I just left my 3/8ths stubby ratchet on some truck at some point recently. That's like a cop leaving his gun somewhere. I'm in a fleet situation where trucks just pull up and I try to fix them. I gotta slow down and focus. I bet everyone has their little performance check they do.
The older you get the more you forget.
My 120 ate a universal and a deep socket and I gave up trying to find them. It happens.
I'm not sure of that! I can't remember the last time I forgot something!
Sorry about your ratchet. True, age does play a role, but I find myself making less mistakes like leaving tools behind than when I was in my 20-30’s. It becomes a muscle memory, automatic routine to check for that stuff before buttoning up a job. Glancing at the tool box and doing a final walk around. I’m less inclined to get caught up in the moment of the latest breakdown crisis. Speaking of lost guns, I worked for two years in airfield maintenance for the DOT. The airport has a police dept. and the MX shop maintained their cars. The officers would leave stuff behind. Sure, the vehicles were in a secure area, but I didn’t want the responsibility of dealing with their “lost” firearms. I was shocked by how little accountability there was.
Having an organized box, where everything has its place, makes it easier. A quick glance is all that is needed to see something is missing from its spot.
That's why I like my Montezuma road box, all my sockets have a home, hex, torx are on their own rails per set.
There is another side--all the tools found left behind by others.
Why does everybody leave behind their 3/8's when I need a 10mm?
Hows come I lost only Snap-on & found only Kmart? Joe H
Some I have found are laying in the road-came from DOT just up the way. Those are marked so I just take them back to them-tax payer money.
That's called the police loophole, and there is a military one as well.
I don't feel guilty any more about not working on a week day. Used to hate going home before I had eight hours. Six hours is now a long day for my attention span. When everything was paid for, the give a crap levels dropped under the soles of my boots.
2 weeks ago was working late on a Saturday and left my Smith torch laying on the frame of a dump truck. Set the bed down on it and drove off. Was looking for it Monday and it dawned on me. Had same truck in last week and can see the marks on frame and bottom of bed from torch... Wish it was a ratchet. Smith doesn't make lifetime torches any more
All my tools are separated, hand drivers in one, ratchets in others and pliers or anything in the that relation in others, etc etc etc along with drill bits, reciprocating saw blades taps and dies etc etc etc all in a 50 cal ammo cans for each one. Now with that in mind I never close a box after I pull a tool out or more till it makes it way back in or for disposable things like reciprocating saw blades or drill bits if it gets used up I mark it then I close and latch the lid. Besides being water proof, they are easily stackable, easy to organize stuff, very mobile and you grab only what you need not the whole tool chest.
Wasn't a tool but changed a wiper blade on the dump truck last week, went to top up coolant after flushing it and found the old one still sitting there, with how bad the roads are I can't believe it didn't move at all on the drive across the city.
Not doing that kind of work I haven't lost anything like that but now that I have a garage, barn, and workshop it's very easy to lay stuff around and forget where I've put it. I'm not terribly organized in my tool chest, other than having a certain drawer for certain things but even there things get mixed up. Add to that that the wife and I bought some old kitchen cabinets we use in the garage to organize things a bit more and it's just more hiding places for stuff. Even with labels on drawers and cabinets I still get mixed up. I'm finding that I'll likely buy a ratchet set and other odds and ends tools to keep in the barn, but then I assume I'll never have the correct things out there. Kind of related- I do a pat down any time I leave the house and I'm trying to teach my kids to do the same. I go through and reach in my pockets to make sure I have all that I need for the day and I also manage to do things like have a very specific place for my keys and wallet type of stuff. For as much as I don't like searching for things you'd think I'd be better organized with my tools. Also kind of related- I reorganize my shop area as needed to fit other stuff or clear stuff out that doesn't need to be there or whatever. I recently moved a big, yellow case that holds a laser level, case is bigger than a basketball and bright yellow. I was out in the shop like a day or two after I moved that case and though I didn't need it for anything I was curious of where I put it, since I remembered putting it somewhere to clear space for something else. I spent probably 15 minutes looking for this dumb case, which can only fit in so many places, before I found it. I do this sort of thing much too regularly.
