The "Lost tool rule"

[dennis thompson]

The lost tool rule is simple: when you lose a tool there is only one way to find it...you order a new one, when it arrives ,you open it, tearing the package so it can't be returned & it is guaranteed that within 5 minutes of opening that package you will find the lost tool. Well today I broke the "lost tool" rule. I went to turn on my dust collector & couldn't find the remote for it. Glanced around the shop, couldn't find it, looked carefully around the shop, couldn't find it, opened every drawer in the shop, couldn't find it. Determined that I had to get a new one:(, went to look at the controller, stepped over the shop vac hose for the 20th time, & decided to take the hose off & put it away. You guessed it, the remote fell out of the hose as I took it off. I broke the "Lost tool" rule:)!
Dennis

[Charles Goodnight]

Another rule: If you look long and hard enough for a tool on ebay you will eventually give up and buy a new substitute. The tool you are looking for will show up on the bay before your new tool arrives. Case in point: I have been looking for a panel raising plane for a year now. I gave up and bought a router bit to substitute for the profile. Two weeks later I am now the proud owner of yet another panel raising bit AND a panel raising plane, both with the same profile. . .

[Rick Potter]

Strange as it seems, I have found that my lost tools always show up in the very last place I look.

Rick Potter

[curtis rosche]

nother rule,,, before you buy a new one but after you give up, have your wife or mother look for it, it may be anoying but chances are it will save your money, women search for things differently it seems

[Jim O'Dell]

This is too funny. I was helping my parents move today, and Dad had me go through the shop again to look at hand tools. I spotted 9 rolls of Teflon tape hanging on 2 or 3 hooks on the wall, all open, all partially used. I brought 8 home with me.;) Jim.

[Steve Griffin]

Another rule of tools is if you have more than one, you will never lose either.

Keep two tape measures in the shop, and you will always be able to find both. If you have only one, and really need it, it will magically disappear.

As with all rules, there is always an exception. In the case of Pencils, it doesn't matter how many you have, you will occasionally lose all of them at the same time.

-Steve

[Larry Edgerton]

My problem is if I don't find what I am looking for in less than a minute, I forget what I am looking for. Back I go....

This is not usually a problem unless I am looking for two things.:p

Larry

[Brian Elfert]

I lost both my hammer and my side cutters. After a few weeks I went and bought an identical hammer and an identical side cutter.

It was about a year later I found both of them laying up on a floor truss in my basement. I had been working on a wiring project and I left them up in the floor trusses. If I had old fashioned joists I wouldn't have had a place to set them down.

[Dave Lehnert]

Had a project that needed a special size forstner bit. Tore the shop apart looking for it. Gave in and drove the 1/2 hr to Rockler to get a new one. 1/2 hr drive back home. Walked up to the drill press and guess what was in the chuck.

[ray hampton]

I am missing a special size drill bit, the question is , should I buy a new one and take a change of misplacing it tooo

[Keith Westfall]

nother rule,,, before you buy a new one but after you give up, have your wife or mother look for it,...

This is NOT a good rule!! How are we suppose to get more tools if we have others find the lost ones???? :D

[dennis thompson]

Had a project that needed a special size forstner bit. Tore the shop apart looking for it. Gave in and drove the 1/2 hr to Rockler to get a new one. 1/2 hr drive back home. Walked up to the drill press and guess what was in the chuck.
Dave
Great story, Like I said..."The lost tool rule"
Dennis