29 replies to this topic

[Robert Blaschke]

When parts fly where do they go?

 

Building a GTM Cheetah Roadster. Wonderful kit!

 

One mirror has broke away from the casting sprue and I'm holding it with a pair of tweezers when the part goes flying. I hear it hit what I think my work bench. Forty five minutes of searching with no luck. Taking a break and then its back to crawling on the floor slowly moving things hoping to find the missing mirror. I can cast another but now it's personal!

 

So what part have you guys lost? 

 

RB

 

[Tex]

Oh yeah, we've ALL been there and done that. The odds you'll find the missing part are inversely proportional to the time/effort you spend trying to find it... the more/harder you try, you're less likely to find it. Forget about it and it will magically appear.

[SlotStox#53]

Ah yes the black hole where model car parts/spares disappear to when you drop them!!!

 

motor screws,washers,axle spacers, those annoying Pittman brush plunger thingies... the list is endless!  

[Phil Hackett]

They're with those socks that disappear from the dryer.

[Robert Blaschke]

Found it! Never left the work bench. Mirror was under the cars rolling chassis on a  sheet of black foam core board. I moved the board several times.

Now where are the resin carburetors?  In the search I found an axle spacer and a guide spacer. Still have not found the exhaust tip for the Monogram Ford GT Roadster. 

RB

[Gator Bob]

Damn it! 

 

Tink ... There it is was.

 

The vacuum cleaner is an enemy ... you can hear that distinctive sound ... but by then you can't remember what was dropped ...  

[SlotStox#53]

Damn it! 
 
Tink ... There it is was.
 
The vacuum cleaner is an enemy ... you can hear that distinctive sound ... but by then you can't remember what was dropped ...  

Then you go back to working on that one off "Rare" Champion motor & realize that "Tink" sound was a very hard to find part!

[Gator Bob]

  Those I 'don't forget' ...

 

Kinda like finding that body pin in your foot  

[Champion 507]

Kinda like finding that body pin in your foot.  
 
I hate that when it happens!

[SlotStox#53]

Just be thankful it isn't the body harpoon!

[Champion 507]

I've just had a similar experience to RB, except this one cost me $35!!!
 
I had and was using my diamond brush hood hone two nights ago. Now, I cannot find it. I've turned my work area upside down and cannot find it. I'll probably find it eventually, but for now, I'll probably have to buy a new one. Trouble is, I really don't have the money to buy one right now.

[SlotStox#53]

That truly sucks! It's gotta be there somewhere!?

[Bill from NH]

I had and was using my diamond brush hood hone two nights ago. Now, I cannot find it

 

Any hobby shops around that sell square micro files or file sets like X-acto used to sell? I used one of those when honing hoods for years before diamond hones were available. Radio Shack could have then, although a store such as Hobby Lobby might be a better place to look.

[gotboostedvr6]

Stick a pinion of simular demention on a 2mm shaft and you will have yourself a temporary brush hone.

[Gator Bob]

Oh yeah, we've ALL been there and done that. The odds you'll find the missing part are inversely proportional to the time/effort you spend trying to find it... the more/harder you try, you're less likely to find it. Forget about it and it will magically appear.

 

True.

Model or slot dress-up parts are one thing.

 

When Mr. Murphy steps, look out.

It's stuff like last motor screw or wheel collar on hand for your retro car while thrashing for tomorrows race. Check the sock draw and start over.

Now where the hell did that body pin go? .... lol

[don.siegel]

Oh yes, this all sounds very familiar. A couple general principles:

 

- It always rolls/bounces/slides further than you think is possible!

- It never bounces at the angle you think, even when you were looking at it!

- It's there under your nose, somewhere!

 

Now that my collection is somewhere north of 1000 cars, I've also temporarly lost entire cars - look at all the likely places, then all the possible boxes, and just can't find a specific car I know I have. A couple months ago, even went through just about all the boxes in my home office, trying to find the thing. Then, boom, suddenly, I'm opening a box for something else, and there's the car I was looking for two weeks ago, right under my nose! And it was even in a logical place - how did I miss it in the first place.

 

Don

[Gator Bob]

You're right Don,

 

I don't have near that many complete cars but even whole cars and especially kits I make up with NOS parts go missing.

Finding it after forgetting about looking for it is like seeing an old flame in a crowd or a dog that ran away 3 days ago.

"I gotta sell some of all this crap off" rattles in my head.

 Now where IS that tonyp car kit    

 

I drop a part, I see it fall, I hear it bounce, I gauge its trajectory  ..... nope ... gone

 

It's all part of the 'Fun' .. right guys?

[Robert Blaschke]

Have you ever tried to replicate the part flying with the other part in the pair?

[Bill from NH]

A friend of mine has used an 8X10 picture frame with its glass replaced with a sheet of cork to hold/collect small parts when he builds. I've seen him use it while rebuilding slot car motors & when building model car kits. I haven't been smart enough to build one of my own yet.

[SlotStox#53]

A friend of mine has used an 8X10 picture frame with its glass replaced with a sheet of cork to hold/collect small parts when he builds. I've seen him use it while rebuilding slot car motors & when building model car kits. I haven't been smart enough to build one of my own yet.

Simple & very logical solution... although requires way too much common sense

[Gator Bob]

Have you ever tried to replicate the part flying with the other part in the pair?

 Yeah, I stick a pin in the other foot, just to show those little bastards who is boss around here....     

 

A friend of mine has used an 8X10 picture frame with its glass replaced with a sheet of cork to hold/collect small parts when he builds. I've seen him use it while rebuilding slot car motors & when building model car kits. I haven't been smart enough to build one of my own yet.

... then ... when I yell out the F word three times       ... my wife says "stick a cork in it"... "I can't even hear the damn TV" 

 

 

I don't care if any of you find that funny ... I do.

[Champion 507]

I've got plenty of files. I had wanted that hone for a couple of years. Got about a year's use out of it. I'm still hoping I find it.

[Gator Bob]

Doug, you know how quickly it will turn up when you buy that new one to replace it.

[Champion 507]

No argument there, Bob.

[don.siegel]

Great idea Bill. But I've got lots of trays on my worktable - it's always when you're doing something else that the part drops and sprongs! 

 

Don