First World Problems...

We have a twofer today!

Well...I guess it still works...a bit. That's a finishing nail punch that has seen barely 20 years of use. I am offended by the shoddy craftsmanship and substandard metallurgy!

Harrumph!

This isn't really a problem. In fact, I had exactly the correct two sizes of Allen wrench I needed to remove a fixture. Sadly, it was a German engineered and manufactured shower head, so the coupling between the shower head and the water line is impossibly complicated and would need to be cut off. You know..unique attaching systems are always cool! I am sure the engineer who designed it is pleased with himself.

It really is a pleasure having the correct tools, even when the end result is bitter disappointment.

Does anyone need a nice new shower head?

Posted by: CBD at 02:00 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Burn the house down, CBD. It's the only solution.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at May 17, 2026 02:02 PM (mCjHU)

2 And, first!

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at May 17, 2026 02:02 PM (mCjHU)

3 rd

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at May 17, 2026 02:02 PM (mCjHU)

4 The Others have been summoned.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at May 17, 2026 02:03 PM (mCjHU)

5 Europeans love that French Revolution measurement system

Posted by: Skip at May 17, 2026 02:04 PM (Ia/+0)

6 My Allen wrenches are in those type of holders. I hate them. You have to twist several out of the way to get the one you want.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at May 17, 2026 02:04 PM (jehhT)

7 A good tool is a treasure.

Posted by: The Paolo at May 17, 2026 02:04 PM (4NO2D)

8 I don't think ever wore out a nail punch

Posted by: Skip at May 17, 2026 02:05 PM (Ia/+0)

9 Inch???
Don't we mean STANDARD? Metric and standard. That's what we got.

Posted by: From about That Time at May 17, 2026 02:06 PM (sl73Y)

10 I don't think ever wore out a nail punch
Posted by: Skip at May 17, 2026 02:05 PM

Regrind the point and then harden it with your MAPP gas torch and an oil quench.

Posted by: toby928(c) at May 17, 2026 02:07 PM (4NO2D)

11 Showerhead?
Here's your answer:

https://youtu.be/AUt6BWeL1GE

Posted by: Obligatory Seinfeld reference at May 17, 2026 02:09 PM (2Ez/1)

12 Inch???
Don't we mean STANDARD? Metric and standard. That's what we got.

Are you afraid of being called an Imperialist?

Posted by: Archimedes at May 17, 2026 02:10 PM (Riz8t)

13 I don't think ever wore out a nail punch
Posted by: Skip at May 17, 2026 02:05 PM

Regrind the point and then harden it with your MAPP gas torch and an oil quench.

Pffffft. Open a new iron mine, extract what you need, build a backyard Bessemer furnace, and Bob's your uncle, you're in business.

Posted by: Archimedes at May 17, 2026 02:11 PM (Riz8t)

14 I have $20K worth of hand tools I can sell you for $20K. I'll throw in a roll of Teflon tape.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at May 17, 2026 02:12 PM (D1E+2)

15 Imperial is that weird British shit, like strange gallons. I mean standard American.

Posted by: From about That Time at May 17, 2026 02:14 PM (sl73Y)

16 From downstairs...
I have been in the UK probably 20 times in the last 10 years, and its decay seems to have accelerated in the last year or two.

I love the place, but I fear that it will become a hellhole soon.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at May 17, 2026 12:58 PM (iERP6)
====

Check out some video from yesterday's Unite the Kingdom march for hopeful signs. Nate Friedman has good tape.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at May 17, 2026 02:16 PM (RIvkX)

17 Two types of countries in the world. Those that use metric, and those that have been to the moon.

Posted by: Duke Lowell at May 17, 2026 02:16 PM (2UnvF)

18 I have a allen wrench index and started from my FiL a old Hershey coco cup with any loose allen wrench I can collect.
If need one cut down, or someone needs one have at it. Probably 5 more in there just like it

Posted by: Skip at May 17, 2026 02:18 PM (Ia/+0)

19 You buy a German anvil. It contains 83 moving parts and requires winding twice a day. It's forged from excellent steel, holds tolerances across all three striking faces to within three microns, includes a beautifully indexed horn-adjustment mechanism nobody asked for, and requires a proprietary 11-point spanner should you need to replace the rebound calibration bushing. It runs flawlessly for years, but one day it starts up in limp mode because the onboard anvil-management system detects that it's overdue for its 50,000-strike inspection.

