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Posted

So I think we need some funny stories about loosing watch parts. My wife found me on my hands and knees the other day looking for a small gear that is part of a south bend pocket watch keyless system. I had it on the mat, forgot I put it there and it stuck to my forearm and moved itself to the plastic chair mat on the floor. I looked like an ant eater with my loop and a flashlight doing a Search and Rescue pattern on the floor.1d18c2135885d0eab370d872ce7b4535.jpg

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Posted

Wow JD, you need a serious bench configuration there!! Make a little frame (maybe just 3 sides) and limit where watches, pens and computer stuff can play...I'm amazed you are not missing more parts!!!

Cheers,

Bob

PS. Show us the "anteater search and rescue" picture!!! :D

Posted

i lost and then found a wheel from a bulova quartz tonight. i saw it ping off. so, i hooked up the vacuum cleaner with a sock on the end of the extension. i did the floor under my chair three times - nothing. after i put away the vac, i looked on the movement and there was the wheel. it hardly moved. i just assumed when it pinged that it went into outer space.

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Posted
i lost and then found a wheel from a bulova quartz tonight. i saw it ping off. so, i hooked up the vacuum cleaner with a sock on the end of the extension. i did the floor under my chair three times - nothing. after i put away the vac, i looked on the movement and there was the wheel. it hardly moved. i just assumed when it pinged that it went into outer space.

Very funny and what a great idea for picking up parts. I have had parts stuck to my arm in the early days when I would forget to place the parts in a tray. Sick and vacuum, check.

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Posted

I have always worn a apron but just lately I have been attaching it,s lower section to the underside of the bench with a couple go dog clips. Any fliers now just sit in the apron for retrieval. 

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Posted
I have always worn a apron but just lately I have been attaching it,s lower section to the underside of the bench with a couple go dog clips. Any fliers now just sit in the apron for retrieval. 

Another great pat recovery tip.

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Posted
18 hours ago, jdrichard said:

So I think we need some funny stories about loosing watch parts. My wife found me on my hands and knees the other day looking for a small gear that is part of a south bend pocket watch keyless system. I had it on the mat, forgot I put it there and it stuck to my forearm and moved itself to the plastic chair mat on the floor. I looked like an ant eater with my loop and a flashlight doing a Search and Rescue pattern on the floor.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Oh myyyy.. Are we really looking like cyborgs while tinkering? :) 

I have lost many parts, all were turned up after a few hours of searching or accidentally after a few days. Except one minute hand wich was drying after relume in a box on the old TV among other relumed parts. My wife was calling me up on the workplace that the kids striked the box down with a ball. :startle:

I have a small flashlight with me all the time it is excellent for searching for flewn parts. It has an XM-L (there are much more efficient ones nowadays) led with 18650 Li battery. 

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Posted
Oh myyyy.. Are we really looking like cyborgs while tinkering? [emoji4] 

I have lost many parts, all were turned up after a few hours of searching or accidentally after a few days. Except one minute hand wich was drying after relume in a box on the old TV among other relumed parts. My wife was calling me up on the workplace that the kids striked the box down with a ball. :startle:

I have a small flashlight with me all the time it is excellent for searching for flewn parts. It has an XM-L (there are much more efficient ones nowadays) led with 18650 Li battery. 

Kids and watch parts don't mix well. Big locks on doors are needed.

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Posted

So the vacuum and the sock is the best idea I have heard yet for finding those fliers. I know not to practice coin magic over a vent.

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Posted

Well I've lost my fair share.  It's funny how you can almost always hear where they land when they go missing though.  I think it's a bit of a tease since I can never see the darn things even though I'm certain I know where they are!

I've discovered that my four year old daughter has exceptional eye sight though.  She's handy to have around.

Probably the worst thing to happen to me is when I dropped a steel spring on the floor.  I knew I never would find it with my eyes in the fibers of the carpet so I used a Neodymium magnet which picked it up like a champ.  Of course then I foolishly plucked the spring from the magnet with my steel tweezers.  That shut me down for two days before my de-magnatizer arrived from Amazon.

My friends, education is never free.

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Posted

My kids are gone so I now need to rely on zoom lens glasses I picked up in Italy. And you are correct, you do hear them drop and never find them.

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