AudioCircle
Audio/Video Gear and Systems => Owner's Circles => Vapor Audio => Topic started by: EdRo on 10 May 2017, 09:41 pm
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Where to start. I've been laying low for a couple weeks. I drove to Georgia to hold a new grandson, then started building wooden boxes to transport my Rack of Wonder to Axpona. So, between plywood scrap and foam for rack cases to prototype templates, i literally couldn't walk thru my shop. Time to clean up and get productive. Moving splintery plywood calls for gloves. NOTE: Gloves and tablesaws shouldn't be used together if the gloves don't fit well. While sliding some ply thru the blade on my tablsaw, my extra-long thumb on my glove grabbed those carbide teeth and...OWIE!!!
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=162099)
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=162100)
After a few hours in the emergency room, countless internal and external stiches, and pain meds, I have been relegated to the couch. The hand specialist promises the ache will be mostly gone in a couple weeks.
I hope to not offend anyone with these pics, but if I can keep one person from whacking a digit or two on a power tool, I've succeeded. Accidents happen. Be prepared when they do.
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I was a cabinetmaker for a couple years long ago, table saws are extremely dangerous... not as bad as arm saws or shapers but table saws are used more than any other tool so you get more chances to screw up. One guy I worked with who had been a cabinetmaker his whole life was missing a couple of digits but he was also a drinker.
The Sawstop saws are probably worth it, I can't believe every major manufacturer didn't license it. I still have my Delta Contractor's saw but I don't saw wood much these days.
http://www.sawstop.com/
Good luck and best wishes for a quick and full recovery!
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So apparently we were not using the table saw's protective gear.......Hopefully, that didn't occur at your work place or its an OSHA violation......
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....I have been relegated to the couch. The hand specialist promises the ache will be mostly gone in a couple weeks.
:slap: Ouch! My sympathies - constant pain sucks!
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I did the exact same thing a while back while working on a customer's preamp. Blade went right down the center of my thumb. I know the pain you are feeling. I still dont have all the feeling back and its been over a year but at least I still have my thumb. I was back at work within a day or so and wore some Nitrile gloves to prevent infection.
Hope you feel better soon.
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=162101)
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Ouch! Glad the prognosis is good. Take care of those digits!
Wayner
Yep, reportable for sure!
Bill? Welcome back! How have you been?
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I can't believe that everyone hasn't thrown out whatever brand they have table saw and purchased a Sawstop. :thumb: :thumb: (if you still have both of them)
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I hope you heal well.
I have never done that - but I sure have whacked my thumb with a hammer putting cedar shingles on a shed roof once. Once too many!
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Welcome to the club Ed. Did this one a year ago Christmas building my new equipment rack.
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=162102)
The table saw didn't get me but the piece of cherry I was running through the dado shot out and took my finger(s) with it.
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OUCH!!! Getting cut with a blade is one thing; having appendages ripped off by flying wooden projectiles...that just ain't right!!! My aching hand just blushed with it's insignificant wound!!!
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Welcome to the club Ed. Did this one a year ago Christmas building my new equipment rack.
The table saw didn't get me but the piece of cherry I was running through the dado shot out and took my finger(s) with it.
Holy crap. Suddenly my $1200 standman rack is dirt cheap. :o
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Good god Scott! That's terrifying...
Good luck to everyone... I won't be able to use a tablesaw for weeks thanks to those pictures.
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Ed,
I did EXACTLY the same thing (with gloves on, a no-no) to my left thumb in a table saw a few years ago, still no feeling in that area. I never used that saw again. I only use a Festool track saw or a European type sliding table saw now, as I'm convinced they are much safer.
I know the pain, so I sure hope you heal up good as new :thumb:
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I'm really sorry to hear about the accidents. A few years ago I bought a table saw, brought it home and turned it on, then packed it up and took it back to the store.... In that moment, I decided I was a flat pack kind of guy...
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Oh my lord, It hurts looking at those.
Had a Table saw for years, you always have to be VERY aware of what you are doing taking nothing for granted always use a push stick!
