Kids and my tools!!!

[Mikea57]

I got into my toolbox today and decided to straighten up the Clamp drawer. It's got a good number of different type clamps but it has 4 6" C clamps. As I took everything out of the box, I noticed that 1, no 2, no THREE of the 4 clamps were twisted so that the screw doesn't line up with the face of the front leg of the frame!! I never ever thought someone would be able to tighten one of those so tight that it would torque it like that but I've got 3 clamps that say otherwise...
As I stood there trying to figure out how these clamps got twisted, I remembered that one of my son's friends would come over and do brake jobs in my driveway using my tools. I quickly realized what had happened.

My question is, is there any reason to keep these clamps? These are heavy and 2 of them old clamps but I'm afraid if I heat the back leg up (which is the one that is torqued) and try to straighten it, I'll never get it completely straight, and the clamp will be even weaker than it was originally. Am I right, are these just junk now?

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

I give them to your son’s friend with a subtle reminder that they are no longer of any use to you. Add a disclaimer to the package deal that any tools damaged are to be replaced in the future. No hard feelings needed just make a point.

 

[Jersey Drew]

Toss em and start locking your box

 

[Don1357]

I give them to your son’s friend with a subtle reminder that they are no longer of any use to you. Add a disclaimer to the package deal that any tools damaged are to be replaced in the future. No hard feelings needed just make a point.

To hell with that! "Yo, kid, these are yours now. Bring me new clamps". Your suggestion is why kids nowadays don't learn personal responsibility nor that actions have consequences. If he's smart enough to do his brakes he's smart enough to make some money and man up to his mistakes.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

To hell with that! "Yo, kid, these are yours now. Bring me new clamps". Your suggestion is why kids nowadays don't learn personal responsibility nor that actions have consequences. If he's smart enough to do his brakes he's smart enough to make some money and man up to his mistakes.

My kids were brought up that a mistake the first time is a mistake. A buddy used to say the first mistake is a shame on you (the incharge adult) if it happens again shame on me (the kid in this case).
You want the kids to take an interest in doing tasks for themselves and you being a part of the enjoyable/learning experience. Climb down their *** and you will just see the back of their heads on their way to the mall.

 

[paulsomlo]

I give them to your son’s friend with a subtle reminder that they are no longer of any use to you. Add a disclaimer to the package deal that any tools damaged are to be replaced in the future. No hard feelings needed just make a point.

Wrap them nicely, give them to son's friend's as presents.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

^^^ Who knows the OP might receive some new ones as a present. Then you know you have made some progress.

 

[vjquan]

I quickly realized what had happened.

So what happened? How in the world do you twist a C-clamp doing a brake job or any other job for that matter?

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

I’ve only managed to twist the cheap ones to the point where they won’t line up properly. If they have a warranty I’d get them warrantied.


Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[Fatboy148]

As I stood there trying to figure out how these clamps got twisted, I remembered that one of my son's friends would come over and do brake jobs in my driveway using my tools. I quickly realized what had happened.

Have your kids friend read this thread to you......

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=466101

 

[NUTTSGT]

I'd give them to the kid and tell him, he's no longer welcome to bring his vehicle to your place for repairs

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I'd give them to the kid and tell him, he's no longer welcome to bring his vehicle to your place for repairs

I like this best.

Dont go and shake down a kid for new clamps. Make HIM be the one who decides to replace if that's the way it goes.

 

[lardy1]

Has anyone ever instructed these youngsters in tool usage, abuse, safety, limits, etc? My father and his friends would have held their boys and friends accountable. But not necessarily by being a **** to them. We don't even know by the info we have if those kids even know they damaged the clamp.

 

[56Mark]

I think some of you are a little harsh. Now days it is not too many kids that even want to do things like brake jobs. He may not know he bent them, if he did. If he has that much initiative he is probably a good kid. Don't be the old ******* he never wants to be around again. Next time, offer a little instruction and constructive criticism if needed. I have bent a couple my self getting them loaded a little sideways, it happens, although I don't see how just doing a brake job. When I have bent a cheap one, I bend them back and they are still good for light duty stuff like clamping angle together to weld it.

 

[Muzzy]

Still not sure why we're assuming the neighbor boy bent them?

Ask the kid, maybe he bent them and you weren't there for him to tell.
Maybe he didn't notice.
Maybe he forgot.

Maybe someone else bent them.

I'm not going to suggest you lock up things at your own house, but if you're that upset about it, tell everyone with access to your shop that the tools are off limits.

