Author Topic: Injury after Injury (Read 1891 times)

dominick · « **on:** June 05, 2009, 09:19:10 AM »

I'm not doing so good at the moment.

I've been a bit accident prone lately and I've had three mishaps in the past month. The first one about three weeks ago was when I was cleaning under the lathe and a piece of lathe ribbon cut across my middle knuckle on my right hand. It was a tiny cut no big deal, so I cleaned it and continued working. Well, a week later I felt a pop, the tendon broke. I went to see a surgeon and he said I can leave it alone if I wanted to do so. [The recovery time and time out of work would be too long] So back to work with very little down time and able to deal with it. Second accident one week ago, barrel chucked in the lathe @100 rpm and I was using a 4-1/2 " sander with a new type backing disc. I bump the chuck very lightly and the backing disc broke, grinder kicks back across palm of my left hand. I clean and patch it up and keep working. Ok, no more sanding near the chuck. Third accident today, same old 4-1/2" grinder, the kind I've used for 30+ years, another new type backing disc, thinking the last mishap was caused partly by the spinning chuck, I was sanding a part on the work bench and the disc ever so lightly touches the edge of an angle iron and explodes back into me and cuts my left hand again right next to last weeks cut.

This one was worth 11 stitches in my hand and I'm out of work for 10 days. Anyway, those of you who I am currently doing work for, I apologize for the delay.

jeeper1 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 05, 2009, 09:37:16 AM »

Div Arty · « **Reply #2 on:** June 05, 2009, 09:45:30 AM »

Dom, Time for a rest. Back off and enjoy the rest of springtime.

phantom · « **Reply #3 on:** June 05, 2009, 09:53:58 AM »

Dom I have seen grinding wheels come apart but never a sanding backing disc. What kind of material was that made of hard plastic? You need to use all of those ten days to recover and rest. And Ouch like jeeper said.Take care Cannon Maker...

snapcrackpop · « **Reply #4 on:** June 05, 2009, 10:09:07 AM »

factory defects?

dominick · « **Reply #5 on:** June 05, 2009, 10:10:06 AM »

Quote from: phantom on June 05, 2009, 09:53:58 AM

Dom I have seen grinding wheels come apart but never a sanding backing disc. What kind of material was that made of hard plastic? You need to use all of those ten days to recover and rest. And Ouch like jeeper said.Take care Cannon Maker...

Hard plastic. I never used a backing disc til earlier this year. I used to stack 3 or 4 sanding discs directly onto the hub. I suppose it's a more passive arrangement than the backing disc. I bumped the edge of the stacked disc arrangement probably hundreds of times in the past and never had this happen.

phantom · « **Reply #6 on:** June 05, 2009, 10:30:17 AM »

You need to find one made of rubber Dom, it should not blow apart like that and will do more than
just the stacked sanding disc. But I guess you already know that, I guess since you were already opened up you could of had that tendon fixed at the same time.. Anyway your luck has to change for the better..
Don't Use anymore Hard Plastic ....

KABAR2 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 05, 2009, 10:41:53 AM »

Dominick,

Sorry to hear of your mishap, while working with these machines mishaps can happen faster than

we can react Here's to fast healing with no complications, there is a fellow who fell of a ladder in his

shop and impailed himself on a piece of 3/8th in. rod through his leg above the ankle it all the way through,

it seems to be the season, hang in there, I'll keep you in my prayers.

Allen <><

Ex 49'er · « **Reply #8 on:** June 05, 2009, 10:49:13 AM »

Take the time to heal and don't worry about the slowed work. Your health is more important!!!

brokenpole · « **Reply #9 on:** June 05, 2009, 11:09:18 AM »

Dominick,

The check is in the mail for my golf ball sled mortar. But it can wait. I have two others I can play around with. Having you back to a full working status means a lot to everyone on this board.

So put my new toy on the back burner and take the tens days plus whatever else it takes.

