do you wear jewelery while woodworking?

I keep my wedding band on, although I’m sure someone will relate a story detailing why that is not a good idea.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

I always keep my wedding band on unless it’s bugging me for some reason. Like Charlie said I’m sure it’s probably not a good idea.

my hands ussually swell up when I come in contact with all the dust. I keep it off when I’m working. It also prevents damaging the ring.

I do not wear mine. I jumped a set of racks at work and it caught on something as I was going over. I was temproarily suspended in the air. When it let go and I landed, the ring had distorted and cut into my finger.
The ring had to be cut off. Since then I have never worn jewelry of any kind. No rings, watches or chains.

-- If we learn from our mistakes, I'm getting a fantastic education.

MrWoody. sounds like you went through a lot of pain and trouble to convince your wife that you shouldn’t be wearing that wedding band at work. <g>

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

I always wear my wedding ring. After 34 years, it just don’t come off anymore. I’ve tried, but I think my fingers are a different size than they were when I got married. Other than that, I don’t wear jewelry. I’d rather not take any more chances than necessary.

-- When you give someone a chance it may well be their last.

I don’t… but then I usually take my wedding ring off when I am at home. My wife doesn’t mind it she takes hers off at nightor when she is doing any cleaning or anything like that…. but we both wear our rings whenever we leave the house…...

-- Hrolfr

I would take mine off due to the risk of getting it smashed, but I am more afraid of loosing it and getting my head smashed in by my wife. So I wear mine.

-- Glenn, New Mexico

I try and remember to take my wedding band off when I remember to, but other than that no jewelry at all.

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

i could never adjust to wearing a ring. My wife has it put up somewhere. Everyone else at the shop takes rings off.

Haven’t taken mine off in years. Not sure I could get it off if I wanted to. I personally don’t think it poses much of a risk.

-- Bruce from Central New York

I never wear a ring or other item that might get caught on something. Long sleeve shirts are also a danger around machines that have sharp blades whirling around at high RPMs.

-- Oldworld, Fair Oaks, Ca

I wear my wedding ring all the time.

John

-- John -- Racine, WI -- Woodworking..."It's not just a Hobby, it's an Adventure"

I have the same problem as Russel. I think the thing has shrunk over the past 32 years!!

Charlie:
Actually my crushed finger convinced her so well that I haven’t worn a wedding ring at all since, but we celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary last February.

-- If we learn from our mistakes, I'm getting a fantastic education.

I have not taking off my wedding ring in years, and I am sure it has saved my fingers from being totally crushed a few time due to the fact that it is no longer round but more oval. I can take it off but with great effort.

-- A man who moves mountains starts one stone at a time.

I have never ever worked with my wedding ring on——- of course, I’ve never had a wedding ring. That does make it hard. I’m not a big jewelery person to start with. I used to wear my class ring – but have not worn that since college when I get it caught on the bolt on one of the exit door bars. That flat out hurt.

With that said, when I teach classes, I try to get people to be aware of their jewelery and point out how it can get caught on the machinery. But like most of you, wedding rings can be hard to get off once they’ve been there so long. Generally though I am more worried about necklaces, long sleeves and long hair.

-- Betsy - GO BUCKS!

My wife is good about reminding me of circumstances in which it’d be unwise to wear a wedding ring.

We’re still up in the air about the bar at the conference hotel, though.

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

I’m not married, but my girlfriend will not wear any jewelry when she helps out, her father who drives log truck almost lost a finger by having it catch on the ladder when he was climbing off of the deck, i know several other people who have had fingers broke bad by having at least 180lbs hanging from a finger, most of which are 200lbs plus, when i get married i will not wear my ring to work, it has already be discussed and she is very understanding due to her fathers accident.

-- barlow

looks like this topic is divided 50/50. with the wife being the final say.

-- Roper - master of sawdust-

My Dad was a mechanic His whole life, His first wedding ring was melted off his finger when a wrench he was holding crossed an electrical path. Until he passed away he always warned me of the danger of any jewelry. My Father-in-law lost part of his finger when it was caught in an oil field accident due to his ring. Folks, take them off if you want all your fingers!

I also work in a large industrial complex, for the folks in the shop, no jewelry is allowed. If it is that big of a deal to your wife that you wear your ring all the time you might want to address her insecurities….

-- Dan in Central Oklahoma, Able to turn good wood into saw dust in the blink of an eye!

I have destroyed two wedding bands in 27 years of marriage and quit wearing a wedding band when I work in the shop after the second one ended up with a large nick. I don’t wear any jewelry anytime I am working with wood or equipment.

-- Genius is immediate, but talent takes time.

