Mitred fingers (stumps)

[neilyweely]

A short warning, although I am sure most here are far more safety conscious than I.

Yesterday evening I was planing a bevel on some bamboo flooring in order to use them as thresholds. I needed a shallow bevel and the fence only went to 45' so I set the guard across the blade and was using a strip of wood stuck to the CI top to hitch the bamboo up to the required angle. Stupid, yep.

After five minutes of success i got a bit complacent, and realised I wasn't paying enough attention so redoubled my efforts.
Then Mrs Neilyweely asked if I wanted tea and quick as a flash my two biggest fingers on my left hand swiped through the exposed bit of blade, cutting a centrimetre off the middle and 5mm off the one nearest my thumb. I looked down and, well I guess most of us know the feeling, I knew it was bad. My Mrs couldn't find the micropore and the football was about to start, so I rang my pal, who is a GP and askeed what to do. He said there was unlikely to be much the hospital could do as it is very diificult to sew a tip back on, and I should line it up and tape it back on. Job done, and although it hurts like bug*ery I am working again today. However the truth is I am VERY lucky not to have lost both fingers or even a hand.

T'was a blunt blade on an old Myford, causing some vibrations. Complacency really. And reluctance to spend time changing the blades. But I believe if the blades had been sharp and cutting without vibrations I would've been OK. Of course if i wasn't so stoopid I would've been OK.

I will NEVER use a planer without a push stick again. Shame it took this to force that message home. Perhaps you could all learn from my stupidity.

HTH

Neil

 

[thick_mike]

Ouch!

Lesson for us all. I hope your recovery goes well.

 

[Racers]

Hi, Neil

Sorry to hear of your accident, get well soon.

Pete

 

[Harbo]

Oh dear - very sorry - hope it heals up OK?

Rod

 

[bobscarle]

Ouch! Neil, that's got to hurt!

We all get a bit over confident at times especially when we are doing something that we know we shouldn't. We concentrate for a while, but as the job progresses, drift away. I am very sorry that you had to have an accident to remind us all that wood is stronger than flesh and these machines cut through it easily.

Hope you heal up soon.

Bob

 

[DIY Stew]

Sorry to hear that Neil hope you get well soon, we have done something stupid in the shop, mine was with a router nipped in a black and decker workbench, still got a small scare on the end of my finger, and like yourself I will never try to modify any machines in the workshop again.

Stew

 

[stoatyboy]

you know the rules - no photo's, it didn't happen!

seriously though best of luck healing and thanks for the reminder

Pete

 

[neilyweely]

Photo's....erm, much as I wish it didn't happen......

Do you really wanna see? When I change dressings then.....funnily enough I didn't think of taking a pic at the time!!!

Thanks one and all for your best wishes; I will take a photo tomorrow. The point was, though, perhaps it might make just one person a bit more careful. I have had my share of mishaps (the thumb on same hand is still healing from being dragged into a belt sander, nail, bed, flesh and bone - all filed down to a few mm!) but this is the first one that has made me really nervous of using said tool again. It makes me wince when I think about it.

I am guilty of a good share of stupidity, and more luck than I deserve, thus I am learning albeit slowly. If I was wise enough to learn from others mistakes though......

As I said, photos to come, you weird lot.....

Neil

 

[mailee]

OUCH! I know just how you feel Neil, having done something similar (but not as bad) a few months ago. Complacency is a tough teacher I am afraid. Hope it heals quickly.

 

[doctor Bob]

am I the only one thinking that you should actually see a doctor .... surely you need to be taking something to stop infection :shock: :shock: :shock:

But hats off to you .... reminds me of this
tis but a scratch

 

[Stormer1940]

I took a few mm off my middle finger years ago on the planer when shooting in a sash. I was given a white tea towel to stop the blood flow. The tea towel wasn't white at the end of it.

I agree a very daunting feeling thinking about using the machine again.

The next day I was using my smoothing plane on a job and stubbed the wounded finger on a bench stop. :roll:

@ Bob I don't think I was given anything when I did similar. Just went the sister at the the Doctors surgery for a clense and dressing change on a weekly basis. Tetanus shot should be up to date though.

 

[Lons]

Hope it heals quickly. Suggest a large quantity of strong drink to dull the pain :wink:

You mentioned another factor

Then Mrs Neilyweely asked if I wanted tea

The worst possible scenario is a non woodworker anywhere near when using machinery.

It happened to me a couple of years ago and though I got away scot free, it scared the bejeebers out of me :shock:

I was using the table saw, safety glasses, mask and ear defenders as I was cutting MDF. My wife unbeknown to me had come into the workshop and was shouting that dinner was ready. I didn't hear so the "silly person" tapped me on the shoulder :roll: I got a hell of a shock, jumped and got a huge kickback. Very lucky.
Furious wasn't the word but it wasn't until she burst into tears did I realise she had no idea of the potential consequences. It won't happen again to me but I bet it sounds familiar to others on here.

Bob

 

[Teckel]

Sorry to hear it but you'll be back up and running in no time. I ripped through my thumbs at different times on the table saw. Sore as f*#k. I didn't do any serious damage thankfully. Hope it heals quickly.

 

[Mark A]

I was using the table saw, safety glasses, mask and ear defenders as I was cutting MDF. My wife unbeknown to me had come into the workshop and was shouting that dinner was ready. I didn't hear so the "silly person" tapped me on the shoulder :roll: I got a hell of a shock, jumped and got a huge kickback. Very lucky.
Furious wasn't the word but it wasn't until she burst into tears did I realise she had no idea of the potential consequences. It won't happen again to me but I bet it sounds familiar to others on here.

Bob

Very familiar! My shed is made from sheet steel so it's bloody noisy when banged. You guessed it - using a raised panel cutter in the router table with the shed doors closed... sister hammered on the door to get my attention! That one was close. I've shown the kickback videos and made a collage of graphic injuries but it still hasn't really sunk in.

I'm generally very careful when using tools, but one time I reached underneath my mitre saw blade when my hand was on the trigger. Nothing happened but it gave me a fright!

 

[Bluekingfisher]

I had a similar experience some years ago, though thankfully I didn't lose didgits. My wife's sister popped over to see her and thought she would pay me a visit in the shop. I was ripping some pine at the time with mask and gogles when came in and playfully slapped me on the backside. What a fright it gave me. Ever since then I have had a bolt on the inside of the door.

The only downside with that is that if anything does happen they wouldn't be able to get to me........I'm not sure what is the most worrying??

 

[cambournepete]

Hope you get better soon Neil!

 

[jimi43]

Last week I would have said "wouldn't it be better using a hand tool"...........I won't be saying that again any time soon!

Hope it all heals up without infection...a check with the doc might be worth it though!

Jim

 

[Tierney]

Hope your recovery goes well!

My wife is under strict instructions not to enter when I am using machines, she either waits for me to see her waiting or sends me a text message.

I have been thinking I need some push pads; but the Axminster set has terrible reviews and the Rutlands ones seem to have the same flaw. Any recommendations?

DT

 

[TheTiddles]

Sounds like a rather large injury to expect it to stick back on ok, might be worth going to A&E

Aidan

 

[wallace]

Sounds like it will be painfull for a good while. I have a problem with my father in-law who lives next door. I'm happily working away and he'll just appear going Boo! And then says 'you must have seen me comin' He's always done it when I'm doing something safe but its not the point really. I've thought about locking the door but then I think what if something does happen and no one can get in.