What odd useful things do have in the toolbox???

[John23]

Was wondering though the $2 dollar shop last week and found a pair of tweezers with a led light for $3. Bought them for the odd splinter and fine work. I found that they're not that bad and it's so good to be able to see what our doing. Not bad for 3 bucks I reckon. At least always good to have in the toolbox somewhere

[Christos]

I am thinking I need to see a photo of these tweezers.

[BobL]

Tweezers sound really good John. One thing they could add as well as the LED is a magnifying glass.

One of the most useful things in my shed are some clamping surgical forceps or haemostats for stuff that is too small for clamps.

[Timless Timber]

Fishing crimp pliers

Somehow they made it into the wrong box....and got a little patina of light rust to match everything else in there and just seemed so at home that I never had the heart to evict them back to the fishing box - where there's another pair anyway...

Also they live in my tool box now contributing to the weight of it, such that I can no longer lift it - replete with tools I don't use, but that are too good or handy one day maybe to ever throw out.

So I shift these crimping pliers all around the tool box all the time - thinking - I must put those back in the boat one day & reminiscing about fishing trips past - as I handle them and curse at them for being in the way all the time - I think one of the kids may have put them in there by mistake - & they will probably still be in there in 20 years time.

I'm a little unco like that - My kids say I am anal about throwing stuff out. Same kids used to leave all my good tools in the lawn where they fixed their bikes for me to find with the lawn mower weeks later, all rusted up! Same kids that have their own tools these days but still come and borrow my shyte to this day (usually without asking).

Like the 4wd offroad tire plug kit in case I ever get a flat.. in the bush, that the son bought me for a fathers day / Christmas / Birthday years back... I think it was still in his 4wd when he sold it recently!

Who says there has to be any rhyme or reason to tools in the tool box - its like a magicians truck - you keep putting things in and the good stuff vanishes and the useless crap stays there - forever - some of it has kid tools of its own.

I don't question the mysteries of the tool box any longer - some things were never meant to be understood by man. Toolbox law is best left to the likes of psychics...

But you can bet if there's something handy you don't have in your tool box there's 2 of the bastages somewhere in the bottom of mine.

The only thing NEVER found in mine is the socket of the exact size your looking for right now. That lil bastage is somewhere in the matrix - the tool box either.

It will be there next time you aren't looking for it but when you need it now? - nada zippo zilch!.

Luv my toolbox... next best thing to the Kingswood it is.

Someone should blow up kids.

So ahh - fishing crimping pliers... if you haven't got them in your tool box your not trying hard enough!

Never know when ya might wanna crimp something. No crimps mind you - just the crimping pliers.

[rwbuild]

Years ago when I taught at TAFE, at the beginning of each new class each year I would ask them what was the most important thing to have in your tool box.

The usual answers, rule, pencil, square, etc but I would tell them none that had mentioned, that the most important tool was a sense of humour and patience

[tea lady]

The usual answers, rule, pencil, square, etc but I would tell them none that had mentioned, that the most important tool was a sense of humour and patience

At least it takes up no room and doesn't go rusty. Although perhaps some jokes do.

BTW I have a pair of tweezers with a magnifying glass on it. Can't see a thing. The LED might be handy though. And some gave me some surgical forceps. Haven't used em yet.

[Master Splinter]

Oh god, I love buying cheap cr@p from the $2 stores, especially when it won't be used for it's intended purpose...

Small ziploc bags - for keeping parts belonging together, together. Small plastic boxes for pretty much the same reason.

Cheap screwdrivers for customisation: large screwdriver with a notch in the tip, for helping remove springs found on some car brake assemblies, small screwdriver with the head ground down to shaft diameter, for that screw at the bottom of a deep narrow hole on a stovetop, screwdriver with the end ground down to a chisel-like sharpness, for when I need to misuse a screwdriver as a crowbar, screwdriver ground down to a sharp point as a 6XL size bradawl (great for assisting with alignment of holes or undoing rope tangles (thanks, kids). I got a whole stack of cheap (50 cent) screwdrivers from Colonel Clints Crazy Bargains (back when it was called that) as I reasoned that I cannot make a steel shaft with a handle for 50 cents and they are my customisation stock, along with rusty roadside finds.

Kmart's tool section has been getting a bit of lovin' recently, too - threadlocker ($5) and a dinky little magnetic parts tray (75mm diameter) complete with telescoping mirror and telescoping pickup magnet ($5)...the parts tray was soooo cute I just had to buy it.

[A Duke]

Last time I tried to buy hardware at K-Mart there wasn't any, so I asked at the checkout and got told "Bunnings is doing such a good job we don't need to sell it any more."

[rwbuild]

Last time I tried to buy hardware at K-Mart there wasn't any, so I asked at the checkout and got told "Bunnings is doing such a good job we don't need to sell it any more."

K-Mart Penrith still sells hardware for DIY, saw some interesting nick nacks I will get next time there

[John23]

Here's some pics for you christos. $3 bucks at my local reject shop.

[bsrlee]

For Timless

A can of hot pink/lime green/puce spray paint - glitter optional. Use it on your tools, the kids won't want to get caught with 'girly' painted tools.

I got this tip from JOAT, a long time poster on 'The Wreck' (usenet rec.wookworking) who found that hot pink spray paint stopped his sons from acquiring tools from Dad's tool box.

[tea lady]

Actually, I employ the same thing with a purple flowery screw driver. Never gets borrowed. Well it use to never. Blokes are getting more and more snag these days.