Thread: Blood, Sweat, and Tears Series...a Saga

I know, it doesn't happen without pictures:



The blade hooked in and tore it open as you can see.

I had exactly the same injury on my thumb, same hand, done on the same power tool and I was cutting wood too. ( small world )
Was a few years ago though !

I can totally empathize with the OP. 50 years in shops have contributed a mass of Oopses upon my body. MDs, PAs, nurses, veterinarians, chiropracters, have all had a go at various times. Such things will happen no matter how we try to prevent them.
Late to the party as I had a week or so like that till last Monday. Yup, there are times when we are off our feed and it behooves us to go watch cartoons with a tasty nip in the mug beside us. Unfortunately; I had a fer money type job in my sideline as a prototype machinist. I am still wearing more band aids than I had totaled up in all the last two years. Job done, paid in full, went antiquing! Razors found! Life is good!
~Richard

Correct Richard,and as we age being off your feed becomes the norm,yesterday,needed to cut some 18 ga, sheetmetal,had a burned out blade in the bandsaw what the hell,did the deed and got major metal splinter in my hand,dug it out.
This morning,4 A.M. am in my bathrobe running my lathe in the shop.making a peening hammer for a close friend,xmas gift,cut this radius that just needs a tad of work with a needle file,right up close to the 3 jaw,Runnin the backgears as I am doing this one in Titainium,Roll my sleeves up, that 25 lb chuck could tear my arm off right?
Sure as S$%T the needle file hits one of the jaws and go's right thru the palm of my hand,stemmed the hemmorage and went back to bed.

That is one of those "Happy Days"

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Correct Richard,and as we age being off your feed becomes the norm,yesterday,needed to cut some 18 ga, sheetmetal,had a burned out blade in the bandsaw what the hell,did the deed and got major metal splinter in my hand,dug it out.
This morning,4 A.M. am in my bathrobe running my lathe in the shop.making a peening hammer for a close friend,xmas gift,cut this radius that just needs a tad of work with a needle file,right up close to the 3 jaw,Runnin the backgears as I am doing this one in Titainium,Roll my sleeves up, that 25 lb chuck could tear my arm off right?
Sure as S$%T the needle file hits one of the jaws and go's right thru the palm of my hand,stemmed the hemmorage and went back to bed.

I'm trying to visualize this. The needle file hit one of the jaws of the peening hammer? What? I guess I'm not familiar with that term. Sounds like it hurt though!

Originally Posted by sheffieldlover

I'm trying to visualize this. The needle file hit one of the jaws of the peening hammer? What? I guess I'm not familiar with that term. Sounds like it hurt though!

I was turning the hammer head (made from scratch) in the 3 jaw.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

...Sure as S$%T the needle file hits one of the jaws and go's right thru the palm of my hand,stemmed the hemmorage and went back to bed.

Ouch. That sends a shiver down my spine. I had a good instructor for my machinist training so I had it ingrained to grab an empty file handle when using a file on a lathe. Never wanted a do it yourself stigmata. I also will not run a lathe with long sleeves, a watch or rings either. Horsepower does not forgive...


Be as safe as possible out there, guys!!!

Good stuff.

Yes, that is one of the reasons I don't like power tools.
I'd like my fingers to remain attached to the rest of my body.
In college during mechanical workshop, I liked milling and loathed the lathe.

That big lathe for heavy duty steel lathing gave me the creeps. Like it was a wild animal standing perfectly still, just waiting for me to come just a little bit closer so that it could tear my arm off and beat me to death with it.

Every time I enter my shop, or any other, I remind myself that "I want to count to 21 at bed time!" Spent the last few days in two shops. All of them were two shower bath days. Dirt comes before a high polish! Any machine and or edged tools will bite if one is not focused. A buffer, sander, or grinder will go through all the layers of skin in an eye blink. Most of the oopses of a week ago are healed and colored skin marks the spots. The chuck on a lathe will hit you six times before you get the first ouch! Always try to hold things in such a manner that the moving tool pushes your hand away from it. Finger knuckle splints are deleterious to getting small things done.

PF's point about age being detrimental to shop work is partially right. We need more time to plan out a job, and to cool off after a bad start or a mistake. Taking the bull by the horns immediately is a young man's trait. If a job takes me a week instead of two days, If it is my job...who cares.
YMSNV
~Richard