# A little accident



## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Was in the process of setting up the box joint jig on the little router table and had a little accident. I was cutting the offset block and used a piece that was too small and it shot off tje table and left my finger sitting on top of the spiral bit. It pretty much spiraled off the bit and left me standing there wondering if it took my finger off or what. It isn't deep enough for stitches but shore tore it up and left lots of little tag ends that I have to cut off or it will be like a 100 hang nails! So yes I did learn a lesson... where kevlar gloves  Actually do use a sufficiently long enough piece and use a push block. I didn't. 

Corey


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

Corey,

I know they don't make an ointment to soothe a wounded pride, but thanks for the reminder. 

Fortunately it wasn't worse!


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## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

Ouch.... Ouch.... Ouch......

Corey, who was it that talked me into getting a Grr-Ripper and why?

Man I hate seeing that and I know it had to hurt, but I am so thankful that it was not worse than it was. Keep it covered and out of harms way until it heels.

Sorry it happend my friend, but we all learn as we go and I have again learned from you today, not in a way I prefer though. OUCH!


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Thanks Guys! Bob, I knew you were going to say that. I have several of the lay on top of push blocks that I could of used and got in a hurry. It will heal pretty fast and once I got all the tag ends removed that hang on everything it is better. Like Doug says... hurt pride more than anything. 

Another good reason to use a push block like Bob J made for the box joint jig. I don't like doing it the way Bob and Rick do it. Much safer and accurate in the end. 

Corey


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## Joe Lyddon (Sep 11, 2004)

OOooo Corey...

Sounds like you were VERY LUCKY!!

Glad you made it through it as good as you did!

Be safe.


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## simplenik (Feb 14, 2006)

Hi Corey
Sorry to hear about your accident and wish you quick recovery.

As they say; "Experience, is the best teacher"...

That reminds me one pilot that was saying: "I love to learn from experience...no, not mine, HIS experience"...

Thanks for reminding us that the danger is waiting around the corner...

niki


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## Rolf Maxa (Feb 8, 2005)

Corey, sorry to hear about your accident. I'm glad it wasn't worse. Speedy recovery.


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## lablover (May 15, 2007)

WOW..Glad you are OK...It will make me more carefull. 

Joe


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Bud

Sorry to see that, it's always best to use longer stock then cut it to size...
after the router job when you can ...

But you are luckey that it take it off ,router bits can do alot of damage in a heat beat.

Bj 




challagan said:


> Was in the process of setting up the box joint jig on the little router table and had a little accident. I was cutting the offset block and used a piece that was too small and it shot off tje table and left my finger sitting on top of the spiral bit. It pretty much spiraled off the bit and left me standing there wondering if it took my finger off or what. It isn't deep enough for stitches but shore tore it up and left lots of little tag ends that I have to cut off or it will be like a 100 hang nails! So yes I did learn a lesson... where kevlar gloves  Actually do use a sufficiently long enough piece and use a push block. I didn't.
> 
> Corey


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## Dr.Zook (Sep 10, 2004)

Corey, sorry to hear of your accident. Glad it wasn't worse to where we would call you "lefty". Here's hoping for a speedy healing. Thanks for the post. I know you didn't have to post and you could have kept it to yourself, but thanks for the work safe reminder.


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## Glenmore (Sep 10, 2004)

Corey luckily you did loose the "finger" how were going to drive and give people the shortened statement. All kidding aside just happy it wasn't worse. Heck of way to remind us all what a router bit could and can do to our flesh.


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Well Zook that's it .....I did it on purpose  .... I sacrificed myself for the forum! I just wanted to show you all what could happen if....... yeah right. Why hide it... if it helps someone else why not  

Corey


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## Benny LaBaw (Jan 4, 2007)

Corey san
I am sorry to hear of your accident.
But I am relieved it is not critical one.
I hope you are recovered soon.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

What can I add to all those well wishers Cory, other than to relate my tale of woe. I was in the finishing stage of completing my first project after retirement, a wall display cabinet and had made the small beading to retain the glass in the door, the beading was meant to have a round-over on one side but it turned out more like a church doorway so I started to hand sand the first piece but it was taking forever so I had the bright idea of setting the jointer real low and taking off just a smidgeon. would you believe that I attempted to use my fingers to guide the beads over the cutters!!!!!! As soon as the bead touched the spinning cutters it was pulled out of my fingers and took the pad cleanly off my right index finger. There was no pain at all, only from my wrist where they took the skin graft! It's a pity that I made the beading at all, as the glass people glued the glass into the door!! and didn't use the beading. I have come a long way since that incident in July 2000. I hope you have no lasting problems Corey.


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Wow Harry that sounds like it hurt just a little. Glad all was ok in the end and you can still type  That cabinet is beautiful!

Corey


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## cabinetman (Apr 23, 2007)

Corey

Sorry to hear of the mishap. Hope it doesn't hurt too much. I used to emphasize to employees that they will hear it before they feel it.

I had a mishap with routing, yeah, even me. I had a long table (8') set up as a straight edger, nothing else. It had a 3/4" straight cutter that was set up to only take off 1/32". It was set up like a jointer, with a 1/32" take-up on the back side. 

Anyway, I was edging brass and copper laminate strips to be used as butt-up inlays, and had a whole stack to do. With all the repetition, and standing for a long time, I passed my thumb over the top of the bit, and it took a chunk out of the tip, to the bone. *BUT*, there was good news. It didn't remove the chunk, it kinda just twirled it around. So, I untwirled it and fitted the pieces back in place like a puzzle, and pressed it tight while saying "Its got to heal". They fit pretty good. An employee told me I should see a doctor for if nothing else to get some pain killers cause the next day it'll hurt like heck.

