Eureka! I have found it. What? The solution that all modelers suffer with everyday. How many times have you modelers found yourselves on the floor crawling around on your hands and knees looking for a part from a model that fell on the floor or was a victim of ‘tweezer flip’? I don’t know why I didn’t think of this years ago. Here’s what I found- Buy an apron like the type you would grill or BBQ with, the type that goes around your neck at the top and ties in back of you at the waist. Make sure the color is BLACK. Cut off the waist straps and attach the bottom two corners of the apron up under the leading edge of your modeling bench (I used two small screws). From then on just sit down in your modeling chair, slip the top of the apron around your neck and you end up with a catch basket right in your lap. Because the apron is black, you’ll find the tiniest part when it drops off the table. Don’t forget to remove it when you get up to answer the phone.
I’ve read where others use Velcro type fasteners to attach the apron to the table. That should help if you forget to take it off when you get up to answer the Phone
I find it easier just to slip the neck band off and let the apron hang. That way you’re now searching for the Velcro spots under the table when you come back. Probably everyone’s already discovered this and I’m just now finding it. LOL
I have seen a similar apron in the MicroMark catalog. Sounds kind of cumbersome, though.
While nearly upsetting my workbench several times while getting up (forgot to take the apron off), I decided to make my own, from a rectangle of canvas. I fastened two spring clips to bottom of workbench- apron clipped to those, then (when I remember to use it) draped over my lap. It took awhile to get in habit of draping it over my lap, but I’m getting into habit. It is not fastened to my body at all, so it doesn’t upset anything when I get up.
I do find white a better color than a dark color (old apron was dark blue).
I’ve lost several PE parts to the rug monster and have recovered them all with a tip I learned a long time ago.
Use a good flashlight (I have a 1,000,000 Candle power rechargeables spotlight but any good flashlight will do) hold the light parallel to the floor and let the beam skim the surface of the floor.The beam will stretch across any room easily covering a good area. Slowly turn the flashlight and watch the surface, any irregularity on the floor will instantly pop out.
This has never failed me in the past with anything I’ve lost on the floor. So far I’m batting 9 of 9 on PE parts droped, tweeezer flipped etc. onto the rug!
I just saw an ad in a 12-2000 FSM where the flexi-file people once offered an apron as described above.
Dont know if they still offer it.
Screwed to the bench by my neck? Good idea, except id end up killing myself every time something interesting happened on TV lol.
That is why I used the spring clips on my bench. Then, I thought, hey, why do I need it around my neck- I don’t need to keep it on when I stand up. So at first I just cut the neck strap off. Then, when that apron got to cruddy I just hemmed a rectangular piece of canvas.
I find it easier to get down on my hands and knee’s with a flashlight,do a little cursing,call my wife to help,then finally find it two weeks later.