Shopsmith Forums

My LEAST favourite machine part is that elusive item called the Ping-gone.

Yes, the PING-GONE.

It comes in many shapes, sizes and purposes, but every ping-gone has one common trait - it has some level of springiness. If you aren't careful when working with it, it goes PING and is gone.

Here are some of my Goldie's ping-gones but don't be fooled, every ShopSmith has a few even though you won't ever find them on the parts list. You'll find them in all sorts of places including your toaster, car, door locks, computer keyboards - in fact almost everywhere.


Be careful out there guys, if you let one get away, your chances of recovering it are quite slim unless your work zone is clean and well sealed.
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Yup. PING

Don't overlook the big permanent magnet when looking for one of these that is GONE.

If you have any experience disassembling old Penn Senator conventional fishing reels, the tiny "dog spring" will give you an immediate education in Ping-Gone. Like the man from Louisiana says - "Gaa-ron-teed"!

Those retaining rings beg for a good quality insertion/removal pliers.(you won't find gooduns at HF)! A good pair of pliers has concave surface(s) that prevent the 'ping' that causes the 'gone'. They firmly keep the ring on the pliers!!! A machine supply house has them. Take a wheelbarrow to carry yer $$ to pay for it!

Eastern,
I have not had the Pen apart but have had many Shimanos and Abu's apart and have on many occassions experienced the dreaded "PING-GONE" syndrome. This after many, many teardowns and I still do it.............ARGHHHHH!

On the Shopsmith I have escaped the PING-GONE so far but this is mainly dur to a very nice set of Blue-Point snap ring pliers that I got many moons ago while working at the dealership. They have paid for themselves many times over the years.

These things are used on modern German clock movements as well. Much too small for the pliers. Clock and watch people spend a bit of time on their hands and knees looking for stray parts. This is called working at the big bench.

Draping a shop rag over the part while removing the "ping-gone" can help to keep it from going too far.

Troy

You haven't lived until Ping-Gone attacks out in the middle of a muddy soupy 20 acre field of half harvested corn. It usually happens when you are laying on your back in a muddy wheel rut.
Duct tape can help keep things under control "sometimes".
I save a lot of old speaker magnets for a number of uses including retrieving such things.