Injury, careful out there!

[Dale Gregory]

I was hesitant to post this because of my pride but here it goes. Long story short, I cut my left pinky nearly off Thurs. afternoon in a bandsaw accident. Cut it about 1/8" above the nail ,clean through the bone with only a piece of skin holding it. Spent 5+ hrs. in the Hospital. The Ortho Specialist decided to try to save it and reattached it since there was some skin still delivering some blood flow and the fact that I play guitar and need all full digits. I go back to him a week from Mon. to see if it takes. So, how did this happen to an experienced wood worker? I was not paying enough attention and didn't have my hand out of harms way. Totally my fault, I new better! The piece of wood had a crack that binded the blade for a second and when the teeth caught (in an split second) it pulled the wood and my hand holding it into harms way. So here I sit typing with one hand, hopped up on pain meds. No work, golf, wood working, guitar... and on and on for the near future....I've already beat myself up for it, but it could have been much worse. Be careful out there and work safely!

Dale

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Dale,

Here's my wishes for a complete, successfully quick healing! Thanks for sharing it with us as a reminder!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Dale - sorry to hear about your mishap! Hope that the finger heals 100%! Thanks for sharing!

[Scott Hubl]

Hope you make a full recovery.

Always an eye opener when you hear of someone getting injured I was cutting blanks today myself, it can happen to anyone of us.

[Mike A. Smith]

Ouch! Hope everything works out Dale. This is a good caution for all of us; I'm sure most of us think of the bandsaw as one of the safest power tools we have. The shop is full of sharp stuff moving very fast!

[curtis rosche]

awww thats nothin just put some ducttape on it and keep going.

hope u heal reight, i have a friend who had a chainsaw accident and he messed it up when it was healing and it grewback at an odd angle

[Eric Fuller]

Sorry to hear it! I almost cut my left pinky off at the knuckle 2 years ago. Ever since I pay a lot of attention to my mental condition to keep from zoning out. Also, I think about what would happen if the piece I am about to cut were to split, crack, break or kick back, and jig up accordingly if I think it would end up in my fingers in the blade.

Whenever I start mentally pissing and moaning about setting up a jig for safeties sake I think about how long that emergency room visit was and how long the damage kept me out of the shop. It's like going out on the town - sucks to pay for a taxi, but a lot cheaper then the likely alternative.

[Dennis Peacock]

Dale,

Sorry about you accident and I pray that you heal totally and quickly.

Eric,
You brought up a really good thing...zoning out or paying less attention to what one is doing while operating a power tool. I've caught myself at that stage and that's when I called it quits for the night before anything could happen.

[Glenn Hodges]

So sorry......I had a boy that worked for me in my shop. His daddy had a cabinet shop. The only tool he would not let his son operate was the bandsaw.

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

Ouch. Hope it takes and you can get back to the guitar, too.

Bruce

[Doug Thompson]

Dale, sorry to read this... I do hope everything will be ok in time.

They call this an accident for a reason, some things you can control and be prepared for but once in a while the unexpected happens that you can't be prepared no matter what.

Thank you for being honest... it just might help one of us.

[Jim Becker]

OUCH! I hope things heal quickly so you can get back to the things you love to do.

[David Sallee]

Sorry about your mishap Dale, wish you a speedy and complete recovery!

Dave

[Nancy Laird]

...So, how did this happen to an experienced wood worker? I was not paying enough attention and didn't have my hand out of harms way. Dale

Dale, I'm sorry about your accident, and hope your finger heals sufficiently for you to be able to continue to play guitar---but don't count on it.

And this is a reminder to everyone---

MAKE SURE YOUR HEAD AND YOUR BODY ARE IN THE SAME PLACE WHEN YOU ARE WORKING WITH THESE MACHINES. You are the umpteenth person who has had a similar accident---I have three people very close to me (no, not LOML) who have lost a finger or part of a finger or two fingers in accidents such as this. If you aren't totally concentrating on what you are doing, an accident such as this looks for a place to happen.

Be careful!!!

Nancy

[David Duke]

Hope everything heal correctly Dale, while I hate hearing about someone getting hurt I appreciate that those that do get injured share with the rest of us when something like this happens. You can never remind yourself enough to work safely and hearing about things happening to others just drives home that point.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Dale glad you weren't hurt any worse. I hope and pray it will take then heal quickly. When my brother took 1 1/2 fingers off with a bandsaw a few years ago it was a wake up call for me. If I got things on my mind other than woodworking I just don't go to the shop. I have caught myself thinking of other things instead of paying attention to the machine I was working with.

