Lost and Found Tools

[jonathan75]

Do you have some tools that you lost and then found again?

Today I was looking in a old ammo box in my storage shed and found some of my missing tools from my original 20 year old Craftsman set. I Also found some other misc tools from years gone by.

I noticed so many of the old tools were made in the USA. But there is one German screwdriver and some pliers made in Taiwan. When I was a kid I could only afford tools from Big Lots so I still have a lot of tools from China, Taiwan and there were some sockets from Sri Lanka that I left in the shed. I stuffed my pockets full and went to the garage to examine my finds.

 

[devoncoolman]

The old stanly drivers were actually good screwdrivers. Now they ****. Yup ive lost tools and found them later on. Usually i put it down in a stupid location and forgot about it.

 

[airdale]

Tool Hoarder!

Nice find.

 

[jonathan75]

The old stanly drivers were actually good screwdrivers. Now they ****. Yup ive lost tools and found them later on. Usually i put it down in a stupid location and forgot about it.

Do you know what years they made the Stanley screwdrivers in that style?

Tool Hoarder!

Nice find.

I don't think I have ever disposed of a tool. Some day I will find most of my missing tools. Still can't find two spark plug sockets and a combination wrench.

Edit: Found one of the spark plug sockets this weekend. Just one more to go.

 

[jakemac]

Here's a link to a tool I lost and recovered, originally posted in the "Tools you've found" thread.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3225851&postcount=64

 

[top drive]

lost a chromey 10mm out of my socket set

really annoyed me as ive not lost a socket in over 10 years since i got my first set .....

working on the jeep one day - iirc i was changing the oil - looked up and under the front bull bar there was my 10mm wedged onto a bolt looking a bit crusty.

whipped it off - cleaned it up with some scotchbrite - looked like new underneath.

 

[nicksnothereman]

Do you have some tools that you lost and then found again?

Today I was looking in a old ammo box in my storage shed and found some of my missing tools from my original 20 year old Craftsman set. I Also found some other misc tools from years gone by.

I noticed so many of the old tools were made in the USA. But there is one German screwdriver and some pliers made in Taiwan. When I was a kid I could only afford tools from Big Lots so I still have a lot of tools from China, Taiwan and there were some sockets from Sri Lanka that I left in the shed. I stuffed my pockets full and went to the garage to examine my finds.

I just re-found a bunch of craftsman selector ratcheting wrenches that I didn't realize I owned. Shows how much I use wrenches. I knew I had a couple but didn't realize I had (essentially) a full set.

 

[BK13]

I found a bunch of tools in a storage tote I didn't even know I had, does that count?

 

[VWingman]

I saw a lost tool belt in the middle of the road one time. Drove over the top of it and found[/] later on that it punctured my oil pan.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Well. A few tools I own now some guy left in a car I was working on and I eventually found them when doing the job again. Does that count?

 

[Rickedstyles]

I have found the best way to find lost ones is to buy new one..they usually come back ..still cant figure how I lost a set of US craftsman flare wrenches in the plastic case.. But yet I can find a 5/16 socket i thought i lost

 

[jonathan75]

These are all great stories, keep them coming!

 

[jonathan75]

working on the jeep one day - iirc i was changing the oil - looked up and under the front bull bar there was my 10mm wedged onto a bolt looking a bit crusty.

That is amazing that after all that time it never fell off and ended up on the road. When you find a missing tool and that spot is filled in your tool box it is a cause for celebration!

 

[egnorant]

One of the problems with having multiple sets of tools is that you might not miss some of them for a while. I must do an occasional tool roundup to clean out the various sheds, cars, drawers, nightstands, etc.

Best is a 1/2" wrench that I sat on the tailgate of a 1972 Chevy truck while working on my 1967 Mustang in 1976! I was using a 7/16" wrench and finished to find the next step needed the 1/2...it was gone! I had only 3 steps to travel and 2 minutes between jobs, but it was GONE! Looked for about an hour before I dared look outside the square made up by the distance between cars and width of the cars. Took off the tailgate, scoured the ground, crawled uder both cars checking every nook and cranny. Finally gave up and got another wrench.

33 years later as I was cleaning out the shop, I opened a zippered case for an adding machine and there it was! Just sitting on the keys nice as can be along with a mummified bat that is a different story.

Bruce

 

[quattroJoe]

Years ago I had a Chevy Blazer, dropped a socket in the engine bay one day and it landed in the top of a subframe/frame brace. I tried for a while to fish it out, but finally gave up and wrote it off assuming that it would bounce out on the road somewhere. A couple years later I was doing another project that gave me access to that area, and lo and behold there was that socket just sitting there still!

Second one is more of just a "found" story- working on an Audi A4, I removed the fender, which based on the paint over the bolts had never been removed. Inside was a large rubber mallet. I guess some German worker lost it in there on the assembly line.

 

[ken w.]

While I was working at a Renault dealer I left a pair of vise grips inside a door replacing a window regulator.I switched to a different dealer and after working there for a few years I had to find a rattle and clunk on this Renault and when took off the door panel there was my vise grips with my initials scratched on them. The dealer still charges them for a 1/2 hour labor.

 

[outdoorsman310]

yeah, loosing tools *****, finding them is great! I found my 3" 1/4 drive extension a week ago. I had lost it for months. Turns out it was in a carburetor box that I had sitting next to my box all that time.

 

[jonathan75]

The stories are great and very interesting. Don't forget to add pictures if you have any.

Today I found a MAC combination wrench. I had no idea I had a MAC tool and don't know where I got it from. It says M10CW on the back. Does anyone know the date code for CW? I tried a Google search and couldn't find it.

Here are some pictures of all my found tools today. The wire stripper works very good and is Made in Germany. It was a good find in a childhood tool box. I started really young so most of my early tools are junk but some are gems.

 

[quattroJoe]

While I was working at a Renault dealer I left a pair of vise grips inside a door replacing a window regulator.I switched to a different dealer and after working there for a few years I had to find a rattle and clunk on this Renault and when took off the door panel there was my vise grips with my initials scratched on them. The dealer still charges them for a 1/2 hour labor.

I think you just won the thread

 

[Tellingthem]

When I was packing up my stuff to move back to Michigan I found a couple of screwdrivers that I had originally packed up when I moved from Michigan and totally forgot about. I had been dragging that box around with me for 13 years and never really unpacked it. They were from my first tool kit I had as a kid. It was like finding an old friend.

 

[BajaBound]

While I was working at a Renault dealer I left a pair of vise grips inside a door replacing a window regulator.I switched to a different dealer and after working there for a few years I had to find a rattle and clunk on this Renault and when took off the door panel there was my vise grips with my initials scratched on them. The dealer still charges them for a 1/2 hour labor.

That's awesome!

 

[jeffmoss26]

I dropped a pair of Channellock 436 diagonal cutters down a wall in my basement 15 or more years ago. I know exactly where they are, just don't want to cut the wood paneling to get them out

 

[jonathan75]

Here is something I found today. It is a old Actron Tach and Dwell meter. Still in the original box!

 

[mr overdunne]

I wish I could find my 5/8 stubby matco wrench. I sure do miss that sucker.

 

[jonathan75]

I wish I could find my 5/8 stubby matco wrench. I sure do miss that sucker.

I wonder if there is a lost tool psychic that can locate your missing tool with their mind?