Before you start........Do a SAfety Check

Gidday everyone :(

Well during my shed time this weekend I noticed myself doing the following things:

1. Tightening router bits with the foot of the base pushed against me guts while the power was on :eek:

2. With my Router Doing a full run on a piece of stock with an untightened Straight bit. :eek::eek::eek:

3. Not being aware of where power tool cords where when doing a run on some stock:eek:

Yup you guessed it I got A bit Complacent :mad:....................The result of all this!!! a slight scratch on the Right Thumb! :)

I WAS LUCKY!!!!!!!! & consider myself BLOCKHEAD OF THE WEEK!!!!! :(:(:(:(:(

PLease everyone!!!! the PRICE OF SAFETY IS ETERNAL VIGILANCE

I will never start another Shed session WITHOUT THINKING SAFETY & DOING A SAFETY CHECK FIRST!!!!!

Maybe we can use this POST as a SAFETY REMINDER FOR US ALL!!!

So if there are ant othr blockheads out there feel free to post YOUR SAFETY REMINDERS AND NEAR MISSES HERE!!!

(Feeling Lucky!) Regards Lou :o

Rule #1 always wear your thinking cap!

As a general rules in my workshop if your safety glass aint on or have loose clothing and uncovered foot wear... your not in my workspace, out you go!

My son had spent the early part of the afternoon waiting to be picked up by a friends parents to go swimming - they were late and we thought they were not coming.

They turned up and his young mate said the reason they were late was that his uncle (a chippie) put a circular saw through his left hand - took off a finger and parts of two other.

Last week I was breaking up concrete for my new basement workshop - using a sledgie - but I always wear safety glasses. hit some concrete and a chip bounced off the glasses on my right eye.

Yep you can never be too safe.

Cheers

I never go on site without my hard hat....Its built in see..:o

but seriously, I hardly do any work know without my yellow tinted safety glasses. The amount of times they have saved me (at home or work) is not funny at all. Only time I really take them off is to put the Bolle's on in the truck and when driving the excavator. The curvature of some safety glasses lenses seems to affect my ability to judge distance when operating machinery, which can be a little bit of a problem when digging up water mains, power, telephone, gas, Optusnet etc...Dial before you dig

A 4" angle grinder with the guard removed is about the most dangerous piece power tool you can own.

When freehand routing I try and always operate in plunge mode so as soon as I stop the bit is retracted, it makes things safer I reckon..and last but not least (except for the foily) is always make sure your trigger lock is off before powering up the belt sander...:D (tim the toolman trick)

Cheers

Spent 25 years in the international oil industry and had it beaten into me that safety came before everything else. It was a good company and they meant it. Within 6 months of retiring to my woodwork shop a moments lapse in concentration resulted in a buzzzed off finger top. Really got my attention. This machinery really doesn't care what you feed it. Wood or flesh - it's impartial. After that one (lucky) lapse, I'm now very vigilant. One interesting story maybe worth mentioning as a kind of "beware" example - I was cutting a marri plank on the table saw when it hit a hitten gum vein (in WA marri is often called "gummy" or red gum - it can have lots of gum pockets). Anyway, the brittle gum "exploded" into shrapnel shards - which came straight at my face - within (i.e., less than) the blink of an eye. Without my safety glasses - who knows. As my old company used to say - "safety is job 1".

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Originally Posted by vsquizz

The curvature of some safety glasses lenses seems to affect my ability to judge distance when operating machinery

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Mr Squizz, what are describing is negated by the use of good quality eyewear, here comes the free plug for my mate Doug Phillips who owns the sunglasses company Spotters.
Whilst very cheap eyewear uses a flat surface this will cause distortion, this can be overcome by applying what is called a six or eight base curve on the lens, this follows the contour of the eyeball and the distance between optics and eyeball is close to constant.
The negative aspect is the price, I have 3 pairs (I write his trade reviews for him) and they cost somewhere in the region of $300-400 a pair but, they are glass or CR39, photochromic and polarised.
Whilst optically Bolle are good unfortunately the lens are acrylic which gives them a very limited life, ie, they scratch very easily.
If you can find a well known brand of safety glasses I think you will find that the distortion will dissapear.

