Tools that you miss

[Wylaco]

So the "missing my tool" thread got me thinking.

In a previous life I was a plumber and had a lot of tools stolen, blah blah blah. Whatever, karma is a......... well you know the rest.

I had a Hole Hawg that got ripped off in the event, I would kill to have that thing back. I can replace now if needed but don't really have a need for it anymore. The experiences I had with that thing could write a book though! That is what makes me sad

I can remember drilling holes in completely frozen garages re-running frozen water lines at 2 in the morning with that thing.

Drilling out multi million dollar homes for plumbing rough ins for celebrities and sports figures with it.

Watching helpers get the **** beat out of them because, well, no clutch!!!

Hooking up a capped off underground plumbing full of waste to a city sewer that the damn builder forget to have done (another story for another time)

What memories of long lost tools do you have?

 

[AA/FC]

In the late 80's - early 90's I worked at a small gas station while I was in high school. It had 2 service bays with 2 full time mechanics. We had all the tool trucks stopping by the shop every week. Even though I was still in school, I wanted to buy something...... I eventually bought a MAC Tools 12V test light, and a MAC 1/4 drive air ratchet. My first real tool purchase! Well, sometime shortly after that I lost the air ratchet. (left it somewhere while working on a friends car, I think) But I still have the test light! lol. I wish I had that air ratchet back!

 

[wild cowboy]

I got a very expensive (at the time) Matco indexing ratchet - the first one ever made, bought in '95, stolen in '96

it was made by Superior Tool if memory serves, and was over $100 in 1995 money......ugh!!

 

[skylinegtr20]

I misplaced my Snappy 10mm deep socket today.. I already miss it.

 

[Hogtown]

I miss, or rather regret, the disposal of a couple tons of tools. My family was in industrial construction for 3 generations. Back when I was maybe 15 (I'm 58 now) we cleaned out one of the back storage warehouses so we could convert it to an equipment maintenance shop. We sold a bunch if items that were still deemed useful and what was deemed "junk" was hauled to the dump. One of the things that bothered me then (and horrifies me now) is we hauled 8 or 10 pallet boxes....4' x 4' x 4' box suitable for moving with a forklift...full of old rigging equipment. Stuff from the 1920's and 1930's when my grandfather ran the company and job sites were run by manpower...block & tackles with 2, 3, 4 and even 6 part lines, ****** blocks, well pulleys, old oak gin poles. Thousands of lbs were hauled and dumped. No one wanted them because we all used fork lifts and cranes instead of 40' long, metal-banded, 12" x 12" oak gin poles. Now I see that one crappy well pulley brings over $100 on ebay. We dumped 2 pallet boxes full of of nothing but magnificent, well maintained well pulleys. It never occurred to anyone that people would ever have a desire for that old antiquated "junk"... good riddance was the attitude. It wasn't that we were idiots...we had tool dealers and other construction companies buying our excess....no one would give us a dime for the old manila rope rigged tackle. Wish I had kept some of the old block & tackles, well pulleys, etc..

 

[PKile]

Back in my college days when I was making extra cash by working on everyone's VWs, I bought a Snap-on 13mm/14mm S-wrench for taking off those awful exhaust manifold nuts. It was stolen a few years later. I finally found one on ebay and replaced it a few months back. I don't do many VWs these days, but I needed to fill that hole in my collection of arcane auto tools.

 

[jeffmoss26]

Bought a nice pair of Channellock diagonal cutters, I was probably 12. Used them once and dropped them down the basement wall!

 

[jsharpphoto]

I had the TSA confiscate a tool out of my camera case in early 2002. It was a specialty tool for adjusting the leaf shutter in hasselblad lenses. Imaging a very tiny #00 Philips screwdriver, but with a proprietary head design. They had stopped producing that tool in the mid 80's. They were quite spendy on eBay. This was before the TSA gave you the option of mailing your "contraband" back to yourself.

I was pretty mad. The tool didn't violate any of the rules about knives. There certainly weren't any fasteners on the plane that would connect to that tool. To make matters worse, the job I was flying to I ended up needing that tool, so not only did I have to order a new one when I got home, I had to spend extra cash to rent a lens that I already owned.

Dicks.

 

[woody 73]

Funny but I am not sure if the following is a tool, but I sure miss it big time, and I would even go so far and say that some of my GJ brothers and sisters might even miss it also.

