What a time to have a dumb accident!

Leave it to me to get hurt at this time. The Innisfail Auction is this weekend. It is one of my favorite times of the year. Being way up north I generally don' get to go to a lot of the events during the year so I really look forward to the auction. It's not just selling the birds, I get a chance to see old and new bird friends. Some of them are friends I first made at this auction over 20 years ago. We get togather sometime during the day to talk about birds and how our year has been. It's a much needed fix for me. Last night it look like I was going to miss it. I decided to have a close encounter of the not so nice type with my table saw. I was starting to make the boxes for the auction this weekend. I was just sawing the last frame piece for 17 boxes when I slipped. My left thumb went straight on the brand new, very sharp saw blade. Straight down the middle of the end of my thumb. Cut through the end half way down the thumbnail and into the bone. I ran to the house and got my wife. Grabbed a bag of ice and headed to the local hospital in Valleyview. I was the toast of the night. Everybody on staff had to come and see the perfect cut. It was just like splitting a banana straight down the middle. The doctor told me how lucky it was, it could had been straight across and I would have lost the end of the thumb. It should heal with no problem. The missing flesh and bone should all grow back. He said it is just going to throb like hell for 2 or 3 weeks. Lot's of pain killers. The kids at school are going to get a real good laugh from it. They all know how accident prone I can be and my grade 11's are always warning me tobe careful.

My wife and a friend are going to help me make cardboard boxes. First time I will have all cardboard boxes in almost 10 years. I should be able to take most of the birds I was planning on, just may not be able to stay the whole weekend. My friend Shawn was planning on going down with me anyway so he will be able to drive. I won't be able to drive the 6 hour one way trip due to the pain killers I will be on making me drowsy. It just means people picking stuff up from me will have to get it on Friday as I may not be there long on Saturdauy.

And yes Sue --- I will finally get your soaker hoses to you.

Perry

Oh my gosh Perry I am so sorry to hear about your accident. Thank god for pain killers and I wish you a speedy recover

Oi oi oi oi!!! Now that you made that post so early in the morning, I hope you have gone back to bed and rest, smiling. What an awful thing to have happen, eeh gads, cuts are one thing that fears me and people working with power saws scares me even more, like the type of saw that you were working with. Oh boy. Yes, you were very fortunate that it went the angle it did, the thumb missing would been the worst. So, a Grade 11 teacher, yikes, puts a different fling on who you are, smiling. My hat off to teachers, especially ones that work with the older grades. I like teenagers, I think they are the most incredible people -- I would have been a very good teacher, had I chose that path. Take care of yourself and be careful of working with saws, pleeeeeze. Glad to hear that you can still go to this sale that will reunite you with many ol' friends. Have a most awesome day, still....CynthiaM.

YOWSA!! Ive seen this before working in the cabinet shop. It will grow back fine as long as you are healthy to begin with. Pain, yup, stock up on 'killers you will want them from time to time, especially when you forget and bump yourself (ouch not funny). If I remember right its about 3 months when things knit together finally.

Now concerning table saws, they command respect at all times though they just sit there and do their work quietly. It is very easy to get complacent and over confident in your actions when working with them, impatience with a saw will get you hurt eventually. Plan every movement on purpose, never just go cutting things automatically without thinking. Repetitive movements do that after a while and that is how the most experienced workers lose fingers hands and arms. Sorry you learned a hard lesson Perry...careful now!

reneggaide wrote:YOWSA!! Ive seen this before working in the cabinet shop. It will grow back fine as long as you are healthy to begin with. Pain, yup, stock up on 'killers you will want them from time to time, especially when you forget and bump yourself (ouch not funny). If I remember right its about 3 months when things knit together finally.

Now concerning table saws, they command respect at all times though they just sit there and do their work quietly. It is very easy to get complacent and over confident in your actions when working with them, impatience with a saw will get you hurt eventually. Plan every movement on purpose, never just go cutting things automatically without thinking. Repetitive movements do that after a while and that is how the most experienced workers lose fingers hands and arms. Sorry you learned a hard lesson Perry...careful now!

Your exacetly right. It was about the 300th frame piece I had cut. I was making 3/4 x 3/4 inch slates from pieces of 2 x 4 and 2 x 6. It was the last cut before I was going to start putting them togather to make my boxes. I have used that table saw for over 25 years and never cut my self on it before. Table saws have always scared me. I try to be very careful around them. All it takes is a second to do what happen last night.

Omg. I'm glad it wasn't any worse. Thank goodness for painkillers! I hope it heals fast. Take care . Lou

Sorry to hear this Perry but really glad to hear it wasn't any worse. Life's unexpected events can be REALLY inconvenient sometimes. Just roll with it.

Wow scary and lucky all at once.

I remember seeing a piece about a guy who invented a system that would prevent this sort of thing.

Ah, here it is, SAW STOP. Don't try this at home kids!

I remember watching that and almost had a screaming fit for a straight jacket. Almost looks like another excuse to not be careful and take responsibility, we have a saying in the oil patch: Never put your fingers anywhere you wouldn't put your ----!

