Holding Flashlight For Dad

[Farmall 1066]

Lots of good “hold the light” memories, but the best was being 6-7 years old, and checking cows one night. Found a Hereford heifer with first calf stuck half in/out and needed calf puller.
Dad got her penned up and told me to sit in the pickup while him & uncle pulled the calf. Told me to rev the engine slightly to keep the headlights bright on his damn near new 79 F-250.
I did ok for a bit, but like any kid got distracted watching them, and firewalled the throttle. That 400 Ford wound tight enough to float valves, then died.
Dad about ****, but it started up, valves clattered a bit then back to normal.
Ran long enough for me to thrash hell out of it in high school yet!

 

[Odd-job]

Despite a plethora of modern LED lighting technology including M18 lights, Astro magnetic lights, headlights, and flashlights sometimes you can't beat helper to hold the light at the perfect angle and perhaps pickup the odd dropped tool in some tight area only small hands can reach. This being said it was real hard trying to blind my old man with those D cell mag lights. Seems like my kids are blinding me all the time.

 

[jetnow1]

Yep, same here.....I'm the oldest of 5 boys (+ 2 sisters). Of all of us, only one other of my brothers I would ever trust to work on something for me - anything - house, cars, boat, bikes......

And when any of them need advice I get the call. I don't mind that tho, it keeps us in touch.

We had the same number but it was 5 girls and 2 boys, yes I also get called a lot.

 

[KBS 1957]

Very nice thread . Brings back a ton of memories .

My dad was a doer and a good mechanic . We lived on a farm and there was always something to fix .

This was in the 60s and so I think we probably had a shop light , more so than flashlights. Same thing tho .

Mostly as I think back his frustration with me , was more about the fetching of parts and supplies .

He would say as an example - go to the bench and on the left side near the vice and grab that roll of emery cloth .

When I failed to find it , he would say , did you look ?

Then , I got led to the bench ( nicely ) and he would lead me over and gently steer my eyes to the roll of emery cloth .

To this day ....I still think of those times with Dad .

I have no kids , but I have some fabulous young men that work for me .

I try and gently show them things like my Father did with me ,

 

[engineer2]

An early memory was helping dad do brake jobs. He only had the car's bumper jack. One time the car started leaning towards when he was pulling a drum off. He just pushed it back and we continued with our work. He was too cheap to have drums turned. He just put new shoes on and said "they'll be fine after they wear in." Depression era upbringing I suppose.

Neat trick I learned was to watch the plug wires with all the lights turned off.

 

[bugnut]

I truly appreciate the tales, memories and trials as I too was the designated light holder. Mine was a bit of Kays and others. When things went right it was okay when things went wrong it was not the place to be.
The comment was always the same
"for a light holder you'd make a good cook"
and my family wonders were I got my impatience from......

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

I truly don’t recall being a “flashlight holder”. But, I certainly recall being shown how to do this or that- then being handed the tool in which to accomplish the task. And then the typical progression using the “monkey see, monkey do” approach”. I have in-turn applied the same to my son with one caveat; you don’t “have to do it”- you can always pay someone else to do it. But, it good to know how it’s done so you don’t get ripped off.

 

[hans109h]

A different take:
"Son, as long as you can see, I can see."

 

[mygarageone]

What an awesome thread ! Lol ,as it reminds me of my time with Dad. I sure miss him.
yea, the flash light was a biggie , but my dad thought I should know everything he knew because I went with him a lot.
He was a contractor and back in his day did everything , no one specialized back then.
Anyhow , he would sent me to the truck for a tool or a part , rather than tell him I didn’t know what it was (because he thought I should know everything. ) I would go and funmdle around untill he came to the truck , ask me what’s wrong , grab what he wanted and off we went. The thing is after he grabbed what he wanted ,I then knew what it was and never forgot. He never caught on but when he was 78 yrs old , I told him about that and he laughed and then said your smarter then you acted back then . My reply ? Dad it was better then you hollering at me for not knowing what you wanted.
I sure miss him. Oh,the stories .

 

[Renegade1LI]

I had a laugh yesterday at my sons house, we are doing his bathroom over & I had to press in some new shut off valves. He was holding the light while I was crimping & I chuckled a little, he asks whats so funny & I tell him about this thread. Then in the basement I'm holding the light & some piping while he uses the press, so it was a really good day making some father son memories on Christmas eve. I try & always be available when the kids need me, my father never seemed to have the time, even though he could do it all.

 

[Lassen Forge]

I remember Brake Bleeding and stepping on the pedal.

"Ok, now bump the key... Again... Again... TOO FAR! *^@^$@&!! Again.... Again.... **%#*$#~!!!!!"

What memories!!

