Scared to death!

[Josh Bowman]

Well maybe not that scared:eek: but for sure startled.

I'm wired such that nothing causes me to jump much (except snakes:eek::eek:)......I'm fairly sure in todays world I would be diagnosed as A.D.D:D One exception to the above is when I'm turning.

I've tried to think of something that might bring me out of my happy spinning meditation, instead of all of a sudden having a friend or my wife standing next to me and scaring the begessies out of me.
Do any of you have any ideas of a means not to be startled by someone coming into the shop while you're turning?

[David DeCristoforo]

Many an injury has occurred in this manner. And not just in turning. You need to make it clear to family members and friends that this is not a good practice. I tell people to enter the shop in such a way as to be visible to me or to wait until I have finished what I am doing before making their presence known. Most shops do not allow anyone to enter the work area for just this reason. A loud bell on your door might help...

[Mike Hollingsworth]

A simple off/on with the light switch. it's right near the door.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Josh,

I don't do it consciously but I seem to lock the door behind me as I enter the shop or when I enter my home. I dont' even think about it.

There is always a set of keys in my pocket that will get me into my home, my shop or the shed.

With my recent deafness, it's become a real problem as I don't hear the pounding on the door.

When the LOML remembers, she can use the "Intercom" function on the wireless phone system and I will "SEE" the phone light up orange when it rings.

People walking into a shop is a problem.

[Greg Just]

The door to my shop is closed when I'm working. The family has been instructed that the must knock before entering. My preference would be that they wait until I'm not actually working, such as the lathe is not running, but that doesn't always happen. I had been startled too many times in the past.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Motion sensor aimed at the entry to your shop and hooked up to a light that you can see but won't interfere while you are turning.

[Dan Hintz]

Or place small mirrors at random spots along the wall... unexpected motion in your peripheral vision will help alert you before someone touches your shoulder and scares the Bejeezus out of you.

[Michael James]

I face the street, so I can see them coming my way, and the lil mrs understands the inherent potential for severe harm around saws, routers, and the lathe. She will walk around or flash the light. I think Steve S's idea of a triggered light is a good one where there's traffic.
When Im recording, I have a push button light on the door which means "shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" - no potential harm there, but frustrating to lose a good take!

[Roger Bullock]

+1 on the light switch, thought about locking the door but didn't like that idea because if kept thinking if something bad did happen to me, how would someone get in? LOML has learned to stand to the side where I can see her from a distance or say something once the machinery is turned off. Friends are another concern. One such friend may have to get struck by a board from me before he figures out it is not good to walk right up to me when I don't know he is in the shop.

[Richard Madden]

Many an injury has occurred in this manner. And not just in turning. You need to make it clear to family members and friends that this is not a good practice. I tell people to enter the shop in such a way as to be visible to me or to wait until I have finished what I am doing before making their presence known. Most shops do not allow anyone to enter the work area for just this reason. A loud bell on your door might help...
Very true...and I agree.

[Steven DeMars]

I have a lock & a door bell . . .

Steve:)

[John Keeton]

For whatever reason (some deep, latent thing I am sure) I react violently to being startled - usually striking with whatever I may have in my hand, or simply my fist.:eek: This bizarre behavior is very well known (fortunately!!) by Ms. Keeton and my family. We live in relative seclusion, and if I am startled by someone that doesn't know this, then I suspect the end result would be appropriate in any event!:rolleyes:

[bob svoboda]

I had the same problem with my first lathe. When I upgraded, I arranged the shop so I face the entrance door when I turn. I'm only about 10 feet from the door so it has solved the startle factor for me.

[Greg Ketell]

Get a "business" infrared beam like the stores have, put it across the door to the shop. Wire it to a "light flasher" that you put on the far side of your lathe from you. They walk in, cross the beam, the light flashes, you know someone is there.

[Kenneth Hertzog]

I have a camera pointed at the door which is wireless
the camera has sound and the monitor is in the shop
when coming up the driveway or walking toward the shop
I hear them coming or when the door opens I hear them shut it
this works for customers as well as family
they can't sneak around and the monitor is where I can turn
and watch
Ken

[David DeCristoforo]

"Motion sensor aimed at the entry to your shop and hooked up to a light..."

Many shops use a strobe for this... The "problem" is that any of these things (lights, bells, etc.) can be startling if you are focused on what you are doing. Maybe John's "solution" is best. People will (should) think twice about sneaking up on you if they got whacked in the head with the handle of a lathe tool the last time they tried it!

