I dont lose (its not loose gdmit) any tools. How do people lose tools?

[Shoreline_]

In 25 years Ive never lost a tool. Ive had people steal them. But never lost any tools to misplacing or forgetting. Especially never a 10mm. Do people actually *lose* tools? What kinda workspace are they keeping haha. Tables, carts, stools, mag trays - all part of the package of working on something.

Tools are just so expensive it makes me wonder how people who end up *losing* dont keep better track of them.

 

[liliysdad]

In 25 years Ive never lost a tool. Ive had people steal them. But never lost any tools to misplacing or forgetting. Especially never a 10mm. Do people actually loose tools? What kinda workspace are they keeping haha. Tables, carts, stools, mag trays - all part of the package of working on something.

Good deal. I’ll nominate you for coolest guy of the day.

 

[Snaparxon]

In a hurry, interrupted, getting older

 

[PCustoms]

In 25 years Ive never lost a tool. Ive had people steal them. But never lost any tools to misplacing or forgetting. Especially never a 10mm. Do people actually loose tools? What kinda workspace are they keeping haha. Tables, carts, stools, mag trays - all part of the package of working on something.

How do you know someone stole them, and you didn't just loose them?

 

[Shoreline_]

Good deal. I’ll nominate you for coolest guy of the day.

Thanks so much! And thank you for adding such value to the topic of this thread! I give you.... a gold star! ️

I hope your day gets even better!

 

[Shoreline_]

How do you know someone stole them, and you didn't just loose them?

My ex wife admitted she stole them to buy drugs. Pretty definitive.

 

[Shoreline_]

In a hurry, interrupted, getting older

Idk its a poor excuse to loose expensive tools. But i guess people forget their kids in the car and they die.

 

[PCustoms]

Well I've lost tools, but I don't have an ex wife.

Guess the universe balanced out.

 

[RonnieC]

Why can’t some people spell “lose”?

 

[Shoreline_]

Why can’t some people spell “lose”?

Let me fix it so you can feel better about yourself.

 

[cvairwerks]

I've had sockets, bits, extensions and screwdrivers drop into inaccessible locations on cars and equipment before. Only way to retrieve them would be with a blue wrench... Have been part of a team that expended almost 150 manhours to recover a screwdriver insert dropped into a cockpit side panel before. Had to gut about 80% of the cockpit to recover the insert.

 

[1Bad55Chevy]

I work on cars every day. I can admit I have only lost one 8mm socket working on a black 2008 Sierra single cab v6. I was replacing the spider injection on it and it slipped out of my hand behind the engine. I looked and looked for it and never found it.

On the other hand I have easily found more then a dozen SO sockets and small open end wrenches while working on cars. Sometimes you drop stuff and it lands on the sub frame in places you cant see or get to.

 

[LopezBart]

And here I thought all the trolls lived under bridges....

Try getting a small socket out of the cowl drain on a OBS F250. I knew where it was (is), but getting it out of there?

 

[Old Man Roger]

Let me fix it so you can feel better about yourself.

Was this thread not to make you feel better about yourself? Maybe I’m missing something?

 

[1Bad55Chevy]

I've had sockets, bits, extensions and screwdrivers drop into inaccessible locations on cars and equipment before. Only way to retrieve them would be with a blue wrench... Have been part of a team that expended almost 150 manhours to recover a screwdriver insert dropped into a cockpit side panel before. Had to gut about 80% of the cockpit to recover the insert.

AF guy?

My father in law tells me when a tool (or even a piece of broken drill bit) cant be accounted for everything in the air has to come back, land, and searched until its found.

In the Army we could have an entire platoon go missing and nobody would care. They will just call you "out of ranks" during morning formation and if they never showed back up nobody would care!

 

[fishwatcher]

My garage is pretty cramped. I’ve got a lot of stuff in a small space. If I drop a tool or bolt and it takes a bounce .. it can take some work getting to it.

I’ve lost a couple of large nuts that I didn’t deem worth tearing things apart to find. It really bugged me for sure, and a few of them I have eventually found after moving things out to do a thorough sweep.

I lost a Titan bit ratchet. Couldn’t find it for months. Looked on the floor, in all my tool boxes, grrr it bugged me. I finally bought a replacement. Within a week, I found it in a Kleenex box. I had dropped it in there and thus couldn’t find it on the floor.

Other than that, I have lost pocket knives and flashlights. I generally keep them in the same place, but if I carry them around.. well.. life happens.

