Using the Wrong Tool for the Job

Not really 'cos everyone who has one seems to do that, and, I suspect that a lot of them never use them off road.

Thought Chelsea Tractors were designed for the weekly shopping trip or picking up kids from school.

In Pretoria, South Africa, the high concentration of 4x4 vehicles are directly linked to our beloved rugby field, Loftus Versfeldt. To prevent the general public from parking on the sidewalks, they are high off the roadway and a 4x4 is the only way to park close to the stadium. For the rest of the time the 4x4 is just good for going to work, shop and general highway traffic.

They are necessary to be able to drive off the pavement to avoid burning Teslas or BYDs and being too big can't be parked in the garage next to the EV so only the house burns down with them and not the 4X4.

Sometimes simply dropping the hub with blade attached onto a hard surface will do it, if the shaft protrudes beyond the blades,but it must be dropped squarely.

This is after you have cut the motor shaft between the motor and fan hub?

Yes, of course...it's a last resort measure...You try to loosen the fan blade on the shaft first...if that fails, you check to see if you have a suitable replacement on board...if that fails then you have to choose whether you have time, and customer can afford to order a replacement, which requires somebody to pick it up at a local supplier, or if it needs to be ordered from a distribution hub....these are all judgement calls...

Oh, yes! That works.

Technically, the screws turn into nails after the first hit with the hammer.

In Oz hammers have been called American screwdrivers since WW2. Guess your ancestors did the same thing.

Over here they are known as Birmingham screwdrivers.

I had to do an investigation years ago on unexpected damage to chain tie-down tensioners used on UK Naval vessels. Eventually found that it was the handiest thing available on deck if anything needed hammering.

Yes but screws are only threaded nails!

However threaded nails won't screw into wood.

Every Rednek knows that on wood screws,threads are used for removing the screw.

They actually make a drive bolt,that is designed to be driven in and screwed out.

It is used on utility poles.

They also work good on tree stands--easy in,easy out.

Here is an image of a J drive bolt used on utility poles,and elsewhere.Notice the angle of the threads.

That looks like it's basically a buttress thread- real easy to move in one direction, real strong in the other. A lot of vise's use that type of thread for that very reason.

It's easy to bust a lot of boards and fingers doing that.

Been thereish I used to have a fairly flat car key that I always used to remove socketed ICs especially those old .1" pitch .6" wide PROMS.

Unfortunately (or is that stupidly) I did it one day and left my keys at a subcontractor's in Wales and didn't realise 'til I got back to work because I was using a company car.

When I had to remove a known bad IC ,I simply cut all of the legs off and removed the pins with a solder sucker and tweezers.

Same thing with other board components.

>Needle files make excellent hand-operated clamps in delicate soldering operations

Dynamite idea. It never occurred to me. Thanks for sharing.

I have used an Allen tool to remove Torx screws.

Also two bow wrenches for more leverage.

...and I've done the reverse (used a Torx driver to remove Allen head screws).

Now please reduce my ignorance: what's a bow wrench"

I think that's a typo; he meant box wrench I'm sure. Probably the box of one over the open end of a combination wrench to get more leverage by the longer "handle."

I bet you're right! I didn't think of that...

A bow wrench is used to straighten warped decking boards.

Nah, a bow wrench is used to work on a crossbow....

A bow wrench is used to fine tune your compound archery bow. There are many different size Allen's for the bow adjustments. Usually a folded pack of Allen wrenches.

Allen wrenches also come in metric sizes, of course. I agree with the cutoff wheel for the music wire. That hard stuff might even leave a dent in the cutting edge of your pliers or whatever cutoff tool you use.

A neon light bulb makes a good static electricity detector. Hold one lead and ground the other and the static will make the light flash.

A fluorescent tube will detect microwaves. I have used this on megawatt microwaves at about 50 yds, but I don't know the power level or range limits.

<...A fluorescent tube will detect microwaves...>

Yep. It can also be used to detect whether or not a 2m-band amateur radio, a CB, or a PMR446 radio transmitter is working on transmit!

