Thread: Funniest Workshop Incidents....

I would like to hear from all of you about your worst personal restoring incident. I mean something you did that was really dumb or an accident that you still can't believe happened... and you never told anyone.

Something happened to me tonight that I will share because I still can't believe I did it. The short version.... I had these old DD Satinedge scales and a real nice blade sitting around for a while and I swore one day I would do the restore... and do it well. Tonight I was bored so I went to work. I got to where the scales looked pristine and I was happy. Getting the blade on while the third pin was in place was tricky but got it done. Then I realized I used brass rod instead of SS and did the whole thing over. You know, all of the little troubles you run into while doing a restore like this. I had the original washers from another DD and everything. Tapped the pins tight and took some Mothers to shine up the brass. I noticed that some of the Mothers got inside the scales so I grabbed a jelly jar bottle of water I keep on my workbench opened it and gave the whole razor a swishing to get rid of the residue. Except it wasn't water... it was a jar of acetone I was using last night. As soon as I got a whiff, I knew immediately to look on the floor for my heart. How dumb am I? You can't believe those scales look like after just a second.

That's my story. Anyone beat it?

Sharpened up an old hunting knife years ago to a very sharp edge sat down to admire it in the light, some how managed to drop the knife only to have it stop short of hitting the floor by sticking itself upright in the top of my thigh.

While rubbing of the last vestige of polish on a paring knife I had made, I managed to stab myself in the hand to the bone.

While out snorkelling, I also manged to stab myself in the fleshy part of my hand while trying to catch a sand crab, also to the bone...And I only include that story because at the time it happened, the ocean was my workshop.


Mick

the dumb one that got me was when I was grinding a small piece of steel that kept getting hot. at first it felt hot really fast then it took a little longer to feel hot then it took a little longer to feel hot finaly I dipped it in water to cool it and saw steam....I decided to check my fingers and sure enough I had gotten to the point where I was going to end up with a couple nice blisters

Just last night I was casting bullets, and decided to scratch my ear. The only problem was that the hand I was scratching my ear with was also holding a set of 600 degree mold blocks. Fortunately I felt the heat before the mold actually hit the skin. Just got a minor 1st degree burn out of the deal.

I burnt my fingers once by picking up a piece of angle iron that I had just been welding on. It was still red hot when I grabbed it. I dunno what I was thinking at the time, but clearly I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing.

Originally Posted by HNSB

Just last night I was casting bullets, and decided to scratch my ear. The only problem was that the hand I was scratching my ear with was also holding a set of 600 degree mold blocks. Fortunately I felt the heat before the mold actually hit the skin. Just got a minor 1st degree burn out of the deal.

I burnt my fingers once by picking up a piece of angle iron that I had just been welding on. It was still red hot when I grabbed it. I dunno what I was thinking at the time, but clearly I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing.

almost forgot about welding burns

back in highschool shop the way I learned to keep my feet out from under what I was useing a cutting torch on was haveing a piece of slag fall into my shoe...you shoulda seen me jumping and hollering.

another time (at home) I was heating something up with a torch and useing a piece of railroad tie to set it on, after I was done I reached over the tie for something and it got me on the forearm.

Originally Posted by MickR

Sharpened up an old hunting knife years ago to a very sharp edge sat down to admire it in the light, some how managed to drop the knife only to have it stop short of hitting the floor by sticking itself upright in the top of my thigh.

While rubbing of the last vestige of polish on a paring knife I had made, I managed to stab myself in the hand to the bone.

While out snorkelling, I also manged to stab myself in the fleshy part of my hand while trying to catch a sand crab, also to the bone...And I only include that story because at the time it happened, the ocean was my workshop.


Mick

W

LOL... A three-bagger!!!

Best accident I ever had was when I managed to set the curtains in my shop window on fire. I was holding a burning propane torch in one hand, and a crucible full of molten metal in the other. I watched the flames for a second, but realized I was too busy to put them out. By the time I got the crucible put down and the torch put out, the curtains were gone and the fire with them. All I had to do was vent the shop and re-melt the metal

Ufda! 60 years working in shops, garages, and kitchens gives one a whole collection of methods to hurt oneself!

