Safety tip

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randyrls

randyrls

Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2006
Messages
5,063
Location
Harrisburg, PA 17112
When working around machinery always remove any rings, wrist watches, jewelry, keep clothing away from machinery, and restrain long hair (this isn't a problem for me!).

Wear eye and hearing protection, and face protection if appropriate.

When using machinery or tools, PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU ARE DOING! Distraction or boredom is often painful!

I was reading the latest Woodturning Design and a photo in the "Beginners Corner" (groan) showed someone sanding on the lathe and wearing a bracelet of some sort. BAD BAD BAD

Stay safe.
 
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I agree on paying attention and not having anything loose that could get you into trouble. I have to admit that I always wear my wedding ring (after 24 years it is pretty much embedded in my finger and can only come off using lots of soap and twisting). But I always have eye protection on when working with tools. Being bald, I don't have a problem with my hair, That is exccept when my eyebrows get too bushy. :-)

But some food for thought here as I had a bit of a lapse of focus on the table saw back in February of this year. I was cutting up a 2"x2"x12" piece of wood for making pen blanks. It was a beautiful day and I had the garage door open while working with my table saw facing out towards the culdesac. While cutting the wood I caught the movement and reflection of my neighbor's car as they pulled in and my eyes lifted up just for a brief moment. In that instant, I allowed my left ring finger to trail a bit and nicked it on the saw blade cutting a nice 1/8" groove in my finger and removing half of the fingernail. Now, my finger healed up nicely with no evidence of the injury. But I do remember it each time I fire up the table saw and unless I have to I keep the garage door closed when using the table saw or lathe.



200865141029_finger%20vs%20tablesaw%20blade.jpg
 
Jeezus, Allen... Shoulda put a warning label on that pic... My backside just took a big bite outta my chair... UGH!
 
I don't have long hair,rings,jewelry,or wrist watches. I also don't wear baggy clothing,nor is it too tight. Heh.[}:)] I know of one guy that has got his jacket sleeve caught in the lathe and bandsaw. Tore it off thankfully. That person was me. My fingers are the only thing that get cut,sliced,and mangled. Nothing else gets hurt except my toe. Or my head when I bang it on the shelf above my lathe.[xx(] My finger looked about like that when I got it caught in the bandsaw except the cut was on the end of my thumb and it was clear down to the bone plus the skin was flapping around. Whew! Longest sentence.:D:D
 
And don't assume you know what each switch does, always double check. The motor and light switch on my dp are the same and i thought i was hitting the light switch w/ my hand on the key in the chuck, it was the motor switch[B)]was real close to breaking my hand.
 
I'm so sick now after seeing that picture and then looking at it again several times just so I'd get sicker [xx(] Good reminder that I really don't like seeing blood or mangled body parts. Remindes of the new Rambo movie...couldn't watch that either.

Jason
 
I would say I'm sorry for putting up that photo, but I'm not.
The reality of what we do in our shops is that it can be a dangerous place to be if we are not paying attention even though it is a hobby that we love to do.

When it happend I figured on seeing the end of my finger left on the tablesaw, but it was only minor and left some large drops of blood on the tablesaw. It happend so quick that I didn't have time to say anything much less any colorful metaphores referencing excrement or heritage from the maternal side of the canine family. Once I verifed that it wasn't bad, I grabed some paper towels and wraped up the end of my finger and then taped it on tight using electrical tape to stop the bleeding. I then used more paper towels to wipe off the blood from the table saw top as well as the drops on the floor so it wouldn't get tracked around or have my Miniature Schnauzer sniffing at it and then getting some ideas for when he gets hungry and there is no kibble in his bowl. I then finished cutting up the rest of the blanks, since the saw blade and fence were already set up, did a quick clean up of the saw dust and rolled the table saw back to it's home on the single car side of the garage so my wife could park the car when she got home from work. It all took about 3-5 minutes to do from the time of the injury. I then went inside and cleaned up the finger now that the bleeding had subsided. Then, like a good wood worker, I grabbed my camera and took some photos of my latest project that I made on the tablesaw, which was my finger, so that I had them for me as a reminder as well as posting them on the "Wood Magazine Online Forum" where I hang out as a reminder for others.

So if the graphic photo of my injury helps someone else stay focused and not do what I did, then it was worth it.

Here is a photo of the same finger today. It healed up nicely without any scarring. But I will always remember the carbide manicure every time I fire up the tablesaw.



2008662034_Finger%20vs%20tablesaw%20blade%20healed.jpg




2008662151_finger%20vs%20tablesaw%20blade.jpg
 
Originally posted by RichAldrich

I left the door open and the neighbors dog came in and licked the back of my leg while I was turning. Had a fingernail gauge catch.
Click to expand...

ROTFLMAO!!!!!

I know it wasn`t funny at the time, but I can just imagine the fright you would have had, real funny now though, I would have went through the roof!![}:)]:D
 
You shoulda rubbed some chicken broth on the pen you were turning and let rover lick that! He won't bother you anymore I assure you!


Oh, and Allen, I just got back from deep sea fishing and managed to NOT get seasick, and I see your pic and, well, nearly had to talk to RALPH about a BUICK. eeeeeeeeewwwww[B)]


Cool ring though. Love the dove.
 
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