If you sweep up every day you certainly won't appreciate this. I normally sweep up around the mill every week or two, but a while back I blew some chips off a part and my grandfather's Starrett six-inch rule went flying. That was months ago. I thought I had an idea where it went and I looked there, but I didn't find it. Turns out I wasn't even close.
Like I said I normally sweep around the mill every week or two, but I didn't because I want to make sure I didn't throw that rule away. Stupid and sentimental I know. Normally I don't even care all that much about "things" other than how much they will cost to replace, or what they can do for me. I have a bunch of six-inch rules. General, Starrett, Mitutoyo, tool company promos, part company promos, etc. It's not like it was slowing me down not having it.
Finally, today I grabbed a roll of hardware cloth off the junk pile and made this basket.
formatting link
I figured I'd start around the base of the mill even though that's nowhere near where I thought the rule wound up. Turns out that was where it wound up. I found it leaning against the side of the column, not even buried in chips. I was just scooping up my third shovel of chips when I saw it. I could have stopped then, but I decided to see how much I would throw away if I didn't filter the scrap. Time spent wasn't worth it. I found a hand full of Allen wrenches. All in the two sizes I buy in bulk and routinely include with customer orders. There were a couple acid brushes. $3.99 for 3 dozen last time I bought some. I treat them as disposable. I found a couple motor brushes, half used and replaced, but I have no idea what from. The big score, other than my grampa's rule was a 6ft Stanley take measure keychain. I would have been money ahead for my time to have just shoveled it all directly in the barrel. Well, that and I would probably be done instead of only half done.
Still, I am happy to have found that old Starrett rule with my Grampa's name scratched on it.