I don’t wear any jewelry while working, except my belly button ring. :]

-- Tim -- http://tmuli.com

I always take off all my jewelry will working in the shop. I want to keep all my digits so I have something to put my jewelry onto. I almost lost a finger in college showing off by slam dunking a basketball while wearing a ring. The ring caught on the rim and nearly ripped my finger off. It may not have happened in the shop, but I will never forget it or wear jewelry anywhere that has the potential of causing me harm.

-- My favorite piece is my last one, my best piece is my next one.

I wear my watch and wedding ring, I do take my watch off too take a shower. ;-)))))

-- Only the Shadow knows....................

Never ever.
I remember reading a safety bulletin oh so many years ago when I was in the Marines about modifying your ring if you absolutely had to wear it. It was suggested that you take your ring to a jeweler and have it slit through at the back, and two partial radial cuts 120 degrees apart. That way if you snagged your ring, it would hinge open and release your finger before serious injury occurred.

-- Furniture Medic- the prescription for damaged furniture

I leave mine on. This is a photo of me before heading out to the shop:

-- Check out my new website! http://www.theeasellife.com

I have been married 32 years and haven’t worn my wedding ring for most of that time. Similar to others, I was handling lumber when the ring caught on a board and almost severed my finger. I don’t wear it anymore but built a real nice jewelry box to keep it in! From adversity a project is born!

-- Don, Pittsburgh

I wear my ring when i work in the shop. I have sanded several flat spots in it and it is scratched up. I have caught it on a ladder a few times but luckily never was injured as a result. The thing I always have a problem with is I tend to wipe my hand across the surface of freshly finish sanded wood, making lovely scratches with the ring. I have had to re-sand several pieces as a result.

Blake, Mr T called…he said “I pity the fool who usses my own image to mock me”

-- Women love me.....trees fear me

Don’t wear the jewelry. None of it. It just isn’t worth it and after 35 years of marriage I can tell you there is a heck of a lot more to marriage than a piece of gold on your finger. I’ve seen too many fingers torn off and hands mutalated from rings after 20 years in a foundry and 5 in a drop forge.

-- Mike. Profisher50@yahoo.com

Never. Not even a watch.

-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python

I never wear any jewelry in the shop.

I never wear long sleeves in the shop.

I always wear safety glasses.

I often wear a dust mask and/or ear protection.

My wife likes all of my fingers and wants me to keep them. She wants me to look at her. I already don’t listen to her (she says).

Lee

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

I never wear my ring when I am doing any kind of work around the house/yard/shop. As a young lad bucking hay bales I saw a older person lose his balance while unloading a hay wagon. He grabbed a rafter to break his fall..yep you guessed it…hooked his ring on a nail head….the nail won…Thats my story….

-- Splinters - Living and Loving life in the Rockies - http://www.splinterswoodworks.com/

I have worked several types of factory jobs over the years and I have seen what injuries with rings can do. I wont wear any type of jewlery around where there is anythiing that goes ‘whrrr’, ‘hmmmmm’,or ‘KACHUNK’. I am like sawdust2, I dont wear long sleeves or such. My big thing is ear protection. Even here at the house I wear the plugs. My father suffered severe hearing loss due to overexposure to loud noise. The LOML knows to wave at me to get my attention. At least she waves, and dont throw stuff at me, at least not yet. LOL
I would rather error on the side of safety that lose a finger. I learned that lesson last year with my right thumb. I was ripping a 2X4 and stopped mid way and restarted again. When I restarted I forgot to pull back on the cirrular saw and I was holding up the guard at the same time. As soon as I hit the trigger my thumb went for the blade as the saw kicked up and back at the same time. This was a year ago and my thumb is still healing.
SAFETY, SAFETY, SAFETY.

-- God bless the men and women who protect our counrty.

i agree that hearing protection is important but i wear an i-pod so my hearing is shot either way.atleast thats what i tell the wife.

-- Roper - master of sawdust-

For twenty years I worked as an aircraft mechanic in the US Navy. I had a therory that stuck with me through the years. If my feet left the deck, my rings came off. Anytime I was on board ship, the rings came off for the duration. Wife wasn’t always happy with the way I explained it, but at least I have the fingers to put them on.

Hearing protection was my other big concern. When you are standing on a cataplut waiting for your plane to taxi into place and a F/A-18 Hornet or EA-6B Prowler is sitting ther at full power, the noice is soooooooo loud you would think that fillings in your teeth were going to fall out. I always used ear plug and mickey mouse ears filled with additional foam from another pair of mickey mouse ears.

In addition to the above, googles were alswys required while on the flight deck during flight operations, so those habbits carry over into my shop: jewlery off when necessary, eye protection and hearing protection always. Not onlyh is it healthy for me, but I can claim that I did not hear my wife when she was nagging me.

It’s what I was taught, and now I live it.