If the numbers they quote for table saw accidents are accurate, how could that safety feature possibly make it worse?

Perry,

Glad to hear that in the end you are alright and the accident you had wasn't any more tragic. I was making boxes Saturday night for the Popwa auction and every time I fired up the table saw I had an uneasy feeling, something I never had before I took my time and played it safe. I did almost loose my thumb when one of the pieced of wood I was cutting kicked back on me due to an unseen screw in the wood. Thankfully I jumped back in time.
I always get a squeamish feeling hearing about incidents like this.
All it takes is one slip or one wrong move and there goes a digit or worse.

Thankfully it will heal in time, the pain killers will take the bite down a bit.

Take it easy.

The cringe factor here is high. Ooooh...yucky! Hope you recover without too much throbbing. Darn power tools!

Fowler wrote:If the numbers they quote for table saw accidents are accurate, how could that safety feature possibly make it worse?

some things like the normal safety guards used nowadays have saved many bits and pieces, yet still allow for operator responsibility and due diligence to stay alert at all times. What can I say? stuff happens no matter what and that is a part of living life, you cannot let your fears run away with your reasoning or you will stop living life for fear of what might happen if you dont buy that helmet to go with your kids bike and where is your insurance SIR!!!
For instance how many craftsmen will stop working when presented with lack of a safety object like a Mitre Head when needing to do crosscuts on a tablesaw. I do. Nope wont do it, I have done it and I can do it and I will only if I really need to because that was the way it was done to begin with. Ya sure crosscutting on a tablesaw without mitre guards is probably the leading cause of missing bits 'n pieces, recognizing that I can and will proceed when necessary(dare ya ta make a regulation). IF I begin to train the upcoming craftsmen to rely solely on freaked out technology to protect them they will not learn to pay attention properly, eventually blaming some other thing for their incompetence, never mind the damned machine is then rendered useless until more money is spent in the financial scheme of things. Round round we go and where this all stops we already know...buy that crap and use it once eh, just to see, if it fails just once...Ill trust operator responsibility over technogadgetry any time just assure me of a competent operator and let the idiots stay in their caged boxes with all their fears of eating farm chicken LOL.

Amazing technology but it still makes me shiver!Table saws make me so nervous but I do use them with extreme caution. Wish I had one of these - and I assure you I'd still be careful because I wouldn't want to put it to the test! LOL

Sorry for your accident,Perry! Hope it heals quickly for you and hope the pain medication does it's job well.

Perry, sorry to hear about your thumb, take extra care of it and follow the Drs orders. My sister-in-law's father did cut the end of his finger off about two months ago, took care of it well and didn't even need a skin graft or anything.

reneggaide wrote:

Fowler wrote:If the numbers they quote for table saw accidents are accurate, how could that safety feature possibly make it worse?

some things like the normal safety guards used nowadays have saved many bits and pieces, yet still allow for operator responsibility and due diligence to stay alert at all times. What can I say? stuff happens no matter what and that is a part of living life, you cannot let your fears run away with your reasoning or you will stop living life for fear of what might happen if you dont buy that helmet to go with your kids bike and where is your insurance SIR!!!
For instance how many craftsmen will stop working when presented with lack of a safety object like a Mitre Head when needing to do crosscuts on a tablesaw. I do. Nope wont do it, I have done it and I can do it and I will only if I really need to because that was the way it was done to begin with. Ya sure crosscutting on a tablesaw without mitre guards is probably the leading cause of missing bits 'n pieces, recognizing that I can and will proceed when necessary(dare ya ta make a regulation). IF I begin to train the upcoming craftsmen to rely solely on freaked out technology to protect them they will not learn to pay attention properly, eventually blaming some other thing for their incompetence, never mind the damned machine is then rendered useless until more money is spent in the financial scheme of things. Round round we go and where this all stops we already know...buy that crap and use it once eh, just to see, if it fails just once...Ill trust operator responsibility over technogadgetry any time just assure me of a competent operator and let the idiots stay in their caged boxes with all their fears of eating farm chicken LOL.

Still having trouble following the logic. I saw nothing about taking away any other safeguards. I figured they had been removed so it was easier to see how the thing worked. I saw it as a last line of defense, not the first, but oh well.

