Warning: A tiny spring from a Nikon FM2 launch pad flew across my workbench yesterday

I was replacing the mirror foam in my home shop when the small spring for the film advance lever shot out. It bounced off my lamp and landed somewhere in the carpet. I spent about 45 minutes with a magnet on a stick and a bright light before I found it under my stool. Has anyone else had a close call with a part that almost got lost for good?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_mason4d ago

That "bounced off my lamp" part is the worst. I always try to work inside a clear plastic bag now, like the kind a new comforter comes in. Stick your arms in, do the fiddly work in there. If something flies, it just hits the bag and drops to the bottom. Saves a lot of time on your knees with a magnet.

quinnbailey4d agoMost Upvoted

Try the bag trick over a light colored towel. Catches anything that gets past the plastic and makes small parts way easier to spot. Saves your back and your sanity.

robert_craig2h ago

That clear plastic bag idea from @quinnbailey is smart. I once had a tiny screw from a watch bounce off my glasses and into a floor vent. The bag would have saved me from taking the whole vent cover apart.