Power tools that scare you

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Sluggo

Lifer
Jun 12, 2000
15,488
5
81
This week I was injured by a floor jack. A few weeks back it was metal work:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2194740

I was changing out the half-shafts on the front of my Silverado 4x4, pretty routine deal, minimum of tools, quick and easy maintenance project. I had each side on a jackstand as I was working on it, and the floorjack tightened against the truck as insurance. I had the second halfshaft off and placed in the box to return for the core charge. I was carrying that and tripped on the handle of the floorjack, which had dropped from vertical to horizontal.

Went down hard onto my knee, which was first to the ground since my hands were occupado with the box. Absolutely stupid mistake which resulted in hours of pain, a trip to the doctor for x-rays + meds and limping around for a few days. Probably will wind up with a few bucks in aftercare since a huge lump (probably a baker's cyst) has formed on the back of my knee from the impact.

Sometimes its so hard to realize that its not the big tools you fear that will injure you, its the tools that you are used to working around. Familiarity breeds complacency and the simplest tools combined with a moment of inattention will ruin your day.
 
Zebo

Zebo

Elite Member
Jul 29, 2001
39,398
19
81
Sluggo said:
This week I was injured by a floor jack. A few weeks back it was metal work:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2194740

I was changing out the half-shafts on the front of my Silverado 4x4, pretty routine deal, minimum of tools, quick and easy maintenance project. I had each side on a jackstand as I was working on it, and the floorjack tightened against the truck as insurance. I had the second halfshaft off and placed in the box to return for the core charge. I was carrying that and tripped on the handle of the floorjack, which had dropped from vertical to horizontal.

Went down hard onto my knee, which was first to the ground since my hands were occupado with the box. Absolutely stupid mistake which resulted in hours of pain, a trip to the doctor for x-rays + meds and limping around for a few days. Probably will wind up with a few bucks in aftercare since a huge lump (probably a baker's cyst) has formed on the back of my knee from the impact.

Sometimes its so hard to realize that its not the big tools you fear that will injure you, its the tools that you are used to working around. Familiarity breeds complacency and the simplest tools combined with a moment of inattention will ruin your day.
Click to expand...

Well said. Most of the time my hands end up looking like hamburger from just doing simple jobs with hand tools like an oil change or what you did. You get careless when no power blades are moving. Hell i usually have some cold ones when restoring cars/boats and would never do that building a dresser.
 
BoomerD

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
66,275
14,695
146
Zebo said:
Saw zaw because or articulating shaft so close to hand and cutting through stuff where gas/electrical may be. I have every power tool and only been severely injured by saw zaw.

Radial arm saw is extremely dangerous way it "walks" the boards and walks twoards you. That;s why they are so rare even though they can do it all unlike table saw which is only suited for ripping.

Drill press if I had long hair.
Click to expand...

Sawzall

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reciprocating_saw

http://www.milwaukeetool.com/Sawzall/intro.aspx
 
BoomerD

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
66,275
14,695
146
Zebo said:
Where's you're spelling Nazi avatar?
Click to expand...


triple_facepalm_RE_Kid_Reads_Book_And-s475x380-89743.jpg


Dude...

927501_c0c9_625x1000.jpg



But since you asked...try this:

grammar-nazi.jpg
 
Murloc

Murloc

Diamond Member
Jun 24, 2008
5,382
65
91
I don't do manual work so I'm scared of using any power tool because I have no idea about how to use them correctly and I'm no good at figuring it out on my own.
 
RedCOMET

RedCOMET

Platinum Member
Jul 8, 2002
2,836
0
0
for me it was table saw, lathe, arc welder and anything running on a drill floor of a drilling rig ( both deepwater and land rig)
 
911paramedic

911paramedic

Diamond Member
Jan 7, 2002
9,448
1
76
The only calls I used to get were all from table or skill saws, and they do a lot of damage.

I respect all the tools but don't like getting near really high torque equipment that can grab you and rip you to shreds without giving it a second thought, like a metal lathe.

