Yesterday I was distracted... (warning - blood)

[Ted Phillips]

All day long yesterday I noticed I was a bit unfocused and easily distracted. I even misplaced one of my planes by putting it in the wrong rack. Not like me at all...

About two hours into my shop time, I was working to clean up some rabbets on pine with a 3/4" Blue Spruce chisel. I should have heeded these warning signs and called it a day. Long story short - I was paring the rabbets I had cut on the pine, slipped and opened up a 2 cm long gash on top of my left middle finger. (My chisel was nice and sharp!) I bled like a stuck pig and when I got the bleeding stopped half an hour later, the cut looked to be 2mm-4mm deep. Not too gory but I headed to the ER anyway - to ensure there was no major damage (muscles, tendons, etc). In the end, I got lucky and the Doc just put in 8 stitches to close me up with no other damage (except my pride!).

A constant reminder folks to heed your "spidey sense" - and if you feel distracted, sleepy, jittery, or experience any other red flags - put down or turn off the sharp tools!

A public service announcement brought to you by Ted. :cool:


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[Lee Schierer]

When you are distracted for any reason, it is a good time to walk away from the shop. Glad your injury wasn't more serious.

[Mike Cutler]

Ouch!!!!
Hope all heals well and you're back at it in no time.
I've done the same thing, so no worries that you're alone.😉

[Doug Garson]

Ouch and thanks for the reminder. We all have those days when we're not on our game. If you're a hobbyist it's best to, as you said, put down and shut off the sharp tools, good time to get out the broom or leave the shop altogether.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Ouch! Distractions can be dangerous even with hand tools.

[Frederick Skelly]

I'm glad it wasn't worse.
Thanks for the reminder.
Get well soon!
Fred

[Peter Christensen]

ChiselStop needed eh? ;)

Hope it heals quick and clean.

[Charlie Hinton]

ChiselStop needed eh? ;)
Hope it heals quick and clean.

Beat me to it, LOL

Ted,
Glad it's only a flesh wound.
Hope it heals quickly.

[Matt Day]

By the angle of the wound, it looks like you likely had poor hand placement too? Could you elaborate on it - if you recall, sometimes I find myself asking “what just happened” and it’s hard to remember exactly.

[Phil Mueller]

Glad it was no worse than a few stitches. I catch myself from time to time too tired (or lazy) to grab a clamp or set up a stop and chisel toward my other hand holding the work. I should know better having pushed a 1/4” chisel into my hand at one time. That’s when it’s time to do something else.

[Roger Marty]

I'm 41. I've been driving for 25 years and have pretty much never made a mistake.

Today I was spaced out driving the car and blew through a red light (I slammed the brakes but not nearly in time). This wasn't racing a yellow...this was flat out not noticing a red. I'm still shitting my pants

The scary part is that I nearly did the same thing about 2 months ago but my wife was in the car and yelled "STOP".

So either my mind is not what it once was or there's something wrong with me. It's very unsettling.

[Simon MacGowen]

By the angle of the wound, it looks like you likely had poor hand placement too? Could you elaborate on it - if you recall, sometimes I find myself asking “what just happened” and it’s hard to remember exactly.

+1.

Distractions/ slippage by themselves won't cause a cut if no fingers are placed in the path of a sharp edge.

Simon

[Matt Mattingley]

I teach classes that I am constantly looking for those who are not Sharp minded and able to work. My focus is usually on recreational drugs/alcohol or fatigue. I usually have upwards of 20 green students in my shop. I tell them it only takes one person to close down the shop, it usually takes 50 people to find and clean up your finger mess...

Recreational and professionals, this banner ran the whole shop in the first shop I worked at “do it right the first time, this is the only time you’re paid!” It rings true on so many levels.

[Simon MacGowen]

That’s when it’s time to do something else.

That isn't the right solution to the problem that you are holding your work with your fingers or hand in the line of fire. The solution should be to get rid of that incorrect holding or habit.

Simon

[Doug Dawson]

That isn't the right solution to the problem that you are holding your work with your fingers or hand in the line of fire. The solution should be to get rid of that incorrect holding or habit.


That is exactly right. The number one rule of safety in a shop, AFAIC, is to always know where the blade or cutting edge is going to go, and to keep your body parts out of the way of it. Every single time a cutting operation is performed. Every time. It should be second nature. It should be a very _conscious_ second nature, it has to be in the front of your thinking at all times. It is your armor and your protection. Where is the blade going to go, what is it going to do.

If you find yourself starting to ignore that dictate, it's time to go home for the day. (Or find another line of work or another hobby, etc.)

[Phil Mueller]

You are 100% correct, Simon.

[Ted Phillips]

Absolutely right folks. Because I was distracted, I let my left hand drift into the danger zone. When I hit a little knot in the pine, I shifted my grip and then the chisel slipped - my finger was in the wrong place at the wrong time. As I was feeling the knot in the microseconds before the accident, my Spydie Sense said "Oh, no! What is your left hand doing there?!" Too little, too late...

Thanks for all your well wishes!

[Van Huskey]

Your finger should be honored to have been sliced by such a fine tool.

Sorry you had a bad day, glad to hear it wasn't too bad. Focus is sometimes impossible to hold onto, I have a hard time near the end of a long repetitive stage of a project when my mind starts to wander thinking about the next (usually more fun) stage.

For those who know Forged in Fire and/or Doug Marcaido:

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