Using TS One-handed - Advice??

[Kent A Bathurst]

Due to what constitutes the single most moronic thing I have done in at least 10 years, my right hand (I'm right-handed) is out of action for 4-6 weeks.

It is in an open-top rigid splint. The 4 fingers are not available for gripping. I can apply full-palm downward pressure with no problem, and my thumb is free and clear. I can frequently smack my head with the splint while muttering "stupid, stupid, stupid" with no ill effects.

I'm sitting here looking at my Uni TS, and wondering if there is a safe way to use it? I can apply clamps to most things, and thought maybe I should get more featherboards/hold downs? Type? I have one bench dog feather-loc, but correctly positioning it and tightening 2 knobs might be difficult. My worry is that my left hand has no experience in pushing boards thru and holding them down. DP, BS, jointer, ROS, CMS no problem, but the TS has me concerned.

Maybe sit this one out? Already stir-crazy. Had to reverse mouse buttons, and type with just left index finger.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Kent,

I'd sit this one out.

I'm sure there are a lot of things you could do to use your table saw but....


I'm sure there are a lot of things that could go wrong and make this one-handed approach become a more permanent thing.

JMHO

[Ellen Benkin]

I agree. Take the time off and design something to make when the hand is functional. Don't fool around with a table saw trying to "make" it work.

[Peter Luch]

NO!

Aloha, Pete

[David DeCristoforo]

I think you are going to find that the unanimous consensus is to refrain from working on any machinery until your hand heals. The risk of further injury is simply not worth it.

[Tony Bilello]

I normally take a certain amount of risks, it's just my nature, but on this issue I would not even plug in the power cord.
With a table saw, there are lots of issues that require you to be at your best. One of the main requirements for safety on a TS is that you can control the board. You already said that you cant.

[Peter Aeschliman]

Agreed on all counts.

Care to share how you injured yourself? You teased us with:

"Due to what constitutes the single most moronic thing I have done in at least 10 years, my right hand (I'm right-handed) is out of action for 4-6 weeks."

:D:D

[Dave Sharpe]

Sure go ahead

Then at least you can update the phrase "Due to what constitutes the single most moronic thing I have done in at least 10 years, ..."

Whatever you already did won't seem quite so moronic in comparison........

[Richard Dragin]

Due to what constitutes the single most moronic thing I have done in at least 10 years,

Maybe you could use the table saw one handed and top that.

[Neil Brooks]

HUGE risk.

Can't readily identify the reward.

I'd wait.

[John Harden]

My worry is that my left hand has no experience in pushing boards thru and holding them down. DP, BS, jointer, ROS, CMS no problem, but the TS has me concerned.

I see nothing wrong with using a table saw one handed. There are quite a few one armed wood workers. Heck, I know motorcyclists who have only one arm who ride daily.

Your situation isn't quite the same though. You're not used to this condition.

The biggest risk I see with your situation is your statement above. There are lots of mechanical ways to safely hold stock firmly down on the table and against the fence. If you had the use of your dominant hand, I'd say go for it.

Since you don't, I'd advise against it. 4-6 weeks isn't all that long.

Regards,

John

[Kent A Bathurst]

Care to share how you injured yourself?


First - thanks gentlemen for your sound advice. I knew that answer, but was looking for some enablers. No one stepped up to the plate, to your credit. TS unplugged, blast gate closed, blade retracted.

Next - Richard and Dave - your pointed, on-target sarcasm is well-received on this end - that is in the style of conversations I have with my closest, best friends. Made me chuckle, actually. I would at least think those same thoughts, and your willingness to say them out loud is sincerely appreciated. Point taken, Sirs.

And - Peter, no, not really, but this may be instructive, so I'll set the pride off to the side for a bit. In my 10-12 years of woodworking, the worst injury I've incurred has been a few small slices from super-sharp chisels or plane irons. Until last week.

If you pick up a brad-point bit, hold it horizontal, at look at the action end, you might notice the spurs vaguely look like the tines on a rototiller. And, if you have used a rototiller, you'll know how, under power, it will pull you right along thru the flower bed. You can see this one coming.....

