New "nepo baby" boss strong-arms lead mechanic into organizing his tools for the boss to use, mechanic locks up his tools and leaves: 'I am currently sitting in my car [...] browsing job listings'

Author image for Brad Dickson
Brad Dickson • Managing Editor
Sep 1, 2024 6:00 PM EDT

If you've ever worked in an industry with technicians or mechanics, you know there is one rule that must be followed: Never (NEVER) touch their tools—or tell them how to organize and manage them. 

This is true even if the company provides the tools, but it is especially true if the mechanics buy and use their own toolsets. As one commenter cleverly pointed out on the original thread, this story was shared: Asking a mechanic to organize or tidy their tools so that you can borrow them is like your friend asking you to keep your car clean in case they want to borrow it. That's the type of behavior that will earn you a dirty look at best—and probably also needing to find a new friend or mechanic.

This "nepo baby" new manager, whose father happened to be a member of senior management, decided that this mechanic needed to organize his toolbox so that the tools were easier to find when he, the manager, wanted to use them… This is a bold order to give anyone, but these were the mechanic's own tools that he bought and paid for. When the manager tried to strong-arm the mechanic by giving him no work, hurting the commission for jobs he would be receiving, the mechanic locked up his tools and left, leaving progress in the shop at a standstill.

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  • 01
    KRYLO INDUSTRA RUS FOU
    via Kenny Eliason
  • 02
    Boss told me how to organize my tools. M ос I have been a mechanic for nearly 15 years. I am the lead tech in my shop, and my company just sold recently to a different corporation and with that came a new boss. A little bit of history about new boss, he is 22 and the son of one of my older bosses, so everybody suspects a bit of nepotism at play. The older
    via u/mrcba333
  • 03
    , and boss was ruthless and a really put a dent in my confidence about being a mechanic so I may hold somewhat of a grudge against the family, but I try to do my best to move on and just do my job. The new boss and I have had some minor issues already in the 3 months he has been here, but I'm the type of person who can generally put my feelings to the side if the money keeps ending up on my paycheck. Today, however, that changed.
    via u/mrcba333
  • 04
    I will admit I am not the most organized person. I have ADHD and at 33 years old, am still learning to function without the medicine that I weened off of at 26. My toolbox is normally cluttered, but I keep all my tools in my area or on top of my box. It's the system that works for me. This morning I clocked in and was about to unlock my box when the new boss came up to me and
    via u/mrcba333
  • 05
    said "You will not be working on cars today until your box is organized." I said "My box is organized in the way that it works for me." He shot back with "Not good enough for me or the company, I need to be able to find tools when I need them and it needs to look neat and orderly for when corporate comes through." I
    via u/mrcba333
  • 06
    paused for a second and said "So you are telling me that you need to be able to find MY tools that I have purchased when YOU need to use them? I dont remember signing that agreement" He nodded and muttered something about insubordination and that he would be passing off all the work to the other technician until it was completed to his satisfaction.
    via u/mrcba333
  • 07
    I had assumed he was bluffing until 3 cars came in, and all 3 tickets were handed to the other tech. I don't have any problem being told to clean up and I would have even done it his way, but I had a problem with his tone and this was messing with my paycheck. So while he was in the back doing tire inventory, I opened the top drawer of my
    via u/mrcba333
  • 08
    toolbox, spread my arms, and swept every single thing into the drawer that I could. I repeated for the 2nd and 3rd drawer until the top was clean. I used the same process for both of my smaller carts until each one could be closed and locked, then I clocked out for lunch. I am currently sitting in my car in the parking lot eating lunch and browsing job listings while watching him try to open all of my drawers to use my tools, because 3 more cars came in and the other tech can't handle 6 at a tim
    via u/mrcba333
  • 09
    TLDR: My boss withheld work to make me organize my tools his way, so now I'm withholding my tools completely.
    via u/mrcba333
  • 10
    UPDATE: I did not expect this to blow up like this lol. I clocked back in from lunch and boss asked to speak with me. Apparently he called the district manager and also his dad (who is a district manager of another district) for advice and it sounds like they both told him to make it right, and that he could not afford to lose me (I know how it sounds, but it's true). He told me