 

[ecotec]

If you can bend a C-clamp pushing in a brake caliper, it was a crappy C-clamp.

I would let it go.

 

[m6z]

Has anyone ever instructed these youngsters in tool usage, abuse, safety, limits, etc? My father and his friends would have held their boys and friends accountable. But not necessarily by being a **** to them. We don't even know by the info we have if those kids even know they damaged the clamp.

True.

I'm still curious to what they were doing to damage those clamps. Pushing back the piston in a caliper wouldn't of required that kind of force and to twist one like that I would think they would have needed a cheater pipe.

I've been using cheap HF clamps and haven't ruined one yet.

 

[B_Bimmer]

I have fixed dozens with a vise, pipe wrench, and torch. Get them good and hot and they bend like butter, sometimes you have to go a hair too far so they end up right when they cool. I do not quench them because I am concerned they may get brittle, not sure if I'm right there or not. I do know that I've used many of them for years with no issues.

On the other hand those don't look like very good clamps, I'm not sure I'd even bother to fix any but the middle one. I know I would not discourage a kid from trying things by getting worked up because they might have damaged a crappy clamp, especially if I really wasn't sure.

 

[vavet]

Talk to your son and friend to inform them what happened without asking for them to be replaced.
Teach them how to use a C-clamp properly to compress the piston. It's a viable technique, my guess is that he used it on a rear brake caliper that needs to turned while it is compressed because it self-adjusts to serve as a parking brake too. If that's the case, he was probably really giving it the beans and wondering why the piston wouldn't compress.

 

[3jakes]

If you are lucky enough to have kids over that are learning to do useful stuff instead of rioting in Portland, what are you complaining about.
I'd toss the one without a swivel.
Keep the other two as beaters.

 

[Bogie1632]

Every mistake is an opportunity to learn. Talk to and teach your youngster and his friend.

And maybe buy a caliper piston compressor so they use a more appropriate tool for the job with less chance of messing up your clamps.

V/R
Bogie

 

[ssdave]

I bend back good quality ones like that if I get them cheap at estate sales, and if they're real big. I clamp them in the vise, and use a 36 inch pipe wrench to get some controlled force leverage, so I can bend them enough, without overdoing it. Bend, relax, check, repeat until they're good. I don't find that they re-bend easily, but then again, I don't abuse the clamps. If I need more pressure, I get a heavier clamp.

You can get a new pressure foot/plate for the one missing it, from McMaster-Carr. About $5 How and for what have you been using it with the missing plate? It's nearless worthless with that ball end for bearing surface.

 

[bdbecker]

If this is the only thing that's happened so far, I'd be careful about coming down on them too hard - this is a good teaching opportunity. Ask them how the clamps got bent and then talk about asking for help if you don't know to use something properly. If they claim they didn't know the clamps were bent, talk about paying a little more attention when using the tools or putting them away. Also mention that if they do damage/break/lose a tool in the future, they need to own up to it instead of letting you find it later. Finally, be sure to reinforce them for the things they did right like picking up after themselves and putting the tools away in the right spot.

As far as the clamps are concerned, it looks like you've got a good excuse to treat yourself to some new ones.

 

[snickers muncher]

I've seen clamps open before, but never twist like that. No offensive but maybe they were **** clamps to begin with. If it was me I'd have the boy be the muscle for straightening them while I applied the heat. No brow beating---just a lesson on proper use and personal accountability.

 

[gtsgarage]

If you can bend a C-clamp pushing in a brake caliper, it was a crappy C-clamp.

I would let it go.

My thoughts as well. Maybe a reminder hey be careful with my stuff.

I’m worried now that I’m too hard on my boys. Thanks you bunch of softies! . I will try to be better because whoever said it was spot on. Be hard on them and they will stop coming to the garage and play video games all day.

 

[bwringer]

If you can bend a C-clamp pushing in a brake caliper, it was a crappy C-clamp.

I would let it go.

Agreed.

 

[logical]

Im guessing you were asking about the clamps but itsvthe internet so we can't help ourselves from dispensing parenting advice instead.

So since we are going that direction, its sort of like the guy who hits your car in the Walmart lot...he didn't mean to but he knows he did. Atvthat point it goes one of two ways...he drives off or either leaves a note or waits for you to come out and owns up.

We all break stuff but what should have happened, instead of them just being tossed back in the drawer, is for whoever broke them to have let you know.

But yes, those clamps will never really be right again. Replace them with some oldy but goodies from a garage sale, estate sale or ebay, etc.

