Using tools but not for the purpose they were intended....

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Following on from my post in the 'What have you been doing today' thread where I used my Karcher portable washer (that I use to wash the dog down with) filled with hot water to defrost my freezer as well as using my wife’s hairdryer to dry it in places where I couldn’t get with a towel, what tools have you used that were not intended for that particular purpose?

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Well years ago when I was an apprentice back in the 60's my old fitter told me before the Gas Board issued torches they used candles.
One day he was using one in a loft when he knocked over the candle which fell down in the lath and plaster cavity.
When he looked the bugger was still burning!
As he said, "I used the only tool I had to hand to put it out!":whistle:
 
I would think we have all used tools in a manner they were not designed for. LOL
How many have used a spanner as a hammer? Or a large screwdriver as a small crowbar and cursed when it bent under pressure.
Must admit I have never done what my older cousin did once. He tried to use a square file as a lever. The file snapped and a piece flew up and embedded itself in his cheek. Trip to hospital, 2 stiches inside his mouth, 2 stitches in his cheek and a strong lecture off the doctor to only use a too for it's intended purpose in future. LOL
 
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I can't imagine there's anyone who has done any decorating not using a screwdriver to open tins of paint.

Stanley knife as wire strippers.

Teeth to open a screwcap.

cotton buds to clean your ears.

Mobile phone as airgun target practise.

etc etc.
 
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A guy who bothered me for months to come and learn the job on his very first day when i eventually caved in, used my trusted caliper as a hammer.
I think his ear is still hurting from the slap he deservedly got (in those days it was ok, God bless the 80s)
 
I can't imagine there's anyone who has done any decorating not using a screwdriver to open tins of paint.

Stanley knife as wire strippers.

Teeth to open a screwcap.

cotton buds to clean your ears.

Mobile phone as airgun target practise.

etc etc.
I can't see anything wrong with all you wrote.
 
flat screwdriver bit sharp hammer tap in the diagonals to remove chewed up pozi screw
2mm drill bit drilled into a toilet seat bracket at an angle and broken off to stop badly designed grub screw unscrewing
using a drill chuck as a screw extractor including wearing away the wood surrounds away with a rotating open chuck jaws around the damaged screw to get enough grip to turn the the screw at about 5 revs a min for 2 turns the reposition on the screw again then slowly remove
2 wood screws in your workbenck top wound in and out to adjust you spirit level
folding wedges in the centre off the arc on a "G" clamp to give clamping force when the clamp is not long enough
thousands more but not now
 
Flat screwdriver and a hammer to loosen/tighten a drill Chuck when you can’t find the key. Come on, we've all done it. ;)
 
Well today I will be gutting trench blocks with my circular saw, old blade!
 
Lidl were selling these recently, it's a socket wrench combined with a hammer. Might as well - we all do it.

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Plastic cables ties as a car suspension spring compressor! :eek:

I actually had a pair of spring compressors, but they ran out of travel and the spring still wouldn't come out, so cable ties did the last inch or so! :whistle:
 
Ones that stick in my mind are a street sweeper that used the broom upside down, to push and gather rubbish, he was very efficient with it.
And in a work canteen about 25 years ago, a sandwich maker used the back of a spoon to spread the butter - incredibly fast, probably about a second to cover 2 slices of bread.

I have often wondered what other tools people use wrong to better effect than the proper tools. On those rainy, slow days.
 
Plastic cables ties as a car suspension spring compressor! :eek:

I actually had a pair of spring compressors, but they ran out of travel and the spring still wouldn't come out, so cable ties did the last inch or so! :whistle:
As an apprentice, I used a 4 post hoist to compress a spring, tied it with rope, fitted it and cut the rope. No fear of the possible consequences at the time.
 
Being lathe-poor, I made a jig to spin 2x2 lengths of oak with my cordless, while moving them through a bench saw to round it off and form a taper.

Scary but satisfying.
 

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