Caution, graphic pics of leaking circulatory fluid! Long and rambling :-)

Subdermal evulsion of digitus secundus with partial involvement of both perionychium, and hyponychium

or.........

Proof that while skill and caution are linearly additive, stupidity and impatience are compounded exponentially.

Or........ Never try to outquick a cat..... or a tablesaw.


Translation.... I was trying to squeeze a couple of pens in between calls at work today, for a (hopefully) promising new sales venue. The proprietor had supplied me a piece of very old Southern Longleaf pine board, about 5/4 thick. So, I ripped 4 pieces to 7/8 x 2 inches and was getting ready to drill them, but they were just a whillionth of a skillimeter too thick to fit into my poor decrepit little scroll chuck's pin jaws. No problem, I'll just mount them between centers and turn them round. Darnit, still have that slimline blank I was reapplying the ca to on the finishing lathe (did I mention that very old SLP likes to cloud CA finishes?) And the big lathe has a half finished eagle cane blank in it from last month. Ok I'll trim it down to 7/8 square on the tablesaw. Not really the ideal size to be cutting on the TS, but heck, I've done it plenty of times before. Now where the heck did I put that 45 degree pushstick? Heck with it, I'll use this scrap to push into the blade and just hold it tight to the fence with my left hand. If I stop a little short of actually going through I can back it out and just snap off the waste, and it will fit into the chuck. First couple worked fine. Third one, "hey, you know that zero clearance throat plate has gotten pretty ragged lately, and it looks like it's cracked and sagging a little between the blade and the fence. I probably should get around to actually making that nice walnut and aluminum one I have been thinking about since I got the saw 5 years ago and get rid of this piece of hardboard. Last blank, and then I can drill for the tube, and gotta remember which...........

Ahhhhh S**t! That's going to really mess up my word per minute score for a while. Dammit... I think I'm going to have to go have somebody look at that and make sure I didn't clip the bone...... My wife is going to give me hell about this for months. Where did I put that roll of paper towels?

So, 7 or 8 hours, two vicodin and a six pack later, I'm sitting here counting up the warning signs that I ignored, safety devices I either intentionally removed or couldn't be bothered to find and use, and most importantly, how long it's going to be until I can get the rest of that pen order finished now, because I had a serious attack of the stupids. Fortunately for me the actual damage is not as bad as it looks, no stitches needed and the (incredibly young looking) Dr. at the ER said that the nail should grow back just fine, and it will be almost good as new in 4 to 6 weeks. And the blank is ok, so I can still get that pen finished before the weekend. I'll post pics when I get it done

So, the moral of this little story is, No matter how many times you have done something before, or how much you REALLY want to get this last one done before the wife calls you in for dinner, or how long it has been since something reminded you that you are not 8 feet tall and bulletproof, When that little voice in the back of your head says "Yo, *******, you really shouldn't do that" LISTEN TO IT!!!! Stop and figure out a different way to get it done, go find that widgit that you could swear was right over there the last time you used it, or just call it a day and go have a cold one, IT'S NOT WORTH PUSHING IT!!

And, if you got this far and still want to see, I got pictures, so it really did happen.

Is the tablesaw ok?

OUCH!

James~not good at all!! did you go to the Emergency room?

That's going to really mess up my word per minute score for a while

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How fast can you type?

I was funning with you James. I have vivid memories when my dad fed the heel of his hand into the tablesaw blade. they were able to save the hand. So, don't do that anymore

Ouch!!! It culd have been much worse and i bet that hurt, but not as mush as hearing the wife for days on end.

While they aren't cheap it sure makes a statement for owning a SawStop. The older I get the more I value my digits. I have had a few similar scare the hell out of you incidents that weren't major luckily. Glad you will be OK...

Been there-done that. Make you wish you would have heeded any one of the warning signs. This too will heal but you will have a new respect for the saw.

I had something similar happen a few weeks ago. The blade didn't get me but the board I was cutting caught the blade in a kick back, tore the side of the thumb off then gave me a 70 mile an hour gut check. My stomach hurt so bad I didn't realize my thumb had been de-skinned until I saw the drip drip drip of blood. Four weeks later the thumb is healed but the gut still has ridges where the wood hit.

The frustration of it all is now I can only think of how much farther behind I am getting because I was in a hurry. I can definately feel your pain there.

On a sick and commical note, if you are right handed, be glad it is your left hand and not your right. Makes going to the WC a real pain in the arse.

:doctor:That's one big OOOOWIEEEE :doctor:

Thanks for the reminder. Safety should never be forgotten. Hope you heal quick.

