Face palm incident #278

[mikld]

I cleaned and painted my "gun work" bench last week and bought a nice "door mat". Only problem, it was dark charcoal. I was working on a friend's M92 and all them itty-bitty screws are dark blued steel! They just disappeared in the mat. I now have a new mat for my truck...

[GunnyMack]

That's what is known as a 'D'oh' moment?
When I was taking my Beretta armorers course the instructor started to explain how to NOT loose the pins and springs, of course while he was talking there were pins & springs flying all over the place!

[williamranks]

Buy a magnetic parts tray from the auto parts store. I have three in different sizes. They save my knees from crawling around on the floor trying to find an itty bitty screw by feel.

[1894cfan]

IF you drop something on the floor, grab a flashlight and shine it ALONG the floor and you SHOULD be able to see the part by the shadow it leaves. HTH

[AJMD429]

Buy a magnetic parts tray from the auto parts store. I have three in different sizes. They save my knees from crawling around on the floor trying to find an itty bitty screw by feel.

Yep. Mine is one of my favorite tools...!

IF you drop something on the floor, grab a flashlight and shine it ALONG the floor and you SHOULD be able to see the part by the shadow it leaves. HTH

Not always........if I could play golf as well as I can hit a 4mm baseboard-gap on the third bounce with an irreplaceable 3mm spring, I'd be a champion....!

[Blaine]

A BFM is invaluable.....

[Sixgun]

i keep a very clean gunroom with one of those office mats in front of the bench and I still lose tiny screws, springs, indents, whatever. I was complaining about this to my buddy, "The Gunny" and he surprised me a week later with these magnets that he bought at Harbor Freight. The one with the roller is so strong I can use it outside in the grass to find stuff.-----6

[Rusty]

That thing with the rollers is so strong you can find things you haven't even lost yet.

[Griff]

Somewhere is a stainless steel nipple to one of 1851s... It might be under the couch...

[M. M. Wright]

+1 to the magnetic trays and I have a large magnet on a handle sorta set up like a driver. Still drop things though and when I bend over I pass out so I have couple of smaller magnets on extension handles. Sorry about that nipple but you probably need to buy a new set of Tresos anyway.

[GunnyMack]

Another thing that can be of assistance is to get a shallow box, do disassembly in the box, any parts that try to reach orbit hit the box and normally stay within the box.
If need be also can drape a towel over the parts once a pin is started and if it's spring loaded then it hits the towel. Only problem is ya gotta work by feel.

[mikld]

All the hints are very helpful and I've tried most of them. I used to rebuild carburetors as a large part of my job (remember those?), and alternators and generators too. One hint I used was a fiberglass cafeteria tray. That would keep a lot of small parts from walking away, but did little for flying springs. I also used a beer can flat (those cardboard boxes that were just 2" high) as a backstop.

My "bench mat" was a spur of thr moment buy which turned out to be one of those "D'oh" moments, that as a lifelong machinist/mechanic needed to be confessed! I now have a cream colored mat ($2.99) that will work well...

[Ray Newman]

For years, I have utilized magnetic large and small parts trays, a magnet on a long fixed handle, and a telescoping handled magnet to find screws, pins, etc., on the floor.

But I 'nevva' thought about one of those wheeled magnetic picker-uppers. Just might take a trip to the local Harbor Fright tool store. Thanks for the idea 6Gun!

[Blaine]

For years, I have utilized magnetic large and small parts trays, a magnet on a long fixed handle, and a telescoping handled magnet to find screws, pins, etc., on the floor.

But I 'nevva' thought about one of those wheeled magnetic picker-uppers. Just might take a trip to the local Harbor Fright tool store. Thanks for the idea 6Gun!

+1.....Fishing reels seem to explode when I work on them.....

[BrianSH]

Whether working on watch bracelets or small gun parts, I lay down a paper towel. Black parts show up very easy, and the rough texture prevents the small pins from rolling under stuff. -Brian

[piller]

+1 on the paper towel. I also keep a flashlight and an extendable magnet handy.

[44shooter]

My smithing/cleaning bench and my loading bench are covered in green outdoor carpet. It's cheap, thick enough to prevent rolling of small parts, shallow enough to not engulf them, provides good contrast and reflectivity, easy to install with a staple gun.

[Ysabel Kid]

Buy a magnetic parts tray from the auto parts store. I have three in different sizes. They save my knees from crawling around on the floor trying to find an itty bitty screw by feel.

+1

Harbor Freight has them as well. In fact, they often have a coupon for a free one with any purchase.