Woodworking on hold...due to stupidity!

[Robert Hartmann]

I was breaking down some wood for a large shoe rack on my table saw. I had a number of repetitive cuts so I was using my cross-cut sled on my table saw. You know the drill, line it up, push the sled forward, pull the sled back, take off the cut part and repeat. After about 20 or so cuts I tried a new pattern, line it up, push the sled forward, take off the cut part and then reach up to pull the sled back...oops!

Fortunately I didn't lose any fingers, but it did slice a good chunk straight down the middle of two fingers. Four stiches in each with a little less finger there. So far healing well. I consider myself very safe and attentive, but still had that momentary lapse.

Stay safe all, Rob

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[Mark Hennebury]

Ouch! Sorry to see what happened, I hope that you heal well. Thanks for the reminder.

[Kev Williams]

Ow, hurts just to look at that!

I did a similar thing, albeit a bit less violently, a couple of months ago--

Our Malte-poo won't eat regular food of any kind- dog food, people food, not even meat. She only eats dog treats and occasionally chicken. I buy chicken and beef 'jerky cuts' in 40oz bags, and freeze 'em... I thaw and cut them into thin strips, 1/4" wide or less. Normally I cut them with kitchen shears, but awhile back I got the bright idea to try my plastic shear on 'em. GREAT way to cut them down, much faster too.

But one day I wasn't paying close enough attention, and while pushing a chicken strip under the blade for the last cut, I didn't notice the tip of my ring finger was past the point of no return-- until I dropped the blade.

Oh my GAWD did that hurt!! Snipped about 1/8" off the tip of my finger, even cleanly cut the fingernail a bit. Bled like crazy for a couple hours, stung like hell for a few days. Grew back ok :)

Good luck with yours Rob! (I hate stitches) ;)

[Jim Koepke]

Hope you heal well and quickly.

This is one reason most of my work is done with hand tools. I have fears about table saws. My bandsaw is scary enough.

jtk

[Frederick Skelly]

Hope you heal quickly.

[Mel Fulks]

Smoky The Bear , who had been burned in a forest-fire as a kid ,decided that when he “healed up “….( started to just say when he
was “fully RECOVERED “) but fortunately….his fur was NOT ALL BURNED OFF.
Now, your painful experience is going to help others stay safe. But I must warn you that , unlike Smoky, you will probably NOT get a
TV spokesman job. Don’t know if you are a vegetarian….but after seeing your ….raw meat pics, you might make some decide, “Babe , tonight just give me a salad “
Take Care,
Mel

[Kev Williams]

I just came back to this thread, and I got to thinking how many people I know who've been 'digit-victims' --

My dad lost his left middle finger to the first knuckle in a jointer-

My uncle-Dad's brother- lost the same finger to the 2nd knuckle on a table saw, about 20 years later he sawed off a half inch of his left thumb with a Skil-saw...

When I was in high school a friend/neighbor almost lost 3 fingers in wood shop on a table saw-- About 2 weeks after that his brother shot the end of his right pinky off with a .22 rifle...

A friend of mine ran printing presses all his adult life, one night a co-worker of his was cleaning ink off the print rollers, normally done by jogging the machine a bit and cleaning the rollers in 'sections'. He was in a hurry one night to leave, just turned the machine on real slow, and wrapped a red shop rag around his hand and proceeded to clean the rollers with the machine running... The rollers caught the rag and pulled it and his hand in -- he pulled his hand out and went around to push the OFF button on the machine, and couldn't because his index and middle fingers were gone! My friend found them in an ink well, the doctor just threw them in the trash, couldn't save 'em...

My wife's first husband also cut a finger off with a Skil-saw, but don't know much about that story other than it happened...

Worst of all happened to my cousin, a meat cutter, speaking of band saws- he was cutting pork legs on a toothless bandsaw. And he wasn't wearing his steel glove. While giving a leg a good push to get thru a leg bone, the bone broke, and suddenly the next thing in line to cut was his left hand... the blade went between his left index finger and thumb, and cut all the way to his metal watchband. It was bad! He was in a cast from hand to shoulder for over 2 months, and several SS screws were used to screw the cut bones back together. That was nearly 40 years ago, and he's still cutting meat!

Be Careful!

[Warren Lake]

your drill is wrong and most do it. I dont see your material size or just what you are doing but for the most part you are not supposed to pull material back across a cutter after it has been cut. Do your machining and remove the material other side. Watch most on a shaper and they cut and drag it back as its convenient. Most do it at least on ends of rails.

You are lucky there, that will grow back, sensitive for a year maybe and be fine.

[Dave Fritz]

Cut myself bad on a bandsaw once and went to a cabinet maker in town who had all his digits in place and asked how he did it. He said keep your attention on what your doing at all times and don't hurry anything. If you find your mind wondering, stop and sweep the floor or go for coffee. Great advice. Repetitive process are the worst for me. It sounds like that's what may happened.

