coworker lost an e10, swivel, and extension in a gl450. Looked for it for about 20-30 minutes and finally gave up. I go over and started putting my hands in any opening and started feeling around, took me about 5 mins. Should have seen how red his face got with anger.
Any funny stories on lost tools?
- Thread starter WhiffySpark
- Start date
bob from indiana
Well-known member
Around 1982 when I worked at a gas station one of the guys left his Snap On 1/2 and 9/16 long combination wrenches under the hood of a old style pre 1974 Bronco. He was really upset over this as he was always short of money having six kids and a low pay job.
The owner came in about two weeks later and the guy was checking the oil and there laid his wrenches. The broncos had a channel under the hood where things would stay. He was very glad to see them again.
The owner came in about two weeks later and the guy was checking the oil and there laid his wrenches. The broncos had a channel under the hood where things would stay. He was very glad to see them again.
When working in an Allison retransmission shop we had sub'd out the engine swap in our old Chevy diesel service truck. Had it back for a week and one of the techs said it started making all kinds of noise and lost power. Hauled it back to the shop to diag and found a nice 1\4" snappy ratchet lodged in the turbo inlet.
Installed a front mount received on a customers jeep. Got it all buttoned up and sent it on its way. Customer calls and says there is a rattle in the front end. Told him to bring it by and I will take a look. Sure enough, I left my cordless drop light on top of the plastic belly pan lol
Installed a front mount received on a customers jeep. Got it all buttoned up and sent it on its way. Customer calls and says there is a rattle in the front end. Told him to bring it by and I will take a look. Sure enough, I left my cordless drop light on top of the plastic belly pan lol
Krician
Well-known member
120xp flex head 1/4 ratchet, ford pickup. Did heater core and radiator. Dropped the ratchet when doing radiator, looked everywhere for an hour. Test drove the truck 1 mile. Looked again and still didn't find. .. the truck came back 5k miles later for check up, it was sitting under the front license plate frame, bumper grill, literally hanging off the bottom of front bumper... how it stayed there for 5k miles? I don't know. It wasn't even pinched anywhere, just spotted it and picked it up.
I managed to leave a gun case with $900 worth of AR15 inside at a public range a few years ago. A friend went back to look for it and found a note from the guy who found it. He refused to accept any money for his trouble when handing the case and gun over to my friend.
Not funny but a good example of honesty that doesn't seem to be very common today.
Not funny but a good example of honesty that doesn't seem to be very common today.
thebeekeeper1
Well-known member
My house was built in 1958. We are remodeling the kitchen and a few weeks ago, when we tore out the drywall, I found an old "monkey wrench" in one of the stud compartments. It is a little bitty thing with no markings and a crack on the back side. Cool little thing, but useless with its smooth jaws and crack. It looks really old, and probably was old when it was lost. Cool to have hanging on a wall in the shop as a decoration though. 
thebeekeeper1
Well-known member
I'd trust "gun people" before the general public. Gun people are the BEST people (overall).
I'm very happy for you.
Not lost tool, a little strange story - perhaps still not finished! I will just dump it here.
1990. Last day of 4 week business trip to the US. On our way to Boston airport where we had to return our rental car and before that our Rental truck, been driving all day didn't have much time in order to catch our flight home to Iceland. Stopped at a mall to make a quick phone call.
After driving for about 20 minutes I realize my wallet is missing - left it on top of the payphone. With the airline tickets, some cash and cc cards and my passport! We turned around and drove to the mall and found the phone again - no wallet. I ran into a restaurant next door and asked if someone turned in a wallet. Nope. Getting desperate I tried small shop, Nope, then the last option was a supermarket. No one there knew anything about a wallet.
This was long and very difficult trip and it's been a very long day also and realizing we were basically stuck In the US + all the problems getting passport/closing CC cards etc - I was standing by the damned payphone pretty much all done for a while before walking towards the car when I heard someone yelling, turned around and saw a girl standing outside the supermarket looking around... Turned out she was a manager at the supermarket and someone did indeed turn in my wallet. She was just working around back when I came in to ask about it. So I got my wallet back with everything in it.
We managed to board the plane after crazy driving and running, begging and pushing etc. The plane door was slammed at our heels. Thankfully because new tickets the day after would have been months pay or more.
------
One week ago a friend of mine calls me with a problem. He is selling elderly couple from the US summerhouse close to me. The problem is they are not allowed to buy the property unless they have a representative in the area who has to sign all the documents on their behalf. And I am the only one he can think of. This seems like an easy task but the legal implications are somewhat unclear - and what is involved as well. Not very exciting so to speak but I ask him where are they from in the US? Boston he said. For some reason the incident with my wallet in Boston crossed my mind and without hesitation I said - ok, I will do it.
