I fought the saw and the saw won!!!!

[gsgns4me]

What can I say? I got home as usual Monday and started working on some trim for some remodeling we are doing. I took the blade guard off the table saw to do a very narrow piece. Used a push stick, stood to the side a little, ripped the short, little piece, no problem.

Stopped the saw to set the rip fence for a little wider piece. Same deal. Used a push stick, all the while reminding myself to be extra, extra careful! Just like I was taught in shop class over 30 years ago. That's when it all went horribly wrong! I heard the noise, I didn't really feel any pain, and I really didn't look at the damage. Just grabbed my right hand, yelled for my wife in that voice that she knows something is bad wrong and ran for a towel and some ice.

I can't tell you what exactly went wrong. To make a long ordeal short, the right index finger was lost. The middle finger was badly damaged, but looks like it will be saved.

I got home from the hospital Wednesday (first time I've ever had to be in a hospital), and tonight is the best I've felt this week. I think my poor wife was more traumatized than I was! While she was driving me to the ER, I asked her to call 911 so they could phone ahead and tell them we were coming. She was so shaken up she couldn't and I did it. Say a little prayer for her,please.:pray:

As for me, I believe the prognosis is good. I go back to the doctor 7/24. I do feel really stupid:puzzled: about it because I was taking even more safety precautions than usual:Do No: ! I know God has put me on this path for a reason and good things will come from it. Pray that I'm not so distracted by not working and knowing the bills still need paid that I neglect to do my part to fulfill His plan!:pray:

Thanks for listening!

Now that I think about, I believe my shop teacher was missing part of a finger!:Dou:

[buick64203]

Im so sorry to hear about that Dwayne. Thats horrible!! My uncle taught me how to use a table saw years and years ago. I inherited that very same table saw when he passed on. Every time I use it, I can hear him telling me to be careful.

How the heck did your fingers get so close to the saw blade if you were using a push stick? :Do No:

We're sure glad your OK. I guess you can look at the bright side, it could of always been alot worse!

[BuickBuddy]

Sorry to hear about that Dwayne.. :(

But welcome to the club.. We meet on Wednesdays. :TU:

[GSXMEN]

Dwayne,

Very sorry to hear you've gone thru this!! Prayers for you and your wife - plus wisdom & skill for the doctors as they get that middle finger on the mend.

This is eerily similar to what happened to my Grandfather many years ago. He was also a seasoned 'vet' with carpentry and other skills. Was using the table saw with gloves on.....knew better too. Sure enough....somehow it got caught and there went right hand fingers 1 and 2. Right down past the middle knuckle on both.

I only ever remember him that way, as it happened before I was born. He wrote (well too) with the thumb, ring and pinky.

I'm reasonably certain the Lord is using this as more than a PSA here. What that might be, only time will tell.

Even then.....it's a good reminder to us all re: shop safety. Not just saws either.....how many times have we seen someone slide under a car with just a jack and no stand(s)??

[gsgns4me]

I'm so sorry to hear about that Dwayne. Thats horrible!! My uncle taught me how to use a table saw years and years ago. I inherited that very same table saw when he passed on. Every time I use it, I can hear him telling me to be careful.

How the heck did your fingers get so close to the saw blade if you were using a push stick? :Do No:

We're sure glad your OK. I guess you can look at the bright side, it could of always been alot worse!


I've been trying to figure that out, too. Most of the bad part of the accident is just a blur. I think the leading edge may have stuck on the ledge of the blade plate and table and kicked back when I tried to loosen it, but I'm really not sure. I do know that I finished ripping the piece, and I do know I turned the saw off. The order in which things happened are lost, though.

Thanks for the prayers!! I know, as always, I'm in his hands.:TU:

Some of the draw-backs are that one hand typing is a pain! Should be interesting when things are better and I try it with 1 less digit. It's also interesting trying to blow my nose:laugh:

On the plus side- I'm left-handed! The time my wife and I have had together this week has been very gratifying and welcome, also!

