Author Topic: Do Not Try This At Home  (Read 11012 times)

Offline Ramon Wilson

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Re: Do Not Try This At Home
« Reply #15 on: January 21, 2014, 02:18:21 PM »
Whiskey - glad to hear you're okay and nothing more than some glass to replace even if it is a hundred bucks.
Your tale though once again brings for me a shuddering memory of a very similar event to the fore.

About the time of that Wide a Wake launch in 1972 I was into power boats and someone told me that Delrin was a good thing to use as prop shaft bushes. I made a couple but having never machined it before did not make allowances for the hole closing after drilling. I installed the tight fitting prop shaft into the tube and installed it into a hand drill mounted in one of those horizontal bench stands. I held the shaft in my right hand and blipped the drill with the other sliding the shaft slightly hoping to ease the fit.  All was going well when BANG I was apparently thrown backwards a few feet landing on the floor on my back. My workmates thought I'd had a electric shock.

I laid there a bit stunned with a hand over my right eye and though I could not feel or see it blood was running down my cheek. A guy called Mc Angus lifted my hand said 'Oh my God' and quickly put my hand back. I was helped up and gradually regained a bit of composure. Despite Macs initial fear my eye was okay the blood was coming from a nasty slice about 2" long from literally just below the eye down the side of my nose.

I had obviously got out of sync. I had let go of the shaft and then hit the switch and that prop shaft sat just as you describe at 90 degrees to the chuck. It had come over taking a swipe out of my face before hitting the bench - the bang. I can only assume my leap back was one of unconscious reaction such was the apparent leap back. My face cleaned up okay the cut not deep but ragged.

It was only that night when I washed my face I noticed the very fine straight line bruise on the surface of my eyelid  :o It still  makes my blood run cold when I think about it - As we say round here "We were LUCKY"

You have a good time when you get back on that lathe but take care

Ramon
"I ain't here for the long time but I am here for a good time"
(a very apt phrase - thanks to a well meaning MEM friend)

Offline Tennessee Whiskey

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Re: Do Not Try This At Home
« Reply #16 on: January 21, 2014, 02:23:36 PM »
I'm good Dave. I hate the 100 bucks more than anything :lolb:.and it gives something for DOG to poke fun at me about. Jo, that made certain body parts cringe. Long sleeves :ShakeHead: Gripping sanding cloth :ShakeHead:
Y'all are right; lessons learned. Ramon, As we say; "ain't that the truth"

Whiskey

fcheslop

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Re: Do Not Try This At Home
« Reply #17 on: January 21, 2014, 03:30:44 PM »
I hold my hands up on that one only the metal was a wee bit shorter.
Glad you are OK and only fresh under skippers needed
Cheers

Offline philjoe5

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Re: Do Not Try This At Home
« Reply #18 on: January 21, 2014, 04:23:10 PM »
Same thing happened to me when I was starting out.  It's a common mistake because:
1.  It's natural to want to turn thin stock by passing it through the spindle
2.  The smaller the diameter, the faster the spindle speed is the usual rule

The lathe I was using when it happened to me was an import with a top spindle speed of 2000 rpm.  I thought the 3/16" stock was about the smallest thing I'd be turning and I had a long piece of it.  So 2000 rpm was the speed selected.  No damage or injury resulted but that twisted scrap of rod hangs right over the lathe.  A machinists Art Deco sculpture. :facepalm:

Cheers,
Phil
If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man.  - Mark Twain

Offline Mosey

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Re: Do Not Try This At Home
« Reply #19 on: January 21, 2014, 04:35:43 PM »
I did the same thing with a 24" long piece of 1/4" nylon sticking out of the spindle that whipped around at about 1200rpm's. Whooeee! Did it whip the dust off the bench! Missed my hand and head by inches. The only cost was running upstairs to change.
Glad your OK!
Mosey

Offline mklotz

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Re: Do Not Try This At Home
« Reply #20 on: January 21, 2014, 04:39:34 PM »
Two feet of 1/4" sticking out!  Are you crazy?

