ToughButterCup Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 Is the cost of tools with legs a cost the self-builder just has to accept? I've begun to get a bit fed up of small things going missing: a key-less chuck, small hand tools, a wheel barrow, an fairly serious attempt at appropriating a mixer. Not committed by thieves, just tired builders throwing stuff in their van at the end of a hard days work, too tired to care.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 Again at the risk of repeating myself my builders are great, apart from using my new gardening wheelbarrow for concrete and bashing it about a bit they are very good at keeping my tools separate from theirs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 Funny. I gained a set of ladders that none of the builders knew anything about. And some roadwork signs left behind by the subcontractors that made the road crossing. And a couple of hand saws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jack Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 The only thing I lost from start to finish was an electric chainsaw (and to be fair, I can't remember when I last saw it - I may have lent it to someone), and a spare unbranded battery for my Makita stuff. By the time everyone left, we'd gained a small aluminium platform, a fluorescent worklight, a couple of cheap handsaws, and a hammer. 17 minutes ago, ProDave said: And a couple of hand saws. Same for us. I think they're so cheap now that people treat them as disposable. I seem to recall seeing a basic Stanley saw for around a fiver - crazy stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 My new saw wasn't cheap when the roofers bought it at full price on my account from the merchants .... and took it with them ..! I did get 3 trestles in return, and when their apprentice emptied the van into my skip I also gained about 70kg of scrap lead.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToughButterCup Posted September 28, 2017 Author Share Posted September 28, 2017 Hmm, I've just remembered. I have four trestles left here by someone. Too old, concrete-covered and rickety to bother about I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gone West Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 I've never 'lost' any tools from site, but I have gained some and hundreds of nails and screws. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 19 minutes ago, jack said: Same for us. I think they're so cheap now that people treat them as disposable. I seem to recall seeing a basic Stanley saw for around a fiver - crazy stuff. I only buy handsaws when Howdens do their "3 saws for £10" deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToughButterCup Posted September 28, 2017 Author Share Posted September 28, 2017 30 minutes ago, PeterStarck said: [...] gained some and hundreds of nails and screws. I'm busy recycling my screws. It's more faff, but they are so expensive.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexphd1 Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 We haven't had many trades but everybody pretty good are separating their tools at the end of the day. @recoveringacademic are that trestles looking for a new home? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToughButterCup Posted September 28, 2017 Author Share Posted September 28, 2017 @Alexphd1: not yet; but tell me when you are passing us on the M6 ............... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexphd1 Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 (edited) We are going down the m6 in a couple of weeks to a zinc roof course in bolton, but we are up and down m6 regular. Funnily enough our builder left their trestles on our site with the understanding next job they needed them they would pick them up from us. We had them a few weeks we didn't realise how handy they where and looking for before next ICF build. Edited September 28, 2017 by Alexphd1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Harris Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 3 hours ago, PeterStarck said: I've never 'lost' any tools from site, but I have gained some and hundreds of nails and screws. I spent ages picking up nails. I had a load of 20mm diameter neodymium magnets, the ones with a countersunk centre hole , that I'd used as door latches. I screwed a row of these to a batten, fixed the batten at right angles to another to make a thing that looked like a broom with no bristles and wrapped an inside out carrier bag around the head and taped it in place. Just dragging this across the site picked up loads of nails, mainly nail gun misfires, I think. The carrier bag is there so you can just untape it, turn it the right way around and pull off all the nails the magnets have collected. The landscaping chap watched me doing it, said nothing for a while, then came over, looked in the bucket of rusty nails I'd collected and said "What are you doing then, collecting puncture seeds?" 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeSharp01 Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 3 hours ago, PeterStarck said: I've never 'lost' any tools from site, but I have gained some and hundreds of nails and screws. I would worry that those screws should be securing things! Could they be like the screws left over when you have disassembled and then reassembled something. Although I am reminded of a story told by a 90 year old friend of mine. He used to sell cars to the Americans who were over here after WW2 and he would go to the factory and collect them. On his way to delivering them he would stop and lift all the carpets. Removed the dozens of nuts, bolts and washers left over from assembly that were rolling about in the floor pan and replace the carpets. The cars were quieter and pretty soon he had a world class selection of nuts and bolts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToughButterCup Posted September 28, 2017 Author Share Posted September 28, 2017 10 hours ago, Alexphd1 said: We are going down the m6 in a couple of weeks to a zinc roof course in bolton, but we are up and down m6 regular. We are 2 whole minutes from J33. You will always be welcome. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney12 Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 Dustpan brushes! I lost another yesterday (sparkies must have liberated it). I think I might start buying them in bulk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trw144 Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 12 hours ago, ProDave said: Funny. I gained a set of ladders that none of the builders knew anything about. And some roadwork signs left behind by the subcontractors that made the road crossing. And a couple of hand saws. Mmm, I had two pairs of ladders go missing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trw144 Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 Also managed to gain a screw from local building site last week..... unfortunately it was in my tyre wall and speed rating of tyre meant it couldn't be fixed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Harris Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 15 minutes ago, Trw144 said: Also managed to gain a screw from local building site last week..... unfortunately it was in my tyre wall and speed rating of tyre meant it couldn't be fixed I reckon that's why our landscaping guy calls them "puncture seeds".................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roundtuit Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 I'm up a handsaw, but down a wheelbarrow and a 30m tape measure so far. I've sort of come to accept that whatever tools or materials happen to be on site are assumed to be there purely for the convenience of what ever trade is passing through... I did construct my temporary stairs from discarded timber and nails though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
readiescards Posted September 29, 2017 Share Posted September 29, 2017 23 hours ago, PeterStarck said: I've never 'lost' any tools from site, but I have gained some and hundreds of nails and screws. Ditto here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dudda Posted September 29, 2017 Share Posted September 29, 2017 I find some of my tools get legs and go missing when I'm working on my own in the house. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted September 29, 2017 Share Posted September 29, 2017 3 minutes ago, Dudda said: I find some of my tools get legs and go missing when I'm working on my own in the house. Ha, I found my mixing paddle to mix some self levelling compound the other day and after a cup of coffee I spent nearly two hours trying to find it again, yes I was on site on my own, no one to blame AAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHH? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bitpipe Posted September 29, 2017 Share Posted September 29, 2017 I always enjoy finding what i was looking for yesterday while looking for something different today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Construction Channel Posted September 29, 2017 Share Posted September 29, 2017 Put your name on everything! if it's got a name on it people generally won't nick it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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