plate jointer accident

[spartacus]

Just a friendly reminder about safety. We all know to wear safety glasses, ear plugs and the like. Here is one that I forgot last Wednesday...

Don't work when you are too tired.

I was in the shop about 14 hours on Monday, 14 hours on Tuesday and about 7 p.m. on Wednesday the plate jointer took a bite out of my left hand. The weather is nice and I wanted to get some stuff done, but long hours make for absent minds. I was going to biscuit joint a few pieces for an up coming dresser and let them dry over night. I didn't drop the guide down on the jointer (I had just taken it out of the case) had my left hand in front holding the piece down and had just hit the trigger when I thought, "I need to clamp this to the table..." BAM. Took a hunk out of my left hand in the palm right below the thumb. Luckily (at least the doctor said) it was wide but not deep. One trip to the ER, three stiches and three days worth of pain killers and I was home again. Instead of waiting till the next day I now have to wait 7-10 days. The good news...my wife never once said "I told you that..." With Halloween coming maybe I can incorporate it into my costume somehow, who knows. All in all I think I am more mad that it actually happened. My pride is a little wounded.

But I am sure no one else has ever felt this way...

[desperry]

OUCH ! ! ! !

I have learned (the hard way) that being tired and power tools (especially sharp ones) do not mix well. I haven't had a trip to the ER yet, but I have had to make more than one extra trip to the hardwoods store to buy replacements for workpieces that I suddenly turned into firewood.

[casketman]

pictures would be nice.:)

[Breaddrink]

Yes, we are very very sorry about it, but get some pictures!

Rob.

[TDHofstetter]

That IS a tough lesson to pound through our tired noodles - not to work tired.

I've narrowly escaped some bloody ones when I was tired, touching live cutting edges at speed with BARELY the surface of my skin - table saw blades, jointer knives, and a router bit once. The jointer took off the barest of layers of skin; the others only enough to feel & remind myself DON'T DO THAT AGAIN, GROGNOGGIN! :)

-- Tim --

Veni, vidi, vici
I came, I saw, I hammered.

:)

[arcticfox46]

J.D.

As gorry as is sounds and as much as we hate those stories, THANK YOU for posting.

This IS a dangerous hobby - and we will ALWAYS need the reminders

Thank you,

[a144ishere]

Thanks for posting and sharing the reminder.

I have at times become complacent with the biscuit jointer. Not letting it get up to full speed before cutting the slot - resulting in slight kickback. At times I have to tell myself to slow down and not rush!

[bretwalda]

no ailments yet but I've wasted alot of wood that way.

I once fell asleep working on the car! :) Woke up underneath on my creaper.

Hope you feel better.

[cabinetman]

It's hard to envision having an accident with a biscuit jointer. But, Murphy is always right. I've always asked myself "How can what I'm doing hurt me?" I know I sound like a school shop teacher, but those accidents are quick. You've got the project or procedure on your mind, not safety. Some machining processes take on their own set of rules when putting them in motion. At time the obvious isn't. As "Norm" says "Read, understand and follow all the safety and operating rules that come with your tool". You're lucky you weren't hurt too bad, but consider it a wake up call.
:)
:)
:)
"I'M NEVER WRONG - BUT I'M NOT ALWAYS RIGHT"

[BradTheNailer]

I can only remember have 2 accidents drawing blood in recent memory and both times it was with my biscuit jointer. Both times it was a small piece of wood and both times I didn't have the wood clamped down, I was holding it to the bench with my free hand.
It won't happen a third time...them plate jointers bite, and bite hard! x(

"I just don't understand...
I've cut it three times and it's still too short!"

[link:www.mgsawmill.com|M&G Sawmill]. Makers of the finest sawdust in Texas.
Oh, did I mention we have hardwood as well?

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