While taking the screw out of the coupler box on a Bachmann boxcar, it went piinnngg… off into the wild blue yonder. On hands and knees, flashlight in one hand, a wide brush in the other, I carefully swept and looked and finally cussed my fumblefingers. Ahhh well.
So, I’m wondering where to get a large assortment of very small screws, I’ve exhausted the few I have and none are small enough.
Any suggestions?
Jarrell
P.S. Yes, I know I’ll find the wayward screw the day I buy a supply.
My LHS has some. Years ago I bought a bunch from an electronics surplus store.
I read your title and wondered how many Springs you launched across the house but … Walthers carries small screws packaged 12 to a pack if I remember correctly… You might also try this place…
http://www.smallparts.com/products/
or try your yellow pages… I’ve purchased small fasteners (2-56) from local suppliers dirt cheap compared to the hobby suppliers (walthers, etc)…
If the screw was steel you might try a magnet… I have an old cb radio antenna mount magnet on the end of a stick that I use to save myself the frustrating crawl under the bench (where they always land for some reason)… Sometimes it works, sometimes I still have to crawl… It usually picks up everything But what I’m after…
Good luck,
Jeff
Big Magnet.
Thanks fellas, I’ll try radio shack… maybe they carry them locally. If not I’ll try Jeffs link and order some. This screw looks small than the regular 2/56, little bitty devil.
Jarrell
I lost a bearing for my Athearn GP35 and spent an hour looking for it and it’s yet to be found. My tip for you is use a MAGNETIC SCREWDRIVER many times this was the only way for me to get something back together.
Don’t feel bad, Jarrell. We painted the bathroom a few weeks ago, and now we can’t find the recessed-into-the-wall toilet paper holder. I mean, that’s gotta be bigger than a 2-56 screw, right? But, like, it’s gone! Yeah, and it’s non-ferrous material, too, so a magnet isn’t gonna help me find it.
First thought was get a magnet to help you find those pesky screws. If all else fails, stop by your LHS (local “hardware” store) like Ace and pick up a bunch of 1/4" long 2-56 screws. (They’re usually in the section with all the box trays that slide out.) If they have them, pick up a whole box. You’ll use them up and they’ll be cheaper that way.
Tom
Micro Mark sells a “jewler’s apron” which goes over your neck and an edge along the workbench. Catches everything.
Well I’ll be darned, I found it! I had gently swept under the bench, down on my hands and knees, twice and came up with nada. Gave up and went to dinner. Came back, got down and looked under the bench one LAST time and there it was. I SWEAR I had swept that area and yet, there is was. It’s a tiny little sucker, smaller than the 2/56 and I saw it immediately. Go figger!
That Micro Mark apron sound like a plan!
Thanks,
Jarrell
Jarrell,
Did you know small part move on their own? Something to do with the time-space continuum. Little parts have a mind of their own and are programmed by the gremelins (the same ones that cause derailments only to happen when you are showing someone your layout) to (1) avoid landing in a well lit area of the room and instead veer off to land under a heavy piece of furniture and, as you found out (2) move to a place that you’ve already checked out 4 or 5 times.
I’ve got an old speaker magnet that I ripped out of an old speaker I found at the dump just for findings tiny screws, washers etc that I’ve dropped.
Any good hardware store should be able to order you a box, probably get about 500 from them for the price of what a dozen would be at RadioShack.
Greg
I just keep spare screws from Kadee #30-series couplers for this - they usually need cutting to size but work pretty well despite being plastic. Managed to replace the missing truck pivot on an old Atlas N 85ft Hicube boxcar using one, it still tracks perfectly.