A vacuum cleaner helps to find lost parts.

[Jon Cole]

 everyone knows that a vacuum cleaner can help pick up small parts that fell into the carpet, but nobody wants to par through all that stuff to find it. You know cut open the bag?

No thanks.

We just bought a Dyson V7 stick type cleaner that has no bag. It has a clear plastic container that can be easily emptied. Just empty it before you start vacuuming for your part, and when you're done it's either there or it's gone forever. No more wondering where it went.

 I don't know how many other vacuums have clear barrel type containers, but it's a handy feature for model builders. And everybody needs a vacuum if you have your own place.

[Tom Geiger]

I was thinking about that this morning..  my model room has a hardwood floor and I was cleaning up under the bench with a business card, mining for small parts.  I was thinking it would be easier with a small low power hand held vacuum cleaner.   Any ideas out there?

[Toner283]

Use a chunk of old panty hose over the end of the suction hose for the vacuum. Just make sure there are no holes in the pantyhose piece. Small parts will get sucked to the end of the vacuum but not get pulled through the nylon. Works great with a central vac or a shop vac.

Edited January 26, 2018 by Toner283

[peteski]

On 1/26/2018 at 5:33 PM, Toner283 said:

Use a chunk of old panty hose over the end of the suction hose for the vacuum. Just make sure there are no holes in the pantyhose piece. Small parts will get sucked to the end of the vacuum but not get pulled through the nylon. Works great with a central vac or a shop vac.

Yup, that works and is a trick modelers of all sorts have been using for decades.

[BigTallDad]

I generally stuff the pantyhose into the opening about 4" then put a rubber band around the outside. The stuffed-in pantyhose forms a small bag which holds the parts better, especially after you turn the vacuum off.