Some tool loses are inevitable; theft, misplacement, loaners that never come back to papa. But those that are really hard to swallow are those lost due to stupidity.
Case in point: I have a Tradmaster van with 8 exterior boxes. Every once in a while, I forget to lock one, it drops when I’m driving, and Wham! I know it, stop and lock it up. Not today. Today I left the site with the door wide open. Ten miles later, I was minus one new Hitachi 15 ga finish gun, 18 ga Senco brad nailer, and a Bostitch NC stapler. Not to mention a bag overflowing with Tapcon bits and screws.
Over $500 worth of tools. Lost due to my own carelessness. Gotta hope I learned something from this.
Learn from my mistake. Check the tool boxes closed and locked before driving away.
“I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.” Invictus, by Henley.
Replies
we got a side tool box work truck, that has a rod that slide in to lock the box. if the box in unlock. the rod will keep you from opening the driver door, door will hit the rod.
Great idea. My boxes also have a rod that locks all the doors on one side. But the doors have to be shut to lock them up, and the rod can slide into locked position with the doors open. Thirty years ago, I would have wired a leaf switch to each door with a common light on the dash to warn me that a door is open. Now, I don't have the time, though $500 would have been more than enough to do the trick.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Invictus, by Henley.
Nick,
Ouch, that's rough.
I dropped one of my rebar tie wire spinners, down the 9' wall form. Have to fish that out before the pour.
Hope things get better for you!
Brudoggie
Thanks. I love buying tools, but this is replacing perfectly good (the Hitachi was only a few months old) tools, it's like stealing money from the tool budget. There goes that Makita Li Ion set I was hoping to buy...
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Invictus, by Henley.
I've got such a mess going that I can't tell what I'm missing!
So far at least one hammer and a new Swanson speed square have disappeared. The job is a long term rebuild and tools of all kinds have gotten taken in and left around. Couple that with a new helper, three or four workers running around, an occasional beer, lots of demo and clean up with a square shovel, and voila - stuff turns up missing.
I'm lucky - the two things that are gone won't cost $50 when all is said and done, but I hate to see tools walk.
Don K.
EJG Homes Renovations - New Construction - Rentals
I usually work alone, so I don't worry too much about tools taking a walk. Is there a way to mark them as yours? Bright paint, engraving, etc., any of that work, or is it not worth it?
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Invictus, by Henley.
I too usually work alone, and yet a nice DeWalt cordless drill up and walked away from a job site a few months ago. I generally dremel my name and phone number on tools, but it didn't keep that dang drill from disappearing. It hurt, but I like to make lemonade from lemons. I gudgingly looked at it as an opportunity to 1. upgrade/buy a new tool, and 2. kick myself in the pants/be more careful. Ah, come to me my lovely NEW DeWalt cordless!
Nick -
At one time I used to paint all my tools. Around that time, they took the toolbox and all, so that didn't help.
I've taped some of the handles on the bigger tools with blue tape so they easier to spot, and someday (when I get around to it) I'll probably paint everything again.
Part of the problem right now is that there are too many people around. I've been pushing to get the apartment here done for the end of the month, but it isn't going to happen. This morning, I told the guys that with everything going on I can't keep up with what they are doing. I've got some guy from Illinois coming over named Boss Hog, I've got a Fest to go to, I've got some leftover work from my old practice that needs doing, so I'm shutting down for a week. Maybe I'll even take a couple days and put some tools back where they belong!
Don K.
EJG Homes Renovations - New Construction - Rentals
MARKING TOOLS
I am amazed how many in the trades will not mark their stuff. Had one framer complain that someone got his Stanley tape. Only way you could tell his from others - no clip. Found it on the scaffolding at rollup. Mine is easier to find. My name is on four sides.
If they are going to steel them, paint won't help. Finding your stuff on the job is another issue.
However, after they emptied my van, I got a call from the Orange Police. Busted a fence holding a tool sale. My name was on a bunch of the tools. Got what had not sold. Better than nothing.
I mark my stuff so whateven side is up, my name or color is there. Have been using yellow paint pens and they are great. My boxes are marked with the contents so I don't have to wonder what is in that DeWalt box.
Use green fluorescent paint on a lot of stuff. Really helps the Now, where did I put that?? and at rollup. Stuff stands out. Tempted to move to robin's egg blue spray paint. Not a common color and stands out even better than the green.
Worked with a carpenter that had a nice purple and yellow paint scheme on his stuff.
The ToolBear
"Never met a man who couldn't teach me something." Anon.
I used to work around a sparky who spray painted all his tools neon pink. It was funny because nobody wanted to borrow his tools for some reason and they tended to be really easy to find.Day
@@ Neon pink tools
Well,thay, that's a marvelous idea. <g> Anyone for fuscia? The ToolBear
"Never met a man who couldn't teach me something." Anon.
rainbow in all of those glow in dark colors........