I did go to the doctor, got 11 stitches, and the pain pills. It still hurt the next day. After that (wouldn't you know) I made a flat top lexan guard to go above the bit (it just screwed to the top of the fence). Thumb turned out fine except for a slight reshaping to the thumb print.


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## scrollwolf (Sep 12, 2004)

Corey,
I had almost the same thing happen to me about 3yrs ago, with a 3/8" spiral bit. So I literally feel your pain. Part of two finger nails had nice spiral designs as well as the fingers. My first thought was the same as yours, should I look? do I want to look?
3 months and lots of Neosporin later, it didn't even leave a physical scar but it left a heck of a mental one. Won't do that again.

Jack


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## TWheels (May 26, 2006)

Corey,

I am very happy that your injury is no worse than it is. How is your finger doing now? Your accident seems like sometihing that could happen to me when I take a shortcut, and I tend to take shortcuts when I am tired or not thinking straight. "Shortcuts" almost always take more time that the "right way". With my history I talk much about safety, but then still try the "shortcuts" such as not using a push stick "just this once".


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

It's doing pretty well,thanks and the holes are closing up and sealing up nicely but one. Spent the week making various push blocks etc. 

corey


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## gregW (Mar 14, 2007)

Corey

It's good to see your finger is doing better. routers are still new to me, and mostly out of fear when I'm working with small pieces I've developed a habit of slapping together a couple of pieces of scrap and if needed using some double back tape to hold the piece while I'm routing it... nothing fancy, just enough to keep my hands several inches away from the bit and then I usually just toss it out when I'm done. It's becoming second nature to me now so it usually only takes me a few minutes to slap something together.

Greg


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

challagan said:


> It's doing pretty well, the holes are closing up and sealing up nicely but one. Spent the week making various push blocks etc.
> 
> corey



One of my co-workers had a similar reaction when he cut the top 3/8 in of his middle finger off. All the safety gear that was cool but expensive, seemed awfully cheap now after the doctor bills..... He went and picked up a handful of the magnetic feather boards, an overarm blade guard, etc...


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Thanks guys. The more I talk to people accidents on the router table happen quite frequently. I usually consider myself pretty safe and have been using routers for 20 plus years without an incident... but that can change in a heart beat. A simple push block of which I had 2 close at hand would have prevented the whole thing most likely. The pressure would have kept the small block from launching and I wouldn't have been sitting there with my finger ready to drop on to the bit. Always think ahead on your cut. I am not scared of my power tools... but I respect them  Even more so now.

Corey


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## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

Corey,

I know you have heard this before, but I want to repeat it here for the others.

*Before starting any cut always look to see where your hands and fingers will be if the wood were not present.*

This is basically what happend in your case and something we should all adhere to.


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Spot On Bob! Absolutely!!

Corey


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## Lee Brubaker (Jan 30, 2006)

Sounds like the finger is going to be okay Cory. But don't be like me....I'm obviously a slow learner & have had two fingers tangle with router bits on seperate occasions & about 10 years apart. You would think with 10 years more experience from the first instance to the second that the last one should never have happened....but it did. Fortunately both fingers healed nicely.

Lee


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

challagan said:


> Thanks guys. The more I talk to people accidents on the router table happen quite frequently. I usually consider myself pretty safe and have been using routers for 20 plus years without an incident... but that can change in a heart beat. A simple push block of which I had 2 close at hand would have prevented the whole thing most likely. The pressure would have kept the small block from launching and I wouldn't have been sitting there with my finger ready to drop on to the bit. Always think ahead on your cut. I am not scared of my power tools... but I respect them  Even more so now.
> 
> Corey


Doesn't all this make you realise that PLUNGE routing has a lot going for it?


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

It does my friend where plunge routing makes more sense and doesn't require a whole lot of set up to make a simple dado or groove. The key is to use safe procedures not matter if you are plunge, table etc. routing. But I expect you are right Harry... there are some operations where plunge routing eliminates a lot of chances to get into "trouble". Have a good one Harry!

Corey


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Harry

That's like saying use a power hand saw over a table saw they both have a job to do and most of the time the table saw/router table can do it better 

Bj 





harrysin said:


> Doesn't all this make you realise that PLUNGE routing has a lot going for it?


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

bobj3 said:


> Hi Harry
> 
> That's like saying use a power hand saw over a table saw they both have a job to do and most of the time the table saw/router table can do it better
> 
> Bj


Not at all Bob, MOST jobs that can be completed on the table can be done more safely with the plunge router and it can be a lot of fun once mastered.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Harry

So you are saying that it's easyer to hold on to a 15lb. router and control it than doing it on a router table ,where the router table is holding the Hvy. router for you and all you need to do is hold and control some timmber that is only 2lb. if that.


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## Joe Lyddon (Sep 11, 2004)

bobj3 said:


> Hi Harry
> 
> So you are saying that it's easyer to hold on to a 15lb. router and control it than doing it on a router table ,where the router table is holding the Hvy. router for you and all you need to do is hold and control some timmber that is only 2lb. if that.



Bob,

My thought too... but was afraid to say it...


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

OK guys we have been thru this scenario a few times around here. Let's save this one for another day and agree to disagree  OK. I will save my judgment until I actually do some plunge routing of any significance. 

Corey


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