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Which is worse - carpet or a hardwood floor?

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  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: West Virginia, USA
Which is worse - carpet or a hardwood floor?
Posted by mfsob on Monday, January 25, 2016 11:54 AM

I used to think that the Carpet Monster was the epitome of Pure Evil, with its astonishing ability to make even large parts (for me, 1/700 ships) disappear as thoroughly is if they'd vanished under a teen-ager's bed.

No more. New wife, new house, hardwood floor in the hobby room. You would think - flat area, neutral floor tone, relatively small area - how hard can it be for dropped parts to hide?

Harder than you can ever imagine *bangs head against table*

 

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Monday, January 25, 2016 11:56 AM

Agree. I have a low pile carpet that's loops, not shag. It is great for finding parts- no bounce factor.

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    May 2013
  • From: From the Mit, but live in Mason, O high ho
Posted by hogfanfs on Monday, January 25, 2016 12:02 PM

Carpet, I'm now working on a cement floor in my basement, and I haven't lost a part since.

 Bruce

 

 On the bench:  1/48 Eduard MiG-21MF

                        1/35 Takom Merkava Mk.I

 

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: Lancaster, South Carolina
Posted by Devil Dawg on Monday, January 25, 2016 12:37 PM

With a hardwood floor, take a small flashlight and shine it along the surface of the floor (almost horizontal with the floor) while you get your eyeballs right behind said light and scan the floor - small parts will usually stand out very prominently with this technique.

Devil Dawg

On The Bench: Tamiya 1/32nd Mitsubishi A6M5 Model 52 Zeke For Japanese Group Build

Build one at a time? Hah! That'll be the day!!

fox
  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Narvon, Pa.
Posted by fox on Monday, January 25, 2016 3:26 PM

Ditto on what DD said above.  I have a rug in my workroom but I bought one of those large clear plastic chair pads.  Helped a lot.  The flashlight on the floor works great.

Jim  Captain

 Main WIP: 

   On the Bench: Artesania Latina  (aka) Artists in the Latrine 1/75 Bluenose II

I keep hitting "escape", but I'm still here.

  • Member since
    May 2013
  • From: From the Mit, but live in Mason, O high ho
Posted by hogfanfs on Monday, January 25, 2016 3:47 PM

Devil Dawg

With a hardwood floor, take a small flashlight and shine it along the surface of the floor (almost horizontal with the floor) while you get your eyeballs right behind said light and scan the floor - small parts will usually stand out very prominently with this technique.

 

I call this the "CSI" technique!

 Bruce

 

 On the bench:  1/48 Eduard MiG-21MF

                        1/35 Takom Merkava Mk.I

 

  • Member since
    February 2011
Posted by knox on Monday, January 25, 2016 5:10 PM

hogfanfs

 

 
Devil Dawg

With a hardwood floor, take a small flashlight and shine it along the surface of the floor (almost horizontal with the floor) while you get your eyeballs right behind said light and scan the floor - small parts will usually stand out very prominently with this technique.

 

 

 

I call this the "CSI" technique!

 

 

 

Thats funny.     I'm having one of those "doh" moments. I work on concrete and never thought of this. Thanks guys.            gk

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: hamburg michigan
Posted by fermis on Monday, January 25, 2016 10:07 PM

The main part of the room is carpeted, but I put down tiles (vinyl, peel-n-stick) under the work area. I went with tan/brown..helps the gray parts stand out a bit. I also keep a flashlight handy!

  • Member since
    December 2015
Posted by Dash8 on Monday, January 25, 2016 10:17 PM

Really nice hobby space fermis ! the tv is a nice add on for the

bench. What do you do to control overspray ? With smooth

floors I find it just as easy to sweep around the work

area and just look in the pile for the lost part. Big Smile

On the bench: Revell Euro Fighter 1/32

Ontario, CANADA

 

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: hamburg michigan
Posted by fermis on Monday, January 25, 2016 10:24 PM

Dash8

Really nice hobby space fermis ! the tv is a nice add on for the

bench. What do you do to control overspray ?

 

Thank you...I enjoy it!!!

My paintbooth is on the other side of the basement, vented outside.

 

  • Member since
    December 2015
Posted by Dash8 on Monday, January 25, 2016 10:26 PM

fermis

 

 
Dash8

Really nice hobby space fermis ! the tv is a nice add on for the

bench. What do you do to control overspray ?

 

 

 

Thank you...I enjoy it!!!

My paintbooth is on the other side of the basement, vented outside.

 

 

I knew there had to be a paint booth somewhere lol

On the bench: Revell Euro Fighter 1/32

Ontario, CANADA

 

  • Member since
    August 2013
Posted by Jay Jay on Tuesday, January 26, 2016 10:13 AM

Hardwood.  When losing a part, I just walk around barefoot until I step on something that hurts...Big Smile

 

 

 

 

 

 I'm finally retired. Now time I got, money I don't.

