[ARC5] R1155: The Screw Gremlins Defeated!

[Jim Wiley]

Another way to find hardware and similar small items that have found 
their way to the shop floor is to stretch a scrap of women's nylon 
hosiery across a 2 1/2" shop-vac hose and sweep it around the area.  The 
larger size vacuum hose permits more airflow and thus greater velocity 
for picking up smaller bits.  No nozzle needed.


- Jim,  KL7CC




On 5/7/2017 4:29 PM, Scott Robinson wrote:
> For steel screws, sweeping the floor with a magnet works, too. Brass, 
> no joy.
>
> On smooth floors, shining a flashlight parallel to the floor will case 
> tall debris to cast a shadow, also helpful sometimes.
>
> Been there too...
>
> /scott robinson
>
> On 5/7/17 3:41 PM, David Stinson wrote:
>> I post this to give hope and encouragement to
>> my fellow Brothers of the Molten Solder.
>> We all know of the dread Screw Gremlins who,
>> among other vile treacheries, immediately make-off
>> with any screw dropped from the bench during a repair.
>> I removed the logging scale from the front of the R1155
>> to clean behind it.  It is held in place by two miniscule
>> screws- about 2mm by 3mm.  Pictured next to the "70" marking. They are
>> most tiny.
>> https://goo.gl/photos/5XYgg4A3SeWAoBwe7
>> I placed a towel under the area to catch any dropped screws before
>> removing the scale.  Of course, I dropped one.
>> It struck something- perhaps my little finger, bounded
>> at an angle, missed the towel completely and decended
>> into the dark, mysterious, howling abyss of the barn
>> floor under my bench.
>>
>> I don't know if many of you have spent any quality time
>> with your nose on a dirty barn floor, going inch by
>> hopeless inch searching, hoping to fend-off the Screw Gremlins this
>> time.  Doing it with 60-year-old
>> joints adds a special something to the experence.
>> I did not find it.
>>
>> And herein is the hope:  I discovered that Screw Gremlins
>> are afraid of the sound of a big shop vacuum!
>> Emptied the vac completely.
>> Cleared the floor of "stuff" for 3-feet around the drop point and
>> vacuumed the area inch-by-inch,
>> not missing places, never seeing the errent screw.  Then took the vac
>> out to a flat surface and a sheet of white plastic.  Poured about two
>> tablespoons of gunk each time and started hand
>> sifting.  On the third dump, "saint's be praised!"
>> https://goo.gl/photos/wT2dg4LxSyHcf6nC7
>>
>> The moral of the story:  The Screw Gremlins can
>> be beaten, and sometimes it's good if "you suck."
>>
>> 73 OM DE Dave AB5S
>>
>>
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