I was using a 5/16" brad-point bit on my DP to hog out some deep (4") mortises. I had to have the DP table set very high, so the quill travel would hit the full depth. 4 mortises, 5 plunges each. Back fence clamped in place for alignment, but I hand-held the target for moving laterally along the fence. Mortises 1, 2, 3, 4 - NBD. Mortise #5, Plunge #1 - NBD.

Aaaaannnnd.........here we go. Holding the target, I EFFING TURNED MY EFFING HEAD AWAY to locate the bench brush. My right hand, holding the target along the top, somehow moved under the bit. The bit dug in, and like a rototiller, plowed down the back of my hand, spitting my hand and arm out to the side in micro-seconds.

EVERYTHING ELSE - TS, BS, CMS, etc. has spinning blades or knives, and has always held my attention very focused. To my embarrasment and chagrin, I had not given the DP its due - subconsciously thought of it as benign, I guess. Bad news - with a regular twist bit, prolly NBD. Good news - large dia Forstner wasn't in the chuck.....gives me shudders.

ER doc and I weren't counting, but the over/under is like 125 stitches, and I'd prolly bet the over. He and I had a very interesting discussion as he explained to me the inner workings of knuckles and tendons - which were clearly visible.

M....O....R....O....N

[Jim Rimmer]

Just believe for the next 4-6 weeks that you live in Minnesota instead of Georgia and have an unheated shop. It's not really that long.

I agree with all who have alreadys said, it just ain't worth the risk.

[Greg Peterson]

Thanks for sharing your injury story. It definitely has value and reinforces the fact that accidents are often the result of a temporary lack of attention. It can happen to anyone.

I'd take the 4-6 weeks off and chalk it up to punishment. Next time you're in the shop you'll remember that not only did you injure yourself, but it cost you a six week time-out. :D

[Van Huskey]

I think I would sit it out just to echo what the others have said, the last thing you want to say in a couple of weeks is:


"Due to what constitutes the two most moronic things I have done in at least 10 years, my hands are out of action for 4-6 weeks."


Sorry to hear about your accident, just like driving a car we all make mistakes but most of the time we are lucky enough to avoid an accident. Just chalk it up to experience that will likely prevent you from a worse accident in the future.

[doug faist]

NO!

A thousand times, no!

[Kent A Bathurst]

Just believe for the next 4-6 weeks that you live in Minnesota instead of Georgia and have an unheated shop. It's not really that long.

I agree with all who have alreadys said, it just ain't worth the risk.


HAH!! Good point, Jim - especially since I'm now too much of a weenie (moved from Michigan 6 years ago) to ever go ice-fishing for muskies again.

[mreza Salav]

You've got your answer to your original question.

sorry to hear your story and thanks for sharing it.
I've had my share of injury on a drill press (although not that serious).
We tend to forget that ALL tools (power or not) can be dangerous; some are more.
Heck, I have had managed to pinch my skin in the lower portion of my pliers almost every other time i've used them (and it just keeps happening!).

[John Harden]

Heck, I have had managed to pinch my skin in the lower portion of my pliers almost every other time i've used them (and it just keeps happening!).


Yup, same here. I've lost count of how many times I've broken skin with a screwdriver. Usually this occurs when I'm using it for a task that it was never intended for. You'd think I'd learn. You'd be wrong. :D

[Kent A Bathurst]

When SWMBO and I got back home from ER, first order of business - Gave her one-on-one instruction on using chuck key to remove bit from DP. Wash "Kent residue" off of bit. Blow-dry with compressed air. Spray with Camellia oil. Put back in its holder.

Not a single word, but 5 minutes of "The Look". Hey - gotta take care of the tools, right? ;) As I say below - Once more, dear friends........

[Rick Alexander]

I never thought about a brad point bit being so dangerous but - man - that's just scary right there. Every time I chuck one up in the DP from now on I'm going to have that image go through my conciousness - and that's a good thing - but

I think I'm going to be sick now.