 

[KenC]

In 25 years Ive never lost a tool. Ive had people steal them. But never lost any tools to misplacing or forgetting. Especially never a 10mm. Do people actually *lose* tools? What kinda workspace are they keeping haha. Tables, carts, stools, mag trays - all part of the package of working on something.

Tools are just so expensive it makes me wonder how people who end up *losing* dont keep better track of them.

Most recent, working on a mower deck. Outside. Battery impact, extension, really tight/rusty bolt/nut. Slipped off the nut under full power, socket exited the extension which exited the impact. in the middle of three acres of grass. Never found the socket. Not a 10mm but close, 3/8".

 

[gtae07]

Mine never stay lost forever. But I will sometimes spend way too f'ing long looking for the tool that I just set down right there 10 seconds ago...

I've had sockets, bits, extensions and screwdrivers drop into inaccessible locations on cars and equipment before. Only way to retrieve them would be with a blue wrench... Have been part of a team that expended almost 150 manhours to recover a screwdriver insert dropped into a cockpit side panel before. Had to gut about 80% of the cockpit to recover the insert.

I recently learned a very expensive lesson (but fortunately all it was, was expensive and time consuming, nothing hurt but my pride) on how what I thought was good FOD control wasn't as good as I thought

 

[OccupantRJ]

Most recent, working on a mower deck. Outside. Battery impact, extension, really tight/rusty bolt/nut. Slipped off the nut under full power, socket exited the extension which exited the impact. in the middle of three acres of grass. Never found the socket. Not a 10mm but close, 3/8".

I have a metal detector a relative gave me that I never use other than for things like that. It sometimes hangs on a hook for years between uses but nice to have around when needed.

 

[bluedog225]

I’ve got a post thumper out in the woods somewhere. I was too tired to carry it back that day. Been several years now. Maybe I’ll run across it one day.

 

[GaryM909]

I have a bike rack that I use on the back of my pickup. I kept a designated 3/8 ratchet with a ¾” socket for tightening it up while in the receiver. About a month ago I was in a rush removing the rack while it was pouring rain. I left the ratchet on the bumper and drove away. First tool I lost for probably 20 years although I have had a few stolen over the years.

 

[65ranchero]

Lose some, find some
more so when I worked in the dealer

 

[CGarage]

I think a lot of tool loss is preventable.

I am not sure why FOD does not seem to be taught in US technical education outside of aviation. It is really strange that it does not seem to be even mentioned.

If you begin working with good habits, you will prevent a lot of issues. Like having a dedicated tool cart and a dedicated disassembly cart.

 

[Vercingetorix]

I walk on water and even I lose tools occasionally.

 

[PCustoms]

I’ve got a post thumper out in the woods somewhere. I was too tired to carry it back that day. Been several years now. Maybe I’ll run across it one day.

I have a 4' section of logging chain I use for lifting things or choking a log so I can skid it out of the woods.

Cut down a tree one winter, top got hung up and bottom was stuck in 2' of snow. No problem, hook the chains up and dragged it down. Could not find the chain after. Knew where it was within a 10' radius...

Found it about 3 years later in that circle around the stump. Chains are now painted a safety yellow/orange combo.

 

[bonneyman]

Why can’t some people spell “lose”?

They went to the same schools that didn't teach kids how to read a regular clock and write in cursive.

 

[cvairwerks]

AF guy?

My father in law tells me when a tool (or even a piece of broken drill bit) cant be accounted for everything in the air has to come back, land, and searched until its found.

Fighter factory guy....Lost items are some serious ****...depending on what is lost and where, it can shut down everything on a particular aircraft for hours to days, until it's found or a determination is made that if the item moves around, it can't compromise the aircraft or crew. Have a lost item on a bird and it doesn't move, or even get powered up til it's found. Looks strange when you see a half dozen guys laid out on the hangar floor sweeping flashlight beams and looking for something small, but got to do it.

 

[gatewaysysop]

I think organization goes a long way. Most of the folks I've known that have misplaced their tools or equipment, they've typically kept an extremely disorganized shop/garage. We've all seen the pictures of these types of places. It's a pain in the *** to find anything even when it's where it belongs. Shouldn't be a surprise that when someone forgets to put it back in the correct "random pile of tools and ****" that you can't find it next time.

I find it amusing when those types of folks assail the rest of us who try to keep things reasonably organized and who make an effort to put **** back where it belongs at the end of the day. I'd much rather look silly or OCD than look like a @#$%ing idiot who doesn't know what he has or where he has it.

 

[WWheeler]

Having many family members, teenage boys, a brother and nephews, all that regularly make use of the shop, none of which hold the same value to the tools as this guy who bought them all.

