Stupidest ways you temporarily misplaced a tool while working on something?

[Jacobson]

Could not find my 10mm socket.
I was JUST using it. Now it's gone.
I was doing a small job and only had like 4 tools out.
Looked in cart drawers, floor, under the car, etc

After about 15 minutes, it hit me:

 

[JJThrasher]

Not a tool but I lost a P/S fluid cap for 15 minutes today that was tethered to the reservoir.

 

[moron88]

well, more than once i couldnt find the tool i was holding.

last month i helped my sister's husband change the front driveshaft on their windstar. put my breaker bar in the end of my jack handle so i wouldnt lose it. took 10 minutes to remember that...

 

[CJM8515]

I somehow always lose tape measures and pencils. Go and grab another one and I find the previous one 15 mins later hiding somewhere.

 

[Mrmontebuilder]

In my pocket is the worst for me usually. 10mm seem to go into the Tardis from Dr Who!!

 

[M6erfan]

I lost a 17mm deep socket for weeks, ordered another one, found the original 2 days after I got the replacement...

 

[wmm2]

Could not find my 10mm socket.
I was JUST using it. Now it's gone.
I was doing a small job and only had like 4 tools out.
Looked in cart drawers, floor, under the car, etc

After about 15 minutes, it hit me:

You lost the socket. I lost the magnetic dish. It stayed in place for the whole test ride...stuck to the bottom of the oil pan.

 

[Sugarfryz]

Not a tool but I lost a P/S fluid cap for 15 minutes today that was tethered to the reservoir.

I've done this!! Laughed a bit when someone asked what I was looking for

 

[53Sparky]

My former boss used to have a bad habit of leaving tools on top of his ladder. He would forget that they were there until they clocked him on the head when he moved it.

Personally, I need about 8 tape measures at the shop so that I can be productive.
They all seem to gravitate to my chop saw.

 

[Tellingthem]

Right in front of me. Set a wrench down and a few minutes later couldn't find it. Looked everywhere for it and finally gave up. Went back to figure something else out and there it was in the exact spot where I had left it. Like it slipped into an alternate dimension for a few minutes and came back. I did check for a goatee so I knew it wasn't it's evil twin in its place. Had it happen a few times.

 

[Teenager with old tools]

Lost a clamp down vise. Was laying on my back bumper not clamped. Looked a while figured I left it at home. Drove all the way home it was still laying on back bumper


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[Derek420]

I was changing sway bar bushings on wife's mini van and I had out a 3/8 ratchet and breaker bar and socket + extension and I was using the lip in the frame to hold my tools and I put breaker bar in there and forgot I put it there it was hidden by a black box of sort and I was looking everywhere going crazy because I needed it because ratchet wouldn't fit even with a universal joint.. Well it took me 20 mind or more before I found it then I was putting tools up after and lost it again and could not find it till test drive when I heard a clunk under van.luckily it was a big gravel driveway, I had people keep talking to me while I was working... Lol I'm forgetful sometimes and had no clue what I did with it.. Also I hate when your working under Hood and drop socket down some where dark or under air intake and takes forever to find it and a couple times never did find it so said hell with it. I've heard a socket fall out going down road and didn't stop to look. At least it wasn't a snap on or good sockets as I have a lot of other choices and just grab whatever sometimes but skip my best unless I really need them. Does that count?

 

[Empty Pockets]

I was working on a 1923 Model T, I had several tools out. When I finished, I moved the tools that were under the car to the center of the floor, under the car. When I moved the car out of the shop, leaving the tools centered on the floor. It's easier to pick them up when the car is gone.

When I returned, I went crazy looking for the tools. After a while, the wife asked me what I was looking for. I told her. She said that she moved them, so they wouldn't get run over.

She's now my ex-wife,

 

[Handyfarmer]

my son had a friend over one time and they were skate boarding in the shop, (only cement on the place), and the visiting kid used a 1/2" wrench to tighten a bolt on one of the trucks, and the kid threw the wrench when he was done with it I finally found it about 20 years later down behind some thing,

back in 1976 I hauled a load of scrap steel out to the farm to a pile we had, and my tow chain went missing, never had an idea what had happened to it, a few years ago, I let my son cleaned up the scrap pile, and sell the scrap, under the scrap I had placed in 76, was my tow chain, only took 30+ years to find it,

 

[Codenforcer]

I was working on a neighbor's hot shot rig, 99 dodge 3500. Front end work, exhaust manifold and maintenance. He always needed fixed up quick to get back to work. The next evening I noticed I was missing my go to 3/8 ratchet. A snap on soft grip long flex I'd had sense I started my career. I called to ask if he'd seen it in the engine bay. He looked and said no, I figured what where the chances as he'd ran hot shot all that next day around Houston. My gut said to go have a look. Sure enough it was laying on top of the right lower control arm. What are the odds, was very happy that evening because I'm OCD about loosing tools.

