Tool "misuse"

[Exceller8]

I've been known to use an adjustable or pipe wrench as a hammer now and then.

 

[jeffmoss26]

I have one dedicated flathead screwdriver that is used exclusively for prying, bending, etc. It lives by my bench vise along with a ballpeen hammer.

 

[Exceller8]

I have one dedicated flathead screwdriver that is used exclusively for prying, bending, etc. It lives by my bench vise along with a ballpeen hammer.

Why not use a pry bar instead?

 

[jeffmoss26]

I'm normally working on small stuff where a prybar would never fit...taking apart locks, etc.

 

[MLB0611]

I agree, flat blade screwdrivers are largely useless anyways, when was the last time anyone intentionally use a slotted screw for something? I hate slotted screws with a passion.

For me hose clamps, worm gear type most are flat blade, normally I use either a 7mm or 8mm socket, but just did one car and some idiot before me used something besides the 7mm socket it was designed for so out came the flat blade screw driver.

 

[MackMan]

I try to use tools correctly, mostly because I find that things are much easier when you have the correct tool! Screwdriver as prybar/punch is probably the most frequent misuse though. I do have prybars, but my smallest prybar is too big for small access areas.

 

[bczygan]

Every tool that comes to my hand is multipurpose. I use them all for a hammer, pry bar, screwdriver, scraper, etc.

I need some new, large flat bladed screwdrivers to use as pry bars. The handles on all of mine came off when I hammered on them to split something.

Claw hammer and a big flat bladed screwdriver are the 2 universal tools.

 

[HaroRider]

I also have a dedicated screwdriver to pry with. I beat on a wrench every now and again if I cant use an impact. But I worked hard for my tools. (Craftsman some Snappy stuff) and I try to keep them in good condition. Call me a tool polisher, but nothing goes back in my box dirty after I finish a job.

During a big job Ill clean tools off and put them back in my box, even if I know I may need them again..I hate having tools scattered throught my cart and garage *shrug*

 

[rick carpenter]

Whatever the back end of a cordless impact driver is called, I've used it to lift & hold sheetrock. If I'm crawling around in a hot attic or flat on my back under a house, anything I have with me is whatever I need it to be.

 

[Heavy tech]

I abuse everything, just try not to damage/break it. It's all about doing the best you can with what you've got. Like grandpa always said, "There's no shame in being poor, but it's an awful disadvantage". Plus napa is the only place in 50 miles that sells tools, so if they don't have what you need in stock, you're SOL


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[SUNBURNTsnype]

First of all... I think those that said the right tool is what gets the job done without breaking the tool or part...has got it right. Becuase, really...you could make the case for almost any job that a certain tool isnt the "right" tool, as there is always a more specific, or more expensive, or more efficient special tool somewhere in the world that is better than the one you are using. If I was using a flat blade screwdriver on a flat head screw, it could still be the wrong width or thickness, or if i'm using a tap to clean junk form threads, a dedicated thread chaser would be better, or if i was removing a nut from a long stud with a combination wrench, a ratchetting wrench would be faster; but are these all using the wrong tool or misusuing a tool?

Similar to an eralier post in this thread, I work on large marine vessels, and sometimes I have to bring my tools onbaord or use the existing tools onboard, and I frequently run into the situation where the "proper" tool is 20 min. away at my shop down the pier, and i could "improvise" a tool i have to get the job done down or spend 45 min (down and back) to go to my shop and get the "right" tool. You gotta do what you gotta do. I use "cheater" pipes on breaker bars, double up wrenches, make crazy long ratchet extensions with universals, crows feet, etc. to get to some places you just cant access in the bilge of the ship. I frequently have to use 8 or 12 point sockets as drivers for taps, and a vice as a holder for a die as the ship's tap and die kits are frequently missing the handles. Ive had to cut, grind and bend wrenches to fit in certain areas, cut, grind and slice sockets to fit around interferences, weld sockets and cut off pieces of wrenches to make custom "crows feet" and/or special wrenches, used a endmill bit in magnetic drill press to drill through snapped off extractor in a snapped off bolt in the end of propulsion shaft, sockets as a bushing to install or remove seals and bushings in a press, etc. etc. One time we needed a ratcheting 1 in drive torque wrench and the ship didnt have one onboard, so we used a non-ratcheting 3/4 torque wrench with a wractheing adapter and 3/4 to 1 in adapter. Multiple times when Ive needed an allen socket to torque a fastener, Ive had to cut off a piece of an allen wrench and slide it in a socket when we only had L-shaped allen wrenches. Another time we had to untorque head bolts on a large diesel engine and we didnt have the hydrualic ratchet head unit normally used or a torque multiplier, so we drilled a hole in a slug wrench, ran a screw pin schackle through the end and used a 3 ton ***-along with a beam clamp from across the engine room to untorque the bolts. Something like 3000 FT-LBs.

Anyways, I guess all Im saying is, theres no shame in doing what you gotta do with what you have available to you to get the job done. I used to have an Engineering Officer who would find every adjustable(cresecent0 wrench onboard and throw them over the side of the ship because he hated people using them instead of the proper size wrench. I was fine with that until we got in a situation where we actually really needed the adjustable wrenches.

Its all relative depending on what is available and at your disposal.

 

[petawawarace]

I only abuse my tool while the wife is away....

 

[3 at 8]

Whatever is close to me at the time. Craftsman mostly; but I usually don't sweat it because of the warrantee.

