I was making a new machine yesterday. I was using my lathe to machine down some parts for the rod building machine.

I was using sand paper to clean up a part with the lathe turning at 4000 rpm. While, I was using the lathe, the tip of my glove got caught between the sandpaper and the work that I was turning. Suddenly the rod and my hand became twisted around the work piece.

Fortunately with the high speed that I was running, the lathe also has the least amount of power and when the resistance from my wound up hand, arm, work and sand paper came to a head, the chuck stopped turning because the belt was slipping.

Then, I was able to reach over with my free hand and turn off the lathe motor.

I unwound my self out of the work piece and massaged my arm, wrist hand and fingers for a good while to restore everything to normal.

I was chatting with my brother who does a good amount of wood turning on his lathe. He wears gloves, but he cuts the fingers off of the gloves. He does this for the exact reason to avoid the accident that I had yesterday. No glove finger tips to get caught in a work piece. Lathes are great and can do wonderful things, But, as with any sort of machinery, they need to be used safely.

After recovering, cleaned up, went back to work and finished the project. But, I am so thankful that I had no short or long term damage to my body.

Be safe

Scary stuff Roger, glad that you're alright!

I was a tool & die maker for over 12 years. NEVER wear gloves (even fingerless gloves) long sleeves, etc. around a lathe!!!!!!!!!! NEVER use a rag (or especially your shirt tail...) to wipe off a rotating part. A lathe/drill press/mill/grinder can grab cloth and suck it and you into it WAY faster than you can react. Same with using sandpaper/emery cloth to sand rotating parts - hold it so that if it catches it pulls out of your hand and NOT with it intertwined in your fingers.

Be especially careful when working alone. People that have gotten sucked into more powerful lathes have ended up being "collected" with a sponge.

Scary Roger !! It seems these things happen as we very familiar and comfortable using machinery. Table saws are a good example as are lathes.

We all will gain some cautions from your experience. Thanks for sharing.

Roger,

Thanks for sharing what could have been a disaster.

Thank Goodness you're OK!!

Bill

Copy that Dan!

A question for those who used to (and I hope no longer do) wear gloves while using a lathe/drill press/grinder, etc:

What was the reason for doing so?

If it's to be able to handle work parts that get hot, spraying an item with water, or stopping the lathe and wrapping the work piece with a wet rag are better alternatives.

If it's to save time washing your hands during a project, or to be able to grip things better, there are better options.

Please also wear eye protection when using power tools. I've seen too many drill bits, grinding wheels, cut-off wheels, and tool bits. virtually explode, and also work pieces that slip/break/whatever and are sent flying.

To paraphrase an old saying: Using power equipment is only fun until someone gets hurt. So let's avoid the getting hurt part!

I work in a dangerous industry and the things that will get you are the ones you are most familiar with. We take things for granted and forget about the little stuff . Glad your alright Roger, would not want anything to happen to the guy with all the cool tools for every job. Maybe you and all of uss, should do a Job Safety Analysis (JSA) before the start of each job or task. Identify the hazards and mitigate each one. I think no gloves would be a good start.

In rod building we sometimes use our lathes to turn items like reel seat inserts and cork grips – often on steel mandrels. Those of us who have been around for a while remember the late Mike Barklay’s lathe accident. He was turning something on a steel mandrel, and the mandrel worked itself to the left and deeper into this lathe chuck. The other end of the mandrel lost contact with the live center and when that happened the mandrel whipped around uncontrollably, bending outward and striking him in the abdomen.

While this isn’t a “catch” type of accident we should try to learn from his mishap and remember to use a drill stop on our mandrels to avoid lateral travel, and resulting loss of contact with the live center.

In fact, it’s a good idea to pause periodically during any turning activity to inspect our project to ensure everything remains secured.

"The greatest barrier to discovery is not ignorance, it's the illusion of knowledge" - Daniel J. Boorstin

Thanks for sharing that with us. A scary story but a great wake up call. It only takes a blink fo an eye for disaster to occur.

Gald you are OK.

John

Glad to hear you got your warning, and suffered no damage receiving it. I think we all need to hear a warning on a regular basis. Power tools are dangerous, and complacency is what bites us when we least expect it.

A few suggestions about when using mandrels.

A collet is the better choice to hold mandrels! It grips the round shaft on it's entire circumference, unlike chucks that grip in 3 or 4 places depending upon the number of jaws. This grip is far more secure and if tightened down well, is not subject to slippage.

Secondly, have only as much of the mandrel extended from the collet or chuck as is necessary to hold the work piece. Excess shaft is more likely flex and if is what whips if loose from the tail stock.

Use a Jacobs chuck to hold the tail stock end. This again more secure then the usual live tail stock center.

Copy that Phil.

An example of a live tail stock with a chuck mounted on the tail stock to grasp the mandrel at the end of the lathe away from the driving chuck:

[www.pennstateind.com]

A relative inexpensive accessory that can save a lot of injuries, if one should happen to lose control on a conventional tail stock.

Take care

Good points Phil. Collets, besides holding items more securely, are also safer to work near than are the "meat grinder-like" 3 and 4 jaw chucks.

Roger and replying others,
First of all, Roger, I am glad you escaped without any more serious bodily harm and for reminding the rest of us how easily building a rod can become a dangerous disaster. Many others offered suggestions regarding safety as well. I think is really boils-down the common sense and avoiding complacency, with the latter possibly causing the lion’s-share of injuries. No loose clothing (including gloves) and pay very close attention to the operation, especially when using revolving/rotating equipment. As Dan Ertz stated,”…can grab cloth and suck it and you into it WAY faster than you can react”. I feel very fortunate to still have all my digits after all these years of fabricating and those few close calls are always huge wake-up reminders!!
BE SAFE!!

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

Long hair is another hazard to mindful of near rotating equipment.