# Daveturns05 penblanks cost and arm and a leg!



## Doghouse (Aug 29, 2006)

Well not completely that much but how about a finger?

I guess that will have to be the end to the humor for now.  I just got off the phone with Dave and they have him a little jacked up on painkillers at the moment.  

Dave chainsawed the blanks then on the bandsaw made some pen blanks out of them.  Well he forgot one step before jointing them and his glove was grabbed by the jointer.  Not a total loss, but he may lose the tip of his pinkie.  

He says that now he is fully qualified to teach highschool shop when he retires.


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## Dario (Aug 29, 2006)

Hope Dave gets better soon!


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## Geo in Winnipeg (Aug 29, 2006)

ouch ..... I'm glad it wasn't worse. I hope he has a speedy and painless recovery.


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## JimGo (Aug 29, 2006)

WOW!  [:0]  Sorry to hear that Dave!  Like George said, I wish you a speedy, full, and painless recovery!


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## alamocdc (Aug 29, 2006)

I am also glad it's not worse. Sorry to hear that, Dave! Get better soon, dude!


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## DocStram (Aug 29, 2006)

Having once stopped a rotary lawn mower with my right foot, I feel Dave's pain.  Our thoughts are with you Dave.


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## gerryr (Aug 30, 2006)

[:0]OH NO!  I was the one who mentioned pen blanks from that maple.  [V][V]  I hope he recovers soon.  I once tried to stop a rotating end mill on a Bridgeport milling machine with my knuckle, so I can relate to how much something like that hurts.  At least he got some pain meds, all I got was aspirin and 5 stitches.  And as I recall, the nurse wasn't even cute.


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## Woodnknots (Aug 30, 2006)

> _Originally posted by gerryr_
> <br />[:0]OH NO!  I was the one who mentioned pen blanks from that maple.  [V][V]  I hope he recovers soon.  I once tried to stop a rotating end mill on a Bridgeport milling machine with my knuckle, so I can relate to how much something like that hurts.  At least he got some pain meds, all I got was aspirin and 5 stitches.  And as I recall, the nurse wasn't even cute.


Ahh, so I'll blame it on you then!!  Just joking, couldn't sleep, percoset wore off, figured I'd check the thread John started.  It was my own stupid fault, and yes, I lost the tip of my right pinkie.  I have great cell phone images of the bone trimming procedure if anyone is interested though!!  Well, gotta go load up for now.  
Dave


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## alamocdc (Aug 30, 2006)

Dave, Percocet is extremely addictive, so please be careful with that stuff. Only Oxycontin (sp?) is more addictive and Percocet is a derivitive. I just lost a friend to an Oxy addiction and our pastor's son and DIL were recently discovered to be addicted to it. In fact, our pastor's son is now in prison because of his addiction (totally out of character for him).


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## Woodnknots (Aug 30, 2006)

> _Originally posted by alamocdc_
> <br />Dave, Percocet is extremely addictive, so please be careful with that stuff. Only Oxycontin (sp?) is more addictive and Percocet is a derivitive. I just lost a friend to an Oxy addiction and our pastor's son and DIL were recently discovered to be addicted to it. In fact, our pastor's son is now in prison because of his addiction (totally out of character for him).


Thanks for the concern, I am extremely careful of any pain meds.  I have a tendancy to addict easily, so I only take meds when absolutely necessary.  Believe me, it's necessary right now.  I've got a pretty good pain tolerance, but I had a dream that I was squeezing something, and woke up with using all I had not to scream.  Even with that, my wife said I was moaning in my sleep all night.


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## Monty (Aug 30, 2006)

Dave,
I feel for ya also. Almost lost a finger to a chainsaw anout 8 years ago. Luckly it only chipped the bone at the knuckle and lost about 1/3 of the tendon in my left index finger. Had a fantastic surgon. Still have 99% movement in that finger.


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## Penmonkey (Aug 30, 2006)

Ouch! I'd love to see those photos, if you don't want to post them just email them to me at penmonky@gmail.com


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## Jim15 (Aug 30, 2006)

Hope you mend quickly Dave.