How will it show those differences?

It's a working/not-working indicator.

I see now that that is what you wrote in your post - sorry I didn't read it better the first time.

On the power threshold - I saw a Youtube where a 5W handheld radio would light the tube. I tried to do the same with my cell phone, which is less than 1W, and got no light. So the threshold is somewhere between 1W and 5W.

All the time, but I have a better one-using the right tool for the right job!

Just the other day I actually used a slot screwdriver to remove a slotted screw!! With the exception of a 3/16 slot for switch plate covers (which this was NOT), I have a whole pile of pry bars/ paint can openers/ roughing chisels/ door wedges....

Not a tool, but used as such. A straight radiator hose to remove a burned out light bulb from a bug zapper when my hand won't fit.

Sometimes, just sometimes I see people struggling with person related issues and I am always tempted to suggest the use of a hammer. But I believe this is illegal.

Why did you put a picture of crumbled up, steel hard toe nails in our heads?

This could well be a person related issue right there...

Actually,I use these for my toenails,especially the big ones which are very thick,yellow,gnarly,bent with a ridge down the center like a miniature mountain range..It is the only tool that will cut them.I used to climb trees barefooted a lot when I was young,and after many breakages,they thickened up and can bear my weight in tree bark.
I don't climb trees anymore,getting old I guess.

I use a coarse vegetable zester to remove the toe jam between the toes.

My wife keeps her kitchen tools in a separate locked drawer,ever since she caught me using he Cuisinart to wash my socks.

Women! I just don't understand them.

As I get older,my toenails get harder and thicker.I have found that these work very well.

Hoof nippers These are used to cut the hoof wall down to the correct length and to cut off any excessive or damaged sole or hoof area to reduce the need for extra rasping.

Of course,a rasp is optional to smooth out the nails to keep them from snagging on the bed sheets.

An angle grinder works well. It either does a neat job or you never need to worry about cutting your toe nails again.

An 8 foot fluorescent light bulb bungie corded to the side of a motorcycle rear tire makes a great wheel alignment guide. Just use tie downs to the garage rafters to stand the bike straight up. Use a magnetic base level on a brake disk to check the level of the motorcycle.

My hedge trimmer/lawn mower.

One of ‘Mad Max’ movie sequels… after the budget cuts…

I just had to get something from my old electronic tool kit and found my old pocket multimeter with In Circuit pogo probes

fitted to the original test probes: they are much sharper and much easier to hold in place on tiny IC legs because they are spring loaded.

We all know about the mis-use/abuse of screwdrivers--prying, chiseling, etc. I reserve one screwdriver for those tasks so my good ones don't get buggered up.

I once worked as an apprentice in Sweden. I learned the same word for wedge, chisel and screwdriver. Say no more!

At our camp up north I use an axe to shave in the morning.

Wouldn't an axe be sorta awkward to use for shaving? What did you use for a strop?

Quite drole he is not?

...yes indeed.

Good tough wolverine hide is my strop of choice.

Good tough wolverine hide is my strop of choice.

Is the hide still on the live wolverine?

I tried that,but the wolverine did not like it very much.

He was ok until I went against the grain.

I still have the scars to prove it.

I would have been better of if I had tried to sandpaper a wild cat's butt in a phone booth.

All good lumberjacks use their forearm for a strop for their axes before shaving or tree cutting.

People are getting so soft nowadays.

We never used our fore arms for a strop because we burned the hair off with gasoline,and a steel wire brush to de-bride if you were young and had tender skin.

We used Rhino hide for a hone.

Only awkward if you have weak limber wrists.

Do you hold it in one hand and scrape or hold it in both hands and swing it?

I taught this man how to do it.

Good stuff, I hope Gillette is taking note.

I've always used an electric shaver, but it makes me appreciate my Grandpa who used a straight razor.

