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6' Iron Pipe Clamp + Gravity = Red Stains on the Carpet

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Forum topic by PurpLev posted 210 days ago 935 views 0 times favorited 20 replies Add to Favorites Watch
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PurpLev

2733 posts in 541 days


210 days ago

Topic tags/keywords: pipe clamp head injury glueup

I had cut and jointed 15 boards for a butcher block top (32×22) and had 1/2 hour window today, and figured I could take advantage of that time for glueup.

rushing is never a good start, but hey – it’s just glueup right?

I cleared the work surface, and got some pipe clamps (3/4”) ready on it. Mine are the rockler clamps which have the little feet you can use to hang them on the wall with – mine are hung on the exposed 2×4 garage frame. to save on space, my shorter pipe clamps are hung under the longer ones, so to get them you have to tilt the longer ones out of the way a little… I haven’t used them yet since I got them (not too long ago) so I hadn’t experienced any problems with this design, nor anticipated what was about to happen.

I had reached for the shorter clamp , and when I pulled it out , apparently I put just enough tilt on the longer clamp above it, to lift it off it’s feet, and down it fell – since my head was the first object in it’s path … it stopped the clamp from hitting the floor.

things learnt:
1. head injuries suck, blood flow is real fast, and it’s hard to treat the injury with hair in the way. (not my first, so I have experience.. but sucks just the same)

2. red spots on white carpet are hard to take off… but if you clean them before they dry, water, and an absorbing towel are all it takes.

oh year, and:

3. pay MORE attention when reaching for heavy overhead items. use both hands, and make eye contact with everything in it’s path.

so 1/2 hour turned out to be 5 minutes to take 4 clamps down the wall, 1/2 hour to treat head injury, keep pressure on injury with one hand, and clean carpet with the other.

I guess the glueup will have to be done another day :o(

figured worth sharing, with safety week coming up.

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

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ND2ELK

6155 posts in 667 days


210 days ago

Red Stains on carpet-Not Good! Hope you are feeling better.

God Bless
tom

-- Mc Bridge Cabinets, Iowa

View kiwi1969's profile

kiwi1969

600 posts in 335 days


210 days ago

OUCH!!!! Time to build that clamp rack methinks.

-- if the hand is not working it is not a pure hand

View blackcherry's profile

blackcherry

730 posts in 716 days


210 days ago

These are just bumps in the path of experience , haste make waste and a wise man will never ever be rushed…. take your lumps and learn and thank your lucky stars it wasn’t something more costly. Deadline play no part in my shop…Blkcherry

View Kirk's profile

Kirk

51 posts in 947 days


210 days ago

I’m not alone.

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/2214

-- W. Kirk Crawford - Tularosa, New Mexico

View Karson's profile

Karson

25792 posts in 1293 days


210 days ago

Sorry for the wakeup call.

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

View 3fingerpat's profile

3fingerpat

906 posts in 561 days


210 days ago

Glad to hear it wasn’t worse and that you will hopefully soon heal. I had to learn the hard way when it comes to safety in the shop. I agree with BlackCherry, no more undue time constraints in my shop, it just makes for bad decisions on my part.

-- "You get what you inspect, not what you expect"

View Moai's profile

Moai

721 posts in 286 days


210 days ago

is incredible all the risk inside a shop, even to get a single clamp!
Glad to hearit was not worse!

-- Francisco Luna, San Francisco Bay Area.

View PurpLev's profile

PurpLev

2733 posts in 541 days


210 days ago

Kirk, you cracked me up…lol.

thanks everyone for your concern, I’m doing ok. for better/worse I’m used to getting head injuries… I seem to attract them for some reason (I don’t really have a big head… ?!?) just need to wait for the wound to heal now. was contemplating going back to the garage after everyone fell asleep to get the glueup done, but maybe I’ll wait for tomorrow… no need to push it.

I don’t really have much space for any clamp rack at the moment, but I am considering maybe altering the ‘common’ dolly design, and make something similar wall mounted perhaps… if I can find the wall space for that… so far I only made a clamp storage area for my bar clamps:

bar clamps storage

and the pipe clamps are just hanging on the wall frame next to it nothing fency, but in terms of space – thats where they are at… maybe I should keep them at the same location, just more ‘properly’ held in place somehow.

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

View Dave Durham's profile

Dave Durham

43 posts in 248 days


210 days ago

Lev,
I too have been there. It’s good to be reminded that we always need to pay attention. In the mean time:
http://www.1staidsupplies.com/store.php?action=show_detail&crn=93&rn=443

-d

View Gary Fixler's profile

Gary Fixler

646 posts in 275 days


210 days ago

No worries, Lev. Your skull will knit harder in the places where you break it. Soon you won’t even need Dave’s suggestion :)

Two things, though… I need something like 2-3 hours to do a glue-up of that scale. You’re brave for attempting it with only 30 minutes to spare. Maybe I’m slow. Also, you have carpet in your workshop? Doesn’t it constantly fill up with wood chips and dust?

