forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com

WW1 Aircraft Modeling => Hints and Tips/Questions about modeling => Topic started by: uncletony on September 07, 2013, 04:19:52 AM

Title: Carpet Monster Killer
Post by: uncletony on September 07, 2013, 04:19:52 AM
I picked up this led flashlight at the place where I get my car serviced. It has a bank of 8 very bright LEDs arranged in a row, as you can see. Perfect for scanning the floor for lost parts, as you can just lay it on the floor and scan a wide area for misplaced flotsam.
(http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh640/UncleTony1917/c911d7f3f992e883470865fda233bbb1_zps5eff9608.jpg)
(http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh640/UncleTony1917/8f5471570acf7e2753a01baf9f04d2ea_zps2a85c91b.jpg)

A couple of days ago I lost some microscopic, semi-transparent  parts sent to me by Bertl -- not even sure how I managed to misplace them. Searched for many tens of minutes with a conventional led flashlight with no success. I had given up all hope of ever finding them, until I remembered this thing. Found them on the floor in quick succession.

Edit: posted duplicate photo by accident
Title: Re: Carpet Monster Killer
Post by: Nigel Jackson on September 07, 2013, 04:54:57 AM
Now that is useful Bo, although goodness knows what I'd find. I spend far too much time playing hunt the photo-etch.

Best wishes
Nigel
Title: Re: Carpet Monster Killer
Post by: Ernie on September 07, 2013, 08:42:00 AM
Geez Bo, could have used that an hour ago...spent 20 mins. on my hands
& knees looking for teeny PE parts.  Hard on old knees.  I think I will have to look
into your find.  Good idea!

Cheers,
Ernie :)
Title: Re: Carpet Monster Killer
Post by: Des on September 07, 2013, 08:53:53 PM
No amount of light would find the tiny part my carpet monster ate tonight, but nice light Bo.

Des.
Title: Re: Carpet Monster Killer
Post by: lcarroll on September 07, 2013, 11:25:58 PM
  I'm going to shop around for one or at least something similar. I could put von Buckle out of business if I could locate only half of the buckles and tubes I've "tweezerpulted" out of sight somewhere around here! Perhaps a small metal detector...??
Cheers,
Lance
Title: Re: Carpet Monster Killer
Post by: Ken on September 08, 2013, 12:06:32 AM
I build my kits in the basement .  It has a black tile floor.    Lose a control stick or other small painted  part all I can do is wet down a paper towel and blot around the floor before the attack cat gets to them.  :)

(http://i769.photobucket.com/albums/xx336/KYUSHUJ7W/faltzbuild_zpsccd64959.jpg)

The criminal returns to the the scene of his crimes,  Hmmm   I love the smell of styrene in the morning. 
Title: Re: Carpet Monster Killer
Post by: GAJouette on September 08, 2013, 03:28:28 AM
  Thank goodness for wooden floors! Much easier to locate lost articles than carpet for sure.
Title: Re: Carpet Monster Killer
Post by: Chris Johnson on September 08, 2013, 03:50:06 AM
Sometimes a vacuum cleaning will find that missing part too.

Cheers,

Chris
Title: Re: Carpet Monster Killer - try using a vacuum cleaner and wife's hose.
Post by: cduckworth on September 15, 2013, 08:13:55 AM
I've lost a few parts but have a great way to find them.  Take your vacuum cleaner and place a piece of your wife's old hose over the opening.  Vacuum over the area and you'll find the missing part plus a lot of other extras.   I recently building a kit that had turn buckles in 1/87 scale and dropped one, the kit required 8 of them and the box didn't have any extras.  Got out the vacuum cleaner and a piece of hose and found it within 5 minutes.

Charlie
Title: Re: Carpet Monster Killer
Post by: Des on September 15, 2013, 09:05:14 AM
That is an excellent idea Charlie and one I will be using next time my carpet monster gets hungry.

Des.
Title: Re: Carpet Monster Killer
Post by: Lyle on September 15, 2013, 10:11:53 AM
I've been using my Blackberry's built-in light, but this device looks far better (and easier to turn the light on, too).  My workroom has a wood floor and it's amazing how stuff bounces and travels...
Title: Re: Carpet Monster Killer
Post by: Ernie on September 15, 2013, 10:51:28 AM
I've been using my Blackberry's built-in light, but this device looks far better (and easier to turn the light on, too).  My workroom has a wood floor and it's amazing how stuff bounces and travels...

I'm mystified as is Lyle. I have linoleum on the floor, thinking it would be much preferable
to carpet...I didn't take into account the lino monster. ;)   How things disappear so easily
on a hard surface.  :o
  Maybe I'll give Charlie's idea a go.

Cheers,
Ernie :)
Title: Re: Carpet Monster Killer
Post by: lcarroll on September 15, 2013, 12:38:02 PM
   The vacuum trick is about my only salvation these days! Several years back I bought a set of Dewalt 12 Volt cordless power tools which have proved to be an exceptional addition to the Home Maintenance and improvement scene. It came with a small hand-held vacuum cleaner, a little more robust then the average "Dustbuster", and has found me dozens of lost parts over the past several years. If something "pults" I take a quick look, and if nothing turns up I fire up the mini-vac, nine out of ten times what I'm looking for is in the small dust collector container once I've passed it around the area.
Cheers,
Lance