-- Brian, Lebanon PA, If you aren’t having fun doing it, find something else to do.

I was a concrete paving superintendent for many years and have seen several fingers “popped off” after being caught on a wedding ring. I have also discovered several wedding bands in the belly pans of dozers that had fallen off of operators’ hands. Any type of construction, heavy highway to pen turning, is no place for jewelry. Just ask your insurance provider. As far as hearing protection is concerned, ” What? ” I’m afraid that concern came too late for me. bbqKing

-- bbqKing, Lawrenceville

To me, Jewelery does not mix with electricity, moving machines, or any thing else on a construction site/shop!!

-- Ed Collinge- Edmonds, WA.

My wedding band won’t come off in the warmer months soooooo

Though if welding or dealing with electricity I don’t use that hand.

I wear mine at work, not at home. I also solved the damage the ring issue as the band is Tungstun Carbide….DRILL BIT.

She picked them out they do not bend out of shape, they do not scratch.

But still around saws and all I do not wear them.

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

I didn’t realize that rings were so important. I wear 5 of them, yep 5. I don’t wear a watch or bracelets in the shop, but never really considered rings. After reading this post I will be taking them off and putting them in the box on my dresser with my watch. I can put this stuff on when I leave the house. Thanks for the warning, I will be glad to keep my fingers and thumbs right where they are… attached! As far as hearing protection no longer need it, waited too long and I am now completely deaf. This is my soap box, so I won’t say much, except I can’t use an ipod. Can’t listen to the radio. Can’t go to the movies. Have to have my tv and my phone closed captioned or can’t do that either. Just something to consider.

-- Berta in NC

Married 31 years to a sweet lady and she hasnt complained that I don’t wear my wedding ring. Many of you have spoken of the hazards associated with getting a ring caught up on something. What many forget is that rings are also wonderful conductors of electricity. Shocking concept eh? Too few folks remember to remove their rings, watches, chains, etc when working around energized equipment. A momment of carelessness could ‘short’en your day.

-- Smile. Life can be FUN!

I know a fellow who was electrocuted, & lost his ring finger.

I had to cut my ring off after I was in a curling bonspiel years ago, because my finger swelled up so bad.

I had it reduced in size to fit my wife Barb.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

I don’t normally like wearing jewelry while in the shop, but I’m required to wear the ankle bracelet. :))

-- There is no such thing as scrap wood!, http://www.saltrivergallery.com

i think i’m just going to get my wedding ring tattooed on my finger, that way everybody wins.

-- Roper - master of sawdust-

I wear ear protection, safety glasses, repirator (ever since getting a nasty cough that lasted days after working in the shop) and I don’t take my wedding band off. I have a hard enough time keeping track of my tape measure I would lose my wedding band for sure if I took it off.

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

I tried to talk my wife into getting my wedding band tattooed onto my finger but that didn’t fly.

-- Adrian ..... The 11th Commandment...."Thou Shalt Not Buy A Wobble Dado"

I haven’t worn my wedding band to work (or much at all for that manner) sense it got hung up on a hose clamp as I had jumped down off a front wheel of a truck. thank god it broke before my finger broke. it did leave a nice mark for about 2 months though.

-- Jim in Cushing Oklahoma

I haven’t worn my wedding ring since the day i got married i work in a saw mill and i like to think my wife would prefer me to have all my fingers than look pretty at work plus too many horror stories about rings and any sort of jewellery in a workshop …

andy

-- cut it saw it scrap it

no jewelry for me in my shop.. clock is on the wall… not my arm.. ring stays clean and in the house. I am sure my wife would prefer it this way than geting glue, stain and possibly blood on them…

-- making sawdust....

I don’t wear mine when I’m in the shop. That being the only time I take it off, I dont think its a big deal. Better to take it off and keep that finger than to risk having an accident and never getting to wear one again.

-- Steve-o

I haven’t worn my wedding ring since 3 days after our wedding when I got it caught on the door handle at the local convienience store. It cut the flesh clean to the bone all the way around the finger. At the firehouse next door to the 7-11 they had to cut it off with a pair of wire cutters. To this day it lives in the box it came in. In 29 years of marriage not one word has been said about me not wearing a ring. The only jewelry I wear is the beautiful lady on my arm.

-- Evil can only thrive when good men do nothing.......E. Burke

Wifey-poo says the ring can come off but the ball and chain stays on. :(

-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!

Dadoo,
That has to be to keep you firmly anchored to the ground, so one of those Alberta Clippers doesn’t catch hold of your butt and land you somewhere south of the border, around Chicago or something,eh.

-- Ed Collinge- Edmonds, WA.

I’ve never met “Albertha Clipper” but I did party (and survive) one night with “Thelma Tons O’Fun”.

-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!