Accident with drilling machine

[SBWHART]

Just thought I'd pass this on for information and a warning.

A friend has just lost his thumb in an accident with a drilling machine, information is a bit sketchy but from what I can find out he didn't have the work clamped to the table and he was wearing gloves, as the drill broke through it snatched the job out of his hand the glove got tangled and ripped his thumb off.

Lets be carfull out there.

Stew

 

[cfellows]

Ouch!!!

 

[itowbig]

owch gives me the ebjebees just reading this

 

[1Kenny]

Stew,

Thanks for bringing this up.

A few years ago a friend of mine cut his thumb off with a saw while cutting some side boards for his trailer. After about a month he was feeling better, I went over to his house to help him finish the other side. He asked me what I thought it would take to finish up the other side. I told him it looked like it would take about one more thumb to finish that side up. Dang, was he mad at me for several minutes. So we finished it up and he was real, real safe when we did it.

Kenny

 

[Maryak]

Oh the humble drilling machine. ??? ??? ???

More accidents happen with the above than any other machine tool.

Please treat them with more respect than there simple appearance would suggest. :bow: :bow: :bow:

Very sorry to read about your friend.

Best Regards
Bob

 

[Brian Rupnow]

I've had my 6 speed belt drive vertical drillpress for over 20 years now. Sometimes it annoys me, because just as the drill breaks thru whatever I am drilling, it has a tendency to stall the drill and the belts slip. However---I still have all of my thumbs and fingers. The fact that the belts will slip rather than yank something out of my hand and possibly take a finger with it, has saved me on many occasions.

 

[sparky961]

Indeed. I was recently enlarging an already large hole by only a small amount in 1/2" plate. Before starting, I even thought to myself: "this is going to grab..." I *did* remove my gloves - something I always do when my hands are near moving machinery. But I didn't set up a rotational stop or clamp the part to the table.

Sure enough, it grabbed... and it swung around faster than my reflexes to move my hand out of the way. Fortunately, the only damage was two large blood blisters on my left pinky. They'll heal soon enough, but it was yet another reminder of just what could have happened there.

Almost needless to say, but I clamped the rest of the parts...

I agree with Brian on the belt slippage. My smaller drill press at home is quite easy to make slip or even stall if the belt is tight. It's much safer than one that'll rip the part right out from under a clamp.

-Sparky

 

[Tin Falcon]

I even thought to myself: "this is going to grab..."

That inner voice tries very hard to keep us out of trouble.
We needs to listen to it !!!!
Tin

 

[Maryak]

Clamp the Mighty Limpet
With a Monumental Suck
Use it on a Drill Table
So Things don't run Amuck.​

 

[websterz]

I've had my 6 speed belt drive vertical drillpress for over 20 years now. Sometimes it annoys me, because just as the drill breaks thru whatever I am drilling, it has a tendency to stall the drill and the belts slip. However---I still have all of my thumbs and fingers. The fact that the belts will slip rather than [size=10pt]yank something out of my hand [/size] and possibly take a finger with it, has saved me on many occasions.

Wow...you are just asking for it. That's why they make vises! :rant: