Still got 10 fingers..........JUST (Parental Advisory)

[dedee]

I can't imagine how you managed to take the photo. Thanks for sharing though and get well soon.

Andy

 

[motownmartin]

Nasty. It might be educative for everyone if you explained more about how and why the accident happened.

Hope you heal fast, and well.

Agree with Jake, knowing how accidents happen can stop it happening again.

I hope there's no long lasting discomfort for you and lets hope it heals quickly.

 

[Fecn]

Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!

I hope you heel well and fast.

 

[ColG]

I took the photo in A&E after the plastics consultant got his phone out and took a picture - I might add that I was well doped up on morphine when I too it.

As to how it happened - I should have known better.

I was ripping a 60mm x 20mm board into 2 9mm boards. I used a push stick to push the last part of the board through the blade whilst keeping the board pressed against the fence/blade with my left hand. The push stick caught on the blade with the results shown in the picture.

I made 2 stupid errors.

1) Ripping the full 60mm depth in one pass

2) Not using a push stick or feather board to hold the timber to the fence/blade.

All in all, apart from dented pride and a remodeled set of fingers, I think I got off pretty lightly. If anyone is interested, I have more gruesome shotsthat I can upload - but then again, they might put you off wood bashing for good!!!!

 

[Andy Pullen]

Sorry to sound stupid but was the damage done by the blade or by the pushstick/ timber striking your fingers.
Hope you recover aswell as you can and soon.
Cheers Andy

 

[Anonymous]

Col

That looks awful - hope you heal fully and quickly

I had a similar incident a while back, 1/2" router cutter through 2 fingers and I am glad to say the plastic surgeons are fantastic and I have full movement in all of them with only a lack of strength and loss of feeling in the tips + some scars to show for it now

It takes time, but it heals.

 

[ColG]

Hi Andy

'twas the blade. My son cleaned off he blood and skin before I had a chance to see it.

 

[Andy Pullen]

Hi Andy

'twas the blade. My son cleaned off he blood and skin before I had a chance to see it.

My only real accident like this was to (stupidly) climb cut some difficult grained sapele georgian glazing bars by hand, in the blink of an eye they and my hand were pulled thru the cutter taking the tips off my two smallest fingers. Xmas morning aswell, I had to send the missus home from hospital to turn down the turkey :roll: . Luckily they recovered completely and without the need for surgery. Taught me one big lesson that I don't intend to repeat.
Regards Andy

 

[roombacurious]

OMG! I've been employing the same "technique" for some years! Push stick in the right hand, supporting the wood with the left (w/o pushstick)...

So if I got this right, the wood binds to the blade and is kicked back, pulling the supporting hand with it?

I don't even want to think what other stupid risks I've taken with various tools, the bench planer for one... :mrgreen:

Or maybe I should... :?

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Col

All the very best for a speedy recovery.

Thank you for reminding everyone of the dangers.

Cheers,
Neil

 

[David C]

Sorry, I see my question has already been asked.

David

 

[woodshavings]

Col, thanks for posting this ... its a very, very powerful reminder.
As everyone has said, I hope you recover quickly and have no lasting problems.

John

 

[Matt_S]

I know all tools can be dangerous......leave your block plane upside down and you can skin your knuckle nicely!

But it seems a table saw is considerably more dangerous than other tools, would others agree? I know I get a bit lazy with safety and should probably never have one.

 

[CHJ]

The table saw I had never worried me for some reason, I think it was because we had very large un-guarded beasts on the farm when I was young and learnt, more forcibly taught actually, a very healthy respect for them at an early age. The fact that mine had a quiet induction motor did not help mind you in the avoidance at all costs stakes.

A recently acquired Mitre saw with its series motor scares the **** out of me though, and I have worked around some very noisy and dangerous equipment in my time.

The quiet running bandsaw is the thing that I have to watch the most, sits there spinning away and is easily forgotten if you don't push the off button each time you finish a cut.

 

[gidon]

Colin
I hope you make a speedy recovery - looks really nasty.
Thanks for posting - an extremely useful reminder for us all.
Cheers
Gidon

 

[cambournepete]

Colin,
I really hope you recover well from this.
My trip to casualty after routing the end of my finger last week pales into insignificance - fortunately it was just a flesh wound.
Pete

 

[whoops!]

Damn glad to see that you still have them all there. Hope the recovery is speedy.
Living in the french countryside is an education in timber accidents. There are a large amount of timber mills here and health and safety is yet to happen with many of them. Huge band saws with teeth inches long run with virtually no protection, planers with 50cm blades running with no guards, people using chainsaws with bugger all foot,shin, hand or head protection, madness!! Scares the hell out of me just going to these places.
Needless to say there are plenty of digitally diminished people around here.

All the best with the healing.

Decklan

 

[Vormulac]

Strewth! That's got me wincing and clenching! Best wishes for a speedy and full recovery!

V.

 

[Escudo]

Sorry to learn of your accident Colin, hope you will soon be better again.

Posts like this act as a timely reminder of the need to take great care in all we do.

Esc.

 

[lugo35]

wish you a speedy recovery im still waiting to find out whats wrong with my hand after the thicknesser kick back.