WARNING !! Blured, but graffic photos !!

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plantman

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Jan 2, 2012
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Green Bay, Wi
After making hundreds of cuts. dados, and using most of the tools in my shop to redo the cabinets on one wall, I went down this morning to make one last piece to hold the magnetic latches for my doors. One simple cut to length. One rip cut to narrow a board from 4 1/2 inches to 1 1/2 inches. As I was ripping the 30 plus inch long board, using my push stick in my right hand, and my left hand on the wide side of the board as a guide, I see my left hand slip off the board and into the saw blade. I don't know why this happened !! I did not have any binding or warp as I cut, the board did not kick back or up. My hand just slipped for some reason. I ended up with a good size chunk of my inside thumb lost and gone forever. A knife cuts and the damage can be stiched together, but a saw blade removes material never to be replaced. Lucky for me no tendons were cut nor any bone damaged. Sometimes I think when you do things over and over again you get a little to comfortable with the process and think about the next step and not what you are doing at the moment. Always be aware of your suroundings and keep your work area clean of clutter. After woodworking for 60 years, this is the first year I have injured myself onone of my tools. So it's never tolate to have something happen. Be safe and have a Happy New Year. Jim S
 

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Glad you are OK. It does seem that things happen when we least expect it. I have been very lucky in all the years that I have been woodworking. I think the knowledge that I have had three friends who have lost parts of fingers, parts of thumbs, and one actually severed his thumb completely, reminds me how quickly things happen. We are never truly safe, all we can do is take the steps we know will make us safer
 
Looks nasty but at least you still have your thumb. Many years as a carpenter I have seen more than one thumb unfortunately disappear. Hope you have a speedy recovery.
 
Hope you heal fast. A second of distraction is all it takes. We all get complacent with repetition. Sorry it happened to you but hopefully it will remind all of us to be careful.
 
Here's hoping for a speedy and full recovery. Thanks for the reminder to never allow our attention to wander no matter the job. Jim, I always tell any apprentice working with me, I am a construction electrician, that the day I come on the job and do not have some fear in my heart and gut, that will be the day I have to go home and hang my tools on the wall to never be touched again. I feel the same about my shop, my truck or anything that requires complete attention.

Again, Jim, a huge thank you for the reminder.

Charles
 
Shoot Jim, I don't like those pictures!

Thankfully it was not more serious. AND, thank you for posting. Safety is something that is too easy to become complacent with - and to always remember that we may take every precaution... and something still can happen.

Heal quickly!

Personally, I would say that a bear took a nibble before you laid him out!!!
 
Ouch! Glad that it was not worse...

Thank you for posting. Periodically, there have been accidents posted on here and other forums and they serve as a good reminder of the importance of shop safety.
 
Mate, that is bad luck and a painful reminder of how quickly "things" happen, even when you know what you are doing...!

Yes, sharing of these images, always serve as a call for caution and a reminder that, some tools are capable to do you harm, every time you touch them and the most interesting factor of all this is that, most of these accidents happen to those that have the most experience or at least spend the most years using these tools, while inexperience can be a important factor for accidents, the truth is, with these sort of tools/pieces of equipment, inexperience people have great FEAR of handling them, in their minds is a scary thought of how getting too close to that blade, can be catastrophic therefore, they act more cautiously while we, old farts in these things, get far too complacent and self confident with it and that, can be our worst enemy, I'm very guilty of that, and I fear the day, it happens to me (already lost the tip (nail base) of the index finger on my left hand, on a table saw about 28 years ago, I remember it well till the day I die...!

Sometimes we get lucky and he get hurt but not too dramatically, such as this case here, is bad enough to scare the hell out of you and give you nightmares at night and some pain as a reminder however, we are not always going to be that lucky, and that is the scary fact...!

Mend quick and well...!

Cheers
George
 
:doctor:Thank you all for your kind thoughts and concerns !! The reason I didn't do more damage to my thumb, and one everyone should remember, was told to me by my old highschool woodworking teacher. "Never set the blade of your saw over a eighth inch higher than the material you are cutting". As I looked over my saw and material I was cutting, I noticed that the blood was in the center of the length of the board. This says to me that my hand traveled over the blade on top of the board. With the blade set at 1 inch, (material was a little over 3/4 inch) had I run my thumb into it, I would now have a 2 piece thumb. There is no need to have your saw blade set at 2 inches when you are cutting 1/4" plywood. If you are going from one thickness of material to another, take the time to reset your blade. Happy, and safe, New Year to all !! Jim S
 
I came close once and it scared me realizing how much you need All of your digits working in a wood shop. Since I always cut thin strips I use a feather board.
 
So sorry about the accident my friend and not happy about the injury but very glad that it was no worse than it is. Take care and heal quickly.
 
Hey Jim,
Sorry about your accident.
I'm also surprised as you are one of the folks I wouldn't have expected to see this from.
I use two push sticks when I'm ripping; I just don't like the idea of flesh and sharp spinning metal meeting.
Heal quickly.
 
Oh Jim, Sorry to see the results of your lost moment of concentration.
I am glad that you remembered that lesson of setting the saw height.
Another one is to rip with a ripping knife and overhead blade guard in place.
I will now take mine off the peg on the wall, and put it on my saw.
So pleased it wasn't more serious for you.
At least now you will find out just how much you use that thumb.
Regards, and keep well.
Brian.
 
Update. Went to plastic surgeon today for options on thumb. 1- Let it heal from the inside out. Would result in some knumbness, heavy scar, and thin skin over wound. 2- Clean out any loose or hanging flesh, reconnent severed nerve, stich up to close wound as best he could, and decrease healing time. This would also give me a thicker layer of skin over the wound. I chose #2 and had nerve damage redpaired, wound cleaned up, and added 8 stiches and 16 more holes in my thumb. I am sure I will still loose some feeling in the thumb, but at least I can still count to ten on my fingers !!! Have a safe Holiday !!! Jim S
 
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You are so lucky. I am glad you only received a bad cut and no finger loss. A lesson for the rest of us that it only take a second and a little bit of distraction
 
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