What To Do With The Turkey Baster Now That Thanksgiving Is Over?

As I was cleaning up Thanksgiving dinner, I was washing our turkey baster and began to wax a bit nostalgic. You see, a few years ago I had it in my mind to buy, restore, and drive a 1969 VW Bug. I accomplished these goals and sold the darling little car a few years later. During the path of restoration, I discovered at one point that the common turkey baster made a great clutch alignment tool.

So it got me thinking; what else have I, or others, used a turkey baster for (within the limits of a family-oriented newsletter)? Most of my alternative turkey baster operations have been automotive-related. In addition to the aforementioned clutch alignment, I have also used a turkey baster to remove brake fluid from a master cylinder, as well as surplus coolant from a radiator and coolant reservoir (not on the Bug, of course).

After the latter two, I washed and dried the turkey baster and slipped it back into the drawer, my transgressions undetected. For the clutch alignment, I actually had to cut it down a bit, and ended up keeping it in my toolbox. This spawned the famous “Missing Turkey Baster Thanksgiving of ‘02.” I did eventually tell my wife, but not until the baster had been replaced, and sufficient time had passed to ease the sting and pain of its loss.

I don’t know of many computer-related tasks that could be handled by the common turkey baster. You might be able to use it to suck out some dust in a tight area, or perhaps pick up a screw you may have dropped into the computer case. Ultimately, however, I think the baster is better suited for liquid-related tasks. I invite others who have committed similar crimes against poultry to share their experiences.