Beating the carpet monster

[berr13]

I have brat fingers, so I'm always dropping parts on the carpet (I sometimes believe I could finish a model in half the time if I wasn't always bent over picking up stuff off the floor). Anyway, recently I dropped a clear backup light lens on the carpet, and figured I was outta luck--you know how small those are. Instead, I used some Scotch packing tape (the clear stuff, about 2" wide). I made a loop from the tape, sticky side out, big enough to fit over four fingers, and started gently patting the carpet. To my amazement, I found the part in about thirty seconds. This technique may be common knowledge, but l thought it worth repeating...

[ScaleDale]

I read about a guy who made a bench apron of sorts out of an old shirt or something. It tacked to the edge of his bench and tied around his waist to make a big basket to catch those pesky runaway parts. My problem is flying parts. I cut something and bing! Lost until I've scratch built a replacement and find it stuck to the wall or something.

Dale

[Cato]

Cut them inside of a 1 gallon ziplock bag...

[kratvmnd]

One that's always worked great is a piece of nylon rubber banded around the end of a vacuum hose. Sometimes you'll find parts you never knew were missing..

[PappyD340]

Those are some great ideas guys I'm making notes, I hate those parts that sprout wings!!

[Blown03SVT]

One that's always worked great is a piece of nylon rubber banded around the end of a vacuum hose. Sometimes you'll find parts you never knew were missing..

Best idea ever! This is one of those " why didn't I think of that?"

[raildogg]

I sometime use a flashlight at about 10 degrees of the plane of the floor. It catches the edge of the parts almost immediately and shows a pretty profile of the piece and, bob's your uncle, there it is!

[peekay]

I read about a guy who made a bench apron of sorts out of an old shirt or something. It tacked to the edge of his bench and tied around his waist to make a big basket to catch those pesky runaway parts.

But I just know I would head for the kitchen for a coffee and take the hobby table with me....

[slusher]

I have used the tape before and it works great.....

[Tom Geiger]

I read about a guy who made a bench apron of sorts out of an old shirt or something. It tacked to the edge of his bench and tied around his waist to make a big basket to catch those pesky runaway parts. My problem is flying parts. I cut something and bing! Lost until I've scratch built a replacement and find it stuck to the wall or something.

I could just see me doing that apron trick. I'd forget, get up and pull my entire workbench to the ground!

For small parts that seem like they'd fly, I stick them to masking tape before cutting. Especially photo etch!

[Mercman]

I just got rid of the carpet. Bare concrete floor.