Handyman. That's me!

[Bob Wright]

Last week the hot water side of our kitchen faucet began dripping. Saturday, I braved the cold and took out the old stem and took it to the hardware store and bought replacement washer and screw. When I removed the faucet handle from the stem, I noticed it was shimmed with plastic tape, as the handle was slightly too large for the stem. No problem, I thought, and replaced the handle, using fresh plastic tape.

Saturday evening Nita said "The hot water in the kitchen doesn't work." Sure enough, the handle turned freely on the stem. I added more tape and it worked all day Sunday. Monday, free spinning again. Well, by then we were getting snowed in, so I got the bright idea, use some copper wire! Wrapped the stem with the fine copper wire and things were working. Until Tuesday. Another bright idea!

Instead of wrapping the stem, place the wire to fill in the splines of the stem and faucet. Not so easily done, but after a bit of frustration, got it back together and cut off the excess strands of wire! Perfect solution! Works like it was made for it.

So, I took all my tools back to the workshop. I have one toolbox dedicated to plumbing and electrical tools and necessities. I opened up the tool box, took out the tray, and.....

For the life of me, I can't remember buying those two new handles, the kind that have screw adjustable jaws and fit all stems!

Bob Wright

 

[Gator89]

Happens to the best of us.

 

[loaded round]

Damn, is that where I left them!

 

[Badger Matt]

You, sir, are borderline genius.

 

[SamV]

It is a little scary the number of times that I have found things that I forgot buying or owning. Multiple gas caps, electrical tools, gas cans, specialty screw drivers, stationary bench grinder!
Plus having to repurchase things like locks or chargers because I put them in a safe place where they wouldn’t get lost, but forgot where the safe place was located.
Maybe your guardian angel put those handles in your toolbox!

 

[coach]

I’ve been on an organizing mission for a few years to put similar items like electrical, plumbing, etc in the same place. It makes it much easier to find things. Of course that means I have to remember to look before I run to the hardware store to buy what I already have. CRS afflicts me from time to time. :roll:

 

[Mobuck]

Happens often here. I've been organizing(really just pawing through stuff) my reloading bench and area. Like a kid at Christmas-finding stuff I'd forgotten I had.
One of the high points of yesterday was some "Bakelite bullets". Any of you ever heard of those? Indoor practice bullets for a .30 cal rifle. The other was a crate containing 2x 2000 count boxes of .358 cast bullets and a gallon of 175 grain .30 cal HPBT bullets.

 

[Jeepnik]

As organized as I try to keep my tools and parts I often come across stuff I didn't know I had. My wife says it's because I always buy too much at the hardware store. But she never complains when I go out to the garage and grab the part I need to fix something at 0 dark thirty on a Sunday morning.

 

[Mobuck]

"But she never complains when I go out to the garage and grab the part I need to fix something at 0 dark thirty on a Sunday morning."
Way better to be "prepared" than not.

 

[eveled]

The system I’ve developed over the years is to know were something belongs. I can’t remember everything I own, but I know the place it would be if I had one. That way I only have 1 place to look, if it’s not there I know I don’t have it.

Similar to what coach has done.

 

[Del J]

Been there, done that.

 

[Skoopski]

...because I put them in a safe place where they wouldn’t get lost, but forgot where the safe place was located.

I swear, if I ever find my safe space, I’m gonna be rich from selling off all the duplicates I’ve had to purchase.

 

[bobski]

vice grips work too. just snap it to the stem...viola. hillbilly repair!

 

[Bob Wright]

vice grips work too. just snap it to the stem...viola. hillbilly repair!

Wife objects.

Bob Wright

 

[protoolman]

Everbody knows vice grips were invented to change channels on the old 13 channel tv sets!