I get the dummy-of-the-day award....

[Larry Edgerton]

The only thing worse is when you drop something, tear the tool apart, can't find the gizmo only to see it two days later ten feet away.

I HS I rebuilt a VW engine, and before starting I put all my tools away and could not find the gland nut socket. Looked and looked and then I remembered. I set it on the crankshaft. Somehow missed it and bolted the pan on. Took the pan off and there it was> That would have hurt if I had installed it and started the motor!

[Dick Mahany]

Oooooh yea, I have seriously been concerned that might happen to me too! Thats why I picked up one of these little gems (LINK)! Do those bit bearing changes OFF the motor!

I saw these and couldn't figure out why anyone would want one after just seeing a pic online ...........but I didn't realize the holders were actually one way needle clutch bearings! Thanks for the post and link

[Terry Therneau]

Leaving work one day, a colleage was idly tossing is keys in his hand as he walked into the lobby. Missed a catch, and they hit the gap at the edge of the elevator car exactly. Down they went 7 floors to the bottom of the shaft. We both saw them disappear. (An elevator repairman retrieved them the next day.)

[Ellen Benkin]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned dropping tiny screws down a sink drain -- easy to remove the trap -- or a tub drain -- no hope of retrieval. I'm always cautious to put a rag in the drain hole.

[Jason Roehl]

During a plant shutdown at Ford, I dropped a 1/2” nut into a 2MVA rectifier transformer.

It took me 6 hours to retrieve it.

To this day I remember the dull sound of that nut wedging in the winding in a cooling duct.......Rod

At that size, just turn it on! POOF! Nut vaporized!