# Finger Tearout! (Now with Gore)



## wizer (27 May 2008)

Just spent some time familiarising myself with the local A&E!

I was trimming the parts for my Adirondack chair on the router table using a pattern bit. A momentary lapse in concentration saw my hand get dragged across the spinning bit. Sorry, no gruesome shots. I was too busy wrapping it in a tea towel and driving myself to A&E.

It's funny how you think about these things afterwards. I realise what I did. I'd been having a lot of problems with tearout, especially near and around end grain. After very cautious trial and error I worked out a system which I deemed safe and effective. When it came to end grain I was leaving most of it, destined to finish on the bobbin sander. All went well for 7 parts. The fatal error came on the last part. For some reason I stuck the template on upside down. I realised when I got to the table but assumed it wouldn't matter. Having the template upside down meant I was routing in a different direction. I approached the end grain from a different direction and wasn't expecting it. The bit grabbed hold of the wood and chucked it towards me. Error number two was that I was holding the wood with my forefinger extended. So as the wood passed the bit at speed, so did my finger.

I feel pretty stupid. Pride nearly stopped me from posting. But I guess I have learned all I know about safety on this forum and so I hope this might help someone in the future.

The long and short of it is that I won't be using the method again. Certainly not on real wood. I'll need to practice my bandsaw skills a little more.

A&E bandaged me up well, but I have an appointment with a plastic surgeon tomorrow. It's painful, but I'm used to pain.


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## Karl (27 May 2008)

sorry to hear that Wizer - my stomach turns when reading stuff like that, so glad you didn't have any horror shots to post.

HYHA speedy recovery.

Cheers

Karl


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## rileytoolworks (27 May 2008)

Sorry to hear about your injury.
I've been there myself. Little finger making contact with spinning blade of circular saw. Ouch.
Really focusses the mind in future!
Speedy recovery.


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## Digit (27 May 2008)

I did exactly the same thing a couple of weeks ago routing a tote for a plane, the tote broke into several piece and I ended up removing the largest 'splinter' I've ever seen. Took a week to find one of the broken pieces.
Never too old to learn would be a good motto I think.

Roy.


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## Paul Chapman (27 May 2008)

Hope it heals up soon, Wizer.

Cheers :wink: 

Paul


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## NeilO (27 May 2008)

sorry Wizer to hear that... but as many a member says "Its not real unless theres pictures"......

so wheres the blood and gore......










hope you get better soon , and back to your aironadacks(sp?) soon.....


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## Slim (27 May 2008)

Oh Wizer... You silly boy! I hope you heal quickly. Let us know the prognosis tomorrow after you see the plastic surgeon.


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## Philly (27 May 2008)

Arghhhhhhhh  
Sorry to hear that, Wizer. Get well soon,
Philly


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## Harbo (27 May 2008)

Sorry to hear your news - get well soon.

I was using my new template router cutter at the weekend (it has a wheel top and bottom so you can invert the wood to avoid tear out?
But it was so scary I gave up and went back to my spokeshaves and pillar drill rotary sander - much slower but safer I think?

Rod


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## Digit (27 May 2008)

That's what I did with the replacement tote. Once bitten!

Roy.


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## Gower (27 May 2008)

Sorry about the bad experience WiZer. After surviving 45 years repairing Heavy Trucks reasonably unscathed, it took a router to remove the top of a finger. What amazed me was the speed in which it happened - more shock than pain, that came after. I am very wary now every time I use any of my machines. Concentration, concentration, concentration!
Get well soon.
Gower


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## skipdiver (27 May 2008)

Ouch! Sounds painful.Hope you're back in the shop soon.


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## woodbloke (27 May 2008)

Ouch :shock: ...get well soon - Rob


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## neilc (27 May 2008)

Hope you have a speedy recovery Wizer and best of luck tomorrow.
Neil


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## DaveL (27 May 2008)

Well hope it goes well tomorrow, guess you will remember not to do it again. :x


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## Fecn (27 May 2008)

Poor WiZeR - I hope you make a speedy recovery.