Posted by: Kindltot at May 17, 2026 02:18 PM (rbvCR)

20
After some poking, prodding and spraying, the riding mower actually turned over, then ran on full. Even though it's Sunday and servile work is proscribed, I mowed the front, back and pens.

Hope the Good Lord understands. It's set to rain in the next couple of days and the lawn was reaching the point where the push mower couldn't get through it.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at May 17, 2026 02:18 PM (HdYcL)

21
Why is it that, even with all the hand holding provided these days by GPS devices, package delivery drivers cannot find their own asses with both hands, much less where I am situated and awaiting delivery?

The more the technology advances, the more retarded become its users.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) Imprison! Imprison! Imprison! at May 17, 2026 02:19 PM (s9VOe)

22 19 You buy a German anvil. It contains 83 moving parts and requires winding twice a day. It's forged from excellent steel, holds tolerances across all three striking faces to within three microns, includes a beautifully indexed horn-adjustment mechanism nobody asked for, and requires a proprietary 11-point spanner should you need to replace the rebound calibration bushing. It runs flawlessly for years, but one day it starts up in limp mode because the onboard anvil-management system detects that it's overdue for its 50,000-strike inspection.

Sadly, my experience with German lab equipment makes this all too plausible.

Posted by: Archimedes at May 17, 2026 02:19 PM (Riz8t)

23
The English system is organically developed. The metric system was imposed by the secular power.

Feet and pounds: weights and measures of a free people.

Meters and kilograms: weights and measures of sheep.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at May 17, 2026 02:21 PM (HdYcL)

24 That’s the nice thing about Standards, there are so many to choose from!

Posted by: Common Tater at May 17, 2026 02:21 PM (w3KHJ)

25
Europeans love that French Revolution measurement system
Posted by: Skip

It is so very au courant and thus it appeals to their inflated sense of being The Very Best People.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) Imprison! Imprison! Imprison! at May 17, 2026 02:22 PM (s9VOe)

26 Wrapping your water pipe threads with Teflon takes some practice. I wonder if Ace knows which direction to wrap the tape?

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at May 17, 2026 02:24 PM (D1E+2)

27 I cook with metric system.
I build with feet and inches, and sub-parts thereof.

Posted by: MkY at May 17, 2026 02:24 PM (q6tQZ)

28 CBD was cleaning out my truck box yesterday and thought that was a 1WP. I should have taken a picture with everything in bed of the truck before I put it back.

Posted by: Skip at May 17, 2026 02:25 PM (Ia/+0)

29
Why is it that, even with all the hand holding provided these days by GPS devices, package delivery drivers cannot find their own asses with both hands, much less where I am situated and awaiting delivery?

___________

A staggering number of drivers stop three houses down the road because that's where the GPS says we are. One driver refused to return to our house after driving off.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at May 17, 2026 02:26 PM (HdYcL)

30 I am working on a Canadadian F 150, 1991. Had to buy some tools, but there are AutoZone, ABC Auto Parts, O'Reilly's, Home Depot, and Lowes withi 15 minutes of me. America, the greatest first-world country. For now at least.

Posted by: Eromero at May 17, 2026 02:26 PM (LHPAg)

31 It really is a pleasure having the correct tools, even when the end result is bitter disappointment.

Posted by: CBD at 02:00 PM

That’s what she said.

Posted by: Pete Bog at May 17, 2026 02:26 PM (Ys0s/)

32 During the week, I mentioned the acqusition of a Schrader valve tool, being unable to locate the one that I've had for 30 years.

Anyhow, the 'Made in Thailand' quality ain't great, and the company seems forthright about that:
https://shorturl.at/TQ9Ys

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at May 17, 2026 02:26 PM (XeU6L)

33
Ooh! I know! I know!

Counter cockwise!

-- Mayor Pete, well versed in the homoerotic arts

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) Imprison! Imprison! Imprison! at May 17, 2026 02:27 PM (s9VOe)

34
Best of Breed for The Big Dummy at today's Nebraska KC show. So we salvaged something from this week.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at May 17, 2026 02:27 PM (HdYcL)

35 First world problems? What timing! I just took a rotating tower fan out to my deck to blow out the dust with some compressed air, and when I set it down, a screw fell out and the whole tower just fell off its base! It should be an easy fix (assuming nothing got jostled when the tower fell) but....its just an odd thing to have happen. A screw just....falling out.

