Hi from NZ. Snatched defeat from the jaws of victory

[Vortex]

Hello everyone

 

Just dipping my toe into hobby horology. I recently took delivery of some Chinese watchmakers screwdrivers. (The ones that come with the fake burgeon, grey, rotating storage drum). They are so hilarious I'm not even upset at the waste of a few dollars. 3 were bent, 1 was missing its insert and grub screw and the other 2  flatheads were so gnarled with oblique and rolled over ends ends that it was hard to tell what the maker intended them to be. Any way I managed to grind, shape and sharpen one.

So I undertook my first job. I managed to change a capacitor in a Seiko Kinetic. Sadly, and here's the defeat bit, I forgot I'd put the retaining screw for the pendulum/weight in the case back, picked up the case back and sent the screw flying into carpet oblivion.....bugger! At least I know I have the hand eye co-ordination just missing working neatly.

What now????

[oldhippy]

Welcome to this friendly forum. First step is get yourself a good set of screwdrivers and tweezers. Work will be a lot easer with good tools. 

[ecodec]

Bit of bad luck there Vortex. Do like Old Hippy says. Good tools are a great help. Slow down and work methodically. You will find a screw to do the job from maybe a scrap watch ? Regards, Mike.

[dadistic]

Greetings!

A magnet may be able to retrieve that screw from the carpet. There's a few other tricks for recovering parts, try searching the forums for ideas. 

[Tmuir]

I have a 1 meter metal ruler and a dozen small super-magnets.

I place them on the ruler and drag it across the floor, have saved myself a few click springs that way.

Of course then you need to demagnatise them, but that is better than having to order a new part and wait the week or 2 for it to arrive.