Shoutout to the electrician who left a screwdriver in a junction box I opened today

Was swapping out an old outlet at a house built in the 70s. Pulled the cover off and there it was - a rusty flathead just sitting in there, probably from 1985. Gave me a solid laugh before I tossed it in my scrap pile. Anybody else find random tools in weird spots on the job?

3 comments

3 Comments

martin.vera1mo agoMost Upvoted

84% of electricians I read about in a trade survey said they'd found abandoned tools on jobsites at least once. @cole_davis47 is probably right that some of us are the ones leaving them behind. That screwdriver in a 70s box could just be a forgotten tool, not a sign of sloppy work. I'd still check every wire nut and ground connection in there though, just to be safe. No point risking a short over a free toy.

lisa9761mo ago

Gave me a solid laugh" - I gotta say, I actually disagree with finding this funny. In my experience, finding random tools in weird spots is usually a red flag, not a punchline. That rusty flathead probably fell out of some guy's pouch while he was rushing through a job, and now you're left wondering what else he missed or left half-done. Take this with a grain of salt, but I'd be checking every connection in that box real close before patting myself on the back for a free screwdriver. Your mileage may vary of course, but I've seen way too many shortcuts hidden behind drywall to laugh off stuff like this.

cole_davis471mo ago

Bet I've left so many tools behind that future homeowners are gonna think someone buried treasure in their walls.