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Ed,
I did EXACTLY the same thing (with gloves on, a no-no) to my left thumb in a table saw a few years ago, still no feeling in that area. I never used that saw again. I only use a Festool track saw or a European type sliding table saw now, as I'm convinced they are much safer.
I know the pain, so I sure hope you heal up good as new :thumb:
I just looked up what a Festool Track Saw is. Very cool!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLFGIE_jCN0y5aGzfo0xDql8-2QxX8bXy5&time_continue=89&v=i4xwxJEeGhA
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So sorry to hear about that. I took up woodworking about 6 years ago. I've had MS for a week over 11 years and I constantly look for new things to do. It's a blast and I put together a new shop. I bought a guys shop and the only tool I didn't buy was his Delta cabinet saw. I got the 3.5hp Sawstop and I'm glad I did. I treat it like I do a Delta, but I always worry a bit about getting hurt. I've seen too many friends loss digits and it's scary. Just so sorry about your finger.
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Welcome to the club Ed. Did this one a year ago Christmas building my new equipment rack.
The table saw didn't get me but the piece of cherry I was running through the dado shot out and took my finger(s) with it.
Ugh! I didn't know that, Scott! :cry:
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Yeow!
Oh man, I dislike seeing pics like these... gives me the willies. I feel for y'all. I know that whole healing process...not much fun.
I still have a cleft in my left middle finger from tangle with table saw 44 years ago.
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Kickbacks can be really bad and a Sawstop won't help... I got hit in the crotch one time, was extremely painful to say the least, luckily no major damage.
I've also decided Dado blades are for large cabinet shops, they are fast but nowhere near as accurate as a router and are only safe to use on large sheets of material that will stop the saw rather than kick back.
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Dave,
You're right, kick backs can be a bitch :lol: I learned years ago, never stand directly behind the piece of wood you are feeding through a table saw. I routinely stand off to the side when I'm feeding a piece through. I've had several kick and come flying backwards, hit the wall in my wood shop and explode into little splinters.
This one was no different. I NEVER get my fingers within 6" of the blade. When I was about 10 years old, I was helping my dad rip some lumber and I saw him cut the tip of his thumb off by getting complacent and I vowed that would never happen to me. Well, I made it almost 50 years without a major incident. This time, I was feeding cherry into a wide open dado gouging a channel out. I was standing off to the side and I was using a pair of push blocks on top of the cherry I was routing.
I made one major mistake. As I was feeding it, my hand was getting too close to the blade and I went to re-adjust the front push block backwards. When I did, the piece of cherry lifted slightly, got caught on the dado blade and shot backwards taking my middle finger and the nail on my index finger with it.
From that experience, I now have installed a deadmans switch on the saw. If I need to make any adjustments, I lift my foot, let the saw stop, then I make the adjustment and re-feed the material. Also, many of the the pieces I was feeding were too small to be done with push blocks. They should have been done with a sled, which at the time, I didn't have installed. Well, now I do.
It only takes one lapse in judgement to have one of these machines eat part of you up, regardless of how safe you are. As I said, I went 45 years without major injury. And the local guys who have seen me work in the shop can attest, I'm pretty respectful of the power tools. I know too many guys, now like me, missing digits or blind in one eye (from power nailers).
If you are interested, this is what I was building. The pics are in reverse order so you'll have to start at the bottom of the page.
https://flic.kr/s/aHskUSFmev
(I hope the link works)
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I learned on a Sawstop and it was in class. As all have said, we were taught to stand to the side a bit and to use push sticks (one of the first projects we made on the band saw) and we have every other safety device you can think of. If any of you read Fine Woodworking, but main teacher is Bob Van Dyke who does many articles as well as Mike Peckovich who is the art director and local here in CT. I'm blessed to learn from all these guys as they are safety first. Yes, accidents happen of course no matter what you do, but reading the posts here, nearly all of us are brutally careful. Glad you posted as it will make me think an extra time the next times I"m working in the shop. Wish you didn't have to deal with this.
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Sorry to hear Ed, I can't imagine how anxious you are to get back into the workshop.
You don't seem like the "sit on the couch kinda guy".
Knowing Scott F and his general "M.O." in life, I knew he wasn't doing anything "wrong" when he hurt himself. He's not a halfway type of personality.
