[Bushwhacker]

Hi, I don't want to bore any of you, but I wanted to share my "getting old story".
Seems I will be 75 next month. Hard to believe since I remember being just 50 a few days ago.
Could be that I missed something in between.
Any way, last year on this day, and I am sure of this because Sandra told me that it was true.
I posted a video of me finishing the touch up painting on one of those 3 way high chairs.
You know what they are, you stand it up one way and it is a high chair, lay it down and it is a desk, then flip it over and it becomes a rocker.
My Great grand daughter Sasha, flips it over herself and she is just 16 months old.
Well, her mom decided that she would be much happier if she had a tray on this high chair, desk, rocker.
So, yesterday, I began to build the tray. I cut two pieces of 1 inch maple, drilled the edges and doweled the two pieces together.
Glued the two halfs, and left it over night in clamps to dry.
Today, I laid it put and cut the shape of a tray out.
Routed and sanded the edges and got it ready to rout out the center to make the bowl shape for when she spills her milk.
I got out my Porter Cable fixed base router and went to change the bit in it.
Seems the Porter Cable takes two open end wrenches to remove the bits.
I began to search for my wrenches.
I just used the thing a couple of months ago so I knew they must be here.
I tore my shop up searching, even went through the tools i keep in the camper.
I just could not find them.
I finally went on line to replacement parts and called them to order new wrenches.
The guy on the phone said the new wrenches were 1 1/8 inch open end wrenches.
So me being not sure what size the lock nuts on the Porter Cable were, said well, let me check and I will call
back. So, I returned to my shop, and with utmost difficulty, measured the locks nuts.
When I was satisfied that they were as close to 1 1/8 inch as I could figure, I returned to the house to call them again.
Before they connect you to a real live person they tell you to be sure to have the model number and the part number handy.
Since I had left the scrap of paper with these very important numbers on it in the shop.
I kept the phone which was on hold and returned to my shop.
AS I waited, I walked around the shop ONE MORE TIME, and check to be sure the wretches were non retrievable (lost).
Just as the girl answered and ask what part I was searching for, I reach behind my tool box that I had set on the counter
just this morning to search for a wrench for my neighbor, and I laid my hand on both 1 1/8 inch open end wrenches.
I told the girl that I was no longer in need of her services and hung up the phone.
Now, I don't think any of this had anything to do with age. All day I knew exactly what I had lost. At no time did I say" Now, what was I looking for?".
I am sure that if you guys would be completely honest, you would have to admit to doing the exact same thing. Maybe more then once.

Hmmm, I need to read all that I just wrote to find out what i was working on today.
Say, what are these two wrenches doing here on my desk?
They should be out in the shop.
This is how stuff gets lost

 

[Bushwhacker]

David, first of all, congrats on reaching that age soon.

So, I feel for you. I've put things down in the shop and within minutes, I mean, literally minutes, can't find them and don't remember what I did with them. Geez, it sucks getting old and I've still got 9 years before I catch up to you.

Now, about those wrenches. I attach the two wrenches to the Porter Cable's electrical cord on the router with twist ties - they're always there when I need them. For my Bosch, which usually sits in a router table, I've got a small box in the table that holds those wrenches, the second collet, the key for above-table adjustment, etc. I do the same for other tools that require hex wrenches - for those, I put them in a small baggie and tie that to the cord - try it, you'll like it.

Twist ties are a very good idea Vince, Thanks a lot.
That's my plan now.

david