Losing Tools

[headhunter636]

Which is why I keep a separate, small, well-stocked toolbox in the house

That has been my plan, but I keep putting it off and therefore keep having to buy tools to replace the ones that disappear. It is a viscous, never ending circle.

[crokett]

Usually happens to me when I decide to organize & put things away. "I'll never have trouble finding it if I put it here."

That's what's scary. Most of the stuff is still on the floor from the move. I know when I put it away in a way that makes sense now, it won't later and I Won't be able to find anything.

[cabinetman]

Put the stuff away now, and write down where you put it, then tack the paper to the wall.
.

[headhunter636]

Put the stuff away now, and write down where you put it, then tack the paper to the wall.
.

Then, lose paper and then return to step number one.

[Richard in Smithville]

Because of this exact problem, I keep a stock amount of items such as screwdrivers, hammers, and tape measures. I can usually find one of what I need about 80% of the time.











The other 20% I end up asking LOML where I left the necessary item.

[cabinetman]

Because of this exact problem, I keep a stock amount of items such as screwdrivers, hammers, and tape measures. I can usually find one of what I need about 80% of the time.

The other 20% I end up asking LOML where I left the necessary item.

My saving grace is exactly that...have many of the same tools as possible. By the time the inventory gets totally lost...then start looking.
.

[LarryG]

At the risk of sounding a little holier-than-thou, I don't lose tools. It simply doesn't happen. My dad never put his tools away, and I was always the one who got "volunteered" to find one when it was needed. That experience taught me the wisdom contained in the words, "a place for everything and everything in its place." This is not to say I don't sometimes reach into my nail bags for my try square, only to realize I left it laying on yonder drill press. But that's a different thing entirely than "lost."

Now, car keys, glasses, cell phone, the new Harbor Freight flyer, checkbook, coffee cup, the TV remote ... those are quite often another story. Apparently the lessons I learned working at my dad's elbow don't extend beyond the workshop.

[dbhost]

If you guys have seen the latest pics of my shop, you'd think I lost my table saw in there! But it's for a good cause.

[L. D. Jeffries]

I never lose tools either! My tools always know exactly where they are; however, I may be disorientated as to where I was when I did know where I was when I last used the tool in question. Meanwhile, the tool is chuckling under its breath in its far dark corner!

[BobSch]

I wonder if Rod ever lost a tool...

[leehljp]

Below is a link to a 2003 post in which I lost a bunch of new router bits for 7 years. I hunted and hunted for a box of bits that had been packed when our house was undergoing some repairs.

http://www.bt3central.com/showthread...ight=Christmas

Currently, I am looking for a steel centering square that has been missing for about 6 months. I purposely said that I would not put it in a box or on a shelf away from direct eye view - but it is not out, in or under anything I can find.

Norm's micro-worm hole has it!
__________________

[crokett]

Larry, in my defense, on Sunday I wired in two of the outlets in the ceiling so I could plug an extension cord into one and power the 2 hanging lights that I put up. This way I don't have to run the halogen at night. So I wired up a special male to male extension cord, then went up the ladder, installed one outlet then installed the other. I also had a 2 screwdrivers, my needlenose and a sheath ripper. When I came down the ladder Sunday I put all of them on the workbench, or so I thought. Last night everything but the wire strippers were there. The wirestrippers weren't on the ladder paint shelf, left on top of a cabinet upper or anywhere on the floor. So I've no idea where they went.

[LCHIEN]

Larry, in my defense, on Sunday I wired in two of the outlets in the ceiling so I could plug an extension cord into one and power the 2 hanging lights that I put up. This way I don't have to run the halogen at night. So I wired up a special male to male extension cord, then went up the ladder, installed one outlet then installed the other. I also had a 2 screwdrivers, my needlenose and a sheath ripper. When I came down the ladder Sunday I put all of them on the workbench, or so I thought. Last night everything but the wire strippers were there. The wirestrippers weren't on the ladder paint shelf, left on top of a cabinet upper or anywhere on the floor. So I've no idea where they went.

probably up in the ceiling

[crokett]

probably up in the ceiling

You know I actually thought about that enough to consider taking the faceplate off the receptacles, but there isn't really room to get them up around the box.

[BerniePA]

Larry, you CAN'T lose a new Harbor Freight flyer. Even if you THINK you did, your nice, friendly mailperson will be dropping off another NEWER Harbor Freight flyer in a day or so to take its place and you will hardly even notice it was missing.