Bongoman2

Am hoping to do a few handy things around the yard that may involve sawing and cutting timber, all very manly stuff.

Problem is that I can't find a proper hardware store that sells DIY stuff. I know that is due to the fact that most expats and locals will just hire someone to do any work, but where is the fun in that.

I still can't find somewhere that sells Joist hangers after about about 200 laps of Al Quoz, dragon mart, and even random areas of Satwa. I'm sure that Shangri la exists, so can anyone help me?

Meow

Have you tried Speedex? It's next to Oasis Centre and is as close to a B&Q as you'll get here.

Bongoman2

Yup, Speedex is pretty damn good for tools etc. Maybe I am just out of luck looking for timber framing supplies in a country that uses mainly masonry (and badly)

Mogs

They've moved.

You now need to go along the road directly behind Oasis Centre and drive towards Abu Dhabi - you'll find Speedex about about 1km up the road straight ahead at the T-Junction at the end (you need to go through a roundabout or two).

scrubbedexpat141

I'm assuming you need something more comprehensive than Ace?

mikewot

Was gonna say that ACE has a pretty good selection, Dragon Mart if you're interested in 'economy'.

Bongoman2

Yeah, thats right, I am looking for joist hangers and timber framing guff, to throw a few things together in the backyard.

It looks like I might have some luck with the Danube in Al Quoz.

It is a world of difference between here and Australia where our local hardware store sells everything under the sun. And what it doesn't sell, you can hire i.e. the concrete mixer I need.

scrubbedexpat141

I thought as much.

Danube - I guess if the one in Al Quoz isn't up to much there's a mega huge one as you come into Jebel Ali end of Dubai from Abu Dhabi direction.

Bongoman2

Thanks, I might check that one out too.

I shot an email off to Danube to ask if they stocked the items I needed and they called me right back to help me, and then emailed me back a location map.

They are off to a good start on their service so far. A rarity in Dubai.

scrubbedexpat141

Oh fair play to them, always nice when companies here are useful!

jam25mack

I HATE ACE, they are more useless than a one legged man in a arse kicking competition!

While we are talking manly stuff does anyone know where I can get auto wiring guff? I need / should (after a year) to wire in the spots on the Jeep.

Brains1983

I need an auto-electrician aswell. Car battery is flat due to my son filling the CD player full of 1dh coins. Turns out that after I turn the car off, it spends all night trying to eject the "cds". Took me a couple of days of jumping it in the mornings to realize what was causing the battery to drain... Any way it should be fun trying to explain to them over the phone I need them to remove the CD player and shake the coins out of it...

Boomhauer

Do hardware stores there even receive much traffic from the general populace, because I never got the feeling that the local or expat populace there were the sort to engage in DIY.

Sandboy

found myself thinking this yesterday trying to hang some 3 tonne curtains off a piece of plasterboard with a steel lintel 40mm behind it, if I was still in Dubai I could get a small man to do this for nowt

*not that you'd need to, it's easier off concrete

scrubbedexpat141

Sorry, but that's hilarious.