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## Sylvanite (Aug 30, 2006)

> _Originally posted by alamocdc_
> <br />Dave, Percocet is extremely addictive, so please be careful with that stuff. Only Oxycontin (sp?) is more addictive and Percocet is a derivitive.



Percocet is a combination drug.  It contains both Oxycodone and Acetaminophen (aka Tylenol).  Acetaminophen is an analgesic (pain reliever) and oxycodone is a narcotic analgesic (it reduces the sensation of pain and makes you not care).  Together, they are very effective at controlling moderate to severe pain.

Individual reactions to codeine family narcotics vary greatly and many people become addicted.  I believe Percocet may be the single most abused drug in the US.  Don't take more than you need.  Don't drink alcohol when taking either oxycodone or acetaminophen (it causes dangerously increased narcotic effect and liver damage).  Don't take Tylenol with percocet as acetaminophen is highly toxic in large doses.  Overdoses can be fatal.


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## Woodnknots (Aug 30, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Penmonkey_
> <br />Ouch! I'd love to see those photos, if you don't want to post them just email them to me at penmonky@gmail.com


I'm looking at what I've gotten off my phone already, and they are hard to make out, in some.  The light was pretty intense, and that washes the pics out.  There is a decent "after" photo, but I'm not done downloading them from my phone.  I'll post what seems worth it.


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## Woodnknots (Aug 30, 2006)

BTW, the pen blanks that I did get cut were VERY colorful.  I will be able to get back to working the pen blanks up in a couple of days, but bowl blanks will have to wait, unless John wants to come help me.  Chainsaw vibrations will more than likely be too much to bear.  I will be turning by tomorrow, I think.  The nice thing about my OneWay hollowing rig is that I can use it with two fingers!  I may even be able to do a pen, or core a bowl, who knows?  I'll have to learn to work with my pinky out (like drinking tea).


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## ctEaglesc (Aug 30, 2006)

ONe would have to ask why was he wearing a glove while running a tool like a jointer in the first place?
Gloves and most power tools are a definate no-no.(As dave seems to have discovered)
I hope the injury is minimal and recovery is speedy)


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## Woodnknots (Aug 30, 2006)

> _Originally posted by cteaglesc_
> <br />ONe would have to ask why was he wearing a glove while running a tool like a jointer in the first place?
> Gloves and most power tools are a definate no-no.(As dave seems to have discovered)
> I hope the injury is minimal and recovery is speedy)


One WOULD have to ask that.  I am very safety conscious, and never wear gloves while in my shop.  I went from chainsaw to bandsaw with a piece of maple, forgetting to take off my gloves, and the jointer was more of an afterthought than anything else.  The unsafe aspect of gloves and the jointer was not a "discovery" by me, only a reaffirmed fact that I already knew, but became complacent and overlooked.  How many times in the military do they tell you that "complacency kills"?  Well, in my case, it chops off fingers as well.  
Good point, Eagle, and one that I was planning on eventually making when I was off the drugs long enough to point out some serious "lessons learned" to all my fellow turners and woodworkers out there.  I will be taking this lesson with me, and it will be passed down to any and all students, woodworking and otherwise that I have in the future.  As for right now, I need to get back to my nap.
Cheers,
Dave

p.s.  I wonder if you can experience "phantom limb syndrome" when it's just a finger tip missing? (lol)  I'm already experiencing a great difficulty typing.


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## ctEaglesc (Aug 30, 2006)

That right "shift key" must be a birch!


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## 53Jim (Aug 30, 2006)

> _Originally posted by daveturns05_
> 
> p.s.  I wonder if you can experience "phantom limb syndrome" when it's just a finger tip missing? (lol)  I'm already experiencing a great difficulty typing.



It might be possible, but DO NOT try to clip the finger nail.[]
Hope you heal quickly.


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## Woodnknots (Aug 30, 2006)

> _Originally posted by 53Jim_
> <br />
> 
> 
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I even told my wife as the doctor was pulling out my nail with a pair of pliers "You know, I just clipped my nails last night"!


