Just a quick reminder to all to be careful when in the shop. A woodworker in the Portland area was impaled recently.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45561829/ns/local_news-portland_or/#.Tt5ZP0_6yxI

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My job is to give my kids things to discuss with their therapist

Yikes Ken!!!!! Yes, thank you indeed for the reminder! This stuff happens guys! For those who have never suffered an accident like this, I'll tell ya, it happens quicker then lightening. Things fly off of our blades and cutters at warp speed, you have zero reaction time. Please be careful Patriot Woodworkers.

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John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker

Ouch!,

That shows how dangerous our equipment can be.

These types of things happen so quickly.

He had probably done the job the same way thousands of times, and got distracted for the brief second it took for this to happen.

Better off to take your time, and  be safe. Things do happen so quickly that you have no time to react.

I hope this person has a good recovery from this accident.

Regards,

Larry

 

OK, I'll admit I've got a bit of a bee in my bonnet about safety. Personally I don't think that's too much of a problem, even if the no guards guys do. Anyway I've started to turn my copious notes on wood machinig into something approaching a proper manual for my own use. First up I thought I'd share my "golden rules" with you and invite comments or even harsh criticism at my choices. Here are the fifteen I came up with: 

Rule 1: The most appropriate and safest machine and tooling should always be used for any job. The tooling should be run at the appropriate speed and appropriate feed rates used 

Rule 2: All machining operations should be planned so that infeed and take-off areas are clear of obstructions and necessary feeding and safety equipment are in place before starting a cut 

Rule 3: Always check that cutting tools are properly installed on the machine and that cutters are properly secured 

Rule 4: Check that cutters rotate freely and that guards and moveable fences, etc are secured before commencing a cut 

Rule 5: Always wear appropriate safety equipment when machining and dress appropriately 

Rule 6: Before using any machine for the first time seek guidance on its appropriate use 

Rule 7: Always check for defects in the material before making a cut 

Rule 8: Hand fed work must always be fed against the direction of cutter rotation 

Rule 9: Any workpiece must be of sufficient size that it can be held and/or guide during the entire infeed and take off operation 

Rule 10: Adequate work supports must be used for every operation 

Rule 11: Never use any machine beyond its designed capacity. Be wary of using any machine to perform an operation for which it was not designed 

Rule 12: Control waste and keep the floor around any machine clear of waste 

Rule 13: Avoid external distractions when machining. Turn off mobile phones and iPods, etc 

Rule 14: Avoid using woodworking machinery when tired or stressed. Never use any woodworking machinery when under the influence of alchohol or drugs 

Rule 15: Always try to extract wood dust at the point of production. Wear dust masks whenever dust extraction is compromised 

I leave the floor open to you gents for feedback 




jack

English machines