Seriously, I'm glad you weren't hurt and thanks for describing your mistake for the benefit of the unknowing.

My personal rule is no more than three stock diameters sticking out past the spindle spider.  I don't even trust the outboard "steady rest" arrangements some folks use - I can visualize too many things that could go wrong with that arrangement.


Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.
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Offline walltoddj

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Re: Do Not Try This At Home
« Reply #21 on: January 21, 2014, 05:12:23 PM »
I'm glad to hear you and the dog were not injured. I watched the video that was posted and two problems I saw one long sleeves, two you never wrap anything around a spinning object.
I have to say I had a similar incident in my younger days. I needed to turn a piece of 9/16 drill rod down to fit it a water hole in a injection mold we were making. I put it in the speed lathe closed the collet an pulled the lever for forward rotation, mind this is a Hardige speed lathe the high and low speed lever is right behind the other lever. Before I started I looked to see if it was in low speed which it was I wanted low because the rod was 3' long and sticking out the end, I never had a problem before so I started the lathe. Big mistake the lever was worn so it looked to be in low but was still in high, the rod took off at 90 deg as yours did but my hand was on the closer. I was lucky no injuries other than my pride but I and a lot of others made sure it was where we wanted it by forcing the lever to be positive it was right, we live and learn from our mistakes I just wish I hadn't made so many!

Todd

Offline Tennessee Whiskey

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Re: Do Not Try This At Home
« Reply #22 on: January 21, 2014, 08:14:14 PM »
Marv, yes I am, but hey, I admit to it. Bez wanted a piccy of the "spider" that I spoke of, so, I thought I would snap one of the "culprit" while I was at it. I am glad to hear that I'm not the only one that is brave enough to fess up to this. Really fellows, thanks for stopping in. Here you go





Y'all come see us'
Whiskey

Offline tel

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Re: Do Not Try This At Home
« Reply #23 on: January 21, 2014, 08:28:46 PM »
Hey Whuskey - gonna try this next?
The older I get, the better I was.
Lacerta es reptiles quisnam mos non exsisto accuso nusquam

Offline philjoe5

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Re: Do Not Try This At Home
« Reply #24 on: January 21, 2014, 08:36:35 PM »
Glad you posted this Whiskey and glad the only damage was to your window.  It's a good reminder for taking that extra step to examine a set up on a machine before pulling the start switch.

Cheers,
Phil
If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man.  - Mark Twain

Offline Bezalel

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Re: Do Not Try This At Home
« Reply #25 on: January 21, 2014, 09:50:43 PM »
Thanks for the pix Whysky,  it gives me a much better understanding of what happened.
 
I learned a lot today-
 
     1. I now know what a spider in the headstock looks like, and the really embarasing bit;
   :facepalm:
     2. ......   2' doesn't mean two inches  :lolb:
   
 
Bez                 
Queensland - wet one day, humid the next

Offline Maryak

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Re: Do Not Try This At Home
« Reply #26 on: January 21, 2014, 10:33:29 PM »
I don't even trust the outboard "steady rest" arrangements some folks use - I can visualize too many things that could go wrong with that arrangement.


Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.


If the outboard steady is not firmly attached to a large immovable object such as the floor, it too combines with the bent bit and proceeds to chase you around the shop. Fortunately, like Eric, I'm still here to recount this awe inspiring event.

Another innocuous thing that can grab the unwary is the small bit left after material is cut to length with a hack/band saw. My good friend had the misfortune to have this grab his overall cuff, whilst centering said part in the lathe with a piece of chalk.

This small part very smartly wrapped and tore his sleeve and pulled him into the lathe to the armpit, at this point the lathe picked him up and cartwheeled him through the air. As he was imitating the cow jumped over the moon, his leg hit the clutch lever and shut the lathe down. Had this not happened he would have lost his arm. He did end up with a very nasty wound in the armpit and a badly sprained elbow.

Lets be careful out there.

Best Regards
Bob
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