leaving nail boxes in walls -- by DIY-er?!?

[Herb G]

I did a rehab in an office building from the 1980's or so.
I basically found an entire tool set up in the ceiling, but not all in one place.
Whoever was working there was forgetful to say the least. Either that, or someone hid someone else's tools a few at a time.

I found 2 pairs of #440 Channellock pliers. I found a brand new Stanley hacksaw, a Estwing hammer, a wood chisel set (have no idea why that was even there), and all kinds of other tools.

[6270_Productions]

When I built the addition on our house, I intentionally left a handsaw in the wall.   I had no use for the saw and I thought it might be "interesting" for the next person to find.

We (my wife and I) put a rotary telephone behind one of the corner cabinets in the kitchen.  I used wall cabinets as base cabinets due to depth considerations.  We put half a dozen "Hot Wheels" cars under the counter top.

I placed a "time capsule" of all of the information I researched, when I repaired the Civil War monument in the City Park.  I did not want the next guy to have to research all of that information 50 to 75 years from now.  I used a four inch piece of PVC pipe.  As an aside, did you ever think about the type of media you should use for a time capsule?  I had a BUNCH of photos.  I though about DVDs, thumb drives, etc.  My choice?  Paper.  Who knows what sort of technology we will have in 75 years?

I frequently place newspapers, brochures, and magazines in "spots", as I am remodeling the American Legion Memorial Building here.

Yes, I think I will be remembered as "That Guy".  

[woodhead]

So I always figured that workers left trash and particularly, nearly empty boxes of nails in walls because they were disgruntled.  But last night I was ripping out the drywall in the basement and found a box of nails that had been left there by one of the previous owners of the house.  Now I'm re-assessing my previous assumption about this practice.  Is it supposed to be good luck or something?

Doing all this because it finally dawned on me that the basement floods we used to get every spring probably caused mold in the walls down there.  We fixed the flooding problem a couple of years ago, but it took me this long to get up the energy to fix the flood damage.  I hear that the flood protocol is to cut the drywall just above the flood level and gut right away.

I have found hammers, screwdrivers, the pin on buttons from old cigarette packs, plenty of newspaper, razor blades (the slot in the back of the medicine cabinet!), beer cans, beer bottles, a hand gun, porn tapes....nails are nothing!
 


Al

[Foggy]

Way back in the days of yore, working an apartment project, we had a party every Friday afternoon. Later whenever maintenance would open a plumbing access they would find it completely full of empty's. 

[Herb G]

I have found porn tapes....nails are nothing!
 
Al

When you find the home made ones, you've found something!!!

[EricU]

I am an engineer, how does that relate?

[Bob10]

Can see it in the way you write and the steps in thought process.  Nothing wrong with it I spent 3 days last week working with a friend that is an engineer.  It can add time to a job on occasion and save it on others

[tomsteve]

my mom and dad bought their 1st house in'53. brand spankin new. over the years dad and co.( his 3 brothers) added on a garage, master bedroom, and family room( last addition in '68.) my sister and her husband bought the house after dad retired and we moved north.
we remodeled the family room after a bad roof leak. found a beer can in every stud cavity. found a Detroit newspaper from '68 in the rafters.

ive wrote notes in stud cavities in houses ive built- date and what the top news story was.

[Snipe Hunter]

I've got a 6" pair of Channel Locks I found inside a wall behind a toilet about 10 years ago. One of those tools I would have probably never bought but I use it all the time.

[fishhh4]

If I was a blocklayer I would do the same.