The spring that went "boing"

[All uphill]

A wet morning, an old derailleur and a YouTube video.

Perfect, I'll service the derailleur.

Unfortunately a small spring launched itself into the mess that is my garage.

 

[EckyH]

[x] Purchasing a new one and finding the taken off one a day after the new one is installed.

E.

 

[lazybloke]

Don't know about springs, but the tiny screw that fell out of a lamp I was fitting yesterday was only found after about 20 minutes of crawling around the floor.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

The only option on your list should be:

Clean your garage. Don't start a job before cleaning up. Always. Clean garage, happy life.

 

[Sharky]

If you ever have fridge, freezer, TV, tumble drier etc delivered, save the white polystyrene packing sheets. They make an excellent work top to catch those rogue springs.

 

[All uphill]

The only option on your list should be:

Clean your garage. Don't start a job before cleaning up. Always. Clean garage, happy life.

I'm sure you are correct. And in theory I agree with you. In practice? I have no idea.

 

[figbat]

It will turn up when you are hunting for something else. Perhaps try hunting for something else?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I cannot see a Spring at the top of this hill today

 

[PeteXXX]

Frequently, a small child is handy as their eyes work properly and they can crawl under tables & stuff and get up without their knees groaning & putting their back out.. 👍

 

[roubaixtuesday]

[x] Purchasing a new one and finding the taken off one a day after the new one is installed.

E.

This!

 

[a.twiddler]

If you ever have fridge, freezer, TV, tumble drier etc delivered, save the white polystyrene packing sheets. They make an excellent work top to catch those rogue springs.

The problem is that they are very crumbly, and you will never stop finding the bits on the floor, in the garage, in your clothes and for evermore.

 

[a.twiddler]

This!

The only guaranteed way of finding things unless you are very, very lucky.

 

[a.twiddler]

The only option on your list should be:

Clean your garage. Don't start a job before cleaning up. Always. Clean garage, happy life.

But if you are forever cleaning your garage instead of cycling or doing those jobs it could rapidly become "clean garage, no life!" I expect most of us set out with good intentions but somehow, the moment your back is turned, every horizontal surface miraculously attracts objects.

Sometimes though, once you have steeled yourself to clean up, you end up with a hoard of the items that have gone missing over the years. It's amazing how you can remember what job each one was from. Then you end up with a bits box full of tiny containers of items that you will never need again, because due to some strange law of physics, the balance of the universe, or something, the bits you lose in the future will never be ones that you already have in your collection. Why have a bits box then? I suppose we all live in hope.

 

[PeteXXX]

My favourite spring going 'boing' moment was when I dismantled the centre hub on the steering wheel of my 1952 A40 Devon car as the horn didn't work properly.
Said hub also included the indicator switch for the trafficators that flipped out of the side between the doors.

Who knew that the final grub screw that I removed held about 50 little thingies; springs, crossover brass bits, clips etc in place... .!!! 🤷‍♂️

 

[All uphill]

Well giving up worked this time. Having accepted the derailleur was scrap without the springy retaining clip I had a cup of tea indoors, then went into the garage again to clear up the mess.

There on the floor, where I had looked an hour earlier was the little thing. Yay!