Iain, The Bolle dark safety glasses are fine for driving. With the Loader, excavator and Bobcat I wear the yellow shooting style safety glasses and exactly what you said; the lenses scratch way too easily. I find I can't wear dark glasses in the machines because it cuts my peripheral vision too much. The Bobcat is most dangerous when loading trucks as the dust, gravel, sand etc always ends up rolling off the top into your lap.

I'm generally spending about $30/month on safety glasses so maybe I should be looking around at something better. As I said some of the safety glasses seem to impair my ability to judge distance, most so when operating the excavator at full reach.

The Opto says my vision is fine.

Nice hijack though.

Cheers

Well, I spent two hours in the shed last night (too bloody hot in the day). Did not touch a power tool. Just a few hours sharpening and planing some boards square and cuttign them to size. Any safety concerns there? You wouldnt think so, but I managed to whack my hip on the bloody metal vise which hurt, and bruised, like buggery.

Squizzy,
I also use the Bolle safety sunnies. There are clear lense versions available also, and replacement lenses for all of them. Most shops won't tell you this when you come in to buy a fresh pair every few weeks :rolleyes: but they are available, they just snap in. I had a go at bobcat driving for a week, thought I might take it up to ease the pressure on my bad shoulder, but a week was enough to cure me :p . So I know what you mean about all the crap ending up on your lap.

Have a look at the Uvex safety goggles. They've got replaceable polycarbonate lenses and a silicone seal that moulds to your face. There's a vent that runs around them which works very well, I can wear them in the heat and humidity here without them fogging. They will keep almost everything out. We use them in the rural fire brigade, a different version with a red silicone seal and no vents. The lense on all models is curved and I haven't noticed any distortion. They were originally developed for the last gulf war. If you look at the news footage of the current mess in the middle east, you'll see the US soldiers wearing them. They're also extremely robust, I got an old lense (too scratched to use) and flogged it with my estwing on the concrete. Dented it all up but no cracks, so I'm pretty confident it will stop most things that tools or machinery spit out.

Mick

Just had an e-mail from my step-son in Kiwiland which said 'He was using and electric drill into aluminium and the bit broke and went into his thumb and out the other side.
'Obviously the bit was blunt otherwise he wouldn't have had to force it so much the bit broke and secondly he was obviously holding the work piece in his hand to be in the line of fire.
There are always multiple lessons in any accident.:(

It appears that most of us use safety glasses and ear protection, but an accident a few years ago encouraged me to add to that. I was lifting some heavy oak boards which had been machined to about 5' x 9"x6". I was holding one in the vertical and it slipped through my hands and dropped about 2' onto my left foot,,,wearing only trainers,, the result was very badly splintered hands and a very bruised big toe which had taken most of the fall.

I dont think Ive ever experienced pain like it in my life and even now when I think of it it makes me shudder.
Since then, I always wear steel protected footwear in the shop and cowhide gloves if Im moving any timber. Gloves come off when I use machinery though.
I also used to wear a heavy linked gold bracelette but noticed once how close the safety chain was hanging to the table saw blade,,,very worrying,, so that hasnt been worn since.
beejay1

http://community.webshots.com/user/eunos9

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Originally Posted by beejay1

and a very bruised big toe which had taken most of the fall.

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At this point you would have to assess the cost of medical treatment versus the price of a damaged board :D :D :D :D
incidentally, been there done that with a broken big toe, god that hurts :(

Quote:

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Originally Posted by journeyman Mick

Have a look at the Uvex safety goggles. They've got replaceable polycarbonate lenses and a silicone seal that moulds to your face. There's a vent that runs around them which works very well, I can wear them in the heat and humidity here without them fogging. They will keep almost everything out. We use them in the rural fire brigade, a different version with a red silicone seal and no vents. The lense on all models is curved and I haven't noticed any distortion. They were originally developed for the last gulf war. If you look at the news footage of the current mess in the middle east, you'll see the US soldiers wearing them. They're also extremely robust, I got an old lense (too scratched to use) and flogged it with my estwing on the concrete. Dented it all up but no cracks, so I'm pretty confident it will stop most things that tools or machinery spit out.

