Face Protection

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Dave_M

Dave_M

Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2005
Messages
769
Location
Clovis, CA, USA.
I recently posted about my experience with table saw kickback in the Casual Conversation section. I also discussed the situation with a friend of mine who manages the local Life Flight EMS transport service. She was telling me about a call they had last year where a high school student was killed using the lathe in a woodworking class. She doesn't know the specific details of how it happened. What she does know is that the student was wearing a full face shield and something came lose on the lathe and struck the student in the face. Although he was wearing a full face shield, his skull was split open from his forehead down into his jaw and later died from his injuries.

I'm sure this kind of thing is very rare and yes we certainly can't account for every possible combination of potential disasters that can happen to us in the shop. Like many things in life we educate ourselves and take the necessary precautions as we see fit based on our individual circumstances & needs.

After the incident with the table saw my wife jokingly stated that she wants me wearing my full face moto helmet and armored riding jacket when I use power tools. That isn't going to happen but... maybe upgrading to a Bionic face shield isn't a bad idea. I know there are better full face shields like the Bionic face shields and even the Trend Air Shield seems to provide good impact protection. In motorcycling, we say "If you have $20.00 head, buy a $20.00 helmet".

I thought I would toss this out for discussion. Is the $20.00 basic full face shield good enough? I'm not even sure if one of the higher end full face shields would have made a difference in the students situation. Whatever struck him in the face may have been lethal regardless based on the severity of his injuries. What are you using for a face shield or are you using a face shield when turning on the lathe? No criticisms either way. I'm just curious.

Thanks,
Dave
 
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i feel there is a reason why there is a higher end one and they all arent 20$ why do jet tools cost more than husky tools (because they are better) idk i was always under the impression to buy the best i can afford or regret it later
 
I wear a full face mask & heavy welders jacket, I will say one of my confetti oil lamp came off jam chuck and hit me on the forehead thank God for full mask.You only get one set of EYES!!!.Keep Safe.....
 
Also... do not wear loose clothing and keep long hair tied up.

Take my word for it, or if you're brave do a google image search for "lathe accident" (very scary stuff).
 
My guess is too much speed for the size of wood and most likely a glue joint failed. The fact that adults get hurt proves that sometimes accidents just happen no matter how safe we are and the only thing we can do is to protect ourselves the best way possible. That being said you are a lot more likely to die in a car accident so would your money be better spent on buying the safest vehicle possible? The difference between a full face shield and a high end face shield is more about looks and comfort in my opinion and less about that 0.001% chance that an accident will save you with the "better" shield on.
 
Interestingly enough, my new face shield arrived today. Nothing fancy, just a replacement for my old one that has a cracked headpiece. I will certainly use it.
When I was in the 7th grade (less than 66 years ago), we were allowed to take a shop class with full-size heavy tools. One project was a bowling pin lamp. One of my classmates had his bowling pin come out of the lathe at full throttle and barely miss his head. From my viewpoint, I saw no clearance between his head and the pin. That would have been bad. On top of that, some of us hand-held these pins as they were drilled. Fortunately, we all finished with our digits and eyes.
 
Very good points discussed here. Most supply places around me are selling cheap China made shields that are nothing more than a thin sheet of plastic attached to a cheap hard hat. Very little protection. Those are OK for wood chips but would do nothing for a decent sized piece of wood.
I have been looking for a better shield. Unless someone can suggest something, I am going to have to spring for one of those very expensive professional shields.
 
I don't know of a 'face-shield' that would provide total protection from a large object flying off a lathe at high speed unless you were wearing something akin to a motorcycle helmet. And then, you might incur some injuries, aka- a concussion.

I do like the looks of the 'bubble' face shield sold at CSUSA.

Most of the time time I wear my Trend Airshield Pro Helmet. Sometimes when turning pens I will wear a pair of wrap around safety glasses.
 
Interesting discussion,
Coincidentally, I have recently purchased a lot of 3m airstream face shields at an auction. These are kind that have a filtered ventilation system. I'm in the process of replacing all the disposable parts, like the filters, comfort pads and so, and Im trying to get new batteries and chargers as well. Brand new these shields go for 800$, full system. I hope to be able to resell them here for a fraction.
 
I just got the Trend Airsheild Pro for my birthday in March. Prior to it I was using a fume filtered mask and a safety sheild. I thought it was good to get a decent system and judging by the comments from others using the different systems, I chose the
Trend over a few others.

Interestingly enough, I hear people talking about how they wear simple safety glasses because they are only turning pens. I have to laugh because I know a "simple pen" can make a deadly hole just as much as a larger turning. I have had pens fly off the lathe at high speed when turning between centers. The brass developed a crack and the wood was turned fairly thin. It bounced off the face shield I was wearing and cracked the plastic. Scared the hell out of me. Even little things can cause serious injury. That is the number one rule. And one to NEVER EVER forget. Hope for the best and prepare for the worst. As Dave said, a $20 head gets a $20 helmet. How much is your safety worth? Just MHO.
 
My old face shield of 18 years fell apart at the headband this weekend. Paid $7.00 for that face shield, today bought one from Lowes for $14.00. Installed my old plastic face shield, did not want to unwrap new one in plastic bag. Have to use the old black headband because new one falls off. A new headband would cost me $16.00 plus shipping, go figure.
 
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