Can't blame them all on them though. Crazy how often it actually has been that 10mm that comes up missing when putting everything away.

 

[RalphInCA]

I agree. I’ve never lost one either. Thrown away, given away, but not lost.

Take care of your tools they will take care of you.

Training as an aviation mechanic instilled in me the importance of keeping track of parts and tools.

 

[Ultradog MN]

I was a remodeling contractor for 30+ years and lost a lot of tools.
I know right where they are but they're still lost.
Like my 4 cell Mag Light thats still buried in the insulation above the bathroom in one house. Lots of tape measures and plumb bobs that dropped down into cinderblock walls, spade bits that are in stud walls, fish tapes you could NOT pull out so you cut them off and left them
An Estwing framing hammer - its right about there under that concrete sidewalk at
2521 Lost Tool Road
Bloomington, MN
I have some loose tools too.
My Hilti SDS drill is about worn out and the fence on my table saw needs a C clamp to hold it in place.
And some times I cant find stuff in my shop.
But when I spend some time and clean it out it's like hitting a garage sale and getting a lot of free stuff.

 

[seber]

Somewhere in that garage is a 13mm socket that rolled away. I looked for an hour. Haven't been able to find my standard Snap-on screwdriver for months. Before we went on vacation last fall I hid my Ruger 380ACP in case of burglary. Still haven't found it.

 

[CHI_Tool&Die]

If the tool is small it falls in the chip conveyor or the coolant tank it’s as good as gone.

Bouncing one from area of the shop to another is a good way to forget a tool, especially when I’m swamped.

Borrowing a tool out that isn’t used much also is a convenient way for me to lose a tool.

 

[drmarkr]

20-year-old son and all of his buddies using my shop. Yes, occasionally things get left under hoods, or wherever, and disappear.

But overall these kids are outstanding young men and I consider it the cost of living life.

 

[kbuhagiar]

Somewhere in that garage is a 13mm socket that rolled away. I looked for an hour. Haven't been able to find my standard Snap-on screwdriver for months. Before we went on vacation last fall I hid my Ruger 380ACP in case of burglary. Still haven't found it.

After my SILs father passed away we did a complete sweep of his his house, as he was known to stash things and forget about them.
We found several thousand dollars in cash in three different locations (two HVAC vents and in garage toolbox) and two handguns, both of which were behind removeable ceiling panels.

About twenty years ago we lived across the street from, and were friends with, a widowed veteran. No family to speak of, so he named my wife as executor of his estate. After he passed I was cleaning out the garage and found what appeared to be a live hand grenade in the attic. I made a quick careful retreat and summoned law enforcement. They confirmed it was the real deal, then evacuated houses on either side and across the street and called the bomb squad to remove it. The cops I spoke with on scene said it happens more than you'd think, but usually with explosives like TNT or dynamite.

 

[PCustoms]

So far 2 people have posted they can't find a handgun...

C'mon guys, do better. I can't even imagine not knowing where anything of mine is

 

[shoggoth80]

Work outside, cramped engine compartments, limited visibility. Sometimes pieces make their way down to where you can't see/reach/retrieve.
I'm pretty retentive about my tools, but I've lost a couple things here and there. I've had a 14mm be retrieved weeks later out of my parents dirt driveway I've had one of my cars eat a 10mm that I could not find for love or money. Popped off the extension, down the bay it went. No amount of light, or magnets retrieved it. It also didn't turn up on the ground... And I STILL look every now and again
Field work... Lost a deep 13 down a storm drain. Similar situation. Popped off extension, except the socket rolled. Lol. At least that one was employer supplied.
Not everyone works in or gets to work in sterile indoor environments.

 

[retDAC]

They went to the same schools that didn't teach kids how to read a regular clock and write in cursive.

But the kids feel good about themselves.

 

[kbuhagiar]

So far 2 people have posted they can't find a handgun...

C'mon guys, do better. I can't even imagine not knowing where anything of mine is

I must agree I found that a tad disconcerting.

 

[OldDoItAll]

I have a 4' section of logging chain I use for lifting things or choking a log so I can skid it out of the woods.

Cut down a tree one winter, top got hung up and bottom was stuck in 2' of snow. No problem, hook the chains up and dragged it down. Could not find the chain after. Knew where it was within a 10' radius...

Found it about 3 years later in that circle around the stump. Chains are now painted a safety yellow/orange combo.

Wife found my chain... with the mower. Lucky, it only destroyed one of three blades.