I’m always dragging small parts off of my work bench . Either that i or a hobby knife or pencil will go rolling off the bench and under the chair and bench . Then its time to get up , move the chair , look around (how the heck can a 6 inch long hobby knife disappear ?) then find it , put the chair back and get started again with a slight case of agitation .So to end this frustrating scenario i screwed a section of vinyl rain gutter to the side of my work bench . The top surface of my workbench has a a 2 inch overhang so i spread the gutter apart with some wood wedges to make it wide enough to catch falling objects … I havent had a problem getting up close to the bench due to the gutter , i dont even notice its there until something goes rolling or sliding off the bench into it .
Somewhere near my desk, there exists a worm hole into an alternate universe. Small parts are drawn to this site like insects to a bug-zapper. Not only do parts fall into it, many parts leap into the air and kamikaze dive directly into the worm hole. [:|]
My concern is that the alien civilization on the other end of the worm hole will get tired of dealing with my kit parts and start sending random items of their’s through to my side. [aln]
You’ve presented a good solution to an on-going problem. [Y]
I made my catcher out of a rectangular piece of cloth. It is as long as the leg opening in my bench is wide, and about 14 inches the other way. I hemmed three sides with a normal hem, made a thicker pocket in the remaining side big enough to hold a length of pipe insulation. I put a couple of spring clips on the bottom of my bench surface with the “jaws” facing outward. The clips hold the long hemmed side. The pipe insulation side lies in my lap and the foam insulation holds it kind of straight, so it forms a U-trough, sort of like a gutter. The spring clamps will release in case it gets caught on my pants when I get up. I had a dark blue one made from an apron but it was too hard to find lost parts. The new one is white so small parts are still visible. Used my wife’s sewing machine after she set it up for me and got me started.
It works but it wont catch those kamikaze type parts ! I have a cement floor under the bench , you’d think that would make it easier to find the parts , NO! I can find the sprue tips i cut off and a few microcopic bugs but not a part thats an eigth inch long . Must be that worm hole your talking about Maj…[^o)]
That idea sounds good Don . I had this gutter left over from a house project so i just used it for now . Thanks for the tip .
I think those of us who stand at our benches are less likely to lose parts between the bench and our laps as those of you who sit. Many tend to lean back and work past the edge of the bench, whereas those who stand lean over it. Not to say I haven’t lost parts, but 99% I can easily recover them.
great idea…reminds me of the old times when I drafted by hand and had a spi-roll on mt table,
your idea is also great from those times when you fall asleep on your table…catches the drool and eliminates those wet stains on your models finish…[:P]
