Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!vicorp!ron
From: ron@vicorp.com (Ron Peterson)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: finding teeny parts you drop
Message-ID: <1991Jun14.002711.5294@vicorp.com>
Date: 14 Jun 91 00:27:11 GMT
References: <1991Jun9.061517.874@yenta.alb.nm.us>
Reply-To: ron@vicorp.com (Ron Peterson)
Organization: V. I. Corporation, Amherst, Massachusetts
Lines: 13

In article <1991Jun9.061517.874@yenta.alb.nm.us> dt@yenta.alb.nm.us (David B. Thomas) writes:
>I work in a carpeted area, and if I drop a tiny washer or something, I'll
>have a very hard time finding it again.  I just discovered (after being so
>splendidly stupid as to drop a washer I needed) that patting the rug in the
>general area causes the little parts to dance around, catch the light and
>catch your eye.

A large magnet is great for finding steel parts.  A few sweeps over the rug
will usually do it.  I also find that it's wise to look carefully with a
flashlight before patting the rug because if the part drops into the fibers
you may never find it.  One of those small hand vacuum cleaners might be
useful also.
ron@vicorp.com or uunet!vicorp!ron