Stupid Phil gets bitten....

[Phil Phelps]

Why in the world would anyone use that center hole for a handle? Cause your stupid!! One slip and a nasty cut can happen. What if the router came on?? IT DID! Your stupid buddy here put his right index finger in the router you see, and some how it cranked up and took a ragged slice outta' my finger. This kinda hurts. 6 1/2 hrs. total time in the emergency room, (mostly waiting). I'm so lucky I have a finger I can't believe it. I really think the soft start on the router saved me. I can wiggle it. I hope it's just a lasceration. No sympathy expected when you do something this stupid. Totally my fault. We can't be warned enough. Please be careful. 35 years on big iron and I do something like this. In a word, stupid. PS That switch is history!!!

[Eddie Severt]

Phil,
Don't feel bad, yo aren't the only one that makes stupid mistakes. I spent about 4 hours welding today in a t-shirt and ended up with 2nd degree burns on my left arm above my glove and my right neck. I, too, knew better than to do ths, but-I had gotten away with it before.
We just have to live and learn. Hoipe everything is OK with your finger-I will just be sore for a while.
Eddie

[Jim Becker]

Phil, I'm glad you are ok. It's always unfortunate to hear about any shop accident no matter what the reason.

But I'll also respectfully suggest you (and I) change the type of switch we have on our router tables to something that cannot be accidently hit with another part of the body or another object...it dawns on me that I have exactly the same problem, although the location of mine is a little different. Your post and picture just called my attention to this and I thank you for it. I'm ordering a proper switch as soon as I hit the "send" on this post!

[Tom Sweeney]

Unfortunately we all get a little careless sometimes - I know that I do. I hope you heal quickly & don't have any lingering after effects.

Don't be too hard on yourself.

[Bob Lasley]

Phil,

Glad you still have a finger that wiggles. As for being stupid.........a cousin of mine used to say, "There's no point in being stupid if you don't show it once in awhile". ;) Hey, we all have our moments.

Hope you heal quickly.

Bob

[Todd Burch]

Phil, Phil, Phil, Phil, Phil, Phil, Phil, Phil, Phil, Phil.

Glad you will survive.

Todd "Still got all 10" Burch.

[John Miliunas]

OUCH!!! :( Whew...What a maroon! YES, you DO know better, now don't you? Or is that, NOW you know better! OK, enough raggin'. We *all* pull a stupid every now and again. I'm just really, really glad it wasn't any worse! I sincerely hope all heals well and quickly. And thank you very much for the safety reminder! Take care, my friend. Oh, and get that damn switch replaced! :cool:

[Mike Evertsen]

glad you still got your finger,,
my number one rule is unplug the machine before I change or adjust the saw blade, planer blade,jointer blade or router bit I even unplug the drum sander when changing the sanding belts,,,,,,

[Lee Patz]

Phil,
I'm so sorry to hear about your misfortune. I've got the same set up and have done the exact same thing a thousand time and never gave it a second thought - - - until now! I will be making some changes. I hope you heal completely and regain full use of your finger. Hope to see you at the Texas BBQ again this year (with all ten digits in working order!!)

Lee

[Steve Clardy]

Sounds like you were lucky, to have something left to heal. I catch myself doing these things too often, even though I do usually unplug most equipment. 8 finger 2 thumb Steve. [Sometimes all thumbs if you know what I mean!!]

[Terry Hatfield]

Phil,

OUCH!! Glad it wasn't worse!! Keep us posted on how it gets along.

Terry

[Mike Schwing]

Ouch! Sorry for your injury! Hope it heals quickly.

For the very first time I'm glad I haven't gotten around to installing a secondary switch on my router table. Now I won't do it at all! Kind of hate fumbling around for the router switch under the table, but suddenly it seems like not such a bad thing.

Thanks for the lesson/reminder. A tough one but at least it helps some of us.

[Noah Alkinburgh]

Phil,

I have nothing to say except glad you are ok and hope you heal fast. and remember what Forrest said, "Stupid is as stupid does"

Noah

[Jason Roehl]

It's a lesson for all of us. Let's just hope that none of the rest of us have to learn it again. Heal quickly.

[Phil Phelps]

Phil, I'm glad you are ok. It's always unfortunate to hear about any shop accident no matter what the reason.

But I'll also respectfully suggest you (and I) change the type of switch we have on our router tables to something that cannot be accidently hit with another part of the body or another object...it dawns on me that I have exactly the same problem, although the location of mine is a little different. Your post and picture just called my attention to this and I thank you for it. I'm ordering a proper switch as soon as I hit the "send" on this post!
You are dead on, Jim. If I had just cut myself, I'd have probably, embarrassingly, never told. But that switch is "evil". How could I have turned it on as I lifted the router is not clear. (My first millisecond thought was "ITS ON".) I want all to see this is a bad set up. NO toggle switches. Change 'em today.

[Ken Salisbury]

You are dead on, Jim. If I had just cut myself, I'd have probably, embarrassingly, never told. But that switch is "evil". How could I have turned it on as I lifted the router is not clear. (My first millisecond thought was "ITS ON".) I want all to see this is a bad set up. NO toggle switches. Change 'em today.A safety back-up solution is to have 2 switches (in-line) -- a simple toggle with a safety cover (see pic) either under the table or on the rear somewhere and of course your normal on-off switch.

[Daniel Rabinovitz]

Phil
Hope that you heal real fast. Sorry to hear about your accident.
All the suggestions above are really great - use them all and unplug the machine or throw the main switch on the machine if it is hard wired.
Thinking of your "ouch"
Daniel

[Ken Garlock]

Seriously, I am glad to hear that you survived you accident with all parts still working :) There is nothing like a good old heavy duty toggle switch mounted where you have to reach to flip it on/off.

Heal quickly.

[Lee Schierer]

A safety back-up solution is to have 2 switches (in-line) -- a simple toggle with a safety cover (see pic) either under the table or on the rear somewhere and of course your normal on-off switch.I have mine plugged into a switched outlet and I unplug the cord when ever I work on the router. It really confuses the electrons when you pull the plug! I use the switch to control the router when it is in the table.

[Gary Bindel]

You could just change the cover to one that has a flip up cover over the switch lever or side guards to the switch lever.

[Scott Neblung]

Phil,

Sorry to hear about your mis-adventure there....but like you said....your lucky (and glad) to still have that finger.

Hope your doing well and all will be better soon.

I too did a *stupid* un-related shop boo-boo a coupla weeks ago and dropped a trailer hitch on my finger.

3 stitches....I wasn't even gonna go to the E-Room, but LOML insisted.

Oh well...

I guess if I was to drag my mallets down to Texas I might actually have a chance of beating you around the golf course eh?

ha ha ha

Anyways.....Good luck to you....time will heal it ....

ps....dont be a stranger over to WC....dont see ya posting there anymore.

Scott

[Dave Anderson]

Sorry you got hurt, glad you seem to be OK. Cut finger, bruised ego - could have been much, much worse.

Thanks for humbling yourself and sharing. A good lesson and reminder for all of us!

As the Rosenthal's (Router Workshop) always say: "make sure the router is unplugged..." Goes for any electron burning tool.

I won't say that "Big D" stands for Big Dumb#*$ ;)

Heal quickly, Pal!!! :)