[Lee DeRaud]

About 2 weeks after that his brother shot the end of his right pinky off with a .22 rifle...
I'm trying really hard to come up with a sequence of actions to do that without resorting to epic stupidity...nope, can't do it.

[Kev Williams]

^^^ He/they were rabbit hunting-- *as I remember it* the rifle was standing against a tree, and as he walked by it he picked it up from the barrel end 'backwards', with his thumb down toward the stock... the weight was a bit more than he expected, he lost his grip and the gun headed for the ground. When it hit the gun went off- and his pinky was right over the end of the barrel... ouch!

[Scott Clausen]

This further re-enforces my belief that I am most vulnerable when doing a repetitive cuts/processes on the TS. Heal up quickly Rob!

[Roger Feeley]

YIke’s! I constantly marvel at how the major lessons in my life have been so cheap. A lot f near misses.

[Lee DeRaud]

^^^ He/they were rabbit hunting-- *as I remember it* the rifle was standing against a tree, and as he walked by it he picked it up from the barrel end 'backwards', with his thumb down toward the stock... the weight was a bit more than he expected, he lost his grip and the gun headed for the ground. When it hit the gun went off- and his pinky was right over the end of the barrel... ouch!
Sounds like both stupid and lucky: muzzle could have been pointed pretty much anywhere.
(I'll reserve comment on my standard skepticism of "the gun just went off" stories.)

[Ronald Blue]

Repetition=familiarity/comfort=complacency=carelessness=accident.

[Alan Lightstone]

The number of patients I saw with missing digits was countless. The ones that blew my mind were the ones who had it happen to them multiple times (3 was the most I saw). 3 separate occasions. I had no words.

Seeing those made me run out and buy a Sawstop. But that's only one tool. Sadly, many other ways for bad things to happen. When you get tired or your mind wanders. Or if you wonder if a particular cut is safe to do - Time to leave the shop and do something else for a while. That little birdie on your shoulder is telling you something, and you should listen.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I have not wanted to see the image but am sorry about the injury : (

[Jack Frederick]

Sorry for your difficulty on this and hope you heal up well. Years ago I was working in my short ceiling basement and had the router table going ith a fluting bit. Many pieces through the unit and as I neared the end of the run I turned to grab something out of the rafters reaching upwards I stuck my other hand back as a counter weight and while the router was off, it was free wheeling just a bit and zip zip zip. Mincemeat on the tip of the middle finger. The Dr looked and said, “well, which little piece should I sew to the other little pieces?” Took a few years for the nerve to settle down but ok now. Life is a humbling experience.

[Dave Anderson NH]

In response to Kevin and Lee. There is no such thing as an "accidental discharge". The correct name for what happened is "Negligent discharge". Proper care and attention to the basic rules of firearm safe, M.A.T. would have prevented the problem. Muzzle, Action, Trigger.

[glenn bradley]

I also take breaks during 'production run' type work. Many stories about making 12 of something and having something go wrong on number 10 or 11. Plenty of stories about "the gun just went off" too. I am glad that woodworkers seem to be secure enough in themselves to post accidents in the hope that they will be a reminder to all of us; they are. Folks with guns . . . not so much. A friend who shall remain nameless blew the tip and third knuckle of his left index finger off this year. Many variations on the story. None make sense :D.

[Robert Hartmann]

This further re-enforces my belief that I am most vulnerable when doing a repetitive cuts/processes on the TS. Heal up quickly Rob!

My wife has been involved in Scouts for a while and helped stand up a new Cub Scout Pack. She has a saying, "repetition is the death of fun." So true in this case. I think we tend to get complacent.

It's been about 2 1/2 weeks now and it's healing well, thanks.

[Ronald Blue]

I also take breaks during 'production run' type work. Many stories about making 12 of something and having something go wrong on number 10 or 11. Plenty of stories about "the gun just went off" too. I am glad that woodworkers seem to be secure enough in themselves to post accidents in the hope that they will be a reminder to all of us; they are. Folks with guns . . . not so much. A friend who shall remain nameless blew the tip and third knuckle of his left index finger off this year. Many variations on the story. None make sense :D.

I follow this general method for the most part. Although it may also be that I'm struggling with a setup or maybe a tool path on the CNC. Take a break and walk away for a while. I used this when still working too. A very difficult to access bolt or fitting or you name it and the blood pressure continues to rise. Walk away and chill out for a few. So many times when returning it all fell in place as it should.

[Warren Lake]

done lots of quantity and it didnt cause accidents. Its wasnt the death of fun, it paid for new machines.

[Mark Hennebury]

I always enjoyed production runs; everything planned out, organized and set up in perfectly straight lines, for quick visual checking, and within easy reach, with minimum movement. It's a process that works like a well oiled machine, or a dance, smooth efficient movements, and parts transitioning from one side through the operation to the other. No better feeling! I don't see how your mind can wander, this is commitment, focus and concentration. You have a system, 100% focus on following it, no deviation. Production work is a beautiful thing!

I have done tens of thousands of the business and credit card holders; high precision; small margin or error.. maybe a couple of thou, automatic and manual operations, no time to nap.

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