new found respect

[Jason Whitaker]

As a newbie to this site and woodworking in general Ihave really developed a quick love for this wonderful activity. after yesterday, I now have a much healthier respect for the dangers associated with it. Not to be too gruesome, I was drilling a 3 1/8 inch hole with a forstner bit (didnt even know what that was until I came to this site.) and had it grag the wood and pulled it right into my hand. (wont even go into how many KNOWN safetly precautions I disregarded in the hopes of finishing something a little quicker.).

5 hours and 10 stitches later my body is sore but ego is bruised even worse. I fully have respect for you all and the information you have to share with someone like myself. I know will take a little more time to understand the safety and respect it as I now realize you do not provide it for no reason.....rather to keep incidents like this from happening.

hope everyone is having a nice weekend and finishing some great projects.

[Myk Rian]

Glad it wasn't any worse.
You can never have too many clamps.

[Bryan Berguson]

Jason,

Thanks for sharing about your accident and I hope you heal quickly. Large drill bits look like safe tools don't they! I was drilling a hole with 4" hole saw from a ladder about 15' in the air... I was lucky when the saw caught, all I did was sprain my thumb. Stupid thing almost knocked me off the ladder.

You got one of those lessons (many of us get) you'll never forget!

Bryan

[Craig T. Smith]

Jason, Glad you're O.K. I's real easy to forget safety when you' in a rush. Try to get in the habit of being safety minded when things are relaxed in the shop then when you are in a rush it will come back to you . Welcome to the creek. Happy woodworking, Craig

[Thomas Knighton]

Look at it this way: It's better to learn from a small accident than a big one. I'm glad to hear you're relatively OK. Stitches can leave a scar as a reminder to be careful. The important thing is that you went to bed with the same number of body parts you woke up with

Tom

[Don Morris]

As you watch the posts on this forum you will notice the threads often with many replys are to those like yours: safety related. We're all interested in it. As soon as I see one I read it to remind myself or see what safety mistake was made so I don't make it myself. All of us have made mistakes as we have learned our skills. My shop all though just a serious amateurs, has a lot of money invested in safety equipment and devices. My son and I who use the shop vow to always practice the best safety we know how. Glad you weren't hurt worse than you were! If your in the middle of a procedure and think it looks even a bit of "unsafe"...stop. Figure out a way to make it safer. I've done that a lot. Glad I did. The times I didn't...I wish I hadn't gone forward. The hurrier I go, the behinder (or hurt) I get.

[Ted Shrader]

Jason -

Glad you experience was no more severe than it was. Let it be that, a learning experience.

Clamps are a good thing, and time is a tool also.

Heal up quick and "get back on the horse".

Regards,
Ted

[Shawn Christ]

Jason, I'm ashamed to admit I've done the same thing not too long ago in the interest of time. Good post and good reminder for all us. Glad you'll be alright.

I too am relatively new to woodworking and also this forum. The Creek is a beautiful thing - many wonderful people here. I've learned so much. Welcome aboard, and enjoy your new hobby!

[Eric DeSilva]

Your story reminded me of a friend in the HVAC biz. He was working with a new guy on the smallish size, and left him to drill a hole with an industrial 1/2" drill through a concrete foundation. Said he walked back to the truck, picked up some stuff, and was headed back towards the side of the house where they were working and heard the drill seize. The next thing he saw was his partner flying over a bush...

[Joe Scharle]

Fifty some year ago, my uncle introduced me to his cabinet shop. As we stood at the door looking out over all the big tools he said to me. "Boy, I know you've been to the circus and do you remember the tigers in the cage?". I nodded and then he said, "This is our tiger cage, watch out for 'em"

[Rick Lucrezi]

These stories seem to bring out the one ups so please understand first that is not my intention here. I just mean to share how it happens to all of us and how quick things go from good to bad.
Im a contractor who builds houses for a living. I was over the water closet drilling 2 inch holes with a wood hog. Thats basicly a a large grinder with a forstner bit. It drills very quickly. Any way the guy who nailed in the backing used two #7 nails instead of 4 #16s, so as I was drilling overhead and that with my combined weight the backer gave out and I fell through to the ground. Knocked the wind out of me so it took a second to realze that as I fell my hand was still on the trigger and my other hand caught the bit and the bit went through my hand. I still have all my fingers but there is no feeling in my index finger anymore, and most of us know how much we rely on touch to check our work. It can happen to anyone. Some day I will tell you about how my thumb was cut "off" on my left hand. Comes with pics too.

[Norman Pyles]

Glad to hear your going to be ok, Jasen. I was telling a friend of mine this week,that my shop is full of tools that will cut your arm off and then spit it back at you. Hope everyone here has a safe Christmas.

[Dewey Torres]

Jason,
Please consider your next project might be a drill dress table with hold downs like these (look all the way through the thread for more ideas):

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...ll+press+table

You can crank this out in one day easy and it will last a long time...oh and you will work quicker with it which is what got you in trouble in this case.

[Sonny Edmonds]

...and then think again.
I will often "walk through" something I'm about to do, just to see if I can see anything that might happen during the actual operation I want to do.
My background and numerous safety meetings have taught me to be aware of what could happen beyond what is actually happening.
Like watching out for hand traps, if this grabs what is going to happen, and never put you hand between a rock and a hard place.

This time it wasn't too terrible bad. But next time could be a finger, or worse.
While you are healing up, think, then think again.
Your most valuable tool is that one between your ears.
Now then, I recommend some egg nog for medicinal purposes. Well spiked egg nog.
Heal fast!

[David DeCristoforo]

There's nothing like getting smacked down to wake you up to the dangers. Sometimes a "near miss" or a "not too bad" injury can have a very positive long term effect. Also, these incidents are great for unleashing an bunch of "you think that's bad, check out what happened to this guy" stories. Makes for some great light reading on a Saturday afternoon...