Back in the days of double edge razor blades and times were hard,people would rub a dull razor blade on the inside of a drinking glass to hone the edge.It worked great.The angle was just right,and the glass was very effective at sharpening the blade.

I remember a great uncle that had a razor blade sharpener..it was a hand-cranked turn table,surfaced in leather,and a clip held the blade and lowered it onto the table as you turned the handle.After a certain number of turns,it flipped the blade over and did the other side.After both edges were sharpened,you rotated the blade to get the other two edges.

I haven't seen one of those in years.His was stolen after he died.

So, sort of a mechanized strop?

OH YEA!We use a chainsaw for that,but the boss gets mad because it dulls the chain so badly and has to be resharpened before he can use it.It really pulls on the hair if not sharp!Not that it hurts,but it tends to pull out nose and ear hair by the roots,not to mention chest and back hair.

("The first liar never has a chance!")

I've often had occasion to use the flat of my axe for a hammer.

Also used a hammer as an anvil.

If I could just use an anvil as an axe, it'd be full circle.

I keep a flathead screwdriver in the meter cupboard outside my house. If wind blows my door shut when dealing with the bins it can easily be used to open the latch. This can work no matter which way the curved surface of the latch is facing. Needless to say, I deadlock the door if going out for the day. A credit card can do the same, but I keep that for slicing cheese or whatever if eating on the hoof.

Credit cards make excellent scrapers for vehicle windscreens on an icy morning...

I just knew there was a reason the company asked me to send mine back after Christmas every year. A touching concern that I may have damaged it .

Pleased to know that my shop guys were not the only ones to abuse wood chisels in such a fashion.

Well, maybe not pleased...

Or how many Craftsman screwdrivers with life time warranties returned their screw driver because ahhhh the screwdriver tip broke off…��

the paint on a used can of paint can be mighty tough glue…

... or used as a wood chisel, because those have all been ruined by using them as screwdrivers, paint can openers, pry bars, or cold chisels.

I try to reserve one screwdriver for the non-screwing tasks--prying, chiseling, pounding, and all the others. That screwdriver is quite beat-up now!

Some manufacturers make screwdrivers specifically for chiselling etc. they're called "pound through" or "hammer through" screwdrivers

like these https://www.amazon.com/Screwdriver-Fastening-Chiseling-Loosening-6Phillips/dp/B091Y8JR22/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1TDR8XF1HARMV&keywords=pound%2Bthrough%2Bscrewdriver&qid=1684141140&sprefix=pound%2Bthrough%2Bscrewdriver%2Caps%2C150&sr=8-2&th=1

I can't tell whether the shanks are square in order to put a wrench on them. Or whether the "thingie" above the handle is shaped for a wrench or socket. Years ago I tested a tool using an air hammer to apply axial impacts to the screw; it also had a built-in handle to apply torque to the screw at the same time. This worked great on a rusty salt spreader. (The usual impact wrenches apply torsional impacts to a nut or bolt,) I think this axial impact tool was from the aircraft industry--they have some interesting tools that could help us.

Thanks for that tip. An SDS hammer drill set to hammer only with a drill chuck fitted holding a short socket will be my next 'go to.'

But watch the depth of the socket. It may contact the base metal first and not put the impacts into the nut/bolt.

Thank you. I have plenty of good quality of sockets that i can machine back to prevent that. I have had to reduce diameter on some to get into the counterbore that the head of the bolt/screw is in.

I think the shafts are 6mm hex, and the top is a larger hex :-

I had previously stuck all my plastic coated paper clips out of sight. I found it disturbing that such a simple elegant device would be coated with plastic. Your suggestion on using them for jumpers made me dig them out and try them as jumpers. They are easier to strip than enameled magnet wire and stiffer than copper wire.

good idea!

No need for a hot glue gun.

Just heat the end of the glue stick with a cigarette lighter or match,and apply it where needed.

I have found that the clear glue stick works best,it has a slow cool time and allows time to position parts.

A very small dab to the end of a screw allows you to attach it to a screwdriver to put it in deep holes.It also allows enough time to retrieve screws that are dropped into a Murphy hole.

