Bicycle Mechanics - Put it back.

This should be the mantra for every mechanic or any one that goes into a mechanics space.
Last week I was building a wheel, Three different length spokes in the box. Found that out the hard way after starting to tension it. Building another wheel, bunch of spokes loose in the box, all the same length, eight different types. Putting an axle in a wheel today needed a 10x1, got it out of the 10x1 slot, it is a 9x1. Put stuff back in the right slot, it saves a lot of time.
Time and again every day, I go to get a tool and it is gone, we have three benches and yet all the tools get grabbed off of my bench, why, because I put them back and they are easy to find. i have gone looking for a wrench and found it sitting with several of the same type on another bench. If you gotta take it becuase you are to lazy to look for yours at least put mine back when you are done. Thanks.

Agreed.

I'm not a professional wrench (but I play one in my basement) and I always put the tools back where they belong.

Good advice for anyone regardless of tool and/or profession.

Pj

I cant agree with you more. I was just truing a wheel while watching without a trace, and damnit its like i put the spoke wrench down without thinking while i give the wheel a spin and then i cant find it! I get up and look all around and after a minute find it. In fact a few days ago that same wrench went missing, i searched the house high and low without finding it. So i ordered a wrench, and guess what turns up today? I've got bad luck with spoke wrenches

I'm a mess. It's a great discouragement for anyone to enter my working-on-bikes place.

But I know where everything is -- with exceptions, just like phantomcow2. Oddly, it's the thing that you've just been using that develops legs and just walks, not the tool you put down and go back to four days later.

Oh, talking of watching TV... in the lounge room... carpets don't go well with ball bearings, small washers and nuts. Now, where's that magnet? :D

I'm a mess. It's a great discouragement for anyone to enter my working-on-bikes place.

But I know where everything is -- with exceptions, just like phantomcow2. Oddly, it's the thing that you've just been using that develops legs and just walks, not the tool you put down and go back to four days later.

Oh, talking of watching TV... in the lounge room... carpets don't go well with ball bearings, small washers and nuts. Now, where's that magnet? :D

My wife gets angry just because I store my new bike in the spare bedroom. :rolleyes:

I just can't figure women. :p

This should be the mantra for every mechanic or any one that goes into a mechanics space.
If you gotta take it becuase you are to lazy to look for yours at least put mine back when you are done. Thanks.
Drives me nuts too

I know exactly what you mean. I was building a wheel at a shop and laced that puppy up three times before I figured out that some knothole had put three different lengths of spokes in the same box.

I know exactly what you mean. I was building a wheel at a shop and laced that puppy up three times before I figured out that some knothole had put three different lengths of spokes in the same box.

I used to drive my dad nuts leaving his tools all over the place when I was a kid. Now I'm pretty religious about putting everything back in its proper place. After I finish a job I can visualize him on my shoulder reminding me to clean & put all the tools away.

I feel you pain, bro. I installed a pegboard in my garage for all me tools (mostly bike) about 6 months ago. Since it's in garage, I see everyday when I get home from work and if something is missing from one of the pegs, it drives me crazy. Kinda like I've been violated.

We have four benches. Each bench has a color code and a tool kit. Each tool in the kit is color coded. Mechanics are all mature adults. You think the tools stay where they belong?
We feel your pain Rev.

This should be the mantra for every mechanic or any one that goes into a mechanics space.
Last week I was building a wheel, Three different length spokes in the box. Found that out the hard way after starting to tension it. Building another wheel, bunch of spokes loose in the box, all the same length, eight different types. Putting an axle in a wheel today needed a 10x1, got it out of the 10x1 slot, it is a 9x1. Put stuff back in the right slot, it saves a lot of time.
Time and again every day, I go to get a tool and it is gone, we have three benches and yet all the tools get grabbed off of my bench, why, because I put them back and they are easy to find. i have gone looking for a wrench and found it sitting with several of the same type on another bench. If you gotta take it becuase you are to lazy to look for yours at least put mine back when you are done. Thanks.

I understand. Tools are "extremely" personal items. They should "never" invade your personal workspace without permission.

They should respect your work area. I would confront them and Lay Down the Law as they are inconsiderate and disrepectful. It is an unworkable environment if it continues.

As a former auto mechanic I can attest that you NEVER snag a tool out of a co-worker's box without getting permission. If you do, it better go right back in the same place. I've seen fights break out for violating that obvious tenent of the mechanic's code!

