This is a dumb thread, but I found my old Dremel!

[clovis]

Back in about 1983 or so, my dad bought me a Dremel tool. It came with a handful of accessories, and a black storage box.

I was beaming with pride to own that Dremel. I loved it because I knew that it was a significant investment for my dad. I have no idea what it cost back then, but I knew that money wasn't growing on trees at the time, and that poor Dad of mine worked every second of overtime that he could get. Since my dad was a lineman for a utility, I often wondered if that Dremel had been paid for during one of the many nights that he would get called out, drive to Tim-buck-too, and climb a 40 foot pole in the pitch black at 2:45 AM, in the pouring rain or driving sleet, to repair a snapped electric line. And yet, down deep, I knew he was proud to give it to me, and that made me even prouder to own it.

Somewhere along the line, back 20 years ago, the Dremel tool got separated from the storage box. I looked high and low for it, and looked in every crevice in Indiana and half of Kentucky, and could never find it. Secretly, I blamed an old college buddy for walking off with it. He loved using it on a 1:1 resto/fix up, and I would find the Dremel in the trunk of his car, or wherever he had left it last.

I had kept the storage box over the years because of sentimental reasons. I almost bought another Dremel last week at a thrift store, but for whatever reason, I backed out of the transaction just before the cashier rang it up. Maybe it was my sixth sense kicking in, but it just didn't feel right.

I was lamenting to my wife about the loss and lack of the Dremel. I hated it that I could be so careless, losing something that meant so much to me.

"Jeff, I think it is downstairs. I think that I saw it" she repeatedly said, even though I didn't believe her for a second.

Low and behold, she grabbed it, and brought it to me today. I know that beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is mine because it still has traces of Luftwaffe blue caked into the sanding wheel. A 1/24 Me-109 was my last significant build, some 27 years ago.

It has been a happy reunion, albeit a lonesome jubilee, and I can't wait to use it again. Just having it here on the desk brings back so many memories, and the smell...I had forgotten the smell of the plastic in the Dremel. I feel like I've been transported back to the summer 1986.

Edited August 3, 2013 by clovis

[cobraman]

That's funny. I just found a brand new one my wife bought me 6 years ago because I though mine was wearing out. It still is going strong and found the new one while looking for something else.

[Eshaver]

I guess chalk it to a "Senior Moment ". heck, I've misplaced parts , tools , hell even an N O S shifter from a 1970 Mustang only to find stuff has been stuffed into wherever when I'm digging around for something completely un related . I have no organization anymore . I fix customer cars as someone might running outta gasoline ........................ Yeah, that is a scary scene !

[JM485]

Awesome story. I definitely understand the pride thing, I was super proud of mine when my grandfather gave it to me. I still have it and all of the bits and use it pretty often. Heck, I'm still proud of it!

[clovis]

Thank you for your kind comments!!!

I've caught myself picking the dremel up, just to admire the thing...It is good to have it back in my hands again.

[fat50]

If you don't mind me asking, where did she find it?

[clovis]

If you don't mind me asking, where did she find it?

It was in the basement, but I had no idea that it was there.

Somehow, it got lost in a move, and ended up in a box that was mostly her stuff. She says she found it during the move, wondered why it wasn't with my tools, packed into the car...and then the car got totaled in a wreck. I was interested in clearing the car out before the insurance company towed it off, and she carried that box downstairs, where it has been sitting all these years.

What is crazy is that we have exactly two boxes from that move that never got unpacked, both of those boxes were hers, filled with desk junk, like cute coffee cups and college pictures. Who would have thunk that my Dremel was packed away between a "Your Special" coffee cup and decoupaged bulletin board?

[Pete J.]

Great story. I love the way is just seemed to call out to you when you went to replace it. Some where in this stupid house is a very nice titanium Seiko watch I am hoping will call out to me. I distinctly remember stuffing into some little space when I was working on something to protect it from damage and have never been able to remember where it is. I suppose I will find it when we move and take everything out, but until then it will remain the phantom watch.

[slusher]

What a nice story. Funny how our tools have such personal meaning. There even more special when our loved ones give them to us...