Watch your fingers

[Jerry The Tile Guy]

Just a note to remind everybody to be safe out there and don't be like the Tile Guy. Cutting a long peice of wood base board Monday mid-morning and as the blade went thru the wood to complete the cut there was the middle finger of my right hand waiting for it. Ouch!
I was lucky as these things go. I didn't cut any tendons, bone or major nerves. They could only put a couple stitches in it. The rest has to grow together or maybe will need a graph.

I was back giving the crew a bad time on Thursday. One part will be good. My helper will get lot's more hands on experience. Friend Charlie came to the job and cut the vinyl in to fit. Then he left the rest for me and the helper. The first time he had to apply the adhesive. Did a pretty good job of not getting it everywhere.

Be safe out there gang.

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[John Bridge]

Thanks for the heads up, Jerry. I'm sure everyone's going to ponder that and take it to bed with them.

Was it one of those cases where you could almost see it coming but couldn't get the finger out of the way in time?

[Bri]

Hi
Ouch..sorry to hear that. Just a little note to say, don't get complacent with the wet saw either...I heard a few weeks ago, that a guy was cutting marble and the peice jammed...took 3 fingers clean off...they are back on thankfully..but I've never heard about a diamond blade doing that kind of damage before.

[John Bridge]

If you somehow get your fingers jammed between the bottom of the blade and the car (table), it's gonna smart.

[Harry]

A few years ago I needed some wood molding made to I took the project to an old timer in the area who did woodworking. The guy had every saw, planer, router and other tools to do just about anything.

I noticed while I was waiting for him to finish up his current project that he only had 4 fingers on his left hand and 3 on his right. He was pushing the wood right through the table saw with his fingers ... SCARY!
I thought to myself ... this guys gonna lose another digit with me standing right here. Fortunately there were no mishaps in my presence.

Good advise Jerry ... thanks. :)

[Rob Z]

My grandfather cut off his right index and middle finger on a table saw. As I grew up working with him and dad and all the tools, it made quite an impression on me. I have been very carefull with all my tools over the years and (thankfully) have had no serious injuries. A few times I have been careless or distracted and came very close to mishap.

Whenever I get to the point that I am not scared of my tools, I remember all the guys I have worked with that have terrible injuries with their equipment.

I'm glad you got away form that one with out major injury, Jerry.

[John Bridge]

I know I've mentioned it before, but it seems appropriate here. I blinded myself in the right eye using my radial arm saw several years ago. I now have a plastic lens and a pupil that will not pin point. Had the saftey glasses hanging on a nail not 4 feet from the tool.

Fortunately, it didn't ruin my good looks. :D

[Edited by John Bridge on 04-14-2002 at 07:11 PM]

[chip]

Glad to hear you are ok, and back working!!

Be carefull you guys.

All that can happen to me is a traffic accident, my ink pen springing a leak in my shirt pocket or getting my finger pinched in the shoe polish can when I'm polishing my wing tips.

Seriously though, you guys all need to be carefull.

Bri, the guy you mentioned loosing 3 fingers, was it a segmented blade?

Chip

[jlbos83]

1989, lost the end of a thumb in a power miter saw trying to cut a short piece of trim. Either slipped, or never had it out of the way to begin with. Nail looks a bit odd, but fortunately only ended up losing a little bit. Working too long and too fast, bad combination!

[cory carlson]

In my brief experience using power tools I go by a general rule. If I'm tired or in a hurry I put the tool down. Get some rest or get some help to alleviate the problem. So far so good. *wiggling all ten fingers*

[jlbos83]

Cory - We all know that (I think), it's the bit about putting it into practice that can be a challenge....things are going well, just get this one more piece in and that wall is done....etc., etc. I have to say that in the end I was really lucky. It could have easily been much, much worse. It is a good thing to remember it now and then, an excellent reminder!

[Rob Z]

About three years ago, I was using my sawzall at about face level. It kicked back and the blade (still on full recip mode) came about 1/4" from impacting one of my eyes. It still makes me queasy thinking how close I came to blinding myself in one eye.

[Sonnie Layne]

32 years ago, while building my first retail office project, getting the forms ready, I was holding the stake... the kid swinging the 12lb was home for the summer from Notre Dame where he was a secondary quarterback. Lost the end of my ring finger. Fortunately, on emergency duty at the hospital was a plastic surgeon! The other idiots were gonna cut it off. It looked like a grape someone had stepped on, he just kinda wadded it all up, threw 3 stitches right through the fingernail and sent me home. Miraculous how it all came back. His name was Kennedy, I'll always thank him for giving me a few more years on the guitar. 'Course I spent the rest of the summer at the drawing board.

5 years ago, sitting on top of a ladder, just pulled out the 2 1/2" nails from my gun, loaded up some 1 1/2", gun was resting on my thigh, pressed against my belly, you got it!!! Shot myself right in the gut! No fun boys... took 12 weeks to heal after the surgery. And no pain meds either for 24 hours after, the nail just barely rested against the peritineal lining. Had it been the longer nails, I woulda been in worse shape.

Now days I unplug the gun before loading.
Now days I don't hold the stake.
Now days I wouldn't even let YOU hold the stake!! :)