22 Apr
2011
22 Apr
'11
1:08 p.m.
On Fri, Apr 22, 2011 at 3:56 PM, Tony Duell <ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>?In auto repair, the newbie would be sent to get
spotted paint, rubber nails,
> and a metric Crescent wrench (all of which actually exist).
I'm curious where rubber nails are used.
Growing up, I bought the family VW Beetle from the insurance company
as salvage after it caught fire. Obviously, it needed work, and I
bought my own metric tools. Eventually, my mother wanted me to fix
the family car and I deferred, telling her that I only had metric
tools (which was true). One time, she wanted me to do some bodywork
on her car, something I don't really do much of even on my own car and
I tried the "metric tools" line. She said, "it's just a little
paint". She gave up when I claimed "I only have metric paint!"
When I stareted (physics) research, they sent me to
get a 'bucket of
steam'. Of coruse I realised it was a hoax, but decided to play along. I
got a bucket and filled it to ?adepth of about 2cm with water. Carried it
up to the hoaxer and poured it over him with the comment 'sorry, it
condensed on the way up here'.
Nice.
My favourite thing to send people to stores for was a
'monochromatic
white light source' :-)
Heh.
A buddy of mine worked as a cameraman in the film inudstry - he used
to sent new guys out to the van for the film stretcher (the excuse
being that regular 35mm cassettes only hold about 12 min of footage,
but you can get 14 minutes, 15 if you're lucky, with the film
stretcher). In carpentry, I hear it's the board stretcher. Every
industry has something.
-ethan