The New Garage Chronicles

Something I discovered while manning the spare parts box at my summer job was that hex bolts make for really good stim toys. A lot of times my inventory and restocking had me toying with a big, like M20 or bigger, bolt between my fingers until I started giving myself scabs from the threading. I also wasn't sure if the oil from my hands was bad for the parts, so I ended up solving the problem by grabbing a dedicated M8 nut and bolt to play with, thinking it was better to only waste one of each.

Later I added a washer between the nut and the bolt, because the longest M8 bolt with full threading was a 40mm one, and if I just absently rolled the nut up and down I ended up dropping it off the other end repeatedly. I didn't figure until later that I could cap the other end with a nylock nut, but that's probably a good thing because 40mm is already pretty short. That one is definitely more of a two-handed toy.

On my last day of work (a full week before my contract was due -- I'm still extremely salty about that) I went and grabbed a pair of lock cutters from the tool shed and cut myself a piece of M6 threaded bar to my specifications, added nuts and washers, and capped it with more nylocks to make an "upgraded" version of the M8 bolt toy. M6 and M8 threads are fairly close, so rolling a nut down them takes satisfyingly long, but I opted for M6 mostly b/c it was easier to cut.

I don't think I had my fidget cube with me once, this design ended up being so good to stim with. The M8 washers have significant wear to them from being spun against the bolt cap so much, but since my toolbox is currently with my friend, I haven't been able to fasten the nylock on that so much, so I'm spending a lot more time playing with the M6 now.

I'd love to write -- however

I'm experiencing. Interference :|

Changed my motivator on my chalk board

Oh yeah, fun fact, my tarot pendant arrived.

Hell yes on treating myself to this, the picture doesn't do justice to how beautiful it actually is.

Tarot is my oldest special interest, and for years now The Chariot has been the card I most identify with. I, too, am an exceptionally capable edgelord who is also their own worst enemy, but it's undeniable that when I need to, I can pull a startling amount of weight with me. I am an engine, tune me right and I will literally keep the entire thing powered and moving.