# chest wound



## altaciii (Feb 16, 2010)

Had my regular day off from work and some free time so I decided to try to turn my first small bowl. Learned a few things in the process. 
Its the first time for me to us the 4 jaw chuck I got for Christmas. I turned the paduka wood round using a dead center on the head stock and a live center on the tail stock. I created a catch to hold on to with the chuck and then started turning the inside of the bowl. Now, I have now made well over a thousand pens and have come quite accustomed to my lathe and my safety practices. If, when I turn a pen and shut down the power on the lathe, I have no problem slowing it down by placing my had on the turn wheel at the back of the head stock. 
Lesson #1 ---- DON'T DO THAT! (the reason is shown in the pic below.)

When I stopped the rotation of the lathe, the inertia of the heavier chuck kept it spinning right of the spindle onto the lathe the counter then broke off the wood and flew directly into my chest. All in the blink of an eye. 

Needless to say, I won't be doing that again.

I'm sure that I will be learning more lessons along the way to bowl turning as I try to expand my horizons.


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## ngeb528 (Feb 16, 2010)

Sounds like you need a kevlar apron.  Hope you're ok.


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## jimofsanston (Feb 16, 2010)

no pic


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## gwilki (Feb 16, 2010)

Alex: Some chucks have set screws that you can tighten down onto the your head stock spindle, just to prevent what happened to you.


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## altaciii (Feb 16, 2010)

This has no set screw.  I'm just glad I'm not 4" shorter.  This thing happened so fast, I never saw it coming.  I was 4 steps back before I saw the chuck on the counter, and the bowl on the ground 6' away.


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## wdcav1952 (Feb 16, 2010)

Ouch!

I'm glad  you aren't short like me!!  Glad it wasn't any worse.


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## shull (Feb 16, 2010)

Alex,
Hope you heal well and quickly.  Not a great way to spend your day off but thankfully it wasn't any worse.


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## Rick_G (Feb 16, 2010)

That looks like it hurt.  Glad it wasn't worse.  Good warning for those of us that haven't done much bigger than pens yet.


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## mikemac (Feb 16, 2010)

Glad you're not hurt.. but now the big question.. can you salvage the bowl?


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## MesquiteMan (Feb 16, 2010)

jimofsanston said:


> no pic


 
Consider yourself lucky to not have the pic. Seeing a pic of Alex's nekid chest just made my stomach turn!! I almost threw up the pizza I just ate for dinner!!!

Glad it was not worse, Alex!


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## jeffnreno (Feb 16, 2010)

Wow - I've never heard of something like that happening.
I have always slowed my lathe down by hand using the chuck.
I'll have to be more carefull.


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## lwalden (Feb 16, 2010)

Hey!!! This is supposed to be a family site!!!! At least put a couple of pasties on, for crying out loud!!!!


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## Ligget (Feb 16, 2010)

Good to hear you are OK, lesson to us all!


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## CaptG (Feb 16, 2010)

Dang, takes my breath away just thinking about it.  Glad you were not hurt any worse.


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## bitshird (Feb 16, 2010)

Alex, Glad you didn't get hurt any worse, Might want to really tighten the chuck down next time, there this stupid theory about inertia, I'm not well versed on it but it's like what would happen if the world suddenly stopped rotating, we would keep spinning.
Some one on the AAW forum had a similar experience with a BIG lathe and bowl.


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## Mac (Feb 16, 2010)

Glad your ok. Let this be a lesson to us ALL. Turning is not the safest hobby around, be as safe as you can, EVERYBODY!!!!
In the past 3 years, turning, I can think of a few close calls myself.
Thanks for posting, if nothing else to make us think.


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## Fred (Feb 17, 2010)

Just wait till you turn in reverse and the chuck is not set very tight on the head stock. IF any wall is nearby the chuck and all attached can come back at you from quite a high angle. I have a neighbor that thus happened to years ago and he is still quite blind in his left eye.

ALWAYS tighten the chuck as well as you can and then add one little bit more to be sure.

You were lucky you didn't get it right on the chin. Just imagine the dental bills and surgery that could have caused!!

Of course ole "shorty Cav" could fix you right up in very short order.

