My Uvex Bionic faceshield saved me a trip to the emergency room today!

[Roger Chandler]

I was turning a box out of white oak this afternoon.........got a catch and the heavy piece of oak flew out of the chuck and hit me right in the face...........a very hard lick!! The Uvex shield deflected the blow and saved me from losing teeth and having need of stitches.............the only thing hurt was my ego.......I'll get over that!

This was a hard hit to the face area..............ladies and gentlemen.........please for safety sake, wear your face protection! Even experienced turners can have something happen in the blink of an eye............

There is no telling if I would be hospitalized this evening if I had not had my safety equipment on.......this one really gave me pause.....I am so thankful also ........be safe everyone!

[Bill White]

Good for you Rog! I have made a habit of wearing a face shield when turning. Some may call us a wuss, but so be it.
Bill

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Good thing you were wearing a face shield! I recently upgraded from a cheapo faceshield to the Bionic. Nice upgrade.
I also rough with my cage down..... Don't want to depend on the faceshield......

[Robert McGowen]

Glad you are okay, Roger. Thanks for the safety reminder.

[Charles Bjorgen]

Great to hear you came through unscathed. I bought the Uvex last year based on comments from this forum and wear it faithfully.

[Jerry Marcantel]

Glad to hear you're ok, Roger. Now the majic question... What was your RPM??????? Jerry (in Tucson)

[Roger Chandler]

Glad to hear you're ok, Roger. Now the majic question... What was your RPM??????? Jerry (in Tucson)

Jerry at that moment I had it at about 1250 rpm............it really gave me a whack!

[John M. Smith]

Glad to hear you are OK. I got a Bionic face shield in St. Paul. I wear it more than I wore my old one. I really need to wear it all the time. Gotta keep trying.

[Scott Hackler]

Good deal Roger. I got a Bionic shield while at the SWAT symposium in Waco and had begun brainwashing myself into wearing the darn thing. It's really non-obtrusive once you get it on. I wear it while roughing out but if the wood has no voids I don't keep it on (old habits and managed risk!).

Now if I could just get back to turning....:( Darn hand is slow to 100% recovery.

[Josh Bowman]

Roger, glad to hear you're ok. Don't like to see the term "caution graphic pictures" as a title.

[Hilel Salomon]

Roger,
Thank goodness you took precautions and are OK. Stay well and safe,

Hilel

[Harry Robinette]

I wear my Uvex all the time. It's actually very comfortable after you get use to it. I have a filter system and fan on mine because of my lung trouble but I think I would wear it anyway just for protection.

[Roland Martin]

Glad you were wearing the shield Roger. I've been using my face shield like Scott does, I really need to put more effort into "keeping it on". Thank God you're OK!

[Lee Koepke]

I just got my Bionic yesterday !!!! I certainly will wear it, just wearing standard eye protection didnt seem enough.

[Jon Nuckles]

Glad there was no need to involve the EMTs. I wear my bionic at all times now. Good reminder.

[Dan Forman]

Glad it wasn't more serious! I wear mine pretty much all the time I'm cutting, just feel more comfortable that way. Glad to hear the shield held up to a pretty good impact, wasn't sure how well it would withstand that, gives me a little more confidence in it. A sharp edge on a piece like that could do some major damage, let alone the thump factor.

Dan

[Steve Vaughan]

Glad you're alright, and thanks for the reminder. Don't have the bionic, but I'm thinking I better get one. Guess I could wear the old cheapo thing I have until then.

[Roger Chandler]

Dan,

The piece of wood probably weighed about 2.5 lbs maybe a little over 3 lbs. The frame around my chin took some of the blow as well as did the clear shield itself..........it knocked me backwards a couple of steps, and the shield took the impact and the piece of oak fell to the floor behind my lathe. It took me a minute or so to get my composure back! :eek::D

[Clint Baxter]

Have gotten pretty good about wearing mine. (Picked up two so there is always one hanging behind the lathe to remind me.) I do tend to take it off once I start sanding and I just haven't convinced myself to wear one while turning pens, though I do wear safety glasses. Lost a chunk of a bowl today that was spinning at around 1200 RPM and it was a sobering reminder of why to wear protection. Any damage to the Uvex? I wonder if the face shield should be retired after taking a solid hit. It might not be necessary, but would probably be the safest thing to do.

