# First job for someone



## DavidR8 (Apr 30, 2020)

This morning I was outside and my neighbour came over and asked if I had a tap and die set. 
I asked if he needed metric or imperial 

He then explained that he sheared off the bolt that holds the blade to the engine shaft on his mower. 
"No problem John, I take it back to my place, fix it and bring it back"

Over lunch I ground down the end of the bolt so I could punch a mark and drill for an EZ-out. Couple of turns and out it came. Chased the threads to make sure they were clean. And I even had a 5/16-24 bolt to send it back with.

I am tickled pink that I could use my tools and abilities to help him out. Even if it was completely minor.


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## jbobb1 (Apr 30, 2020)

Feels good, doesn't it!


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## mikey (Apr 30, 2020)

Helping others - doesn't get much better than that!


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## tjb (Apr 30, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> This morning I was outside and my neighbour came over and asked if I had a tap and die set.
> I asked if he needed metric or imperial
> 
> He then explained that he sheared off the bolt that holds the blade to the engine shaft on his mower.
> ...


I hear you, David.  It's fun and challenging making stuff for yourself.  But there's nothing that compares to helping out a friend or a neighbor when they need it.

Regards,
Terry


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## C-Bag (Apr 30, 2020)

Good job David! That's fantastic it worked out so good. And there's a reason why we have so much invested in tools. Having the right tool for the job is as varied at the jobs.


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## eugene13 (Apr 30, 2020)

It will come back +++


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## matthewsx (Apr 30, 2020)

Nice.

I seem to recall this application uses a special fastener, probably not an issue but just thought I'd mention it.

John


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## savarin (Apr 30, 2020)

It feels great helping someone else out of a hole.


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## DavidR8 (Apr 30, 2020)

matthewsx said:


> Nice.
> 
> I seem to recall this application uses a special fastener, probably not an issue but just thought I'd mention it.
> 
> John



I had a grade 5 bolt which should do the trick. Certainly better than what was there. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## matthewsx (Apr 30, 2020)

How bent was the blade?


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## DavidR8 (Apr 30, 2020)

matthewsx said:


> How bent was the blade?


Oh the blade wasn't bent at all. He had cross threaded the original bolt and it just sheared off in his attempts to get it out.


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## matthewsx (Apr 30, 2020)

Just asking because often when this happens the crankshaft gets bent. If the mower isn't shaking bad it should be okay.

John


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## matthewsx (Apr 30, 2020)

I see.


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## DavidR8 (Apr 30, 2020)

He's outside mowing and gave me a thumbs up


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## matthewsx (Apr 30, 2020)

No problems then. When I had my shop I saw lots of "repairs" 

It's good to hear about one that was done right

john


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## DavidR8 (Apr 30, 2020)

matthewsx said:


> No problems then. When I had my shop I saw lots of "repairs"
> 
> It's good to hear about one that was done right
> 
> john


Thanks John, I do appreciate that!


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## brino (Apr 30, 2020)

okay, the second documented case of an "easy-out" actually helping the situation!

(Only partially in jest!, normally after trying the easy-out you get to try more things like bolting the project to the mill table, carbide end-mills, lot's of swearing, bigger hammers, etc.)

I am glad it worked out for you David!

-brino


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## DavidR8 (May 1, 2020)

The best part @brino? It was the first time I'd used an EZ-out


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## matthewsx (May 1, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> The best part @brino? It was the first time I'd used an EZ-out



Beginners luck


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## Bi11Hudson (May 1, 2020)

_Beginners Luck!_​
I'd say you took the right approach, perhaps depending a little too much on the Mk.1 eyeball. You were fortunate that the bolt was a low grade and came right out. I have had less success with Grade 5 and better. But it did work and that's what counts. Made your start as the neighborhood "fix it" man.

.


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## mmcmdl (May 1, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> He's outside mowing and gave me a thumbs up



As a strength test , have him cut YOUR grass , and make sure he brings a 5 pack of your favorite beverage ! 

Nice fix Dave .


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## mmcmdl (May 1, 2020)

This reminds me of a funny story that happened with one of my ex-coworkers but I have to head out the door , to be continued .


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## HarryJM (May 1, 2020)

In a nutshell that's what this is all about.


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## SLK001 (May 1, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> This morning I was outside and my neighbour came over and asked if I had a tap and die set.
> I asked if he needed metric or imperial...



Some advice... NEVER loan out your tools.  If it must be done, let them give it to you and you do it.  A shlug that will brute force a cross threaded bolt, will also break every tap in your set - then blame YOU for buying a crappy set (and also will not replace what he broke).  Now this might sound mean and un-neighborly, but it is hard won advice.


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## Tozguy (May 1, 2020)

Lending stuff to friends and relatives never worked out well for me either. Even if it was to someone who knew how to use it I would usually have to ask for it back or run after them to get it back. Now when someone wants to borrow a tool they get me with it.
Good job David, you done us proud.
The sheared bolt might not have been the original which got lost somehow???


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## BGHansen (May 1, 2020)

+1 on the not loaning stuff out (naturally depends on the relationship).  I have a buddy who has a pretty good system.  He has a hardware store in downtown Chicago.  "Oh, you want to borrow my XXXX.  Well, it's near and dear to me and I rent it out for profit, so I need something that's near and dear to you in exchange."  If they don't offer up something in exchange, their intentions are not honorable.  I'm sure we could fill a thread with examples of stuff going out and not coming back or needing repair.  On the plus side for me, I'd loan ANYTHING to my sister's husband.  I'd guarantee it'd come back in better shape than original.  Like when he borrowed my chainsaw and gave it back with a new chain in the package (plus one on the saw).  The running family joke is I keep trying to get him to borrow stuff so I don't have to fix it.

