For my fellow lathe owners

[Rcktscientist]

I'm sitting in Frankfurt Airport returning from Poland where we have a large manufacturing facility. Yesterday an experienced manual lathe operator lost 2 fingers. Only takes a momentary lapse to change your life.

[RacerX9623]

When I worked as a machinists I had a guy teach me to use a tub cutter. When it got to the end I pushed the tube in with the tip of my finger. The blade spun the tube and cut a circle in my finger tip. The guy said" I have done that ten times" I only did it once. Good instructor can help.

[manta22]

So far, so good with the machine stuff but since my field has been electronics, I've done a few dumb things in that field.

When I was in high school I built a portable "black light" using a small UV fluorescent tube powered by batteries. A fluorescent tube requires a fairly high voltage to generate its internal discharge so I taped together three 145V batteries in series. These were serious batteries-- surplus military backpack radio batteries that were each about 10" square by 3" thick. They had a flat connector, so to make the connections, I soldered wires to nails and inserted them in the battery sockets. Voila! the lamp came on and I fooled around with it, seeing what was fluorescent under black light. To shut off the lamp, I had not used a switch so I just reached over, grabbed a nail in each hand.... Yeowww--- the worst shock I've ever gotten! Totally dumb move.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[Dean Los Angeles]

One thing that can happen to any of us is finding a machine unplugged, plugging it in, and it turns on.  The switch is in the "on" position when the machine is plugged in.

That's very possible in your garage. In a business OSHA doesn't allow it. I've modified many drill presses that were purchased with on/off switches. They have to be replaced with a mechanical or relay starter that won't restart when the power is lost.

Lockout/Tagout procedures also save you from having someone flip the machine on while you are working on it. "Sorry! I didn't see you!"

[floydjer]

Since we`re admitting to our errors.................I engaged the clutch on a 16 X 54 Monarch lathe..With the T-handle still in the chuck.  Won`t do that again.

[javajoe79]

 I did the key in the chuck deal when I was in machine school. Luckily it just threw it on the ground.

My current lathe is a rather large Cincinatti 17" x 42"  with a 5hp motor, about the size of the one in the video. It was modified by the previous owner with a chuck key holder that has a microswitch built into it. The machine wont turn on unless the key is in the holder. Pretty cool.

That video freaked me out though. Big time.  I was tought in school to not grip the work like that when sanding/polishing but to hold either end of the sand paper, with your fingers tips, in a U shape wrapped around the work. If it ever grabs it just pulls it out of your fingers instead of taking you with it.


Another one that happened at a shop I worked at was someone had a half inch round steel rod in the lathe that was sticking out of the back of the machine a few feet. No problem at all until he decided to turn up the speed and it whipped out and cut a slot in the wall behind the machine. If anyone had been standing inline with it, they would have been cut in two lengthwise.

[mitchell968]

guilty.  i launched one into the insulation in the ceiling of the shop in dutch harbor . nice and spooky when it happens.    left the key in AND started  too fast .havent made that mistake again.

[Buickguy3]

   I noticed that the new drill press I got a couple of years ago had a pin with a spring behind it on the chuck key to eject the key so it wouldn't stay in the chuck. Now I noticed that my new chop saw doesn't have a "lock on" button on the switch. They are taking away all of the fun. My 1/2 inch Dewalt angle drill has a clutch built in now. Apparently somebody is building from experience.
    Doug 

[Seldom Seen Slim]

I'll admit it -- I didn't know why the chuck for the drill press had that spring-loaded pin.  Now I do.

See, we really do learn stuff on this Forum.

[Tman]

   I noticed that the new drill press I got a couple of years ago had a pin with a spring behind it on the chuck key to eject the key so it wouldn't stay in the chuck. Now I noticed that my new chop saw doesn't have a "lock on" button on the switch. They are taking away all of the fun. My 1/2 inch Dewalt angle drill has a clutch built in now. Apparently somebody is building from experience.
    Doug 

I just bought a new 1/2" this summer, dad liked it so he bought one as well. He called me one afternoon after working on his deck and said "dam you didn't tell me this thing was THAT powerfull!" Hard on the wrists they can be!

[ATS, Inc]

When I was in Junior High, my metal shop teacher had replaced all the on/off switches with a Thomas & Betts type push button switch that had a metal guard over the on button. The guard had a convenient hole drilled in it that just happened to be the same size as the chuck key. He had figured out how to keep a class of 13 and 14 yr olds from killing themselves, at least with drill presses!

[Tman]

My drill press has a manual momentary switch you step on. Even then, it can be exciting for a second before you let off with your foot!

[tauruck]

The school I went to never had metal shop classes.

Over here uniforms are compulsory along with neckties.

My cousin Gary gets home from school and he's falling all over the place laughing.

The class bully neglected to tuck his tie into his shirt while using the drill press.

You know the rest.

[doug odom]

On my mill and drill press I have the chuck key attached to the end of a spring loaded return key chain like you wear on a belt. The other end is attached to the machine and trying to pull the key out of the chuck as soon as you stop using it. That way you always know were the key when you need it. So far no one has been able to leave a key in the chuck.

Doug in Big Ditch

[tallguy]

Everything said here about wearing gloves while operating a lathe, mill, etc. can also apply to long sleeves and/or long hair.