Sorry but this is a bit graphic

I am really sorry to see your accident, you and your hand would be in my prayers!
This picture is really helpful to me, and I am sure for many others….no matter all the years and experience somebory has, nobody is free of an accident like this…..

Your hand would be in good shape, I’m sure of that, please keep posting your healing process!

By the way, what happened?

-- Francisco Luna, San Francisco Bay Area.

Same here. Sorry it happened, but it would have been better to post the photos within the thread instead of in the normal manner. I’m not sure its fair to everyone (many may be squeamish) to have this photo forced upon them on the front page.

I do hope you get better and appreciate your efforts to educate. I’m going to work on a new set of featherboards for my TS soon.

OUCH! I was much more lucky when my thumb hit the saw blade, only lost a little bit of skin and a small part of the nail. I hope your fingers heal and return to normal.

-- "At its best, life is completely unpredictable." - Christopher Walken

Wow, that looks like it hurt. I’m sorry it happened. Unless I missed it, please describe what it was you were doing when this occured and any advise you might have so others can avoid the same type of injury.

-- Homers / Murphy, TX

Wow! I get what I ask for…

Hope everything grows back alright. Be careful for now on and don’t mix table saws with the drugs your likely to need for this!

~DB

-- He said wood...http://hickbyassociation.blogspot.com/

I must say, after reading the original post, I had imagined the case to be much worse… I thought you lost your pinky completely from the knuckle to the tip… glad to see you’re going to have all fingers back, and maybe from now on you can try NOT to keep to your father’s legacy when it comes to fingers?

fast healing!

-- When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.

Hope your skins grows back and count you blessings that you can still count to 10 (well at least using your fingers)

-- //FC - Round Rock, TX - "Experience is what you get just after you need it"

That was really bad. How did it happen? Could that have been avoided had push block / shoe been used?

-- The time I enjoy wasting is not time wasted

hokiemojo, sorry for the shock factor. I don’t have a clue to do what you suggested. However, I am willing to learn.

-- Rodd, Texas grandpa

Gulp, that’s grim, here’s to a speedy recovery.

-- I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso

On a positive note, At least it was the left hand. I know it sounds weird now, but i did almost the exact same cut. Mine wasn’t with the dado and I had more severed parts, but basically the same. The blade hit the knuckle of the pinky, and ring finger on the left hand and somehow split the palm of my hand from the thumb knuckle to the center crease of the palm. The surgeon actually saved the pinky and the ring somehow, he reattached everything, pinned me up, and six weeks later i started recovery.

I guess im here to say, that the physical recovery will be quick compared to the psychological damage that this rendered. I know i was just a little hesitant to get back on the table saw. Good luck, and keep that cut clean infections aren’t fun.

-- T&G, West Palm Beach

Yikes! I hope the healing process goes well. In my Combat Life Saver course I saw a lot of appendage accidents and I can tell you that NickTobis is right. Infections can really set you back and cause even more damage. Good luck and take care.

-- Don't tell her I'm in the shop!

Yes it looks better that your first story. But that doesn’t make it any easier to get by. I hope the Dr is right it everything growing back ok. Take care.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

I am sorry for your injury. I hope that it heals quickly.

I think that your graphic warning was sufficient. I am on a woodworking site, due to that context combined with your warning, I knew what must be coming.

I have to say thanks for your post and the last injury posted due to kickback, I have been much more aware of my actions around my power tools.

-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com

Gnarly… Happy healing.

Regards, JM

-- Jarrod, Taos, NM http://jzmurphree.wordpress.com/

Good luck with the healing, hope all goes well.

-- Bob Costello

Dang it… my thoughts are with you for a speedy recovery…

-- www.woodshopdude.com

yuck … good luck and stay safe

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever

Rodd, I know that you are in pain but your accident will prevent countless others simply by increasing the awareness that this can, and does, happen. You are in my prayers.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

I had one scar on my hand before I became a locksmith. 15 years later and I have scars all over my fingers.

Had one tablesaw hit and that was when a thin strip slipped under my puchstick and hit me in the ribs. It knocked the wind outta me and caused a deep tissue bruise. I have since modified my pushstick.

And I watch where I stand in relation. We can all use a dose of reality. Too bad it is at ours or someone else’s expense.

Stay safe and heal.

-- Measure once cut twice....oh wait....ooops.

like purplev, I expected worse after yesterday’s post. I’m glad for you it wasn’t what I had pictured.
I hope you have a speedy recovery. this, while a little gnarly, is a great reminder of what can go wrong in our shops so thanks for sharing.

again, heal quickly!

