never to old to see something that surprises you

[martin mcguinness]

i have to admit i am a self confessed tool nut i cant help myself when the wife finds out i have just bought a dewalt chopsaw and legs plus a makita plungesaw with 2 rails and clamps she might kill me. why a spark would need these she wouldnt understand im a bit like tim the tool man. sorry im going off at a tangent
i went to one of my friends houses to look at replacing his consumer unit and my attention kept being drawn to an unusual ornament taking pride of place next to his tv A BRIGHT ORANGE CEMENT MIXER it was highly polished and didnt really look out of place. this guy buys tools just because he might need them he is worse than me. when i asked him about it he stated i bought it as i was building a new garage but when it was delivered he wasnt ready for it so he left it in the living room and just polished it and it became a talking point. it gets worse he bought a 2nd hand one to do the garage as he didnt want to get that one dirty
any one else have crazy mates like this (he is actually the most helpfull and decent bloke you would meet)

 

[Wilko]

I so want to do that sort of stuff, but am toooo chicken

 

[Rpa07]

We've got a mate called @Vortigern who managed to buy a hilmor bender for not much money at all then painted it in the original colours and replaced worn and missing parts - he made such a good job of it that @westward10 fell in love with it and now has a poster on his bedroom ceiling! You couldn't make it up!

 

[martin mcguinness]

fantastic so there are a lot of tool nuts out there as someone said there is nothing better than a polished tool
as i work at a hospital as an electrical tech i see some crazy things and often get requested to attend a&e with my hand or power tools i have a couple of almost unbelievable stories that are true but boarder on crude but also funny if anyone interested

 

[Rpa07]

You can only tell the 'bolt cropper' use stories - anything else may frighten us off or require a photo!

 

[PEG]

It is not an isolated obsession...i have a penchant for the unusual,the old,and the cutting edge,in the tool job...there does not need to be requirement

I have a mahogany boxed precision inclinometer,with an optical,crystal scale in fractions of a second. It can measure the deflection,in a 10' horizontal,scaffold pole,when you put a wristwatch on the end...oh,and it's older than me mum

I'm going to put me new Megger Avo835 next to it,when they pull their pants on,and sober up,re; quoted release dates

 

[PEG]

fantastic so there are a lot of tool nuts out there as someone said there is nothing better than a polished tool
as i work at a hospital as an electrical tech i see some crazy things and often get requested to attend a&e with my hand or power tools i have a couple of almost unbelievable stories that are true but boarder on crude but also funny if anyone interested

...But did you REALLY need that sink-plunger,to remove Thomas the Tank,from his sphincter sidings?

 

[Rpa07]

"Don't mention the war, or the 835"

 

[Rpa07]

...But did you REALLY need that sink-plunger,to remove Thomas the Tank,from his sphincter sidings?

Far too many euphemism there !

 

[martin mcguinness]

i do have bolt cutter story and it might make your eyes water

 

[PEG]

Me sister was a nurse, in casualty,years ago,and she reckoned many a Henry-Hoover left,minus it's smile

 

[Wilko]

Last week, young guys building a deck next to where I was working, lad showed off his new gas powered nail basher. Lovely looking and just the ticket to keep it all square etc. I'm back to work, so's he, then there's a "how've I done that then?". See he's now got a 4" gal nail t bone style through index finger ... not the best... straight to A&E, X-ray says no bone frags thankfully, so nurse says "man up" and pulls it . Antibiotics and a bandage and lads back at work. Silly sausage had tried to use the gun to push a nail through a ss bracket and missed the nail hole. Nail did a u turn and the rest is history. I did suggest in a kindly fatherly way that he keep away from power tools for the rest of the day. Advice that was ignored in the finest fashion of the youthful.

 

[The Ghost]

Ok as it's confession time...When I was about three I got the tools bug. My father was an electrician. Tools in the shed. Bright red tools, yellow tools, things that drew you to the magical chest. One day the lady who looked after us saw me attempting to use some of the tools and asked "Did your Dad say you could touch those?"
Reader - my first lie tripped off my tongue - "Yes" I lied. To be fair to me I did hesistate a nanosecond before I lied. I love recovering old tools I have a lockheed drill used to put the lockheeds together in I think 1920/30 my granchildren play with it (no it is not plugged in - sigh)

 

[Pete999]

Ok as it's confession time...When I was about three I got the tools bug. My father was an electrician. Tools in the shed. Bright red tools, yellow tools, things that drew you to the magical chest. One day the lady who looked after us saw me attempting to use some of the tools and asked "Did your Dad say you could touch those?"
Reader - my first lie tripped off my tongue - "Yes" I lied. To be fair to me I did hesistate a nanosecond before I lied. I love recovering old tools I have a lockheed drill used to put the lockheeds together in I think 1920/30 my granchildren play with it (no it is not plugged in - sigh)

When I think back of the tools I used to use when I started and later on When I was a fully fledged Electrician:
Rawlplug jumper
Wheel brace
Swing Brace
Un insulated screwdrivers
You know the sort of stuff (if you are old enough that is) how things have changed, I wish I had the foresight to have kept all these old tools, they are probably at some boot sale now going to collectors.

 

[The Ghost]

foresight to have kept all these old tools

You know I actually have kept some of those tools. To be honest I have them in the garage, and the garage is a bit leaky/damp and they have rusted much to my dismay. Of course they are not so functional now especially up against "modern" tools. Yes the old method of putting a plug in the wall with the rawlplug tool and hammer. Chisel and bolster for chipping out brickwork for backboxes. Gave you forearms of iron. No electric screwdrivers, again forearms of iron screwing in by hand every screw in an installation, until I bought the old B&D double wound motor drill!

 

[Rpa07]

@Vortigern is the double wound unusual for a power drill? Is that double wound the usual term for power drills ? I've got an older black and decker in plastic casing no less but it has unbelievable torque and without investigating, have wondered.

 

[Rpa07]

@Vortigern is the double wound unusual for a power drill? I've got an older black and decker in plastic casing no less but it has unbelievable torque and without investigating, have wondered.

 

[Pete999]

You know I actually have kept some of those tools. To be honest I have them in the garage, and the garage is a bit leaky/damp and they have rusted much to my dismay. Of course they are not so functional now especially up against "modern" tools. Yes the old method of putting a plug in the wall with the rawlplug tool and hammer. Chisel and bolster for chipping out brickwork for backboxes. Gave you forearms of iron. No electric screwdrivers, again forearms of iron screwing in by hand every screw in an installation, until I bought the old B&D double wound motor drill!

Vorty, you mention hammer and bolster for chopping in boxes, I have been retired now for a while, I always found chopping back boxes in as pain, but wouldn't use anything else even today. Still I suppose it's all down to progress, people making money out of devices that you can only use on Thermalite blocks etc

 

[LankyWill]

I have three sds drills, an 18v a 36v and 110v. Why on earth I need three is a mystery to me, I live by the motto if I need it I buy it. I have Stilsons(ridgid Alu) in 24" 18" 14" 12" 10" and 8" plus a massive set of knipex plied wrenches in XL. Sometimes I look like a pipe fitter, not a spark. If it makes my life easier I buy it end off.

 

[cliffed]

Elliot Lucas pliers....ooohhh...