Glad you're okay.

Clint

[Kevin Lucas]

I use the Bionics too. I felt bad paying the price I did for it (cheapskate). The first time a branch sealed in a blank popped out at speed and hit square in the middle of the face shield it was worth the price.

[John Keeton]

Roger, glad you escaped injury! I am kind of like Scott - if I sense an unstable piece of wood, I use mine, but not always. Your experience is a good lesson - catches happen to all of us.

Clint, 1200 is pretty fast for a bowl. Anything over 7" and that would be pushing the upper limit for me.

[Peter Elliott]

Roger, I had the same kinda hit last month. It sounded like a gun shot when the chunk hit my faceshield. I use the same shield as you do. I said a few curse words mixed with some verbs, shut my lathe off, grabbed a beer and said "this is why I wear a full faceshield!"...

[Roger Chandler]

Roger, I had the same kinda hit last month. It sounded like a gun shot when the chunk hit my faceshield. I use the same shield as you do. I said a few curse words mixed with some verbs, shut my lathe off, grabbed a beer and said "this is why I wear a full faceshield!"...

That is scary stuff Peter.........when you think about the potential for damage.........I know that sound you described.....mine was just like it today..........only difference between your reaction and mine.........I gave thanks! ;)

Glad you were not hurt.........it is when I get in a hurry and take short cuts, at times I have to remind myself to slow down and take all the steps I need to get ready to turn. My biggest problem is I sometimes don't put my Trend Airshield on until after I have already started sanding, and then I have to stop and go put it on....I only have one set of lungs.........I want them to last me until I don't need them any longer! :D

[George Morris]

Roger can you wear glasses under that face shield? My face shield fogs on me sometimes.
Glad you are ok!

[Peter Elliott]

That is scary stuff Peter.........when you think about the potential for damage.........I know that sound you described.....mine was just like it today..........only difference between your reaction and mine.........I gave thanks! ;)

Oh, I gave THANKS! After I gathered myself, blinked a few times and said "thank you ..."

Last year I had a bowl come off the chuck and hit me in the shoulder. Nice 8" Maple... felt like my old football days with no pads. I think I stayed away from the lathe for a week.

As they say, "it's the little things in life that are the big reminders"

[Tom Caldwell]

I wear my Uvex all the time. It's actually very comfortable after you get use to it. I have a filter system and fan on mine because of my lung trouble but I think I would wear it anyway just for protection.

Glad you're OK Roger. I always wear my face shield and fortunately it hasn't been tested. Harry, what fan and filter system are you using with the Uvex?

[Baxter Smith]

Glad you are fine and thanks for the reminder to not get careless!

[Roger Chandler]

Roger can you wear glasses under that face shield? My face shield fogs on me sometimes.
Glad you are ok!

Yes George.........I wear glasses [bi-focals] and use my face shield over them whenever I turn.

[David Starks]

Glad to hear youre ok. I loaded a piece of sweetgum the other nite for the first time and stood back when I hit the power switch, then stood there a minute and watched. I did have on a cheapo faceshield but cheapo is better than nothing, right?

[Roger Chandler]

Some protection is indeed better than none! Stay safe David!

[Don Alexander]

glad you came out unscathed Roger

i guess i am not as adventurous as most of you guys , because i rarely get much over 500-600 RPMs on anything much bigger than pens

might take me a little longer to do a bowl but i don't have to dodge shrapnel either then again its a pretty rare occurrence when something comes off the lathe large heavy objects turning at high speed bring out the cautious in me for some odd reason :)

[Ryan Mooney]

i guess i am not as adventurous as most of you guys , because i rarely get much over 500-600 RPMs on anything much bigger than pens


Don't count on that saving you. I was doing an oak spindle (of sorts) ~4 weeks back and there was an invisible split inside it. I was only at 600rpm, it was only about 2" around (at the widest point), I was taking a very light cut, it was already nice and round, and I was just refining the width on a straight cut.. easy peasy. However even with that all which about as straightforward as it gets, a nice big hunk popped out and bounced off of my face shield. I actually had the guard down as well, but was turning out just past it on the right.. so no help from that. I still haven't found the broken off piece, I think it ended up in the rafters somewhere 8' overhead.... I believe that part of why it split off was the shape - roughly ==[]===[]==[]== but the wood was definitely flawed there internally (looking at how it split off) and wasn't visible at all from the rough blank.. Its unpredictable and can happen at any time. This wasn't a hard enough of a hit that I believe I would have been in serious danger, but probably would have had a couple of stitches or at least a good butterfly bandage.... unless it caught an eye :eek: or knocked out a tooth.