Bruce


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## projectnut (May 1, 2020)

Long ago I learned lending and borrowing can be costly.  I've had occasions where I've loaned out expensive tools only to have the borrower completely "forget" they had done so.  Back in the days when I would still do it I had them sign a card stating what they had borrowed and the date.  It wasn't too popular, but it did save me considerable money in the long run.

After a few years it came to me that the people borrowing tools had the same or similar jobs with similar paychecks.  They chose to spend their money elsewhere and thought nothing of "borrowing" tools.  In time I just quit lending things out.  It was easier all around.  I didn't have to hound people to return things.  There are a few exceptions to the rule.  Those exceptions are people I would not only trust with my tools, I would also trust them with my life. 

The few times in my younger years when I did borrow a tool it didn't work out well either.  In almost every case the tool broke.  Then I had to replace it, and buy another for myself for future use.  Had I bought the tool in the first place it would have cost half the money.


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## DavidR8 (May 1, 2020)

Yes, Polonius said it well, neither a borrower nor a lender be. Of course that was about money but nonetheless...


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## C-Bag (May 1, 2020)

Bi11Hudson said:


> _Beginners Luck!_​
> I'd say you took the right approach, perhaps depending a little too much on the Mk.1 eyeball. You were fortunate that the bolt was a low grade and came right out. I have had less success with Grade 5 and better. But it did work and that's what counts. Made your start as the neighborhood "fix it" man.
> 
> .


I was careful to not be the first guy to point out how truly lucky David was. If it was me I'd guarantee that bolt was so in there that after breaking one of my precious left hand drill bits, then buggering my 3 different style easy outs I would have ended up with a wallowed out hole I'd have to do some other all day sucker of a fix on it. 

I have my HF grade lender tools and there's only two guys in my area I'll lend my pro grade tools to. The rest I think see my SnapOn and Mac "Please Don't Ask to Borrow Tools" all over my box. I had to do that because I came back from my lunch when I worked in Yosemite and here's this tourist working on his bike with my tools everywhere. When I got upset he told me to chill because they were the shop's tools and didn't believe me when I said they were mine and the shop doesn't supply them. I pulled out my payment slips to SnapOn and he didn't believe me when showed him there was over $15k invested in that box he was digging through like it was his.


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## SLK001 (May 1, 2020)

C-Bag said:


> ...I had to do that because I came back from my lunch when I worked in Yosemite and here's this tourist working on his bike with my tools everywhere. When I got upset he told me to chill because they were the shop's tools and didn't believe me when I said they were mine and the shop doesn't supply them...



If that had been me, the park would have had to close because, you see, a "bear" would have mauled and killed a tourist!  The coroner would have wondered where the "bear" got a 24" break-over bar.


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## Tozguy (May 1, 2020)

Whether it is money, tools or anything else, when you lend something the gesture implies that you don't need it and can do without it unless you have a tool soul brother. When I have surplus tools, they are sold or given away to a person who I think will use them.

C-bag, that 'tourist' was out of line and behaviour like that would gall me to no end. Regardless of who the tools belonged to they clearly did not belong to him. Caught in the act he probably would not admit to being at fault no matter what you said.


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## C-Bag (May 1, 2020)

The guys I was most mad at were the 3 idiots who also worked there sitting at the break table watching the "turkey"(what park employees called tourists) use my tools and never said anything to him. Of course the tourist would never had a chance to use their tools and knowing those jerks they probably told the turkey my box was shop tools. Needless to say that was not a good place to work because of those morons.


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## Bob Korves (May 1, 2020)

Lend a cheap tool to a neighbor who asks.  He will either bring it back in good condition or you will never hear from him again.  Win, win.  If he comes asking for a second tool prior to returning the first one, especially if significant time has elapsed, he is setting himself up for a stern talking to.  Win, win, win.


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## Old Mud (May 1, 2020)

Good job David.  As has been said before feels good huh.  Oh and you'll never forget your first !!!


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## tjb (May 1, 2020)

My philosophy on tool lending is in the lower left corner (there are three friends who are exempt):


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## SLK001 (May 1, 2020)

tjb said:


> My philosophy on tool lending is in the lower left corner (there are three friends who are exempt):
> 
> View attachment 322881



I think I violated your Rule #3!


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## erikmannie (May 2, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> This morning I was outside and my neighbour came over and asked if I had a tap and die set.
> I asked if he needed metric or imperial
> 
> He then explained that he sheared off the bolt that holds the blade to the engine shaft on his mower.
> ...



Nicely executed. Your neighbor surely thinks that you are amazing.


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## tjb (May 2, 2020)

SLK001 said:


> I think I violated your Rule #3!


You're lucky.  That one only carries a fine.  You owe me $1,000.

Rules #1 and #2 involve incarceration.  And trust me, you really don't want to know what happens when you violate rule #4.  Don't say I didn't warn you.  (Let me see, where's Uncle Vito's cell phone number?)


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## SLK001 (May 2, 2020)

That's in Zimbabwean Dollars, correct?  I'll bring you the $2.76US when I get up Georgia way!


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## tjb (May 2, 2020)

SLK001 said:


> That's in Zimbabwean Dollars, correct?  I'll bring you the $2.76US when I get up Georgia way!


Okay.


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## GunsOfNavarone (May 6, 2020)

He11 @DavidR8 I'll tickle you all pink by sending you all kinds of honeydo's like that and more. P.M> me your address!


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## Buffalo21 (May 6, 2020)

No good deed goes unpunished!!


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