I feel you pain, bro. I installed a pegboard in my garage for all me tools (mostly bike) about 6 months ago. Since it's in garage, I see everyday when I get home from work and if something is missing from one of the pegs, it drives me crazy. Kinda like I've been violated.

My old man had his tools on the wall on a hunk of plywood. Painted plywood with an outline around each tool indicating its proper place. And when there were empty spaces when he got home... lookout! :eek:

Of course, it was always my brother that didn't put them away.

As a former auto mechanic I can attest that you NEVER snag a tool out of a co-worker's box without getting permission. If you do, it better go right back in the same place. I've seen fights break out for violating that obvious tenent of the mechanic's code!

My first job was at a car dealership (12-17 years old and I was low man- relegated to sweeping and trash disposal, moving cars around, etc...) and I've seen the same thing. Of course, once I was accused of putting a coiled compressor hose on top of a Snap-On box. The mechanic came at me with all guns blazing, screaming about how I messed his box and wrecked the paint, etc. this immediately set me off to say the least. Then I informed him (with alot of vulgarity) that I had been working there for three years and had NEVER so much as touched one of their boxes, maybe they should ask the new kid. Guess who got an apology?

PJ

I broke my right wrist 2 months into working at a bike shop as a mechanic. The service manager suggested that I clean up behind the other mechanics, since I couldn't do the mechanical stuff. At the time, he was the only one with a repair on his stand, so I sat on the counter next to his area and every time he put a tool down on the counter, I'd pick it up and put it on the peg board. After about the 5th tool that he reached for where he'd left it, he told me to not do that. I told him I was just doing what he told me to do. I ended up figuring out what I could do left-handed and was soon doing complete overhauls and bike builds, including wheels, all while my wrist was broken.

I used to work on ships. You DID NOT touch someone elses tools without asking.

Here is a great thing for you guys that do work in a carpeted area. Get a Dust Buster. Keep it clean. It is a great parts extractor from the carpet. Vacuum the area and dump the filter out on some paper and dig through. I repair vintage watches and there are some TINY parts that run away. I have had close to 100% recovery with the Dust Buster.

One thing I should mention: The shop owned the tools we used, not the mechanics.

Avalanche, have you got one of those $1000 case back unscrewers. I saw some tricky stuff at timezone.com

I always said, dont ask to borrow my tools, cause I dont ask for some of your lunch, if you need it, bring your own, apprentices excluded.

Dont you notice, the guys who never have ciggarettes are the same guys who never have tools?

I have rolling boxes full of tools, but I boiled down my most commonly used tools to fit on a rolling tray. This is my alter.....my helper thinks I am extrodinarily anal...and I am. I keep this tray like this even when I am working. Whoa behold the missing tool! There is nothing more frustrating while hold a 50 lb hydraulic motor together with one hand, and reaching for a tool that is MIA.

I repair vintage watches and there are some TINY parts that run away.

Bike or watch parts... they can run long distances, too.

FS, I need one of those. What brand is it?

At my LBS, the shop is really messy. This is also thanks to the fact that we have no space because we recived 25 Trek bikes nobody even ordered. :rolleyes: Despite there are three benches, and all the tools are number, or color coded for each bench, nothing gets put back, and its really hard to find stuff. My shop at home is immaculate, however.

Northern tool offers a roll around much like FS's. I have one that I use mostly for welding. His looks like MAC or SnapOn from the color.
When I was in the Heavy Equipment field NOBODY touched anothers tools without permission. I even witnessed a guy getting a ball peen to the hand for stealing tools. Not pretty.

Avalanche, have you got one of those $1000 case back unscrewers. I saw some tricky stuff at timezone.com

No. I have a relatively cheap ($50) one (picture below). Rolex uses a whole different tool. But, I don't like Rolex, so I don't have one for them. Now that I think about it. It could probably be used as a BB and cassette removal tool.

One thing I learned very quickly. Those little screwdriver sets that everyone has are not "jewelers screwdrivers". These are what I have, at $125 (wholesale) a set.


Bike or watch parts... they can run long distances, too.
It is amazing when working on watches, bikes, or cars, just how far a dropped part can go. There is also some magical gravity field that cars produce. Anything that is dropped goes under the car to exactly the middle.

"Now that I think about it. It could probably be used as a BB and cassette removal tool."
If they are strong enough, they sure could.