You will be in our thoughts and prayers.

bp and smokinbeaver

subdjoe · « **Reply #10 on:** June 05, 2009, 01:10:28 PM »

Hey, it sounds as if you need some range time to relax and unwind!

On the serious side, take it easy, get well.

dan610324 · « **Reply #11 on:** June 05, 2009, 01:19:43 PM »

the way you did it before , thats the most safe way to do it .
I always use 3-4 used discs turned upside down
today its just chinese plastic crap to buy , a good quality hard rubber one is impossible to find
at least here in sweden
take care and have a good rest

Victor3 · « **Reply #12 on:** June 05, 2009, 10:29:58 PM »

3M makes (or at least used to) reinforced rubber and plastic back-up disks that are about indestructable. In the 10 years we used them daily at a company I worked for I never saw one come apart, even if they were heavily flexed or bumped against a sharp edge.

Over 50% of the injuries in the manufacturing facility I work at now are hand cuts.

We've recently started requiring operators doing certain high risk operations to wear fancy cut resistant gloves. They have a stainless steel/kevlar mesh in them. Hand cut incidents have gone down about 65% since we started using them. Unfortunately though, wearing gloves while working close to rotating/reciprocating machinery parts is more dangerous than not wearing them.

dominick · « **Reply #13 on:** June 06, 2009, 03:22:30 AM »

Thank you all for your concerns.

Dan, that is exactly how I used to use the sander. Never an incident. The problem was the hub would evently cut through the first backing disc. I tried rounding the edge of the hub but it only slowed the problem and did not eliminate it. Also, the retainer nut protruded from the center and would get in the way. The nice thing about the backing disc is the sanding surface is flat. I will look into a soft rubber disc and start using the side handle again. I figured out that the way I was holding the grinder contributed to the injury so I am partially the blame.

Victor, you are right about the gloves and except for lathe and drilling work, I will start using them.

Dom

Double D · « **Reply #14 on:** June 06, 2009, 04:02:19 AM »

Quote from: dominick on June 05, 2009, 09:19:10 AM

The say the climate in Montana has healing qualities...

1Southpaw · « **Reply #15 on:** June 06, 2009, 05:05:27 AM »

Dom , sorry to hear of mishaps . Time for a healing brake !

Doug , I think we have more snow than you . After Thursday afternoons heat htis is a relief + we got some much needed gophers . Out total Gopher count for the 4 days was 1012 . (actually only 3 and a half days )

dominick · « **Reply #16 on:** June 06, 2009, 05:11:54 AM »

With the exception of a few heat waves, this has also been an unusually cold springtime here in pa too. No snow though.

Thank you 1Southpaw.

centermass · « **Reply #17 on:** June 07, 2009, 04:58:15 PM »

Dom,, that grinder accident happened to my best friend while working on my 5x10 trailer to carry my cannon on. Give a new meaning to my signature...........take care and heal up fully before working again...

armorer77 · « **Reply #18 on:** June 12, 2009, 06:45:45 AM »

Dom , Sorry about your injury . I have destroyed several of those plastic backing discs , now I refuse to use anything other than soft rubber . Get well soon . Armorer77

subdjoe · « **Reply #19 on:** June 13, 2009, 04:12:47 AM »

I'm just wondering how you are doing, Dom. No complications, I hope.

dominick · « **Reply #20 on:** June 13, 2009, 05:23:48 AM »

Quote from: subdjoe on June 13, 2009, 04:12:47 AM

I'm just wondering how you are doing, Dom. No complications, I hope.

I feel much better, Thank you. I took a few days off to recoup early this week and ran errands in the later part. I noticed that the surgeon [at no fault to him] sewed my hand into a partially closed position and when I open it the stitches pull so I have to careful of that. The stitches come out Monday and I'll be back to work.

subdjoe · « **Reply #21 on:** June 13, 2009, 06:51:40 AM »

Thanks for the update. I think. That photo made me cringe (to put it mildly). But, it looks like the wounds are healing nicely.

