The Forestry Forum

General Forestry => General Board => Topic started by: shopteacher on October 27, 2004, 02:35:03 PM

Title: Giant Splinter
Post by: shopteacher on October 27, 2004, 02:35:03 PM
Well almost made it through another accident free day, almost.  7th period (second to last period of the day) I was ripping some 1/4" X 1/2" cherry strips for the Graphics instructor to use as stirring strips. I was cutting the last one when the push stick slipped off the piece and that piece took off. I was standing off to the left of the blade as I normally do and the piece whizzed past me. I shut the saw off and turned to see one of the other instructors holding his hand out and a piece about 3/4" long sticking out of the back of his hand. He had walked behind me just as the piece kicked backed and caught him between the index and middle finger knuckle.  I figured it was probably about a 1/4" long so grab his wrist with my left hand and the wood piece with the right and began to pull.  That thing wasn't budging and I didn't want to let go seeing as how this guy is in real pain. So I tightened my grip on his wrist and the splinter and just pulled for all I had. That square piece had penetrated his hand an inch and a half. I couldn't believe it when I pulled that chunk of wood out and seen it length.  The end  that entered his hand was square and flat.  You can just  imagine the velocity that piece had to have when it hit him.  I sent him with a wet paper towel and a student to the school nurse who bandaged it and sent him to the hospital. Don't know if he'll be in school tomorrow but I'll guarantee he's going to have a sore hand for quite a while. So be careful out there running that power equipment.
Title: Re: Giant Splinter
Post by: Texas Ranger on October 27, 2004, 03:49:19 PM
Saws, wood, and folks.  Can get dicey.  Been cutting some white pine for door casings and hit a knot.  Felt something  hit my lip and reached up to brush it away.  Didn't brush.  Pulled out a chunk of fat pine from that knot, and left a decent hole in my lip.  

But the worse one I ever saw was a mill hand working a bull edger.  Edge shot back and pinned both legs, through and through.  We got him to the hospital and the maintenance man had to hunt up a saw to cut the wood between his legs so the docs could go after each individually.  Tough old man, walked out of hospital 3 days later. Limping, but walking.
Title: Re: Giant Splinter
Post by: DanG on October 27, 2004, 08:50:08 PM
I was ripping some stickers on the table saw a couple of days ago. Had a little pin knot blow out and the DanG thing hit me right in the safety glasses. :o  Shore was glad I wore them. :)
Title: Re: Giant Splinter
Post by: LeeB on October 28, 2004, 12:38:47 AM
You want to be carefull removing impaled objects from some one. It is posible to do more harm than good. If it looks like a doctour visit any way it's best to leave it in till you can get profesional help. LeeB
Title: Re: Giant Splinter
Post by: Gilman on October 28, 2004, 04:46:05 PM
In 6th grade I was turning a bowl with a pretty knot in it.  I was down to sanding it and kept hearing a "tick, tick ... tick"  Well I put my hand on the bowl while it was turning and quickly found out what was making the ticking sound.  The knot got sharpened to a point and due to the heat of sanding the sap holding the knot tight melted.  The knot went in my palm and out the backside.  I must have been in a little bit shock since I wasn't able to pull the piece back out, I had the great idea of using a carving knife and cutting it out.   :o

When my mom got home she had a fit and took me to the doctor.  Dad got yelled at for not taking me to the doctor (that part was cool :))

The doctor opened up the wound and showed me why you don't cut stuff out of your body.  After cleaning it he pointed to some white strings that I'd nearly cut and half.  Apparently they were my tendons.

