Be careful out there!

[JimD]

I had experiences on July 4th and 5th that I want to pass along in case they help anybody.

I've done woodworking for about 40 years and only had a power tool "bite me" once before 7/4/13. Now it is 3 times.

On the 4th, the last job of a longish day was cutting down an awning frame made of electrical conduit. It was about 10 feet wide and 20 feet long. I was cutting it into manageable sized pieces with my 18V Ryobi reciprocating saw (which did great). On the last cut of the day, while holding with one hand and running the saw with the other, the awning pulled my left hand into the path of the blade as the cut was complete. Lots of blood resulted. 5 stiches later we got to go home. Gloves would have prevented serious injury and a helper was indicated. Only my wife and daughter were around, however, and I didn't want them getting scratched (I got two of those too).

On the fifth, I went back to work with the left hand less capable than normal. We still re-hung a 20 foot+ piece of gutter and did other tasks. Again, last job of the day I managed to nearly cut the tip off my right index finger with a CMS. I was holding with my right hand because of the injury to my left and didn't see my hand was in the path of the blade. 12 stiches put what is left of my right index finger's last digit back together. The bone was nicked but will be OK. Looks bad, hurts, but will be fine in the end according to the hand surgeon (been to him twice so far).

Other than not working injured, the biggest thing I should have done is provided outboard support for the trim. I was cutting a 7 foot piece and had to lean on it to keep it tight to the saw. I made up supports from 1x6 scraps when I got home and used them successfully to finish Sunday. They are just t shaped pieces the same height as the saw table.

Other factor in both is being tired. I took risks I shouldn't have taken.

Just because I've done things for a long time doesn't make me incapable of serious mistakes.

Jim

[cabinetman]

Sorry to hear you had a bad couple of days. The real throbbing is likely to start the next day. I've never had anything cut off, but plenty of little nicks here and there. I look at them as just warnings. Did I ever mention how forgetful I am? Being in the shop all day every day can get very tiring, and that can lead to a lack of concentration. I've gotta add those projects that are very repetitive, can catch you off guard.

It isn't easy to be "on" all the time. I hope you aren't in much discomfort, and let yourself heal up. The injuries will be on your mind long after the skin heals.

.

[JimD]

I pulled the stiches from my left hand last Wednesday. It still feels funny on the back but is full strength and doesn't really hurt. Maybe the occasional shooting pain.

The right index finger is in a whole different league. I cut the inside tip, where all the sensors are. That is a bad thing. It is much better but still hurts. I got my pain prescription renewed so I won't run out. I only take them to sleep, however.

Neither injury has any long term impact according to my hand surgeon. God was good and caused me to miss tendons. I finished trim work and converted bypass doors to swinging doors plus put in a new kitchen faucet and put on a bunch of door knobs last weekend. Things are not normal yet but I am functional.

Jim

[phrog]

Wow, Jim. You need to be careful. Maybe you should starting doing one less job per day.

[LCHIEN]

in the NBA you get two quicks fouls they take you out of the game and make you sit on the bench for a while.

[Pappy]

Glad to hear it wasn't more serious or long term.

[atgcpaul]

Alright, I gotta' ask, what was their response in the ER when you walked in on the 5th with a bloody right hand and an already bandaged up left hand?

I hate admitting I'm getting older--I'm not even 40 yet, dangit--but I know I don't have the energy I did when I was in my 20s. I do work with potentially dangerous machines/robots at work. Some days I want to stay late and fix it before I head home or delay lunch to work on it a little later. I listen to my body much more now. Take a rest, grab a bite to eat, collect my thoughts and tackle it when I'm refreshed.

I hate that the above sounds like a lecture. I give the same schpeel to the people I supervise half of whom are older than me by 10 to 20 years. Work smarter, not harder.

[JimD]

They were a little surprised in the ER when I was getting stiches in the right after getting stiches in the left the day before. The poor woman that does the insurance paper work was also surprised when I suggested, less patiently than I usually would, that she use the information from the day before. I got the impression that nothing surprises them a whole lot, however.

I don't think it's an age thing but I admit 57 isn't 27. I have to watch how much I lift after 2 hernia repairs so I try to keep it to 100 lbs or less. The fact that my wife is 12 years younger also probably makes me reluctant to blame age. She insisted I not work on the house on the 6th but she let me paint with a roller in my left hand on the 7th. I was back to doing trim last weekend.

A cautionary comment that I want to emphasize is the difference from working away from my shop without my normal setup. In my shop, I have side support for the CMS including movable stops. At the other house, I had nothing. Being used to having it and being without plus having one hand not working right were my big risk factors. These are not unique to somebody my age.

Jim

[cabinetman]

A cautionary comment that I want to emphasize is the difference from working away from my shop without my normal setup. In my shop, I have side support for the CMS including movable stops. At the other house, I had nothing. Being used to having it and being without plus having one hand not working right were my big risk factors. These are not unique to somebody my age.

Jim

That's a common problem I experience when doing installations. When I make out my list of "things to bring", I have to take into account what I MIGHT need in addition to tools and hardware, along with all the parts of the project. The list can get lengthy.

And then, after the installation starts, comes the time that I realize I forgot something, and have to work around without whatever it was. Like you, using a miter saw with trim work is one of the things that require handling the free ends, etc. So, I made up a list of everything I could think of and go over it before hand. It could be something as simple as a certain type of chisel, or clamp.