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Fushia and teal go well together. Very Yuppie. Saw a van from the Overlake Christian Church on the road - fushia and teal. Looked good.
I used red-orange for about 15 years because I got two cases of Rudd tree marking paint, spray, in red-orange. Excellent stuff. Very high hide. The last can expired last winter.
Love a good yellow, but the stuff at HD seems to be missing pigment. Very low hide.The ToolBear
"Never met a man who couldn't teach me something." Anon.
It's funny you should start this thread, because I was thinking about starting one about tools I've found. Why just today I was driving down the road when I came across a bunch of nailers that some guy obviously didn't want, so he just left em there in the middle of the road.
I know, I'm sorry, that was cruel. Please forgive me. I know how much it sucks to lose tools. Did you try going back? Every now and then stuff survives.
Peace,
Casey
My favorite method is leaving stuff on top of the fire blocks in walls -- cat's paw, needle nose, etc. -- then not noticing when I rock.
-- J.S.
I did that with a fox tail and dustpan, one of the large aluminum ones. Cleaned up one evening and stashed the cleaning stuff in the stud bay. Next day, I slapped a sheet of drywall up and didn't notice the brush/dust pan. Later that day I was searching the place wondering where it had gone. I finally unscrewed the lower part of the sheet and found the goods. The painter had a good laugh.
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Invictus, by Henley.
I just bought a new pair of work shoes have had them for two weeks, now I can't find them. I'm losing it, they have got to be in the house somewhere but for the life of me I can't find them it's been a week. Asked my wife she just kinda laughed, I don't think she believes me.
I had two foam pads (camping pads you place under your sleeping bags) I use as kneel pads. One day I could not fiond these things. I looked thru the truck, shop, garage, shed, house, nada. Months went by. Turns out I left them at a clients house, and I have been back to that place at least three times since. He finally remembered he had them and gave them back two days ago. Mystery solved.
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Invictus, by Henley.
Missing tools?
Try 2 things to remind you:
1. Place a wheel chock in front of the truck to keep you from moving. You have to place the wheel chock back in the compartment.
2 The military has a evolution where all the tools are placed back in the appropiate space before the job is completed. Take a few moments at the end to look for the stuff. It's cheaper than replacing tools. I find if I have a dedicated space I can actually identify what is MIA.
Even though the neon pink seems like a nice sensitive color.
That would be considered a passive theft device.
2 The military has a evolution where all the tools are placed back in the appropiate space before the job is completed. Take a few moments at the end to look for the stuff. It's cheaper than replacing tools. I find if I have a dedicated space I can actually identify what is MIA.
Thats my proceedure right there. And here I always thought I could never had made it in the military!
I have a place for each tool and its real easy to take a mental inventory as you put stuff away. Same place each and every time, no problems.
I dont ever missplace a tool on a job site but here at home its a whole different story!
Doug
I had one of my side boxes flop open today on me when I left the shop. Lucky I caught it. I'm constantly scanning my mirrors, but I know that one day, I'll do like you and slip.
I have nightmares about the power tool box coming open. I do have everything in that one bungeed down, I hope it pays off one day.
"Oh great. There's a dead hooker in the bathtub."
Me Conneaut Ohio 06'
The box has two chains to limit the doors travel. They are now intertwined with the handles of the new gun's cases, and latched to each other. If the door pops open again, the cases can't get away. Hard, expensive lesson to learn, and better you learn from my mistake than your own.
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Invictus, by Henley.
Had to use old bags for the last two days, as I dribbled stair buttons,hex wrench set, blowgun, and sharpening stone all over the jobsite I remembered why I bought new ones.
After treasure hunt I realized my adjustable trim gage was MIA, but luckily easily replaced. Worse was the doodad that clamped onto hammer claws turning it into an adze. That thing was handy, but I haven't seen one anywhere for about 15 years. Anyone know of a source?
I was doing the last day of my wiring at work and left my stanley sport utility knife behind. I went back to look for it and nothing. I really liked that knife, perfect for my big hands and the design was pretty good. Nice to have a knife and a razor in one..
They redid it after a few month and inproved it, I dont think it looks as beefey, but I'll buy one anyway.
I love that knife. Not yours, but mine. I wear a double-barrel holster clipped to my belt that holds that knife and a mini-mag. I found out the hard way that when I sit in a theater, I tend to slouch down, and the holster unclips from the belt. So far, I've lost two of those knives that way. But I still go and buy a replacement, cause I haven't found one yet as good. Though Husky makes a similar version where you can have the razor knife extended and the blade out. Looks like something out of a martial arts flick.
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Invictus, by Henley.