Lost part of my finger yesterday, safety reminder

[5_TON_TOMATOE]

Sorry to hear about your accident, BigElk- I only know TOO WELL about table saws. I was making some intricate, free hand cuts in some laminate flooring when the garbage man pulled up and honked because my can wasn't out front. When I looked up, it was too late. Table saws don't cut flesh, they mutilate it. My thumb paid dearly for that valuable lesson. Oh, by the way,

 

[moleary]

I took off the tips of two fingers 5 years ago on the very last cut. Could have been much, much worse and now I am super careful working around power equipment.

Thanks again for the reminder.

Well this really sucks for both you guys... Sorry to hear about the misfortune.

One thought though. You would really be a bad-ass if you had said "I took off the tips of two fingers 5 years ago on the third to the last cut." I can just see it now, "Damn - there went two more, better drive on and finish the project though!".

 

[OD_Coyote]

Man that is a major bummer!

 

[rivired]

mannn wanted to be the first to upload "this thread is worthless without pics..lol..

Sorry to hear about ur finger..but as always..it could have been worst!

 

[wsucougarx]

Hey Reub, gosh sorry about the rough news. Man, I feel for you. It's amazing how a fraction of a second could do so much damage. Thanks for the heads up on safety. Unfortunately it comes on no so good news.

 

[powerhouseduece]

I saw an invention on a show that would have saved you from loosing a finger. The thing basically detects the conductivity in you finger and in a fraction of a second it locks the blade down tight. The guy demonstrated it with a hot dog first and it did not even mess up the skin on the dog. Then he did it with his own finger and again nothing. There is a small charge that basically engages an aluminum block that takes the blade to 0 rpm before your finger gets cut. It look pretty good but as with anything it will add cost to the saw. Sorry to hear about your finger. Thanks for sharing and I pray for a speedy recovery.

Is this what your talking about? I saw it on Time Warp on the Discovery channel. Watch the vids. on the right of the screen.

http://www.sawstop.com/howitworks/videos.php

 

[MilitaryRestoration]

even though talked to you on the phone earlier, sorry to hear about your day. I'm sure it's not going to slow you down for ever though, knowing you.... you'll figure it out fast
Pictures are of my buddies, they got stitched back on but never worked out, had to cut off in the end anyway... figured I'd give the guys some pictures till you got some of yours up

 

[wsucougarx]

Yikes Todd!

 

[wdbtchr]

Sorry to hear about your finger and no insurance, both suck. I've seen too many people lose fingers in all kinds of equipment. I still have all my digits in spite of my screen name wdbtchr(woodbutcher without the vowels). I do have an interesting scar on my right shin from a close encounter with a chain saw when I was 17.

I point I wanted to make is that in a lot of cases you get tired and instead of stopping, carry on. Leads to a lot of "Oh ****s". We need to watch out, especially with our big trucks.

Hang in there.

 

[PaFarmer]

Been there done that, got the scar on my left thumb. Good luck.

 

[maddawg308]

Roger on the accident with your finger, and no insurance. I am in the same boat, unemployed and no coverage. I have gotten it for my daughter, but I am currently without anything. Just makes me want to be more careful!

Look on the bright side, you're getting married! Though, you have one less finger you can put to good use on your honeymoon....

 

[bigelk50]

Thanks guys. Here are the pics! I am working with the Oregon health Plan to help cover the costs. Not sure if they will or not yet, I will keep all of you updated. The more people who share their stories, the more others will be aware.

 

[bigelk50]

Todd thanks for sharing the pics. I worked with a guy who had his hand smashed and then put back together. Within two months he had to have those three fingers cut off.

That was one thing I made clear with the surgeon is that I did not want to save it only to save it. I did not want to be back in there having it cut off. So in the end I am glad that he took it off during surgery.

I hope these pics open up peoples eyes when working around your MV's

 

[Polverone]

Sorry to hear about your incident Rueben. I am impressed by your straightforwardness about the ordeal. Carry on, your a good man.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

Man, very sorry to hear about that. Severel guys at the mill have lost fingers right in front of me and it's not a pretty sight.

I almost lost my right hand just two weeks before I was to leave for Navy boot camp. We were re-railing a caboose, and I was moving a re-railing tool in front of one of the wheels when something in my head told me to move my hand- as soon as I did, the caboose suddenly rolled, and smashed the tie right where my hand had just been!! If that 36ton caboose had it's way I would have never joined the Navy, much less had a right hand!

An old mechanic who taught me most of what I know told me the first week I was in his shop- "don't put your fingers anywhere you wouldn't put your D$%#." Kind of harsh, but was funny as hell and has stuck with me.

Hope this does serve as a reminder to all of us to just take a moment to step back and look at a job to asses the hazards and try to work safely, no matter what we are working on. We can't control everything, but what we can we should do our best to make it as safe as possible.

As we all know, it only takes a second for something bad to happen.

 

[Yarb]

That sucks Elk, here's hoping that somehow the financial burden will be taken care of as you mentioned (Oregon something). Feel better.

 

[gbooth]

Back in 1982 I suffered what the Doctor called a Sub-total amputation of my left thumb. It was pulled twisted and crushed off right before the knuckle all that was holding it on was a small piece of skin. It was a work related accident and workman's comp paid the bill. They brought in a Micro surgeon re-attached it with 2 long pins running down the inside of the bone the pins were 3 inches long. I was lucky the surgery worked and I kept the thumb and I have 40% usage But it took almost 2 years be for I could open a push button car door. I know it sucks but I know you will bounce back and make the best of it.

 

[bigelk50]

Thanks for all of the support guys! For those who have shared their stories I feel your pain and am glad that you are still here to tell about it!

 

[baxter]

Bigelk check the link above for the sawstop thats the one. I teach high school and all of the schools in my district have gone to those saws about $2000 a piece but they say it has already saved more fingers and probably hundreds of thousands in medical and lawsuits I totally recomend them. I hope you heal fast.

Vaughn

 

[bigelk50]

Yeah I have been looking into that saw stop! I feel that it is well worth the two thousand. Every school should have these just as a safety percaution! A kid that I went to school with who was a senior lost 4 fingers in shop class on a table saw. One question that I had was what does it do when you cut a wet board? will it trip it? Thanks for the response!