I am talking about the gas cans of old that had a proper vent, making it easy to pour out the gas. Now I have those plastic containers with the new EPA vents and don't laugh but I can not get those darn things to work, as a matter of fact I spill more gas trying to get the gas out how safe is that?

So I miss the old gas containers tool or not.

 

[OutsideMachinist]

Mostly stuff that was stolen from me. Like my matco screwdrivers the soft grip ones that were orange and green i believe . Set of snap on impact swivel sockets too. Lot of other stuff over the years. Plus stuff you inevitably lose sometimes which ***** as well.

 

[thebeekeeper1]

Funny but I am not sure if the following is a tool, but I sure miss it big time, and I would even go so far and say that some of my GJ brothers and sisters might even miss it also.

I am talking about the gas cans of old that had a proper vent, making it easy to pour out the gas. Now I have those plastic containers with the new EPA vents and don't laugh but I can not get those darn things to work, as a matter of fact I spill more gas trying to get the gas out how safe is that?

So I miss the old gas containers tool or not.

They only come in 5 gallon (actually 20 Liter) but the NATO cans are cheap and GREAT. The vent is inside the spout and they flow like a raped ape.

Ebay has them for about $35 shipped, and with the spout. Search "NATO gas can" and you will be amazed, as they are lighter, but better than the old "jerry can" design.

 

[rick carpenter]

Funny but I am not sure if the following is a tool, but I sure miss it big time, and I would even go so far and say that some of my GJ brothers and sisters might even miss it also.

I am talking about the gas cans of old that had a proper vent, making it easy to pour out the gas. Now I have those plastic containers with the new EPA vents and don't laugh but I can not get those darn things to work, as a matter of fact I spill more gas trying to get the gas out how safe is that?

So I miss the old gas containers tool or not.

They only come in 5 gallon (actually 20 Liter) but the NATO cans are cheap and GREAT. The vent is inside the spout and they flow like a raped ape.

Ebay has them for about $35 shipped, and with the spout. Search "NATO gas can" and you will be amazed, as they are lighter, but better than the old "jerry can" design.

Well if they came in imperial measurements, I'd get one. Metric just won't cut it for me.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Funny but I am not sure if the following is a tool, but I sure miss it big time, and I would even go so far and say that some of my GJ brothers and sisters might even miss it also.

I am talking about the gas cans of old that had a proper vent, making it easy to pour out the gas. Now I have those plastic containers with the new EPA vents and don't laugh but I can not get those darn things to work, as a matter of fact I spill more gas trying to get the gas out how safe is that?

So I miss the old gas containers tool or not.

You can buy kits to add the vent and get a decent spout.
Or drill your own vent (install a common tire valve stem w/o the core).

 

[erty67]

Funny but I am not sure if the following is a tool, but I sure miss it big time, and I would even go so far and say that some of my GJ brothers and sisters might even miss it also.

I am talking about the gas cans of old that had a proper vent, making it easy to pour out the gas. Now I have those plastic containers with the new EPA vents and don't laugh but I can not get those darn things to work, as a matter of fact I spill more gas trying to get the gas out how safe is that?

So I miss the old gas containers tool or not.

It counts IMO! I surely miss the older gas cans. I have a few of these newer ones and every one has a broken spout in one way or another. they leak, don't pour smoothly, or just take forever to fill something. I'm always looking for a good replacement at yard sales and flea markets.

 

[BirdMobile]

I've actually managed to hold on to almost every tool I've obtained over the years.
One exception - during a move, I somehow lost a box containing a Wiha torque screwdriver, adapter, and bits. Probably around $350 worth. Still occasionally need and miss it... but not enough to cough up the cash it would take to replace.

Oh yeah... there was also the time I ebay'ed a shoebox of solid carbide drills and endmills I bought at a Catholic thrift store (I bought the box for $25), before I knew the value of such things. I think I made $150 off the auction, probably what ONE of those tools cost new! There were probably 60 or 70 in the box. I wish I still had those now. Dumb mistakes we make when we don't know any better...

 

[Strouty]

Bought a nice pair of Channellock diagonal cutters, I was probably 12. Used them once and dropped them down the basement wall!

At least you know where they are.

 

[crewchief888]

a few years ago, i dropped not 1 but 2 SO 3/4" combo wrenches down into the bowels of a loader i was working on.

i spent a L oO N g time trying to fish them out.

never did get them...