A cigarette lighter can be used to solder wires together,such as automotive or boat wires.Use a small size rosin core solder,and wrap it around the twisted splice.It will melt into the joint.Then top it off with hot glue and you have a good,solid insulated splice.If using for an underwater(marine) splice,shrink a piece of hot-shrink tubing over it after applying the hot glue,and heat it until the glue comes out the ends of the shrink tubing.

I have a butane pocket torch in my tool kit for such use.

The clear hot glue is a VERY GOOD insulator.

I used it many years ago to prevent corona arcing on old TV triplers,which is over 5 kilo volts.

Easy to put in a tool kit,saves space and works well.

I have one in my go bag as well.

"5 kilo volts"

Thank you, it brought a flood of memories of my Dad talking TV repair or ham radio. He had an old HP freq counter with the 5 or 6 columns of neon bulbs and frequencies were always "kilocycles". He retired in 1983 and the only time he ever said "Hertz" was when the pain was significant.

I got a drill bit stuck in several layers of stainless steel. I held the layers in my mole wrench (vice grip) but couldn't get a grip on the drill bit to unscrew it. These small pliers had a perfect sized grip but two rubber bands weren't enough to stop the bit turning; three rubber bands snapped the arm.

Should have used a pipe wrench.

My uncle needed some small stainless washers,and the hardware store wanted 10 cents apiece for them.He came home and drilled out some nickles instead.He had lots of common sense.(Pardon the pun)

Toe nail clippers are made differently than fingernail clippers.

The cutter is not curved,they are straight,to prevent ingrown toenails.

I have to use hoof nippers to trim my toenails now.

I used to climb trees barefooted when 'coon hunting,and it broke my toenails so many times they were like spikes,I could just jam them in the tree and go on up,after the raccoon.

My wife refuses to look at or trim them anymore,I have to go to a farrier to get them trimmed.

(I still haven't quite got used to wearing shoes yet,but some places won't let me in barefooted).(Gettin' soft in my old age,I guess).

I had a can of ceiling paint that had been sitting for over 5 years.It was not skinned over,but it needed a good stirring.I took a Tee handle allen wrench,and stuck it through the lid of the can in a very close fitting hole, adjusted the handle about 1/8 inch from the bottom of the can and put the allen wrench shank in my drill press,cranked the speed up to high,and with the lid tightly on the can,I let'er rip at 3600 RPM. I Let it run for about an hour.The paint was perfectly mixed, and matched the old paint on the ceiling perfectly.

Does leaving the can upside down not prevent 'skinning'? I've never tried, but recommend keeping lid on can if trying that. It just occurs to me that maybe a nice layer of cling-film might do the trick. Rumour has it that Jackson Pollock started life as a decorator, so all is not lost.

Within the last month I repurposed a small aluminium frying pan (a tool) I bought for a couple of dollars at a flea market. I am building an e-bike and the bottom of the frying pan is now an inner guard on the front chain ring. Light weight and perfect size. I cut the disk from the bottom of the pan, keeping a bit of the transitional bend to the sides, which, facing inwards, provides a smooth edged guide and retainer for the chain.

I have found too that skateboard bearings (7/8" OD) fit nicely into brass plumbing couplings of the same ID, and are a good starting point for a DIY roller or strap pulley.

Skateboard bearings! I was rebuilding/rewiring my 55lb thrust trolling motor and wanted to put sealed bearings in it instead of the sheilded bearings it had. $15 a piece and all steel. I searched the size only instead of the application and size and low and behold I found a set of eight skateboard bearings for $11! And they are ceramic balls with Delrin cages to boot! Sold as High Performance Longboard wheel bearings.

With the ceramics in there, there is no chance of any loop currents through the shaft.

I use the large binder clips for the chip bags. Much better than those wimpy plastic things that don't grip anything.

Small binder clips for smaller items like cheese wrapper and the like.

They do tend to rust though if they get wet.