Hehe probably the blast shape on the scissors is not easy to conceal from your parents afterwards : )

Wow, that's brave. I think our first TV always gave a mild tingle when changing channels on it, so I tried to stay clear of the insides of those : )

But on home-made circuits I sometimes used to use a lip test on TO-18 cans to see if they were gently warming up : ) But sometimes the heat rise was quite rapid with those : )

The worst tool for any job is the one that is almost the right tool and 'will do'.

You will always spend more time fiddling, trying to make it fit, shaving bits off, adding bits, removing lumps of flesh, electrocuting yourself or poking yourself in areas you really didn't know had that many nerve endings.

Invariably the right tool for the job will be found seconds after breaking the thing you were trying to mend, build or install in the first place.

Cenydd

I've certainly tested something for heat in the past - wet my finger too to get the 'sizzle' before it really burned . . . . . . unfortunately it was the case of a TO3 transistor (the carbon resistor downstream was doing a passable impression of an arc lamp).

I didn't notice the label on the TV chassis  "Warning, Chassis Live Regardless Of Mains Polarity"    -    it was hot alright, hot to the tune of 240V ac mains!

Maybe I should steer clear of electrics/electronics . . . . 

shabaz I think I broke the one hand rule in maybe the 7th grade (we went to High School for a basic electronics class). And I wanted to use the Oscilloscope for the first time, remember the Hickock round tube. Well, I got the scope out of the cabinet and put it on a table, and plugged it in.   While touching the case I rotated the intensity/power control and got knocked off my feet.

After I regained my self, the question was why, so I took the case off (permission first), and saw the metal shaft coming from the back of the scope to the front. The next day I repaired it for good. Removed pot shaft, etc. I cut the shaft and installed a flexible coupling (ceramic). fins.

ouch and OUCH.

shabaz oddly you mentioned me twice:

once a long time ago (when I was just a wee thing) we were moving from NYC to Long Branch, NJ, and my Mom and Dad where cutting string or rope. So I (as the story goes) Got Moms good pair of snips, and crawled up under the desk. And cut the wire to the vac. Bright flash, I cried, and a pair of burned snips.

And yes I have stripped wire more than a few times with your God-given wire strippers (teeth) 

dougw  As a female of the group, you must do three things:

1. remove your rings!
2. remove any dangles ie long neckless, scarfs, and or earnings.
3. Put up your long hair.

The list is in the order of pain!

1. Ring: Could lose a finger or worse! when playing with power!
2. Hair: Can fall in to or get caught by machinery.
3. Neckless: Can fall in to or get caught by machinery.

Back in the mid 60's (my late teens!!) I fancied myself as a bit of DJ and used to do the music at parties - modified portable gramaphone, reel-to-reel tape recorder, home-made 10Watt valve ampilifer (Mullard design book) and a pair of home made loud speaker cabinets. My father would deliver me and the kit to wherever the party was and collect me afterwards, in his car.

I arrived at one party to find there was only 1 power socket and I needed a minimum of two - no adapter, no plug board, no tools!! I managed to find a screwdriver and wired 2 bits of kit into one plug....not a serious task for me in those days!!

Successful evening but went on a bit and Dad was waiting outside in the car.......I panicked because he didn't like being kept waiting. Impossible to carry the two pieces of kit that were wired into the same plug, no time to unwire the plug.... so cut the power cords....with a pair of hefty scissors.....while still plugged in......and switched on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got a nasty jolt and the fuse in the plug blew, saving the fuse in the house distribution box.....I was lucky!!!!! Of course they were fuse wire in those days.

After that I made up a plugboard and always carried a small toolkit, including insulated cutters!

Neil

14rhb - I find it best when you outsource the finger jobs to someone else . Hey, umm ... does this feel hot to you?

- Gough