 

[ex-x-fire]

I have the 3/8 version of one of these, I broke it from a lot of usage. No warranty & I never bought another because they weren't available anymore.

 

[K-Dog]

This one is a hand made replacement for the one I lost.

If you have one I will buy it. I cant find it anywhere.

 

[Jweebothee]

Funny but I am not sure if the following is a tool, but I sure miss it big time, and I would even go so far and say that some of my GJ brothers and sisters might even miss it also.



I am talking about the gas cans of old that had a proper vent, making it easy to pour out the gas. Now I have those plastic containers with the new EPA vents and don't laugh but I can not get those darn things to work, as a matter of fact I spill more gas trying to get the gas out how safe is that?



So I miss the old gas containers tool or not.

I was just talking with my dad about this the other day. I had to replace the gas tank on my mother in laws van, after getting the new one back in we needed to put in gas, bought a new gas can with the "non spillable safety spout". I probably spilled more than I got in the tank, I miss the older cans with the hose you could actually put in to the filler neck.

 

[LeroyJenkins]

Funny but I am not sure if the following is a tool, but I sure miss it big time, and I would even go so far and say that some of my GJ brothers and sisters might even miss it also.

I am talking about the gas cans of old that had a proper vent, making it easy to pour out the gas. Now I have those plastic containers with the new EPA vents and don't laugh but I can not get those darn things to work, as a matter of fact I spill more gas trying to get the gas out how safe is that?

So I miss the old gas containers tool or not.

These were my solution. Haven't dripped one drop, and flow like mad.

http://autoplicity.com/products/103...=GSNOFITMENT&gclid=CMPqgJ-VsMECFSEV7AodHhEAtw

 

[kiatech]

2 pairs of knipex cobras down a hole where the elevator hydraulic ram was. Only about 2 inches of space 20ft down. Also a pair in a customer car.

 

[wagzilla]

I miss my crimpers Thomas and bett orange with black handle , one of my guys left it on a truck and let it out the door, I never seen it again......sad day

 

[mopwered]

U can still buy those crimpers were they spring loaded thats what i use . the tool that i miss using that i still have is a 3/8 easco flex head ratchet it started slipping a year ago and i have 10 other ratchets . I found this ratchet in the trash 30 years ago along with a set of snap on yellow handled nut drivers which i rarely use .

 

[crerus75]

At one place where I worked, I put an old Tektronix tube scope (boat anchor, I think it was a 545) into the dumpster. The boss upgraded to a handheld Tek DSO and gave the old one to me. I actually had it in the trunk of my car to take home, so technically I (briefly) owned it. I then proceeded to talk myself out of it, because I didn't have the room. It's my second-worst tool regret.

Worst tool regret is the time I missed out on a pair of 465 Tek scopes, complete with manuals, cart, pouches, and probes, for $35. I still didn't have room, and someone walked in and snapped them up right in front of me. Oops.

I threw away a lot of broken electronic stuff-- a Sencore oscilloscope, a Dumont rack mount oscilloscope, an RCA color test jig for CRT TV sets, a Keithley bench meter, tons of old radio chassis with the tubes missing or destroyed, a reel-to-reel screen projector. I only really regret the Keithley, but I feel nostalgia for all of them, as they were all in the workshop while I was growing up.

 

[markyfly]

I lost a 15/16 SO socket into a garbage truck I was working on.... I had to think long and hard about diving in after it.... If it wasn't mid summer and full of maggots, I might have gone in after it...

 

[mhoss44]

Still have my 1978 model year Rigid Channel Locks, and my 1978 copper cutters. I use the channel locks regularly, and used the copper cutters a couple times on fuel lines a few years back. Also my Lufkin plumber's folding measure that I used yesterday.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Echohunter]

Oh some years back . ..doing a carpet job in a big old Victorian home with 4th floor attic ..cutting out a vent and my 50th anniversary, silver edition, tin plated Dale Earnhardt special carpet knife slipped outta my hand and down the chute it went . .I could hear it hitting and bouncing and rattling as it dropped down into the abyss of that HVAC shaft....musta went to the bottom ...I still miss that knife ..

 

[TailGunner3000]

Many years ago I was very into woodworking. My garage was also my workshop, as well as a man cave featuring a collection of mismatched chairs, a bar and a TV. People would come and go all the time.

One day I noticed a open space on the shelf where my Stanley hand planes resided. Gone was the storied Stanley No. 2.