Mick

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There the ones I get at work, the "skyper" series.
With the heat and humidity we get at work they do fog, but its not your normal type enviroment... the clear lense's are good if you work under sodium vapour lights, I used to get very sore/dry eyes on night shifts until we changed to the skypers.

Wanting to pass the torch on ........................ Anyone up for bloackhead of the wEEK THIS WEEK?

reGARDS LoU :eek:

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Originally Posted by Iain

incidentally, been there done that with a broken big toe, god that hurts :(

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I'll see your broken toe and raise you a case of gout :D

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Originally Posted by AlexS

I'll see your broken toe and raise you a case of gout :D

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And Alex wins with a full foot :D

As i don't yet have a good dust collector I use a respirator (the type with the screw on filter cartridge) which works fine for dust but I have a big problem getting my glasses to stay in place at the same time, if you put the respiator on first the glasses wont sit properly and if glasses first the respirator wont seal.
Any body know any solutions.
Thanks Arch.

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Originally Posted by Munga

As i don't yet have a good dust collector I use a respirator (the type with the screw on filter cartridge) which works fine for dust but I have a big problem getting my glasses to stay in place at the same time, if you put the respiator on first the glasses wont sit properly and if glasses first the respirator wont seal.
Any body know any solutions.
Thanks Arch.

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Munga,
Throw away your current respirator and invest in a good quality powered respirator. Use the type with a hood and face shield in one, with a tube connecting to a small filtered air pump carried at the waist on a belt.

You don't have to worry about leakage where your glasses poke through to your ears as the positive pressure inside the hood prevents the dust coming in. Also the vision is better as they normally have a very wide visor. And best of all they are cooler to wear in summer as the air blowing over your face sort of keeps you cool.

They are NOT cheap but you get what you pay for.

I personally use a 3M Dust Master which is in the upper end of the market at about $600. Some of the members use a Triton brand at about $200 to $300 ??? but as said you get what you pay for. The Triton is renown for problems with their canister filter box (low air flow) and the stiffness of the air delivery tube not allowing easy head movements. Both versions use NiCad rechargeable batteries.

Wasn't there a post recently on a new hose for the Triton, and they were replacing the 'old' stiff ones?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Iain

Wasn't there a post recently on a new hose for the Triton, and they were replacing the 'old' stiff ones?

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I've heard mixed reactions on that, some say it"s great, others have said it"s no better. Still hear problems re air flow and the seal around the filter box. That thread is probably the longest ever thread I ever seen!!! and still going

In the end, I won't use that product. Triton are experts at saws & tables & routers & many other tools. Respiratory protection is a specialist field where the user doesn't get a second chance. By the time you realise that there is a problem, it"s too late.

I'll stick with my Dust Master. Never been a problem and they don't need to keep coming up with fixes - nothing goes wrong - touch wood

Mark,

The Dust Master is a bit out of my league at the moment but has been put on the wish list I went of the Triton after hearing alot of negative feeback.
Thanks Arch.

Re the Safety Check. I agree with wearing safety glasses all the time. I even do the weeding with them on. Hate getting dirt etc in my eyes. My other big rule is no alcohol until the power tools etc are packed away.

Does this count as a blockhead contender?
A friend gave me a 20 year old semi-industrial drop saw/table saw, the German brand, where flipping it over turns it into another type of tool. I got my wakeup call with this tool, not once, but twice, and on the same finger each time. First time - nerve damage in the finger tip from being squashed, second time - where'd that fingernail go??? third time - I don't use that tool anymore, I like my finger (and nail) exactly where they are now. Ah well, Definitely learnt that lesson!

