Gentle reminder about safety

[Russianwolf]

Remember that when you have a lathe spinning, to be aware of where your tools are at all time.

I wasadjusting my tailstock preassure with my right hand and had my skew in my left. It touched the poly-acrylic disc that I have set up to touch up my tools as I turn and it shattered.

I have a nice scratch on my left arm and a3/4 inch scratch on my stomach (but no hole in the shirt I'm wearing).

Could have been much worse. Now I have to figure out a new way to touch up my tools.

 

[Fred]

Yet another lesson learned by 'experience!' VERY glad you were not hurt!

Imagine where you would be if the skew had been thrown into your body. It has been know to happen ya know! :frown:

Moral to this tale of near disaster is to make sure both your hands know what the other is doing ESPECIALLY around a high speed runnning lathe.

BTW, since you obviously have a lathe, why not just turn another disk? Home Depot sells Lexan in the glass department.

 

[nava1uni]

Glad the you weren't hurt. It is easy to be lulled into not paying attention. I have had a couple close calls. Now try to keep area clear and everything out of the way.

 

[bitshird]

It could have been a lot worse, ask me :doctor: this is the first time in 5 weeks I've been able to type with both hands :biggrin:

 

[marcruby]

You're lucky! I've seen a bad catch throw a skew into the air and when it fell back the lathe fire it across the room. The most dangerous tool in the workshop is the woodworker!!

 

[Jarheaded]

I'm glad you are okay, so now tell me more about what this disc thing does if you would.

 

[Russianwolf]

I'm glad you are okay, so now tell me more about what this disc thing does if you would.

I'll do you one better, http://www.pennstateind.com/store/LCM6.html It works nicely since you don't have to step away to touch up your edges. I'll likely get another or something similar at least.

 

[bitshird]

Mike, the one you broke was plastic?? is the one fro PSI also plastic or is it metal? if it's metal I can bore a 1 in hole in some 1/4-3/8th in steel plate turn it to 6 in.and try out the new hydraulic grinder at school heh heh. 1in 8tpi nuts can be milled down easy. not that I would want to but I probably will :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

 

[Russianwolf]

Mike, the one you broke was plastic?? is the one fro PSI also plastic or is it metal? if it's metal I can bore a 1 in hole in some 1/4-3/8th in steel plate turn it to 6 in.and try out the new hydraulic grinder at school heh heh. 1in 8tpi nuts can be milled down easy. not that I would want to but I probably will :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

PSI's is plastic, that's where I got mine from. But yeah it was just a 6 or 8 inch (forget off the top of my head) disc of 1/4 inch platic with a hole in the middle to clear the 1" threads on the spindle. Stick one grit on one side and another on the other and it's a pretty versitile little tool. I even use it which my little PSI utility chuck on the lathe, there's enough clearance to not be a problem. Another benefit for me is that my lathe doesn't have a hand wheel and I can just use the disk for a substitute.

 

[monkeynutz]

Pretty neat little accessory, but I'm sure I'd figure a way to get my knuckles up against it at least once a day... :redface:

Glad your mishap was a relatively gentle one, Mike...

 

[Daniel]

Neat little device, But I gotta say I'm glad it came out on the bad end of the accident rather than you. I had a scare once that has always made me pay attention to how people store there tools. When I first started turning I made a rack to hold all my tools and bolted it right to my lathe stand. TO make it even easier I put all the tools in it with the business end up,(easier to find what you want) as it will be I dropped something on the floor and when I bent over to get it I realized my face had just passed within a fraction of an inch of the cutting edge of my skew. I had this flash of the skew taking out my eye and chills ran through me. I corrected the problem but it still scares me how easy it is to choose to store turning tools with the cutting edges up. they are begging to hurt someone that way.

 

[Fred]

Yep, sharp edges and one's flesh do not make for a safe combination. I use a five gallon clean plastic bucket with a circle of 3/4" plywood that fits inside the rim. Drilled several holes, slipped PVC tubing in the holes and poured Plaster of Paris around the tubes up for about 5 or 6 inches. Heavy and VERY sturdy and can be moved really easy with the metal handle on the bucket.

BTW, I always store my sharp edges down in the tubes just in case I forget to pay close attention when reaching for one of the tools. Also being down, the tool's edges are protected from the other tools when retrieving one of them to use. Cost:

Bucket was free from McDonalds (already cleaned too), PVC a few bucks with plenty left over for other things, Plaster of Paris was the most costly at several dollars but easy to work with as I mixed it up in the same bucket I used as a tool holder. Benefits Priceless (well almost!)