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## Shadowfax (27 May 2008)

Oh noo!!!
Get well soon, Wizer. I feel for you.

SF


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## TheDudester (27 May 2008)

Get well soon, WiZeR.

Regards

D


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## big soft moose (27 May 2008)

sorry to hear about your accident wizer - and good luck for tommorow.

it wasnt that long ago that i snapped a quarter inch bowl gouge and jammed the jagged broken end into my palm

lesson learned there - a) dont use a quarter of inch gouge for rouging down a large out of balance burr - no i dont know why i did either  and b) keep a first aid kit in the workshop.

still it could have been much worse i use a chainsaw habitually in the day job and ive heard and seen too many tales of gru not to be extremly careful.


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## OPJ (28 May 2008)

Really sorry to hear about this WiZeR, although it does sound like it could've perhaps been much worse! :shock: 

Just out of interest, were you using any kind of guard for this operation? :? 

I hope it doesn't keep you out of your workshop for too long - you seem to have had a lot of bad luck recently, what with your back and everything.


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## Tom K (28 May 2008)

Sorry to hear your bad new wiZer.
Can we start a poll? When driving yourself to A&E whats best manual or automatic?

Regards Tom


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## WellsWood (28 May 2008)

Ouch! Sorry to hear about that. Hopefully there's no permanent damage, let me know if there's anything I can do to help.
Look on the bright side, as long as you've got enough fingers left to type you'll always have the forum for support and sympathy :wink:


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## Vormulac (28 May 2008)

Thank goodness it wasn't worse! Best wishes for a speedy recovery.


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## wizer (28 May 2008)

Just got back. They have booked me in for a skin graft on Friday morning. Should take 2-3 weeks to heal. Then i'll be on a physio course.

I'm trying not to get myself down over this. I just have to come to terms with being an unlucky git. No point crying over spilt milk and all that. I do believe this was an accident and not complete idiocy.

Harbo: That was the type of bit I was using (from Wealden), where you change between top or bottom bearing depending on grain direction. 

Olly: I was not using a guard. Somewhere in the depths of my mind I think I have seen a guard used for this operation, but my recent research (FWW and Norm) didn't display any guards. I was using a starting pin. However, i'm not sure a guard would have been any use in this instance as my finger was dragged between the wood and the bit.

Mark: Pretty much nothing keeps me away from the internet, you should know that  I may need that favour still, but not til next week now.

Thanks all for your kind words and not berating me too much


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## OPJ (28 May 2008)

WiZeR, this was the kind of thing I had in mind. You could probably make your own at some point and also include extraction and make it adjustable.


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## wizer (28 May 2008)

ah yes, I wasn't aware of that


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## woodyone (28 May 2008)

Ow! sounds like that hurt.
I bet you won't loss concentration next time


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## dickm (28 May 2008)

Sorry about the accident. Not much consolation, but we all have them, often with the simplest of tools. I severed a tendon with a pruning knife years back, but was lucky enough to do it near to the hospital that apparently had one of the best tendon surgeons in the country. 
So it's best to choose carefully where you have your accident. Unlike my "incident" a week ago when I cracked the bottom of the sump on my Golf near Bicester. Only 500 miles from home.
Have a speedy recovery, and take that physio seriously - it's vital.


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## motownmartin (28 May 2008)

Bad luck WiZeR and thanks for flagging it up, it helps us all.


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## Harbo (28 May 2008)

OPJ that device looks good - I was using the same sort of cutter as Wizer (from Wealden) but trimming 40mm thick oak. The APT one only has 28mm clearance.
With a larger gap do not know if that would save fingers?
Worth having a go at making one from some acrylic though and seeing how it looks?

Rod


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## Digit (28 May 2008)

I made one some time ago Rod and attached it to the top of the fence so as to take advantage of the fence's dust extraction, and it does help keep the fingers out of the way.

