The lost tool thread.

bobs409

 
Administrator
Just had to post this as I'm sure most of you guys have had a similar event at some point. The lost or dropped tool that seems to get sucked into a black hole never to be found again...

The other day I moved my mini-lathe off the bench to measure up for a metal enclosure I was making. When I put it back, the chuck key for the 3 jaw was missing. I searched EVERYWHERE!!! Even going through the garbage, the metal scrap bucket, each drawer a few times, behind the tool boxes, over here, over there and could not find it to save my life!

This morning after a few days without it, I decided to just make a new one. I've been wanting to make a larger one anyhow but I said to myself, I said "self" :D as soon as you make this, the other one will turn up. Sure enough in record time, it was found! I moved the lathe again today to install the new enclosure and sure enough, I found it! It was magnetically stuck on the back of my DRO displays! I took them down and set them on top of the lathe and never realized the key stuck to the back even when I put them back up! Unbelievable! :facepalm

Here is where it was:

DSCN2517.jpg

From the front, you couldn't tell it was back there!

DSCN2518.jpg

So now it has a big brother: :D

DSCN2510.jpg
 

Blk61409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 9
At least you found it!!

How about those of us that put a tool down, turn around to do something else and poof, “It’s Gone”????

Under a car one time doing something, dropped a 9/16 socket, it hit me and bounced down. I figured I would move the car and pick it up out of the grass when finished.
Moved the car, no socket, then began to scour an 8’x 8’ area, no socket, then my pockets, etc, no socket!!!

Since then I just let the Troll keep them:):):):)
 

Tom Kochtanek

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 12
One of the best things about losing something is that while looking about you're likely to find something else you've been missing for some time. I'm still looking for two things, I know I have them somewhere, looking forward to discover something else while looking....

It's kinda like a healthy ADD...
 

Iowa 409 Guy

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 15
Going nuts trying to find things with this moving thing. Seems like I can look right at something and not see it. I spent 2 hours looking for my electric shaver cord last week. Mary said I needed to go down to the old house and look there. I finally went and damned if it wasn't right there in the drawer where it always lived. I think it crawled back there one dark night. Only thing left in the house, unfrigginbelievable.....
 

skipxt4

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 18
I have a story to tell. :dunno I am reluctant, because these type of subjects, sometimes lead to criticism or :rolleyes (Yeah right) moments.:dunno2 Sometimes I kid around, and act like my elevator doesn't make it, to All the floors.:teehee But this story is 100 % true.:clap My Mom, passed away, in her sleep, in 1983. I will always, miss her.:cloudThings have happened, in our house, that lends me to believe, Mom, is still among us.:) I don't know, if being her only child, has anything to do, about it.:dunno Anyway. This particular day, I was doing some roofing, on our porch roof. I decided, I would be more efficient, if I could find my Shingle scraper. I knew, where I left it, last time I used it. It just wasn't there. :doh I looked for two hours, to no avail.:bang Just for the hell of it, I said "Hey Ma, where did I leave my Shingle Scraper?" All of a sudden, I am being led, back to the place, I was originally looking. I don't know why.:dunno After moving some other things, there it was.:applThank you Ma.:bow Love You. This other day, I was in my garage working on my Chevy. Always, a Happy Time.:clap I was using my Stanley Prick Punch.. Probably had it, for 20 years.:dunno When I finished, what I was doing, I gathered my tools in a cardboard box, and brought them back down the basement, where my large tool chests are. Every thing was accounted for, except my Stanley punch. :( I looked everywhere, not just once. Driving myself crazy.:thud I Hate, loosing tools.:doh Looked on the garage floor again.:doh I even took all the leaves out, from under the basement stairs, thinking maybe i dropped it, going in the basement.:confused Not there. Last place to look, my pockets. Shirt and pants. Took everything, out of my pockets. Wallet, hanky, keys amd small change.Turned all my pockets, inside out. Not there. After checking, all the same places Again, I finally gave up. After taking a break, and having a little supper, I got ready, for a much needed shower. I started undressing, and removing things from my pockets, and there it was, in my right front pocket.:drop:wtfThanks Ma.
 

chuckl

Well Known Member
A couple of years ago, I was rebuilding a M21 Muncie with all new stuff. I had carefully assembled the counter shaft tube, 112 needle rollers and the counter shaft; all packed carefully with heavy grease for assembly. As I was carrying the assembly, I bumped my elbow and the shaft and all of the needle rollers hit the floor and flew to the far corners of the garage. After three hours of searching I found everything but 4 needle rollers. The 4 were nowhere to be found. The following day with 4 people searching (with magnets also)--nothing. So, off to the bearing store for some more rollers.

On the fifth day, I noticed a broken caster wheel on a cart. As I turned the cart over, there were the 4 rollers, stuck by the heavy grease to the underside of the cart steel tray which was only 5 inches off the floor. :furious:furious:mad4
 

DonSSDD

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
Going nuts trying to find things with this moving thing. Seems like I can look right at something and not see it. I spent 2 hours looking for my electric shaver cord last week. Mary said I needed to go down to the old house and look there. I finally went and damned if it wasn't right there in the drawer where it always lived. I think it crawled back there one dark night. Only thing left in the house, unfrigginbelievable.....
My granddaughter calls this “daddy eyes “ when her father can’t find something in plain sight. I think she was 6 at the time and may have learned this from her mother, my daughter.
 
Top