Get better!

-- Gary, Los Angeles, video game animator

View PG_Zac's profile

PG_Zac

150 posts in 282 days


210 days ago

Hey Lev,

Attracting head injuries are just a phase that you pass through. My head phase only lasted 22 years. :-)

Up to age 22 I had had 26 stitches in total, and they were all above my shoulders. Since then, my injuries have been less frequent, and a bit more sensibly spread out. I hope your phase will be a lot shorter than mine.

Heal well.

-- I may be schizophrenic, but at least I have each other.

View JimmyC's profile

JimmyC

110 posts in 295 days


210 days ago

Lev,
I’ve been there and done that with the head bleeding. Just rest and take care of it,I hope you heal well.

Best wishes.

-- -JimmyC...Clayton,NC- "Just smile and wave boys, smile and wave"

View JoeinDE's profile

JoeinDE

100 posts in 216 days


210 days ago

Ouch! Get well soon. I guess I was luckier than you. I have a similar set-up (see pics of shop) with my clamps (small collection at this point) hanging overhead from the exposed I-beam in my basement. I had a 3’ pipe clamp fall and hit my foot. Luckily I was wearing steel-toes (which I wear at work even though my job mostly involves my desk and my computer) and the pipe mostly hit the toe area.

-- A bad craftsmen blames his cheap #$%ing tools

View woodsmithshop's profile

woodsmithshop

288 posts in 438 days


210 days ago

sorry to hear about your injury, you have WHITE CARPET in your shop?
I must now think about upgrading the floor covering in my shop! lol
Smitty

-- Smitty!!!

View PurpLev's profile

PurpLev

2733 posts in 541 days


210 days ago

Zac, my head phase is ~30years now, and apparently going strong :os… I’m at the point where it doesnt really freak me out, just annoying…

Gary – all the pieces for the glueup were already ready and in place, all I had to do was place them on the clamps, add glue, and press.

as far as the carpet – no, I don’t have carpets in my garage… (dear god) but I do have carpet between the garage and the bathroom at the house that I had to get across… felt like an indiana jones moment – how do I get to the other side without dripping on it – I guess I failed on that one. luckily, no trace of it today.

Thanks for the concern to everyone, aside for sore head, and a little bleeding , I’m doing ok.

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

View sIKE's profile

sIKE

1094 posts in 647 days


209 days ago

Zonk! Bam! Boom! I have to get my parallel clamps int a new way of hanging, I have had two near misses so far. My pipe clamp solutions (2 different solutions) the first consists of two 4” long pieces of 4” PVC that I drilled a 1” hole into one side and then screwed each to a joist about 4’ a part. I can slip 4 clamps into this solution easily, though it is not the quickest in getting them down. I have been thinking about moving to a 5” piece of PVC instead. The second solution is for my shorter pipe clamps it is a couple of bicycle hooks that are screwed into the side of my hanging shorts storage. I guess some pics and a quick blog are due on these solutions.

Hope the noggin stops ringing here soon….

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

View Durnik150's profile

Durnik150

536 posts in 215 days


204 days ago

Hey PurpLev. I looked at the picture you posted and a thought came to me. It looks like you have the smaller (under 36”) clamps pretty well arranged. As you painfully learned, it’s the ones falling from above that hurt like heck!
Would a couple strips of heavy duty velcro pulled across the pipe clamps at least hold them still and possibly prevent them from wiggling off their perch? If not velcro, some sort of bungee hookup? I don’t think it would prevent them from coming down if they really wanted to but it might keep them against the wall instead of against your head!
Just a thought. Hope the healing is going well.

-- Behind the Bark is a lot of Heartwood----Charles, Centennial, CO

View a1Jim's profile

a1Jim

16683 posts in 470 days


203 days ago

ouch

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

View PurpLev's profile

PurpLev

2733 posts in 541 days


202 days ago

Thanks Durnik, I think I’ll actually make something more rebust to hold those heavier ones in place than just velcro, those are seriously heavy clamps, and velcro will have no effect on them.

Jim – that was exactly my thought, 30 minutes after the event, once the impact shock has passed.

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

View Brad_Nailor's profile

Brad_Nailor

1213 posts in 850 days


202 days ago

Dude…I got a couple hard hats…I can lend you one…

Easy on the melon…you need that thing..

-- David, South Windsor, CT "I love the smell of sawdust in the morning"

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