Finger Tearout!

[wizer]

Just spent some time familiarising myself with the local A&E!

I was trimming the parts for my Adirondack chair on the router table using a pattern bit. A momentary lapse in concentration saw my hand get dragged across the spinning bit. Sorry, no gruesome shots. I was too busy wrapping it in a tea towel and driving myself to A&E.

It's funny how you think about these things afterwards. I realise what I did. I'd been having a lot of problems with tearout, especially near and around end grain. After very cautious trial and error I worked out a system which I deemed safe and effective. When it came to end grain I was leaving most of it, destined to finish on the bobbin sander. All went well for 7 parts. The fatal error came on the last part. For some reason I stuck the template on upside down. I realised when I got to the table but assumed it wouldn't matter. Having the template upside down meant I was routing in a different direction. I approached the end grain from a different direction and wasn't expecting it. The bit grabbed hold of the wood and chucked it towards me. Error number two was that I was holding the wood with my forefinger extended. So as the wood passed the bit at speed, so did my finger.

I feel pretty stupid. Pride nearly stopped me from posting. But I guess I have learned all I know about safety on this forum and so I hope this might help someone in the future.

The long and short of it is that I won't be using the method again. Certainly not on real wood. I'll need to practice my bandsaw skills a little more.

A&E bandaged me up well, but I have an appointment with a plastic surgeon tomorrow. It's painful, but I'm used to pain.

[TonyW]

Hope you make a quick recovery wizer.

Pleased that you overcame pride/embarrassment to post something that may help others (me!) in the future

Cheers ;D
Tony

[Dave S]

Eeek!

Goes to show how one misjudgement can potentially have serious consequences.

Hope the appointment tomorrow goes well, Tom, and that the only long-lasting effect is to make you (and indeed the rest of us) extra careful.

Dave

[thallow]

May 27, 2008 19:37:45 GMT TonyW said:

Pleased that you overcame pride/embarrassment to post something that may help others (me!) in the future

here here - thanks for posting wizer; hope you are better soon mate!

[engineerone]

trust the pain will not get too bad tonight as the pain killers wear off

it just shows the old idea of stopping when you are slightly tired or have been going a long time before you check yourself out again. one really needs to be sure whatever one is doing is continuing in the correct way, and it is too easy to become complacent in working methods which have worked up til now.

just be thankful you were able to take yourself to a&e.

hope it heals soonest

paul

[jake]

Ouch. Hope it heals quickly and well.

[modernist]

Very sorry to hear you've hurt yourself and best of luck for a quick recovery. It just goes to show how easy it is to get caught out - in your case despite thinking it through in advance. We all need to be reminded of that. I do have several friends short of the full set thanks to the moulder.

Brian

[dunbarhamlin]

Youch! Get better quick. I'm happily router free these days.
Steve

[gazza]

Sorry to hear of your mishap Wizer.
Hope it heals well.
Cheers,
Gazza.

[Keith]

I hope the damage isn't too bad, and you are soon on the mend.

Keith

[jfc]

Ouch !!! Hope it heals soon matey

[wizer]

Just got back. They have booked me in for a skin graft on Friday morning. Should take 2-3 weeks to heal. Then i'll be on a physio course.

I'm trying not to get myself down over this. I just have to come to terms with being an unlucky git. No point crying over spilt milk and all that. I do believe this was an accident and not complete idiocy.

Paul: top advice. I should, indeed, have stopped when I thought something was wrong. This ultimately was what led to the accident.

Thanks all for your kind words and not berating me too much.

[engineerone]

how can we berate you we all do stupid things almost daily, and only by luck do we avoid what has happened to you.

you have had the real courage to admit to screwing up, and the luck that it is not too bad

one joy of my condition is i bleed like a stuffed pig if i injure myself, so i have to be especially careful and so tend to be even slower and more careful than i used to be, but chisels still slip

hope the grafts go ok, but don't you wonder, years ago,
we didn't use that just a great plaster

paul

[9fingers]

Good luck with the repairs Wizer.

Don't forget the ID 9fingers is already taken so don't try that trick again!!
I'm full of praise for the NHS
Mine was combined tendon, tissue (flesh/meat) and skin grafts performed nearly 3 years ago now.
I'm back to 10 working fingers now but somehow that ID is not very special!

Bob

[wizer]

Actually this experience with the NHS has been really good. A&E sorted me out quite quickly and then plastic surgeon next day, skin graft Friday. Which is ironic because I think I'd rather loose the bloody finger than live another year with a bad back.

[engineerone]

as for your back, get yourself off to someone who specialises in sports injuries. he/she has a better idea of how to deal with it than any one else

paul

[wizer]

For anyone who like a bit of gore:




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[jake]

Really, really ouch - that's far worse than I imagined.

[Keith]

I thought you had just taken the end off, which would be bad enough.

As for the back I agree with Paul,if you can find the right person it can make a massive difference. I did my back at Christmas; I felt fine then sat on a chair and couldn't get up. I had chiropractor work on it for a few months which helped but didn't fix it, then I went to a physio and she got me completely mobile in just a few visits.

Keith

[tellurian]

Ow!
I hope that looks worse than it is.

Hope you heal real quick.

[wizer]

Thanks guys

WRT the back: A Potted history. I have been suffering for 7yrs now. Been through Osteo's, Physio's, Chiro's, all the O's. I have done Pilates, Sports Massage. Spent some time in hospital early this year but didn't end up having the operation due to lost MRI's, then a difference of opinion. After paying to see a private consultant, I am now waiting to see a specialist consultant on the NHS (as the private operation would have been in the region of 20k.) My above comment was about the length of time I have been waiting on the NHS and the sheer lack of concern (any normal employer would have got rid of me years ago) or information I can squeeze out of them. I am permanently on strong pain killer just to get me through the day.

You did ask

[colincott]

Hi Tom
Very sorry to hear about your finger.
As someone who has had more than one dance with spinny things, it is very easy to make a mistake but can take a long time to get over it.

it might seem like it will not get better at times but it will, so take your time with it

All the best colin

[chill]

OOOOuch hope it gets better soon.
i hear scientists in the states grew back a mans finger using
powdered pigs bladder and no im not taking the pee,
check out http:/news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7354458.stm

[Dave S]

Aw - that does look worse than I'd imagined from your description. I do hope it looks worse than it is.

Good luck for tomorrow.

Dave

[tusses]

Holy Crap !!!!





hope it heals well dude - take care