Posted by: Castle Guy at May 17, 2026 02:27 PM (3v7ra)

36 It really is a pleasure having the correct tools, even when the end result is bitter disappointment.

Posted by: CBD
-------

OTOH...there is the frustration of having the proper tool, and being unable to find it. See:32

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at May 17, 2026 02:28 PM (XeU6L)

37 I have been in the UK probably 20 times in the last 10 years, and its decay seems to have accelerated in the last year or two."

Every 3 or 4 years over the past 30. I won't be back...

Posted by: man at May 17, 2026 02:29 PM (XuXeR)

38 A screw just....falling out.
Posted by: Castle Guy

The nut's underneath the porch.

Posted by: MkY at May 17, 2026 02:31 PM (q6tQZ)

39 I have been in the UK probably 20 times in the last 10 years, and its decay seems to have accelerated in the last year or two."

Every 3 or 4 years over the past 30. I won't be back...
Posted by: man at May 17, 2026 02:29 PM

Wait until the Reconquista.

Posted by: toby928(c) at May 17, 2026 02:32 PM (4NO2D)

40 I have every tool known to man...almost.
When I need something at the house, the tool is down at the shop.
When I need something at the house, it's either in the woodshop, or... down at the shop.
You get the idea.
I refuse to buy 3 sets of tools. Mainly cause I'm cheap.

Posted by: MkY at May 17, 2026 02:33 PM (q6tQZ)

41 Europe in general has produced some very big-brained fellers over the years. Britain, France, Russia, Germany, etc. (The Swedes gave us Kelly Johnson). The Hungarians that populated our Manhattan Project were nicknamed “The Martians” because they were obviously alien, it seemed.

When the Allies swept across Nazi Germany at the end of the war they sent brigades of specialists to acquire their tech. The Soviets on their end took everything (including the furniture). The French and the Brits took what they could.

The Americans looked at it as a sort of “Intellectual Reparations”; and boxed up thousands of tons of blueprints. Especially desirable were Wind Tunnels, their aviation technology was very advanced, although they had neither the rare alloys nor fuels (nor the pilots) to utilize it.

Posted by: Common Tater at May 17, 2026 02:36 PM (w3KHJ)

42 I have bought lots of dupes, but never enough.

Posted by: MkY at May 17, 2026 02:36 PM (q6tQZ)

43 FWP: One of my shower heads got plugged up with lime and calcium and would only work on one setting. Now I imagine I need to get some vinegar to dissolve that buildup. The water around here is hard and sucks.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at May 17, 2026 02:39 PM (D1E+2)

44 It's hilarious. I needed a standard allen wrench and I all I had were metric.

One trip to Ace hardware solved that.

Posted by: no one of any consequense at May 17, 2026 02:41 PM (qFwJc)

45 I was raised up calling that thing in the picture a nail set.

Posted by: Eromero at May 17, 2026 02:41 PM (LHPAg)

46 I don't believe that photo of the allen wrenches is real. Everyone I know - myself included - has at least one missing.

Posted by: MadItalian at May 17, 2026 02:42 PM (x11uf)

47 Nail set or punch to me, use both terms

Posted by: Skip at May 17, 2026 02:43 PM (Ia/+0)

48
Especially desirable were Wind Tunnels, their aviation technology was very advanced, although they had neither the rare alloys nor fuels (nor the pilots) to utilize it.

Posted by: Common Tater at May 17, 2026 02:36 PM (w3KHJ)

___________

I always thought the Wehraboos stupid for saying oooh, the ME-262 showed how superior German technology was and it would have swept the skies if it had been introduced earlier.

1) They introduced it too soon, if anything.
2) The numbers wouldn't have been large enough in any case.
3) The Brits and Americans were also introducing jets. The war ended before the effect could be felt.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at May 17, 2026 02:43 PM (HdYcL)

49 43 FWP: One of my shower heads got plugged up with lime and calcium and would only work on one setting. Now I imagine I need to get some vinegar to dissolve that buildup. The water around here is hard and sucks.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at May 17, 2026 02:39 PM (D1E+2)

IANAP but, if it works on ONE setting, that implies to me that the problem is not with the shower head but, rather, the valve. Shower valves are very complicated because they try to mix the hot and cold water to prevent scalding temperatures.

