When a tool makes you realise how stupid you are

[skotl]

Got a new pneumatic riveter (great kit!) the other day.

Went to put it together in the kitchen, as you do, and I was caught out out somewhat by the new-fangled rubber seal on the hose connector socket.
Never seen one of them before, I thought - must be for a better seal.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get the adapter to screw into rubber grommet. Even though it does have inner threads on it...

Yeah, I know... you're all way ahead of me... Anyway, dinner was ready so I put it all back in the box and left it for a few days until last night.

When, of course, I finally realised (three days after you lot) that it's the dust cap


Now, I already know how stupid this makes me. And that's before you ask the reasonable question "how did you think the air was going to get through, when it was a solid bung?". I really don't know - can only blame a combination of hunger and gross stupidity.


What tools have made you realise that a fruit fly who's been held back at poo-school for three years running might be smarter than you?

 

[winchman]

I know a bloke who fitted a rather large pump that has the same bungs in from the factory yes he didn't remove the bungs, ran the pump dry!

 

[skotl]

I know a bloke who fitted a rather large pump that has the same bungs in from the factory yes he didn't remove the bungs, ran the pump dry!

So, it is possible to fit into them? Will try even harder next time!

 

[Mark 5]

Got a new pneumatic riveter (great kit!) the other day.

Went to put it together in the kitchen, as you do, and I was caught out out somewhat by the new-fangled rubber seal on the hose connector socket.
Never seen one of them before, I thought - must be for a better seal.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get the adapter to screw into rubber grommet. Even though it does have inner threads on it...

Yeah, I know... you're all way ahead of me... Anyway, dinner was ready so I put it all back in the box and left it for a few days until last night.

When, of course, I finally realised (three days after you lot) that it's the dust cap


Now, I already know how stupid this makes me. And that's before you ask the reasonably question "how did you think the air was going to get through, when it was a solid bung?". I really don't know - can only blame a combination of hunger and gross stupidity.


What tools have made you realise that a fruit fly who's been held back at poo-school for three years running might be smarter than you?

Been there, done it, you are not alone.

 

[jmp49]

I had a hydraulic spreader with a separate hand pump and it had bungs in between the two parts for shipping, but they were stepped & threaded for the fitting that they blocked off entry for. Cue me assembling it for the first time and wondered why it didnt build pressure and seemed to be straining & red face after a few minutes prodding things.

 

[knighty]

Friday just gone

wasn't even using them at the time, held them to my chest with my arms while I used my hands to drag out some brambles that were wrapped around trees
(my back is knackered, couldn't keep putting them down and picking them up)

bramble or something must have pushed the trigger

chopped right through the last knuckle, had a flap of skin holding it on

a+e checked it, plastic surgeon had a look, bandaged it up and said come back tomorrow if it's still alive we'll fix it back on, if it's dead we'll take it off

appointment 9.55am... got there not long after 9 to make sure... they checked it, said end is still alive, we'll fix it back on

was finally seen to 9 hour later and it was dead, they changed the consent form from fixing it to chopping it off and had me sign it on the operating table

 

[Migmac]

Fencing pliers, I had no idea why the jaws had two holes in them. Never saw anyone else use them for anything apart from putting a bit of tension on wire. Who knew that they were actually for holding staples while you hit them with a hammer. Years of use before I found out

 

[Migmac]

Friday just gone

wasn't even using them at the time, held them to my chest with my arms while I used my hands to drag out some brambles that were wrapped around trees
(my back is knackered, couldn't keep putting them down and picking them up)

bramble or something must have pushed the trigger

chopped right through the last knuckle, had a flap of skin holding it on

a+e checked it, plastic surgeon had a look, bandaged it up and said come back tomorrow if it's still alive we'll fix it back on, if it's dead we'll take it off

appointment 9.55am... got there not long after 9 to make sure... they checked it, said end is still alive, we'll fix it back on

was finally seen to 9 hour later and it was dead, they changed the consent form from fixing it to chopping it off and had me sign it on the operating table








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That’s not so good

 

[bourbon]

I cannot even begin to say about some of the returns we have had back for the daftest of reasons. One example. ' Gennie: 'wont run, keeps cutting out' Turn the fuel on then! Bye I've got loads more like that one

 

[minimutly]

I know a bloke who fitted a rather large pump that has the same bungs in from the factory yes he didn't remove the bungs, ran the pump dry!