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## Woodnknots (Aug 31, 2006)

> _Originally posted by gerryr_
> <br />[:0]  And as I recall, the nurse wasn't even cute.


My orthopedist was quite attractive, here's a cellphone pic of the procedure... BTW, she looked better with the hair thing off... Oh, and I was stoned out of my gourd on dilaudid.




<br />


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## Woodnknots (Aug 31, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Penmonkey_
> <br />Ouch! I'd love to see those photos, if you don't want to post them just email them to me at penmonky@gmail.com


Here are some from the wound-check appointment today.




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The wierd thing is, when you tough the tip or the top near the tip, it feels like you are touching the underneath, because the nerves got pulled up from there along with the covering flesh.


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## alamocdc (Aug 31, 2006)

Dang, Dave, give a guy a warning next time. [xx(][]


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## gerryr (Aug 31, 2006)

OUCH![:0]


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## Penmonkey (Aug 31, 2006)

Man! I hope you are feeling better now. You where lucky to get a cute nurse, so many aren't anymore.[]


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## ctEaglesc (Aug 31, 2006)

I asked before why were you wearing gloves, now I am wondering were you using push blocks.


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## Blind_Squirrel (Aug 31, 2006)

> _Originally posted by daveturns05_
> <br />BTW, the pen blanks that I did get cut were VERY colorful.



A lot of red in there? [}][]


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## Woodnknots (Aug 31, 2006)

> _Originally posted by cteaglesc_
> <br />I asked before why were you wearing gloves, now I am wondering were you using push blocks.


Like I said before, the jointer was sort of an afterthought.  I almost always use pushblocks, but like I said, complacency took over.  The blocks were large, and normally I would have completed the operation without incident, but with gloves on, it turned into something else.  Maybe it's just me, but do I feel a lecture coming on here?  I recognize that what I did was beyond the boundaries of stupidity and complacency, and I also recognize that I paid a relatively small price for a very big lesson.  Trust me, lesson learned.


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## Woodnknots (Aug 31, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Blind_Squirrel_
> <br />
> 
> 
> ...


There's a little bit of me in every piece that leaves my shop!![][]


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## DocStram (Aug 31, 2006)

Daveeeeeeeeee  you're SHOWING me more information than I need to see. But, now that you're doing a reality check and handling it all very nicely, I do have a few thoughts (some sinister):
A. I may print out that picture of what's left of your finger and hang it in my shop. Just as a safety reminder.
B. Still have the left over glove? Could be an interesting IAP auction fundraiser. 
C. Rather than send a get well card .... if you'll email your address to me we'll send you a few "get well pen blanks".  After all, you lost that finger in the line of duty. 
Seriously though Dave, I like your spirit.


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## 53Jim (Aug 31, 2006)

When you said you lost the tip of your finger I figured you lost about 1/8".   I'm sure you said "OSHA" (or something similar) several times.  Those pictures are a bit graphic, (I'm not complaining) but they definately show what can happen.

Thanks for paying that price to teach others.   Hope you heal quickly.


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## Woodnknots (Aug 31, 2006)

> _Originally posted by DocStram_
> <br />Daveeeeeeeeee  you're SHOWING me more information than I need to see. But, now that you're doing a reality check and handling it all very nicely, I do have a few thoughts (some sinister):
> A. I may print out that picture of what's left of your finger and hang it in my shop. Just as a safety reminder.
> B. Still have the left over glove? Could be an interesting IAP auction fundraiser.
> ...


Nice Idea!  I do have the leftover glove.  My wife had made a joke that she could just close the tip a little shorter than the rest, and I could still use them!
If anybody thinks it'd work, I'd be happy to auction the glove as a shop reminder, and as for the pics, please do.  We do this in the navy all the time.   Posters of other's misfortune (in theory) helps us prevent our own.
I don't need to PM my address.  I trust everyone here.

Dave Crisher
15028 N and N Brown Way
Carrollton, VA 23314

Cheers,
Dave

p.s. I hope to get some bowl blanks cut up next week, when the vibrations from the CS won't hurt as bad.  As for pen blanks, I may be able to do some this weekend.  I cut a pith piece out (before the accident) that is very colorful that I can cut on my BS.  I'll let everyone know soon.


