A good reason to clean up

[Bogstandard]

Yesterday I finally got around to servicing and repairing a small Hemmens v-twin model boat engine (about £600 to $700 worth) that a customer had sent to me.
Nearly finished the build up, and 'ping', a small spring had gone walkabouts in my workshop, in the direction of my lathe.
It could be anywhere, and because I hadn't cleaned up all the swarf for the last few days there was no way that this spring will ever be found.
Two hours of searching with a magnet got nothing but a pile of swarf (and maybe the spring). A further three hours going round the engineering suppliers, I managed to find a pair that matched ($4 each). All for the sake of not cleaning up after doing the last job.
A**e kicking time.

John

 

[mklotz]

I have, on occasion, when disassembling some unknown-to-me assembly, done the whole job in one of those large, clear plastic bags such as are used by dry cleaners to protect newly cleaned clothes. That way, if a part sprongs away on me, I have only to search the interior of the bag and not the whole damned shop.