Thread: It pays to be warned

What we do is dangerous. I know we already know this, but it never hurts to be warned yet again.
Safety True Storys - Tips - Techniques & Useful Information

So far I haven't used a buffer wheel. And to be honest, I am not that keen to start using them. I like having 10 complete fingers.

YIKES!

Personally, I could see myself getting suprised by a piece of hot scale. But hooking my finger into a workpiece with the underlying intention of preventing it from being pulled into the wheel... no. I don't think I would do something like that.

I notice on the website that the poor man who lost his finger is wearing a wedding band. Around machinery especially fast moving spinning objects rings are a big no no. Dont ask me how i know.......

With martial arts and working in / on my smithy, I hardly ever wear mine anymore. Only on special occasion.

I did relatively the same thing using my belt grinder a few weeks ago and the spot on the top of my foot is still nice and pink where there is new skin. My shoes were nylon and leather running type shoes, most of the tongue was nylon. I've always known the dangers of nylon, but didn't think hot swarf would burn through my shoes...now I know.

Yes, buffers have that same tendency as a wire wheel & can be grabby. You get this thought in your head that you can ensure it won't grab your object out of your hand by tightening your grip or adjusting your hold. You win most of the time, but all it takes is that one time and the rest is history like the guy in the pic.

Nylon and polyester do not belong in any workshop. Not only do they burn, but they melt.
A piece of red hot steel touches jeans, the jeans turns to ashes in an instant, but that's it. It acts as a buffer between the steel and your leg, giving you a split second of margin in which to minimize damage. You'll still have burns, but they will be relatively clean. Nylon or polyester will melt into your skin. So not only does the heat go away much slower, you get the joy of an ER surgeon removing congealed plastic from your burnt skin.

Cotton or leather. Nothing else.

Originally Posted by Martin103

I notice on the website that the poor man who lost his finger is wearing a wedding band. Around machinery especially fast moving spinning objects rings are a big no no. Dont ask me how i know.......

I got rid of the wife.
That makes it easier to get shop time, plus no band to worry about!

Back in the old days ironworkers erecting structural steel, used to call an inept guy a "Joe McGhee." So they came up with,"You can tell the Joes by their fingers and toes." If you're not careful you can lose digits in a pair of seconds doing some of the work. I came close to losing most of the fingers on my left hand once. Thank God the iron didn't keep rolling in the slings and my partner got it opened up with a crowbar off of the crane.

On one big job where I was an apprentice for Allied Structural Steel Co, out of MN, we would have weekly safety meetings. A safety man used to fly to all of their various jobs and show us photos of dead guys that zigged when they should have zagged. I remember one of a guy who had been running a surface grinder, hand held, air driven. If you let the wheel get too worn it can heat up near the arbor, melt the glue and fly apart. He was laying there with his brains beside him where the high speed wheel hand come to pieces and taken a piece of his skull.

As they used to say ........ work safe fellas.

Yea, I made a strop from Poly Canvas sailcloth and the frayed hanging threads bothered me. So I thought I would burn them off with a cigarette lighter.

It was a lively next few seconds.