Moral of the story:
If you find a wallet and return it someone from your area can possibly buy a house half way across the world 25 years later.
1990. Last day of 4 week business trip to the US. On our way to Boston airport where we had to return our rental car and before that our Rental truck, been driving all day didn't have much time in order to catch our flight home to Iceland. Stopped at a mall to make a quick phone call.
After driving for about 20 minutes I realize my wallet is missing - left it on top of the payphone. With the airline tickets, some cash and cc cards and my passport! We turned around and drove to the mall and found the phone again - no wallet. I ran into a restaurant next door and asked if someone turned in a wallet. Nope. Getting desperate I tried small shop, Nope, then the last option was a supermarket. No one there knew anything about a wallet.
This was long and very difficult trip and it's been a very long day also and realizing we were basically stuck In the US + all the problems getting passport/closing CC cards etc - I was standing by the damned payphone pretty much all done for a while before walking towards the car when I heard someone yelling, turned around and saw a girl standing outside the supermarket looking around... Turned out she was a manager at the supermarket and someone did indeed turn in my wallet. She was just working around back when I came in to ask about it. So I got my wallet back with everything in it.
We managed to board the plane after crazy driving and running, begging and pushing etc. The plane door was slammed at our heels. Thankfully because new tickets the day after would have been months pay or more.
------
One week ago a friend of mine calls me with a problem. He is selling elderly couple from the US summerhouse close to me. The problem is they are not allowed to buy the property unless they have a representative in the area who has to sign all the documents on their behalf. And I am the only one he can think of. This seems like an easy task but the legal implications are somewhat unclear - and what is involved as well. Not very exciting so to speak but I ask him where are they from in the US? Boston he said. For some reason the incident with my wallet in Boston crossed my mind and without hesitation I said - ok, I will do it.
Moral of the story:
If you find a wallet and return it someone from your area can possibly buy a house half way across the world 25 years later.
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Many years back when I worked for an aircraft modification contractor. Common practice for FOD and tool control is to engrave your last name initial and last four of your SSN on your tools with 100% inventory accountability at the end of every work shift.
Had an aircraft come in and pulled a fuel cell bladder back and found a putty knife scraper with the engraved tool ID of one of our fuel cell workers who lost it 4 years ago when the aircraft was last in our facility. The fuel cell worker never reported the initial lost tool from 4 years prior and was fired at the end of the day.
Another found tool story is when I bought a used motorcycle and found a Snap On F730 ratchet wedged in between the frame rail and a wire harness.
Had an aircraft come in and pulled a fuel cell bladder back and found a putty knife scraper with the engraved tool ID of one of our fuel cell workers who lost it 4 years ago when the aircraft was last in our facility. The fuel cell worker never reported the initial lost tool from 4 years prior and was fired at the end of the day.
Another found tool story is when I bought a used motorcycle and found a Snap On F730 ratchet wedged in between the frame rail and a wire harness.
woody 73
Well-known member
Some time back I had to do a little brazing on some copper pipes and after it was done I somehow misplaced the gas bottle and the brazing tip; Dag nabbit if I needed it a few months later and it is still lost, so back to the hardware store for another tip and new gas bottle. So a few years later I am cleaning up some small spaces and I find a small bag sure enough inside the bag is the tip and bottle...how it got there is still a mystery?
North Run Grader
Well-known member
Back when I was doing towing and recovery in Jasper National Park, Canada, we had the RCMP contract. Got a call for a recovery/impound 1 hour south between Jasper and Banff at midnight. Drunk driver lost control and rolled his vehicle and couldn't flee the scene because he was too drunk to unfasten the seatbelt whilst suspended upside down.
Whenever we did a recovery, we would always leave the scene cleaner then when we arrived. So I dropped one of my favorite flashlights in the snow and could not find it. The next spring I took my fiancé out sightseeing and because the accident happened only 100 feet from the Tangle Summit outlook, I walked back in the ditch and found my pelican penlight. It even still worked, I was glad I spend the extra money on quality flashlights.
Whenever we did a recovery, we would always leave the scene cleaner then when we arrived. So I dropped one of my favorite flashlights in the snow and could not find it. The next spring I took my fiancé out sightseeing and because the accident happened only 100 feet from the Tangle Summit outlook, I walked back in the ditch and found my pelican penlight
. It even still worked, I was glad I spend the extra money on quality flashlights.While moving 12 years ago I left my 1970's era craftsman gray portable toolbox on the tailgate of my truck. It was loaded with tools. When I got to my location I realized my stupidity and the box was gone. I retraced my route and checked in several stores along the way to see it it had been turned in. I put an ad in the paper offering a reward. A guy called and brought it by and refused to take any reward. The box was dented on one corner but I was able to hammer it out. Those old boxes had much thicker metal than the ones I bought my boys in the 90's.