Hey Folks!
I just got some bad news from across town. A carpenter, at another theatre here in Portland, lost a finger to a table saw last Friday. I don't have all the particulars yet, as to how exactly he did it, but I do know he lost the middle finger of his right hand and almost took off the pointy finger too. Apparently the finger was just too badly mangled and they could'nt re-attach it. They were able to save the index finger, though he may never feel anything in it again.
I want all of the students and pros out there to take a second to realize that he will never again be able to;
Hold a screw gun quite right
Use a hammer quite right
Write his name, the same way.
Button his shirt, without awkwardness.
Pick his nose.
Run his first two fingers over the surface of a board to feel if he got that high spot out with the palm sander.
Make little rubber strings by putting rubber cement on his index finger and thumb and squeezing them together.
Or Flip someone the bird, < which comes in quite handy in a proffessional scene shop>
Sure he will eventually learn to compensate, but he will never be the same. All of these thing and more, because of one moment of inattentivness while using a tool that most of us carps use every day.
I , happily, admit that I'm one Lucky SOB, after 25 some-odd years of carping, I still have all 20 phalanges, and most importantly my manual digits are still in real good shape. I've had my share of bumps and bruises, even tried to put a phillips screw bit through the middle of my palm with a Makita once, once, but all in all I've been extremely lucky.
Lucky, and attentive. I don't F around when I'm running tools, and most especially when I'm operating the table saw. I've seen thumbs go flying and more than once seen the tips of 2 or more fingers get eaten.
Is this gross? Is this freaking you out ? Good !
Be Careful! You only have one body, unless you're a conjoined twin, in which case you still really only have one that it mostly yours. Take care of it. Don't take chances, if you don't know exactly how a tool works, ask someone who does. No one knows everything, < well I try> < don't tell anybody I said that> It's not worth the pain, and loss just cause your afraid of losing face. Who knows you might actually lose a face.
I just got some bad news from across town. A carpenter, at another theatre here in Portland, lost a finger to a table saw last Friday. I don't have all the particulars yet, as to how exactly he did it, but I do know he lost the middle finger of his right hand and almost took off the pointy finger too. Apparently the finger was just too badly mangled and they could'nt re-attach it. They were able to save the index finger, though he may never feel anything in it again.
I want all of the students and pros out there to take a second to realize that he will never again be able to;
Hold a screw gun quite right
Use a hammer quite right
Write his name, the same way.
Button his shirt, without awkwardness.
Pick his nose.
Run his first two fingers over the surface of a board to feel if he got that high spot out with the palm sander.
Make little rubber strings by putting rubber cement on his index finger and thumb and squeezing them together.
Or Flip someone the bird, < which comes in quite handy in a proffessional scene shop>
Sure he will eventually learn to compensate, but he will never be the same. All of these thing and more, because of one moment of inattentivness while using a tool that most of us carps use every day.
I , happily, admit that I'm one Lucky SOB, after 25 some-odd years of carping, I still have all 20 phalanges, and most importantly my manual digits are still in real good shape. I've had my share of bumps and bruises, even tried to put a phillips screw bit through the middle of my palm with a Makita once, once, but all in all I've been extremely lucky.
Lucky, and attentive. I don't F around when I'm running tools, and most especially when I'm operating the table saw. I've seen thumbs go flying and more than once seen the tips of 2 or more fingers get eaten.
Is this gross? Is this freaking you out ? Good !
Be Careful! You only have one body, unless you're a conjoined twin, in which case you still really only have one that it mostly yours. Take care of it. Don't take chances, if you don't know exactly how a tool works, ask someone who does. No one knows everything, < well I try> < don't tell anybody I said that> It's not worth the pain, and loss just cause your afraid of losing face. Who knows you might actually lose a face.