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re : men asking....her tools

updated wed 13 feb 02

 

Stephani Stephenson on tue 12 feb 02


I haven't read all the messages in this thread ...

but...

I work in a studio with 3 men
I have my own tool boxes and tool rack
and I buy my own tools, clay and otherwise...
There are some larger tools which are not mine (lovely tile saw, covet,
covet)
I use them with care and clean them and I appreciate them very very
much....
The 'studio' collection of smaller tools is a motley collection of beat
up ,worn out stuff with half the parts missing.

My tools are definitely stashed, and when I am not there or not using
them they are stashed and locked
(the guys have amazing great bloodhound snouts when it comes to locating
and raiding tool stashes.)

but o boy, my stashed tools are my survival.

why the stash?

I love the gusto these particular guys have, but hammers get broken,
motors get fried, clay tools get mangled, thinset doesn't get cleaned
off, drill bits and chuck keys get lost, and tools get used for tasks
beyond their capacity.
and I get blank, innocent...." duh, wha? so? " stares...

You have to understand I get mileage out of my tools. I want them to
last and treat them that way.(Also , I FULLY admit I can misplace small
tools as quick as anyone, so I am hardly ms. perfect)

Another reason I keep my tools stashed so that when there IS a job
where a good tool , or a sharp blade or bit , is needed, I CAN provide
it.... when the job is done, back it goes.

I didn't use to lock up the tools, but then found the guys were lifting
my tools and stashing them in their OWN stashes, yes, little squirrel
stashes , because my tools were better, they 'liked' my tools....first
I tried marking my tools, now I also lock em.

Seems like when the guys borrowed, they assumed I would just lend it ,
then find it again wherever it was left, clean it up after their use
and replace it if broken or lost ....with a smile

wrong!

As an aside, I use to work as a park ranger and had to do all the
maintenance on tools and machinery for grounds upkeep in 'my' park. I
use to feel I didn't know very much, but since I was in a remote
location, if the mower or the weedeater or the truck broke down, I was
in a fix, so I read the manuals and my books and used what I learned
from farm days, and slowly methodically figured out how to fix stuff. To
my amazement I did pretty good.
At first I use to call my supervisor, 40 miles away, because he was a
manly man and I assumed he knew more than I about these things. He
would come, DESTROY stuff, literally. Cussing and clanging and hurling
stuff. He wouldn't listen to any of my observations or reasoning, and I
would inevitablet be left with an absolute useless wreck and have to
wait 6 weeks or more for a replacement. So little by little I began to
see I actually knew a few things .15-20 years later I still find those
that are astonished that I even HAVE a well stocked tool box, let alone
that I am able to use the contents.

Another VITD (veteran of intergender tool disputes )
(note: the characters depicted in this post do not necessarily represent
each and every member or type in any of the above mentioned genders, or
other genders for that matter. We are only human individuals, great
snouts , stashes, shrugs, cusses and all!)

now lets talk TP!!!!!(KIDDING!)

Stephani Stephenson
steph@alchemiestudio.com

Paul & Kathy Greaves on tue 12 feb 02


One of the things that really impressed my husband about me when we first
got together was my nicely stocked tool box. That and my short, unpainted
nails. ;-)

Kathy Greaves