Needless to say, I became more selective of those allowed into the garage after that. I still miss that tool.

 

[sick467]

I had a set of 3 Boxer Ratchets once upon a time. Thanks to thieves...I no longer have them nor the $15,000 worth of tools that were also in the shop. They were not the strongest ratchets in the box, but they were great for putting together painted parts due to the plastic surrounded handle. I can't find any replacements. It's been over 8 years without them. They were not expensive, but very handy for delicate work.

If anyone know where to get some...PM me!

 

[seber]

I had a set of 3 Boxer Ratchets once upon a time. Thanks to thieves...I no longer have them nor the $15,000 worth of tools that were also in the shop. They were not the strongest ratchets in the box, but they were great for putting together painted parts due to the plastic surrounded handle. I can't find any replacements. It's been over 8 years without them. They were not expensive, but very handy for delicate work.

If anyone know where to get some...PM me!

Harbor Freight sells a composite ratchet that would do the same thing. It's really cheap. I used one one time and gave it away. The lever is backward. Drove me nuts.

 

[Marvin Hagen]

I worked in a couple different shops over the years One thing I hated was the guy that would borrow your stuff and then you would have to go over to his box and take it back. Second was the guy that borrow your stuff and got fired or quit on your day off so much for tracking him down.

 

[RTM]

One day I noticed a open space on the shelf where my Stanley hand planes resided. Gone was the storied Stanley No. 2.

Needless to say, I became more selective of those allowed into the garage after that. I still miss that tool.

My Stanley #1 stays in the house. Don’t want to risk anyone coming into the garage. In the house any thief probably wouldn’t recognize it as valuable. Of course, not much in my house is.

 

[Formula]

Craftsman cable operated hose clamp pliers made in France. They actually work better than my snap on. I bought a 2nd pair off eBay a while ago. You can still occasionally find them new on eBay but people are asking a ton of money for them.

 

[dffay]

A nice little set of S-K 3/8 drive sockets. Loaned to an old guy who died not long afterwards. The family had amnesia where it came from or where it was. Ah well. Live and learn.
I’ve been able to hang on to everything since though since I guard my stuff obsessively.

My dear old dad, probably wise beyond his years, must have have thought that growing up, if he got me into tools and cars and fabrication and restoration, I’d never have any money for drugs.

It worked.

 

[jives]

Back in college I brought in my personal tool box to our lab because we were building some equipment. Someone stole my grandfathers/fathers 1/2" Snap-On ratchet. They knew exactly what to take. The ONLY tool left over from my grandfather. Serious bummer.

 

[ZRX61]

Everything that was in my first toolbox & the box itself (small cantilever box). It was stolen by the car salesmen at a shop where I worked while I was away on vacation for a week. I knew he stole it, he knew I knew he stole it & everyone else there knew he stole it.
With hindsight I should have beat the fucker almost to death, I would have been paroled years ago.

 

[rpol7966]

I am going to call this "Tools that I will miss". Last Friday I had a pickup stolen from right in front of my place. Reported it, and filed a report. I had told several friends about it being missing and Saturday, a friend called me and said he found the truck right off I-70.
It was recovered and I went to inventory it's contents. Of course several things were missing. A Craftsman tool box with miscellaneous tools including SK socket sets an other favorite common tools. Also, a brand new AC Delco 1/4 drive cordless ratchet.......I think I will miss that the most.
Sure hope they find the thief! Might get lucky and recover some of the tools.

A tool that I miss: I loaned and never got back a set of Snap On left hand drill bits with Eze outs. No clue who I loaned them to!

 

[ZRX61]

Back in college I brought in my personal tool box to our lab because we were building some equipment. Someone stole my grandfathers/fathers 1/2" Snap-On ratchet. They new exactly what to take. The ONLY tool left over from my grandfather. Serious bummer.

Someone broke into my paternal grandfathers shop/shed shortly before he died & stole all his tools. He didn't have much & it was basically just a garden shed, but my dad, his two brothers, me & all my male cousins had spent time with him in that shed in the 60's & 70's learning things.
Tool theft is pretty much endemic in the UK.

 

[macgee]

I had this attitude of selling the better tools for good money and keep the tools that did the same job but not as nice. Sometimes that works but really regret selling my Starrett pink AA surface plate and selling my large dial Tesa & Interapid Swiss made dial indicators. Nothing in the world better than them.