[Buick Kid]

I'm glad you didn't lose a thumb or anything. I'll pray for your wife's nerves.

[J-(Chicago)]

I've been a furniture maker for 7 years.
Still have 10.
For now.....

I type on the computer with 2 though lmao.

I'll toss a prayer out there for ya.

[pphil]

it can happen quicker than you can imagine
it happened to my dad the same way got his thump index finger and middle finger
here's to a speedy recovery
scott

[J-(Chicago)]

Whenever someone in the shop has a "sketchy" push stick, I always throw it away on them when they're not looking, and put a nicer one down.

I've had to use some spooky push sticks in my day and I think I have finally invented a perfect shape to work with my cutting style.:TU:

[Mentalkase]

Man,I cannot even imagine what you may be going thru.

I am sure that everything will turn out as it should.

Best body man I have ever known only has eight fingers.Lost two in Vietnam .

[DaWildcat]

Here's hoping for a speedy recovery!

If anyone cares, I use one similar to this which helps to keep the hand above sawtooth level:

http://www.newwoodworker.com/graphics/photos/artlstips/pushstuff/pushstfhomemade400x264.jpg

Devon

[carmantx]

Prayers for you here, and for your wife.
I'm glad the time has been good. My wife has taken care of me plenty of times on the hospital trip. My favorite one was when my son, about 11 at the time yelled to my wife "Mom, dad's ok, but I need a towell for all the blood".

[Marco]

Speedy recovery Dwayne.

[j&j skylark]

So sorry to hear about your accident, You are in our prayers.

[gsgns4me]

I go back to the doctor 7/24.

Doc says I'm healing well. He took a few stitches out, told me to start working my middle finger, and come back next week. Didn't mention anything about therapy. I guess he realizes anyone with dirt under their finger nails is probably his own best therapist:laugh:! I don't really have any pain, it feels more like my middle finger is asleep. The phantom pain in the tip of my missing finger is really weird, though!

My wife is doing better also, though she still gets a cold shiver up her spine if she sees too much of my damage.

We both know everyones prayers have helped!

I guess I can kiss good-bye any career as a catalog hand model! It's pretty ugly!

Thanks for the thoughts and prayers everyone!:TU:

[2manybuicks]

Man, when I clicked on "here'a a few pics" I was expecting bloody stumps!:pp

I like the family photo album -- priceless stuff. Need to get my photos organized like that sometime.

Nice to see you got your kids doing all your mechanical work at an early age. It's an important lesson -- plus they fit under the car better. :grin:

Reminds me that it's about time for my girls to learn how to change the oil. Somehow i think they'd rather go fishing.

Good luck with your rehab / recovery. Hope it all turns out O.K.

-- Steve

[buick64203]

He took a few stitches out, told me to start working my middle finger, and come back next week.

You should take a weeks vacation to NY. Your middle finger would get alot of use!

[gsgns4me]

Man, when I clicked on "here'a a few pics" I was expecting bloody stumps!:pp

I like the family photo album -- priceless stuff. Need to get my photos organized like that sometime.

Nice to see you got your kids doing all your mechanical work at an early age. It's an important lesson -- plus they fit under the car better. :grin:

Reminds me that it's about time for my girls to learn how to change the oil. Somehow i think they'd rather go fishing.

Good luck with your rehab / recovery. Hope it all turns out O.K.

-- Steve

Thanks!. I thought about sending some pics to family members, but I don't think I'd like getting something like that:eek2: :puzzled:

PS- That's my grandson helping:grin:




You should take a weeks vacation to NY. Your middle finger would get alot of use!

That might be so, but the middle one is not the middle one anymore.:laugh:

I am getting a little better with left handed computing skills!

[BuickBuddy]

I'm glad to hear you are doing better..:bglasses: Also it's great to see that you're in good spirits. Very easy to get in a funk about it. I know. I had a hard time for awhile dealing with the finality of it. :Do No:

Make sure you get a good orthopod and go over all the options.. I've read now they are starting to grow new digits. If it ever becomes a reality you'll see me first in line.