And hey - can't you just train the wife to cut your boards for you now.:D

[Joe Shinall]

Kent, I know how you feel. I just had shoulder surgery for a torn labrum in November. I was in a sling for 6 weeks and kept walking into my shop staring at that beautiful Unisaw. :( I was not suppose to even use my hand because it was all connected to the shoulder. So I went a full 10 weeks without using it. Now that I can use it, I am a cutting fiend! But i recommend you sit it out. Don't want to lose that hand function forever! Still only have about %40 of use in my shoulder but I made sure I did not have to change the way I cut before I started. I actually spent time with the wife for those 10 weeks! Who knew that could solve a lot of problems???:rolleyes:

[glenn bradley]

Walk away. Sit this one out. Live to fight another day.

[Bob Glenn]

Consider your next post; I used my one good hand to run a board on my TS and now my other hand is injured also.

Is there any thing I can do out in the shop with two bad hands?

[Kent A Bathurst]

I never thought about a brad point bit being so dangerous but - man - that's just scary right there. Every time I chuck one up in the DP from now on I'm going to have that image go through my conciousness - and that's a good thing.


I never did either, Rick - bad combination of events -rototiller bit, high table, stupid inattention. As I said - I never gave the DP the same level of respect and wariness as every other machine - but that has changed. Not happy to be in this position, but willing to set my pride to the side and share it. The photo w/ Nikon SLR+zoom was fun one-handed (yes, I put the neck strap on first).

The basic message from everyone is one I learned years ago in the corporate world: When you are digging a hole for yourself, the most important thing to do is to throw the shovel away. My shovels are all on vacation for a while.

On ther other hand - I'm trying to think of a way to hold chisels + jig strapped to splint so I can spend this time sharpening them all - not gonna touch LN plane irons, though - wrong side of the risk-reward curve.

[Mike Rees]

Hey Kent, need a few magazines to pass the time? :D

[Joe Shinall]

That's a good idea too. Once your done with that just sit back and think of a way to remodel your shop. I spent weeks moving stuff around with my left arm until I found the best layout for everything. Saved me a bunch of headache of a messy shop. Not to mention wiped every tool down, labeled drawers, sharpened chisels, polished the cast, painted some shelves, reworked storage bins and drawers, and of course like I said before, spent time with the LOML. :D

[Kent A Bathurst]

Hey Kent, need a few magazines to pass the time? :D


HAH-HAH-HAH. Good one. You doin ok up there, Mike?

[Neil Brooks]

Kent,

Well ... if you ARE going to hurt yourself ... you may as well make it a good one.

You made it a good one. Good story. Good photo. Franken-hand!

Heal fast.

Enjoy your time off.

Learn SketchUp.

If you already know it ... then use it.

4-6wks is a perfect amount of time to put together your next couple of projects, do the cut lists, and buy the materials :)

[Kent A Bathurst]

......Good photo. Franken-hand!.......
Learn SketchUp......

#2 - When I retired, my corp IT buddies let me have the laptop, and "forgot" to clear non-std s/ware, including AutoCAD. I guess now is as good a time as any to develop my left-hand mouse skills.

#1 - funny you should say that. ER doc is a personable, funny guy. I'm watching stitches going in, and say "looks like a scene from Frankenstein, don't you think?" He pauses, looks at it thoughtfully, and says "Nooooo...I think I'd have to go with Friday the 13th."