    via u/mrcba333
  • 11
    that he just wanted to make a good impression on corporate who would be coming through in a few weeks and that he shouldn't have targeted me personally. He paid me for the 3 vehicles he worked on, and I let him know that I was willing to work with him but if he ever spoke down to me again there would not be a do over. I would leave. He also inquired about buying his own tools. He's not a bad dude, just a little anxious I guess. I suppose I will stick around for a little, as the paychecks are wor
    via u/mrcba333
  • 12
    As for some of the responses, yes I am somewhat of a slob with my toolbox, but I also average 10-15 cars a day so I don't always have time or the drive to neatly organize my tools daily. He said he will be bringing his toolbox from home and calling or texting to ask to borrow before borrowing. I guess i am. somewhat of a rare mechanic as i dont mind people borrowing my tools as long as they are put back. Also, the empty toolbox comments, I own all 4 of my toolboxes, so they would be coming with
    via u/mrcba333
  • 13
    crumblednewman 6 hr. ago • I'm not a mechanic but have a really good friend who is. We used to play around in the garage on cars he was working on for friends, so I get to hear about mechanic life. One of the lessons he taught me was to never, EVER, touch another mans toolbox. You bought those tools, what gives him the right to even look at them sideways? I'm eager to read the fallout of this, lol.
    via u/mrcba333
  • 14
    ArizonaGeek · 6 hr. ago My dad was a mechanic for most of my childhood. He had tens of thousands of dollars worth of tools. All SnapOn tools. I only got in trouble one time for using his tools and not putting them back cleaned and in the correct spot. One time was all the trouble I needed to get in to understand. You don't mess with someone's tools!
    via u/mrcba333
  • 15
    Postcocious 7 hr. ago That's like a chef messing with another chef's knives, that he bought, paid for and maintains they way he likes them. You don't do that. As the saying goes, there are no (well, few) bad jobs, but there are many bad bosses. Don't work for one a day longer than absolutely necessary. Hope you find a better boss soon!
    via u/mrcba333
  • 16
    • ieya404 7 hr. ago What a . There's a difference between a showroom and a workplace. Hopefully he'll learn before too long.
    via u/mrcba333
  • 17
    7dayweekendgirl 7 hr. ago My brother was a mechanic for 40 years. No one would ever dare touch his tools. He spent a fortune on them.
    via u/mrcba333
  • 18
    • theautomaticman · 5 hr. ago · edited 4 hr. ago A good friend of mine is a mechanic for a local city, he's been a mechanic since he graduated high school 20 years ago and has tools. SO many Recently the city decided they didn't want him using his tools at work anymore and decided to buy "shop" tools, even after he protested. All nice Snap-On stuff. Well, inevitably, they pinched Pennys after the initial investment, and he has zero specialty tools in the shop anymore.
    via u/mrcba333
  • 19
    They recently asked him if he could bring his stuff back in, since the my didn't listen to him when he told them what they needed to buy and what it would cost. Now he's about to start another job and their fleet (city trucks, police cars, all sorts of stuff) is in shambles.
    via u/mrcba333
  • 20
    • kokopelleee 7 hr. ago He can purchase his own tools, or he can write you a check for access to yours.
    via u/mrcba333
  • 21
    Low-decibel 6 hr. ago • Lock the box,f em He wants to play games this is one you win, so many mechanic jobs out there
    via u/mrcba333
  • 22
    wegame6699. 6 hr. ago The very second he implied. that he was using MY tools, i would lock the box and roll them out.
    via u/mrcba333
  • 23
    • SaltyNethers 7 hr. ago Immediately apply for other jobs. This situation isn't going to improve.
    via u/mrcba333
  • 24
    StuBidasol 6 hr. ago • I worked in a machine shop for a bit in my early 20s and my toolbox consisted of a carryable Kennedy. One of the guys I got along with pretty well in the shop was watching me struggle to do something with my basic tools and brought over something better. It helped immensely and when I was done I grabbed a towel and wiped it down as I was returning it to him, making sure he knew it was being returned and to the drawer he pulled it from.
    via u/mrcba333
  • 25
    I didn't work there very long, machining wasn't for me but I was the only guy there that he ever let borrow any of his tools. It's all about the respect for someone else's property, especially if it's used to feed their family. that "boss". He'll be the reason why they can't keep anybody around very long.
    via u/mrcba333
  • 26
    LordLuk3n 6 hr. ago • Can you clean your car OP, I don't want it to be dirty if I need to borrow it. • mrcba333 OP · 2 hr. ago This one got me lol
    via u/mrcba333

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