# Depressing Realities Of Life



## CNC Dude (Oct 5, 2013)

OK, so a few months ago I decide that I need a micrometer. Not with supreme urgency, but as soon as one shows up, I will pick it up. Why? Well, because I have a trillion calipers, but not a single micrometer.

Looking,  looking and more looking... During all this search, an intriguing Craigslist posting shows up where a bunch of brand new goodies are sold for a mere $150. Couldn't resist, so I picked it up.

It all came in a box so I decided to take some part of the day today to find a spot on my drawers. As I am re-sorting my existing goodies, what do I find?

A MICROMETER!!!!

Where on Earth did I buy this? When did I picked it up? HOW THE HELL DID THIS THING CAME INTO MY POSSESSION!

Scary, isn't it? I can't remember anything about this item, and I am only 40. I am afraid one of these days I will wake up wondering what is my name...


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## Uncle Buck (Oct 5, 2013)

The more tools you acquire the more you will find yourself stumbling across tools you don't recall buying or know where they came from. I finally reached that point a couple of years ago. Now I often run across tools in my shop I literally have no memory or knowledge of. Age is not what has caused that to happen to me, but instead too high a volume of tools. Yes, there is such a thing as having too many tools. I think most guys know when they reach that point, I have.


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## Chuck K (Oct 5, 2013)

Uncle Buck said:


> The more tools you acquire the more you will find yourself stumbling across tools you don't recall buying or know where they came from. I finally reached that point a couple of years ago. Now I often run across tools in my shop I literally have no memory or knowledge of. Age is not what has caused that to happen to me, but instead too high a volume of tools. Yes, there is such a thing as having too many tools. I think most guys know when they reach that point, I have.



I can relate....I have more tooling than any hobby guy should have.  Sometimes I know what I need and I know I have it...but I don't have a clue what special place I have stored it so that when I need it I'll know exactly where it is.  Then two days later when I'm looking for something else I find the tool or fixture that I swore was lost forever.  It's a disease.)

Chuck


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## OldMachinist (Oct 5, 2013)

Just wait in about 20 years you'll be like me. I go out to the shop, see a tool left out from a previous project and can't for the life of me remember what I used it on even thou it may only have been yesterday.:banghead:


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## tripletap3 (Oct 5, 2013)

Awesome! So there really is a micrometer fairy.


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## itsme_Bernie (Oct 5, 2013)

Uncle Buck said:


> The more tools you acquire the more you will find yourself stumbling across tools you don't recall buying or know where they came from. I finally reached that point a couple of years ago. Now I often run across tools in my shop I literally have no memory or knowledge of. Age is not what has caused that to happen to me, but instead too high a volume of tools. Yes, there is such a thing as having too many tools. I think most guys know when they reach that point, I have.



If I was there before I wasn't as sure because I had more room.  But downsizing to a shop 30% smaller has made it easier to just sell and find homes for superfluous tools.  Every tool I let go of, that I don't need, leaves more room to work or for tools I DO need!!  

...  Which get's back to avayan's post...  He DID need it!   Well, I think you needed more than one, if that makes you feel any better.  
Sometimes, if I can't find something, I think "if it isn't where I want it, when I want it, I must need another one anyway!  So it stays where I want it!!  "...  I guess this gets back to being an illness 


Bernie


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## Bill C. (Oct 5, 2013)

OldMachinist said:


> Just wait in about 20 years you'll be like me. I go out to the shop, see a tool left out from a previous project and can't for the life of me remember what I used it on even thou it may only have been yesterday.:banghead:



In my case can't remember where I put it and buy a cheaper one hoping the first one shows up some day.


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## n3480h (Oct 5, 2013)

avayan, you are not alone.  I have at least 4 oil filter wrenches.  When I can't find one, I go buy another, because oil must be changed.  Within 24 hours after using the new one, the others mysteriously reappear, as if framed in neon lights.  All of them. Of course, they are all right where I put them so that I could find them easily next time.  At any given time, there are 40-50 tools that I cannot locate.  Having moved recently, I'm sure I've opened many packing boxes 20 times, looking for that dang (fill in the blank).

It is most definitely an illness, but take heart:  There are far worse afflictions we could suffer from.  I've even heard of guys with more than one wife.  Now THAT'S scarey!

Tom


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## Old Iron (Oct 5, 2013)

Well the wife saids that the reason I'm one sock short is because one of them hide beside the door and when she isn't looking it makes a get away.

I had a problem with the little 6" rules getting lost but I salved it by putting one on each machine. Thats been working good until yesterday when I put one in my shirt pocket It is still missing.

Paul


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## rafe (Oct 5, 2013)

Depressing Reality is it may and probably will vanish just as it appeared .....Don't ask why I know that !!


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## railfancwb (Oct 6, 2013)

An advantage of having a Harbor Freight nearby. Some of their stuff leaves a bit to be desired, but many of their hand tools are excellent values - especially when caught at sale prices. In fact they have a lifetime guarantee on hand tools, same as their more respected competitors. If I can find the flyer again, I plan to pick up a few sets of 32 ASE/Metric combination wrenches at $19.95 each.


