Winston wrote:
Lee Michaels wrote:
"stan" wrote

But number of times have been asked to assist people assemble some
items, who don't even have a hammer or screwdriver in the house! So
one ends up using a dinner knife to take out a screw or going home to
get one's own tools!
==================

Yep, I was part of a business startup once. A bunch of guys in newly
rented offices. And I brought some tools in a crate in case they were
needed. I suddenly became the local tool store and general fix it
wizard. My qualifications?? I actually owned some tools and brought
them to work! It was a constant battle to get the tools back.
Everyone wanted to use the tools, but nobody wanted to give them back.

Been there done that, lost the screwdriver.

I worked at a computer manufacturer under contract.
I finally put a stop to tool theft by buying each
of the engineers a small tool kit with all the
essentials for servicing 'our' model of computer.

That was the smartest 500 bucks I ever spent because
It stopped the chronic interruptions and freed up
the time I spent looking for tools that had gone
walkabout.

--Winston

I've probably shared this story on here before- one summer, as a kid, I
was stuck with the duty of being the key-keeper for the tool crib on a
apartment complex construction site. 'Borrowed' tools never seemed to
come back. After about the 3rd time replacing missing shovels, chains,
12-lb sledges, and such, the next time I made a run to the supply house,
I also got a couple cans of dayglo pink spray paint, like they mark pipe
locations with. I put big splashes of pink on all the tools, and the MIA
rate went WAY down. It also made it a lot easier to spot orphan tools
left laying around the site by the casual labor temp crews, most of who
vanished after their first payday.

I may be a lazy slob of questionable ethics, but I always return
borrowed tools, and if I lose it or break it, I replace it. Too bad my
office mates aren't like that. I only take cheap tools in there, to keep
in the briefcase under the cubicle 'desk'.

--
aem sends...

On Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:57:53 -0400, aemeijers
wrote:

Winston wrote:
Lee Michaels wrote:
"stan" wrote

But number of times have been asked to assist people assemble some
items, who don't even have a hammer or screwdriver in the house! So
one ends up using a dinner knife to take out a screw or going home to
get one's own tools!
==================

Yep, I was part of a business startup once. A bunch of guys in newly
rented offices. And I brought some tools in a crate in case they were
needed. I suddenly became the local tool store and general fix it
wizard. My qualifications?? I actually owned some tools and brought
them to work! It was a constant battle to get the tools back.
Everyone wanted to use the tools, but nobody wanted to give them back.

Been there done that, lost the screwdriver.

I worked at a computer manufacturer under contract.
I finally put a stop to tool theft by buying each
of the engineers a small tool kit with all the
essentials for servicing 'our' model of computer.

That was the smartest 500 bucks I ever spent because
It stopped the chronic interruptions and freed up
the time I spent looking for tools that had gone
walkabout.

--Winston

I've probably shared this story on here before- one summer, as a kid, I
was stuck with the duty of being the key-keeper for the tool crib on a
apartment complex construction site. 'Borrowed' tools never seemed to
come back. After about the 3rd time replacing missing shovels, chains,
12-lb sledges, and such, the next time I made a run to the supply house,
I also got a couple cans of dayglo pink spray paint, like they mark pipe
locations with. I put big splashes of pink on all the tools, and the MIA
rate went WAY down. It also made it a lot easier to spot orphan tools
left laying around the site by the casual labor temp crews, most of who
vanished after their first payday.

I may be a lazy slob of questionable ethics, but I always return
borrowed tools, and if I lose it or break it, I replace it. Too bad my
office mates aren't like that. I only take cheap tools in there, to keep
in the briefcase under the cubicle 'desk'.

I put a circle of red and a circle of green on the handle of my tools.
People on the job got used to seeing those colors, and I would get
tools back from the honest people.

People from other trades even knew who they belonged to.

Metspitzer wrote:
(snip)

I put a circle of red and a circle of green on the handle of my tools.
People on the job got used to seeing those colors, and I would get
tools back from the honest people.

People from other trades even knew who they belonged to.

Red and Green, huh? Did they cover them with duct tape? :^/

--
aem sends...

On 2009-08-25, Metspitzer wrote:


People on the job got used to seeing those colors, and I would get
tools back from the honest people.