-- ~ www.darrylmasterson.com ~ www.darrylmasterson.etsy.com ~ www.woodworkingdungeon.blogspot.com ~

Ouch, and glad you were… uh… lucky! I know a few folks who weren’t.

And thanks for the safety reminder, it does me good to have that shown to me occasionally.

-- Dan Lyke, Petaluma California, http://www.flutterby.net/User:DanLyke

Yes, your bringing back memories for me. Thanks so much. LOL To help your body fight infection, eat raw honey, it’s a natural antibiotic, can actually be used on the wound itself. Other foods that are natural anti biotics, are onion, eucanachia, and vitamin e on the wounds will promote healing and skin health. Best to you.

-- Dan Wiggins

I’m really sorry and I hope we all learn a lesson from your pain.
God Bless hope it all ends well.

I really hate to say this, but I needed to see something like this. But, I am very sorry it had to come at your expense, Rodd. I’ve been getting too comfortable in the shop and have probably been taking a few chances that I wouldn’t normally take. One thing I do that helps is use the GrrRipper every chance I have. Do you think the GrrRipper would have prevented this? Or, maybe help make the injuries not as bad? It’s hard to get used to running your hand over the blade but at lease you have a little plastic between you and the blade (not exactly how much good that would be)....... Hope you get well soon Rodd, and thank you for sharing.
- JJ

-- JJ...... I guess you could say I'm a 54 year old "juniorjock". — Make things with wood.

Yikes! Man that looks really painfull. hang in there. Like you said its on your left hand, But still a real drag.

WOW! Deja vu. I had a similar accident cutting some thin strips (24 of them in all) setting the push stick down between cuts and forgot to pick it back up on the very last cut, and held down and pushed my left index finger right into the blade. Luckily the blade was only 1/4 inch above the wood. I only cut through the bone 1/8 inch. but $8000 later (ER bill, hand surgeon bill, etc.) I healed. “The Grripper” or even the “Stop Saw” would have been cheaper. Get well soon and follow every safety rule. It’s always that last cut that gets you. Oh by the way, I was back to woodworking a week later. I did over sized wood screwed down to jigs so I could use my good hand. I finally finished that last cut, and completed the project with one hand. The fatal cut board hangs on my wall as a reminder.

-- so much wood, so little time. Bradford.

Sorry for your accident. Speedy recovery. Just bought a new Powermatic table saw and my wife tells me, “You will use the guard, anti kickback paw and riving knife!” These have come a long ways from what they used to be and much easier to remove and put on. Years ago the first thing you did when you bought a new saw was to take this crap off and put it under the bench. It was a pain to take off and put on and a lot of people felt it was more of a hindrance than a help. As one gets older you get smarter!

-- Mc Bridge Cabinets, Iowa

I can only hope that the healing process gose well. Your posting will stir up the saftey flag once again, thanks for reminding us all that we are playing with loaded weapons, take care….Blkcherry

Not as bad as I read it to be but that doesn’t help your pain. Good luck on recovery and keep it clean.

-- Ron Central, CA

Ouchy, mommy that hurts!!!!

-- Matt, Houston Texas

know what your going thru, cut my right hand middle finger off last summer, on the table saw, doc sewed back on, looks kinda weir now, no feeling still at this time, hard to adapt, but you learn to get around the difficuties with your hand. good luck on the healing.

cobra5

-- tool time tim aka "cobra5"

May God bless you and give you a speedy recovery. I lost part of my middle finger to the table saw a few years back …Everything has grown back for the most part….just doesn’t feel the same , of course.

-- You know you're getting old when you know the difference between you're (you are) and your (belonging to you) AND how to use them in a sentence .

I moan the occurrence! I had accident in 22.08.2002 the same, lost the tip of the minimum finger I nail and it of the other. Accurately thus but it was without sequelas.
We are twisting for its soon reestablishment.
Regards.
Sorry, my English is horrible.

Nice project….......

-- Brian's Table Top Toys http://home.mountaincable.net/~bgraham/

Speedy recovery

-- Héctor-----Me rio yo del de bricomania ( es un programa que dan en españa)

I met a guy one time that had cut off the four fingers on his left hand…...two different times, with a table saw. They were reattached both times, but his fingers were shorter on that hand. He was a very nervous-nellie type guy.

