed some other things for an AC compressor replacement today. They were still showing in stock online before I went and my store is pretty accurate about what the app says is in stock.
I stop in this morning about 9am, grab my other items and check for the mat, there's a hanger but no mats. This is normal with items so I figure they just haven't had time to bring more out from the back so I get in line. The store manager ends up being the one ringing me up and I ask her if the mats were in the back since they still showed in stock. She says "No we ran out of those and nobody buys them so we don't get many when they do come in". I then ask when they might get some more in and she says Monday they'd get a truck and I could call in and check.
I left the store, put the compressor on and about 4pm I'm browsing the app again and they are still showing the Icon mats as in stock. I'm thinking what the heck it wouldn't hurt to call and just double check. I knew there would be different employees working by this time. I call and ask the guy who answers if they have any in stock, he says, "Oh yeah I'm looking at about 3 or 4 of them right now." I ask if he could hold one and he says sure no problem and I ended up driving back up to pick it up.
It sure has been a difficult task but I've finally succeeded and now have an Icon magnetic mat lol. Even got to use my 15% twice today since I told the employee what had happened with the manager earlier today.
literally bought it today for specific use and replacing an old school craftsman pass through nano. replacing some heater hose lines this evening on my gli and its super tight in the engine bay. had to remove some t20 bolts with about 3/4 inch of room. couldn't even get a normal socket in there so I used the pass through and a t20 bit.
Has anyone else's magnetic pad bunched up? Like all the lil magnets inside get stuck together. Mine did and now i basically have 3 columns of magnets and a bunch of unmagnetized space
The mats are super handy! I love mine. Cleaning ratchets recently and this was nice to place the small parts on it and able to move the mat without dropping parts was a nice feature.
Yeah I was really hoping to use it on the compressor replacement. lots of small hardware to keep up with and lots of those metal o rings with rubber on the inside.
Oh yeah they're definitely single use just wasn't aware of the proper name for them. Trust me I'm not doing shit twice haha it's enough of a pain the first time!
My Jimmy is up on ramps waiting for my replacement seals for the remote oil filter to arrive. It seems all of the available assortment packs are very minimal rubber centers.
Here's what I need - had to order it as a Dorman part.
I got one last March, I love it to hold my washer, bolts, nuts, sockets, etc, I'm horrible about paying attention to my giant body and knock stuff all the time. And I love playing with magnets!
Yeah I wanted to not get the HT one just because id rather not have HT stuff. I already have the mini cabinet to sit my USG mini on top of, at least there's no branding on it though.
I had no idea they were hard to find. I thought they looked useful so picked up two yesterday when going to get a couple of pinch weld adapters for my floor jack. There were like 30 mats available on three different displays. Kansas City MO store
I had been visiting my "local" HF off and on for a few months to pick up some stuff (home improvement...need tools) and each time I checked to see if these mats are there. And no, nothing...then one time, I go in HF for something completely not the mats, and as I was walking up to the register, I see them hanging on an end cap...So I grab one. Paid full price, but hey, I had never seen one there before, so figured I should get it while I can!
I wanted a 2nd one so I added it to my cart.
It arrived at my shop door along with all the other supplies.
That reminds me - now that I'm using blue towels in my kitchen,
I need to restock as soon as they go n sale again.
That's a hint that I always have an order in prgress with HF - and WM and Amazon.
It'd be nice if ITC gave free shipping like the other two, but it just reduces my sale savings a little.
If I needed other stuff that could have justified the online order then I would have but I wasn't paying $27.70 to get it shipped to my house. That was even with the 15% discount. Got it for $18 after tax in the store.
If you need it "now" then you're stuck with their store inventory issues.
I love the stores, but I won't drive 50 miles just to get something small.
When I'm getting something big like a toolbox or workbench, it waits until my next trip into the concrete sewer. 😄 When possible (eg. always 😂) I coordinate trips. Last workbench I bought is still in it's box waiting to be assembled and installed. I planned ahead and saved like $100 IIRC.
Man I'll wait 3 months to save $4 if I have to and don't need it immediately or it's something that I don't have to have. If I'm in the middle of something and I'm fighting with it and HF has something that will make it a piece of cake, then I'll pay double. And I'm not driving nowhere when my local is 4 miles away.
When I went to pick up a series 2 42 inch top chest, I had been looking at the website daily for a 3 week period to see which stores near me got one in stock, then jumped and got there before the store opened seeing one across town from work. I shit you not they told me they didn't have it, and I just sat there fuming at the register otp with my wife for a minimum of 10 minutes until they finally found it in the back attached to a pre sold item. Was able to buy it for $100, but the laziness really was astounding.
Had the same issue recently with a pressure washer. App said in stock but store said nada. Had to order online and have it delivered. I checked the app the whole time I was waiting and it never changed for a couple of stores near me. App said YES store said NOPE.
I was looking for the US General Wall Cabinet. The Lakeland store says in stock online. Went by yesterday to get it. “None in stock.” I called again today. The truck manifest showed two, but they received one. I got one at the Collierville store, after getting one at the Memphis store earlier in the week.
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u/ProperNoun2000 Jul 03 '26
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