Warning.....Graphic Pics

[jerry cousins]

thanks for the reminder - sorry it happened. heal up quick.

jerry

[Mike Cutler]

Oh man, I know "ouch" has been overused in this thread, but ouch.

Thank you for the courage to post these pictures.It takes a rare person to admit to the world that they made an error, in the hopes that others would learn and benefit from it.

Those pictures could have been those of just about anyone involved in woodworking. Most notably mine.
I tend to work really close on the router table, and take advantage of my size, but your post clearly demonstrates that this is an illfounded comfort.

It looks like I'll be making alot more ZCI's for the router fence, and some new sleds.

Thank You for the pictures and painful object lesson. Heal quickly, and get back to it when you're ready.

[Jim Ketron]

Hope you feel better soon Shelley! sorry about the delay I don't come on this side of the forum much!

[John Hart]

Shelley...I saw this this morning and just cringed. The router is the tool in my shop that I have the most respect for and you've shown exactly why. Please heal quickly!

[Keith Christopher]

Shelly,

As everyone here sorry to hear about your accident. I'm glad it was not worse (as I am sure you are) But I think this is not a what did I do wrong post as a "I -like most of you- am a seasoned WWer and just a reminder to keep doing things safely." My brother's brother in law works in a cabinet shop and his hand recently fought with a TS blade and 48 external and like 70 internal sutures later he's barely moving his thumb.

Ahh that little voice, the same one that says walk away from the craps table, I pray I always listen to mine.


I hope a speedy recovery !


Keith

[Shelley Bolster]

I really want to thank everyone for the well wishes, understanding and above all resisting the urge to say the obvious...STUPID STUPID STUPID!

Unlike the reason behind many shop accidents, this had nothing to do with inexperience or ignorance. If anything, the opposite could be a contributing factor.......perhaps a little too much familiarity......it is nothing for me to spend 50 hours a week in the shop. This was not a "beginners" mistake by one made by someone who knows better. I broke probably what could/should be considered the Cardinal Rule.......if it doesn't feel right, then don't do it. This did not feel right from the get go but instead of taking the time to "make it feel right", I went ahead with it anyways.....that is where STUPID comes in.

I really need to clarify that I was NOT making the cope/end cut. That was done to begin with using wider boards and ripping them down to the one inch widths after the cope was made. I also made an auxiliary fence for that cut and used both the miter gage and a sacrificial block.

The bit that did the damage (Killer) was the duel bit that milled both the stick profile and rabbit along the edges the rails and stiles (frame) of the window. With the outer parts there really isn't an issue because the pieces are 1 3/8" thick and usually at least 2" wide. The problem occurs when milling the decorative stick profile in the sash bars (the vertical divider pieces) and the muntins. (the smaller horizontal pieces) These pieces are all only 7/8" thick (unless you choose to make a true "pane window") and quite narrow in width.

Strange thing, the muntins I was working on when I got "grabbed" is perfectly fine.....no gouge and the milling was complete. I still can not say for sure what happened.......it truly happened in a split second

Anyways, I ventured into the shop today with this "plan" that I have been thinking about since the accident and because the whole reason behind my post was to give a heads up to others.....thought i would share with you what I came up with..........works like a charm. I finished the muntins today without a problem. Oh yeah, I am a little gun shy to say the least but I really needed to get back out there before I couldn't. And no.......I am not supposed to be working with them at all yet, but an hour here and there can't hurt and I am going nuts sitting here!

Below are the push sticks/jigs/sleds....whatever you choose to call them.......they are simple to make and they work! It enables you to keep pressure against the fence/bit, keep the pieces held down on the table and because of the little glue block at the end, works as a push block.



This is what they look like once together....I made two - one with a stop for pushing and the other with a through rabbit to use in the right hand for longer pieces (to control the front)



The picture below also the coping bit.......a much safer looking creature.

[John Daugherty]

My one and hopefully only major blood letting happened on the router table. A trip to the ER and being told “we don’t sew up flaps” made me kind of anal about safety.

[David Duke]

Shelly, first off thanks for posting the pics of your mishap, it serves as a reminder to all of us what can happen when we don't think things through and as you said if it don't feel right its time to rethink the process. Secondly and most important is that I wish you a speedy recovery.

I haven't made many mutin cuts but the procedure I used worked very well for me and "felt" right also. What I did was when making all the cope cuts on the rails and mutins I ran a cope cut on the long side of a piece of scrap material the same thickness of my rails/stiles and as long as my longest mutin, then I cut the profile cut down one side of an extra wide piece of mutin stock, trim to final width, then "bury" the profile into the scrap piece that has the coped profile, this will hold the piece securly while you route the profile on the other side.

[Peter Pedisich]

Shelley,

Thanks for sharing the pics, they are part of my woodworking education.

I wish you a speedy and comfortable recovery.

Pete

[Anthony Anderson]

Shelley,

Thank you so much for posting the pictures. I, as most others, cringed when I saw your pictures, and felt your pain. I planned on purchasing these bits in the near future, and I can see your accident happening to me. I will make, and use your muttin guide blocks. Thank you for allowing me to learn from your accident. I will certainly listen to that voice in my head when it tells me "it doesn't feel right". I will also print off a couple of pictures and hang them in the shop, so I will have a constant reminder when I don't want to listen to that "little voice". I wish you a speedy recovery. Sincerely, Bill

[Andrew Ault]

Ouch!

Thanks for sharing your experience. I hope it will help me (and others) keep learning to work safely and to be conscious and careful.

Heal quickly and well!

[Howie French]

Shelley,

I really appreciate your posting, this serves as a reminder on just how dangerous woodworking tools can be. Their use should not be taken lightly.

I wish you the very best in your recovery.

Howie

[Barry O'Mahony]

Thanks much for the graphic reminder to be safe, AND the designs for the sleds/push sticks. 'next time I think I'll save a little time by not bothering putting together a jig or fixture, I'll think again ...

BTW, one thing to watch out for is as the healing progresses in a couple of weeks, the stitches can get real, real painful. This is just due to things growing out, and stretching the stitches (which actually stetches the skin they're attached to!). If it seems like this is happening, don't hesitate to visit the doctor; a few quick snips can instantly make the pain go away (speaking from experience).

[Rod Upfold]

I did two finger last summer with a cove bit...they stitched one finger and said the other one was beyond stitching and will have to heal on it's own. People asked me if it hurt when the router bit me - nope.

But now I know when I hit my finger tips on something...they are quite sensitive.

[Joe Unni]

Ouch!!

Point well taken and so noted!

Thanks for the reminder.

Shelley - Heal fast and feel better.

-joe