Cheers
Wendy

I was making a small turning lathe that I use to turn fishing rods that I have made with epoxy. I had installed a small electric 240v motor and had made a nice cover box. As I was assembling the box I accidentally dropped a screw down into the box. As the length of the item negated me flipping it over and dropping the screw out I got a magnetic tip screwdriver out and started fishing for the offending screw, all of a sudden I was in darkness. I had accidentally hit a live wire coming from the back of the engine and knocked it loose causing the screwdriver to use me as an earth - thank god for circuit breakers in the shed. I now check and re-check that I have unplugged all electrical components before continuing. I class this as a blockhead act and have not done it again...

Cheers

Kris

Gidday Everyone ;)

So!!!....................Whats your Hardluck story over the Easter break shed time ??? anyone have any near misses????

Who will be blockhead of the Week this week?

:(:(:(

REmember THE PRICE OF SAFETY IS ETERNAL VIGILANCE!!!!

BE SAFE Regards Lou

"Yesterday" While I was in the shed, I thought I would give the blade on my 151 spokeshave a sharpen, anyway to cut a long story short the spokeshave ended up falling to the ground and now its in two pieces. :eek: it was all going well up until then!! :D

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Originally Posted by NewLou

anyone have any near misses????

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Saw the missus coming down the road and just managed to get out before she wanted something done, that was a very close call :D :D :D

Heres one from Lefty:eek:

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=17067

Yikes! you gotta be more careful Lefty!!!!.....................This efforts earn't you BlockHead of the Week!!!!

Safe Woodworking Everyone

REgards Lou ;)

Anyone had any near misses lately ??


I've been sealing and strengthening the edges of some MDF I've been using to make a few raiser blocks with some EPOXY RESIN! I stuffed one application up but discovered the 5 minute epoxy haden't quite cured so managed to lift it enough to start peeling it off with a chisel.

I was managing to easily peel the epoxy off untill it started to snap into shards just missing my left eye !!!!!!!!!.....................Whew!!! and as always was the first time ever I haden't put any safety glasses on!!!! :eek:

.................I got complacent cause I didn't really associate a finishing Job with Danger DOH!!!!!


...........................Always learning leasons in woodwork this time almost the hard way!!!!


Now I got me glasses stashed so that they get put on as soon as I walk in the Shed!!!!!!


REgards Lou

Everybody is talking about safety glasses - what about a face shield? I got mine from Bunnings and it covers my whole face protecting not only my eyes but nose, mouth, cheeks etc. Costs about $32 so cheap to replace when all scratched. No fogging problems. I use it for chainsawing, whipper snipping and any other workshop uses except when dust is involved when I wear the Trend.

Any reason why safety goggles would be safer than the face shield???
Don

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Originally Posted by Don Nethercott

Everybody is talking about safety glasses - what about a face shield? I got mine from Bunnings and it covers my whole face protecting not only my eyes but nose, mouth, cheeks etc. Costs about $32 so cheap to replace when all scratched. No fogging problems. I use it for chainsawing, whipper snipping and any other workshop uses except when dust is involved when I wear the Trend.

Any reason why safety goggles would be safer than the face shield???
Don

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I find the face shield much more convenient & comfortable than wearing safety glasses over regular glasses.

OK, I vote for ME as Blockhead of the Week.

Using my Mk 3 Triton in TS mode. Just finished cutting some thin ply, so had the riving knife set close to the blade, which was only around 10mm above the table. Then raised the blade to cut some thicker stock. On with the power, LOUD metallic noises and tungsten tips from a near-new blade flying all over the shed!

Dickhead hadn't moved the riving knife back! Now have a modified riving knife - has a nice slot in it's base, coincidentally just a saw blade thick!

Extra lucky for me, none of the flying tungsten teeth thingys got me!

Probably a good thing, now I check EVERYTHING TWICE before applying the power.

YUP!!!

Your a worthy Blockhead Eddie!!!! :D;):)

I'll hand the torch to you....................N thx for a great POST!!! you never know!!!..........you might just save someone else from making the same mistake!!!!!!

OH Yeah...........N welcome to The Aussie Woodwork Forums!!!!!

REgards Lou:eek:

I thought the riving knife assembly was alooominum???

After taking a gob full a saw dust last week and coughing my clacker up I thought I'd better reclaim the Blockhead of the week award!!!

