dropped spring finder!

[n423]

good idea

 

[Phezzik]

We like to call those parts "air soluble". In gunsmithing school, one of the first things we learned was the gunsmith crawl, something you master very quickly. Then they showed us the tool of our shop - it was like a push broom, but instead of bristles it had long magnetic strips attached to the bottom. Worked so well, I'm going to make one out of an old swiffer for my house. The trick is getting magnetic strips strong enough. That shop vacuum is pretty ingenious. I'll remember that as well.

 

[moller72]

I'll have to try this I have 2 detent pins that I tried a roofers magnet on and still have not found.

 

[Buzzdraw]

maybe not for you guys, but I heard about you guys out West with your livestock fetishes..

that is a good idea, but if I did that in my shop, its be full every two seconds. On hard ground, nothing beats putting the lights out and a flashlight held close to the ground. Even the smallest parts will cast loooong shadows

I've had great luck with the bright flashlight in a darkish room myself myself. HINT: dropped small parts will bounce-bounce much further than you might think they would, even on a carpeted surface.

The pantyhose over the shop vac nozzle will be a trick I will add to my repertoire.

 

[okietool]

Nice.
If someone needs strong flexible magnetic strips, small sign shops have them. You might even be able to get a sign that's been made up and didn't sell and salvage them.

 

[jchip123]

This idea is great it's one of those "why didn't I think of this before".