Bob Carreiro
06-10-2010, 4:52 PM
I was installing pocket screws to fasten aprons into cabriolet legs of a new French Provincial Desk I'm making when...
I didn't use a clamp. I had just finished attaching the front pair of legs. Now I moved to the rear pair. Since this pair only attaches to one side apron (drawer faces span leg to leg), I "thought" to simply apply pressure with one hand while driving with my other. Starting with the right leg, I held it in position with my right hand against the apron, and used my left hand to hold the drill fitted with a Kreg 6" square driver attachment. As I applied pressure with both hands, in toward one another, the driver tip slipped off the screw head and traveled at lightening speed directly into my palm (between thumb and forefinger) at a downward trajectory toward the center of the back-side of my hand. Rather than poking clean through, the driver formed a "tent" just below my skin as it tried to poke out. Had it been a drill bit instead, it would have drilled clean through and would have been less traumatic to the site. First thing tomorrow morning, I'm scheduled for surgery at Cape Fear Hospital.
They will open the puncture wound from front and back sides to excavate the driver's path. The driver tip had some Titebond II deposits along with wood dust and misc shop debris. To complicate matters, and making the surgery necessary and not an option, is that I take a daily blood-thinner and is the cause for the "mound" of blood building up on the backside of my hand where the aforementioned "tent" appeared. And as if that doesn't complicate matters enough, I had an strange allergic reaction this past Monday morning and went to Urgent Care where they shot me full with steroids and Benadryl to prevent my immune system from reacting - and so, the need to operate in a controlled environment under anesthesia to prevent infection.
I was soooo looking forward to assembling the desk this morning. I got up early to avoid the heat (no AC in the shop) and just as I was about to "leave for work" (am newly retired, and to NC), I stopped to pray and give thanks - a usual activity - for my home, wife, church... and this time, I also made a "strange request" that I work safely in the shop - I NEVER made that one before! Well, wouldn't ya know it! It just goes to show that, at least in this case, even God will not over-ride your stupidity!
I didn't use a clamp. I had just finished attaching the front pair of legs. Now I moved to the rear pair. Since this pair only attaches to one side apron (drawer faces span leg to leg), I "thought" to simply apply pressure with one hand while driving with my other. Starting with the right leg, I held it in position with my right hand against the apron, and used my left hand to hold the drill fitted with a Kreg 6" square driver attachment. As I applied pressure with both hands, in toward one another, the driver tip slipped off the screw head and traveled at lightening speed directly into my palm (between thumb and forefinger) at a downward trajectory toward the center of the back-side of my hand. Rather than poking clean through, the driver formed a "tent" just below my skin as it tried to poke out. Had it been a drill bit instead, it would have drilled clean through and would have been less traumatic to the site. First thing tomorrow morning, I'm scheduled for surgery at Cape Fear Hospital.
They will open the puncture wound from front and back sides to excavate the driver's path. The driver tip had some Titebond II deposits along with wood dust and misc shop debris. To complicate matters, and making the surgery necessary and not an option, is that I take a daily blood-thinner and is the cause for the "mound" of blood building up on the backside of my hand where the aforementioned "tent" appeared. And as if that doesn't complicate matters enough, I had an strange allergic reaction this past Monday morning and went to Urgent Care where they shot me full with steroids and Benadryl to prevent my immune system from reacting - and so, the need to operate in a controlled environment under anesthesia to prevent infection.
I was soooo looking forward to assembling the desk this morning. I got up early to avoid the heat (no AC in the shop) and just as I was about to "leave for work" (am newly retired, and to NC), I stopped to pray and give thanks - a usual activity - for my home, wife, church... and this time, I also made a "strange request" that I work safely in the shop - I NEVER made that one before! Well, wouldn't ya know it! It just goes to show that, at least in this case, even God will not over-ride your stupidity!