gloves?

[Maca]

I worked with a mechanic once who had his hand badly injured when it was dragged into a bench grinder while he was buffing bolts using a wire wheel. And he wasn't even wearing gloves, so it can happen regardless.

 

[Trevanion]

I worked with a mechanic once who had his hand badly injured when it was dragged into a bench grinder while he was buffing bolts using a wire wheel. And he wasn't even wearing gloves, so it can happen regardless.

It’s different with a wire wheel, it’s continuous contact with moveable strands which doesn’t allow you to withdraw your hand from being shredded.

 

[Rorschach]

Wire wheels are nasty, I have had some evil cuts from using them. If I am doing small items where my fingers get close I prefer to put the wire wheel in the lathe where I can run it slowly and with no guards, much safer.

 

[transatlantic]

I can't wear gloves. For whatever reason, I just find it odd not to be able to feel things.
Same with sunglasses. I can't wear them as it feels like I'm being restricted of vision.

I'm odd. I know.

 

[Nelsun]

I can't wear gloves. For whatever reason, I just find it odd not to be able to feel things.

These Irwin Carpenter gloves are what I wear. And yes, they come with the fingertips already removed (hammer)

 

[transatlantic]

Already got a pair

..I still don't get on with them.

 

[Lonsdale73]

As I started out making photo frames I have "cut proof" gloves for handling glass. They're a snug fit and offer grip and - touch wood - I've not yet cut myself on glass. I did cut myself trying to remove a router bit from its storage box - it wouldn't budge and fingers slipped along the blades - so I tend to wear the gloves when handling cutters. Also useful for avoiding splinters from cut ply.

I wear an overall a la Peter Parfitt. Or Arkwright from Open All Hours. I'm on my third and this one is forever snagging on things - corners, edges, handles - nothing serious (yet!) but annoying. One pocket is hanging off and the other two seem incapable of holding anything other than dust! It's about to be retired to finishing duties.

 

[Sideways]

The challenge of a thread like this is to ask yourself "what if my way isn't the right way ?" and ask "what can I learn ?"
I have met individuals who have had significant industrial accidents: from losing a hand, to losing use of an arm, to simply having had a finger amputated by a circular saw. I want to try and stay in that zone where I'm confident around the machines I use, as being timid and uncertain is dangerous in itself, without crossing over into complacency and carelessness.
Knowledge and awareness are vital though. You have to learn to see hazards. No one's born with it. That's why stories are valuable.
I have recently been turning some pens and was slowing the smooth steel outside of the lathe chuck by hand, then twigged that even a bare hand can be pulled into the gap between the chuck and the tool rest if you are careless for a moment. I can see that it would be easy to lose a fingernail or worse there.
Likewise, powered wire brushes take no prisoners on bare knuckles. It hurts and takes a good while to heal... I can see the benefit of v heavy duty leather gloves in some situations now, but with lots of caveats and still never near a cutting blade.
Thanks to everyone who chipped in to this thread.

 

[transatlantic]

The lathe is fraught with all kinds of potential horrible accidents.

I have always sanded the inside of small boxes (diameter less than 50mm) with my finger and a bit of paper, but apparently, you can easily get your finger wrapped in and ... well yeah .. not sure what it would look like. Broken finger, broken wrist.

I guess I will have to come up with some kind of sanding stick from now on.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

does anyone wear gloves when they are woodworking?

Yes, but really in only two circumstances.

1. Handling large batches of rough sawn timber or many man-made boards, e.g., a delivery of a couple of cubic metres of solid wood, or anything up 30 or 40 pieces of plywood and especially for thicker MDF sheets, 15, 18, 22, 25 mm, for example.
2. Machine planing solid wood, but generally only solid wood (large and sometimes small pieces) that has already been planed or previously worked in some form, e.g., large and fairly heavy lamination or panel jobs. The already quite smooth surface can make it difficult to get a decent grip with bare hands to push effectively, so those work gloves with pimply rubber finger and palm pads work pretty well.

For everything else, I can't really think of a woodworking situation where I'd choose to use gloves - unless perhaps it's bitterly cold, but that's a different issue really. I really don't like the loss of sensitivity when wearing gloves, and even those fingerless things all college apprenticeship courses seem to require everyone to wear in the workshop are, to me, pretty uncomfortable and hinder detailed working. Slainte.