Posted by: Admirale's Mate at May 17, 2026 02:44 PM (/enuJ)

50 >>> 20
After some poking, prodding and spraying, the riding mower actually turned over, then ran on full. Even though it's Sunday and servile work is proscribed, I mowed the front, back and pens.

Hope the Good Lord understands. It's set to rain in the next couple of days and the lawn was reaching the point where the push mower couldn't get through it.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at May 17, 2026 02:18 PM (HdYcL)

I thought there was at least one exception in the form of critter care, which seems to be a possible fit as grass that tall will hide sneks, which are no good for doggehs.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at May 17, 2026 02:47 PM (Ra+Eb)

51 >>>I was raised up calling that thing in the picture a nail set.

Posted by: Eromero

>A long time ago, I stopped using nails and started using screws.

Nails are for the roof, unless you're a contractor putting in plywood.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at May 17, 2026 02:47 PM (D1E+2)

52
I thought there was at least one exception in the form of critter care, which seems to be a possible fit as grass that tall will hide sneks, which are no good for doggehs.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at May 17, 2026 02:47 PM (Ra+Eb)

___________

"Don't be a jerk" covers most contingencies.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at May 17, 2026 02:49 PM (HdYcL)

53 Even a finish nailer sometimes needs a punch to complete the process

Posted by: Skip at May 17, 2026 02:50 PM (Ia/+0)

54 I stopped using nail punches (sets) a looong time ago and bought a brad nailer. The BEST idea I ever had.

Posted by: Admirale's Mate at May 17, 2026 02:50 PM (/enuJ)

55 Open a new iron mine, extract what you need, build a backyard Bessemer furnace"

Look around, can you form some sort of rudimentary lathe?

Posted by: man at May 17, 2026 02:51 PM (XuXeR)

56 >>> 49
==
IANAP but, if it works on ONE setting, that implies to me that the problem is not with the shower head but, rather, the valve. Shower valves are very complicated because they try to mix the hot and cold water to prevent scalding temperatures.
Posted by: Admirale's Mate at May 17, 2026 02:44 PM (/enuJ)

I'm old enough to remember separate hot and cold faucets in bathrooms so one could mix the streams manually. I suspect some feralgov retard decided that wasn't SEEEF.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at May 17, 2026 02:52 PM (Ra+Eb)

57 the Wehraboos"

Stealing that...

Posted by: man at May 17, 2026 02:52 PM (XuXeR)

58 *sees shower head problem *
*looks at jacuzzi bathtub *
*smiles to self*

Posted by: Diogenes at May 17, 2026 02:53 PM (2WIwB)

59 bought a brad nailer. The BEST idea I ever had.

Posted by: Admirale's Mate at May 17, 2026 02:50 PM (/enuJ)

I have a finish nailer, and it's great, but this was for some clapboard outside and finish nails just wouldn't cut it.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at May 17, 2026 02:53 PM (iERP6)

60 "servile work is proscribed"

Think of yard maintenance as a hobby. It's not servile labor. And as you mention, it was necessary.

Posted by: no one of any consequense at May 17, 2026 02:55 PM (qFwJc)

61 >>>I have a finish nailer, and it's great, but this was for some clapboard outside and finish nails just wouldn't cut it.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at May 17, 2026 02:53 PM (iERP6)
****
Considering how often you travel to Old Blighty, can't you bring back an indentured servant like in the old days? I'm guessing more that a couple of Brits would gladly take that opportunity.

Posted by: Rufus T. Firefly at May 17, 2026 02:59 PM (S+2Xo)

62 > FWP: One of my shower heads got plugged up with lime and calcium and would only work on one setting. Now I imagine I need to get some vinegar to dissolve that buildup. The water around here is hard and sucks.
----------
Ours is bad too. Limestone deposits. There's a chemical concoction called CLR (calcium limestone rust) that dissolves those deposits. I drop our sink faucet screens in a bowl and the deposits foam and dissolve. Same with our show heads.

Rince with clean water to move the solution out of the fixtures.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at May 17, 2026 03:01 PM (jehhT)

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