[Paul Douglass]

I stabbed the last person that did that to me with my bowl gauge. I left the body by the door, thinking the next person would get the hint.

Seriously, this is a problem and I'm not sure of a good answer. Locking the door seems like the best, because if you are startled at least you are the only one that will get hurt. As many years as I have lived with my wife she still doesn't realize it is not safe to startle me.

[David DeCristoforo]

If you are going to lock the door, use one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Door-Flip-Child-Safety-Colors/dp/B000H5OSOW

They are designed to easily break away in case of an emergency.

[Lee Koepke]

my shop is pretty small and in the basement. its clear to the family to not approach me when the machinery is running. most of my equipment is in line of sight of the access points to my shop, so very little can sneak up on me while working.

my dogs on the other hand ..... dont always listen! But I can also see or sense them approaching, so I just work accordingly....

[Mike Cruz]

I have seen a device in catalogues that is supposed to be used as a driveway alarm. It is a wireless motion sensor. You could put it above your door (on the outside) so that you even have warning that whenever someone is approaching the door, you would get a signal.

Or install a door bell with a big sign right next to it saying to ring it before entering and warning about the dangers of startling you. If anyone doesn't you would be very justified at giving them an earfull. ;)

[Bill Berklich]

Try a door chime on a bumper switch. When the door is opened it will trip the switch. Use a Westminster or other melodic chime and it should be gentle enough to break your concentration without being startled.

[John Keeton]

Try a door chime on a bumper switch. When the door is opened it will trip the switch. Use a Westminster or other melodic chime and it should be gentle enough to break your concentration without being startled.Probably would not be heard over my DC system, which is usually on while I am turning.

[George Guadiane]

my shop is pretty small and in the basement. its clear to the family to not approach me when the machinery is running. most of my equipment is in line of sight of the access points to my shop, so very little can sneak up on me while working.

my dogs on the other hand ..... dont always listen! But I can also see or sense them approaching, so I just work accordingly....

That is what I tell every/anyone who might want to come in.
Bad things happen when jerky motions meet spinning machines.

[Ken Hill]

Most folks that know me do not startle me, im very hard of hearing although I have always startled easily. My poor boss grabbed my shoulder from behind when I was washing a truck with a long handled brush....he never did that again:o the wife got nailed when we were dating and she went to wake me up, I slugged her right in front of her dad:eek: She was ok, since then she goes no where near my upper body to wake me. The co-worker purposley jumped out from behind a door as I entered the room, I dont think he got "Boooo" out before he was on his keister sptting up teeth!

When I am working, NOONE comes in quietly.

[Scott Lux]

John, sounds like you grew up with a sneaky older brother.

[Jim Silva]

Like some others here, I startle easy, especially when I'm concentrating on something delicate or dangerous.

For that reason I've purposely oriented my lathe, table saw, band saw and router table facing the only ingress to the wood shop. I didn't have room to move one of the jointers but I'd like to. The sanding machinery isn't as lethal so I don't worry about facing that forward. I work alone for the most part with perhaps my Dad stopping in from time to time to work on something. He's wired the same way as I am so knows to make some noise shutting the outside door in the front of the shop, banging a hammer on the anvil that's near the door or just waiting outside my peripheral vision until he sees me clear of the dangerous bits.

Occasionally I've had friends stop in while I'm working but they learn very quickly after the first time to "bang the anvil" upon entry or face (I'm ashamed to say) some rather vehement profanity at high volume as I try to pull my hands out of whatever I've just jammed them into.

I've now got a sign on the door saying to "Take unto thee this hammer and smite yon anvil upon entry or thy surely shall perish most unpleasantly."

I either hear the banging or the laughter, either way it help keep my health insurance rates down.

Jim

[ray hampton]

one solution to this problem is to stretch a spider web across the doorway or very fine fishing line, can you rig fire crackers so that they will explode when someone come thru. the door ?

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Interesting thread.
Can't beat the offender with my fist, nor stab them with my gouge since the last one to do that was my 6 year old:eek:. Hopefully, she learned not to do that again.

[Joseph M Lary]

I use a light and a sign that said Turn the light off & on before comming in . Then I put a light by the lathe . The shop is lighted by another switch that is not by the door so they cant turn off the main lighting to the shop.