 

[crewchief888]

I'll be the bad guy. Outside of torque wrenches, gauges, laptops, precision instruments, etc.. I probably misuse all my tools at some time or another. I will use a ratchet as hammer, screwdrivers as chisels and pry bars. I double up wrenches, hit them with hammers, cut, and bend them to my needs.

You can frown on me as I don't really care. You did not buy my tools. if I am in the yard under a unit and need to do some banging I reach for whatever I have available.

I dont wont to stir up a conversation on ethics. I have a box full of broken tools that I have never warrantied because I feel I got the good out of them.

well said

i treat other peoples stuff a much better than i treat my own, and i expect the same.

just because i beat the **** out of MY $100 wrench, doesnt give you the right to do the same.

 

[ex-x-fire]

I think it's safe to say when some guys use tool X as a hammer, they're really tapping something & not pounding or driving nails.

 

[monster1]

When the money/time equation enters into it, that's a valid reason to make the decision git'er done even if the tool suffers.

When lazy/stupid enters into it, well, that's another thing entirely.

jack vines

I think that's the main issue. Tech's don't have the time to baby their tools. The tools make them money.

 

[bad_idea]

For all the people that abuse or misuse their tools, my question is. If you break your tool due to misuse, who pays for it?

I pay for it. I am deciding to misuse my tools to get the job done in a timely fashion. I do what I need to do to get the job done ASAP (in some cases). Customers appreciate this and come back for repeat work. I do good work, quickly, and customers appreciate that. If it costs me a couple bucks for a new screwdriver, it's worth it.

If I don't have the right tool, then I have an excuse to go buy the right tool. It's a win-win situation. I'm not abusing my tools and getting the job done, or I'm buying a new tool and still getting the job done. The end result is hopefully a job well done, undamaged tools, and a lesser chance of injuries from using the wrong tool.

Jim C.

That makes sense for a home project, but in a work environment I don't have the time to run out to buy the right tool.

 

[kerrynzl]

My MIG and later a 1mm cut-off ,Instead of a Clamp

 

[JasonCAT]

I use a 3 foot crowbar as a pry bar, since I don't have a pry bar that long yet.

I also grab garage sale screwdrivers for $0.25-$1.00 each and use them as tiny chisels or narrow shank pry bars...especially an old 12 inch square shank wood-handled beast that must be made of the best steel ever. I've put a hurting on it for years and even the tip has yet to be damaged.

For everything else, I go get the right tool for the job.

 

[nanofrog]

Generally speaking, I take care of my tools.

But I've used screwdrivers as prybars and scrapers, and cheap sockets for things like bearing races (cheap stuff set aside for such purposes).

Have used a precision screwdriver as a prybar as well, but as jeffmoss indicated, it's with stuff that's so small, there isn't a prybar made for the task (i.e. opening up dirty switches to clean them).

 

[the gypsy]

I pay for it. I am deciding to misuse my tools to get the job done in a timely fashion. I do what I need to do to get the job done ASAP (in some cases). Customers appreciate this and come back for repeat work. I do good work, quickly, and customers appreciate that. If it costs me a couple bucks for a new screwdriver, it's worth it.



That makes sense for a home project, but in a work environment I don't have the time to run out to buy the right tool.

I understand and agree with you, but I am not talking about the small stuff.
I am referring to bigger tools worth bigger bucks.

 

[ol'Red]

For all the people that abuse or misuse their tools, my question is. If you break your tool due to misuse, who pays for it?
I don't know how to handle this situation. If a client doesn't accept the time you take to get the right tool out of your box or vehicle, will he or she want to pay for the tool you abused to save them time and money.
I am not looking for a fight but I am questioning how to handle the situation described above...

If I damage a tool due to gross negligence its on me no matter what the cost. Me and my tool guys have a good relationship; they wouldn't get over on me for a repair so I treat them the same. That being said I'm not going to use a $350 3/4 ratchet as a sledge; as a matter of fact I rarely kill a tool due to misuse but over the years it happens.

Me and a lot of guy's on here are dealing with heavy equipment, over the road tractors, commerce vessels, etc.. so no the customer doesn't have time and they pay a premium for priority repairs. Down time is lost revenue period. We don't have a massive shop were we pull a unit on concrete next to your boxes. For me its not a question of whether the customer has time; I don't have time. I have a certain amount of time per week to get as many repairs out the door as possible.

I hope I don't sound snarky Gypsy, I just want to state that my priorities are safety, quality of repair, and efficiency. I love tools, thats why I am on this forum; however they work for me not the other way around.

 

[djwyman]

I sometimes miss use my craftsman tools...I on rare occasions (not often though) break them...I even go have them warrantied. I don't feel bad about it as that was one of the reasons I bought craftsman tools for so long was that they had a no questions asked forever warranty. That being said I now have been adding snap-on tools to my collection as I am going to school to be a pro mechanic instead of a shady tree type and I won't abuse those quite so much because they do ask questions...that and I am paying a bit more for them. for things I know I am going to abuse I will keep a craftsman tool to abuse. Like for instance I bought me some snap-on instinct handle screwdrivers that will only be used as screw drivers and I have craftsman clear handles that will be used for what ever I want to use them for. Also I have craftsman and snap-on breaker bars...if I cant break it with the snap-on by its self I will use the craftsman with a cheater pipe. Also the top half of my jack handle makes a great cheater pipe.