Lost Spanner

[CitroJim]

I needed to test a sphere this morning that entails the use of a 12mm spanner to nip up the bleed valve on the tester...

I was vexed to find my favourite 12mm spanner was no nowhere to be found in the toolbox.

I was somewhat vexed as it's a spanner I've had for over 30 years now and I'm (and I'm sure this will surprise nobody) rather attached to it...

The last time I recalled using it was to 'pose' a picture of undoing a bleed valve for a Citroenian photograph.

On the off-chance I had a quick look under the bonnet of Rattiva and lo and behold, there was my 12mm spanner, still attached to the bleed valve.

What is rather remarkable is that spanner had been sitting there for at least 6 weeks and had stayed in place on a journey to Aberystwyth and back...

By my calculation it had been there for about 700 miles.

I'm very happy to be re-united with my spanner...

[addo]

I drove that far yesterday. More to the point, the way I drove - no chance it would've stayed put.

Glad you found it - but chuckling at the techie's mindset about tools (lifetime acquisitions). I've been reprogrammed to accept that they wear out, get lost, stolen, whatever, no matter what the grade of item. The good ones last better under conditions of abuse or general misapplication.

[CitroJim]

My tools are my friends, nay babies, Adam and I know, from long use, exactly how they feel to do a job. I miss any that are lost, fortunately a rare experience, terribly.

Sorry but I'll never be able to reprogramme myself to accept the loss of a much-loved tool...

Generally mine are good quality and wearing out is infrequent. When they do they are replaced with equal or better quality and a new and hopefully long relationship develops.

[myglaren]

I'm still grieving for the loss of my two 19mm combination spanners, bought to fix a gearbox linkage problem on either the Xantia or the Accord, can't remember which now but most probably the Xantia.
Could have used them last week at work to repair one of the presses (work have no tools at all ).

If I wasn't so stingy I would buy new ones. Then never use them again.

[Bannedbiker]

Some years ago I had a council lock-up garage half a mile from home, it was where I used to keep a couple of motorcycles.
One day a drove over there to tinker with one of them. As I was clearing up I put a 8mm Snap-on spanner on the bootlid. I only remenbered an hour later when I was home, followed by a long "NOOOOOOOOOO" and several swear words. I did go up the road but no sign of it. Cost over £20 for a replacement.
Moral of the story kids, always check your tools!!!!!

[spider]

Small 1/4 drive sockets that do a disappearing act into a box section or suchlike are quite annoying. I do have a magnetic tray but you know how it is, you put them down elsewhere sometimes...

[Napoleon]

On opening the bonnet of a hired Transit many years ago, prior to a journey, I found a bird's nest with eggs in it. How far had that lot travelled around the UK?!

[deuchebleu]

On the other hand I have gained a few spanners and a pair of pliers which had been inadvertently left in the engine bay of one of my former Xantias during servicing. It was a company car so no option regarding the servicing. I still treasure one of them, a 13mm Snap On stubby combination. A real quality feel to it.

John

[wheeler]

I once drove 8 miles with my locking wheel nut key still attatched to the bolt, luckily it was aftermarket alloys & the hole was quite deeply recesed & it was still there when i stopped after realising.