I also met a guy once that cut off three fingers and his thumb on his left hand on a table saw, only keeping his pinky finger. Then, a few months later, he had a Stroke, and lost all movement of his right side of his body. It was pretty sad, but still he determined to keep his woodworking business going until his family had him ruled incompetent by a judge, and sold the business from under him. Bet those family reunions didn’t go well after that.

Glad you still have your fingers, and hope for a speedy recovery.
M

-- Mark DeCou - American Contemporary Craft Artisan - www.decoustudio.com

Graphic?! Whew! I thought it might be some sexy wood marquetry.

Sorry for your accident and I will tell you that the post like this on LJ have certainly made me more safety conscious. But even with that I got hit with a kickback a short while ago. Less than a seconds inattention will still cause problems.

Lee

-- No piece is cut too short. It was meant for a smaller project.

Man, makes my legs hurt!

Charlie Mullins

-- God makes the wood beautiful--I simply rearrange it to make it more useful, hopefully.

What a “wake-up-call”......I’m sure there are some 7000 + lumberjocks out there who are going to be that much more carefull for the next while…. I know I will be!!!
Took a lot of guts to post those pictures….....THANKS and speedy recovery

-- George..." I love the smell of a workshop in the morning!"

Ditto to all.

-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!

I am glad to see that the “bleeding stopped” it proves my theory. But OUCH!!! It looks painful. Bet the doctor said take two aspirin and call me in the morning. All kidding aside I hope you are alright. Did it happen on the table saw? I can only think of one beast in the shop that can mangle like that and trust me I have seen a lot of cuts in my 15 years in a Trauma center. I agree with Prez we should all learn from this and think about you the next time we are in the shop. Oh! and can I use your picture to convince my wife I need to buy a “Saw Stop?” be safe.

-- All bleeding will eventually stop.

I consider you very lucky not to have done more damage with a dado blade. They are real meat grinders. Also, be careful around routers and shapers. They have the nickname “Sticker” for a reason. Same goes for jointers.

I once had a board fall off a support while using a miter saw. It kick my hand into the blade. I was real lucky in that the blade was almost stopped. However, it cut me on the top knuckle to the bone right next to the tendon. It was a real eye opener. I could easily have lost movement in my index finger. I respect tools a lot and try to use safety devices at all times.

Hope you heal real soon and can get back to living.

-- Oldworld, Fair Oaks, Ca

Yikes…made me relive my accident. Coming up on the 5 yr. anniversary. Hey Al, if you are a tobacco user, stop now! One thing I learned (after the fact) was that the vascular constriction caused by nicotene is probably what cost me my fingertip. I had mostly severed it, but it was still attached by the fingerprint part. Doc (the surgeon who re-amputated, not the quack who stitched me back together at the E.R.) said it probably would’ve healed with better blood flow…

So, don’t smoke, you’ll heal better/faster.

-- POST NUBILA SOL - After clouds sunshine

I am so very so for your mishap. I am praying for a speedy recovery for you. It is a wake-up call for some of us. The projects are stress relievers but we can’t forget safety.

-- Eugene, North Carolina, slimderx@yahoo.com

To be honest, you hear about accidents all the time. If you haven’t had any near misses, then you tend to get complacent and lose the appreciation for that sharp blade moving next to your hands. I used to be a meat cutter, and spent many hrs on a band saw. I never got cut, but one of the guy’s in the market lost the tip of his finger one day after cutting meat for 20+ years with no accidents. It can happen to any one of us, no matter how skilled. Will it be today?

Thanks for posting, and helping many of us to re-focus on safety.

OUCH! I hate it when that happens. Hope you heal up quick Buddy!

-- Les, Wichita, Ks. (I'd rather be covered in saw dust!)

YIKES!!! I’m glad you posted this, it’s something that we need to be reminded of. I had my right middle finger cut like that about four years ago on the tablesaw. I was doing something dumb… anyway, I remember how badly just ONE hurt, I can’t imagine all those…

...Wishing you a speedy recovery-

Steve

-- As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17) †

it seems that alot of us have had these reality checks from time to time, mine was with a 3/4 inch chissel, thank goodness the bone was there or it would have kept going. im just glad we are still able to type!

-- the journy of a thousand miles begins with a single step " Lou-Tzu"

God bless you and keep you, may he make his face shine upon you, may he lift his countenance to you, and give you peace. May you be granted a speedy return. Amen.

-- Search out the Kavanah in occupation, acheive peace in life.

I put my blade guard back on!!

