TIL a tiny spring from a Nikon F3 can launch itself across a room

I was working on a shutter mechanism in my home shop in Tacoma last week, and the tiny tension spring for the mirror lock-up just vanished. Heard a faint 'ping' and spent 45 minutes on my hands and knees with a magnet. Finally spotted it under the leg of my workbench. Anyone else have a go-to trick for keeping those little demons from flying away?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_matthew8d ago

Oh man, that faint ping sound is the worst. It’s like the universe just decided to steal your part. Plastic bag trick is smart for sure. Reminds me of when I was a kid trying to rebuild a carburetor in the garage with my dad. We’d always do it inside a big cardboard box on its side, like a dumb little clean room. Still lost a jet needle once and it took days to find.

the_holly8d ago

I mean, magnets are great but I've had better luck with a clear plastic bag over my hands.

brian_rivera598d ago

My uncle lost a carburetor screw in his gravel driveway once. We found it with a rake two years later, totally rusted. How do parts even travel that far?