Really glad you were not injured seriously. Get well ASAP!


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## Manny (Feb 17, 2010)

yeah man nipples made me throw up in my mouth a little. 

Glad you were not hurt.

Manny


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## jasontg99 (Feb 17, 2010)

Alex,

    I knew you were full of crap.  :biggrin: http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=56108


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## pensmyth (Feb 17, 2010)

Been there and done that but walked away with just a little more than a bruise.
I had a catch while trying out my new Barracuda Chuck and reached up to slow the lathe down just like I always do when turning pens after turning it off and zap! I was batting an out of control chuck out of the way as it zipped by my face! Cost me six hours at the local ER and some stitches


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## skiprat (Feb 17, 2010)

jeffnreno said:


> Wow - I've never heard of something like that happening.
> I have always slowed my lathe down by hand using the chuck.
> I'll have to be more carefull.


 
Slowing down by the chuck isn't the problem, that will tighten it. If your chuck hasn't got protruding bits then this should be ok, but sticking your hand onto any rotating machine shouldn't really been done :wink: although we all do it.
Alex's accident happened because he slowed the machine by stopping the headstock wheel and the chuck continued to rotate ( and unscrew ) from enertia.

Glad you are ok Alex!!! Yes, you are lucky you are not 4 inches shorter OR two foot taller!!:biggrin:


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## altaciii (Feb 17, 2010)

jasontg99 said:


> Alex,
> 
> I knew you were full of crap. :biggrin: [URL="http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=56108"]http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=56108[/URL]


 

Oh hell, Jason, I gave myself away.  But damn, _*ROTFLOL*_. I never thought anyone would have remembered that.  That was a good post!

Skippy, Holy smokes, never thought about the two feet down.  It happened so fast I wouldn't have been able to protect teeth or the...
anything else.


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## jasontg99 (Feb 17, 2010)

Alex,

    How could I possibly forget that post?  I was laughing my a$$ off when I saw that pic.  Seriously though, I am very glad to hear you are ok.  I am a fellow Texan, born and raised.  Don't hold it against me that I joined the Navy and have lived around the world.  TEXAN, BORN, AND RAISED!!!  :biggrin:




altaciii said:


> Oh hell, Jason, I gave myself away. But damn, _*ROTFLOL*_. I never thought anyone would have remembered that. That was a good post!
> 
> Skippy, Holy smokes, never thought about the two feet down. It happened so fast I wouldn't have been able to protect teeth or the...
> anything else.


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## altaciii (Feb 17, 2010)

Thanks guys for caring.  You too, Curtis I hope you tossed all your cookies after seeing ugh...the nature of the wound! :biggrin:


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## randyrls (Feb 17, 2010)

Alex;  Most lathes have a flat space between the registration flange and the spindle nose threads.  A local machine shop can drill a hole and thread your chuck for a set screw or two easily, or you might be able to do this yourself.  It will prevent the chuck from spinning off the spindle.  It is useful if you reverse the lathe to do sanding.


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## Jgrden (Feb 17, 2010)

That happened to me last week. Backing the drill out of long piece of red oak. The bit caught the wood and pulled the chuck out. It flew passed my head and wound up on the other side of the work shop. Made me a respectful and thankful man.


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## wdcav1952 (Feb 17, 2010)

jasontg99 said:


> Alex,
> 
> I knew you were full of crap. :biggrin: [URL="http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=56108"]http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=56108[/URL]


 

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:


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## altaciii (Feb 18, 2010)

wdcav1952 said:


> :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:


 Go ahead and laugh, Cav.

It did teach me a valuable lesson.

DON'T DO THAT!  I assure you I won't be doing it again.


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## el_d (Feb 18, 2010)

:befuddled:Alex,
 I am soooo glad your not two feet taller I would hate for you to have posted that wound. We would have all tossed the cookies......(..shiver..)....for weeks...