Sent from my garage.

 

[bsaint]

My brother is the only one that replaces tools with equivalent or better quality. Everyone is doesn't even tell me they broke it until I find my screwdriver completely bent.

 

[RTM]

Man some of you guys are harsh.

I'll ask a relevant question. Is your son's friend <20, or 20+?

If <20, I would have the discussion of "next time, tell me", and "what were you doing to bend it like that?" and then show them the right way.

I figure if you've got kids willing to work on cars at a young age, a couple of $1 C Clamps are a cheap lesson. I have a bucket full of vintage C Clamps that I've picked up at garage sales etc, and they aren't anything I would want to alienate my kid or their friends over.

If 20+, I would have a long talk about right v wrong ways to handle life, moral responsibilities, etc.

 

[chevy302dz]

Toss em and start locking your box

You can't make other peoples kids that you think damaged your stuff replace it, however if it is that likely that they did then there is no reason to give them further access. If one of them come by in the future asking why things are locked, tell them why without assigning blame and see what they say, if you like their answer then maybe grant them access again.

 

[Don1357]

My kids were brought up that a mistake the first time is a mistake. A buddy used to say the first mistake is a shame on you (the incharge adult) if it happens again shame on me (the kid in this case).
You want the kids to take an interest in doing tasks for themselves and you being a part of the enjoyable/learning experience. Climb down their *** and you will just see the back of their heads on their way to the mall.

I counted not one but 3 mistakes there. The first one, sure. The rest was not excusable. It looks like he would **** up a tool and then reach for a fresh one.

 

[Don1357]

You can't make other peoples kids that you think damaged your stuff replace it, however if it is that likely that they did then there is no reason to give them further access. If one of them come by in the future asking why things are locked, tell them why without assigning blame and see what they say, if you like their answer then maybe grant them access again.

But you can expect it. Up to them to man up to it.

The different between a child and an adult is their ability to take responsibility for their actions. As they pack up the years they should be having more and more of it until one day you step back and think "Well, that is a fine young man right there". This right here is why some 'adults' never grow up. Not having reasonable expectations stop kids from growing up.

I have seen fine young men as young as 14. I have seen children as old as 67.

 

[larry_g]

Inform the kids that these are cheap C-clamps and will not take any side load because this is what happens. Then have them involved in the process of straightening them out. Use it as a teaching moment. If you have a vise of the same quality then teach them that is not a press only to be used as a holding devise.

One thing I request when others are using my shop that any tools they get out thatthey return them to the bench top. Then I can inspect and clean if necessary. Then they are returned to their correct spot. To many times people have put things back in a place they did not get them from and I have to search out a 'lost' tool.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[MitchL]

I've seen clamps open before, but never twist like that. No offensive but maybe they were **** clamps to begin with. If it was me I'd have the boy be the muscle for straightening them while I applied the heat. No brow beating---just a lesson on proper use and personal accountability.

I would do this.^^^^ I assume they are good kids. Let them know that they damaged them, and have them help to repair them and make them useable again. Then I would give the kids the clamps as their own (to hopefully use and respect), and use that as an excuse to buy some new good quality clamps.

 

[Jland]

Has anyone ever instructed these youngsters in tool usage, abuse, safety, limits, etc? My father and his friends would have held their boys and friends accountable. But not necessarily by being a **** to them. We don't even know by the info we have if those kids even know they damaged the clamp.

I think you are dead on... i wouldnt expect 8 out of 10 adults these days would know how to properly use a c-clamp much less a kid.

 

[Mikea57]

VJQUAN, That was my question because that is exactly what he had been doing. A brake job!!! I think a lot of times they just keep cranking it just to see if the can break something...

 

[Mikea57]

Thanks for all the really good insight guys. A lot of different, valid opinions from one end of the spectrum to the other. The kid in question isn't a kid anymore, he just became a father about 3 wks ago. And he's gonna be a good Dad too. I want the kids to come, hang out and learn, but I do get really worked up when I walk outside and find tools left all over the driveway AFTER I told them to be sure and pick them all up. I've got 2 sons, one's 22 and out on his own and the other one is 16. They've both had their friends over working on vehicles of all types and I really do enjoy that they are here hanging out and not out getting into trouble, but the problem is that they just keep being irresponsible with my tools. I guess I'd rather have them hanging out here working on stuff than not which is why I keep putting up with it. I know I could definitely write a book with all the stories I've got about them...

 

[Coach James]

I'm curious, if son's friend bent them, how long ago would this have happened?

Coach