Tools You've Lost

[sbyrne92]

So I searched for a thread like this and nothing came up.

I was extremely pissed today, because I lost a 13 mm snap on 3/8 6 pt socket today. I saw it bounce off an intake manifold of a Suzuki DOHC and heard some clinks thinking it was on the ground beneath, but no. I searched for about 2 hours, first just looking around, then using a blow gun to blow around the engine thinking it would blow out, and finally with an extendable mirror. It's one with the car now, but I miss it already. Anyway I just wanted to rant.

I have also lost a 20 mm craftsman leaving it at a junkyard.
A set of allen keys, somehow... I still think someone stole them
My first tool I ever lost was a husky ratcheting screwdriver. It had a handle which indexed to 90º.

What are some tools that you have lost over the years?

 

[amlv20]

I lost a 16mm 3/8 impact swivel snap on socket,never found it.
Forgot a 13mm 1/4 deep Mac chrome socket in a truck the other day,went back to it the next day and wasn't there,damn driver kept it.

 

[rednotch]

What where you using a 20mm for in the junk yard?

I've found more stuff then I lost when I was at a dealer. most of it was the last tech from the dealer to work on it. almost all ways it would be a socket or two on the cowl or strut tower. I had a problem with losing picks, used to do a lot off warranty water leaks or interior noise complaints when I started out hourly and got a lot of the **** jobs. I left a few picks behind in those days, got yelled at for it once too when a customer returned it. I started using the trays they came in after that and checking after those jobs.

I lose more tools to my brother borrowing them now, every time I'm at his place I find a few of my tools in his big *** snap on box.

 

[Zeke]

Just left a pair of linemen's pliers on a trash can in the alley. Don't ask. Someone had a lucky find. Of course they wouldn't throw them over the fence. I lost them, they found them. But I reserve the right to hate alley scavengers and regularly call the cops when I see them. One stole a padlock that was unlatched. Not much salvage value there and with no key that's all they could do with it.

Scavengers are nothing but thieves in all cases.

 

[DodgeMech]

lost several sockets here and there, lost a 150 dollar snappy baby impact under a truck, lost a 150 dollar FHLF80 ratchet under the same truck a couple weeks later, and just thursday, damn nearly lost the replacement ratchet on another truck...

i need to be more organized...haha

 

[sbyrne92]

What where you using a 20mm for in the junk yard?

In my younger years i used to bring 9-21 mm socket rail with me in 1/2 drive along with 8-19 3/8 drive. I was pulling a driveshaft and remember putting the 20 mm on a van bumper. Thought about it on the hour long drive back home and never went back. Now I know just to bring the tools i need.

Just left a pair of linemen's pliers on a trash can in the alley. Don't ask. Someone had a lucky find. Of course they wouldn't throw them over the fence. I lost them, they found them. But I reserve the right to hate alley scavengers and regularly call the cops when I see them. One stole a padlock that was unlatched. Not much salvage value there and with no key that's all they could do with it.

Scavengers are nothing but thieves in all cases.

Yeah I had a set of allens to take apart my gf's bed as her and her roommates were moving out, I left them there because I had to go do an errand. She had moved some stuff around, but they were never seen again. Still think one of her roommates bf's or dad took them, either by mistake or on purpose, either way I just hope they're being used

lost several sockets here and there, lost a 150 dollar snappy baby impact under a truck, lost a 150 dollar FHLF80 ratchet under the same truck a couple weeks later, and just thursday, damn nearly lost the replacement ratchet on another truck...

i need to be more organized...haha

Jesus man, I would be loosing hair if I left that stuff under a car

 

[toufue_yang17]

Hmmm, I've never lost a tool. But my coworker has lost some of mine. Missing a 7/16" snap on flank drive wrench, 8mm gearwrench 1/4" deep socket, and 12mm gearwrench 1/4" deep socket. I hate others using my tools and never returning it.

 

[bob from indiana]

I lost a nice set of Cresent G-28 pliers this summer. I had them since the mid 80s. I left them on the fork lift at work and they vanished. I had a Stanley 25 ft. tape go missing for several years and it showed up last spring. It was engraved with my name. I guess some of my coworkers have literacy issues. It was in our second shop across the street from where I work. My helper found it and returned it to me.

 

[Solemn]

I lost a 1/4 ratchet, 7/16 socket in two drives, 3/4x1/2, all of it craftsman. Great excuse to get high quality tools because I refuse to lose any of my matco stuff

 

[bobbycos]

Matco 12" 3/8 drive extension that apparently grew legs and went to explore the world.

A few cheapo wrenches, metric

But I lived

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Quite a few years back I kept my 10.5' brake on the side of flatdeck so that I could work from the side of the truck. I bend aluminum onsite for capping/cladding windows and doors during renovations. On the way home on gravel road after working out of town for a few days I lost the brake, it bounced off after me forgetting to tie it down. It's a $2,000.00 machine. I got lucky several weeks later when I mentioned losing it at the local lumberyard and they knew the people that found it. I got it back in basically undamaged shape. I have more respect for small towns and the people living there. Small towns are very clique-y and they roll up the sidewalks at 5:00 pm but there are definite advantages to living in one. Don't get me wrong, there are thieves there too. A few years later I had a cantilever toolbox with all my important mechanics tools, at least $700.00worth, stole off the same truck and same small town. Those were never found.

Richard

 

[vicegripbloodblister]

My brother lost my dad's 1/2 inch SK breaker bar sometime in the late 60's and we found it together while filling the corn planter in the spring of 1981. He could remember word for word the **** chewing he got that day. I found it a couple years later in the shop and put it in a can of sand and used oil,In my box and in use today.

 

[FOCUS.FREAK]

I lost my snap on talon grip needle nose pliers. Also in green. Damn. I really don't want to fork over the money for a new one

-Jordan

 

[mustangSR70]

Lost a 7/16" Craftsman RP wrench while tightening up the header bolts on my '86 Mustang GT. It fell into some unknown black hole. I could never find it, figured "f-it" and wrote it off. Months down the road, while replacing the clutch I found it wedged against the H pipe.

 

[2004.5cumminsman]

I've taken the belly pan off a D9N cat to get my 24MM mac impact socket back...I really love that socket

Anyone that's works on big iron knows I love that socket for all that work!

 

[56FordGuy]

Lost a SO 1/4" drive, 7/16" shallow socket working on a machine in a big box store. Dropped it, it bounced off to who knows where.

Lost a pair of SO curved cutters in a warehouse, I'm not convinced that someone didn't grab them out of my toolbag while I wasn't looking.

 

[Rkbuell]

Back in the day was working on a '86 Saab 900 broke my watch band , search the engine compartment for a long time final decided to forget the watch. Several years and several services on same car and found watch and broken band still running with correct time.

 

[Manny2_0]

Countless gear and it makes me soooooooo mmmmaddddd

it's a huge list but, here is what hurts even today
4 $150 surefire lights some stole some lost, some nephews misplaced
2 $100 Oakley clear lens m frames, stolen right out of the jobox, one out of my brothers truck

5 $150 benchmade knives, bout 2 left with bouncers at bars, 1 stolen, 2 lost

$80 leatherman
and lets not even start on work tools