Forrest Grump: Stupid is as stupid does, to a new level !

[PTsideshow]

This was posted by a member from another forum I'm on. It is almost unbelievable that somebody would do this.

most dangerous
I was hoping this thread was still going, got a sad story to pass on. I work in a busy ER when not in the shop, and yesterday I had a patient that tried something REALLY DUMB! A 45 year old man had decided that knife making was his new calling in life. He had gone to Lowes and purchased some metal, took it home and cut out a knife blank. He felt time was not on his side and instead of using files or a grinder or whatever, he thought it would be a great time saver if he used his wood planner. Guess what? WRONG!!! He lost three fingers and when his machine failed it exploded sending pieces of machinery everywhere including embedding some in his nose, naval, and just missed his carotid by 1 cm. Lets just say he won't be working on anything anytime soon. Imagination giveth, stupidity taketh away.

It happened in the Baltimore, Md area.

The tread was about the most dangerous things in the shop, the number one item was the wire brushes on angle grinders. Now I think the new most dangerous item can be the operator.

I bet his family has already consulted a lawyer.

What I find hard to believe is that somebody with a wood working shop/equipment. Would even think of doing something like that!
glen

 

[1Kenny]

Funny thing is that for the amount of money he is now paying the medical industry he could have bought the nicest grinder on the store shelf and been done with the knife.

Kenny

 

[b.lindsey]

For sure Kenny....and fixturing, a heat treat furnace, and enough material to start a business. This was certainly a preventable accident as most are, but emphasizes what happens when we don't think, or get in a hurry, or even worse are just negligent. The costs are far more than monetary as well. Those fingers can't be replaced, and he could have easily lost an eye too. Thanks for a worthwhile reminder PT.

Bill

 

[itowbig]

i can relate to the grinder and wire brush thing. i had to use a wire wheel on an angle grinder (i built wrought iron fences) and dumb me had my shirt long sleeve and long tail out. it grabbed the shirt tail and torn into my stomach, you want to talk about pain and madness and the dam blood all at the same time. after that i sat and thought what a stupid thing i did. next time i went and bought full leathers.

 

[rake60]

It is amazing how raw stupidity can triumph.

While not metal working related, one case sticks in my mind.
A man decided to use his rotary lawn mower to trim the shrubs.
He started thew mower then picked it up by the deck and proceded
to sweep it back and forth over the hedge row. He lost his grip, the
mower fell and quickly amputated his right arm at the elbow.
He sued the manufacturer of the lawn mower and won a multimillion
dollar settlement. It seems the lawn mowers operators manual didn't
state that using the mower in that manner would be dangerous...

Now do you wonder why the first 5 pages of ANY operators manual
is all safety warning?

Rick

 

[PTsideshow]

Now do you wonder why the first 5 pages of ANY operators manual
is all safety warning?

You got one with only 5 Pages

glen

 

[tel]

In three words Un Be Lievable - chronic stupidity should be against the law.

 

[Tin Falcon]

What I find hard to believe is that somebody with a wood working shop/equipment. Would even think of doing something like that!

I had a guy, experience woodworker in a professional shop burn the ends off several drill bits out out of my index. He was drilling through a piece of stainless steel. Some folks have no clue how to work metal.
Tin