 

[WWheeler]

Was working just outside the garage putting wheels on a bottom tool chest when it started to rain so I quickly moved inside the garage and finished the job in the tight space between the closed garage door and my wife's car. I finished up and rolled the chest into place and went to the bathroom. Came back to an empty garage as my wife had left to run an errand.

I started putting stuff away and it hit me. My brand new very first time using it milwaukee 3/8" dr cordless ratchet just rode away sitting on the trunk of my wife's car never to be seen again.

Pretty sure a neighbor picked it up because I can't imagine it could have made it much further than the end of the driveway when she went from reverse to drive & I'm a couple houses away from a dead-end. It had been less than five minutes when I walked out there and down the street a bit and there was no sign of it anywhere.

Got the kit with the bag & charger & battery on a black friday 1hr sale for $69. After a few months looking for the bast deal I could find I paid $90 for the bare tool + battery to replace it.

 

[Robinson1]

I've got a harbor freight magnetic tool holder rail screwed to the wall above my work bench. It's usually where I stick screwdriver bits and random drill bits. Ordered some t handle locks for a camper top I was fixing up. When I finally got around to putting them on I couldnt find the keys anywhere. Tore my shop apart, looked in every toolbox, cabinet and drawer. Looked through my truck several times. Even dumped the 30 gallon barrel that I use for a trash can out in the middle of the shop floor and sifted through that. Couldn't find them. Ended up ordering more keys. When the new keys came I went out to change the locks. Go to the magnetic rail looking for a particular drill bit and there hangs the keys I lost. Never remember putting them there! What's worse is I use that rail practically daily and never noticed them hanging there!

 

[toolmutt]

One of the guys came through the station early one morning using the "flashlight" function on his cell phone looking for something. I asked, "Hey, Tom, what you looking for?" "I can't find my cell phone." "Um....."

 

[bczygan]

I often lose things by putting them in my left hand.

It is then, as if I had sent them to an alternate universe!

Bill

 

[AJO]

Lost a pair of leather work gloves working in shop one afternoon. Looked all over ,getting frustrated and pissed at myself. Half hour later found them in back pocket of coveralls I was wearing. Yep, and that's only the begining.

 

[ozyborn]

Looking for my favorite pliers. Where are they? Just had them. Spend 4 hours going through the garage. 4 hours. They were in my back pocket.

 

[cheechi]

I have searched for 10 minutes for a ratcheting wrench that was on my pinky finger the whole time. And the whole time I was playing with it while looking for it. Yeah.

I was in the middle of doing some planning when I first moved into my current home. I have a bunch of free HF tape measures so I made a layout with them on the floor. Had to go measure some distance and couldn't find a tape measure. Eventually did, then kicked the layout tapes out of my way to get a straight line. Didn't realize until a few days later what had happened.

Lost a few rolls of painter's tape on my wrist too.

 

[wafrederick]

Other tools on top of them in my tool cart.Start putting away tools I don't need out anymore and find them.In my pocket as well.I have a bad habit of doing this with my Milton spray nozzle a lot,found it last time on my Milwaukee case.

 

[Richard Cranium]

I too often loose tools that I am using. I do find them most of the time. Unless my wife helps me out and puts them away for me.

 

[JeepsAreBuilt]

When I "loose" a tool, sometimes it turns out I put it back in the wrong drawer of the tool cart. I'd even check all the drawers a couple times before finally finding it again. It was not hidden.. making it harder to find.

 

[170-3tree]

I have a bad habit of putting the wrench I use to bleed brakes in my back pocket. Sometimes it'll slide between the flaps of my wallet. ONE TIME I couldn't find my 10mm for 3 days and finally found it in the washer after my girlfriend asked me to look at why it sounded like it was gonna self destruct. Walked around with it in there for 2 days trying to find it.