I had a similar system. If I loaned a tool out and didn't get it
back, I'd turn over heaven and earth to hunt 'em down and reclaim it.
If I caught someone absconding with a tool w/o my permission, I read
'em the riot act at full volume in front of the whole production
floor. People soon learned my rollaway was not worth it.

nb

aemeijers wrote:
Winston wrote:
Lee Michaels wrote:
"stan" wrote

But number of times have been asked to assist people assemble some
items, who don't even have a hammer or screwdriver in the house! So
one ends up using a dinner knife to take out a screw or going home
to get one's own tools!
==================



I've probably shared this story on here before- one summer, as a kid,
I was stuck with the duty of being the key-keeper for the tool crib
on a apartment complex construction site. 'Borrowed' tools never
seemed to come back. After about the 3rd time replacing missing
shovels, chains, 12-lb sledges, and such, the next time I made a run
to the supply house, I also got a couple cans of dayglo pink spray
paint, like they mark pipe locations with. I put big splashes of pink
on all the tools, and the MIA rate went WAY down. It also made it a
lot easier to spot orphan tools left laying around the site by the
casual labor temp crews, most of who vanished after their first
payday.
I may be a lazy slob of questionable ethics, but I always return
borrowed tools, and if I lose it or break it, I replace it. Too bad my
office mates aren't like that. I only take cheap tools in there, to
keep in the briefcase under the cubicle 'desk'.

Different context, but one day many moons ago, folk in my office were
horrified when I deliberately use a coin to destroy the paint on a stapler I
had recieved that day. I kept it in use in the office until it broke about
19 years later!

Remember Tippex? I used that to similar good effect.

Metspitzer wrote in
:

On Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:57:53 -0400, aemeijers
wrote:

Winston wrote:
Lee Michaels wrote:
"stan" wrote

But number of times have been asked to assist people assemble some
items, who don't even have a hammer or screwdriver in the house! So
one ends up using a dinner knife to take out a screw or going home
to get one's own tools!
==================

Yep, I was part of a business startup once. A bunch of guys in
newly rented offices. And I brought some tools in a crate in case
they were needed. I suddenly became the local tool store and
general fix it wizard. My qualifications?? I actually owned some
tools and brought them to work! It was a constant battle to get
the tools back. Everyone wanted to use the tools, but nobody wanted
to give them back.

Been there done that, lost the screwdriver.

I worked at a computer manufacturer under contract.
I finally put a stop to tool theft by buying each
of the engineers a small tool kit with all the
essentials for servicing 'our' model of computer.

That was the smartest 500 bucks I ever spent because
It stopped the chronic interruptions and freed up
the time I spent looking for tools that had gone
walkabout.

--Winston

I've probably shared this story on here before- one summer, as a kid,
I was stuck with the duty of being the key-keeper for the tool crib on
a apartment complex construction site. 'Borrowed' tools never seemed
to come back. After about the 3rd time replacing missing shovels,
chains, 12-lb sledges, and such, the next time I made a run to the
supply house, I also got a couple cans of dayglo pink spray paint,
like they mark pipe locations with. I put big splashes of pink on all
the tools, and the MIA rate went WAY down. It also made it a lot
easier to spot orphan tools left laying around the site by the casual
labor temp crews, most of who vanished after their first payday.

I may be a lazy slob of questionable ethics, but I always return
borrowed tools, and if I lose it or break it, I replace it. Too bad my
office mates aren't like that. I only take cheap tools in there, to
keep in the briefcase under the cubicle 'desk'.

I put a circle of red and a circle of green on the handle of my tools.
People on the job got used to seeing those colors, and I would get
tools back from the honest people.

People from other trades even knew who they belonged to.


COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT! Expect a visit from the Possum Van.

On Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:44:48 +0100, "Clot"
wrote:

aemeijers wrote:
Winston wrote:
Lee Michaels wrote:
"stan" wrote

But number of times have been asked to assist people assemble some
items, who don't even have a hammer or screwdriver in the house! So
one ends up using a dinner knife to take out a screw or going home
to get one's own tools!
==================



I've probably shared this story on here before- one summer, as a kid,
I was stuck with the duty of being the key-keeper for the tool crib
on a apartment complex construction site. 'Borrowed' tools never
seemed to come back. After about the 3rd time replacing missing
shovels, chains, 12-lb sledges, and such, the next time I made a run
to the supply house, I also got a couple cans of dayglo pink spray
paint, like they mark pipe locations with. I put big splashes of pink
on all the tools, and the MIA rate went WAY down. It also made it a
lot easier to spot orphan tools left laying around the site by the
casual labor temp crews, most of who vanished after their first
payday.
I may be a lazy slob of questionable ethics, but I always return
borrowed tools, and if I lose it or break it, I replace it. Too bad my
office mates aren't like that. I only take cheap tools in there, to
keep in the briefcase under the cubicle 'desk'.

Different context, but one day many moons ago, folk in my office were
horrified when I deliberately use a coin to destroy the paint on a stapler I
had recieved that day. I kept it in use in the office until it broke about
19 years later!

Remember Tippex? I used that to similar good effect.


I used to send crews to trade shows to man a booth. They had various
forms and cards to be filled out by visitors. Pens disappeared almost
as soon as they were put out. I think it was mostly a case of absent
mindedness. My solution was to have them use stick pens, like the
cheap bics, and put them out without the caps. People were less absent
minded about putting a pen in their pocket or purse if it had no cap.
It worked very well. I've recommended this to chashiers at the grocery
store who have a similar problem losing pens when people sign credit
card slips. They seem to like it, too.