A note about fellow turner Nate Hawkes and another warning

[Thom Sturgill]

Nate, glad to hear you are recovering. I have my own battle scars, mostly from sharp chisels used too casually, but one from a table saw. Mostly from not quitting when I knew I was overheated and not thinking clearly. I applaud the decision to get a saw-stop. If I hadn't been sucked into this vortex so strong, I would be thinking the same.

[Ted Evans]

Wishing Nate a speedy recovery and thanking God that it was not worse than it is.

[Bill Bolen]

Glad to see you are healing well. I've got to admit that the photo's sent a chill down my back. The first thing I did when I hit the shop this morning was put the guard back on my TS! Thanks for a post and a story that might have saved me from the same fate. Quite the wake up post...Bill..

[Nathan Hawkes]

Thanks everyone. I hope I didn't offend anyone with the pics, but I'm kinda glad to send shivers; you should've seen it when the splintered bones were sticking out!! I hope that I can keep a few people from having an accident; even when you're careful, things can happen. Just Thursday, one of our turning club members lost part of the tip of a finger from a kickback crushing it; the damage couldn't be repaired. Board buddies or at the least multiple featherboards should be a must at all times, no matter whether you're using a push stick. Hindsight is always 20/20.

[Matt Ranum]

Glad to hear you are healing better than expected. Thats scary stuff when it happens. When I was 18 I worked in a cannery and put 2 of the fingers on my right hand where they weren't suppose to be. Just being stupid, dumb, and ignorant. 40+ stitches, 2 broken bones and a shredded tendon later, I was on my way to recovery. Ever since then I get very safety conscious. Lots of my equipment is old and without any guards but I am still very very careful around them.

Good luck on your recovery and hope to see you back in the saddle soon.

[Matt Ranum]

Thanks everyone. I hope I didn't offend anyone with the pics, but I'm kinda glad to send shivers; you should've seen it when the splintered bones were sticking out!! I hope that I can keep a few people from having an accident; even when you're careful, things can happen. Just Thursday, one of our turning club members lost part of the tip of a finger from a kickback crushing it; the damage couldn't be repaired. Board buddies or at the least multiple featherboards should be a must at all times, no matter whether you're using a push stick. Hindsight is always 20/20.

I'm a firm believer in board buddies.

[Rich Aldrich]

Nate,

I missed this thread and had been wondering where you were. Sorry to hear about your accident and hope your recovery is going well.

[Jon Finch]

Glad you're feeling better now. You should keep that pushblock (along with the doctor's bill and a bandaged hand photo) in a framed shadow box as a reminder. You can show your grandkids the scar on your finger and the stick that helped cause it.

^
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---- cut a couple fingernails clean off his hand last weekend (non-woodworking accident, but still could have been easily avoidable)

[steven carter]

Nate,

I hope the surgery goes excepitonally well. Wishing you a full and speedy recovery.

Steve