Wearing gloves?

[Craig Colvin]

Do any of you wear gloves when turning?

One of the members in my woodshop insists on wearing gloves when turning. He claims that when roughing the chips flying back are hurting the backside of his hand and the gloves prevent that.

We have a policy of "no gloves" allowed in the shop but he's claiming that a lot of turners wear gloves and that he needs to wear them. Before kicking him out over this issue I just wanted to get some feedback from some other turners and make sure that I'm doing the right thing here.

Do you wear gloves when turning?

[Dave Wimmer]

I know some turners do wear a glove on the left hand (right handed turner). I don't like the idea. I am afraid the glove might get caught in the gap between the work and the tool rest. If the chips are hitting your hand, a slight adjustment of the tool or rest will often take care of it.

[Andy Hoyt]

I wear tight fitting semi-insulated gloves on both hands when roughing bowls. It's not that the chips hit my hands (they do); but rather that those chips are amazingly hot and thusly become a significant distraction.

EDIT: After reading subsequent posts, I felt encumbered to add that mine are fingerless as well; it's only when roughing the exterior; and on both hands as I often switch hit and because it somehow feels more balanced. But they come off asap because there is also a loss of "feel" when they're on.

[Mark Cothren]

I wear a snug-fitting glove w/o fingers on my left hand when roughing. It shields from the chips and it insulates the pad of my hand from the tool rest. I like that feature a lot when it's 50-degrees in the shop...

[Travis Stinson]

I wear a snug fitting Mechanix glove on my left hand. (Never have to worry about glueing my fingers to a blank with CA! )

[Steve Clardy]

I use a snug fitting leather glove on my left hand. [ I'm a righty]
Keeps the heat off my fingers.

[Kent Cori]

I wear bicycling gloves on both hands. They are tight fitting and have no fingertips. They have a gel padded palm which helps greatly with vibration. I use them for sanding with power sanders as well.

[Bill Stevener]

This Question has been asked several times.

One way to look at it is -- a wood lathe, with respect, is about, or similar to a drill press, only it runs horizontal.

OSHA, an origination, which I do not believe in everything they come up with, has had some good input, with the safety respect, in the working environment.

I look at wearing gloves while working on a lathe,( when it's running) the same as a drill press. I have posted this before -- OSHA imposes a $500.00 personal fine on one, if observed wearing gloves while operating a drill press. Now of course, this is in the work force. What you do in your home shop, is up to you. However, I am now retired from working within the construction industry and still have all ten I came into this world with.

I have seen some pretty ugly accidents with folks that insist on wearing gloves while operating rotating equipment.

I like to turn with all ten, and do not wear gloves. On the other hand, I don't wear pink ties ether.

Bill.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

[Dave Mcintire]

No gloves here. There is a guy on the Eastern Shore (of Virginia) who sells a glove with a Velcro (I think) pad on the palm to hold sandpaper, thats the closest I ever heard of. Just out of curiosity, I'm old enough to remember those old safety books that say not to wear a necktie when running the lathe, I'm sure most of you turners wear ties to go with your Tux when turning.

[Carole Valentine]

No gloves at the lathe or drill press. Ever. Growing up on a farm, I have seen what a spinning piece of machinery can do to a person when it catches a piece of clothing, a glove or hair. It's not pretty. And it can happen easier than you think. OSHA imposes the fine for a reason.

[Carole Valentine]

No gloves here. There is a guy on the Eastern Shore (of Virginia) who sells a glove with a Velcro (I think) pad on the palm to hold sandpaper, thats the closest I ever heard of.

That would be Bruce Hoover.

[Dennis Peacock]

I use a snug fitting leather glove on my left hand as I am right handed. Since I started wearing a fingerless glove, at least my hand it protected from the chips that used to make my hand bloody on the outside edge of my hand. So, yes....I wear a glove while turning, but I'm real careful to not get it caught in the lathe.

[Wolf Kiessling]

I'm right handed and wear a welders glove, sometimes a carver's glove, on my left hand when roughing. It certainly protects the outside edge of the hand.

[John Hart]

I was working on my first Natural Edge turning a few weeks ago. I was sanding and my hand slipped because of the arc of the piece, into the natural edge and caught my finger. My reaction time was good and I just bled a lot.

That night, I asked the same question that you're asking Craig.

If I had been wearing a glove, it probably would have caught the glove. At 400 RPM and 3 HP, maybe it would have just torn the glove off my hand...maybe not. Still wondering.

[tod evans]

no gloves here