What's that red stuff on my workpieces?

[dbhost]

So I was making the legs for my Christmas tree stand last night, having taken the stack of blanks and set them up with carpet tape, run them through the bandsaw (which worked flawlessly even though I used the wrong blade), and then off to the Ridgid sander to clean up the cuts. Next was to release the blanks from the carpet tape... Now I don't recall those red spots being on the wood, and why would SYP have red spots?

Then it hit me...

I managed to get the block caught, and spun around which shoved my fingertips into the sanding belt on the oscillating sander... Yep, I sanded my fingertips down and was bleeding a little bit...

I knew I had my fingers too close, but wasn't worried about it because "it's just a sander, they are safe...". And while no serious harm was done, it was enough to give me a very solid reminder, don't EVER slack off on safety procedures...

So how do you clean blood off of pine?

[Stytooner]

Same way you applied it. With a sander. There aren't many things in a typical shop that won't get you one way or another. Perhaps cotton balls........ scratch that. You could accidentally swallow one of those.

I have done the same many times. Knuckles are worse than finger pads though. I remember in a furniture factory I worked at, people would use 9" sanding drums to sand parts with. While they were learning, many of them had some terrible looking sanding rash. Often to the bone.

[Richard in Smithville]

No fingerprints left? Now might be your chance to cause mayhem!

[cabinetman]

So how do you clean blood off of pine?

If you're feeling weak, and turning pale, and the blood pattern is pretty large, at that moment, I wouldn't be too concerned about cleaning it up. But if it's a little bit, sanding may do it, or some diluted bleach may be needed.

.

[wardprobst]

I'd use wood bleach to clean it up. Sorry you had that experience, happens in our shop occasionally when we are making small parts, so I know how it feels.
DP

[Bruce Cohen]

The Dark Side

Whenever I destroy a body part while woodworking, I make sure that I'm working with DARK wood.
Cutting off that piece of my pinkie, didn't ruin the wood it was walnut. That's the best I can say about that screw-up

Bruce