[Jim O'Dell]

Kent, like you, I didn't give enough respect to the DP. Last May I was installing some speakers in my van that I had put off doing for about 7 years. Didn't want to cut the metal where they would have to go while it was in warranty, just in case, and then didn't get around to it for the rest of the time. Mine wasn't as bad as yours, but I was trying to hold this metal piece while I used a 4" hole saw. Talk about moronic! :o After a minute of light drilling, the bit caught the metal and spun it into the DP post. Wouldn't have been a problem except my left little finger was between the two. Mine was only 5 stitches, but from the first knuckle to the nail in the inside of the finger still has no feeling (about 25% around the circumference of the finger). I still have drops of blood on the floor of the shop. It was funny to watch the er nurse (I think she was rather new) jump and her eyes get about the size of a dinner plate when the ER doc pulled the bandage off and blood spurted about 2 feet toward her. :D Doc stopped, looked at her and asked, "You OK??" She nodded yes, and he went back to looking at the wound.
Hang in there. It will heal. And the scar will be a forever reminder to give the DP it's due respect.
Oh, and you're right about the wife's look. They must go to school to learn that as little kids!! ;) Jim.

[Richard Dragin]

I know a guy who took off a thumb on the drill press (hole saw and gloves I believe) and had it replaced with his big toe. He was back to work in one year.

I wouldn't have thought a brad point would grab the skin and do that much damage. I have learned a useful lesson from this thread and that sick feeling in my stomach from looking at the picture will help me concentrate at the drill press.

I don't know anyone who ever had an accident and said it was a smart thing to do. Accidents always happen at the worst possible time also, as if there is a good time for an accident.

[Greg Portland]

Anytime that I have to think twice about an operating being safe then it probably isn't.

If you must have something to do, play around with some finishing techniques (dyes, tinting, french polish, etc.). Maybe clean and organize the shop?

[Bill Huber]

Sounds like a good time to learn SketchUp and do some design work.

[Kent A Bathurst]

..........
I wouldn't have thought a brad point would grab the skin and do that much damage. I have learned a useful lesson from this thread and that sick feeling in my stomach from looking at the picture will help me concentrate at the drill press........

Glad (?) to teach by (negative) example.

Not to make anyone sick, but from an objective perspective, it was really cool (as in strange) looking. Not just the skin - flutes pulled down into flesh, just like they are supposed to do. Imagine those spurs rotating and dragging their way from back of hand down knuckle + finger. The edge of the wound had scalloped edges all the way down from the spur rotation.

Also - better than a scar as a reminder - I cut off that plastic wristband they put on you at the hospital, and taped it to the DP just above the ON button. Heh-heh-heh. It will ALWAYS be right there, so I have look at it each time I shift into drive. As in "Hellllloooo, a****le - remember me?"

[Jim O'Dell]

Glad (?) to teach by (negative) example. SNIP
Also - better than a scar as a reminder - I cut off that plastic wristband they put on you at the hospital, and taped it to the DP just above the ON button. Heh-heh-heh. It will ALWAYS be right there, so I have look at it each time I shift into drive. As in "Hellllloooo, a****le - remember me?"

That is priceless!! I wish I had thought to do that! Jim.

[john snowdon]

Time to let your body do the task of healing. I had surgery on my right hand earlier this month (Dupytren's Contracture) that left me with 30+ stitches and doc's orders not to use the hand for lifting for a couple of weeks. Well, my new Griz GO457 BS arrived 2 days later. After a buddy got it into the basement for me, I decided I could put the mobile base together and get the saw on it. Last visit to the doc showed him I had ripped several of the stitches out, the wound hasn't healed and he postponed my PT for another 2 weeks.

Real problem is my Jet 12" jointer/planer combo arrived yesterday and I hired 2 movers to get it into the shop this morning. Sure looks lonely sitting there but I'm waiting this time...

I hope you're a quick healer!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Kent,

You aren't the only one who has had a serious injury with the DP. I had to learn the hard way about holding a piece of sheet metal with my hand and drilling though it......well...most of the way through it when it caught on the bit ....was removed from my holding fingers for a split second....and then came around and hit my hand repeatedly.

Stitches dont' hurt that bad.....PDAMHIKT.

[Don Morris]

The only visible scar I have from wwing is on my right index finger. As a young teenager in a public park woodworking shop, using the DP, the drill bit went right through the piece of wood and along the index finger at the junction of the nail and skin. That junction on all the other fingers is a uniform eliptical line. My Rt. index finger skin/nail junction has a serious jog in it, with some bumps in the skin too. Sooooo, yes, the DP can cause some damage. Welcome to the club. We are an elite group (my own definition of elite), but that's all I'm going to say.

