As I continue the work on the Hybrid Wireless metal bashing, I will need to cut some aluminum plate using a hacksaw. One piece of stock I have as it stands is too large for my CNC but once cut, I can true it up using the CNC Mill. The problem is the 1st cut and the need now for some fine-toothed hacksaw blades.
Being Saturday, I needed to run some errands and one place I had to visit was very close to the local Home Depot. So, I get to Home Depot and find the Tool Section and the hacksaw blades... $6+ dollars for two blades made in China and likely good for one cut in soft metal before going dull. (I did get a lot of steps on my Smart Watch so that was good.)
.webp)
Finally, you get to the checkout area where there is an array of self-service terminals and no manned cashier stations. There are some terminals that only take cash and some that only take credit cards. I opt for the cash as there is my internal discipline to leave no digital footprint, so I wait for a cash terminal to be available.
I hate those machines as they always seemed to get hosed up. This morning was no exception! I scanned the code, and it read OK and the price with tax was $7.48. I opted for cash and was instructed to introduce the cash into the slot.
I had at the ready $5 and three $1 bills. I put in the $5 and then a $1 and then the machine shuts down. I use the touch screen to call for assistance and waited about two minutes for someone to show up.
The attendant showed up and did all sorts of things with various keypads which did nothing and then unlocked another cabinet to secure a key to open the machine and then unlocked a box that was the cash repository where she affirmed the last two bills put in the machine was a $5 and a $1.
She then says we have to go to a special terminal where she scans the hacksaw blades and puts that transaction on hold, while she goes over to a special manager's terminal and gets into a cash drawer where she removes $6 and hands it to me. Then she says put your $8 into the slot and I told her NO. You do it! She did and I got 52 cents in change, two hacksaw blades and a receipt.
So, then I asked her what happened, and she says I don't know, but it happens all of the time. The total elapsed checkout time was 15 minutes. Unless it is a dire emergency that is the last time I will go to Home Depot.
I hate those machines and their lack of efficient and reliable operation. The same for my grocery store as it is hard to checkout items like fruit and vegetables. If everything is bar coded, then maybe not as big of a problem.
This will only get worse, as more AI is introduced under the guise of speedy checkout with attendant layoffs of people who would actually check you out.
In the end I had to have a real person finish the transaction for $7.48 and took 15 minutes of my time. There is not one blog readers who is reading this that did not have a bad experience with these AI checkout machines. Shudder to think if I had used my credit card!!!!!!!
Did install some additional angle stock on the base plate but it was 90F in the garage, so I stopped.
Them that know can make things go.
73's
Pete N6QW