This one's a real winner

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  • Bruce Cohen
    Veteran Member
    • May 2003
    • 2698
    • Nanuet, NY, USA.
    • BT3100

    This one's a real winner

    Thursday, I un-surgically removed a portion of my right pinkie via the table saw and a lot of stupidity.

    Cross-cutting a piece of Walnut (45 deg. miter cut), for some reason, part of my right hand was on the wrong side of the SMT. And to add insult to injury, I was using a sacrificial attachment to the miter head.

    Either I'm getting brain damaged or way too complacent in the way I've been working as this makes the third accident I've had this year. Until now, I've never had power tool injury in almost 40 years of woodworking.

    Maybe I should hire some kid to make my cuts for me, or go back to an all hand tool shop.

    Other than the pain and embarrassment, the injury really isn't too bad. I removed about half of the first joint of the pinkie and can still use my right hand.

    Guess I'll never do that stunt again.

    And the worst part of the accident is that I'm just about finished with this jewelry box, and am haved saved up enough for a Noblex miter saw.

    Just call me dope.

    Bruce
    "Western civilization didn't make all men equal,
    Samuel Colt did"
  • toolguy1000
    Veteran Member
    • Mar 2009
    • 1142
    • westchester cnty, ny

    #2
    hope you recover from the accident without too much lasting effect. injuries are no fun. i'm in the next county if i can help in any way.
    there's a solution to every problem.......you just have to be willing to find it.

    Comment

    • JimD
      Veteran Member
      • Feb 2003
      • 4187
      • Lexington, SC.

      #3
      So far, my only power tool injury was with a biscuit joiner. Trying to cut too small a piece of wood with a poor old Skil biscuit joiner without pins or a friction surface to prevent grabbing movement and I have a divot out of my ring finger and a pinky that is a little shorter due to the closure of the main cut. I knew I should not attempt cutting these little pieces but I was out of maple and didn't want to go get another board.

      My accident was doing something I knew I shouldn't be doing. I felt really dumb. It was near the end of a project too. That is actually a well recognized error precursor - getting near the end and rushing to get done.

      I hope you heal up as well as I did. Scars are not very visible to anybody but me and I only lost some feeling in the end of the pinkie.

      Jim

      Comment

      • JR
        The Full Monte
        • Feb 2004
        • 5633
        • Eugene, OR
        • BT3000

        #4
        Ouch! Stay vigilant, Bruce.

        Hand tools are no panacea. I've been slicing the heck out of my left hand with chisels. I guess that's what i get for sharpening them...

        jR
        JR

        Comment

        • tommyt654
          Veteran Member
          • Nov 2008
          • 2334

          #5
          Sorry about the injury Bruce, Hope you heal quickly

          Comment

          • cabinetman
            Gone but not Forgotten RIP
            • Jun 2006
            • 15218
            • So. Florida
            • Delta

            #6
            Sorry to hear that Bruce. Being a "statistic" is no fun. Keep the hand elevated and the throbbing minimizes.

            Just wondering...were all the safety devices that are supposed to be on the saw...on the saw (at the time).

            .

            Comment

            • Black wallnut
              cycling to health
              • Jan 2003
              • 4715
              • Ellensburg, Wa, USA.
              • BT3k 1999

              #7
              Hope you heal quickly Bruce! Would love to see pics of your project, you do great work.
              Donate to my Tour de Cure


              marK in WA and Ryobi Fanatic Association State President ©

              Head servant of the forum

              ©

              Comment

              • phrog
                Veteran Member
                • Jul 2005
                • 1796
                • Chattanooga, TN, USA.

                #8
                Hope you heal real soon, Bruce. Even minor injuries are no fun.
                Richard

                Comment

                • Richard in Smithville
                  Veteran Member
                  • Oct 2006
                  • 3014
                  • On the TARDIS
                  • BT 3100

                  #9
                  I'm glad you're still able to tell us all about it. Sorry to hear about your pinky but I'm happy it wasn't any worse! Hope you heal quickly.






                  (PS......don't let Steven Gass hear about this. He won't leave you alone)
                  From the "deep south" part of Canada

                  Richard in Smithville

                  http://richardspensandthings.blogspot.com/

                  Comment

                  • herb fellows
                    Veteran Member
                    • Apr 2007
                    • 1867
                    • New York City
                    • bt3100

                    #10
                    Ouch! That sounds like a little bit more than a nip.

                    Heal fast!
                    You don't need a parachute to skydive, you only need a parachute to skydive twice.

                    Comment

                    • Mr__Bill
                      Veteran Member
                      • May 2007
                      • 2096
                      • Tacoma, WA
                      • BT3000

                      #11
                      Well ya' know Bruce, that's why you had so many fingers to start with.

                      It seems that I have done more damage to myself with hand tools than power tools but there is time yet to alter that.

                      I have to ask, and please don't anyone go off on a tangent here, has the incident perhaps caused you to consider a saw with some kind of flesh detection technology? I know that each time I hear of something like this I add some more to my 'new table saw fund' with the intent to someday get a SawStop like table saw.

                      Sorry about the finger and I hope the blood did not damage the wood, as others said, keep the hand high and make someone wait on you for a day or so.

                      Bill
                      on the left coast

                      Comment

                      • chopnhack
                        Veteran Member
                        • Oct 2006
                        • 3779
                        • Florida
                        • Ryobi BT3100

                        #12
                        Sorry to hear it Bruce, speedy recovery. When I first saw the post, I was kinda shocked. I was thinking, gee, didnt he just get hurt! Three times in one year.... are you sure your ok?
                        I think in straight lines, but dream in curves

                        Comment

                        • LCHIEN
                          Internet Fact Checker
                          • Dec 2002
                          • 20913
                          • Katy, TX, USA.
                          • BT3000 vintage 1999

                          #13
                          ouch, I feel for you. Please be careful, losing members one small piece at a time is bad for business.

                          Either I'm getting brain damaged or way too complacent in the way I've been working as this makes the third accident I've had this year. Until now, I've never had power tool injury in almost 40 years of woodworking.

                          Are you sure your brain function is not in any of the parts that were damaged or removed?
                          Loring in Katy, TX USA
                          If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
                          BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

                          Comment

                          • Turaj
                            Veteran Member
                            • Dec 2002
                            • 1019
                            • Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
                            • BT3000 (1998)

                            #14
                            Bruce,

                            Sorry to hear about the accident! Hope you heal quickly and back in the shop!
                            Turaj (in Toronto)
                            "When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading!" Henny Youngman

                            Comment

                            • Pappy
                              The Full Monte
                              • Dec 2002
                              • 10453
                              • San Marcos, TX, USA.
                              • BT3000 (x2)

                              #15
                              Since everyone else is being nice, I will offer the dissenting opinion.....

                              DUMMY!

                              Do hope it heals fast. Make sure you keep a close watch on it for signs of infection.
                              Don, aka Pappy,

                              Wise men talk because they have something to say,
                              Fools because they have to say something.
                              Plato

                              Comment

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