Shop Injury

[Richard Gillespie]

Thought I'd post this to my fellow wood workers to be ever vigilant. For once a tool didn't get me. A metal storage cabinet bit me.

I keep my surface planer stored in a Craftsman tool box with wheels. On top of the box there is a home built grinder station. I had to pull the box further off the wall to install a Wolverine grinder attachment for my lathe tools. The lathe sits directly opposite the grinder station. This is one of two metal cabinets in the shop. The other is storage for flammable materials. The rest of the cabinets in the shop are home built.

I was pulling out the planer when the door hit the lathe, trapping my right hand between the door and the planner. By the time I got my hand free I had a "U" shaped flap cut in the back of it that took 7 stitches to close.

I'm now under doctor's orders to stay out of the shop for two days. Time I may use thinking about replacing a metal cabinet.

[Chris Padilla]

Ouch! I normally tout our mantra here on SMC about "liking pics and such" but I'm not sure I want to see any of this!

Wait, actually I do. When you heal up enough...I'm game!

[Dave Anderson NH]

I can't even count the number or time I've scraped, gouged, or cut myself on non tool type things in the shop like the edges of cabinets, the corners of my bench, the corner of my tablesaw extension wing, etc. You are not alone since if the truth be told most folks here have probably done similar things.

[Byron Trantham]

Richard, though I wasn't looking at seven stitches, I just finished processing about 14 sheets of melamine and I can't count the number of cuts on both of my hands. Some of them are deep enough to bleed but most are surface cuts. Cuts just seem inevitable.

I hope your hand heals very fast. Frankly, with seven stitches, I think I would wait longer than two days to "get back at it."

[Daniel Rabinovitz]

Richard
Watch out for those biting metal cabinets and get well quickly.
Daniel

[Donnie Raines]

I need to share this:

About a year ago I was at the local mill scavenging for the perfect board. I found a few and had them leaning against the wall...just behind me. As I was digging through the pile, "BAM"!!!!

I woke up about 4 minutes later. One of the boards(8/4 cherry) had slid down the wall and crakced me in the head. Knocked me out! No stiches, no blood..lucky me( ).......

The guys at the mill seen the entire thing happen. Tey weregoing to give me the boards thinking I was going to sue....but it was not there fault..it was mine. They remind of that every time I visist them....

Donnie Raines

[Chris Padilla]

Donnie:

"Much about you, this explains...."

[Donnie Raines]

I knew I should not have disclosed this story.....


Donnie Raines

[Ned Bulken]

Donnie:
"Much about you, this explains...."

Chris,
funny thing, you don't look like you're 800 years old.


Donnie, nice guys at the yard there, but you did the right thing.

Richard,
glad you'll heal, and that it wasn't a power tool injury. Hope you're back in action and making sawdust in no time.

[Eddie Severt]

I, too, have injuries similar to yours. While not in the shop, they come from wood, so I guess they qualify. I, my wife, son (15) and daughter (12) are clearing a neglected area on our farm and have spent the last three weeks cutting dead trees, multiflora roses, and crab apples. Unfortunately, none of the wood is big enough or solid enough to be useful, but it is painful. We all have hundreds of scratches and thorn holes. My wife has a crabapple thorn in her arm about the size of a pencil lead and 1/4 inch long that is almost impossible to remove. It really makes you feel good to see the roses burn, it seems they know what you are doing and try to cause the most pain possible even as they are roasting on the brush pile.

[Jason Roehl]

Richard, hope you heal quick. I'm a contractor, so you'd think I would learn how to avoid all that stuff, but no. Not to mention, when I was applying locally for a certain permit at the police station, the chief asked me if I had any identifying scars. My reply? "Gee, where do I start?" After I had rattled off about 3-4 locations of the biggest ones, he cut me off (no pun) and said, "That'll do..." While my biggest scars are from the recklessness of childhood, I have numerous little ones on my hands and arms from just plain workin'. I just try not to bleed on my work...