After not long getting off the smokes I've discovered a new found respect for my Lungs. I've never got the cheapie face masks to work well So I got a proper filtermask that tightly fits round me Gob!!

THis thing is excellent (See Pics) & I haven't so much as smelt sawdust since I began using it. Ya feel a bit like Darth Vader at first but once you get used to it shes no worries. She gets a bit hot and sweaty but other than that thumbs up!!!

....................Best purchase under $50 I've made this year!!!!!

REgards Lou

I reckon my mate's next door neighbour is a contender for blockhead of the decade. A few years back he was doing some renovations on his house. One of the tasks to be completed was putting a door through a wall where no door had been before. He removed the cladding where the new door was to go, thus revealing the wall frame beneath. Some of the framing needed to be removed to make way for the door but this bloke didn't have what he thought would be an appropriate saw for the job. He decided he wouldn't let that stop him and proceeded to remove the guard from his angle grinder and fitted a circular saw blade in place of the grinding disk. He fired up the angle grinder/circular saw and started cutting. While holding his "homemade saw" above his head to complete a cut the circular saw blade "grabbed" in the timber frame and the angle grinder kicked towards him. The circular saw blade ended up buried in his forehead. The bloke lived but he wasn't good for a long time. I never heard whether he ended up completing his renovation.

G'Day All,

NewLou, have to agree with you, I have the exact same mask and use it for any dusty work (started with it for spray painting). As for the power tools I have seen what a router with a medium roman edge bit can do to a hand (my Dads), he changed the depth of cut and got distracted and forgot to tighted the collar (old B & D), when he put pressure on it the motor jumped out and twisted towards him, instinct took over and he put his hands up to protect himself and opened up the palm of his hand top to bottom. When needed to change a bit in my router I unplug it as the face of my Dad is flashed in my mind!.....:eek:
savage(Eric):)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Iain

At this point you would have to assess the cost of medical treatment versus the price of a damaged board :D :D :D :D
incidentally, been there done that with a broken big toe, god that hurts :(

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I'll raise you one, broke the toe next to the little toe (was out 45degrees) walking accross the decking frame while not paying attention. The fact the back couldv'e been done too as I landed in between the joists on my back was a different story.

I thought I was in pain when I was at home, when the doctor at the hospital tried to straighten it, the only thing that stopped me from beating him to death was that I was to fixated on putting my palm print on the chair arm :)

Remember, it only hurts while the pain is there !

Andrew

Reminds me of my li'l bro when he was doing his fridgie apprenticeship. He was servicing a factory roof-top system when he decided to check the duct-work... and stepped out onto the ceiling lining.

Fell some 20 odd feet and landed astride one of those concrete filled pipes they use as dividers. Severe testicular damage and severed the urethra, after 15 odd years he still can't take a leak like a normal bloke, but the doc said he was lucky; another few inches and he'd be a para. But in the hossie, every time someone dropped in for a visit he'd throw the sheets aside and proudly show off his grapefruits. Literally! Enough to make any black man jealous. :D

He ain't dead but he has removed himself from the gene pool... does this mean he qualifies for the Darwin award? :rolleyes:

Oh No!!!:eek:

Today I way crosscutting on the SCMS and thought her she could Rip!!! I got some stock bout 25cm long all confident thinking yer shes a sharp blade................

Lined her up bout 1mm tolerance either side n thought &&&& this is iffy!! If I stuff up here I'm gonna loose a finger or hand!!! I dropped the saw and whoosh Kickback!!!

*$^#%#*$^ my pants counted my finders n hands WHEW! all there!!

I WAS @#$%@# LUCKY!!!

The point being trust your instincts!!! I was willing to risk it today! My fingers, my hands! all to get a quick cut done!!!!

NEVER EVER EVER AGAIN!!.......................PASS me the torch I'm officially


BLOCK HEAD OF THE WEEK!!!!


Regards Luckylou2U:o:o:o

Mate, you have had the torch so often, you might as well keep it for good. I dont want it!!!http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ons/icon10.gifhttp://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ons/icon10.gifhttp://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ons/icon10.gif