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The $35 flashlight that saved my shift at the hangar | Aircraft Mechanics - Babble Community

The $35 flashlight that saved my shift at the hangar

I bought a Streamlight Stinger off a buddy for 35 bucks last month. That thing paid for itself when I had to trace a wiring fault in the tail of a 737 at 2 AM in the rain at PDX. Has anyone else had a cheap tool turn into a life saver?

3 comments

3 Comments

lindal132mo ago

Right there with you both. My version of this is a $12 headlamp from the checkout lane at the hardware store (the kind that looks like it belongs in a cereal box). Dropped my keys down a storm grate in a parking lot at 10pm, and that cheap little light was the only reason I didn't have to call a locksmith. It's embarrassingly dim compared to my fancy camping headlamp, but it was the one I actually had in my car. Makes me wonder if the universe just knows when to throw a junky little tool at you so you don't feel too proud about it later.

tara7932mo ago

Started noticing that the best tools are the ones you buy because you need them, not because you planned a big purchase. That Stinger is a perfect example. Had a beat up old Crescent wrench I grabbed for two bucks at a garage sale, used it to fix a broken water line under my sink in the middle of the night. That thing saved me a plumber bill and a flooded kitchen. Sometimes the universe drops the right piece of gear in your path.

joel_martinez2mo ago

Is it just me or does it feel like the best stuff in life never comes from a big planned shopping trip? @tara793 you nailed it with that Crescent wrench story. It's like how my best pair of work boots came from a random clearance rack, not the expensive store I was aiming for. Things we stumble into usually end up being the most reliable, maybe because we actually use them instead of just letting them sit in the garage. Makes you wonder how many other good finds are out there waiting for a random Tuesday night emergency.