A few years ago Gayle lost his cell phone, I found it the next morning between step and tank. Made a trip to Portland and back.
Mine are prized possessions too.
I wish i had a answer. The faster i have to work the more time i take to double check my work. Its one thing to lose tools but another thing to leave bolts lose. I dont do alot of work out side the shop but i have two tool bags with stuff i use i want to build a tool tray to replace the bags were i can see if have every thing easy. I also want to build a cart to hold 2 of my boxes in the shop with a bench top i can roll to the work instead of carrying hand fulls of tools back and forth. I am taking several gas pumps apart to scrap in front of the shop its a rip and tear job were their taken apart bolts and screws fall to the ground and picked up later big stuff loaded onto the truck to make room for the next one. I am lucky if i dont loose something in that mess.
I’m famous for putting something in just the perfect place and later spend a half an hour looking for it. Lol Never mind after a few drinks lol.
This thread hits close to home. Some recent indicators I have seen: Left the gate open after evening feed, next morning horses were out enjoying themselves. Also, left the water running all night on a 1 hp water pump from the pond after filling up one of the water tanks. I can stay pretty focused on one thing at a time, but when I try to multitask or get distracted, all bets are off. At least I know this about myself and know enough or have enough self-discipline to stay on something important until it is finished or at a safe stopping point. We have a family friend who is a private pilot. Years ago, he was having his plane serviced. The mechanic was changing the engine oil and got a phone call. I don't know if he never put any oil back in or exactly what happened, but just a few minutes into our friends next flight, the engine locked up and he had to put it down in a pasture.
I have a rule--all phone calls can wait.
The pilots pre-flight check includes checking the oil. You friend is a member of the "Kick tire, Light fire, push GO button" crowd eh ?
I know the pre-flight covers that step, and knowing this guy, he did that. He is that kind of methodical, cautious person that would never skip it. but like I said above, I don't know all the details. It could have been something like he took the old filter off and didn't put a new one on. Filled it back up with oil and not until the engine was started up did it pump all the oil out, although even that would be hard to believe you wouldn't see it on an oil pressure gauge or oil spewing all down the fuselage. It was a number of years ago.
Probably left off the safety wire on the drain plug or the filter.....
I once sent a pair of Snap-On needle nose pliers and a wire stripper on a bus run ... They were still there on the roof when she came back ...
I found my pair of snap on pointys in the pans under a dozer I had sold 3 years ago a few weeks ago when the new owner hired me to repair a few leaks. It was a very emotional moment
Hopefully the leaks kept the pliers in good shape!
They had a bit of light rust a quick wire wheeling and a splash of oil they where as good as you could ask for. They where hung on a hose about 2 inches from the puddle into the pan
X2
you guys are so funny, I had a truck with a clutch brake vanished , so someone tried to adjust the linkage to compensate was that you TruckShop?
I'm gonna quit today, and go work automotive. But I have a clutch to do by Friday. This could be my last heavy duty clutch!? well, no pto so that's nice...
I am sorry did all the truck work dry up or what happen to force you to give go to autos. Maybe things will turn around and you can go back. I guess it could be worst but i dont know how once agin i fill bad for you.
I did a deal last night . I was trying to get a load of scrap loaded and my skid steer ran out of gas . I was very hot and it was about time for my moms helper to leave. I went to the house fixed supper then went back out. I was putting a head light bulb and turn signal bulb in my Dakota. It was a struggle took 4 times as long as it should very humid out. I then checked on mom put 2 gallons of gas in skid steer . Fuel pump is weak so i have a very weak electric pump on it if it dosent prime that i hook to battery. Got last thing loaded it was a deal put loader in shop went to the house. About 2 hours later i was in bed looking at videos there was a guy working on a fuel pump. Oh no i left the pump wired up in the past the electric pump would flood the carb. I ran to the barn it was still running but it hadnt over filled the carb or the crank case.
