Let's talk about some real nuts-and-bolts issues.

If there is one thing I can't stand, it's when too much torque is used in tightening bolts. I worked in a variety of places as an auto mechanic, and one of the first things I learned is NOT to use too much torque, especially when using air tools. Unfortunately, some trigger-happy mechanics (especially younger ones), like the feeling of blasting away at some helpless nut or bolt, and will apply 300 pounds (or even more, depending on how long they squeeze the trigger) of torque. Not only can this break and fatigue nuts and bolts, but it causes untold frustration when the poor car owner has to loosen them. Usually, he does not have air tools, which means that he'll reach a point where he cannot proceed with the repairs. (Or, worse, he will be unable to perform a simple but necesssary task like changing a tire!)

I guess I am too stubborn, but yesterday I broke TWO socket adapters trying to remove a brake caliper. One of them was cheap Taiwanese junk and I didn't care, but the other was a perfectly good Thorsen.

Here they are (offered as a belated, opportunistic sacrifice to the snow gods):

Unfortunately, I do not have an 18mm socket in 1/2 inch drive, so I had to use the 3/8 inch socket with a 1/2 inch adapter. I was able to crack one of the bolts on this bad caliper before the first adapter broke, but not the other. So now I have to buy a 1/2 inch drive socket, and I think it will work if enough force is used. If the breaker bar alone won't do it, I'll put a piece of pipe over the breaker bar -- and if that doesn't work then the breaker bar itself will break. I have broken TWO 1/2 drive Craftsman breaker bars in my time. It takes a tremendous amount of force to break a breaker bar.

Wish I had an air hammer! Wish I could lecture the kid who torqued these damned bolts down.

Of course, many people in my situation would simply take the car to a garage and let them use their air tools to deal with the stupid nuts and bolts.

But that would only perpetuate the endless cycles of excessive force!

UPDATE: Don't be too quick to condemn my appeasement of the snow gods! I will have readers know that following last year's blizzard which dumped three feet of snow in my yard, I created them in a state of near despair. Guess what? The snow eventually stopped, and Spring arrived. (I can cheerfully supply statistical proof to any doubting Thomases out there.) And considering that Hurricane Isabel -- an air hammer if ever there was one! -- is on a collision course with the East Coast, I saw nothing wrong with this gentle plea to the gods: a simple reminder that there is no need for excessive force.