Injury Cause and Effect part II

[Black wallnut]

See my other topic OWCH......

Before the pictures here are some contributing factors and prevention tips.

• table opening around bit was too great
• fence opening around was perhaps too large
• horizontal surface was too short for above conditions
• I could have used a sharp bench chisel to trim dovetail
• I could have enlarged the slot in the pin part (tail was oversize by about 1/32" and split upon dry fit)
• I Should have dry fit before trimming the ends of the dovetail
• I could have cut the dovetail before cutting out the curved part
• I could have made a fence riding jig to hold the work piece
• I could have attached a longer straight edge to the workpiece before routing.
• I'm sure there are other ways that this could have been avoided.

Hind sight is greater than corrected current vision and always gets more clear in relation to the pain and damage involved. Murphy should have came up with that axiom but since he didn't perhaps I'll just have to make it famous.

These four pictures are a re-enactment step-by-step of what happened:\
1)trimming a sliding dovetail


2) compleation of cut right before attempted lift away


3)bit grabs stock pulling it down and back at extreme speed (kickback)


4)Bit catches left index finger and slightly grazes waving finger!



continued in reply below.

[Black wallnut]

Pictures of damaged work piece

http://www.blackwalnutjigs.com/images/accidentb.jpg

http://www.blackwalnutjigs.com/images/accidentc.jpg

next picture is of the bit's projection from fence




VIEW THE FOLLOWING PICTURES ONLY IF YOU CAN HANDLE GORE WELL AS IT IS VERY GRAPHIC AND UGLY!!!!!! THE FIRST ONE IS THE WAVING FINGER AND IS RATHER MINOR. oTHER TWO ARE THE INDEX FINGER AS IT NOW LOOKS. I AM NOT SURE BUT AT THIS POINT i AM THINKING THAT AT SOME POINT I MAY NEED RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGURY TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE. sorry for the caps but I really feel compelled to boldly warn you ahead of time.

http://www.blackwalnutjigs.com/images/accident9.jpg

http://www.blackwalnutjigs.com/images/accident7.jpg

http://www.blackwalnutjigs.com/images/accident8.jpg

[MilDoc]

Awful glad you didn't lose it completely!

[Black wallnut]

Just to put all this in perspective I was using a 1/2" 14° dovetail bit at a height above table of 3/8" and you can see in one of the above pictures how much was protruding from the fence. I am just amazed at the damage that small of a cutter exposure can do. How many of us have been taking chances like this for years? I'm certain I will not be taking chances in my future. I feel rather lucky that I did not lose the whole tip of my finger, of course that could change depending on the healing process, but the fact remains that it could have been much worse and could have simply been avoided altogher with a few moments of pause before the cut! When I am able to work yet again on this project it will become 1 1/2" narrower. I will have to attach two pieces to a board and cut the pieces shorter to lose the damaged end.


As stated in my other topic PLEASE, PLEASE BE CAREFUL so as to not become an accident statistic like I now have. When you reach the point of complancency around your power tools it is time to quit for the day. I was thinking just two more cuts for the day.........Did I mention the almost un-bearable pain this injury was?

[Hellrazor]

Sloppy stitch job, I'd ask for a refund

[gerti]

Thanks for the reminder! That looked like a near innocent operation to me. Glad nothing worse has happened, though the extend of the injuries is still shocking.

[jgrobler]

Hi Mark,
Also glad you're OK. It looks pretty bad though. Just the week before Christmas I too had a run-in with a router bit on a table, I was edge-jointing a small piece - about 8" x 1" x 1/2" and the bit was showing only < 1/16". The fence opening was too large, and the bit pulled the piece in, and skimmed of the skin and some flesh on my thumb and skin and some nail from the index finger. It wasn't so bad that I felt compelled to see a doctor, and it's healing pretty well. Up to a few days ago it was still numb on the tips of the fingers, but now they're both OK.

I though about posting a warning at the time, but did not want to admit my "inability" so publicly. But you're right, we should warn others to keep the reminders about safety fresh.

I hope your injuries heal well.

[JSCOOK]

Greatly appreciate the time and effort you put into the info on how it happened in hopes to educate the rest of us on how easy it can happen .... I'm really glad to see it wasn't as bad as it could have been ... look on the bright side, you still can count to 10!

BTW, I can feel your pain and it's all too real to me (it sent shivers down my back and flashbacks) ... 16 yrs ago that was me, only it was with an extremely sharp razor ... was rushing and overtired at work ... and it almost cost 1/2" off my LH index finger ... I was luckly that the razors clean cut allowed Doc's to get the nerves to reattach ... the scare on my finger serve me well a constant reminder!

FWIW, I found sleeping with my hand up aboove my head on the pillow help with the pain at night ... but never understood why.

[Ed62]

That looks pretty nasty, Mark. Glad it wasn't worse. It could have got a few more fingers and part of the hand. Best wishes for completely healing in a short time.

I've never tried to make a cut like that. When I looked at the first picture, and saw how close your fingers were to the bit it was enough to send shivers down my spine.

Ed

[scmhogg]

Mark,

Thanks for the timely reminder.

I'm really sorry you had to suffer this as a lesson for the rest of us. I, for one, will try to make it count.

You don't realize how much you use individual fingers until they are bandaged up like sausages.

Steve

[rbfunk]

Mark, any traumatic injury looks worse then it is for the first few days. The Doc who practiced stitching you up should have mentioned reconstruction. If he didn't give the hospital a call tomorrow. I know on some things you have to start any reconstruction before the healing gets to far.
Bob

[lcm1947]

Man, sorry it had to happen to you but yeah lucky in that you still have the finger. Good luck on the healing. Thanks - I guess for the pictures. One more easy lesson for us to learn. Easy in the sense it didn't happen to us but of course not for you. Sorry again, but maybe this one will keep the big one from happening to you ever.

[cpritchard]

Mark,
I know that hurts! Those pics of your fingers look just like mine after I launched my tail motor RC airplane by the motor and accidentaly pushed the throttle open while the finger was still on the propeller. 26,000RPM motor. I know all will go well for you and thanks for the tips.

Did the doctors give you an estimated time of full recovery?

[Whaler]

Mark

I hope it heals well and soon.

[Lance]

Mark,

I second rbfunk's comment about reconstructive surgery to improve that stitch job. If you don't do it ASAP, it will probably be too late. Has happened to a family member. It is amazing what some doctor's don't bother to tell you!

Excellent illustrations and explanation of what happended. Last three pics really demonstrate what we all suspected: human flesh has VERY poor milling characteristics.

Glad you're OK and hope you heal quickly.

-Lance
(Who ususally only slices himself open while sharpening his skis )