Not worth the risk imho, I'm glad you guys bring this sort of thing up, totally worth the reminder. If you can save one person or "even just" prevent a few unnecessary hospital visits :cool:

[Russell Eaton]

I had a boxelder bowl blow out on my cole jaws. It hit my bionic with the sharp edge from the crack that it put a small cut in the plastic. It was a solid bowl, and I was removing the foot. Glad you are OK.

[Tony De Masi]

Happy to find that you are okay Roger and that you had your protection in place. I have the Bionic shield but I rarely use it any more. I use the Trend during all phases of turning. Roughing, finishing, and sanding.

[Roger Chandler]

Happy to find that you are okay Roger and that you had your protection in place. I have the Bionic shield but I rarely use it any more. I use the Trend during all phases of turning. Roughing, finishing, and sanding.

If I have a really dry dusty wood I wear the trend for all the turning.........mostly I put it on for sanding, and I do like it a lot....it has really cut down on the sinus infections I used to get........haven't had one since using the trend airshield pro.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Glad you are OK! Thanks for sharing!

[Jerry Wright]

Roger - glad you are OK. The face shield is a must - safety in roughing and even a simple face shield really does a nice job of deflecting the fine shavings and dust from finish turning away from your nose and mouth. Having been nailed in the mouth a year ago by a 2x2x4" hunk of cherry kicking back from a table saw (18 stitches) I am particularly careful about standing in the "line of fire" on all power tools, my lathe included. A lot of us develop the habit of really getting into our turning and forget to visualize the trajectory of a flying piece. Developing a turning posture that keeps us out of the line of fire is very important for shop safety also.

[J.D.Redwine]

Thanks for starting a Safety Revival.

[steven carter]

Roger, I had a similar experience a few years ago with a large white oak bowl, I had my shield on but it hit my shoulder and then hit the ceiling and put a hole in the drywall. I am glad that you are ok, and thanks for the reminder.

[Alan Zenreich]

- if I sense an unstable piece of wood, I use mine, but not always.

John,

My guess is that very few people ever got hurt by a piece that the 'sensed' was unstable. It's those stable pieces that shatter unexpectedly.

My father used to point out that no one was ever accidentally shot with a loaded gun. The gun was unloaded and miraculously fired <s>

[Tim Thiebaut]

Glad to hear your OK Roger!!!

[Lee Koepke]

well, I gotta say, I wore my brand spankin new Bionic tonight for the first time and its very comfortable and a million times clearer (no fogging) that i used to get with my safety glasses .... its a world of difference... I barely even realized it was on, i certainly hope i never need it, but certainly will wear it.

[Roger Chandler]

well, I gotta say, I wore my brand spankin new Bionic tonight for the first time and its very comfortable and a million times clearer (no fogging) that i used to get with my safety glasses .... its a world of difference... I barely even realized it was on, i certainly hope i never need it, but certainly will wear it.

Good man, Lee! You only get one set of eyes! Wear it in health!

[John Terefenko]

Happy to find that you are okay Roger and that you had your protection in place. I have the Bionic shield but I rarely use it any more. I use the Trend during all phases of turning. Roughing, finishing, and sanding.


I have the older style of Trend and I wondered about the safety ability of the shield on that. Is that rated for high impact??

Anybody have the link to this face shield being talked about here???

[Roger Chandler]

I have the older style of Trend and I wondered about the safety ability of the shield on that. Is that rated for high impact??

Anybody have the link to this face shield being talked about here???

Try this link John........

http://www.amazon.com/Sperian-Protection-S8500-Bionic-Shield/dp/B001VXXUWK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327638858&sr=8-1