.

[JimD]

I threw the little scrap wood side supports on the shelf where my backup CMS goes when I got home. I had the back of my SUV full of tools and had already brought some home and have a few things still at the other house. What I took is a small fraction of what is in the shop. My wife doesn't really understand why I like doing things in the shop so much more.

If I did this for a living I think I would have to have an enclosed trailer so I could just hitch it up and go. Check lists are a good idea but it would take me a long time to get it perfected.

[cabinetman]

If I did this for a living I think I would have to have an enclosed trailer so I could just hitch it up and go. Check lists are a good idea but it would take me a long time to get it perfected.

When I had employees, I needed to maintain a "to go" set of tools. Since work continues in the shop, many duplicates are necessary. As for a list, here's one that might have some duplicates, but still may not cover all circumstances.


#1. Cordless drill(s)
#2. Fully charged battery(s) for the cordless drill.
#3. Levels...
#4. Pencils
#5. Block plane
#6. Tape measure
#7. Phillips bit(s) for cordless drill
#8. Laser level
#9. 5/32s drill bit
#10. An assistant
#11. Some sort of miter saw for trim
#12. Framing square
#13. Lunch
#14. Shims
#15. Battery Charger
#16. pull saw
#17. good 1x4 's
#18. Adjustable cabinet jacks
#19. Chisels
#20. Screw assortment
#21. Clamps
#22. Full set of twist drills and index
#23. Wonderbars (2)
#24. Jig saw and blades
#25. Step ladder
#27. Nail set
#26. Hammer
#28. brad nailer and micro pinner with nails
#29. Titebond III
#30. shop vac and drop cloths
#31. counter sink bits
#32. portable table saw
#33. hole saw kit up to 3"
#34. basic plumbing kit to cap off supply lines under sink when tearing out; tubing cutter, soldering equipment, etc.
#35. cordless impact driver
#36. Scratch awl for center punching prior to drilling cab's handles, knobs.
#37 Jigs for cabinet hardware holes
#38 sanders, belt, orbital, and pad, and abrasives
#39. Blue Prints
#40. Corded drills (3/8" & 1/2")
#41. Duct tape
#42. Pliers (large slipjoint included)
#43. Stud Finder
#44. Caulk (& gun)
#45 Power Planer 3 1/4"
#46 wax sticks
#47 Pair of folding work benches with screw vises
#48 Gimlets
#49 utility knife
#50 Bar of soap
#51 Digital camera
#52 Hand screwdrivers (slot & phillips)
#53 lights
#54 Pencil Compass Scriber
#55 extension cords
#56 festool
#57 The bill/contract
#58 Hot glue gun and glue sticks
#59 Safety Glasses!
#60 Compressor
#61 Pencil sharpener
#62 Extension cord(s)
#63 Air hose
#64 Driver Bits for the various screws (to use in the drills)
#65 nails for the nail gun
#66 Tylenol/Advil/Aspirin
#67 Popsicle sticks
#68 A small note book
#69 Wood filler
#70 This list to remember to Bring it all back to the shop
#71 Masking tape
#72 A small note book.
#73 Try-Squares, 6" and 12"
#74 Combination Squares
#75 Complete First Aid Kit, including Crazy glue, and Epinephrine pen.
#76 Hack saw and extra blades.
#77 Chalk Box
#78 Basic Electric tools and supplies(to be able to hook us overhead exhaust fans, under cabinet lighting, etc.)
#79 File/Rasp
#80 Putty knives/spatulas
#81 thermos of coffee
#82 pocket hole jig and bit
#83 plate joiner and biscuits
#84 radio
#85 flashlight
#85 stain marker (touch up)
#86 Router and bits
#87 Rifflers
#88 Adjustable wrench
#89 Open end/box end wrenches
#90 Brace and bits
#91 Eggbeater drill
#92 Yankee driver
#93 Handheld circular saw and blades
#94 Sawhorses
#95 Solvents
#96 Rags
#97 Paint brush assortment
#98 Stir sticks
#99 Broom and dust pan

.

[gsmittle]

When I had employees, I needed to maintain a "to go" set of tools.

Where did you store #10?

I just finished installing oak flooring in my house and I swear most of my shop ended up in the house. Good thing it's only a short walk back and forth.

g.

[cabinetman]

Where did you store #10?


g.

Wherever he could hide.

.

[JimD]

This job involved about 700 ft2 of oak flooring, 1 bathroom complete (new ceramic floor, tub, shower control, tile surround, toilet, sink, vanity, light and mirror), reinstall/install baseboard, new kitchen faucet, new toilet in other bathroom and two sliding glass doors changed to french doors. My wife removed a lot of paneling, patched walls and painted.

I had most if not all the items on C'mans list in the way of tools plus some. I still have a couple cordless drills and an impact driver there plus some hand tools. My wife wants me to remove a old television antenna that is on the chimney. I might need to bring back a reciprocating saw.

Jim

[phrog]

When I had employees, I needed to maintain a "to go" set of tools. Since work continues in the shop, many duplicates are necessary. As for a list, here's one that might have some duplicates, but still may not cover all circumstances.


#13. Lunch

#50 Bar of soap

#67 Popsicle sticks

#81 thermos of coffee

#99 Broom and dust pan

.

No Potty?