Roy.


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## wizer (28 May 2008)

ahh well spotted. I was also cutting 40mm


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## Shadowfax (28 May 2008)

This probably won't help at all and it is too late, anyway, but I try to make it a rule that I don't touch smaller workpieces with my hands when I feed them into the cutter. I use home-made push blocks and push sticks so that I can keep my fingers clear.
They are only MDF (no, not my fingers!) with rubber drawer lining glued on the bases to form a non-slip surface like a router mat. I have made several in different sizes.
It worries me when I see people demonstrating the use of router table techniques where their fingers are horribly close to the cutters in use. If the wood disappears, in go the fingers! There is no protection if the wood gets snagged and shoots away.
Just my thoughts, anyway.

Hope you recover really quickly, Wizer. Good luck with the skin graft an' all.

SF


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## Harbo (28 May 2008)

This got the old grey cells stirring and I remembered I had this device which came with my S/H Rousseau router fence many moons ago (no instructions) :







Could not really figure out what it actually did and stuffed it away - will have to look at it more closely with renewed interest?

Rod


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## Corset (28 May 2008)

Wizer that is bad news. I had a close call about 6months ago and have been on a push pad frenzy since then. What shocked me is how fast it all happened. People say "it happens so fast" it's not until it happens to you that you understand what they mean.
Owen


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## wizer (28 May 2008)

Thanks guys. I can't honestly see me using this method again for a very long time, if ever. If I did then I would spend a lot more time constructing or buying guards and push blocks.

I do use push sticks, feather boards and guards on every other machine. Always wear my 'tap tap' safety glasses (now covered in blood). Hind sight and all that.


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## DavidE (28 May 2008)

Yikes WiZeR

I hope you heal soon - thanks for posting your misfortune it is a good reminder how quick things can go wrong.

David


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## wizer (28 May 2008)

For those who requested gore:


..






..


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## motownmartin (28 May 2008)

Oooooeeeer that is a lot worse than I imagined, its gonna take some healing, wishing you well WiZeR and hope you have a speedy recovery.


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## OPJ (28 May 2008)

I'm just glad the photo's not in _clear_ focus!!! :? :? :?  

I do hope it's not really as bad as it now looks though...

:wink:


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## Paul.J (28 May 2008)

That looks really nasty Wizer.
I hope it all heals up well,and quickly.


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## neilc (28 May 2008)

My God Wizer that looks really bad. My very best wishes for a full recovery.
Neil


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## harryc (28 May 2008)

That looks quite severe, just glad your well enough to be posting so soon after a injury like that.

Take Care

Harry


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## Ring (28 May 2008)

Man that looks a sore one hope it heals quickly ....
Jim


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## Slim (28 May 2008)

OOOEEEEOOOEEEEOOO!!!!

That's much nastier than I thought. Hopefully it won't take too long to heal.


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## NeilO (28 May 2008)

Sorry for my previous quip, Wizer... not having realized it was a bad as that.

my apologises and heart felt guilt  

sincerely hope you get better soon, mate


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## Richard Findley (28 May 2008)

Hi Wizer. 

I've got a pretty strong constitution but that even made me wince!! :shock: 

These things are great reminders to us all!!

Let us know how you get on, all the best,

Richard


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## Escudo (28 May 2008)

Wiz I am shocked and so sorry to hear about your terrible accident.

A timely reminder to us all about the importance of safety and how unexpectedly accidents like yours can happen. 

Hope you make a quick and speedy recovery. It looks jolly bad and must be very painful. 

All the best, Tony.


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## woodshavings (28 May 2008)

Wizer,
thanks for posting this and including the gore.
For me, it's a very salutary reminder not to become complacent about safety.
John


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## WellsWood (29 May 2008)

:shock: :shock: :shock: 

Stone the flippin' crows!!

Thank god it was only a finger - much worse than I expected though, that picture literally made me gasp.


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## Raggy (29 May 2008)

That looks a lot worse than I expected from your earlier posts.