[Kent A Bathurst]

.......... Welcome to the club. We are an elite group.......

Thanks Don, Ken, + Jim - not exactly proud to be the newest member of your club, but somewhat gratifying I'm not the charter member. ;)

[Gary Herrmann]

Kent, a couple years back I blew a tendon while diving for a ball during a game. Long period of my arm in a 90 degree splint, then longer rehab.

Going stir crazy, I posted a question about building a jig that would allow me to run a board across my jointer with one arm.

The responses were pretty much what you've gotten.

Let it go. Give it time to heal. Read, plan, think about your next projects.

But. Let. It. Go.

You don't want another injury. Let your body heal. And good luck. Do your PT. You'll be fine in the long run.

PM me if you want a list of books to read. ;)

[Dan Forman]

Kent---hope you heed the advice, and wishing you a speedy recovery.

Dan

[mreza Salav]

I thought I was stupid enough to try to drill a hole in a metal piece (sheet metal) held by my hand. Seems many of us have learned the hard way.

NEVER ever hold a metal piece (or any piece for that matter) by hand when drilling.

[Joe Shinall]

I thought I was stupid enough to try to drill a hole in a metal piece (sheet metal) held by my hand. Seems many of us have learned the hard way.

NEVER ever hold a metal piece (or any piece for that matter) by hand when drilling.

Which also reminds me of when I was trying to add some shelving to my workbench. Instead of asking LOML to hold the board (or being smart enough to use a clamp at the time) I figured I could hold the board and the magnetic tip of the driver would hold the screw right? That was until I realized the drill was on reverse and slipped off the screw and lets just say I have a perfect #2 Phillips scar on the inside of my finger. And that was 3 years ago!

[Shawn Christ]

Kent, I'm sorry to hear about, and see, the mishap. You'll find other things to pass your time, and will be back making sawdust in no time. I sat out for nearly 4 months recovering from shoulder surgery (rotator cuff). It went quicker than I thought it would.

Good luck and best wishes!

[Todd Franks]

Kent,

I have a small scar on the webbing of skin between my index finger and thumb on my left hand. A few years ago, I was using a circle cutter on my drill press. I was in a hurry, and decided to use my left hand as a "clamp" instead of using proper clamping techiniques. Before I started the DP, I got the center mark lined up with the pilot bit and the cutting arm was to the right, opposite of my left hand. I turned on the DP and in half a revolution I figured out that my "clamp" was inside the cutting diameter of the circle cutter. No ER visit or stitches, but STUPID, STUPID, STUPID. I learned from my mistake, I never use my hand as a clamp at the DP anymore.

It's amazing that brad point bit can do that much damage. Like many others have said, take some time off to heal and learn from your mistake. Thanks for sharing, I know I will have a heightened sense of awareness when using brad point bits from now on.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Using TS One-handed - Advice??

My advice would be to not try - & - avoid eating prunes ;).

I mashed my right hand (I'm right handed also) between a 60 gal upright compressor and a cart and was in a bandage/cast for 4 weeks myself.
One thing I never quite got the hang of.....:o

[Chris Kennedy]

Definitely take the break. I fractured my wrist about a year ago, and I had a lot of complications mainly due to soft tissue damage and debris from the break. I was out of active shop commission for at least three months, at which point my wrist was starting to feel better. I went back to the shop before it was completely healed, and that was a Bad Idea. The vibration from running a router for twenty minutes stayed with me for a week in the form of pain. On a couple of other occasions, I went out to the shop to do something small and quick, and every time, I paid for it for weeks or even months afterward.

This isn't simply that you are short a hand. You are healing from a pretty decent trauma. You need to keep that under consideration, no matter how trying it is on the patience (patient).

Cheers,

Chris

[John A langley]

Sorry, That hurts

[Mike Rees]

HAH-HAH-HAH. Good one. You doin ok up there, Mike?

