# After 10 + years....A momentary lapse of reason WARNING GRAPHIC PHOTOS!



## BennyG (Mar 13, 2013)

I'm posting the details of my shop accident solely for the purpose of an all to real reminder of what a split second of complacency can end up looking like. Please be kind with the shoulda', coulda', wouldas' because trust me, I've been harder on myself than anyone else could possibly be. Really this is just me trying to save somebody else the physical, financial and emotional toll that comes with an accident like this.

A few weeks ago, I was working on a kitchen that I am finishing up for a client. I had mounted my moulder head, the old Craftsman 3 knife version, into my grizzly 12" 5hp saw and was cutting profiles for the edge of some drawer fronts and doors. I had what I thought was a safe setup, a sacrificial fence and just enough knife out to perform the task. After running ten or so drawer fronts I changed the angle by just a few degrees to cut a relief under the drawer front as the client didn't want pulls on them. 
I grabbed an old piece of scrap framing lumber I had laying around and proceeded to run a few test cuts. On the very first pass without really looking at the underside of my scrap piece I hit a knot in the first few inches and it kicked the piece back throwing my left thumb right into the knife. I new it couldn't be good but for the life of me I couldn't bring myself to look. I finally peeked and could see this was going to require some medical attention.





































Six hours and twenty stiches later this is what I am left with. A mangled nub that has really affected my day-to-day routine. Tying my shoes, buttoning my shirt, etc. Everyday I find something new that is a little bit tougher without the use of my thumb. Granted I will have much better use of it as it heals. I get my stiches out tomorrow and most likely will have to go back for a flap revision. I've always prided myself on being safe, I have gone over it a hundred times in my head and asked, "what should I have done differently"? 
First, I should have inspected the tailing I used and made sure it was sound and clean before running it. Second, where I had my left hand was a big factor in it being pulled into the knife. And lastly, I have no excuse for not using one of my three "Grippers" just sitting in the accessory drawer, two feet to my right. I rationalized that it was just a few cuts and that I had performed these cuts countless times before with no incident, so it had to be o.k. Lets be safe in our shops and remember the safety practices that we have been taught. I'm anxious to get back to work but I wont lie, I'm a little nervous about getting back behind my saw. Hopefully this ugly little stub will be the "every time" reminder of SAFTEY, SAFTEY, SAFTEY. Thanks for reading, BennyG


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## 280305 (Sep 28, 2008)

Benny,

I am very sorry to learn about your accident. I hope that your recovery is quick and complete.

Thank you for sharing the experience for the benefit of others.


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## Ocelot (Mar 6, 2011)

Wow! Thanks for posting! I don't have a shaper head (tho I've considered buying one), but any tool can do a number on me, so it's good to be reminded.

I had a little table-saw kickback incident Thursday. In my case, no harm done, but woke me up a little - just ripped a piece 6" long. I don't have a riving knife, just old-fashioned guard/splitter. I pushed the keeper piece clear of the blade with a push stick, the reached over to tap the cutoff away from the blade. Should have just turned off the saw - cause I accidently pushed it agaist the back edge of the blade and got it thrown at me.

Maybe I need to get out now while I'm still whole.

I wish you a rapid and complete recovery (so far as is possible).

-Paul


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## GaryC (Dec 31, 2008)

Benny, I had a similar experience 3-4 years ago. First two or three times back on the saw I had to really force myself. Just didn't want to do it. Got over that. My problem was the scar tissue. It hurt for a good year everytime I tried to use the thumb with something hard. Doesn't hurt any more but, I still have a loss of feeling in part of my thumb. Makes it hard to pick up small items.
Hope you heal quick..


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## soapmaker (Oct 18, 2013)

Just want to say thanks for sharing, it reminds us all of what a moment can bring.


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## DIYaholic (Jan 28, 2011)

I had to quickly scroll past the images…. I saw enough!!!

Hope your pain eases quickly, for I know the recovery will feel like an eternity.

Your a stand up guy…. willing to post your accident. Thanks for not being to embarrassed to share.
Knowing that you are a pro, should remind everyone that this can happen to anyone!!!

Again, I hope you pain ends soon…. & thanks for the reminder!!!

*SAFETY*, first….
*SAFETY*, last….
*SAFETY*, always!!!


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

Hope you heal up quickly!! My grandfather had one of those three cutter shapers hanging on the wall for a long time. I've been eyeing it up every time I go down to his old shop just to make sure the roof isn't falling down. I think I'll let it sit there indefinitely.


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## ColonelTravis (Mar 19, 2013)

Man, sorry about that. Hope you heal fast and can adjust. 
But thanks for posting. Wish there could be better reminders for us but there really aren't.


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## PLK (Feb 11, 2014)

I'm terribly sorry for your injury. I hope you heal up soon. I want to commend you on having the guts to post this, it's unfortunate but it does remind everyone of the dangers we face every time we enter our shops.

