OK, so this is a first in all my years of building…..
Back last winter, I ordered an IO-540 Baffle Kit from Van’s for the Rocket project because they were in stock, and I knew I’d eventually need it. The box came, I opened it to make sure it had parts in it, folded over the flaps to close it and put it on the shelf. Today I was walking near the shelf, and there was a PILE of shredded white packing paper on top, bulging out of the opening. Uh…oh…. The neighborhood has been having a field mouse problem this year! If opened it up, and sure enough, out popped Momma Mouse who dove under the workbench and disappeared. Bait traps were set. But she abandoned her six little wriggling young-un’s to their inevitable fate. I found them wriggling around in the plastic bag that has small parts and hardware.
Careful unpacking showed not damage except some “soil” - which was washed out and neutralized - and some gnawed rivet bags - that’s OK, I have LOTS of rivets of all sizes. Mice went their way to the place all wild animals eventually go - just quicker. The kit went back into the box without the packing paper - and I sent a note to Greg at Van’s begging for a new set of drawings - apparently Momma Mouse was interested enough in the Van’s assembly process to have chewed her way through most of the pages….
Lesson learned - if you have ANY chance to hosting little furry critters in your shop, remove ALL packing material when you get a box. The parts will sit on the shelves just fine without it, unless you are worried about earthquakes shaking things up.
I know…Pictures, or it didn’t happen….
Back last winter, I ordered an IO-540 Baffle Kit from Van’s for the Rocket project because they were in stock, and I knew I’d eventually need it. The box came, I opened it to make sure it had parts in it, folded over the flaps to close it and put it on the shelf. Today I was walking near the shelf, and there was a PILE of shredded white packing paper on top, bulging out of the opening. Uh…oh…. The neighborhood has been having a field mouse problem this year! If opened it up, and sure enough, out popped Momma Mouse who dove under the workbench and disappeared. Bait traps were set. But she abandoned her six little wriggling young-un’s to their inevitable fate. I found them wriggling around in the plastic bag that has small parts and hardware.
Careful unpacking showed not damage except some “soil” - which was washed out and neutralized - and some gnawed rivet bags - that’s OK, I have LOTS of rivets of all sizes. Mice went their way to the place all wild animals eventually go - just quicker. The kit went back into the box without the packing paper - and I sent a note to Greg at Van’s begging for a new set of drawings - apparently Momma Mouse was interested enough in the Van’s assembly process to have chewed her way through most of the pages….
Lesson learned - if you have ANY chance to hosting little furry critters in your shop, remove ALL packing material when you get a box. The parts will sit on the shelves just fine without it, unless you are worried about earthquakes shaking things up.
I know…Pictures, or it didn’t happen….
He spends a lot of time in the Kitty Playroom (aka hangar) and leaves all the furry beasts he catches in various stages of disassembly in one place in the hangar! 
