Just need to vent a little. I'm assembling an upper receiver for DF #2. I've done this many times before so no big deal. Except that ejection port clip is really small. It's the most tedious part of building an AR. It's right up there with the gas block pin and the pivot pin detent. Anyway, tonight I'm being patient and have the whole table cleared so the clip can't get lost as I'm fumbling it with my carrot fingers. I get it into my needle nose pliers and....ping! It shoots out and lands on the floor of my shop. That floor has wood shavings, 1/4 inch of dust, metal filings, slag, bits of wire......you name it. I'll never find that clip. Now I'll have to wait until Monday and make a trip to the fun store hopefully to buy just one clip. Dang.

Okay, I feel better.

I've got a size 16 ring finger, you?

I don't even know. The only jewelry I wear is my wedding ring and that is forever stuck on my finger. Like a tree through a barb wire fence, I grew around that thing.

A year or so ago, I had a similar mishap whilst rebuilding a little Honda carburetor. A tiny little spring went "ping" and onto the floor that was in similar condition to yours. Amazingly, I found it about six feet away from my bench while laying on the floor and shining a flashlight horizontally. It was my lucky day as any other day that thing would have ended up in the same black hole that sucks up everything else I drop off my bench.

Do you have a magnet broom? That would be helpful.

I did the magnet thing. It pulled so much debris I could barely sift through it and then I got a metal splinter. I should have assembled the clip in a plastic bag. I've done that before with little springs. Just didn't anticipate launching a clip out of my pliers.

I've lost more gun parts that I can count. It has nothing to do with your fingers, clean bench or dirty floor - they just fly and I'm convinced that there is a micro black hole in every workshop
Hovever there is a solution to this particular problem:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAhGWHJMq-A

Get a cat. Mine sits under the table where I work on my guns and if a part gets loose, he is on it in a flash.

I can usually predict when it will take multiple attempts to seat a small, spring loaded part. I learned a trick that saves time in searching. Put the entire assembly in a clear plastic bag. I keep a large one in a cubby on the workbench. When the spring or other part tries to escape, it is easier to find.

There are still times that my frustration level indicates a break is needed but I don't add to my frustration by searching.

The C clip tool shown above is a godsend to those of us with larger hands and even for those of normal proportions. One of my cohorts had one and it was often borrowed amongst us mechanics to make life easier. It was a difficult tool to locate when I was in the business. Glad to see there is a source. Get one, it is worth its' weight in gold!

Yeah, Seems familiar. I have a hard time with the itty bitty pins as well. Just bought the e-ring tool that ag111ga suggested.

FWIW, it is kinda fun to shoot a Desert Eagle one handed, so its not all bad.

If you think that's a pain, wait till you start shaking.

Tremors have made me give up many things I used to be able to do. Like teeing up a golf ball.

Bob

Happens when you are working on anything that small, I call them Jesus springs/clips/ as in "Jesus where the heck did that go!"

Had luck just sweeping up the floor in the garage starting a long way away and working back in a circle into a pile.

Once it's all in a pile, if it's not in the pile then the offending part is in another part of the garage away from where I cleaned up so far batting 100 on getting the part found...

Plus the areas now clean...

Fine ,
I'll be "that guy"
THATS WHAT SHE SAID !

Been there. I've always had butterfingers, but as I've aged my dexterity has lessened, and I'm way more cold sensitive. I drop pretty much everything I touch. And that cartoon above is accurate...when it hits the floor it vaporizes.

I have had decent success with a magnet. Like you, my garage/shop floor is covered with saw dust, glass, ceramic (I share the space with my wife who does stained glass and pottery), metal shavings, you name it. Yes, the magnet picks up all manner of crap, but at least you've reduced your search parameters to only the metallic objects...makes it a little easier to sort through. And like HRK said, at least by the time I'm done looking the shop floor is clean!