Take Care..:TU:

[buick64203]

Dave- I never noticed you were missing digits. I know its not your middle finger. We see that one in use in most of our group photos

[BuickBuddy]

Dave- I never noticed you were missing digits. I know its not your middle finger. We see that one in use in most of our group photos


That's because I had a great Orthopod.. He blended my hand to make it look like there was never a finger there. The only time people notice is at work with my Nitrile gloves on and there's a digit floppin.:laugh:

[gsgns4me]

Also it's great to see that you're in good spirits.

Thanks! If you could read my life's biography, you'd see how this is just a minor bump in my path! His spirit has pulled me through far worse than this!:TU:

[BuickBuddy]

Thanks! If you could read my life's biography, you'd see how this is just a minor bump in my path! His spirit has pulled me through far worse than this!:TU:

Awesome.. I love Lemon Aid too...:3gears:

[Mister T]

You should take a weeks vacation to NY. Your middle finger would get alot of use!

Sounds like a good idea some day. I have the entire spectrum covered. Right finger for all the normal people, left finger for the vertically challenged.

[Mister T]

Doc says I'm healing well. The phantom pain in the tip of my missing finger is really weird, though!



You might find that this phantom pain will occasionally occur for years afterward. I lost the tip of my left middle finger in January 1995, and I still get the occasional phantom itch, or pain. The upside, I only have 9 finger nails to clip.

I am very glad to hear that you are healing nicely, and even more gratified to hear that you've seemed to come to grips with this. I could tell stories about ordering two beers at my old watering hole, and only getting 1 and 1/2.:Dou: :laugh:

[gsgns4me]

You might find that this phantom pain will occasionally occur for years afterward. I lost the tip of my left middle finger in January 1995, and I still get the occasional phantom itch, or pain. The upside, I only have 9 finger nails to clip.

I am very glad to hear that you are healing nicely, and even more gratified to hear that you've seemed to come to grips with this. I could tell stories about ordering two beers at my old watering hole, and only getting 1 and 1/2.:Dou: :laugh:


I was thinking it would be cool to be a cop and asking the DUI suspect "How many fingers am I holding up?":grin:

My wife and I went to Lowe's today and when we checked out I asked if we could have some help loading up. I told the check-out girl that I had borrowed money from a loan shark to pay off my Lowe's account and couldn't pay him back.:laugh:

I still haven't found any volunteers to hold some nails for me while I drive them in!

[JohnKaz]

I was thinking it would be cool to be a cop and asking the DUI suspect "How many fingers am I holding up?":grin:

My wife and I went to Lowe's today and when we checked out I asked if we could have some help loading up. I told the check-out girl that I had borrowed money from a loan shark to pay off my Lowe's account and couldn't pay him back.:laugh:

I still haven't found any volunteers to hold some nails for me while I drive them in!

I was thinking it'd be funny, next time somebody flips you off (or "gives you the finger") to tell them "I'll take it!"

Seriously, though, sorry about your injury.

John

[gsgns4me]

All stitches are out. Next doctor visit is August 21. No complications so far (well none that I haven't caused already:Dou: :laugh: ).

Thank you all for the prayers and support!!!!!!:TU:

[BTail]

They need hand models for safety videos, too.

Glad you're doing OK. I've had a few kickbacks with my table saw, as well, but have been blessed with no serious injuries, yet. I always use a push stick (a store bought plastic job) for anything narrower than 4 or 5", but I don't even own blade guard on my old Craftsman saw. That's probably the case with most older table saws, I imagine.

I'll say a prayer for your continued recovery.

My Grandpa cut off the tips of three of his fingers using a moulding head cutter in his tablesaw back in the day. He actually took the time to clean up the blood on the saw and blade before climbing the stairs and telling my Grandma he needed to go to the hospital. I wish I were half as tough as my Grandpa was.

God Speed,

Nick