Yep. Finished workbench 2.0. Edge joined my top w/ pocket holes instead of cutting ply to size. Stained it, put some poly on it. Have to learn more about poly. But I'm getting there and happy. Going to tackle end tables (furniturelegs.com) and a tv stand next. Pocket holes changed everything for me. Love my Kreg !

[John A langley]

Sorry Kent, That hurts! I know your pain - my right right hand has all 5 fingers - 3 are short. I've gotten over feeling stupid and now chalk it up to s--t will happen. Read some good woodworking books for 4 to 6 weeks. I hope it isn't your "bathroom" hand - that can be challenging. Good luck!!

[Kent A Bathurst]

..........avoid eating prunes ;).........one thing I never quite got the hang of.....:o

Rich -No Kidding!! I am constantly running - figuratively -into "off-hand" or "one-hand-only" walls. Things that I never consciously thought about as I did them.

One thing I was able to do yesterday without power tools - 2 blocks of wood in the face vise, with a hand towel as a liner - exactly the right size padded hole to hold a Bass Ale upright while I open it lefty.:D But I gotta confess - I never would have thought it'd be this hard to simply locate my own a** left-handed.

[John A langley]

When I became a contributor I left my advertisements on. Kind of enjoyed them. I was reading through some of the responses to Kent's thread and an appropriate banner ad at the top was for wound-be-gone

[Kent A Bathurst]

Yep. Finished workbench 2.0. Edge joined my top w/ pocket holes instead of cutting ply to size. Stained it, put some poly on it. Have to learn more about poly. But I'm getting there and happy. Going to tackle end tables (furniturelegs.com) and a tv stand next. Pocket holes changed everything for me. Love my Kreg !

Glad the mags haven't scared you off!

[other Creekers - for shipping costs, Mike helped me clean out a dusty corner of my shop - 12 years FWW - many with margin notes in red ink and inapropriate language as I mistaked my way up the learning curve - kinda like baring your innermost secrets - from pretty much day one of my adventure up to the point where I barely skimmed them. Shoulda kept any with DP safety rules, tho.......:p]

[Kent A Bathurst]

When I became a contributor I left my advertisements on. Kind of enjoyed them. I was reading through some of the responses to Kent's thread and an appropriate banner ad at the top was for wound-be-gone

Too funny, John - I'll watch for that one.

Sorry I couldn't stop by last week - late getting started Sat. Unfortunately, I expect to make that trip twice more in the next year or two, as the other kin in the previous generation move on - maybe have a chance to see you then. I told ER doc Mon + hand surgeon Tues "Do whatever you need to do, but understand this: Friday I guarantee you I am getting on a plane for Wichita." "Well, OK - should be no problem."

[Brian D Anderson]

Which also reminds me of when I was trying to add some shelving to my workbench. Instead of asking LOML to hold the board (or being smart enough to use a clamp at the time) I figured I could hold the board and the magnetic tip of the driver would hold the screw right? That was until I realized the drill was on reverse and slipped off the screw and lets just say I have a perfect #2 Phillips scar on the inside of my finger. And that was 3 years ago!

Ahh . . . I have a scar on the inside of my left pointer finger for the same reason. I was screwing in cement board for floor tile. My bit broke, so I replaced it with the only thing I had, which was a smaller bit. Lots of downward pressure, left hand holding the screw. You know what happens. That was 6 or 7 years ago for me.

-Brian

[Kent A Bathurst]

For everyone out there who voted for me(and along with me) in my recent campaign for Idiot of the Month......

Stitches out today. Hand surgeon says very unlikely anything beyond PT is needed, as long as I do my PT. Said its time to start pushing the envelope with the right hand. That doesn't mean I'm firing up the Uni quite yet though - want more flexibility so I can use normal motions.

Me: "Anything I need to avoid doing"
Doc: "You mean other than whatever got you here in the first place?"
Me: "I got that part figured out, thanks."

Everybody's a comedian, eh?