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Put it back.

Old 02-24-05, 09:43 PM
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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.
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Old 02-24-05, 09:54 PM
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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
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Old 02-24-05, 09:58 PM
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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
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Old 02-24-05, 10:35 PM
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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?
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Old 02-25-05, 12:26 AM
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Originally Posted by Rowan
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?
My wife gets angry just because I store my new bike in the spare bedroom.

I just can't figure women.
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Old 02-25-05, 12:30 AM
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Originally Posted by Rev.Chuck
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
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Old 02-25-05, 04:52 AM
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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.
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Old 02-25-05, 08:18 AM
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Originally Posted by Retro Grouch
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.
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Old 02-25-05, 08:31 AM
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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.
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Old 02-25-05, 08:31 AM
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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.
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Old 02-25-05, 08:37 AM
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Originally Posted by Rev.Chuck
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.
 
Old 02-25-05, 09:59 AM
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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!
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Old 02-25-05, 12:33 PM
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Originally Posted by EagleEye
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!

Of course, it was always my brother that didn't put them away.
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Old 02-25-05, 12:55 PM
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Originally Posted by capwater
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
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Old 02-25-05, 01:02 PM
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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.
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Old 02-25-05, 01:07 PM
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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.
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Old 02-25-05, 01:26 PM
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One thing I should mention: The shop owned the tools we used, not the mechanics.
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Old 02-25-05, 01:26 PM
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Avalanche, have you got one of those $1000 case back unscrewers. I saw some tricky stuff at timezone.com
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Old 02-25-05, 02:30 PM
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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?
 
Old 02-25-05, 02:37 PM
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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.
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Old 02-25-05, 05:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Avalanche325
I repair vintage watches and there are some TINY parts that run away.
Bike or watch parts... they can run long distances, too.
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Old 02-25-05, 06:40 PM
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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. 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.
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Old 02-25-05, 08:37 PM
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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.
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Old 02-25-05, 09:52 PM
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Originally Posted by Rev.Chuck
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.

Originally Posted by Rowan
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.

Last edited by Avalanche325; 02-25-05 at 09:57 PM.
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Old 02-25-05, 10:14 PM
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"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.
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