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Magnets for holding

J

Johnnymike

Joined
May 23, 2026
Messages
52
Points
58

Location
Chicago IL
I have been building model ships for a long time and recently lost the

feeling and use of the right side of my body. With time and therapy I

would say I am back to about 80% and it is still slowly improving even

after 4 years. The right hand is coming back but I still have trouble working with small parts.

I found I need help holding things steady while I work with them.

For me a big help is using magnets to hold something steady while I position or working on it.

Attached is a picture and you can see I have two strips of magnets that I can use

to hold tweezers or other tools and can grasp or hold with instead of my hand.

Even though I need to use this method less and less it may be helpful to someone that has the same issue as me.20261010_104247.jpg
 
Thanks to all who commented.
It is hard to see but there are a line of magnets on the side of the foam stand also if I have to hold something in relation to the hull and move it around.
 
First of all, the important thing is that despite this setback you’re still building models and from your photo doing a great job. I have neuropathy in both hands, and have the same problems handling small parts. I do, think that by working on projects like models the brain “rewires” itself so to some extent works around the problem.

More annoying, I am constantly dropping tools, especially tiny wire size drill bits. Without feeling in my fingertips these are almost impossible to recover from their new home on the floor. Fortunately I found ( Amazon) a magnet attached to a telescoping rod. It was inexpensive, about $10. It’s great for recovering what my fingers can’t.

Roger
 
Thanks for the comments and yes the brain does relearn with repetition.

I have the same problem dropping things and picking them up. Mostly little wood parts but also metal parts.

I will be ordering a magnetic pick up as I don't have one yet. I can't find a wood magnet. But you gave me the idea to put a small piece of carpet tape on the end of a stick.
 
Great to see you persevering! I think what you are doing is fantastic and great PT. Harbor freight (and other places I am sure has magnetic strips. I have set them up on the wall in front of me to hold my tools until I need them. They would work well for your needs.


And while there are no wood magnets, this may be helpful.


Here is a different one with a magnetic pick up thrown in.


Rob
 
hahahaha dropping anything for me means gone forever. there is a black hole under my workbench or my future guy just waiting to snatch m up. i use to be very good at tracking as items fall. but now its almost impossible although i thought the piece should be right there... its never there!

i do the light beam sweep, the magnet sweep, then the dust brush n pan sweep... still no parts, just dust!

ive told you about my furure guy theory many times before. well he is still at it. he knocks parts out of my hand and runs like hell. he'll take tools n not return them or puts them where they dont belong. what happened with the dont mess with the space time continuum rule?
 
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