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## Boomalia (Aug 31, 2006)

As a Paramedic for 27 years all I can say is - Nice Pictures[]


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## alamocdc (Aug 31, 2006)

> _Originally posted by daveturns05_
> I do have the leftover glove.  My wife had made a joke that she could just close the tip a little shorter than the rest, and I could still use them!



Oh she's bad!!![:0][:I]


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## Woodnknots (Aug 31, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Penmonkey_
> <br />Man! I hope you are feeling better now. You where lucky to get a cute nurse, so many aren't anymore.[]


Boy, aren't you sexist!!  That wasn't my nurse, that was my surgeon!!


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## Woodnknots (Aug 31, 2006)

> _Originally posted by DocStram_
> <br />Daveeeeeeeeee  you're SHOWING me more information than I need to see. But, now that you're doing a reality check and handling it all very nicely, I do have a few thoughts (some sinister):
> A. I may print out that picture of what's left of your finger and hang it in my shop. Just as a safety reminder.
> B. Still have the left over glove? Could be an interesting IAP auction fundraiser.
> ...


Here's a pic of the glove and of one of the pieces I was jointing.  The pic doesn't begin to show the color in this wood.  I may just cut some into pieces that someone can make blanks from, rather than cutting blanks myself.  Is that okay?
Any interest in bidding on the glove to support the site?




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<br />


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## ctEaglesc (Aug 31, 2006)

> Maybe it's just me, but do I feel a lecture coming on here?


Nope, no lecture from me, you're  a big boy.
I have been asked what methods I use to cut some of the pieces I use to make my blanks.Without knowing the experience level of someone reading my answer I sometimes wonder if I should answer at all.
It's one thing to have a tool and yet quite different to know how to use it safely.While working with a table saw doing everyhting "right" it is very possible to experience an accident.
Your occurance was not an accident it was the result of an action with a tool that broke 2 cardinal rules.
What happened is exactly what should have happened.


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## Woodnknots (Aug 31, 2006)

> _Originally posted by cteaglesc_
> <br />
> 
> 
> ...


Exactly, if it had not happened, who knows, I may have tempted fate again in the future, to even more severe consequences.  I'm a big believer that everything happens for a reason, and God has a plan for me, and apparently that plan includes still having most of my fingers.  I am also a believer in admitting when I am wrong.  I did something stupid, that I knew better, and I paid the price... Period.  My only hope is that everyone learns from my mistake.  If that is your intention in asking to (or pointing out) my stupidity, then I salute you, and thank you for it.  
I too, push the envelope sometimes to get pieces I need for inlays, furniture, and turnings.  Heck, look at the way Sam Maloof uses a bandsaw!  Anyone with half a brain would say he's nuts!  He even says that it's unsafe.  Sometimes we suffer for our art, and take NECESSARY risks to achieve what otherwise might be unachievable.  But what I did was take a risk I didn't need to take, and I am suffering UNnecessarily.
knowhatimean?


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## ctEaglesc (Sep 1, 2006)

AS I said earlier.I'm glad the injury was relatively minor and I sincerely hope the recovery is speedy.
Thanks for taking my comments in the spirit they were intended.


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## Woodnknots (Sep 2, 2006)

> _Originally posted by ctEaglesc_
> <br />AS I said earlier.I'm glad the injury was relatively minor and I sincerely hope the recovery is speedy.
> Thanks for taking my comments in the spirit they were intended.


No problem, I know first hand what it's like to say something, meaning one thing, and having it taken exactly another way.  We have to trust the people in this group to not be self-righteous and holier-than thou.  Once we do that, then all the comments made on this site that incited near riots suddenly have a new, well-intentioned meaning!


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## wdcav1952 (Sep 2, 2006)

> _Originally posted by daveturns05_
> <br />
> 
> 
> ...



Great post, Dave!  You have hit the nail on the head with your commentary.  It is amazing that given your accident that you are still forging ahead and teaching others by way of your misfortune.

Thanks, Dave!


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