Shop Safety Reminder

With a bunch of us in the shop lately playing with dies and making punches etc I thought I would throw out a reminder to be safe.

I had a brain cramp tonight which cost me a broken finger. Could have been worse had I been using a larger gear driven lathe. I needed to polish the piston for my wire extruder I made today. I wear leather gloves when working with metal. Well without thinking I grabbed some sand paper and within seconds it caught the glove and broke my finger. I was lucky that the lathe is belt driven and the belts slipped giving me time to shut it off.

So again, slow it down and be safe with your work. I had a harsh reminder today.

Ouch; yea a lathe will grab stuff, clothes, rings, hair.

Got in a rush to get r done and stopped thinking. I got the tool rest and tailstock out of the way, clearing the area for potential pinch points, all the normal stuff before you stick your hands in there... Forgot the gloves as I was in a rush. Stupid, just plain stupid.

I cringe thinking about it. Glad it was not worse. I guess I know why my firend has told me not to ware gloves at the lathe.

So you reached across the lathe for the sand papper and got caught or where you sanding somthing in the lathe?

Glad your OK

BT

dang , sorry to hear that !!! but thanks for the "no gloves" heads up !! im anxiously awaiting my lathes arrival... just trolling and trying to soak in some info, thanks again and sorry about ur finger .....bill

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So you reached across the lathe for the sand papper and got caught or where you sanding somthing in the lathe?

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Please tell me you weren't sanding something in a lathe.

There's a set of pictures floating around of a poor chap who got his jumper sleave in the jaws while filing in a lathe. It was a big lathe. Let's just say he was dead by the time the lathe stopped:!:

He had no face.

When I was younger, I saw a hippie nod out at a drill press in a factory. Got down far enough, his long hair wrapped around the bit, and scalped him clear back to the crown.

My older brother makes custom furniture, and lost half of his right hand in a radial arm saw some years ago. The fluorescent light in the shop made it look like it was stopped. It wasn't. Reached for a piece of scrap wood, and there she went.

BT, I grabbed the sandpaper and started sanding without taking the gloves off. By the time I realized I still had the gloves on it was too late.

Jixxerbill, Whatcha get for a Lathe?? Congrats on your purchase!! They are an invaluable tool to have in the shop! If you need tips or tricks of the trade you are in really good company. These guys on here are SMART!!

I teach shop and wood turning to High School kids and Adult Ed on the side. I know better than to touch moving objects with gloves. Stopped thinking for 10 secs and I hurt myself, pride more than anything.

But if it keeps you guys alert while in the shop then the hurt pride and finger is worth it.

303guy, Yes I was sanding the end of a piston for my wire extruder. Forgot to take off the gloves.

You are lucky it did not pull you in up to your shoulder!

Very true, I got lucky

Growing up on the farm we had lots of things that were powered by shafts and belts and or need drilled and ground etc. Neibors son wrapped himself up in a PTO shaft and spent the next 20 years a vegetable.
grandad would "Put a boot in my @ss" literally when I got caught doing something stoopid. Guards were always in place!! Proper clothing worn for the job etc. I went through the long hair phase but always carried hair ties to keep hair outa the way. Having lost an eye when I was very young evverybody ragged on me about eye protection and today I have many pairs of safty glasses so not to be tempted to go without them. I am a believer that there are few accidents but many stupid actions that get someone hurt. I do like it and respect others for posting there "duh" moments to keep others on there toes.
Jay

CWME,
I'm very sorry to hear that you broke a finger. Hope it's just a simple break, and it heals up real quick!

I'm very glad to hear that it wasn't any worse. Thanks for posting the safety reminder for everyone.