But it does serve as a reminder for everyone how easily it can happen, I am in the process of building a workstation for my saw table and router and after reading a few threads on here I don't want to use either of them now. I will make sure both have more than adequate guards on them before I attempt anything.

Hope you heal soon, best wishes.


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## wizer (29 May 2008)

Thanks again for kind comments. Didn't mean to shock with the picture. I guess it is bad. The good news is that I still have feeling throughout the finger, so it's "easily fixable". The pain has been pretty minimal too, tho I did faint in A&E.  :lol: 

More updates tomorrow after the graft.


PS: Raggy, don't be put off the router table. It was the freehand aspect of it which was dangerous and, seeing as I have read little about it on this forum over the years, I think it's not a regular task. Generally, with fences, guards, finger boards, etc, router tables are as safe as the TS.

TBH I was thinking about making a new router table last night.


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## OPJ (29 May 2008)

If you do want to have another go at this in future WiZeR, this link might give you an idea of the kind of jigs that can be a lot safer to use, as your hands are kept well away for the cutter.

Personally, I think they're a bit overkill for small work on the router table as you have to then work from both sides of the jig... But, none of your digits should have to come anywhere near a spinning cutter.  

These kind of jigs should be standard practice for spindle moulders used in industry, although I previously worked for a company that used jigs just like yours and I refused to use it. One guy even cut himself - he was very, VERY lucky it was barely any worse than a cut - but nothing is done about it.


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## Digit (29 May 2008)

aving been in the same boat WiZer I sympathise, it certainly lloked pretty bad, but if as you suggest, the nerves and tendons are intact then all should be well. Apart from an area of scar tissue that should worth a few pints at the local. :lol: 
Best of luck mate.

Roy.


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## Anonymous (29 May 2008)

_____


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## frugal (29 May 2008)

WiZeR":qfpqpc07 said:


> Thanks again for kind comments. Didn't mean to shock with the picture. I guess it is bad. The good news is that I still have feeling throughout the finger, so it's "easily fixable".



That's a relief. I took one look at the picture and thought you might have to have it amputated.

It is a good job you still have feeling in the finger.


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## Mcluma (29 May 2008)

Jeez man, this thread should come with an health warning, that is bad :wink: 

I have seen bad things, (had to find my dad's top off his finger when he cut it off with the lawn mover), but that is bad,


I hope you heel quickly,, a good thing was you didn't pass out.

Did you had to drive yourself???

I bet you, you haven't been into the workshop jet???

I trully trully hope you get better quick- although....

All the best
Chris


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## mahking51 (29 May 2008)

Wizer,
Awful accident mate, hope you get better real soon. :shock:  
I am myself still getting over what I thought was a bad crush injury to my fingers a couple of weeks ago but not even in the same league!

I am so appalled by your injury I have printed it and will laminate copies by all my machines as a reminder for the future. Do I owe you any royalties?  

Do adhere to the physio, very important indeed.
Best Regards,
Martin


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## woodyone (29 May 2008)

OW! :shock: 

i didnt imagine it to be as bad as that, hope for a speedy recovery 

Woody.


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## Chris Knight (29 May 2008)

Aaargh! Hope it gets better soon!

Still you might not notice your back for a day or two! :wink:


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## compo (29 May 2008)

Blimey - just found the picture!

It's never nice when someone gets hurt. Makes you realise it could happen to any of us at any time. Nature of the beast I guess - woodworking machinery.

Get well soon.
--------------------

Ps maybe you should think about altering your signature line! :lol:


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## Routermonster (29 May 2008)

Hope you get well soon Wizer. 

And thanks for sharing your dreadful experience with us. It's made me realise how careless I have been in the past when using my own router table - I shudder when I think how close I've been letting my fingers get to the cutter! I need to improve the guarding on my table and start using push sticks.

Les


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## Racers (30 May 2008)

Hi, Wiser

That looks bad, get well soon.