I don't have a problem at all with chainsaws, pretty much grew up using them. My grandfather almost got his femoral artery when it kicked back on him, man that was scary. He owned the ranch, so he was always getting kicked by a horse, nails in him, you name it. He loved it. ():)
 
S

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
911paramedic said:
The only calls I used to get were all from table or skill saws, and they do a lot of damage.

I respect all the tools but don't like getting near really high torque equipment that can grab you and rip you to shreds without giving it a second thought, like a metal lathe.

I don't have a problem at all with chainsaws, pretty much grew up using them. My grandfather almost got his femoral artery when it kicked back on him, man that was scary. He owned the ranch, so he was always getting kicked by a horse, nails in him, you name it. He loved it. ():)
Click to expand...

GAH! Femoral artery and he's dead in 10 minutes, right?

Saved my best buds life by clamping down on his femoral artery. He was all "dude, why you grabbing my crotch?"

I said shut up, put your legs up and lie down, I'm saving your life is what I'm doing.
 
M

marvdmartian

Diamond Member
Apr 12, 2002
5,444
27
91
Feared tools? None. Tools I'm respectful of? Anything that can cause bodily injury, which is pretty much ANY tool.

Where I used to work, our plumbers had a sewer auger they were afraid to use. No, I'm not talking about the type with the cute little 3/8" diameter flex cable, that you see most plumbers use, to clear drains. Not even talking about the bigger ones you might see, with the 1" flex cable, that they'll use to chop tree roots out of your sewer line.

Nope, this one was used for sewer mains, and the flex cable was a full 2" diameter! The chopping heads were a good 6" diameter, and just watching this thing running was enough to put the fear of God into you! They really hated it, because if all of a sudden it snagged on something that wouldn't immediately give way, that cable was going to start winding up around itself, FAST!! We finally got rid of the damn thing, because every one of our plumbers refused to use it, and would instead take the sewer truck (with the high powered jet hose) instead.
 
Rubycon

Rubycon

Madame President
Aug 10, 2005
17,768
485
126
marvdmartian said:
Feared tools? None. Tools I'm respectful of? Anything that can cause bodily injury, which is pretty much ANY tool.

Where I used to work, our plumbers had a sewer auger they were afraid to use. No, I'm not talking about the type with the cute little 3/8" diameter flex cable, that you see most plumbers use, to clear drains. Not even talking about the bigger ones you might see, with the 1" flex cable, that they'll use to chop tree roots out of your sewer line.

Nope, this one was used for sewer mains, and the flex cable was a full 2" diameter! The chopping heads were a good 6" diameter, and just watching this thing running was enough to put the fear of God into you! They really hated it, because if all of a sudden it snagged on something that wouldn't immediately give way, that cable was going to start winding up around itself, FAST!! We finally got rid of the damn thing, because every one of our plumbers refused to use it, and would instead take the sewer truck (with the high powered jet hose) instead.
Click to expand...

Isn't jetting replacing cutting heads for the most part these days?
 
Orignal Earl

Orignal Earl

Diamond Member
Oct 27, 2005
8,059
55
86
lol Zebo
Come on, every time you go in to rent a saw zaw, you left the store with a bunch of employees snickering at you. Boomer just fixed that


Rubycon said:
Isn't jetting replacing cutting heads for the most part these days?
Click to expand...

I did a stint back in the day for Roto Rooter and I don't think jetting is going to get rid of the tree roots good enough.
Good for the company ( they will get to charge you again in a year), bad for the customer.
And yes, that snake is a horrible machine, just carrying it down into some peoples crawlspaces was enough to make many a man quit.

I would probably say most power tools accidents happen after someone becomes comfortable with the tool.
That's when people tend to let their mind wander while working
 
M

Minerva

Platinum Member
Nov 18, 1999
2,134
25
91
I cringe when I see people drilling pipe on a drill press while holding the pipe!
 
M

Minerva

Platinum Member
Nov 18, 1999
2,134
25
91
Leros said:
For pvc sure.... but people do that for metal pipe?
Click to expand...

I would not hold anything. Try getting whipped in your side with pvc and tell me how it feels. A 20" powermatic drill press isn't going to stall when the bit grabs. It's ridiculous not to use a vice in these things.
 
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