 

[Magnum440d100]

"Ok, now bump the key... Again... Again... TOO FAR! *^@^$@&!! Again.... Again.... **%#*$#~!!!!!"

What memories!!

Points!!!!!


I didn’t grow up with my dad. Grew up with my grampa. At 8 years old, I was under a 1972 Dodge D100 with my brother (10) chipping concrete off the frame. My grampa had anger issues, but taught me what he could. I helped him do everything from holding the flashlight, bleed brakes, set points, intake/carb swap, body and paint (the truck pictured is my second attempt at paint), etc


I still have the truck, though my brother and grandfather have both passed on.

Thanks for the memories!

 

[WVBrady]

Points!!!!!


I didn’t grow up with my dad. Grew up with my grampa. At 8 years old, I was under a 1972 Dodge D100 with my brother (10) chipping concrete off the frame. My grampa had anger issues, but taught me what he could. I helped him do everything from holding the flashlight, bleed brakes, set points, intake/carb swap, body and paint (the truck pictured is my second attempt at paint), etc


I still have the truck, though my brother and grandfather have both passed on.

Thanks for the memories!

How did he get concrete on the frame?

 

[Magnum440d100]

How did he get concrete on the frame?

The truck was a project, bought to be my (late) brothers first truck. It was purchased as a rusting pile from a concrete guy who drove it everywhere for work. The guy probably got drunk and drove it through a fresh slab! Hahahaha

 

[MJOPE]

Thanks for the memories. Many a night I was called upon to hold the flashlight for my dad. It was an old army flashlight (right angle type). It was metal and heavy along with the two D batteries. Had cool color filters in the base. No matter how hard I tried the beam would wander and I’d get the noise from him. I asked him one night why the flashlight was so hard to hold steady and why it would seem to move by itself away from where he wanted me to shine it. He never looked up at me but said there are such things as dumb questions and that was one of them.

I sure miss him. Learned a lot about life from him. Wish he could see me with my kids and grandkids now, although I have a head lamp…. LOL

 

[DeanDelfin]

This is such a true meme. I think every kid should at least once in his life give wedgies from dad for holding a flash light for him wrong. But the real problem is that your father gives you the wrong kind of flash light, which is not designed to illuminate the dark areas of the car. To see the internal details well, it is best to use a small, compact but very bright and pinpoint flashlight. Plus, it's built to withstand abuse. Testing includes freezing and immersion under water. Therefore, the father cannot break such a flash light even with his crooked hands.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

I feel like I missed out on something. When holding the light I also watched (and learned) what he was doing. On most jobs he also allowed me to do more than just hold a light.

 

[GirlnAgarage]

This thread is a nice reminder of those days. I also held the flashlight for Dad, I'm pretty sure I have some kinda trauma from it too lol And yes, done my share of yelling about it too. Fact is, just being there holding the light is how I started learning. Glad to have that chance.

 

[Garcky]

Yeah, as the oldest, I was often out there with my Dad, being a go-fer and passing tools. My Dad wasn't the most patient of men, but he often took time to explain what he was doing and why. That was the beginning of my training as a DIYer, really

I remember one time, when I was helping him do something on the car. We were at his workplace, a Plymouth dealership, on a Sunday. I was often there with him on a Sunday, since that was the only time he had to work on the family's car. I remember the big toolboxes and the naked lady calendars in the locker room. But most of all, I remember all of the lessons I got from him about tools and working on cars and other equipment.

One of my favorites was the time he explained to me why wrenches were different lengths, depending on the size of the fastener. His explanation was about the proper torque for each size of fastener. He explained that smaller sizes had shorter wrenches. "That way, you use a similar amount of hand force to tighten the fastener, regardless of its size." Then, he illustrated the point by clamping a 1/4" bolt head in the vise. He put a nut on it and had me tighten that nut down. After I had done that, he checked the tightness and said, "Yeah, that's about right." Then, he gave me a longer handled 7/16" wrench and said, "Now tighten it some more." Of course, I twisted the bolt and broke it. "That's what I'm talking about. For every typical hand wrench, tight is about the same feel, regardless of the fastener size. But, if you're using longer wrenches, you have to be careful so you don't damage the hardware."

He had dozens of little lessons like that for me to learn, and I did, as we encountered different jobs and tools. Over time, he taught me how to solder and braze, and then how to weld with the oxy-acetylene torch and arc welder. He could be impatient, but when he wanted to teach me something, he was very patient. I remember all of his lessons.

 

[Odd Job]

Nice story Garcky. By the way, of all the pictures I've seen in garages, this is my favorite: (I guess you'll have to click on it for fullscreen)

 

[nadogail]

I too was a Flashlight holder, and I learned a lot both good and bad.

When I become the mechanic I often had rookies holding the flashlight for me.

If the rookie was the cause of the problem I insisted that he at least see what it took to correct the problem he caused.

I have always been trying to pass the knowledge to others and consider myself a teacher.

 

[karoc]

I’m sure it’s been repeated, but mine is holding flashlight for father inlaw which he would say “ Hold it where I can see, not where you can see” One of my good memories of him, man with class

 

[toolmiser]

I was thinking the other day that I've never had a "helper". I have two girls, and they've never had the curiosity that I had when I was young. I was always hanging around with Dad, and he used me for holding the light, fetching tools, etc. I wish that I had that helper. But I knew I shouldn't "make" my kids do something they had no interest in.

 

[brownbagg]

hold the light. no. i got enough lights in my shop, when you turn them all on, the power company drops the plant into second gear. I can heat the shop under LED

brake bleeding, crack the valve and go watch tv for thirty minutes

 

[goldtang]

I remember about 45 years ago my dad wanted me to help him with his car. I was home from college for the weekend and my mother wanted me to spend some quality time with dad. He was in the driver's seat while I looked down the carb and fidgeted with it and I distinctly told him to "Not touch the starter". Well, of course, he hit the starter and a flame shot up and burned my beard and eyebrows off (luckily I was wearing glasses). I'll never forget that laugh---or the smell.

When dad was sick (cancer) I helped him clean out the gas heater my last question was did. You turn the power off it had power for the fan yes was his answer lucky the shed had RCD I got a boot we both got a laugh

 

[fpgt72]

I was thinking the other day that I've never had a "helper". I have two girls, and they've never had the curiosity that I had when I was young. I was always hanging around with Dad, and he used me for holding the light, fetching tools, etc. I wish that I had that helper. But I knew I shouldn't "make" my kids do something they had no interest in.

My wife was an only child, and her dad was a mechanic. While she was growing up she was (and is) a Tom boy. They both have told the story of when her dad came in and plopped a carb on the kitchen table with a kit and said do you think you can do this? Sure she said, well go to it. She did, when he came back he asked did you do it right? I think so, well I hope you did it is off your motorcycle.

Not the only thing she did.

 

[fpgt72]

My self I never had a dad, I had a father that I never knew, and if you don't know the difference here is a quick def. A dad it a life time job, and you don't even have to be male. A father takes about 3 sec quick and done. Also never had a mom, but had a mother, about the same thing goes you just need to open your legs twice.

I did however have an uncle, and Uncle Fred was into british cars. I remember at around 5 laying across the fender, him under the car and saying ok start tapping the piston......tap tap tap....ok hold it there. He would kick about 100 beer cans out of the way and slide out from under the car.
I would get down and he would load the next piston in the ring compressor and I would start to tap again. He let me start the TR3a first, did not run he had it 180 out. I learned a great deal from that man, including how to be a man.....just to tie that first part in. You learn more then just fixing things, I learned everything from problem solving skills to how to act in general.

I do miss you Uncle Fred.

 

[rattle_snake]

A cheap LED headlight solves the issue completely.
But back when I was a kid, I was the flash light holder, student.

dad:
"damn it I said a 1/2!"

me:
"that is a 1/2"

dad:
'Obviously it doesn't fit, go get a 9/16!'

me goes back to garage to get a whole hand full of wrenches....

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

A cheap LED headlight solves the issue completely.
But back when I was a kid, I was the flash light holder, student.

dad:
"damn it I said a 1/2!"

me:
"that is a 1/2"

dad:
'Obviously it doesn't fit, go get a 9/16!'

me goes back to garage to get a whole hand full of wrenches....

Man, I totally relate. My dad was NOT a patient man . From about age 7 or 8 he'd tell me to "....get a 7/16 box end wrench". Of course I hadn't a clue so I'd go get a handful of wrenches. None would be the right one so he'd toss them, "clang! bang!" Then get up annoyed and get what he wanted. In hindsight probably as annoyed with himself for expecting a young kid to understand which delayed him all the more.

I learned tools as a survival strategy!

It didn't take too long to figure out what open end and box end meant and to read the little numbers on the wrench. A lot harder when it came to pliers, "...water pump pliers" (What's a water pump?), needle nose - I was looking for needles! But eventually I learned.

It's taken me a lifetime to make peace with some of the things he did. He was raised by an alcoholic (who he named me after) so by comparison I'm sure my childhood was not nearly as challenging as his was. Rest In Peace, dad. You deserved peace while you were alive but hopefully you have some now.

 

[fpgt72]

Man, I totally relate. My dad was NOT a patient man . From about age 7 or 8 he'd tell me to "....get a 7/16 box end wrench". Of course I hadn't a clue so I'd go get a handful of wrenches. None would be the right one so he'd toss them, "clang! bang!" Then get up annoyed and get what he wanted. In hindsight probably as annoyed with himself for expecting a young kid to understand which delayed him all the more.