I've left carving tools to carving wood since then.
Title: Re: Giant Splinter
Post by: beetle on October 28, 2004, 06:31:14 PM
Just a few weeks ago I was using my Paslode finish nailer with 2 1/2" nails, planted one in and sure enough it hit a adjacent nail and came out the side of a frame I was nailing. Unfourtunatly, my hand was in the exit path, straight in one side and out the other, my hand was STUCK to the frame.  :o
Had to wince and carry the whole thing to my box to get wire cutters to free my hand before I could remove the nail with pliers. OUCH. Good thing it was not my framing nailer.
Title: Re: Giant Splinter
Post by: Gilman on October 29, 2004, 09:03:46 AM
Beetle,
That's why I use a brad nailer for framing.  :D
Title: Re: Giant Splinter
Post by: Timber_Framer on October 29, 2004, 11:43:35 AM
I've seen a hadnfull of guys shoot through a stud and hit a finger or hand. the dumbest was these two brothers that I worked with on ONE job. The younger one was on the nailer and the other was pushing the frame into square with his foot...guess what happend? ::)
Title: Re: Giant Splinter
Post by: Gilman on October 29, 2004, 12:15:30 PM
Is that where the term "Toe nailing" came from?
Title: Re: Giant Splinter
Post by: beetle on October 29, 2004, 02:00:38 PM
Check this out. //www.turnto10.com/news/3275151/detail.html

be sure to click on the photo link.
Title: Re: Giant Splinter
Post by: sigidi on October 31, 2004, 02:05:18 PM
WOW!!! that's amazing and scary.

It's great to know the man upstairs is not sleeping on the job - the doc's say nailman will make a full recovery.
Title: Re: Giant Splinter
Post by: shopteacher on October 31, 2004, 04:03:30 PM
This is what can happen if you don't practice safety and listen to your shopteacher.  :(

https://forestryforum.com/images/00hidden-photo/hand.jpg
This graphic picture is not for the weak hearted
Title: Re: Giant Splinter
Post by: Patty on November 01, 2004, 03:49:14 AM
YIKES!   :o

Is that your hand Glenn?  I about spilled my morning coffee at the site of that.  :-X
Title: Re: Giant Splinter
Post by: shopteacher on November 01, 2004, 06:42:30 AM
No Patty,
     I'm happy to say so far I have all 10 fingers and toes and all parts there of.  Sorry about the graphic nature of the pic and I see it was hadden and placed with a link ( much better) gives the viewer an opportunity not to have it sprung upon them. I didn't know you could do that here.
    However, makes for a good reminder for those of us working with machinery to practice safety and think before acting.
Title: Re: Giant Splinter
Post by: Buzz-sawyer on November 01, 2004, 07:57:51 AM
Hey Glenn
I thought your pic fit right in on halloween.........reminded me of the Adams family ;)
Title: Re: Giant Splinter
Post by: whitepe on November 01, 2004, 08:38:21 AM
A couple of years ago I was making a tv stand for my mother and I was ripping some 2 ft by 4 ft sheets of 3/4 inch oak veneer plywood on my table saw. I asked my wife to
support the plywood sheet on the outfeed side.
She decided that she should assist with pulling and
got the sheet pinched between the blade and fence and
the whole sheet shot back and whacked my arm causing
me to issue an "expletive deleted" as it left nice bloody bruise/scrape on my forearm.
As I was wincing in pain my wife was saying "I'm sorry,
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do it"  My response
finally was " I know you didn't but I couldn't stop yelling
cause it hurt so bad."  
I used to only use my table saw with safety glasses.
Now I use a full face shield.  A flying knot or other
piece of wood is not worth a damaged eye or a splinter
stuck in the face.   I really don't like to use my table
saw any longer.  If I need to rip a board, I will use a band saw,
cut it a little bit wider than necessary and edge it on the
jointer.
Title: Re: Giant Splinter
Post by: beenthere on November 01, 2004, 10:26:39 AM
After I had a fairly large piece of plywood twist between the rear of the blade on my table saw and the fence, and raise particular "cain", I installed a splitter behind the blade so it couldn't happen.

Similar to the splitter behind the saw on a circle mill. Saves some pieces flying back over the saw and becomming projectiles (look at the shed of many an old circle mill, and see the 'holes' and dents straight back from the saw blade (as well as overhead) and you can see it isn't a safe place to stand.