One of the tricks I saw in a silversmith shop(One of my many side hobbies) was to use a grated "mat". They used this to trap the silver fillings for reuse. But it could work well for trapping tiny parts.

Northern tool offers a roll around much like FS's. I have one that I use mostly for welding. His looks like MAC or SnapOn from the color.
When I was in the Heavy Equipment field NOBODY touched anothers tools without permission. I even witnessed a guy getting a ball peen to the hand for stealing tools. Not pretty.

Things have changed Rev,
I'm old school that way, I truely do not like to loan tools, unless it's to the apprentice I'm working with.

But these days, with our psychobabble I'm ok you're ok crap, kids have this entire "Entitlement" attitude,
where they aren't culpable, because they have "rights".

So, when the Apprentice lost my "bloodless castrators" (19" Channel locks) the other day, He felt that the company should buy me a new pair, "After all, it was in the line of duty" he said.
Did I mention, I'm the company?
What was that line from cool hand Luke? "Some men, you just can't reach."

How do you lose a tool that big?

"Now that I think about it. It could probably be used as a BB and cassette removal tool."
If they are strong enough, they sure could.

One of the tricks I saw in a silversmith shop(One of my many side hobbies) was to use a grated "mat". They used this to trap the silver fillings for reuse. But it could work well for trapping tiny parts.

Indeed. There is a woven rubbery mat used as to create non-slip surfaces on boat tables and motor homes and stuff. They would seem to be the ticket, too.

tools are a funny thing. I ask a friend if i can try using his 3k road bike just for fun. I get a "sure, have fun". I ask the same guy if i can borrow his torque wrench which probably cost him 150 since its ment for automobiles and i get a look, and a sharp no. I think its because when we want to do something, well at least with me. If im truing a wheel or something i am really focused, its a train of thought. When all else is blocked out but "I need this tool", you walk to the box to get it and is not there! Then your out of your train of thought, priceless.

How do you lose a tool that big?

Quite honestly, I had to wonder myself, but seeing that it wasnt his, I'm sure it made it easier!

We have four benches. Each bench has a color code and a tool kit. Each tool in the kit is color coded. Mechanics are all mature adults. You think the tools stay where they belong?
We feel your pain Rev.

Hell yeah, colored electrical tape is the answer!
I do a lot of wrenching at work (not on bikes) but I hate it when someone takes my tools.

It's not my job to raise your kids.In my shop you get one warning.The next one ,you will be looking for a job.If the mechanics can't clean and put the tools away,something they should have been taught in mech 101,they don't don't deserve a job at my shop.

If I catch you in my toolbox,that's grounds for a severe beating.

Yay for 3 year old thread

OK I have a sexist question... why is it that women tend to not understand this concept?

One thing that drives me nuts is to have my wife put kitchen tools back in different places. We have drawers for silverware, drawers for spatulas and tools at the stove and a rack for common other kitchen tools. On occasion, I'll find something in a new spot (after needing it and looking for it in the place it once was). I'll ask her why, and her response is something along the lines of "I just used it and thought it should go there now." Following that logic, everything that was "just used" should be moved.

This extends to my workbench in the garage... if she needs a screwdriver or hammer... I'm lucky if I happen across it later... as otherwise that tool got moved... as she "just used it."

The wife also tends to run around the house looking for her glasses and keys... never mind the often repeated "if you put it away, you'd be able to find it now... " (that bugs the crap out of her... of course).

But the bottom line is everything has its place and when you are finished with it, that thing should be put back into "its place"

Having suffered a succession of burglaries and lost some irreplaceable tools, I now deliberately leave the workshop in a "h*** of a mess", it looks like a garbage dump from the outside. Figured if I can't find the good stuff, neither can a thief! Surprisingly, it's easier to find stuff now - wheel truing stand - it's under the rusty car wing with the broken flowerpot on top!

Also fitted some electronic alarms but then thought what if there's a power cut? So bought a Henry Krank Alarm mine - it takes a 12-guage black powder shell - if the trip wire is toched - Armageddon! Any thief would leave a neat pile of DNA sample by the door. I was packing up for the day and crouched down over it to put the cartridge in when I stepped on the wire, shooting myself in the face at a range of 12 inches. Very lucky, no lasting damage but I couldn't see out of one eye for a week.

So if you want to borrow my tools - forget it!