[laurie sullivan]

sorry to hear about you pinky. I, a few weeks ago, kind of did the same thing. I touch the bandsaw blade with the end of my middle finger of my left hand. all healed now but I keep bumping it and boy, does it smart.

heal fast, heal well.

Laurie

[Fred Conte]

Dale - Sorry to hear about your accident. my prayers are with you for a speedy and full recovery. Thanks for sharing it...

[Ron Jones near Indy]

Thanks for the reality check. I know many often downplay the danger involved when using a band saw. Any moving blade or sharp tool can get us at any time. I'll pray for your healing.

[Tom Sherman]

Thanks for the reminder Dale, sorry it happened to you but appreciate you reminding us to keep our awares in check. Praying for your speedy and complete recovery.

[Joe Chritz]

Thanks for the post. I work in a profession where the vast majority of lessons are taught the hard way, with blood, so to speak.

If you save one person from your experience your mission has been accomplished.

Believe me, the more familiar with something you are the more dangerous is becomes. Plus there is the little fact that sometimes you can do everything right and still get hurt. There are very few guarantees in this life.

Hoping for a full recovery.

Joe

[john l graham]

Dale, I hope your finger heals and is once again a useful member of your hand. It will possibly take some time.

Twenty years ago, I lost two fingers on a drill rig accident. Lucky it wasn't the whole hand. Now I work with tools just as I do my Law Enforcement job. On yellow and red alert around anything that is sharp, moves or could crush. Keep those eyes open and those brains clicking to avoid an accident.

Good Luck Dale!

[Brian McInturff]

I always hate to hear these stories when they happen to someone I know, well, internet friendship anyway. I hope you have a speedy recovery and hope the doc did a first class job on gluing you back together. The positive note is it could've been much worse. Our prayers are with you.

[Heather Thompson]

Dale,

Sorry to hear about your accident. My father worked in a tool and die shop for thirty plus years, never an incident, couple of years ago the bandsaw on his ShopSmith bite him. Per my mom he came upstairs holding said finger with a confused look on his face, didn't know how it happened.
So far I have not had a serious incident, one kick back that left a hole in the shop wall, did not fix it on purpose, always view it upon entering and leaving the shop.

Heather

[Dale Gregory]

Thanks for all the well wishes. Keeping my other fingers crossed that the pinky survives. I debated back and forth whether to post it or not, and now I'm glad I did. I hope it makes everyone think a little more about the inherent dangers of our equipment. I for one, was getting to comfortable. Have fun, but keep safety in mind! I'll be back at it in a few months.;)

Dale

[Ron Drew]

So sorry Dale. Hope you have a full recovery and are back in the woodworking saddle soon. Thanks for the safety reminder.

[Cary Swoveland]

I couldn't help but cringe when I read your account. I've always been vary wary of my bandsaw, so much so that I built an auxiallary guard for it. It works very well. Here's are front and back pics:

84746 84747

It needs to be easily removable, as it constrains resaw height.

I expect the design is easily adaptable for other saws. Here are the dimensions I used for my Minimax MM16:

84748

Cary

[robert hainstock]

I play sax, and two tears ago s0ld my table saw to preserve my fingers. I will be more careful around the bandsaw because of your accident. I know how valuable tose digits are. :eek::eek::eek:
Bob

[Dave Ray]

Dale, hope it heals 100% and quickly. Thanks for the reminder

[Brent Ring]

Sorry to hear about that - Heal up soon - you have two of my favorits pastimes - guitar and woodworking... can't let one ruin the other...

[Ron McKinley]

Hope the surgery takes and you're able to play the guitar again. I knicked my thumb on the BS about a year ago—lots of blood but no bone damaged.

I was doing a dumb thing, trying to round a blank vertically since that was the only flat spot. Should have used a wood clamp to hold it.....Ron

[Heather Thompson]

Cary,

Nice idea on that guard, think I will go out to the shop and take a close look at my bandsaw. At least tools like the bandsaw leave parts, unlike jointers, shapers and routers. :eek:

Heather