Double D · « **Reply #22 on:** June 13, 2009, 07:32:56 AM »

Quote from: dominick on June 13, 2009, 05:23:48 AM

I feel much better, Thank you. I took a few days off to recoup early this week and ran errands in the later part. I noticed that the surgeon [at no fault to him] sewed my hand into a partially closed position and when I open it the stitches pull so I have to careful of that. The stitches come out Monday and I'll be back to work.

Dom,

I am really sorry to hear about your injury and I am glad you posted it here for all of to see. It serves as a reminder to all of us to be careful when we are working.

Thats the sympathy part, now comes the ragging.

I fail to see why you took the week of to recoup....there's nothing wrong with center part of your hand and you still have a right one!!!

Now get pack to work!!!

Seriously I am glad you were not badly hurt and will be back making cannons for us soon! Heal quickly my friend.

CannonKrazy · « **Reply #23 on:** June 13, 2009, 04:36:18 PM »

That looks like it hurts. I burned my right hand many years ago. I had 3rd degree burns on the palm and fingers. I couldn't even fasten or un fasten my pants. You don't realize how much you depend on your hands until something happens. Like you I'm a fellow cannon maker and I want to continue to build more with all my limbs intact. Take care of those hands.

EL Caz 66 · « **Reply #24 on:** June 14, 2009, 03:57:00 AM »

OH NO!!! Dam, that's not good.. hope get well quickly..

dominick · « **Reply #25 on:** June 15, 2009, 05:02:31 PM »

Well, I went and had the stitches removed today [after 10 days] and was back to work less than five minutes and the one cut opened right back up. The surgeon said it would do that some amount. It looks worse than it feels. I just have to keep it very clean and bandaged at this point. Anyway, I am back to work, a bit less than the full speed that I had anticipated. Thanks all for your support.

subdjoe · « **Reply #26 on:** June 16, 2009, 04:00:32 AM »

You might try some vitamine E oil around that to help make the skin more elastic. Maybe consider wearing a glove on that left hand (I'm guessing that isn't your "gun hand" on the grinder).

I've found that some of the shooting gloves, the kind that leave the fingers exposed, are kind of nice when using power tools like that. The little bit of padding takes up the vibration, I have some hand protection, but I can still use my fingers for picking up small pieces without having to shuck the gloves. Of course, your mileage may vary.

waynef · « **Reply #27 on:** June 21, 2009, 07:10:49 AM »

At least I count all five digits...

Don't over due and the glove is a good idea, I can't work without them.

Take care Dom,

Wayne

Don Krag · « **Reply #28 on:** June 21, 2009, 09:17:09 PM »

Holy crap....when you do something, you certainly give it 110%!

Keep it clean! I managed to shove the corner of a machinist vise down to the cartilage in my index finger knuckle while doing some milling afew weeks back. I missed a few filings that were deep in. It swelled to the size of a marble and started stinking. Cleaning it out and letting it heal from the inside out hasn't been fun!

kappullen · « **Reply #29 on:** June 22, 2009, 01:44:46 AM »

Dominik,

Seems that we machinists, at least I, always have
something healing up on the hands.

There's always that stringer chip to slice the finger, needle
splinter, in the hand or foot.

Also is the spatter from the welder, and burns from picking up hot materials.

Those grinders can be nasty. I have burns on the left hand,
and a cut on the "F" finger right now from touching the edge of a flap wheel.

I ignited a flannel shirt with sparks from a disc grinder years ago.

Two weeks ago, I'm taking pipes out from under a hot press, and knock circular
saw off the top, on to my head.

Swmbo called 911 seeing the blood spurting from my head.
That was good for four stiches.

I look at my sons hands next to mine, looks like they have been thru a war.

Keep up the goodwork!

You are a true craftsman, and your creations will outlast us all.

Kap