What's the most stupid thing you've done in woodworking?

[billw]

When I bought my planer I couldn't tell whether the blades were fitted, so I poked it with my finger. It turned out the blades were indeed fitted.

I bet there's some classic stories waiting to be told.

 

[LBCarpentry]

Are you saying you poked it whilst it was on?? That’s insane!

 

[Spectric]

Hi

Many moons ago when I was a teenager I worked in a place that overhauled commercial & PSV vehicles, there was an engine dyno testbed and one day with an engine running but low on power the guy taking a look thought the turbo was at fault and put his finger into the intake, it was like the pencil sharpeners we had at school.

 

[billw]

Are you saying you poked it whilst it was on?? That’s insane!

NO!

 

[TheTiddles]

I swept a pile of shavings off the thicknesses bed with my hand, stood back and realised it was running, I remember the cold feeling of thinking what could have happened.

Aidan

 

[SkinnyB]

Today I ran End Grain through my thickness planer as I do often cutting a very small amount off at a time. However one piece that was really to wide but still just fitted decided to ride up those little bars that is supposed to keep the material from sliding off the edge of the table....
Absolutely obliterated the end grain board, planer stopped in a second. Chunks of oak flew out the back. Anti kick back teeth all jammed up as well.

That was a total shock! Another time I had not zeroed my callipers and they were out by a few mm. End Grain through the planer and same thing... Now I double check the thickness and make sure the width is undersized by a good amount.

 

[billw]

I swept a pile of shavings off the thicknesses bed with my hand, stood back and realised it was running, I remember the cold feeling of thinking what could have happened.

Aidan

I'm cringing just reading that.

 

[artie]

Once I cut my nails on a table saw.

 

[Trevanion]

I used just a single push stick once, never again!

 

[Cabinetman]

I was investigating a strange noise on my table saw and took the insert plate off, turned the saw on and the sight of the whole blade spinning was gut churningly frightful. I don’t know why as I knew what it looked like it I was just shocked, there was a feeling of revulsion. But I suppose that’s healthy! Ian

 

[billw]

I was investigating a strange noise on my table saw and took the insert plate off, turned the saw on and the sight of the whole blade spinning was gut churningly frightful. I don’t know why as I knew what it looked like it I was just shocked, there was a feeling of revulsion. But I suppose that’s healthy! Ian

At least you didn't poke it.

 

[Cabinetman]

Absolutely not! That beast is not one you would want poke with a stick.
"A pointed stick? , fruit not good enough for you is it " sorry to younger members- Monty Python.

 

[sometimewoodworker]

Not using a push block on my first planer was the stupid thing, many many years ago.

The good thing was that the first ambulance arrived within about 3 minutes but were going off shift so once they found the injury wasn’t life threatening did first aid, and a second ambulance came about 5 minutes later who took over.
Then My local A&E was closed so I got taken to the main neurosurgical centre for the southeast U.K. that happened to be the next nearest A&E. The end result being that instead of having a finger shortened I had an in-place flesh graft (by a consultant ) that gives me a strange finger print and eventually I now have virtually full sensitivity.

 

[novocaine]

I tried woodworking once.
never again.

 

[AJB Temple]

I can't think of anything stupid that I've done but I've witnessed one or two. For example, 6 years ago we lived in a rented house briefly whilst waiting to complete on where we live now. The oven needed replacing so the landlord arranged for fitters to deal with that. Two young men in a van turned up. The oven space needed altering and fitter in charge claimed his tools were elsewhere. It just needed a bit planing off an infill strut. But as it was not my house I thought I better let the fitter do it. Like a fool I lent him a hand held electric planer. A couple of minutes later numpty number one was planing a bit off the softwood, with it braced across numpty number two's legs. Brought a whole new meaning to "workmate".

I took the planer off them.

 

[space.dandy]

More recently than I care to admit I was using a brad nail gun to secure some reinforcing corner triangles in a plywood box. I paused for a good few seconds to consider if the nail I was about to fire was a bit close to the thin end of the triangle and if my fingers might possibly be in the way. Then, for reasons I still can’t explain, I just thought ‘screw it, she’ll be fine!’ and proceeded to fire the nail into the triangle, out the other side and into my finger.

it’s surprising how much longer a wound from a relatively blunt object takes to heal.

 

[Sandyn]

I can't read the posts above, just as I can't watch any of those emergency programs where people get injured. It really frightens me and I prefer not to see or think about what could happen, but I do take great care when using machinery.

My most frightening experience was whilst building my extension. I was nailing the joists with a 4" nailer. I was working at arms length and nailing two joists together, I hit a nail plate and instead of the nail going into the wood it bounced back and hit me on the forehead! I pretty much knew that it wouldn't have the energy on rebound to penetrated my head, but I wouldn't dare feel to see. I had heard of head injuries where people felt no pain despite having things stuck in their skull. I scurried around the floor trying to find the rogue nail and sure enough I did, It had been formed into an almost perfect circle. On examination, I just had a small graze. I still have it somewhere as a reminder.
A week later, I was at A&E after breaking a finger cycling and started a conversation with a guy beside me. "What happened to you" I asked? he held up his hand and there was a 2 inch nail right through his finger. lol!! faint!

 

[Nicey1]

Not dangerous just stupid, I bought a gallon of black spirit stain to make my own picture frame lengths. This stain settled so before opening shook, off course a gallon is heavy so wrapped arms around and shook. Top wasn’t on tight, squeezing plastic bottle in arms....... yes I looked like a singer off the black and white minstrels eyes shut tight we’re the only thing white on my face , took a long time to were off as meths only removed top layer. Husband cried with laughter.

 

[mowog]

About a year ago I was using an electric planer on something (can't remember what - might have been a door). In a moment of temporary dementia I gently moved my left hand to grip around the sole for a bit more control, planting my fingers directly onto the spinning blade. Nice. Remarkably I escaped entirely unscathed - the blade seemed to push my fingers away. I'm sure if I'd been pressing any harder it would have ended very badly, but a lucky escape. And a useful reminder ever since!

 

[Sheffield Tony]

I was investigating a strange noise on my table saw and took the insert plate off, turned the saw on and the sight of the whole blade spinning was gut churningly frightful.

My father - a genuine Sheffield steelworker - had a tablesaw he made himself from angle iron and plate. It had no guarding whasoever - no riving knife or crown guard, and all that was under the table was exposed, just an open frame of angle iron. Watched him use it many a time, and amazingly he still has all his bodyparts. He still has the saw, but is too old to have the energy to use it. I hope.

I think my worst woodworking scar is an axe cut to my wrist. Knocked it off the block picking something up from the floor. Some of my friends have done much better. One fronted up at Addenbrooks A&E with his leg held together with gaffa tape having missed the workpiece with a hewing axe.