brad nailer accident

[frank shic]

i was using a 18 gauge brad nailer to tack some self returns on a window stool apron while HOLDING the bottom with my middle finger without realizing that the brad nailer was loaded with 1 1/2" brads instead of 5/8" brads. OUCH! i've just purchased some collins miter clamps to prevent this from happening in the future. my typing speed is going to take a slight hit for the next couple of days...

[Jim O'Dell]

OUCH!!!! I've run screws slightly into my finger. Worse thing I've done is hold a metal spring steel speed clip for a screw in my bare fingers. Screw catches clip, spins clip slicing and dicing fingers tips in process. It will sting for a while! Make sure your tetnus shot is up to date. (Another OUCH) Jim.

[glenn bradley]

Ditto; OUCH. The thing about poking your fingers is you get to annoy the injury every time you use your hands until it heals up ;-( Heal fast.

[Chris Kalkowski]

Hope you had a tetanus shot. I have had a few cuts lately - got really infected and the doc REALLY suggested one.

[Steve Clardy]

Oops :eek:

I did that once. Sure makes me aware of what I'm doing with a nail gun now :)

[Don Morris]

I make it a habit never to put a hand behind a nailer regardless of the length of the nail and the thickness of whatever is being nailed. It may hit a crazy grain, knot, or something and go out sideways...don't ask me how I know! Get well soon.

[Jim Becker]

Ouch, indeed. Not much worse than a boo-boo on a finger, especially in the part you need to use for work, play, eating, "etc"...

[J D Thomas]

Ouch. I know exactly how you feel Frank. Last year, I was building an attachment for my tablesaw fence to assist in cutting laminate. I was using a micro pinner and MDF and I'm usually very cautious about where my hand is in relation to the tool. But this day things got closer than I realized. The jig shifted and in one continuous motion I shot a 3/4" pin right into the palm of my hand. Didn't hurt a bit!! But it was in there. I ended up driving myself to the hospital and an orthopedic surgeon recommended surgery to get it out, saying there were many nerves and tendons in that part of my hand to risk digging it out like a splinter, which I thought about doing while standing in my workshop, calling myself a blithering moron.

End result turned out fine. And I got a bit of a wake up call. And the pin is sitting in a small container of alcohol on a shelf as a reminder to wake up!

Take care. Be safe.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Frank, I'm very sorry to hear of your accident. I hope you heal fast. Actually getting shot with my nail gun is one of my fears in ww'ing. It just seems like it would hurt a lot. So instead I stabbed myself with a screwdriver and boy did that hurt. These accidents are definitely wake up calls. Feel better soon Frank. Alan

[Brad Hammond]

yep! bought that tee shirt too! hurts dont it!

hope things go well for you!

[Randy Denby]

That has got to hurt ! Heal fast !
Once I had a brad reverse , I cant remember if I hit a knot or a screw below the surface, and it hit me square in the safety glasses.....talking about a wake up !!! I always wear my glasses now.

[dan moran]

ive shot myself with brads, framing staples, trim nails, framing nails.. im not sure which hurts worse as they all have their own particular flavor of pain.:D

good luck with the heal up.

[frank shic]

thanks for everyone's encouragement! i'll be getting a tetanus booster on monday when i get back to work. i will definitely be checking what pin size is loaded in the future before i start firing away and i will NOT be using my hand as a temporary clamp on small pieces.

[Randal Stevenson]

While I am WAY overdue for a tetnus booster (haven't been to the doc in at LEAST a decade), I want to add one thing you might also want to look at. Look at ZERO pressure couplers for your air hoses. HF sells one example (seen it elsewhere but don't remember the brand) that has a button that release the air pressure to connect or disconnect the tool. Tomco sells another (listed as a Tomco universal safety coupler).
Just one more area, a lot of people don't think about, and it really surprises me that they aren't the standard coupler.

[Pat Germain]

I guess you'll be taking ibuprofen regularly for a few days, Frank. I'm glad it wasn't worse.

I had a physical last week and my doctor asked if I wanted a tetanus shot. I didn't see why, but got it anyway. I guess it was a good idea.

Perhaps we should use Frank's minor mishap as an inspiration. When I was in the Navy, we would have a "safety standown" after a mishap. We'd stop work for awhile, review safety practices and check all our gear. Here are some ideas I'm thinking of:

- Check first aid kits to make sure they are clean and well stocked
- Check fire extinguishers to ensure they are charged and not "expired"
- Inspect power cords for any frays, cuts or exposed wire and make sure everything is properly grounded
- Inspect blades, knives and other cutters for sharpness
- Check safety glasses for excessive scratches; replace them if they are not good and clear
- Is it time for a table saw tune-up?
- Give the shop a good cleaning
* Get a tetanus shot!

Of course, any time is a good time for all this, but it helps when we're reminded by someone else's unfortunate injury. ;)