How about a sticky thread with all the photos of gore in to remind us to be carefull? 

Pete


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## Benchwayze (30 May 2008)

Sorry to hear this Wizer. 
Just makes me realise that none of us is immune. 
I hope things heal up well, and you can get back working soon.

Regards.

John


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## seaco (30 May 2008)

Hope your soon well old pal... :wink:


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## wizer (31 May 2008)

Morning guys.

The skin graft went well yesterday. I arrived at 7:30 and was on the trolley by 8am. My whole arm was completely numbed for the procedure. It took about 90mins. They ended up taking a flap of skin from below the wound. I couldn't bare to watch them work but they did show me at the end and it looks very neat, 46 stitches. After that it was sandwich, ribena and see yah later. 

The arm block didn't wear off fully until about 10pm last night. I felt quite groggy from the whole thing.

I'm back on Tuesday for re-dressing and then again on the following Tuesday to start physio. Full recovery should take 6-8 weeks.

I Intend to be back in the workshop ASAP, can't let this put me off.


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## WellsWood (31 May 2008)

I think maybe we should call you Sean after a close shave like that.
:roll: :roll: :wink: 



Geddit?


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## wizer (31 May 2008)

boom boom

My boss told me to pull my finger out and get back to work :roll: :wink:


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## wizer (31 May 2008)

Just ventured out to the workshop to assess the damage. Thought you might like to see what happened to the wood:












So no surprise what happened to my finger.

Despite what's happened, I still think template routing is a good solution to getting identical repeatable tasks. I do wonder how CNC routers get over tearout issues?

If i'm going to to this again it will have to be after a complete new router table build. A winter project I think.


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## Steve Maskery (31 May 2008)

HI Wizer, Very sorry to hear of your woes.

At the risk of eggs/sucking/grannies etc...

From the photo above you should have been using a cutter with the bearing mounted at the shank end of the flutes. The template should have been on the bed of the table and you should have been moving the workpiece from right to left.

If you were moving from left to right it would catch and drag you in.

If you were using a cutter with the bearing at the tip and the workpiece on the table with the template at the top, you would be routing against the grain at that corner. That's OK if you were taking just a fine cut after bandsawing, for example, but a heavy cut is likely to tear out.

In an ideal world you would have two templates and a bearing both top and bottom so you can always work with the grain, no matter where the curve runs. That's usually easier said than done of course.

Get well soon.
S


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## wizer (31 May 2008)

Thanks Steve. As I said above. I was doing that, but on this last one mistakenly fixed the template upside down. The bit that I was using had a bearing both top and bottom for this purpose.


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## Harbo (31 May 2008)

I was doing a similar thing as Wizer with the same type of cutter but making sure I was cutting against the bit rotation. I was also rotating around a fixed pin for added support. Still scared me though and I gave up and went back to my spokeshaves and sander - I had already cut most of the waste away on my bandsaw anyway (I just wanted to speed things up a bit - I have been making this chair for about a year now!!)

Rod


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## wizer (31 May 2008)

I like the idea of template routing as it guarantees repeatable parts. But my experience, obviously, is that it's bloody scary on real wood.


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## Anonymous (31 May 2008)

_____


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## OPJ (31 May 2008)

Harbo":jog77dto said:


> I was doing a similar thing as Wizer with the same type of cutter but making sure I was cutting against the bit rotation. I was also rotating around a fixed pin for added support.



That's a very good point. I also find it essential to work with a guide/starting pin when beginning the cut in particular. Most aftermarket guards come with some kind of pin. I think they're usually what you use to mount the guard in place? Alternatively, if you're keeping the fence in place for the extraction, you could probably use the fence to help start you off.

It's a bit like using a spindle moulder, where you begin with the workpiece in contact with the ring fence and gradually, but very carefully, ease it around and on to the point at which the cutter is flush with the fence.


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## Tusses (31 May 2008)

why not use a vacuum clamp to hold the work and then use the router 'hand held' ?