When I worked in the dairy there was a problem with the dust filters on top of the powder silo blocked. They were fed with pulsed air to clean them - DCE dallamatic if I recall. Well the pillock who fitted them had left all the bungs in the solenoids, for 2 years or more they'd never worked.

 

[sako243]

Fencing pliers, I had no idea why the jaws had two holes in them. Never saw anyone else use them for anything apart from putting a bit of tension on wire. Who knew that they were actually for holding staples while you hit them with a hammer. Years of use before I found out

Funnily enough I thought they were for that - I've yet to find a staple that actually fits inside them though...

 

[skotl]

I cannot even begin to say about some of the returns we have had back for the daftest of reasons. One example. ' Gennie: 'wont run, keeps cutting out' Turn the fuel on then! Bye I've got loads more like that one

Did that with my mower, last spring, Who knew that previous-year-me would have had the foresight to close the fuel line when I had put it away before the winter? Was pulling the sodding starter cord for ages before I realised...

(this thread may turn into a long list of proof that I'm too dumb to own tools)

 

[Bsmith]

Fella wanted to borrow my trailer one day, came back to me saying the towball on his car was too big, yes, he was trying to put it on while the ball cover was still on.

 

[Farside]

Friday just gone

wasn't even using them at the time, held them to my chest with my arms while I used my hands to drag out some brambles that were wrapped around trees
(my back is knackered, couldn't keep putting them down and picking them up)

bramble or something must have pushed the trigger

chopped right through the last knuckle, had a flap of skin holding it on

a+e checked it, plastic surgeon had a look, bandaged it up and said come back tomorrow if it's still alive we'll fix it back on, if it's dead we'll take it off

appointment 9.55am... got there not long after 9 to make sure... they checked it, said end is still alive, we'll fix it back on

was finally seen to 9 hour later and it was dead, they changed the consent form from fixing it to chopping it off and had me sign it on the operating table








View attachment 485652

View attachment 485651

That's your diddling finger!

 

[minimutly]

That's your diddling finger!

No it's not!
Whatever, not any more knightly... Don't know what to say really - does it hurt?

 

[ajlelectronics]

That's your diddling finger!

If he's married, that's irrelevant.

 

[Erie Fred]

Fella wanted to borrow my trailer one day, came back to me saying the towball on his car was too big, yes, he was trying to put it on while the ball cover was still on.

Unfortunately "over here" we have 3 sizes:
1. 1 7/8"
2. 2"
3. 2 5/16"

Mixing up #1 & #2 is pretty easy to do, and causes problems.

When I re-did the small black trailer last summer, I removed the 1 7/8" hitch,
and replaced it with a 2" so I do not own a single 1 7/8" trailer anymore.

 

[lynx85]

Once I borrowed rototiller from my neighbor, together with his tractor. I have my own tractor, but at that time I had never drove anything else, so, if controls are different, then it is learning curve for me in beginning. After half an hour, when I had drove enough circles with rototiller in my field, I wanted to work more in corners. Without much thinking, I put tractor in reverse, rototiller still engaged and in ground. A second later I destroyed cardan, both rear lamps, some covers on rototiller. Well, who knew, right? Cost me about 400eur. Neighbor still don't know about it.

 

[xillent]

I used to use "tell us a daft thing you've done" as an icebreaker at training courses and the like to get everyone talking and laughing. I'd always go first (i've loads). You had to remind the guys not to tell any work related stories, just in case. Some of the stories were brilliant, although one lassie said she'd never done anything daft!!

 

[Robotstar5]

Unfortunately "over here" we have 3 sizes:
1. 1 7/8"
2. 2"
3. 2 5/16"

Mixing up #1 & #2 is pretty easy to do, and causes problems.

When I re-did the small black trailer last summer, I removed the 1 7/8" hitch,
and replaced it with a 2" so I do not own a single 1 7/8" trailer anymore.

We used to have 1 7/8" in the UK, but standardised the 50mm hitch about 50 years ago.