Damn small parts!

[lihpster]

I recently purchased a set of Ken's stags for my Mod. 60. This gun had some finish issues when I got it, so I polished it out by hand with Mother's and it looks great. With the addition of the stags it will be a great companion piece to my 3" 686+ with Ken's stags on it. One issue. The 686, while new looked dull next to the polished 60. Easy enough, I'll polish the 686. Everything goes great until I go to put the damn thing back together and I lose the bolt plunger. Little tiny damn thing. I'm an old guy. I can't see something that small unless I know exactly where to look for it. When it goes flying across the shop, well....
Luckily Gunparts had some. Got 2 more on the way. Hopefully that will be enough. Meantime I wait. Pics coming when I get it put back together.

 

[jculloden]

When they arrive from Gunparts, you'll find the original

 

[lihpster]

When they arrive from Gunparts, you'll find the original

I looked for 20 minutes right after I had completed the order, but no luck!

 

[hopimedic]

I recently purchased a set of Ken's stags for my Mod. 60. This gun had some finish issues when I got it, so I polished it out by hand with Mother's and it looks great. With the addition of the stags it will be a great companion piece to my 3" 686+ with Ken's stags on it. One issue. The 686, while new looked dull next to the polished 60. Easy enough, I'll polish the 686. Everything goes great until I go to put the damn thing back together and I lose the bolt plunger. Little tiny damn thing. I'm an old guy. I can't see something that small unless I know exactly where to look for it. When it goes flying across the shop, well....
Luckily Gunparts had some. Got 2 more on the way. Hopefully that will be enough. Meantime I wait. Pics coming when I get it put back together.

Magnets are your friend. Magnetic trays, magnets on a stick, magnets, magnets. Did I mention magnets?

 

[Pisgah]

I feel your pain. For detailed disassembly I have gone to working inside a big plastic bag. I also stick a large magnetic parts tray in there. Still, once in a while ...

 

[lihpster]

I feel your pain. For detailed disassembly I have gone to working inside a big plastic bag. I also stick a large magnetic parts tray in there. Still, once in a while ...

Pain is mostly in my ***. No big deal, the part is cheap and available. My own damn fault but easily remedied.

 

[Chuck24]

Walk around barefoot, you'll find it.

 

[mckenney99]

If you don't have one of your own, borrow a cat. I guarantee the cat will find it, you just have to catch them before they try to eat it.

 

[dsf]

Walk around barefoot, you'll find it.

Probably when he gets up in the middle of the night to pee.

Gotta be over 60 to appreciate that one.

 

[OLDSTER]

I lost an extractor spring for a Hi-Power a couple years ago. Just about a month ago, I slid a playing card under section of floor molding looking for a dime from my sons' collection. I found the dime and the long lost extractor spring.

 

[TAROMAN]

I feel your pain.
Just lost a firing pin retainer.
Had to make a replacement from a drill bit.

 

[MB3845]

I have learned all small parts, especially any sitting on top of a spring, are called Jesus parts...as in "Jesus! Where did that go?"

 

[chief38]

Over the years I have lost a few parts right in my workshop. It seems that if I can't find the part within the first half hour or so I never will. When I moved back in January and I packed up my work shop, I really thought I'd find a few small springs, screws, etc. lost over the 25 years I lived there but not one single piece ever surfaced.

The good news is that I have built up a descent inventory of small parts commonly lost, breakable and that wear and I just go into my stash and replace the missing piece with a new one.

There are some tricks out there like working on the disassembly / assembly of really small springs and parts inside a clear plastic bag so that in the event that something goes flying it will be captured inside the bag. I find that a bit awkward but some do that and say it works great.

 

[jimmyj]

Lost parts and springs fly to that famous Bank in Beverly Hills where all the Gold, Primers and SA-35 pistols are kept.

 

[AJ]

Magnets are your friend. Magnetic trays, magnets on a stick, magnets, magnets. Did I mention magnets?

Have used all to corral loose parts. Yes, they are your friend!

I feel your pain. For detailed disassembly I have gone to working inside a big plastic bag. I also stick a large magnetic parts tray in there. Still, once in a while ...

I have several of various sizes that I can work inside of so as not to loose parts. Also have a plexiglass three sided enclosure with a plexiglass top that I use.

 

[robertrwalsh]

I sometimes disassemble with the weapon inside a plastic "barf basin" from the hospital with heavy-duty clear plastic over the top. I also use a magnetic parts tray (harbor freight) to hold the parts once disassembled. Has saved me a lot of grief.

 

[steelslaver]

I try to keep the area of my shop I work on guns pretty clean and the floor swept up well. I also bought some cheap paneling and used it to make skirts that touch the floor under everything, do it is hard for anything to get under anything . I still lose something from time to time.

 

[2152hq]

I disassemble most everything with the gun in my lap. I don't know why I have used that method but have for many, many years.

I wear a shop apron all the time while working and the apron gets bunched up, the gun is in the middle and parts are generally captured in the apron if they do fall free.

Once in a while one falls to the Jesus Floor.
It's not the cleanest room around so there's been some time spent with a flashlite looking for stuff over the yrs.
It's just part of the trade. Everyone has done it.

Flyers can end up most anywhere, if you are lucky you can hear them crash land.
Sometimes you find something you weren't even looking for while looking for something else.
'Whats this go to?'

Stuff drops off the bench if it/they look like mine do.

 

[AJ]

Have found that laying my head on the floor and looking horizontally across the floor finds things quicker if you can't spot it from above looking down. Works for me.

 

[lihpster]

It's a pattern with me. Working on guns while watching TV. I once launched a guide rod plug for a 1911 into the ceiling hard enough to leave a dent, then leaving for parts unknown. Looked for literally hours on hands and knees. No joy. Ordered 2 replacements. 8 months later I move an end table and there it is.