 

[Hornbeam]

I hate wearing gloves due to the loss of feeling but sometimes use tham when moving rough sawn timber and ply.
My question is why do people wear them. If its an allergy then the thin latex/nitrile gloves are fine. If its protection then sometimes they lull people into a false sense of security. My day job involves sheet steel and we are supposed to wear gloves at all times but there is no focus on how to pick a sheet up properly or why people get cut. A badly set shear will leave a really sharp burr. sort teh shears out not the gloves. If you pick a sheet up by the edges and it slips it will slice through most gloves. Pick it up from the top edge and it wont.
Most gloves wont stop a sharp chisel.
I also think its about concentrating and focus. Most of us have a shave every morning. Do you wear gloves for that?
Probably guessed by now this is bit of a thing with me

 

[Simon89]

I never wear gloves after a close run many years ago. Yes I get plenty of splinters and cuts but have all my digits (having spent 4 hours in a&e today after slipping with a chisel!)

I think it can all be reduced down to:

Be careful when using tools, don’t put your hand anywhere you shouldn’t

Some people have to wear gloves due to medical conditions.

Be careful when handling materials, gloves can help.

Wearing gloves when using power tools can increases chances of serious injuries and can reduce changes of minor injuries.

 

[Hattori-Hanzo]

In the warmer months I only wear thick leather gloves when handling rough sawn timber or heavy sheet material, the added grip and protection is a real benefit.

In the colder months I wear thin gloves daily. I have raynaud's phenomenon which gets extremely painful if I let my hands get to cold.
If the temperature really drops there's been occasions where I've lost feeling and movement in my fingers, not ideal if you're operating machinery.

The gloves I use are thin and normally the finger tips are worn through so I can still feel while wearing them.
I'm always more cautious when wearing them as I've heard plenty of horror stories myself but I feel the benefit of warmth outweighs the pain of a raynauds attack.

 

[Bm101]

I don't use gloves in the shed except for nitrile for finishes etc. I do have a pair that I stick on on the rare occasions of getting the 4" grinder out with a flapper disc etc. I wouldn't wear them with any machine that twists/spins. The grinder is held so a bit different.
I can still remember my woodwork teacher cutting kids ties off at the knot. Dave Parker. LEGEND.
Imagine that these days lol. Also he'd zap the occasional kid with the gas lighter for the burners as he walked past casually. You'd hear a squeal and see some poor lad jump a foot in the air.
Only reason I post is to recommend gloves if you are going to use them for whatever purpose. As a window cleaner I've tried lots of solutions over the years to combat cold in a wet environment with heavy wear and I have come to the conclusion that a real thin fleece type glove covered by a well fitted rubber glove is bang on. If the gloves are tight, restricted circulation will be your enemy.
These days at the start of winter I go to decathlon and buy 4 pairs.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/trek-500-bl ... 90734.html
Then I wear black industrial rubber gloves or nitriles over the top.
Some lost feeling but ok.
For protection have a look at sailing gloves. Go for summer season etc but well made gloves from suede etc with palm panels and so on for rope protection. Good gloves that would be well suited to what people here are talking about for protection without being clunky at the fingertip. Lots of varieties as you'd expect.
Look for musto as brands etc. Lots out there for about 15 quid a pair.
Hope it helps! I hate winter. :-s
Regards
Chris

 

[Trevanion]

These days at the start of winter I go to decathlon

I read that as "These days at the start of winter I go do a decathlon" :shock:

You won't catch me doing anyathlon.

 

[RogerS]

I can't wear gloves. For whatever reason, I just find it odd not to be able to feel things.

These Irwin Carpenter gloves are what I wear. And yes, they come with the fingertips already removed (hammer)

Yup..me too or similar (rigger gloves is anther name). But I do have to use a pair of those sticky type gloves sometimes because I am losing strength for gripping timber due to the CMC joints in my thumbs being knackered.

Needless to say that I am very very careful. The power feeder on the planer and spindle moulder is a real godsend.

 

[Robbo3]

Lots of wood turners wear gloves especially in the USA . It protects the back of the hand from the constant bombardment of flying bits when roughing out & believe me it's painful.
I use a pair of fingerless cycling gloves from the £1 shop.