Mis used tools.. How do you misuse or abuse some tools.

[G-Ram]

Curious as where you work^^^
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I work at a remote mine site in northern Canada

Gives me a reason to keep buying more tools

My thoughts exactly!


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[Shiftless]

Vices are intended to take a beating. Most of them have flat and curved sections on them specifically for that reason. That's not abuse at all.

Bench vises are made of cast iron and will crack if hit hard enough. Tapping on sheet metal is OK.
The only vises you are supposed to really pound on are post vises for blacksmithing.

 

[anndel]

I use my Snap On and Craftsman screwdrivers as pry bars

 

[stihlntime]

I've been guilty of most. My most common tool abuse is grabbing a extension to drive a pin or bushing out, I've ruined more than one extension. Used sockets in the press all the time. My biggest vice used to be throwing screw drivers when I was passed and things were not going right. I've used everything from channellock pliers handle to a ratchet handle as a temporary top link pin on a three point.

 

[Toofast28]

Anything can be a hammer in a pinch

 

[63mothership]

Using things that aren't a hammer as a hammer. Ex. Screwdrivers, ratchets, pliers, wrenches, etc. Also using standard screwdrivers as pry bars especially at pull a part type junkyards

 

[fivespdcat]

Today I was using my HD Wiha flat blade to not only install new outlet face covers but to also remove them. A good swift blow to the handle and they pop of effortlessly without marring the wall. Way better than trying to pry them off.

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[jipps]

I think this one speaks for itself... angle grinder becomes bench grinder, with a little help from the Record Junior

 

[toolaholic]

I used a sk 1/4 inch flare nut wrench as a parking brake cable tool. I have since bought a lisle parking brake tool.

 

[KEH]

One tool that more or less has to be abused is a fencing tool. I found out years ago that HF fence pliers won't stand abuse. Fence pliers have a pointed, curved hook that is used to drive behind staples to pull them out. Routinely you have to hammer on the hammer head on the fence pliers to get the hook behind the staple. I keep the HF to beat on and save my Channellock fence pliers. Cutting barbed wire with the wire cutters on the fence tool stresses the cheap tools also.

What I refuse to do is to use a pipe wrench on a socket. I also frown on using a socket as a bearing driver. I've seen numerous examples of this abuse in the used tool bins. It's frustrating to spot a nice SO socket and turn it over to find the head beat up.

I routinely buy used screwdrivers to use as pry bars. I also have picked up a used wood chisel or two to use as gasket scrapers, which make better scrapers than flat blade screwdrivers.

KEH

 

[rednotch]

today in the driveway of my parents house, no real tools other then the Milwaukee impact and a cheapy craftsman socket set I brought with me. Just baisc craftsman hand tools at their house. Replacing an antenna mast and downstream o2 sensor on an rx300. Should be 1-2 hours max since I had to pull the antenna motor to remove the old track.. Got that done after cleaning out all the **** in the trunk in about 45 mins.

Move on to the down stream 02 sensor. Nuts and studs are rotted to hell, what used to be 12mm nut now only grabs with a 12pt 10mm socket. Soaked it in pb when I got there, I have no torch on hand so I beat the 10mm socket on and hit it with the impact, first one came out no problem with the stud. Second one, stud snapped, damnit . A lot of people don't like craftsman but there perfect for that kind of ****. I wouldn't want to hammer a snap on socket on to rotted out hardware. If the craftsman breaks its cheap and easy to replace.

Have to go backtomorrow with some heat and a my stud remover set and maybe the 140 welder that I lent to a buddy a few months ago.. All ready have the new hardware just got to get the broken stud out. I learned as for tool misuse that I need to stop lending stuff out, buddies, had $700 worth of my tools for 3 months now and has both my welder and stud remover set. I'm not going to be happy if my tank is empty.

 

[ex-x-fire]

I've used a floor jack to turn a wrench/breaker bar a couple of times maybe more......