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## PIKEMAN (Oct 6, 2013)

As long as you don't remember buying small hand tools, you do not have a problem. When you walk into the shop and find,say, a mill that you do not remember buying, you may want to consider seeking professional help.:rofl::lmao::roflmao:


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## Uncle Buck (Oct 6, 2013)

PIKEMAN said:


> As long as you don't remember buying small hand tools, you do not have a problem. When you walk into the shop and find,say, a mill that you do not remember buying, you may want to consider seeking professional help.:rofl::lmao::roflmao:



So far the issue has been limited to some sockets, wrenches, or other assorted small hand tools. I cannot imagine losing track of the big stuff! LOL


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## Dave Smith (Oct 6, 2013)

Uncle Buck said:


> So far the issue has been limited to some sockets, wrenches, or other assorted small hand tools. I cannot imagine losing track of the big stuff! LOL



Uncle Buck--evidently you don't have a very big storage building if you haven't found or lost something as big as a mill or drill press or shaper or table saw---Dave


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## core-oil (Oct 6, 2013)

Hand tools are like machine tools, One can never have too many of them!


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## CNC Dude (Oct 7, 2013)

This has been a hilarious thread, no doubt! Now, whether I will end up needing help afterwards, or not, I would really not mind opening up my garage door and finding a new mill or a new lathe. Maybe it was Santa ;-)


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## DAN_IN_MN (Oct 7, 2013)

Dave Smith said:


> Uncle Buck--evidently you don't have a very big storage building if you haven't found or lost something as big as a mill or drill press or shaper or table saw---Dave



How big is/are your storage building(s)?


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## pineyfolks (Oct 7, 2013)

DAN_IN_MN said:


> How big is/are your storage building(s)?


Dan, I think that would make a good thread. I don't if it's harder to loose stuff in a small basement shop or a large building. I've had trouble in both. Although I've never lost a machine , I have misplaced machine accessories :lmao:


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## Alphawolf45 (Oct 7, 2013)

I lost a foot long chunk of 3.25 dia. 0-1 steel about a month ago in my shop. I blame it on polterguists...Talking about finding a mill or lathe you didn't know you had- thuther side of that coin is trying to forget the 5 or 6 machines that no longer or never did use but are taking up space. Have already forgotten WHY I bought some of this old stuff.


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## frbutts (Oct 7, 2013)

Finding one that you forgot you had is way better than spending 1/2 a day walking round and round from basement to garage to shed to other shed ect.
And then not remembering why you needed it after finding it.


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## Dave Smith (Oct 7, 2013)

DAN_IN_MN said:


> How big is/are your storage building(s)?



my two new shops are 14X20 and 29X47 approx. my old shop and storage 40 miles away is approx 
27x102'----I can't remember if thats all the shops I have or not!!!LOL  :roflmao:


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## Dave Smith (Nov 23, 2014)

Dave Smith said:


> my two new shops are 14X20 and 29X47 approx. my old shop and storage 40 miles away is approx
> 27x102'----I can't remember if thats all the shops I have or not!!!LOL  :roflmao:



I do remember that I only have 3 shops--woops I forgot that I added another one this year---don't know which tools and accessories and supplies are in each shop though---Dave


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## Lornie McCullough (Nov 23, 2014)

I can't remember what I was looking for the other day, but I remember I didn't find it.

Lornie


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## GK1918 (Nov 23, 2014)

Thinking one day, whats the most treasured thing man had back in the day that never got lost ?   Yep a plain ole black lunch box. 
Thats where my mics are and during cold times,  I take it home- reasons, to keep em warm they are all together some are 
digies some are old expensive Starretts or just doing homework on snow days...kind of hard not to see a big black lunch box eh...


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## rsegars (Nov 23, 2014)

Chuck K said:


> I can relate....I have more tooling than any hobby guy should have.  Sometimes I know what I need and I know I have it...but I don't have a clue what special place I have stored it so that when I need it I'll know exactly where it is.  Then two days later when I'm looking for something else I find the tool or fixture that I swore was lost forever.  It's a disease.)
> 
> Chuck



Thank you very much! I thought I was the only one who did that.


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## Dave Smith (Nov 24, 2014)

one big problem I have encountered in trying to combine organize all same type items that were in separate drawers and separate locations--is this--now I forget where I combined them all at--I keep looking at all the old locations that now have empty drawers and know that I have gobs 
of them and did this to help me ---but the new location is lost in my mind----yes--I do think I still have a mind---somewhere---:nuts::rofl::rofl::rofl:
----Dave


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## railfancwb (Apr 12, 2015)

To an extent I avoid the "where is it now" problem by putting an item back where I found it - even when that is a ridiculous place for it. After a few times my mind remembers where it is. That is countered by my cats. They play chase games and run madly around the house knocking stuff to new locations. They are all firm believers that nature's "angle of repose" should trump my stacks. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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