Just got back in the shop after a month+ off after deeply slicing my right thumb on a kitchen mandolin on Christmas day. Was making a chaotic cutting board as a gift for friends who had invited us down to Fl for a holiday. No matter how light a 'cut' on the drum sander, I always end up with burn marks that take forever to sand out with a ROS while trying not to scallop the top. So instead, I opted for the planer. I had previously done this by gluing on sacrificial board around it to avoid tear-out on the end grain. My process was to glue on the end boarder and sacrificial end, then rip the sides square then do the sides. Well, the Sunday before we were to leave (Wednesday) I had glued on the ends but I had left them too proud. So back to the table saw holding the board vertically to slice off most of the excess. Ran it through with no problem, remember looking down at the thin slice I took off and then don't remember what happened until I was hopping around the shop with blood spurting out of my left index finger like a super soaker and sreaming F$&%*&, F*&%, F%*&^*& YOU STUPID A.H. going over to the sink and wrapping it in a blue shop towel.
Now my wife's upstairs and she's used to hearing these expletives. Usually (far to often) when I've cut to short, glued something out of square, tightened the vice on my finger instead of the wood or sharpened my finger along with the blade I was working on. Well this time she knew it was a little more serious so she bounded down and asked "are you alright?" I'm still apologizing for my answer. So drove myself to Urgent Care. While there my wife calls and she says she found the tip on the floor, "do I want it?" So she drives it to me, meanwhile U.C. says they can't help, go to E.R. I wait a few minutes for my wife and she arrives with the tip in a jar and tells me she was so grossed out that she had to pick it up with a pair of pliers. Drove off to E.R. where they said tip not salvageable, took Xrays, bandaged it without cleaning, prescribed antibiotics and pain pills and "call the Dr. in the morning".
So not knowing what was happening next and would I make it to Fl, I went on the assumption I'd still make it so on the way home (bout 1 or 3? P.M.) I called on our good friend, PhilS and asked if he had an hour or two to finish the project. Of course he was more than willing, wouldn't have me drive down with the parts but came to my home and picked them up. Said he'd have it back by Tuesday so I could make my Wednesday flight. Well, on Monday he shows up with it done - and done well- all finish sanded ready for me to finish it which was easy, even one handed. We had a beer and shot a game of pool - me using my wrist as a bridge. Thanks again Phil!
Luckily because of my Chrismas incicdent I had already made the acquaintance of a great orthepedic hand surgeon, Erica Taylor, (can't recommend her enough) and she saw me Monday and scheduled surgery for Wednesday. Moved my flight forward a day before going under the knife. The cut was about a third to half way down my nail and caught some bone. (cut was somewhat jagged - next time I'll use a cross cut blade). After cleaning out the bone fragments she used a product meant for skin grafts called Integra over the tip with the hope of growing an new epidermas. Surgery and follow up went better than I expected and I should be back juggling sharp objects in a little over a month.
I wonder what I've learned. Still not sure what happened. I certainly wasn't reaching for the scrap as I would never do that with my bare hand. The blade was probably a half inch too high because I didn't lower it after using a sled. I couldn't use a blade guard for that operation. I think I'm pretty careful around power tools. I didn't even have music on so there was nothing to distract me. I'm guessing a moment of inattentiveness reaching for the board to pick it up and do the other end. Maybe age (69) is showing it's ugly head.
I'm better now having known a wonderful person who's also a good doctor but would have been physically better not to have had the need. If I were buying a new saw I would certainly buy a Saw Stop or one with similar technology but I can't wrap my head around spending around 3 grand after selling my otherwise perfectly good Powermatic. Besides, my finger's now a little farther from the blade.
So be attentive, and thanks again Phil.
Now my wife's upstairs and she's used to hearing these expletives. Usually (far to often) when I've cut to short, glued something out of square, tightened the vice on my finger instead of the wood or sharpened my finger along with the blade I was working on. Well this time she knew it was a little more serious so she bounded down and asked "are you alright?" I'm still apologizing for my answer. So drove myself to Urgent Care. While there my wife calls and she says she found the tip on the floor, "do I want it?" So she drives it to me, meanwhile U.C. says they can't help, go to E.R. I wait a few minutes for my wife and she arrives with the tip in a jar and tells me she was so grossed out that she had to pick it up with a pair of pliers. Drove off to E.R. where they said tip not salvageable, took Xrays, bandaged it without cleaning, prescribed antibiotics and pain pills and "call the Dr. in the morning".
So not knowing what was happening next and would I make it to Fl, I went on the assumption I'd still make it so on the way home (bout 1 or 3? P.M.) I called on our good friend, PhilS and asked if he had an hour or two to finish the project. Of course he was more than willing, wouldn't have me drive down with the parts but came to my home and picked them up. Said he'd have it back by Tuesday so I could make my Wednesday flight. Well, on Monday he shows up with it done - and done well- all finish sanded ready for me to finish it which was easy, even one handed. We had a beer and shot a game of pool - me using my wrist as a bridge. Thanks again Phil!
Luckily because of my Chrismas incicdent I had already made the acquaintance of a great orthepedic hand surgeon, Erica Taylor, (can't recommend her enough) and she saw me Monday and scheduled surgery for Wednesday. Moved my flight forward a day before going under the knife. The cut was about a third to half way down my nail and caught some bone. (cut was somewhat jagged - next time I'll use a cross cut blade). After cleaning out the bone fragments she used a product meant for skin grafts called Integra over the tip with the hope of growing an new epidermas. Surgery and follow up went better than I expected and I should be back juggling sharp objects in a little over a month.
I wonder what I've learned. Still not sure what happened. I certainly wasn't reaching for the scrap as I would never do that with my bare hand. The blade was probably a half inch too high because I didn't lower it after using a sled. I couldn't use a blade guard for that operation. I think I'm pretty careful around power tools. I didn't even have music on so there was nothing to distract me. I'm guessing a moment of inattentiveness reaching for the board to pick it up and do the other end. Maybe age (69) is showing it's ugly head.
I'm better now having known a wonderful person who's also a good doctor but would have been physically better not to have had the need. If I were buying a new saw I would certainly buy a Saw Stop or one with similar technology but I can't wrap my head around spending around 3 grand after selling my otherwise perfectly good Powermatic. Besides, my finger's now a little farther from the blade.
So be attentive, and thanks again Phil.