Fool's errand

A fool's errand is a prank where a new employee is sent to retrieve a non-existent tool or other item.

Examples
 A box of spots for the spot welder
 A box of benzene rings.
 A left-handed screwdriver
 A roll of fallopian tube or umbilical cord
 A long weight (long wait)
 A board stretcher or cable stretcher
 Blinker fluid
 Piston return springs
 A box of spark plug sparks
 A wireless extension cord
 Spark plugs for a diesel engine
 Dehydrated water
 Striped paint
 A can of elbow grease
 A bucket of prop wash
 A roll of shoreline

Counterexamples
Some items that were once the subject of this prank have since been invented:
 WLAN or WiFi cables - some newer WiFi routers have antennas connected with cables
 A battery-powered outlet - self-contained battery-powered AC power sources are now available
 Light bulbs frosted on the inside - once considered impossible but now commonplace
 Exhaust fluid - many modern diesel engines use it
 A new bubble for a level - as of 2025 it can be ordered online as a replacement part

Category:Pranks