# ANOTHER Foolish Close Call



## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Well I can rant all I want about shop safety but I am certainly not immune to foolish mistakes. I am trying to learn how to use the box joint bit I got for my Birthday and have actually made SEVERAL mistakes along the way. One was initially running the router way too fast for a bit this size. Another was not checking the nut on the top of the bit for tightness BEFORE I used it. Yes it was loose. 
The last was a stupid laziness mistake that could have been very serious. While testing out a new pushblock I made, I picked a small piece of scrap to test and decided I didn't need to clamp it to the block. :blink: S-T-U-P-I-D!
The pictures show the result. It pulled the piece of wood right through the fence. Fortunately I pulled my fingers away, hit the kill switch and managed to miss ALL the injuries that could have happened. I can't tell you what a LUCKY idiot I feel like. But I thought I would post so hopefully someone won't do something as foolish as this in the future.


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## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

Deb,

Please be careful with that new bit. One that size could do some real damage


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## Dr.Zook (Sep 10, 2004)

Deb, glad to see no real damage done.


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## curiousgeorge (Nov 6, 2006)

Deb,
I am glad you escaped unscathed. It looks like you were trying to take too big a bite with that bit. That kind of cut needs to be eased up on a little at a time.


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Deb thanks for everything,what you said helped me and maybe some others.


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## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

Glad to hear that you didn't get hurt. Hopefully, we will all learn from our mistakes. :agree:


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

I certainly count my blessings after that one. It actually wasn't a deep cut but after the bit grabbed the wood it just chewed it up and spat it out... literally. All in less then a heartbeat. I am going to use a footswitch with that bit from now on, as well as a proper CLAMP and pushblock. No excuse for laziness. That's just asking for it. 
It scared me enough that I am taking a shop break for a couple of days. Not using anything bigger then the little bandsaw. Maybe tomorrow I'll try it again. Or maybe I'll just go back to the simple Oak Park jigs. Got to love the KISS principle.


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