So when he told me what had happened, I knew that if a guy like that can hurt himself, my days are certainly numbered.
Before I used my table saw again, I had bought and built a host of safety items, including some sleds.
(yes... "technically", I had to use the table saw to build the sleds.... but what's a guy to do).
Be safe fellas.
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I like the idea of the deadman's switch and sled with clamp. I also see a Sawstop in my future, the price is high but it seems well worth it.
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Update on the Frankenthumb...this is taking it's sweet time to heal. It's looking very nasty. Luckly I'm going to the hand specialist tomorrow. I've tried wearing a tight nomex glove on my right hand, but if I try to pick up anything, the bone trys to push through the gash. Putting a hard surface on the face of my thumb doesn't help. I guess the cuts just too deep. I almost think I'd be better off if I'd wacked the dang thing off!!!
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Sorry, Lord help!
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The Sawmill Run Restaurant in Summerhaven, up on the top of Mt. Lemmon above Tucson have t-shirts for sale. Years ago the restaurant owner had a sawmill accident, hence the t-shirt design.
The hand design also means "4 more beers for the boys from the sawmill".
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=162774)
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Thanks Nick!
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Sorry to hear of your accident. That looks painful in more than one way. Hard to build your dreams with only one hand. :( You'll be glad to have that thumb still, but it may take some time before it does much more than hurt.
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Ed,
Though the healing process may take some time before you can put pressure on the thumb, be grateful you didn't loose it....trust me, even loosing a fingertip is a PITA as times. :duh:
That typed, it's fascinating to see human nature at work. When I'm with people that have never seen someone with a missing digit, it's hilarious to wag my finger out where they can't avoid staring at it. For some people it's like a laser dot with a cat, they just can't stop following it. With others, you can see there head following my finger, and the whole time there eyes are rolling up to act like they aren't staring. Then there are the people who aren't phased at all. They're no fun at all, so I stop.
I'll also pull the old standby, when someone asks me if I want something, I'll reply, holding my fingers up and saying, "sure, I'll take 3....that's 3, not 2 1/2". It usually gets a laugh.
Kinda funny, or at least I get a chuckle out of it. Besides, I'd much rather make fun of my stupidity than play the injured victim.
Hope the healing process goes quick for you :thumb:
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Have patience... a friend did something very similar to his index finger about 6 months ago and he says it's still very painful.
Injuries suck, patience seems like the only way to deal... I badly injured my shoulder mt biking 8 months ago and it's going to be a good bit longer until I'm fully symmetrical again.
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I want to thank everyone thats added their past experiences and wisdom to this thread. I was getting worried. I'm used to healing up quickly, and this split thumb was really looking bad. When I was getting depressed someone would add a thought and give me encouragement. My hand specialist says my thumb is looking better, and I won't be loosing any more tissue. It'll be awhile before I'm tossing 120lb sheet goods around in the shop, but when I do, I'll have a full length thumb to work with. Thanks again guys. This forum is the best!!!
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(http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img924/2863/VUxyrK.gif)
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In my 25 years of working as an emergency medicine physician, I have seen and repaired countless table saw injuries along with severe injuries from routers. I have since retired to working in an urgent care and I still see occasional power tool injuries and usually send them to the ER although one night in the Urgent Care it was very slow and I repaired a chain saw injury to the lower leg.
Glad to hear that your thumb is going to be OK.
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I hate this tread!! :D For the last two weekends, and the upcoming one, I've been using my Bosch portable table saw to rip a bunch of lumber. Over the last decade I very rarely thought about saw accidents but since this thread started I have to focus on not thinking about them!
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I think about accidents every time I turn on a power tool, which has been almost every day for the last 42 years. It's my day job.
If you are not a little scared every time you flip the switch it's time to change hobbies. If one part of your brain tells you this is dangerous and stupid and the other part says you won't get hurt - guess which one is right.
And remember, if you drink, don't drill
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=163188)
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Well, my latest progress report is good. I still can't pick up anything of any weight, (like 1" thick sheet goods) so I've been working out prodution methods for my cabs. A friend also has a beautifully refurbished Garrand turntable that I'm designing and building a layered corian plinth for. And the shop is nearly spotless!!!