I'm feeling pretty good, this indy shop was a rebound after a decade of Freightliner and Case dealerships. So this is the opposite end of the spectrum. But, too many airbags and not enough CEL's. The physical aspect appears to never end. I think auto pay has risen to compete with heavy duty, so I'm ready to try lifting smaller clutches
I hope it works out well for you. I’m just guessing you won’t be hoisting too many smaller clutches. Does anyone offer a manual transmission anymore?
Wait until you leave a nice Fluke Clamp meter on your bed rail and realize that after about 20mi later. Many tears were shed....... I am the kind of person that will shut down a shop until a 3/8 drive 13mil is found. I don't like lost tools. It's a glitch in my system.
Why not work on air-o-planes ? They make allot of them from aluminum..... And NO clutches.
Yup. I get a bit testy if I know I have something, and cannot lay my hands on it.
Haven't been to Colorado or Denver area for 6 years, have no plans on going back. The reason the clutch brake {vanished} is because someone installed a cheap button type. And I don't do ****** work, I leave that to the other 99.9% that take 3 day's to do a 15 minute job then brag about it.
Tool cart is all I use for the last thirty years. Big stuff only used once in while can stay in the chest. Damn near everything I need is in the cart.
The cart is a toolbox refined down to the best tools. I don't know how people work without them...slowly I guess. This new clutch brake I had never seen before. It was like a spring-loaded latch. Very easy to use. I hate those button style. The first one I did I didn't set the pin all the way through and rubbed a gouge in the bearing.
Best tools? I have no best tools, It's just a cart full of worn out junk.
Mines like a surgeon's operating tray. I have pokers, stabbers, grabby things, smashy things..ect. In the movie John Wick, the ex-assassin buries all his weapons under his garage floor in hopes that he'll never need them again. I think I might do that with all my heavy truck tools
Never happen, once you get the stink on you it won't wash off. I've been stinking for years.
Those that are finally rid of the mechanic and equipment disease are those who are no longer physically or mentally capable of doing it anymore.
I sent my wife's car in a couple years ago for recall work. I get it back next day and it's raining. The drivers wiper is torn so I stop at my in laws service shop for a wiper and find a ¼" ratchet and 8mm socket in the well for the wiper arm. Crescent brand ratchet, a snap on socket. I call the dealership, ask if they're missing anything. After 10 minutes on the phone, the mechanic that did the work says his box is full, not his. Ok, I guess I got a new ratchet. I cleaned it up, gave the ratchet a touch of grease and use it quite regularly now.
i lay my tools out just like a meal. all spread out nice and even like. about ten minutes into the "meal" I'll reach for the pickled cukes AND THEY ARE NOT THERE!? While trying to find it I find something that i had already forgotten that i was missing. i spend more time trying to find my misplaced tools than time spent working. I really need to get with it. sorry about the allegory to food guys. I'm hungry right now.
I dont understand how the cart would work . I guess if you worked on one brand or kind of stuff you would get a ideal what you would need but for me one minute i am working on a 1950s farm tractor then a hour later i am working on a 2005 vehical. It looks like i would be rolling it to my tool box loading up stuff that i needed besides what was load on it already then doing that job going to the next job needing some other tools for that job and at the end of the day spending a bunch of time unloading it. I want and plan on making my tool box easyer to move so i can have it close by instead of clear across the shop.
The policy at home is when we can't find a 1/2 inch wrench it's time to clean at the day job well I put my tools in my truck at tye end of the day...... At home we've been slacking as of later getting to be crunch time earth moving for dad and uncle and I've been swamped playing mechanic. Shop needs a whole day clean up.
If you can clean your shop in a day i envy you. My shop is also used for storage i need to take a week or may be a month and tear it apart and do a major clean out.