I learned tools as a survival strategy!

It didn't take too long to figure out what open end and box end meant and to read the little numbers on the wrench. A lot harder when it came to pliers, "...water pump pliers" (What's a water pump?), needle nose - I was looking for needles! But eventually I learned.

It's taken me a lifetime to make peace with some of the things he did. He was raised by an alcoholic (who he named me after) so by comparison I'm sure my childhood was not nearly as challenging as his was. Rest In Peace, dad. You deserved peace while you were alive but hopefully you have some now.

When I got my boy and we messed in the garage (I was racing back then) and we did the same stuff. 6yr old did not know what size was what.

(I just thought I need to put a bit of background in, the "got" word will toss some off)

We adopted my boy from "the system". He was almost 7 when we "got" him, and 8 when he became "official". If the topic comes up I will share those stories if anyone is interested.

I would ask for a 13MM and we would have no issues with that, he knew 13. But when the standard sized came in he was clueless. Ahh I don't know what you want. Stop grab a wrench, socket, couple ratchets. Ok when I ask for a 3/16 that means I want this one, see the 3 on this side of the line, and the 16 on that side, yea....that is a three sixteenth wrench, see they put the same thing on a socket too.....ok, and if you look at this allen key it has it super small on the side, yea, they all like that. All is a really big word, so I can't say all, but most do. Now the ratchet, that is these things, and if I want a 1/2 it is this one, 3/8 this one, and 1/4 this one, see how the little box on the end is different....yea, ok....do they make a 13mm ratchet? Good question I don't know, you think they would that seems more easy, bigger the number bigger the socket, yea. Now imagine you are me, when I was roughly your age our idiot POTUS went to change us to the metric system, that is the one with just numbers, and he did not follow through. As a result I don't know any system real well........

On and on.

Sure things got rough at times, when a teen the brain generally falls out of their heads and ends up on the floor somewhere. Around 20 a very funny thing happens and I start to get smarter, funny how that works.

 

[wandrur]

My Dad is a lifelong mechanic, and I held many lights (he called the shop light a trouble lamp) and bled many brakes and aligned many vehicles. Dad's temper was short, but he never took it out on us, so none of that yelling while we helped. The oldest and I (the youngest) spent a lot of time in the shop; the middle kid, not so much. He always seemed to be absent when there was work to be done.

I still love the smell of grease and oil. Reminds me of the shop. Dad's 81 now and recently rebuilt an axle and differential for a neighbor's tractor by himself with the help of many chains and a cherry picker.

 

[fpgt72]

My Dad is a lifelong mechanic, and I held many lights (he called the shop light a trouble lamp) and bled many brakes and aligned many vehicles. Dad's temper was short, but he never took it out on us, so none of that yelling while we helped. The oldest and I (the youngest) spent a lot of time in the shop; the middle kid, not so much. He always seemed to be absent when there was work to be done.

I still love the smell of grease and oil. Reminds me of the shop. Dad's 81 now and recently rebuilt an axle and differential for a neighbor's tractor by himself with the help of many chains and a cherry picker.

An "old guy" once told me, you can still do it when you get old, it will just take you a little longer, good side is you will need to buy more tools.

 

[Innovate1]

As posted above,
I remember the brake bleeding, "ARE YOU HOLDING IT DOWN !"
I had trouble even reaching the pedal back then.

But I must have been better at it than Mom was lol.

Wow, I am cracking up reading these comments and thinking of good memories. My sister and I would both rather help dad than mom back in the day. We lived in the boonies and if anything needed done he figured out a way to do it. Then there was the time he told me to tighen up the U bolts on some leaf springs. Tighten, tighten, tighten, snap! "Not that tight!" I wasn't that muscular of a kid but just kept tightening. I didn't get yelled at for that one. In fact he was usually pretty good about things and telling why we were doing things the way we were. And there were the hold the light where I need it moments. I miss him...

 

[toolmiser]

A few years ago, we were at a parent-teacher conference, and the teacher mentioned they were working on fractions in math. I had an idea and explained it to the teacher that fractions sometimes are hard to visualize, but I had a brand new but cheap set of combination wrenches that they could have as a visual aid. Don't know if it helped, but I thought it was something they could relate to.

 

[JEFFREYWisconsin]

First time my wife and I ever worked on a project, she held the light.

I stopped and asked her, “can you see everything good?”

She was so proud and I would say excited to say, “Yeah I can see it fine!!”

To which I grumpily replied, “Well, I am glad you can see it, because I can’t, please move the damn light so I can see what I am doing!”

My dad would be so proud!

 

[JEFFREYWisconsin]

down......up.....down.....up......down...... the good ol days.

Ok hold it right there!

What???

HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!!!!!!!!