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## TellicoTurning (Feb 18, 2010)

Hey Alex,
I just saw this post... glad no more damage done than a bruise...mostly to your pride and ego.... I've had the chuck start to spin loose by doing the same thing... fortunately on most cases I still have the tool rest close enough so that it doesn't come completely off the spindle...
I have had a couple of catches that did some spectacular things.... one a zebra wood bowl, the catch was so hard that it slammed my tool onto the tool rest and broke the cast iron tool rest, the bowl flew up and out of the chuck, and Chuck was ducking and covering as there were things flying all around the shop... the other was a cherry wood bowl that shattered pieces hit my face mask, the back wall about 12 feet at the back of the shop and there are pieces I still haven't found.... exciting isn't it..:biggrin::biggrin:


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## Oldwagon (Feb 18, 2010)

That hurts all the way up here in Indiana.I am glad you are OK.I ran a production lathe in a factory.Have been hit several times by blanks blowing up.Those $2 safety glasses they give you are a joke.When I bought my lathe I also bought a face shield.I have had to show my step-sons why I wear it.They understand now that a lathe is no toy.Do not like seeing anyone hurt.Todd


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## bobleibo (Feb 18, 2010)

This sounds like one of those "It'll never happen to me" stories that "happened to me". Just goes to show us all that the dumb little things we all do that we never give a second thought can put us in the "other guy" category in a blink of an eye. 
Glad you are okay......it sure makes me think a little bit harder now. 
Thanks for the lesson! 
Cheers
Bob


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## Rojo22 (Feb 18, 2010)

Looks like you have been a little lax in the wax department lately....LOL....


If you had been two foot taller, it might have been a cup instead of a bowl.....


I am glad you are not hurt any more than you are.  Please tighten the chucks as best you can, and then go ahead and tighten it some more.  I have had a chuck come loose with the big monster fan type holders, but it was at a low speed, and it was because somone (me) didnt remember to tighten it the second time.......sounded like a cessna was coming in for a really bad landing......


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## Lawrence Witter (Feb 18, 2010)

Have you been workin' out?


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## Gin N' Tonic (Feb 18, 2010)

skiprat said:


> Slowing down by the chuck isn't the problem, that will tighten it. If your chuck hasn't got protruding bits then this should be ok, but sticking your hand onto any rotating machine shouldn't really been done :wink: although we all do it.
> Alex's accident happened because he slowed the machine by stopping the headstock wheel and the chuck continued to rotate ( and unscrew ) from enertia.
> 
> Glad you are ok Alex!!! Yes, you are lucky you are not 4 inches shorter OR two foot taller!!:biggrin:




Interesting....... We have a similar sounding word in the English language but it's spelled inertia.


I'm glad you are not more seriously injured Alex. Things could go very wrong in the blink of an eye.


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## Rmartin (Feb 18, 2010)

Man, that was close! Glad you're OK.

I bought a bowl turning video, but I have a hard time watching because the guy keeps grabing the chuck, the bowl and anything else he can to slow the lathe down between steps. Scares the heck out me!


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## Robert A. (Feb 18, 2010)

Alex man I'm glad your ok.

It's kinda strange out of all the talk about" SAFETY". There has only been a couple post that mention the ALL TOO IMPORTANT FACE SHELD.I turned without one when I first started.But after having a bowl fly by my head at warp speed that changed.I found a deal on one of the full coverage shelds.The kind that thet use in a grinding metal.


Don't turn without it now.


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## 1nfinity (Feb 18, 2010)

Manny said:


> yeah man nipples made me throw up in my mouth a little.
> 
> Glad you were not hurt.
> 
> Manny



Wow, I'm glad it didn't warrant a trip to the ER.  Take care so that you may "live long and prosper."
If there's a next time for the picture, maybe plant some black electrical tape in the shape of an "X" over the high beams.


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## Daniel (Feb 18, 2010)

Not meaning to make a horror story of all this. But I did once read about a man being found dead in his shop after taking a shot to the head from just this sort of thing. I am now getting my heart back down where it belongs and very greatful you are able to post your lesson. It does not take making something much larger than a pen for the lathe to start showing off some of it's other tricks. and yes that sweet little thing can get really mean.


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## RAdams (Feb 19, 2010)

Glad to see you didnt get hurt worse. When i first started making bowls i didnt know how to cut a tenon. I lost 1 in 4 bowl blanks to Inertia! I even had a piece of a bowl planted in the wall of my shop. Thank goodness for face shields! Makes me glad i wear a triton!


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