The only close calls I've had were at the end of long days where it's "just one more cut and I'll call it a day" after seeing more and more of these incidents lately it has made me make a cut off time that I don't allow myself to work after.

Heal up, hope your pain goes away soon.

Paul


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## Holbs (Nov 4, 2012)

thanks for sharing, Benny. I came to LumberJocks to learn what I can do with wood. But this site is not just limited to what the end projects are but also safety, do's, dont's, etc. I doubt I would have many fingers or toes left after 2-3 years of working on wood machinery if not for people like yourself who share their experiences.


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## whitebeast88 (May 27, 2012)

sorry to hear about your accident.i hope for a speedy recovery for you.thanks for the reminder to work safe,i like many others get rushed sometimes like paul said just one more cut and you hurry to get it done and something bad happens.


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## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

Thank you for the story. Most people don't assess or anticipate what a sharp, or worst yet, a dull blade can do to them. Fearing your machine can get you in a lot more trouble than respecting its capabilities.


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## distrbd (Sep 14, 2011)

I hope you regain your confidence as soon as possible,you will get better physically but emotionally you have to overcome your inhibitions and go back to your shop as soon as possible.some day all of it will be history.
Get well soon.


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## Nubsnstubs (Aug 30, 2013)

Benny, I felt your pain once. I hope you're right handed because if you're left handed, it's going to take some getting used to not having the end of that thumb. Heal and get back to working wood as it's the best therapy.
You oughta see me handling lug nuts with my right hand wuth the same amount of thumb missing. It's quite a funny thing to see.. ....... Jerry (in Tucson)


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## Christov (Aug 10, 2010)

Thank you for posting this as a reminder to all of us who grow complacent as time goes by. I am very sorry for all you have gone through and wish you a speedy return.


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

Gut wrenching. Some would say that you shouldn't post the pictures. I commend you for it. It's the grim reality of what can happen. I wish you a speedy recovery. I hope you continue down the woodworking journey.


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## Gixxerjoe04 (Jan 31, 2014)

Dangggg, hate to see that, couldn't imagine that happening but can happen to any of us in a split second.


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## BennyG (Mar 13, 2013)

Thanks everyone for the kind words and encouragement, they definitely help with the recovery.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Gruesome. Wish you a speedy recovery.


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

That's more than just an *OUCH*, I hope you have a speedy recovery and no bad dreams!


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## Laban (Oct 8, 2013)

Hope you have a swift recovery! I also commend you on using your mistake as a learning lesson for others.


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## skatefriday (May 5, 2014)

As a relative newcomer to woodworking, can someone describe exactly how the hand
got drawn into the knife? I'm trying to picture where the forces are and how they
could have been avoided (so I don't make the same mistake).

Thanks and I certainly hope you heal up well.


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## mudflap4869 (May 28, 2014)

Make wall posters of the pictures and hang the next to your machinery. Make sure they are well illuminated. I and my wife have been injured because of lack of safety practices, arogance and ignorance. " IF THERE IS EVEN THE SLIGHTEST QUESTION OF SAFETY, IT IS UNSAFE"


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## seriousturtle (Apr 13, 2009)

Thanks alot for being humble enough to post this. I'm really sorry about your injury.


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## BennyG (Mar 13, 2013)

> As a relative newcomer to woodworking, can someone describe exactly how the hand
> got drawn into the knife? I m trying to picture where the forces are and how they
> could have been avoided (so I don t make the same mistake).
> 
> ...


Hello skate, when I was holding the tailing which was about 4" wide x 12" long, I had my left hand on the upper left side of the piece holding it tight to the fence and down to the table and my right hand to the rear pushing it through. When the moulder caught the knot it shot the tailing back instantly and being that my left hand was already pushing towards the fence it was pulled directly into the knife as a result. It happened SO fast that by the time I jerked back it was already cut off. Focus on learning the safety aspects of the machines in your shop. Once you do this you will know what feels right. I knew before I ever started pushing that this felt awkward and unsafe. I was in a hurry and disregarded this gut feeling and this was the result. Take care and be safe, this really is a safe craft as long as we use logic and constantly remain aware. Thanks for the post and the sentiment. BennyG


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## DrDirt (Feb 26, 2008)

oooh - - - my nads tightened where I wanted to gag at the first photo.

Best wishes for your recovery.

Makes me want to start making stuff out of Paper Mache instead…..


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## SCOTSMAN (Aug 1, 2008)

So sorry to hear of your preventable accident .Just like all of us or most of us from time to time we take chances.Anyway never use a spindle moulder or you shaper tool without either a sliding table and hold downs or better still a wood feeder where you can stand off well to the side and if things go wrong your hands are well out of the way.I nearly l;ost my thumb in a woodturning accident when a bowl I was sanding exploded and whacked my thumb badly shattering the bones and tissue into tiny fragments,I had to have a six hour operation and endure six weeks with metal pins etc ,so anyway Take care brother. Alistair


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## CFrye (May 13, 2013)

Happens in a blink! Praying for a speedy recovery. Thanks for sharing.


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## skatefriday (May 5, 2014)

Thanks Benny for the explanation of exactly how that happened.
Helps to visualize it which helps to know exactly what not to do.
Again, I hope you heal well and heal quickly.


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## amt (Sep 11, 2013)

Thank you very much for telling your story and posting the pictures. This has really made me think how I can improve the safety in my shop.

So, while on the topic of improving safety, I wonder, besides the gripper blocks & avoiding running a knot through, what else could help improve the safety of a shaping/routing action like this. Was the wood face flat against the fence, or flat against the top? I just want to get a better idea of the orientation of the board before I try to come up with any ideas.

Scotsman, you mentioned a sliding table. For those of us who do not have a sliding table saw, could a miter sled or coping sled accomplish a similar level of control and safety?


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## JAAune (Jan 22, 2012)

Molder heads on table saws are scary as are large shaper cutters.

After seeing how hard a lowly router table can kickback (no accidents, just startled so a cheap lesson for me) I won't run anything through a shaper cutter without either power feed or a setup of feather boards and push blocks that keep plenty of distance between hands and cutters.

Cutter heads without anti-kickback features are the most dangerous and those I'll only use with power feed. Even feather boards don't seem safe with those. One of the knife sets we have in the shop has two blades that extend 1" out from the body of the cutter. Technically, someone could ram a board into the cutter and the blade would engage at a full 1" depth of cut.


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## j1212t (Dec 7, 2013)

Thanks for posting and I wish you a speedy recovery! It is a welcome reminder of what can happen and it is needed, at least for me, i get too complacent after a few months of no scares, so a reality check helps me a lot.


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## jinkyjock (Feb 2, 2014)

*BennyG*,
my stomach knotted when I looked at pics of your unfortunate accident.
Sincerely wish you a speedy recovery, and hope your confidence is not diminished so that you can get back in your shop ASAP.
Last year I was ripping a piece of knotted Pine,
it broke at knot and splinter flew back and took a chunk from tip of my left index finger.
So perhaps timber selection/inspection may be an issue as you said.
Friend of mine has a *Red Zone* on all his machinery,
he actually paints red what he considers a danger area around sawblades/cutterheads and this is a no-go area for his hands.
All the best for the future.
Cheers, Jinky (James).


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## Ocelot (Mar 6, 2011)

Red zone is a great idea!


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## Knothead62 (Apr 17, 2010)

Thanks for sharing what happened. The photo is a vivid reminder of what can happen in a shop with any tool really. Hope your healing is quick and complete.
The old saying, Picture worth one thousand words, has a lot of truth to it. 
I recall another similar example regarding drunk driving. On the median on I-77 just across the WV state line was the crumpled remnants of a car. The billboard stated, Sometimes it takes a family of four to stop a drunk driver.


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## ejvc (Jan 12, 2013)

Thank you for posting and hope you heal well and soon.


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## bonesbr549 (Jan 1, 2010)

Man all I can say is I hope you have a speedy recovery. I hate that, and your right, one slip and it's bad day.


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## freddy1962 (Feb 27, 2014)

Man that has to hurt. Hope it heals well for you. Love your title…my favorite guitar player and one of my favorite drummers !


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## Ghuda (Jul 7, 2014)

Wow, thank you for this post, I have one of those shapers, and have never used it as it was a gift, I think I will throw it out, but also just be one hell of a lot more careful in what I do day to day.

Thank you again and I hope you have a speedy recovery.


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## diverlloyd (Apr 25, 2013)

sorry about the injury hope you heal up quick. Oh you may ask about a finger tip guard. Had a co worker with the same type of injury (his was a metal shear that popped the back end of a sheet up and took the tip of his thumb off), the hand surgeon had him wear a plastic guard the looked like a little helmet for his thumb. It really helped the sensitivity of bumping it on things. He didn't realize how much he used his thumb and how many times he hit the tip on things.


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## JerrodMcCrary (Jan 1, 2014)

Thank you for posting the picture. I cut my foot the other day, and I understand the feeling about not wanting to look at it right after it happens because your like I know it is going to be bad. Hope you have a speedy recovery.


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## G5Flyr (Aug 27, 2013)

Well said DIY.

+1 re Ben being a stand up guy.

Ben,

DIY is right when he says, "Knowing that you are a pro, should remind everyone that this can happen to anyone!!!"

I'm not a pro. In fact, I've got a ways to go before I hit amateur status. My brother is a pro and VERY safety conscious. He did the same thing to his left thumb about 20 years ago with similar tools under similar circumstances. He recovered. You will too. Don't be too hard on yourself.

This is an important post. Thank you.

All the best…


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