Working with small parts

[mklotz]

If you disassemble small mechanisms you probably already know how easy it is for small parts to drop, roll, get lost, etc.

Buy some of those brightly-colored, micro-fiber cloths, eg:

Microfiber Cleaning Cloths 4 Pk

and do your work on it. Tiny parts can't hide in the short, soft fibers and they stand out against the dark background. Plus, the cloth will cushion whatever delicate treasure you're dissecting.


When I do a job like this, I like to sort screws into small dishes to keep them corralled and to simplify the reassembly phase. My favorite dish is made from the concave bottoms of aluminum carbonated-beverage cans...

Their major advantage, beyond their price, is the fact that the depression has no corners in which tiny parts might hide. It's easy to sweep one out with fingers or tweezers.

Cutting the can bottoms so they will sit nice and flat is difficult to do neatly with knife or scissors. I hold a Sharpie on a piece of wood at the desired height and rotate the can against it to make a mark to follow. Then I use a diamond cutoff disk in the Dremel to follow the line a bit at a time. Debur the edge with some sandpaper and you're set to go.