 

[davewo]

If your drill/driver bit is worn and will not self-hold bits, you can always deliver a light blow with the **** or battery end of your drill/driver to set the screw.

 

[Deej-79]

Usually using my tape measure or drill to adjust something. Just a tap or two to get something positioned properly. And yeah I've also used the screwdriver pry bar and pliers hammer.

This. I used my impact driver as a hammer today, I was hitting my hammer with it. I also used my brad nailer as a hammer today, had to move the corner of some trim closer to the wall.

 

[bryan750]

I have used sockets as bearing drivers,still don't have a set of those and I used to put a long pipe on ratchets,wrenches and what ever else needed to be turned but I do have a breaker bar now along with a lot of other tools I didn't know that I needed before joining this board.

 

[larry_g]

When the harvester is down and the crop needs harvesting there is no such thing as tool abuse... It's all a matter of perspective.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[MrGiggles]

I think this one speaks for itself... angle grinder becomes bench grinder, with a little help from the Record Junior

Ive stuck a wire wheel in a drill press before. Aside from flinging **** everywhere, it worked really well.

 

[RBFD415]

I've used a floor jack to turn a wrench/breaker bar a couple of times maybe more......

Wow, that's brilliant, never thought of that! Usually I just jump on the breaker bar.......the snap and "c-r-e-a-k" are such rewarding sounds! !

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[The Toolest Guy]

Please be careful, if you fall off your high horse you might severely injure yourself.

The only ones at risk of severely injuring themselves are those people who are misusing their tools.

 

[Roberts210]

Broke a Craftsman 1/2 inch breaker bar in 1976 by standing on it trying to bust loose an axle nut.

 

[mach2mack]

My big *** 3/4 drive sockets have been used exclusively as seal drivers.

 

[chipss36]

Who me? Never...Muhahaha.

Guilty of about all the above at one time or another,
Git err done.

I am older now , work a bit slower and have better tools, yet sometimes still have to improvise to get it done.

Few is any can say they own every proper tool for a lifetime of jobs, and ever year seems someone tries to start a new standard and makes a special tool at a special price, this used to piss me off, now I take it as a challenge to sit in the moaning chair, think my around the problem with what I have, and enjoy it, but I am not trying to beat a book time now a days.

It sure helps to have great tools.

 

[McFarmer]

I have a crappy 3/4 set next to the press.

 

[honcho]

oil filter pliers to compress brake caliper pistons when convenient (very often, actually its faster than using the proper tool)...

YES! Oil Filter pliers or large curved jaw vise grips are my preferred tool for compressing brake caliper pistons (unless they have to be screwed in)

"Broke a Craftsman 1/2 inch breaker bar in 1976 by standing on it trying to bust loose an axle nut." Did the same thing on a VW axle nut and first broke a Craftsman 12 pt 36mm chrome socket. Replaced the socket and then broke the Craftsman 1/2" breaker bar. Finally got it off using a piece of pipe on a Harbor Freight 3/4" breaker bar with a 3/4 to 1/2 adapter.

My take on (mis)using tools is this: If you're not risking safety or unacceptable damage to the item being worked on and are willing to accept the cost of or damage to the misused tool, go for it and try to get the job done with what you've got at hand.

 

[Ramblin Man]

When the harvester is down and the crop needs harvesting there is no such thing as tool abuse... It's all a matter of perspective.

lg
no neat sig line

This is so true. Anyone that has not been in such a position just is not going to understand.

 

[redwrench60]

I'd say we're all guilty of the more common types of tool abuse and may not even give it any thought like tapping or bumping something with the handle of a hammer, prying or tapping something in with a screwdriver, or doubling up wrenches for a little leverage. I try to stay away from the worst and most dangerous kinds of abuse though, just from a money and safety standpoint.

 

[BCKinVT]

Craftsman Industrial Paint Can Opener - which also functions as a screwdriver.