Findable pencils

UKworkshop.co.uk

Help Support UKworkshop.co.uk:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
I have the same problem always losing pencils. The issue is added to by a dog who sneaks into my shed and steals them to chew up, and a teenage daughter who has her own workbench in my shed, and then steals my pencils as well.
 
Pencils have the same ability as tape measures to disappear into another dimension in time and space. Occasionally they will 'pop' back into our space-time.
I buy my tape measures by the box.
 
Andrewf":22ncqe4b said:
I have the same problem always losing pencils. The issue is added to by a dog who sneaks into my shed and steals them to chew up, and a teenage daughter who has her own workbench in my shed, and then steals my pencils as well.
I thought my dog was the only (Mod edit, please remember not everyone has the same industrial language as some of us and may find it offensive) to do that..
Specially it hurts when it was a nice pencil and you see it all chewed up #-o
 
Alexam":1rrmab6q said:

That's an idea. However I wonder how long it would take to lose one of them?

Reading about the role of vans in pencil escapes rings very true, The leg pocket on my work trousers is angled backwards at the top, so when I get in the van the pencil is deliberately aimed down the side of the seat (I believe there may be a spring loaded ejector at the bottom of the pocket). The van also has a useful pencil tray on the dash, about the same size as an A4 clipboard. It can hold enough pencils for a morning's work. The side of the seat is also cleverly designed with a side panel and pencil sized slot at the bottom, designed I believe so that pencils are directed where you can't see the hundreds of them stored underneath it. I'm sure I'm beginning to see signs of a conspiracy :?

The baffling thing is though, that after a pencil drought there is often a sudden moment when all the lost pencils appear at once, from nowhere. Is it an escapology conference?
 
They are probably in the same black hole that 3mm drill bits and countersinks go to, If I dangled a magnet around the back of our washing machine I am sure they would all be there, wouldn't work for pencils though.
I was going to patent my pencil idea, I taped a piece of Velcro around a pencil, then glued a corresponding piece to my ear defenders, worked for about two minutes then I put my pencil (with Velcro) down and never found it again.
 
davin":3xaidy0y said:
They are probably in the same black hole that 3mm drill bits and countersinks go to, If I dangled a magnet around the back of our washing machine I am sure they would all be there, wouldn't work for pencils though.
I was going to patent my pencil idea, I taped a piece of Velcro around a pencil, then glued a corresponding piece to my ear defenders, worked for about two minutes then I put my pencil (with Velcro) down and never found it again.

They will be happily nestling behind the washer with all those lost odd socks.
 
davin":3gui77by said:
They are probably in the same black hole that 3mm drill bits and countersinks go to, If I dangled a magnet around the back of our washing machine I am sure they would all be there, wouldn't work for pencils though.
I was going to patent my pencil idea, I taped a piece of Velcro around a pencil, then glued a corresponding piece to my ear defenders, worked for about two minutes then I put my pencil (with Velcro) down and never found it again.

This thread is great value for chuckles. But actually that's a great idea. Superglue a reusable velcro collar. I'm going to write that down on my to do list. Now.... where did I put my pencil.....

Also. Which psychopath at Screwfix HQ decided on making the pencils in camouflage? We'll steal them anyway. Might as well go the extra customer service mile. Paint them with radioactive paint. When you lose it just turn out the lights. Bingo. Millions saved in stolen pencils.
I'm in the wrong line of work. Possibly.
 
Found it !

Lead-pencil.jpg
 
Nothing to do with pencils but I once cycled to work in a pea-souper of a fog and found once I'd arrived and took my glasses off to clean them I'd forgotten to put them on that morning! Cycle home in the same pea-souper and once glasses recovered it had turned into a lovely day. Pencils sit nicely between glasses arm and face to bring this back on topic.
 
My problem is less with finding pencils , but , finding one with unbroken tip. In the shop this presents no trouble as sharpening up takes little effort and a sharp knife. These I have got. No , it is always when I need to take down a phone number or address and the pens won't write (whole 'nother topic that). 4 or 5 pencils and not a writing ready one in sight. I know I didn't break them, my son can't seem to use anything without a keyboard and my wife simply doesn't use pencils (she doesn't take notes either) . As this is all of us in the house , who is busting my leads , and why? Keeping a close eye on the dog.
 
I got so fed up of not being able to find a pencil, I bought several hundred (literally not exaggerating) and put bundles of them all round the workshop.
Saves masses of time as there's always at least one useable one in each bundle 8)
My main frustration now is finding the pencil sharpener as I've only got one!!!!
I'm not keen on sharpening them with a knife as I can never find the bleeding knife either :lol:
 
Adam9453":2p0clhc8 said:
I got so fed up of not being able to find a pencil, I bought several hundred (literally not exaggerating) and put bundles of them all round the workshop.
Saves masses of time as there's always at least one useable one in each bundle 8)
My main frustration now is finding the pencil sharpener as I've only got one!!!!
I'm not keen on sharpening them with a knife as I can never find the bleeding knife either :lol:

You just need one of these...

[youtube]Bvr2PvLqnYY[/youtube]
 
thick_mike":1kp0fizl said:
Adam9453":1kp0fizl said:
I got so fed up of not being able to find a pencil, I bought several hundred (literally not exaggerating) and put bundles of them all round the workshop.
Saves masses of time as there's always at least one useable one in each bundle 8)
My main frustration now is finding the pencil sharpener as I've only got one!!!!
I'm not keen on sharpening them with a knife as I can never find the bleeding knife either :lol:

You just need one of these...

[youtube]Bvr2PvLqnYY[/youtube]

you've no idea how much I want this pencil sharpener! that's amazing
 
thetyreman":39gw204n said:
thick_mike":39gw204n said:
Adam9453":39gw204n said:
I got so fed up of not being able to find a pencil, I bought several hundred (literally not exaggerating) and put bundles of them all round the workshop.
Saves masses of time as there's always at least one useable one in each bundle 8)
My main frustration now is finding the pencil sharpener as I've only got one!!!!
I'm not keen on sharpening them with a knife as I can never find the bleeding knife either :lol:

You just need one of these...

[youtube]Bvr2PvLqnYY[/youtube]

you've no idea how much I want this pencil sharpener! that's amazing

Yup, it's been on my bucket list since I saw one at Woburn Abbey.
 
I find the pencils acquired from Screwfix fit nicely in my back pocket (come on, admit it, we all have some Screwfix pencils). I keep about 3 there so there is nearly always one which is still sharp enough to use. They don't last long because they are short to start with, but are easily replaced.

Edit - 144 half size pencils for £4.39 carriage free on ebay - if you don't happen to be passing a Screwfix outlet.

K
 
thetyreman":297ajehs said:
.......
you've no idea how much I want this pencil sharpener! that's amazing

Me too, and I bet that someone here could get better shavings off those blades........
 
I get full length pencils from a the local car-boot, 50 for a quid, and they've erasers on one end as well! Another source is the auto ones included with a sudoku magazines that my wife gets. They do a nice fine line and never need sharpening.
 
Remember those whistle beeping finding devices you'd see in the pound shop that you attach to your keys?

..perhaps pull out the gubbons from that and attach to your pencil, tapemeasure, wife etc
 

Latest posts

Back
Top