HO scale metal detector needed

Can you count to infinity? 

Not fool proof by any means but I use a small battery vac with a small catch bag and it has proved it's worth a time or two .

I try to keep the catch bag pretty clean plus the only thing I use it for is finding parts.

Have had some good luck sweeping the area with a hand broom. Working on your cars inside a steel cookie sheet helps to contain many of your stray parts. Steel isn't necessary but comes in handy with magnets and magnet cars.

Another trick that works is to dim the lights and shine a flashlight across the floor surface. That kinda highlights anything sticking up. Often when I'm looking for one item, I will find parts dropped previously.

A long bar magnet attached to the bottom of an old sponge mop is often successful at finding dropped steel parts.

One time I dropped a pancake motor brush and couldn't find it anywhere. Two days later it showed up in the tread of a work boot.

I usually yell for Mrs
Skillet