OUCH!!!!!!!! :curse::beat-up::crying::doctor:

gross... feeling a little queasy now...

Toni said:

James~not good at all!! did you go to the Emergency room?



How fast can you type?

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actually they sent me over to the minor care center/doc in a box. Cheaper and quicker.


And the obvious answer to the second one is...... Not as fast as I could yesterday!

James, having donated two of my favorite digits to a piece of crap saw and like you kind of ignoring a few (dozen) safety precautions, I can appreciate the pain believe me I can. 2 years later and the one finger still hurts , and the other one while still there is all but useless, we need to remember that a Table Saw is about the most dangerous piece of equipment in our shop, (unless you have a blind knife thrower helping you stick thing on the wall). I also agree on the Saw Stop, it would have saved many Thousands of dollars and two years of frustration, oddly enough it was just about this time of the year, with in a few days,. Maybe we should hide or stay away from table saws during June July and August!!!

Glad that's ALL that happened. I won't preach as we all do a piece of stupid sometimes, (thin strip cutting on a sled and thin strip shot through the exit slot into the gut as well). WE ALL get complacent at times and must use our failures to remind ourselves to take a little extra time, PLEASE.

Maybe you can sue the saw maker for not using SawStop technology and win a few mil. :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

Thanks for posting this, James.

Everytime I read one of these, the next time I'm in the shop, I tell the machines, 'You're not getting me today, guys!'. Your photos provide a bit of lingering 'pucker factor' that is healthy when operating the saws.

Man, that's going to be a while healing over. You were almost looking at a skin graft. Hope it doesn't slow you down too much, and gets better ASAP.

Steve

Thank you, these are always good reminders. I am sorry for your pain and hope you heal quickly.

This is why I refuse to operate a table saw. Regardless of how experience or careful you are, they are too unpredictable.

I would rather suffer on material than lose a tip off the finger.

Hope you recover well!

Exact reason I bought a saw stop for my employees........and me!

I feel your pain. I've taken a couple of shots to the gut from the table saw in the past and have nasty scar from a piece that slipped and pushed my thumb into the blade. I've worked around saws since I was old enough to walk but still think about what could happen ever time I turn one on.

Hope it gets better soon. Where that is is going to be annoying for a long time.

Bryant

Hmmm...I feel queasy! Don't do that!

Wishing fast recovery and healing from the ones that have had saw accidents .

I had something similar happen a few weeks ago. The blade didn't get me but the board I was cutting caught the blade in a kick back, tore the side of the thumb off then gave me a 70 mile an hour gut check. My stomach hurt so bad I didn't realize my thumb had been de-skinned until I saw the drip drip drip of blood. Four weeks later the thumb is healed but the gut still has ridges where the wood hit.

The frustration of it all is now I can only think of how much farther behind I am getting because I was in a hurry. I can definately feel your pain there.

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.

Last Saturday I also had a kickback and I am wearing 13 stiches in my fingers and some other taped up areas that needed to be closed up but only flapped over parts where the tape works like stiches . Luckily my hand was not pulled into the blade.
It happens in a split second when we are least expecting it and sometimes we get in a bit of a hurry when we shouldn't. .
My doctor said he sees lots of such cases and asked if I had ever heard of the saw stop. Of course I had heard of it many and he said he is going to get one himself. Turned out he is a part time hobby woodworker like many of us are. I'm sure he could afford it more than I can but I will sure have a lot more respect for my 2HP saw in the future.

But then I was cutting a piece of pywood exactly 13 inches wide and I got 13 stiches so that must have been the reason for it. That's my story and I'm sticking to it :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: Supersticious about the number 13 ? ? Who me ? ? :wink:

I sold my table saw a couple months ago. I am afraid of it. I have worked with them all my life AND when working for Sears I demonstrated saws on the sales floor. At my age and with the meds I take, it is good not to have it around.

your hand and mine could be twins. Although, I did mine with a chop saw. Told my son right before I did it, "don't do this it's dangerous" nipped off the the tip. Felt like I was hit with a hammer! Carried the tip to the ER. No dice, Had to give up guitar lessons!

Hope yours heals fast. Mine gets very cold and painful in the winter. Jim

Jgrden said:

I sold my table saw a couple months ago. I am afraid of it. I have worked with them all my life AND when working for Sears I demonstrated saws on the sales floor. At my age and with the meds I take, it is good not to have it around.

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Sorry to hear you had to give it up but I can understand how meds could probably cause a problem using certain power tools.
I am just a young 'un at 74 and do not have or require a single prescription med (so far) . I would imagine that could be a dangerous combination. It is easy enough for accidents to happen without them.