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## whoops! (1 Jun 2008)

wiZer

read about your injury late last night. Really am sorry to hear of your accident. Mentioned it to the other guys on site which started a conversation about work injuries and the like. I noticed small things after that like ear defenders being used and cables being tidied up around machinery.

Do hope that your recovery is speedy and complete, all the best.

Decklan


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## wizer (1 Jun 2008)

I was thinking about that yesterday Tusses. Of course you would still have the same problem with tearout. But you might be safer, assuming you route in the right direction/orientation. 6 of one and half a dozen of the other I think.


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## Tusses (1 Jun 2008)

I've routed a few pattern parts the hand held way and always felt very safe and in control. 

Ive routed a few by the table method and usually felt I was holding a cobra by the tail - you know ... 100% 'over' concentration and that feeling it could turn round and bite you any second.


I usually clamp the piece to the edge of my workbench and rout the half that sticks out , then stop and move it for the next half.

I guess you could put a piece on each pattern that could be placed in the bench vice, or even just use a thicker pattern and place it on an anti slip mat.


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## devonwoody (1 Jun 2008)

I have read and seen this post for the first time today.

Wizer, sorry to hear of the accident, one consolation is that most pastimes seem to carry some risk, even travelling to an event can be hazardous.

My Triton table although not perfect does have a finger guard that drops down to the timber level, so that sort of accident should be unlikely?

Is that correct?


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## OPJ (1 Jun 2008)

If you want to use a hand-held router to do template routing then you could probably stick everything together to a sheet of MDF using double-sided tape. This will depend on the size of the workpiece though. If it's quite small then there'll be little support for the router and it may tip off balance. That's why most people find it easier to do this on the router table.

A lead-on pin is essential really. If the jig isn't supported against the bearing of the cutter then there's a bigger risk of tearout. With end-grain in particular, it pays not to leave too much waste on.


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## Vormulac (2 Jun 2008)

Sweet Jesus! I've only just caught up with this thread and seen the picture, Wizer - Ye Gods man, you have a knack for understatement, that looks so much worse than I imagined.
Hope there is no permanent damage!


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## kmcleod (2 Jun 2008)

Hi Wizer,,,

Just got up on this thread,,,,and I hope it gets better soon,,,

After my experiences with my finger, the biscuit jointer and local A&E, all I can advise would be to gently ask the plastics folks if they are happy the wound is completely clean, and to look away while they check it,,,,

Good luck and a speedy recovery,,,,


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## ijam (2 Jun 2008)

I was very sorry to read this Wizer, but thanks for being staunch enough to post and remind the rest of us to be more careful - I'm sure you've saved at least one other person's finger by doing so.

Hope you recover speedily - you seem to have the right mental attitude to do so.

Ian


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## Losos (2 Jun 2008)

Wizer - Thanks for telling us about this. I work alone most of the time too, so I'm extra careful about safety, even so I had a minor cut yesterday (Didn't require a trip to A&E 'tho)

It's so eaasy to let a little change in routine and a momentary lack of concentration and bang, blood everywhere :shock: 

Hope the finger is getting better now, and don't let it put you off, as they say in horse world - when you fall off, get straight back on the beast or you never will in the future.


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## wizer (2 Jun 2008)

Thanks Chaps, was back in the workshop today 

Only for an hour, but felt good.


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## head clansman (1 Jun 2009)

hi wizer 

you lucky lucky man , could have lost that finger entirely , they only grow once tom no second attempts , don't envy you at all , get well soon .hc


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## MickCheese (1 Jun 2009)

I think you will find this is the fingers anniversary! :lol:


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## richburrow (1 Jun 2009)

Oh my god!!!!!!
I have just seen the pic.
:shock: 
Get well soon mate
Rich


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## wizer (1 Jun 2009)

Here's how it is a year later







99% movement back and about 80% feeling. I barely notice it now, tho it does affect my turning a bit as it's in exactly the spot where the finger would run along the tools rest. Ah well, I was very lucky and as I just said over in the other thread, I'm dead wary of the router now. I have done that operation since and used paddles and a guard.


