Popular Post rodger. Posted November 28, 2018 Popular Post Report Share Posted November 28, 2018 It has been one year to the day since I last was on this forum. I am sure there have been a lot of new members and things happen since then. I just thought I would put up a post to let everyone know where I've been and why I was absent for so long. Hopefully all the members I have known in the past are still here! One year ago today, I had an injury in the shop. I will spare you the details for now, but it ended up with me in the emergency room. I cut open my left thumb on the table saw, and required 12 stitches (6 inside and 6 outside). It scared the living hell out of me. The cut was in the pad of my left thumb, and did not severe any tendons, ligaments, or hit the bone. No surgery was required. I am a VERY safety conscious person, and doubly so in my shop. I have worked wood for 15 years without injury or incident, until this occurrence. It was, quite literally, 1 second of inattention and my thumb was cut open. I was out of the shop for 12 weeks as the thumb healed. My thumb has recovered, but I do have some nerve damage that affects the feeling along the scar line. The mental healing took much longer, and I feel now that I am ready to share my experience with you. After the incident, my wife was concerned about me and how this was affecting my outlook on my beloved craft. In the end, she bought me a Sawstop to help get me out of my funk and back to my passion. It's now in my shop, and I have been using it for 6 months. It's the 3 HP cabinet saw model, and its incredible. I'll post a review at a later date when I get back in the groove of posting again. In no way to I blame the table saw for my injury - it was 100% my own fault. Ironically, about 6 weeks after my injury I was contacted by a Woodworking magazine regarding a 2 page article I had written for them. I ended up getting my article published int the magazine (print), and have since written 4 more which will be published in 2019. The magazine is called "Canadian Woodworking and Home Improvement". It was a very proud moment for me, but was a little tarnished by the injury I had suffered. Regardless, it is nice to be back in "full swing" again. I'll be back to regular posting now, so catch me up on what you fellas have been up to! -pug 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted November 28, 2018 Report Share Posted November 28, 2018 Sorry to hear about your experience but welcome back. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted November 28, 2018 Report Share Posted November 28, 2018 Welcome back ! Glad you recovered fairly well. I had a tablesaw accident when I was in my late teens. Most guys I've seen with a shortened finger. I tried to split my pinkie finger up the middle. Still have a raised section in the fingernail that's 1/8 kerf wide. Every day afterwards my caution & safety efforts were greatly increased. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted November 28, 2018 Report Share Posted November 28, 2018 Rodg, welcome back! A woodworker will go a long way to get new toys and you are no exception ! Yes sir, you have a good wife! Look forward to your continued contributions. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark J Posted November 28, 2018 Report Share Posted November 28, 2018 Great to have you back. Lookin' forward to some Pug posts. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted November 28, 2018 Report Share Posted November 28, 2018 Great to see you back Pug and all is well. I am looking forward to your contributions here again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted November 28, 2018 Report Share Posted November 28, 2018 Welcome back young'un. I did a finger thingy last year. It's knida hard to get back into it. But I managed, and apparently you did to. So, good to hear from you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chashint Posted November 28, 2018 Report Share Posted November 28, 2018 I try hard to be safe with the machines too and anybody that thinks it's impossible to sustain an injury is just kidding themselves. My encounter with a bandsaw blade was oddly enough April 1, 2017 but certainly not an April fools dealio. I escaped with 9 or 10 stitches on my pinky finger. I completely understand it taking a while to get the mojo for woodworking back. I don't remember how long I stayed out of the shop, but I do remember the first time I went back and made a cut and I t took a while after that before I started enjoying woodworking again. Even now I guess I am still somewhat paranoid or maybe before my accident I just thought I was being safety conscious. I do know with absolute certainty I never want to touch a blade again. Very glad you are doing well again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeslayer Posted November 28, 2018 Report Share Posted November 28, 2018 I think everyone that does this craft has a story to tell, and none of them end well. Glad to see you’re back in the saddle Rodger 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekMPBS Posted November 28, 2018 Report Share Posted November 28, 2018 Welcome back Rodger. I'm glad that your injury, though serious, wasn't worse. It's a scary situation whenever you come in contact with a spinning/moving blade or cutter like that. I just placed the order for my Sawstop. I'm getting the 3HP PCS with the 36" T-Glide fence. I'm looking forward to using it, as my current table saw, a 25 year old Craftsman, has a fence that I don't really trust to be square, so I end up checking it every time I lock it down, which is a pain. The Sawstop fence will be a joy to use by comparison. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bankstick Posted November 29, 2018 Report Share Posted November 29, 2018 Glad things weren't too serious. I cut my thumb making a salad- three stitches with one through the thumbnail @$310 total. That's $103.3333 per stitch. Should have gone to medical school. Saws aren't the only dangerous thing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnG Posted December 1, 2018 Report Share Posted December 1, 2018 On 11/28/2018 at 7:12 PM, Bankstick said: Glad things weren't too serious. I cut my thumb making a salad- three stitches with one through the thumbnail @$310 total. That's $103.3333 per stitch. Should have gone to medical school. Saws aren't the only dangerous thing. I’m surprised it wasn’t more than that. Doctors salaries sound nice, but when you consider all that goes into it, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be and is far from easy money. Besides, the majority of that price does not go to the doctor. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodger. Posted December 1, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2018 1 hour ago, JohnG said: I’m surprised it wasn’t more than that. Doctors salaries sound nice, but when you consider all that goes into it, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be and is far from easy money. Besides, the majority of that price does not go to the doctor. In Canada, we don't worry about the cost as much, as it's part of our national medical plan. However, we pay in the end (through our ridiculous taxes). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnG Posted December 1, 2018 Report Share Posted December 1, 2018 Rodger, forgot to say that I’m glad your injury wasn’t worse and that you were able to recover and get back in the shop. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bankstick Posted December 2, 2018 Report Share Posted December 2, 2018 Off topic a bit but now lawyers make more than doctors. This, and according to the late commentator, Paul Harvey, one in five lawyers is a millionaire. Aware of the medical field- three nurses in the family. Daughter is studying for her nurse practitioner license. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewisc Posted December 2, 2018 Report Share Posted December 2, 2018 Welcome back. Injuries aren’t fun. It’s good that you’re back at it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronn W Posted December 2, 2018 Report Share Posted December 2, 2018 Wlecome back. Glad to here ;you have overcome your setback. I appreciate the sober reminder. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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