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Bethlehem PA
Posted by the Baron on Tuesday, January 26, 2016 12:02 PM

Devil Dawg

With a hardwood floor, take a small flashlight and shine it along the surface of the floor (almost horizontal with the floor) while you get your eyeballs right behind said light and scan the floor - small parts will usually stand out very prominently with this technique.

Roger that.  I do the same thing on the concrete floor of my basement, where my bench is installed.  Of course, things still fly off on long trajectories, or take a bounce, and disappear, but I can usually find anything that drops within a 4" circle of my chair.

The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

 

 

  • Member since
    September 2006
  • From: Bethlehem PA
Posted by the Baron on Tuesday, January 26, 2016 12:05 PM

But forget about the floor--I've lost small pieces on my bench.  Most recently, I built the old ESCI 1/1200 Scharnhorst kit and launched one of the turrets in the secondary battery into space.  It landed on my bench, but much of my gray army is out on the bench, as well as various containers with supplies, tools, etc.  I heard it hit, but couldn't find it, and it was faster to carve a little piece of sprue to replace it, than to pick everything up to look for it.

The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen.

 

 

  • Member since
    October 2009
Posted by Gear Head 6 on Wednesday, January 27, 2016 11:28 PM

Black holes are real.  They occure anywhere where a tiny impossible to replace scale model part hits the floor.

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: providence ,r.i.
Posted by templar1099 on Thursday, January 28, 2016 4:12 AM

Hardwood plus Swifter , haven't lost anything yet.

"le plaisir delicieux et toujours nouveau d'une occupation inutile"

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: hamburg michigan
Posted by fermis on Thursday, January 28, 2016 4:37 AM

Whenever I lose a part, it's because..."I'll set this here, so I don't lose it".

Never fails...I always remember where I set that part (so that I wouldn't lose it) AFTER I had to scratch up a replacement.

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: West Virginia, USA
Posted by mfsob on Friday, January 29, 2016 7:40 PM

Gear Head 6

Black holes are real.  They occure anywhere where a tiny impossible to replace scale model part hits the floor.

 

They absolutely are real. I also have a Gray Hole problem with anything that hits the floor, aka the #($&*#$^(#$^ cat.

 

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: Lancaster, South Carolina
Posted by Devil Dawg on Sunday, January 31, 2016 7:21 PM

fermis

Whenever I lose a part, it's because..."I'll set this here, so I don't lose it".

Never fails...I always remember where I set that part (so that I wouldn't lose it) AFTER I had to scratch up a replacement.

 

Man, I thought I was the only person that happens to! Propeller

Devil Dawg

On The Bench: Tamiya 1/32nd Mitsubishi A6M5 Model 52 Zeke For Japanese Group Build

Build one at a time? Hah! That'll be the day!!

  • Member since
    August 2013
Posted by Putsie on Monday, February 1, 2016 8:56 AM

I have and like carpet....no bounce factor....I also keep a flash light handy as well as one of those adhesive lint rollers.  Sure you pick up a lot of lint, but usually the parts come with it.  You could also wrap wide painters tape around you hand and blot.  One side benefit to carpet, when you're on your knees getting up close and personal with the floor.....its softer. 

Here's an idea for all of you.  I wear an apron with a pocket stretching the entire width of the apron.  You'd be surprised how often I find a dropped part in the pocket.

Have fun!

  • Member since
    August 2014
  • From: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Posted by goldhammer on Monday, February 1, 2016 9:20 AM

Carpet is harder to find stuff in, but the part generally doesn't  go "CRUNCH" when you step on it while doing the search like it does on hardwood or other hard surface.

  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Tuesday, February 2, 2016 5:59 AM

I have found that, with a high pile carpet like I have, if I act as if I've broken a glass when I drop a part---don't move anymore than necessary, slowly get up, watch the steps, and reach for the dust pan and brush, I can sweep the carpet lightly with the dustbroom and USUALLY recover the part off of the fibers without much trouble. I would think that it would be MUCH easier on a hardwood floors, but I don't like the hardness underfoot of a wooden floor.

  • Member since
    July 2013
Posted by steve5 on Tuesday, February 2, 2016 1:41 PM

I too have high loop pile carpet , doog , I find if I lightly run  my hand over the top of the carpet rapidly . the dropped piece , flick's up into the air ,

 

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: Lancaster, South Carolina
Posted by Devil Dawg on Wednesday, February 3, 2016 1:22 PM

Jay Jay

Hardwood.  When losing a part, I just walk around barefoot until I step on something that hurts...Big Smile

 

Heck, I find stuff I didn't even know I lost that way!!

Devil Dawg

On The Bench: Tamiya 1/32nd Mitsubishi A6M5 Model 52 Zeke For Japanese Group Build

Build one at a time? Hah! That'll be the day!!

  • Member since
    January 2013
Posted by seastallion53 on Friday, February 5, 2016 7:43 AM

No cats?

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