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## NeilO (1 Jun 2009)

Well Tom , I have to say this picture of your finger looks a damned sight better than the last one you posted..
glad to see you made a full recovery, fella..


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## ste_5150 (1 Jun 2009)

I know others have said this, but thanks for posting about this. Without doubt people will have learned from it, and it really takes guts to be so upfront about it. Shows how such a small error can have massive consequences.... 

I was going to ask you to post an 'after' pic - I can't believe how well it's healed. That's fantastic


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## Ironballs (1 Jun 2009)

Bloke at work always used to wince when I mentioned I was routing something. Turns out he and a mate were doing a bit of routing in the garage one day, rush job before they went out for beers. His mate was driving as it was his project, for workbench read piece balanced on tool box and poorly clamped.

Nearly done when his makeshift bench collapsed, the router slipped from his hand and instinctively he went to grab it, except that he grabbed the bit instead and routed most of the flesh off his index finger. Didn't lose the finger but he has a fairly redundant Beadle Claw.

Glad yours is on the mend Tom


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## Chippyjoe (1 Jun 2009)

Tom, just seen this thread for the first time ffs man :shock: that must have hurt.

Showed my missus and thought I was going to end up taking her to the A+E woman!!!

Glad to see that it has made nearly a full recovery,and a lesson for all of us there.
Lack of concentration cost me a severe pain of the gonads once when kickback off the table saw occured but nothing compared to what you had.

All credit for posting the thread in the first place.

Mark.


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## Jeremys (1 Jun 2009)

bloody hell wizer...just read this for the first time..im glad you are back together! 

I was routing a pencil box this evening after work, did something daft and had a (very) near miss. Made me realise that knackered after a day at work is not the time to be trying something new in the 'shop...there but for the grace of god...

See...all this stuff with the tool spinning is just not right...what you need is the wood spinning...then life is good! :lol: :lol:


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## Night Train (2 Jun 2009)

I just got around to seeing the 'gore'. That was nasty. I'm glad it healed up as well as it did. That could have been so much worse.

I'm not surprised you are wary of routers.

When I was a kid I watched a site chippy who wanted to cut a bit off the end of a 2"x1" batten. He couldn't see a hand saw he could reach so picked up a circular saw. He placed the batten over his knee and went to cut it.
The saw blade had big teeth, probably only 12 or so teeth, and when it caught on the batten the saw jumped and landed on his left thumb. His thumb bone jammed the blade but as he pulled away in pain he stripped all the flesh off his thumb.
That put me off circular saws almost for life. I do use them now but very cautiously and checking for safety all the time.


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## Pip (2 Jun 2009)

Thanks for the safety lesson, Wizer, glad it's healed o'k
pip


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## devonwoody (2 Jun 2009)

I dont believe that was a year ago, I think someone has been messing around with the forum dates.

I still cant think that was a year ago.


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## Gower (2 Jun 2009)

Commiserations Tom. Did a similar thing some 5 years ago. I didn't look at your injuries, just thinking back to my own is enough. Although the end of my finger and nail grew back, the nerve ends still tingle - a very useful daily reminder to concentrate all of the time I'm operating power tools! Get well soon.
Cheers,
Jim
PS In case I didn't say before, a big thank you for the UKWorkshop badge. Great!


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## Vormulac (2 Jun 2009)

Blimey, that healed up nicely! I had serious concerns about how that injury was going to end up, glad to see they were largely unfounded.

Keep it safe, guys!!


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## Technician (2 Jun 2009)

Just registered today.
Thanks for your posting Wizer.
Power tools can certainly bite and your example will surely be an advanced warning for someone.
Regs,
Mike.


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## Luke Kelly (2 Jun 2009)

Ouch. Just seen this thread and that's some horrible damage. That goodness for modern medical technology...


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