Costly Mistakes

[Scot Ferraro]

I am the first to admit that I make my fair share of mistakes. Thought I would share my most recent disaster with everyone -- I am in the process of remodeling my kitchen and making new cherry cabinets. I am ready to raise the panels with my new Whiteside three wing panel raising bit. I put a larger bearing on the bit for the initial pass, check height, all is OK and half-way through the test cut I hear a load pop and see sparks. I immediately power my router down and see that I had put the bearing on upside down so that the retaining ring was reversed. Bearing came off, hit the cutter (and of course chipped the carbide off the cutter as well as damaged the bit and bearing) -- yikes! Thank goodness I was using a panel gaurd that kept the bearing from being thrown back at me. I ordered a new bit and raised my panels yesterday but it was a $110.00 lesson....I do not think that I will make the same mistake with mounting a bearing in the future. I will try and post a picture, but I am having trouble getting the size down to the 107 KB.

[Scot Ferraro]

Here is the picture:

67284

[frank shic]

scot, don't feel too bad. i once used my new washer and dryer as a temporary work surface while rotozipping through hardibacker only to discover afterwards that i had cut through the top surface of BOTH machines! BTW don't try using a rotozip on hardibacker board - it makes a dusty mess out of everything and it's pathetically slow.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I dropped a forged Armstrong 8" C clamp on a brand new (never cut a bit of wood) Ghudo 80 tooth 12" Blade.

Things happen they just do.

[Phil Thien]

I dropped a forged Armstrong 8" C clamp on a brand new (never cut a bit of wood) Ghudo 80 tooth 12" Blade.

Things happen they just do.

Ghudo is not a name you hear very often in these forums. What did that blade set you back?

[Ted Jay]

scot, don't feel too bad. i once used my new washer and dryer as a temporary work surface while rotozipping through hardibacker only to discover afterwards that i had cut through the top surface of BOTH machines! BTW don't try using a rotozip on hardibacker board - it makes a dusty mess out of everything and it's pathetically slow.

I think it was that washer and dryer that really slowed you up Frank.:eek: Hardibacker also dulls bits and blades fast too.... then again so will the washer and dryer.:p :D

[Gary Herrmann]

I had a nice finished piece of amboyna burl once that I put on the workbench and then proceeded to knock into a nice sharp drill bit. SMWBO still asks me if theres anything sharp on the bench or assembly table when I've completed the finish on something...

[Don Selke]

Scot:
We all make mistakes so don't be too hard on yourself. The main thing is that you were not hurt and that is a very good thing. Tools can always be replaced

[frank shic]

haha, ted... as the sparks were flying up in my UNPROTECTED face i thought to myself, "gee, this hardibacker must have some metal in it..." then there was the time that i poured two bags of (NOT)levelling compound on the floor and had to chip the whole thing up by hand... in the dark... with my wife scowling!!!

[Randal Stevenson]

Scot:
We all make mistakes so don't be too hard on yourself. Tools can always be replaced

Different experience, but thanks for this thread.

I am having to remind myself of this TOO much this year. Went to fix something for a friend today, and found out that a little over $1000 worth of tools were stolen out of the toolbox on my truck. Happened a couple of weeks ago, when I was ill (alergic reaction into an asthma attack), I just brushed it off then (as I was trying to breathe), but found out today the extent, when I went to go fix something (I forgot about it).

Wasn't the only vehicle, I can only hope they needed them worse then I. Still doesn't help the gut though.

Now I have to rebargin hunt for the same things (bought for a little over $300).