-- Pie

I used the last accident on the kick back in my Building Trades class. Your right if it keeps others from losing there appendages it some how seems worth it. After my last lesson and some video from youtube on a guy cutting his thumb off I had a couple of juniors that won’t use the table saw now and that’s OK. I hope you heal soon but the reality is this will be a long process for you. I hope it goes as good as it can and good luck . Thanks for sharing.
C Clippinger

Thanks for posting.

I had wanted to understand the cause until I realized what THAT would describe. Naturally we have all had the close calls that COULD have led to an injury. I don’t even want to imagine the cause of your accident. This certainly SHOULD cause all of us to remember the respect we must give to tools af ANY nature. We must consider all possible movements, motions and reactions during the use of a tool before using them.

Thank you for the graphic image.

-- tsmith - Garland, TX.

heal fast! that seems to not feel so good. good luck

-- making sawdust....

I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit…. nah – I’m good.

Sorry to hear, hope the healing goes fast and you can get back into the shop.

I don’t care who you are – reading this story makes you check yourself doesn’t it?

Zac

-- "Start with ten.....end with ten"

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEOUCH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for reminder.
Spinning blades win every time !!!

-- Eric

Aldente, How is your hand doing? Hope that healing fast!

-- Francisco Luna, San Francisco Bay Area.

I FEEL your pain. Same thing happened to me In Nov.2008 with Dado blades. Wood shot out but not my left hand. Got my index, middle and ring fingers. I’m having flashbacks right now. Doctors did a good job of sewing them back together. Ring finger a little funky looking but functional. Tips still numb. Don’t know if I’ll get complete feeling back. Dados are nasty. It was user error for sure. If it doesn’t feel right before you do it-don’t do it. I really listen to my inner self before I do anything with my power tools now. Lesson learned. I hope your fingers heal well with no lasting effects.

-- Robert M. Herring

Just wanted to say Lumberjocks are some really great people. All the well wishing really caught me by surprise. I hoped by posting this, it would help keep others from doing anything similar. My fingers are almost completely scabbed over now. The pain is almost gone. I can feel almost every part of the wound. I believe I will come out of this just fine. I also believe it will make me not just a better woodworker but also a more aware individual in and out of the shop. Once again THANK YOU ALL for your prayers and support. They are working.

-- Rodd, Texas grandpa

Ouch aldente. I saw your other post but I must have missed this one. Glad to hear that your hand is healing good and you have your feeling back. I know how traumatic that can be. We are still pulling for you.

-- Jerry--A man can never have enough tools or clamps

Aldente: How is your hand healing????

My thoughts and prayers are with you.

-- Chip -- Manchester, Connecticut "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace."

Thank you for the reminder of how easy it is to hurt yourself in the shop. Graphic is good – made me stop and think. I’ll remember it next time I’m in the shop. I wish you a quick recovery :)

-- Chuck, chuckvosburgh.com

Wake up call !
I did that to my left thumb in 1966 making speaker cabinets. My mistake was this. I though I was safe if I could touch the fence with my pinky finger. I couldn’t reach the blade no matter how much I stretched my fingers. So I cut and cut and cut all my board’s and then I cranked the blade to 45. Here’s where I made my mistake. I failed to change my thinking*. The blade was now tipped toward my fingers! I ran my thumb over the blade long ways thank God! I didn’t even know I did it until I was hit in the face and chest with my own %$#@.... Took 5 stitches to bring everything back to geather. Now I think about that day every time I fire up the saw.
I hope you heal up without any complications.
Go slow and think twice !

-- My shop teacher said "You can do it".... Now I can't stop!

Ouch

bet that hurt

and know this…................those pinkies arei gonna hurt for the rest of your life,... welcome to the perpetual singing fingers club!!!

Frankenstien fingers forever….............KFC will now discriminate against you

-- http://www.furnituremann.ca/

As a kid my Dad told me you can always tell a carpenter or punch press opperator,,, they are missing fingers. When I asked why he summed it up, getting to comfortable, to careless, to routine and going into auto mode. I think you posting these pics was great, we all get a little careless, go into auto mode if you will and a wake up call will definately help keep someone elses fingers in tact at least for awhile so thanks for sharing I’ve been getting a little stupid here lately taking chanches that I shouldn’t so this has made me stop and think, Good for you for posting,but then again bad for you cause it happened, I hope for a painless and speedy recovery. Good luck

Hope your all healed by now two words SAW STOP

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon