Stupid is as stupid does

[Matt Newton]

I know this wasn't the smartest thing in the world to do but here goes. I was making a bottle stopper and had just finished sanding it. I had spun others off the mandrel by reversing the lathe and grabbing the stopper with no problem..... (you probably see where this is going) I now have a new line on my palm for the mystics to read.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Ouch! I find that if I break them loose from the mandrel first - then reverse the lathe - things tend to work easier! Hope your hand isn't too sore!

[Wally Dickerman]

Safety first! Grabbing the stopper while the lathe is at high speed IS a bad idea. If you have variable speed and turn the speed way down first it might be okay. I haven't done this but I suggest that you start unscrewing the stopper first to make sure.

If you use unsafe practices when using the lathe, soon or later it'll jump up and grab you.

Wally

[John Keeton]

Wow!! Had not seen a 4" blister before!!!:eek:;) I am betting this is a short learning curve, though!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Ouch. I tried that once and never again. I always stop the lathe.

[David DeCristoforo]

Ooo... Ouch! The problem with stuff like that is it always works fine until the first time it doesn't. You get so casual about doing it and just about that time is when it bites you in the butt. On in this case, the hand. So look at the bright side. You just figured out a brand new way to hurt yourself and you got a blister that might get you into Guinness. Doesn't get any better than that...

[Josh Bowman]

Ouch! That's going to leave a mark!
Thank you Steve S. for recommending buck skin gloves. I'm even more encouraged to wear them while turning. Sorry for the accident, but happy for the reenforcement of safety. Thanks for sharing.

[Gary Herrmann]

Better a 4" blister than a 4" cut.

[Norm Zax]

As an expert hand reader, that line says: owner will continue riding the vortex for quite a while!