Jointer Close Call

Article - May 7, 2009

Although David got a nice bite from his jointer, I call it a “close call” because I can only imagine how much worse his injury could have been. Let’s hear David tell the tale:

Well Marc I had an accident on my jointer on 04/25/09. I was milling maple for your cutting board design when the accident (carelessness) happened. I had just run the piece through on its face and pushed the piece through no problem. Well i didn’t push the piece all the way past the blade guard which left it propped open about two and a half inches (see pic) exposing the spinning blades. I reached for the end of the board closest to the blades and that’s when it happened.

My ring finger on my right hand came into the blades path. I heard a little hum and my hand immediately jerked back. I was scared to look down to see what happened to my hand. Marc I was lucky, I was bleeding moderately but my finger was all there. I hand cut a 1/16th inch deep flap about the size of your pinky nail (see pic). There is no room in woodworking for carelessness or lack of safety around machines. It could of been much much worse but safety will come first in my shop from now on.

Please let this serve on your site as a testament to safety especially for upcoming safety week.

Discussion

Epistaxis May 8, 2009 5:46 am

Ay caramba,….

Close encounters of the 4th kind… That sends shivers up my spine. Glad it wasn’t any worse.

Reply
- Jeff October 23, 2009 4:53 pm
  
  I wasn’t so lucky. I lost about an inch of my left index finger. It is a lot harder to ply guitar now.
  
  Reply
- Mike McNamee November 2, 2009 12:43 am
  
  Yikes. I just got a new jointer and reminds me all the more to pay attention to what you are doing!
  
  Reply
Bill December 10, 2009 12:27 pm

I have a great deal of respect for the damage most of my machinery could cause to my body and usually use all the required safety equipment, push blocks, feather boards, etc. The one time I didn’t I got myself a $1200 trip to the ER for 10 stiches in two fingers on my left hand. I feel fortunate that I still have all of them left, just a little residual numbness.

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chips December 22, 2009 11:14 am

those are scary stories. I always try to figure out new ways that I can get hurt – and avoid them. New tools are always to pay close attention to.
Recently I bought a 21 inch band saw and had purchased a blade a little over one inch thick with two blade per inch. On a smaller band saw I had always handled the blades carefully with out ever thinking of hand protection. When I saw the massive coiled blade I realized without gloves the blade could remove fingers just by the natural uncoiling of the blade when it was allowed to uncoil to full size.
That was a moment that i realized I had averted the chance of harm, even though old practices suggested I could do it safely.
Beware of new tools and bigger tools. There may be a safety issue to your fingers you hadn’t thought about before!

Reply
Chris December 22, 2009 12:24 pm

Sorry to read these experiences. It is always scary and frustrating when something like this happens. I have come very close a number of times and simply get very angry with myself.

Safety is a funny thing. You try to remember all the rules, but when you get caught up in thinking about a project sometimes the rules fall away- especially if you find yourself thinking of the next step before you are done with the task at hand. And, Chips is right in that sometimes you dont even realize that you may not be taking the safest precautions.

Be safe out there! Start with 10 end with 10.

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Eddie January 31, 2010 8:45 am

Unfortunately, my brother lost the tips of three of his fingers when he was ripping a board on his table saw. Pushing the board from the left hand side; he had his fingers over the side of the board, and pushed right through the blade. He continued cutting until he realized that there was blood on the boards he was cutting!!! It happened so fast, and he didn’t realize it till afterward. Use Push sticks! The rules of a lot of tasks were literally written in blood; use others experiences, and learn from them.

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Dan Drabek February 8, 2010 9:14 pm

A friend of mine lost half his ring finger to the jointer. He had his fingers bent up and out of the path of the blade, but the cutter caught him and cut through the middle knuckle–which was not repairable. He had to give up the guitar and take up the hammered dulcimer.
I remember reading somewhere that many shop accidents happen just as you are thinking “I probably shouldn’t be doing it this way, but..” I reflect on that every time that temptation pops into my head.

DD

Reply
Burton June 30, 2016 5:12 pm

First jointer accident today!
Yay!
Ive bumped my glove on it before, but nothing too worrying…..
I was trying to make up time i lost when i called in sick earlier this week… (I build Adirondack Chairs)
Anyways, now im missing a 1/2″ chunk from the side of my index finger.Small price to pay to remind me of the power these machines possess…

Reply

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Jointer Close Call

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