"Goofing off" with a buddy in the shop as a kid; slipped and have a six inch scar in one arm to this night.

Mixed MEK and stainless steel parts in an aluminum pan while cleaning parts; smoke and fire quick! Do not use MEK when working with aluminum! it reacts when iron is added to the mix. Check your cutting oils!
Ditto some semi-precious stones, water, and steel

I made the mistake of wearing polyester slacks back in the day and used a cutting torch.

I used a small piece of wood and a very sharp knife in conjunction and forgot my fingers were hanging out below. I have a couple of nails on one hand that are triplets.

I sharpened a 10 inch butcher knife and slipped on the floor. Knife, tennis shoe, foot, and floor conjoined at the web of the toes

The boss was in a hurry and told me a large glued up 16" wood disk was ready to turn in the lathe, Wrong! Have you ever had to operate machine tools with one hand for a few weeks while the bones knit in the other?

I ran my hand between a pulley and the belt on a machine. Not nice, motor support broke, fortunately! Ever eat south paw for a couple weeks?

Aren't single edge shop razor blades well wrapped?? Yup and I went to the facility nurse for a few butterfly closures.

Don't old fashion shop safety glasses fit poorly? And a hot piece of metal came between them and my eye.

I've picked up a packaged item that someone else had opened on the other end. Walking with a crutch is a pain.

Gloves on while grinding, Yup! onest too often, I am lucky that I did no more than shorten my finger nails. If the tool rest had been loose I would have lost at least a couple knuckles when the glove finger went into the gap.

Loose stitching on a buffing wheel, strings flapping? Small part into orbit, off the wall, and into face! Face shield paid for itself!

Laughingly and respectfully
~Richard

Originally Posted by Geezer

Ufda! 60 years working in shops, garages, and kitchens gives one a whole collection of methods to hurt oneself!

"Goofing off" with a buddy in the shop as a kid; slipped and have a six inch scar in one arm to this night.

Mixed MEK and stainless steel parts in an aluminum pan while cleaning parts; smoke and fire quick! Do not use MEK when working with aluminum! it reacts when iron is added to the mix. Check your cutting oils!
Ditto some semi-precious stones, water, and steel

I made the mistake of wearing polyester slacks back in the day and used a cutting torch.

I used a small piece of wood and a very sharp knife in conjunction and forgot my fingers were hanging out below. I have a couple of nails on one hand that are triplets.

I sharpened a 10 inch butcher knife and slipped on the floor. Knife, tennis shoe, foot, and floor conjoined at the web of the toes

The boss was in a hurry and told me a large glued up 16" wood disk was ready to turn in the lathe, Wrong! Have you ever had to operate machine tools with one hand for a few weeks while the bones knit in the other?

I ran my hand between a pulley and the belt on a machine. Not nice, motor support broke, fortunately! Ever eat south paw for a couple weeks?

Aren't single edge shop razor blades well wrapped?? Yup and I went to the facility nurse for a few butterfly closures.

Don't old fashion shop safety glasses fit poorly? And a hot piece of metal came between them and my eye.

I've picked up a packaged item that someone else had opened on the other end. Walking with a crutch is a pain.

Gloves on while grinding, Yup! onest too often, I am lucky that I did no more than shorten my finger nails. If the tool rest had been loose I would have lost at least a couple knuckles when the glove finger went into the gap.

Loose stitching on a buffing wheel, strings flapping? Small part into orbit, off the wall, and into face! Face shield paid for itself!

Laughingly and respectfully
~Richard

Richard....
Looks like your shop partner was Murphy...as in Murphy's Law. And I felt bad about a pair of razor scales....

Naw, just felt that way! Most other dings were simple cuts, stings, burns and bruises. Just a lot of years in the workplace and many 80+ hour weeks. Things can be repaired or replaced be glad that I didn't go into all those I screwed up!
Keep it safe out there!
Respectfully
~Richard