The $20 speed square I kept losing because of one bad habit

I used to just toss my speed square in the bottom of my tool bag after every cut, then spend 10 minutes digging for it on site. Switched to clipping it on my belt loop last month after a guy in Boise showed me his setup, and now I haven't misplaced it once - anyone else have a simple fix that saved your day?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_abby2mo ago

Ever think about painting it a bright color? I went with neon orange on mine. Makes it stand out against concrete and drywall dust. Costs like a dollar for a can of spray paint. Also stops other guys from accidentally snagging it since they'd see it's clearly marked. Been doing this for years now. Way cheaper than buying new ones.

joseph_hunt2mo ago

Slap a coat of fluorescent pink (or some other "unmanly" color) on it and suddenly nobody touches it. It's almost like there's an unspoken rule that if it looks like it belongs to someone who might actually care about it, thieves and borrowers give it a pass. Plus, when you're crawling around in a dusty attic or under a house, that bright spot of color is a lifesaver. I've watched guys waste twenty minutes hunting for a black tape measure on a dirty jobsite. The spray paint trick also works great on extension cords and power tools, for what it's worth.

patricia423d ago

Totally feel your pain on that one. I painted mine bright safety orange after losing my third one in the attic of a remodel. That fluorescent color catches the light even when it's wedged between studs or buried under insulation. Plus now when anyone on the crew picks it up, they know exactly whose it is and toss it back on my tool pouch without me having to chase them down.