Fair enough Fowler, I was being obscure and a bit sarcastic too. I see technologies like this as taking responsibility for us instead of us taking responsibility for ourselves. Maybe I wasnt clear in my description of how tradesmen will not perform certain jobs nowadays because they are trained to rely on safety devices or not get the job done(this is not how we made this country called Cant'ada). Everything done on a tablesaw with safety devices can also be done without them, 'cept touching a blade, er , you will only want to do that once eh Perry. The real culprit in the majority of these accidents is complacency and repetitive movements that soon become mindless, add to this the next most dangerous activity: cutting small pieces: next comes personal stress, the only incentive to not touch that blade with this technology, the only incentive to NOT EVER do something foolish, is the financial hurt of paying for another blade and the technology itself. As Perry will tell you Im sure, He will be paying attention at all times now, nothing like making it personal when something really is important. I also question the forces applied on the bushings etc, possibly turning a fine running machine into a train wreck for a fine craftsman. We now face Auto Driving cars taking responsibility for our human shortcomings, and while I welcome them for those who only think they can drive like a pro, I make no excuse for the lack of attention that has brought this new lack of freedom to control our own environments. Safety goes way too far sometimes, it is too easy to remove personal freedoms by playing on our fears of what could happen. No matter how I roll this particular safety device around in my mind, I can only see it nurturing more careless lack of attention, just the opposite of what is really needed in this irresponsible society. I want to ride a bike and feel the wind in my hair, screw the regulations I remember what it feels like and I resent that so many now act with careless lack of attention, preferring to rely on their safety devices or subjective roolz for their safety. LIVING IS DANGEROUS, get over it and start living again I say. Still not convinced of your personal obligations to yourself, my last observation is of how regulations are lobbied in the interests of creating jobs to produce these types of products with the spin off of saving health care dollars and increasing tax revenues. How can you say no to that eh? Now where did my blasted helmet go I need to take a safety nap lol.

Hi Perry,

So sorry about your unfortunate mishap but as everyone else has said, it definitely could have been worse. I actually know a lady who sliced her thumb and forefinger off on a table saw...can't remember just how she did that but the doctors ended up taking one of her big toes and attached it as a thumb. I remember when I first met her how different it looked....but it functioned perfectly for her. Still...I'm so glad you don't need a toe in place of a thumb . Rest and relax and take great care of yourself...and when friends offer to help...let them! . All the best to you Perry. Take care!

reneggaide wrote: Everything done on a tablesaw with safety devices can also be done without them, 'cept touching a blade, er , you will only want to do that once eh Perry. The real culprit in the majority of these accidents is complacency and repetitive movements that soon become mindless, add to this the next most dangerous activity: cutting small pieces: next comes personal stress,

I certainly agree there, lots of farmers injured doing work they've done a million times before because the mind wanders at an inopportune time.

reneggaide wrote: the only incentive to not touch that blade with this technology, the only incentive to NOT EVER do something foolish, is the financial hurt of paying for another blade and the technology itself. As Perry will tell you Im sure, He will be paying attention at all times now, nothing like making it personal when something really is important. I also question the forces applied on the bushings etc, possibly turning a fine running machine into a train wreck for a fine craftsman. We now face Auto Driving cars taking responsibility for our human shortcomings, and while I welcome them for those who only think they can drive like a pro, I make no excuse for the lack of attention that has brought this new lack of freedom to control our own environments. Safety goes way too far sometimes, it is too easy to remove personal freedoms by playing on our fears of what could happen. No matter how I roll this particular safety device around in my mind, I can only see it nurturing more careless lack of attention, just the opposite of what is really needed in this irresponsible society. I want to ride a bike and feel the wind in my hair, screw the regulations I remember what it feels like and I resent that so many now act with careless lack of attention, preferring to rely on their safety devices or subjective roolz for their safety. LIVING IS DANGEROUS, get over it and start living again I say. Still not convinced of your personal obligations to yourself, my last observation is of how regulations are lobbied in the interests of creating jobs to produce these types of products with the spin off of saving health care dollars and increasing tax revenues. How can you say no to that eh? Now where did my blasted helmet go I need to take a safety nap lol.

I think trashing my table saw (because I expect that is what this thing does) would be quite the reminder enough without me having to lose digits. Not to mention the hassle an employer might save from avoiding accidents.

I see what you're saying about safety going too far in some cases but, in this particular case, I guess we have to agree to disagree.

sure, I think its a personal preference, on a personal level Ill take 2 please- kinda have to if you want to keep working after an incident. I just see it as part of a larger trend which may not be the best course to take the masses down- like the resulting sense of entitlement from our workers compensation programs, neither good for for the health of the population or employers. Now we see a culture of people who overdo things knowing they have a safety net. Ive seen so many good enough young men go out and get hurt on purpose so they can lay back on comopo, work the system for as long as they can instead of taking responsibility for their own health and safety, ruins many small employers with insurance premiums so high and when I get hurt for real the safety net now sucks. AS far as savings go for employers, they would do better to ease off with demanding pressures which create personal stress. I would put my finger in that confounded contraption IF I knew it would help my screaming @$$ of a boss have a breakdown- wont give me a well deserved raise well here spend $50 every day on saw blades lol- all accidental of course. Generally speaking, we get what we pay for, so what do we get for paying attention now?

Please dont take me wrong here my friend, I think its an awesome safety invention like all the rest that save pain and suffering, my issue is with how this plays into what I see as "part of the problem".

reneggaide wrote: Ive seen so many good enough young men go out and get hurt on purpose so they can lay back on comopo, work the system for as long as they can instead of taking responsibility for their own health and safety, ruins many small employers with insurance premiums so high and when I get hurt for real the safety net now sucks.

Egad! You're right!

Perry! You should have waited until you got to work and then said you caught it in the door on your way in!