Well the doc was supposed to take the stitches out today but he took one look and said "No way". I have to soak these 2 digits in hydrogen peroxide and try to clean them up and we'll try again Tuesday. taser1
YIKES, That doesn't sound good. Is an infection setting in? Take care of those wounds, there's no telling what was on that blade when it cut you so be careful.
No, no infection but a lot of scabbing/dried blood that he wants out of the way so he can "get to" the stitches.
I remember 35 years ago in Jr High School we spent the first 2 weeks of Wood Shop learning safety. In order to use any of the power equipment, we had to pass a Safety Test (for each power tool). Most of us were bored to tears, but I saw first hand a couple near-misses. They were with the Table Saw, of course. Even last year my father had a Table Saw incident. You can bet your pictures will help remind me when I pull mine out (after it quits raining here in the Nevada desert). Here's to a speedy recovery!
I'll never forget my learning experience with a hand saw. I was re-modeling our kitchen and in the process of trimming some paneling on one edge. I was outside and had the paneling laid on a piece of 3/4" plywood that I didn't want to booger up so while cutting; I reached under the paneling to see if I was cutting close to the plywood and felt something brush all four fingers of my off hand very softly; as if a feather had been drug across them (the saw was running all this time). It took me a few seconds to pull my hand out from under the piece of paneling but there wasn't a mark on my hand. Credit that one to God, that day. Always, Always, treat power tools with respect as dangerous items. Be careful (still all ten fingers) Snuffy
man sorry to see ya looking like that, do what ya need to get back in the run. tablesaws can be bastards
yeah heal quickly and say a prayer of thanks. in my 20 + years of construction i have seen a lot of missing fingers and mangled hands. i thank God you got off as easily as you did.
The second joint bends ok, but the first joint is supposed to be splinted for 6 weeks so it cannot bend. Not that I can bend it anyway, I can't yet.
Sorry to hear about this. I hope your fingers heal fast and all feeling comes back for you. I bet you are a little more patient next time and let the blade stop spinning before reaching in. Make yourself some featherboards and pushsticks and keep your hands out of there damnit. It seems many have stories of table saw incidents. At least you didn't cut a longer seperation between the middle finger and ring finger like a guy did back when I was in junior high school.
Why do I need a featherboard? A featherboard is used to keep smaller pieces of stock (board) pressed firmly against your table saw or router's fence. The design of a featherboard allows the stock to pass in one direction and causes resistance if moved in the other direction. This is useful for preventing kickback. A featherboard is basically a board with an angled end and 1/8 - 1/4 inch "fingers" cut into the beveled end. As stock is forced between the fence and the featherboard these fingers move slightly to allow the stock to pass. The firm squeeze helps keep the stock tight against the fence and help ensure a more accurate cut. In addition to keeping your stock against the fence, the fingers help reduce the chance of kickback. For more advanced work, such as with a router table, a second featherboard can be clamped to the fence to hold the stock down. (Click here for a picture) First Things First The first thing you want to do is select a good board, preferably 3/4" plywood. It should be approximately 18"x5"x3/4". Cut a 30-45 degree miter at one end of the board. Step 1 - Draw it Draw a "stop line" approximately 3-5 down from the top of the bevel at the same angle as your miter cut. (See picture) Step 2 - Cut it Place the long end of the miter against your table saw's fence and make a cut down to the stop line. The first cut should be approximately 1/4" from the edge. Turn off your table saw and adjust you fence 3/8" further away from the fence and make another cut. Continue in this fashion, adjusting each cut, until you reach the end. Note: It is important for safety reasons that you start cutting on the long side of the bevel. If you start cutting along the short side you will quickly find that the later cuts do not have enough support. This can cause kickback. Step 3 - Use it To use your featherboard, place the stock you wish to cut against the fence. Position the featherboard firmly against it and clamp to the table. The feather board should be placed firm enough to keep the stock against the fence but should not make it difficult to push the stock into the cutter. It should be positioned between you and the blade. Positioning the featherbard further out may result in a kickback. Note: Always use a push stick when working close to a cutter.
Please don't take this as a lecture or chastisement. I'd just like to see ya keep all your fingers and be safe when working with power tools. ETA: When I worked in a cabinet shop right out of high school, I saw more than one person with near misses from being lazy not using featherboards and pushsticks.
