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View Full Version : A near miss, and a warning heard...


Wade Lippman
04-15-2013, 11:02 PM
Today I was using a nailer to put some 2x4s together. I thought I was holding it safely, but a nail shot out the side of the 2x4, hitting my hand. Didn't break the skin, but you can be sure I am going to give it another couple inches in the future.
Dave Aronson
04-15-2013, 11:06 PM
Glad you are ok.
Joe Shinall
04-15-2013, 11:10 PM
Really glad you didn't get nailed, no pun intended. I did the same thing building my shop at my previous house about 3 years ago with a framing nailer. The nail rode right along the the entire outside of the back of my hand. 1/32 of an inch and it would have nailed at least 2 fingers together. I have been extremely careful with every nailer I have since then.
Andy Pratt
04-15-2013, 11:20 PM
The nails can definitely run weird based on what they hit in the wood (hard knots in softwood hitting half the nail etc). The smaller the nail gauge and longer the nail, the worse it can happen. I have even heard a story of a long 23ga pin nail coming partially out the same side of the board that it was shot in on, now that's impressive.
Dave Zellers
04-15-2013, 11:47 PM
Oh, I've had a 15g finish nail deflect it's bevel off the grain in a piece of fir and curl around 180º right into one of my fingers holding the board down. Crazy.
Kevin Bourque
04-16-2013, 8:17 AM
When I worked on a house framing crew in the 1980's I saw lots of weird things happen concerning nail guns which is why I always wear eye protection. Most of the accidents seemed to occur while toenailing. The nail would blast right through the stud edge and fly through the air. Or the nail would hit a knot, or a void in the stud and go flying. I got hit in the back of the leg once from a guy working 50 feet away. Man did that hurt!
Bernie LeBlanc
04-16-2013, 8:44 AM
Glad everyone is OK - I've never owned a nail gun but I've used them. We neanderthal nail drivers can also get hurt. I smashed my thumb a couple of years ago and it throbbed for a couple of weeks. We all need to remember it's not the tools that hurt us, but our lack of attention to the details. Tools simply do what they are designed to do. Be safe...