Getting in Trouble for Metal Chips in the House

[Lloyd-ss]

Here is a successful progress report on the chip problem.

I have finally gotten the metal chips in the house problem under control. Not totally fixed, but down to a "reminder" less than once a week, LOL.
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First, there is a rough rough outdoor floor mat inside the shop, and a rough woven sisal rug (cheap) just outside the shop door. Chips are real easy to spot on that and I have a stick vac there to quickly clean them up.

Second is that the woven sisal rug is rough enough that it has become the cat's one and only favorite scratching place, so, a double benefit. My wife appreciates the behavior modification for the cat, too.

Also, now, whenever I spot a chip in the house I pick it up and put it in the trash. I never mention it but she occasionally sees me doing it so that shows that I am listening.

But the biggie is these peel-off sticky mats. From Amaz*n for $30 for a box with 4 pads of 30 sheets each. Total of 120 sheets. The sheets are numbered so you have PROOF that you are applying due-diligence to the problem. Peel it off twice a week and the box will last a year. Even though it doesn't catch too many chips, the perception cannot be denied.

It all adds up, and it goes both ways, LOL. Marriage is like having a good job. (It should be, anyway.)
You like most of it, but occasionally, you just have to suck it up and deal.

 

[Steamchick]

I have some odd carpet samples that were being thrown out from a shop... so used in the garage to keep my tootsies warm when standing on the otherwise cold floor. They hold all the swarf so when I walk out of the garage I can't find swarf in the house.
Also, apart from the "swarfy" mats, I use them when lying under the car (or wherever I choose to sleep), kneeling beside the Motorbike (praying that I can fix it?) or when genuflecting to find the small nut I just dropped..., etc.
And I have odd mats at the back door for my dirty digging boots, etc.
Then just fling mats into the washer when necessary. The washer collects all the swarf so when I scrap it, it has the extra metal value...
K2

 

[bluestreak]

I'm with you on the metal chip problem, had to do virtually the same process to get out of trouble with the wife, including the tacky matts. cheers

 

[Lloyd-ss]

I have some odd carpet samples that were being thrown out from a shop... so used in the garage to keep my tootsies warm when standing on the otherwise cold floor. They hold all the swarf so when I walk out of the garage I can't find swarf in the house.
Also, apart from the "swarfy" mats, I use them when lying under the car (or wherever I choose to sleep), kneeling beside the Motorbike (praying that I can fix it?) or when genuflecting to find the small nut I just dropped..., etc.
And I have odd mats at the back door for my dirty digging boots, etc.
Then just fling mats into the washer when necessary. The washer collects all the swarf so when I scrap it, it has the extra metal value...
K2

Ha ha. You were on a roll with that British humor with this one.

 

[Lloyd-ss]

I'm with you on the metal chip problem, had to do virtually the same process to get out of trouble with the wife, including the tacky matts. cheers

I had to admit (to myself) that the chips were a problem. I couldn't blame the cat for all of them.

 

[almega]

All of these solutions seem to me, a lot of extra effort. I wear a shop coat with a shop apron when in the shop working and remove and hang on a hook when finished, thus no chips on my clothes. For shoes, I just have a pair I wear for the shop and outdoors, but not in the house, so no chips get transferred to anyplace in the house. Happy wife, happy life! And she tolerates my acquiring "toys" as long as her house stays nice and clean.

 

[Lloyd-ss]

All of these solutions seem to me, a lot of extra effort..............................................

(just a snip of the reply)

Yes, it is some effort to set all that up, but, being retired and home most of the time, the way my shop is part of the house, I am sometimes in and out of it every few minutes, and then sometimes in there for an hour or more.
Even if I "say," I will, I honestly won't change shoes every time.
But I WILL step on a sticky mat a couple of times.
Just being realistic with my expectations.
Lloyd

 

[Richard Hed]

I had to admit (to myself) that the chips were a problem. I couldn't blame the cat for all of them.

I can.