new found respect

[Duncan Potter]

Glad to hear it wasn't worse.

Every time I've hurt myself (thankfully not too badly yet) I've ignored the little voice in my head that's telling me to stop and think.

Always listen to the little voice.

[Bob Genovesi]

Because of doing battle with woodworking tools and loosing every time I think of how not to get hurt...

You'll heal but this time you were lucky...

Oh, did I mention that machines don't care????

[Jim Becker]

"Ouch". 'Hopefully, you'll heal fast and will find a way to clamp the workpiece more securely to avoid a similar injury in the future!

[Peter Quinn]

Sorry for your lesson and I wish you a speedy recovery. I have seen drills do some pretty nasty things to people over the years. My dad has a scar on his shoulder courtesy of a hole hog with a big auger that caught a knot drilling chases for wiring, I've watched a right angle drill throw a grown man across the room off a ladder, and I know a guy with less teeth than most thanks to a bad drill press set up. If it cuts wood it can cut flesh, and if it has a big motor that spins, it is not inherently safe.

Luckily we humans heal quite nicely in spite of our fragility. I hope this incident doesn't dissuade you from enjoying the pleasures of working wood.

[glenn bradley]

Heal fast. Glad it wasn't worse. Amazing how fast that happened, huh? I predict you will become an advocate for shop safety and help guide others toward the light .

Seriously, we all preach safety and practice it as well. I am trying in vain to think of a time I have had a boo-boo when following good safety practices and can't. I have gotten away with not following safe practices now and again. For that I can only be thankful and say "shame on me".

P.s. Cheaper than stitches: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachme...0&d=1178998854

[Jim Kountz]

Hope you heal fast, dont worry we've all been there in some capacity or another!!

[chris yount]

Sorry about your accident hope you heal quickly.
As others have said make sure you learn from your mistakes .It seems like those are some of life's best lessons.
My daughter started driving a few years ago and within the first couple of months she had a fenderbender.It wasnt her fault but I think a more experienced driver would have been able to avoid the accident.However the accident taught her more about safety and awareness in a few seconds than all my talking and her drivers ed classes did combined.
good luck,
Chris

[Rick Fisher]

Well, almost everyone has done something similar. Sounds like your beating yourself up over it, as you should.

I have never lost a digit but certainly offended many of them.

[Stephen Edwards]

Reminds me of a sign that a friend of mine has in his woodworking shop that says:

"Do not use remaining fingers as push sticks!"

I try to remember that sign every time I turn a tool on.

[Richard M. Wolfe]

A guy I used to work with said his uncle had an old horse that had a lots of dings and cuts it had picked up in its life as a result to encounters with barb wire fences, etc. He called them "smart marks". You have something you can use as a "smart mark".

(I'm in the process of 'cultivating' a hefty "smart mark" on my left thumb right now )

[David Keller NC]

One of the better avatars I've seen on this forum was someone with a photograph of a sign posted on a large machine tool that said something like "This Machine Has No Brain - Use Yours." Sort of trite, but I remember it everytime I walk into the shop.