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=163192)
(http://www.audiocircle.com/image.php?id=163193)
Looks better, right? Frankenthumb indeed!!!
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Looking better. Have you talked to the MD about things like - https://humanlimbregeneration.com/man-regrows-finger-tip-with-pigs-bladder
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Looking better. Have you talked to the MD about things like - https://humanlimbregeneration.com/man-regrows-finger-tip-with-pigs-bladder
Any extra pig parts go directly in the smoker at Ed's house!
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Any extra pig parts go directly in the smoker at Ed's house!
Not exactly what I had in mind but St. Louis is know for its BBQ :roll:
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I agree with Wayne, if you're not just "a little bit" scared, then you're too confident and your days are numbered.
Not sure what the time and temp is for human body parts.
I'd have to look into that.
I can imagine how clean the shop would be by now. :lol:
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I would suggest to anyone who is "A bit scared of using power tools" that they don't attempt to use them, at least until they learn the difference between having a "Healthy Respect" for the machinery & outright "Fear".
It may have been 35 or 40 years ago I applied for a help position in a Cabinetmakers shop. While I was interviewing for the job, the gentleman was cutting some tiny blocks of wood on the tablesaw by running them against the rip fence. The problem was that there really wasn't enough space between the sawblade & the rip fence for him to be "safely" running the work past the blade by hand without using a push stick. The blade height was low ,but you don't want to get into the habit of passing your fingers over. the space between the fence & the rotating sawblade.
I'm not sure if he was testing me for a reaction,but he seemed to take issue with my suggesting to him that he should not continue working like that if he valued remaining a Cabinetmaker. Sacrificing a digit or two is never an acceptable tradeoff for getting more work out.
I think what separates a "Craftsman" from others is the quality of "jigs" that he's using to assist his method of work with the tools he uses. & of course having a safe,reasonable,repeatable method of work.
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I spent 28 years teaching college students how to operate milling machines, lathes and other shop machinery safely.
A year after I retired I had an accident.
I was using a hand power planer to trim a door. Working outside in January I was working with gloves on.
After feeling the planer grab two of my fingers on my left hand I knew immediately that I screwed up.
The up side... The scar tissue helps while fretting some notes...
I left the blood stains on the planer as a reminder.
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I would suggest to anyone who is "A bit scared of using power tools" that they don't attempt to use them, at least until they learn the difference between having a "Healthy Respect" for the machinery & outright "Fear".
In my mind, there's a separation between "a bit scared" and "outright fear".
I'm "a bit scared" every time I fire a gun, because I've seen what happens with barrel blockage or reloaded ammo being "hot". I'm a bit scared every time I fuel my lawn mower with a hot engine.
In both cases I'm 99.9999% certain that nothing is going to happen as I'm being as careful as I can be.
But if I had an "outright fear" of something, I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. Starving, rabid alligators would be something I have an outright fear of. :wink:
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I have to admit that every time I use a power tool I ask myself "What would Bob in St Louis do"......
Hey Bob in St Louis I have some wood side panels for my reel to reel tape deck that I sprayed with lacquer how should I proceed?
Should I sand with 2000 grit wet/dry paper and then buff or should I go with 4000 grit and Rottenstone for a truly hand rubbed finish??
Please help the lost soul that I am...
I'll send you best BBQ sauce recipe in the world if you can help me..!!! :green:
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I have to admit that every time I use a power tool I ask myself "What would Bob in St Louis do"......
Hey Bob in St Louis I have some wood side panels for my reel to reel tape deck that I sprayed with lacquer how should I proceed?
Should I sand with 2000 grit wet/dry paper and then buff or should I go with 4000 grit and Rottenstone for a truly hand rubbed finish??
Please help the lost soul that I am...
I'll send you best BBQ sauce recipe in the world if you can help me..!!! :green:
Uhh..... :scratch:
I don't even know how to reply to that.
First off, I'm not the guy you should be asking what grit to wet sand to.... That's a Salk/Vapor question.
secondly....
I'm not a sauce guy, I'm a dry rub kinda fellow.
Uhhh.... sorry... :oops: I'll concede to somebody else... i guess?