 

[FullRaceMerc]

I lost a set of baby vise grips on a rounded out brake bleeder.

They rode there for about 4 years & who knows how many miles. Found after replacing them of course.

 

[FigureItOut]

Pockets, it's always in my stinking pocket. There are lots of reasons that's a bad habit, but my biggest fear is to poke a hole in a leather seat sitting down on a tool in my back pocket.

Doing my side job, low voltage cabling, I left a glow rod in a business's attic that's less than a mile from my house. I know right where it is, am just a little too embarrassed and lazy to go by and get it.

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[gamescastspencer]

Not a tool, but when installing a new radio in my 76 C10 I had used a bungie cord from the mirror post (tripod mirrors) to the fender to hold the door open so I could work without the door hitting my leg. It was 10:30 and I was tired and forgot to take it off. Went for a drive with it...

Also a few days after purchase of the truck I was looking under the rear bumper to inspect the wiring and such and found a nail setter half way off of the bumper lip. Must have been there for a few years and drove 40 miles to my house doing 70...

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[DWise]

I found my favorite hammer after 4 years, it was laying on top of my suspended ceiling.

 

[gdocktor3]

Was running pipes up in a drop ceiling once, right above a wall. Because the drop ceiling hangs lower than the top of the wall, the Sheetrock did not run all the way up to the header. I had two pair of channellocks, a flashlight and teflon tape resting on the top of the Sheetrock. I leaned in to far and knocked everything down into the wall, between two studs. My boss refused to let me cut the Sheetrock and there they sit until this day.

 

[gungatim]

I bought a set of timing chain tools to do the cam phaser on the envoy. they are long thin rods with a wing nut. Thought I knew where I put them but I couldn't find them to save my life. spent 3 weeks moving, cleaning, re-organizing the garage trying to find them. finally bit the bullet and bought a second set. started the job, moved the tool cart and of course found them underneath, even though I know I moved it before to sweep...

now I have 2 sets...and an envoy that still knocks...

 

[Cope]

Could not find my 10mm socket.
I was JUST using it. Now it's gone.
I was doing a small job and only had like 4 tools out.
Looked in cart drawers, floor, under the car, etc

After about 15 minutes, it hit me:

Been there, done that....

For me it was leaving my timing light attached to my father-in-law's Pontiac after setting the timing. He heard it rattling while driving down the freeway.

 

[PelicanPines]

Had an interesting glow under my car while driving last weekend... my buddy forgot his stick light under my car on Friday... it was still on... on Sunday... Snap On.. didn't get the model#

Misplace things you say?... it's why I have FIVE of just about everything.

 

[CoogarXR]

I have a hanging billiard lamp over my work bench. I was running cable in the ceiling above it, and I laid a roll of electrical tape on top of the lamp. I couldn't find my roll of tape afterwards. I just found it the other day. I was hooking up my hanging heater and looked over and there was a dusty roll of tape, still balancing on the edge of that lamp where I left it.

 

[MemphisR32]

Lost a pick somewhere for about 3 months. Couldn't find it anywhere. 30K miles later went to replace the air filter panel and when I pulled the old filter there it was in the bottom of the airbox. I used the pick to pull up a pop fastener.

 

[roblouvasz]

Years ago I was helping a friend do some car stereo stuff. He was running wire in the car and I was installing the subs in the box on a couple of horses. He called me over to help him with something and I put my cordless drill in the sub box. I finished helping him, grabbed a sub and put it in the box. We must have spent about 45 minutes looking for the drill!

 

[The Cobbler]

many stories, the most recent spent 1/2 hr on the jobsite looking for a screwdriver I had just used , only to find it in my back pocket...

 

[2oolhound]

Whew…. It can't be Alzheimer's, theres too many of us.

I was scouring my shop the other day looking for my safety glasses that I'd just been wearing. After wasting too much time I broke down and grabbed a new pair. When I put them on I almost knocked the ones I was looking for off the top of my head (where I'd swung them up out of the way).

 

[22george]

Right in front of me. Set a wrench down and a few minutes later couldn't find it. Looked everywhere for it and finally gave up. Went back to figure something else out and there it was in the exact spot where I had left it. Like it slipped into an alternate dimension for a few minutes and came back. I did check for a goatee so I knew it wasn't it's evil twin in its place. Had it happen a few times.

Same thing happens to me. I know it is there because I just set it down, but I can't find it. It drives me nuts