# Thumb thumping with the drill press



## MadMark (Jun 3, 2014)

Was drilling 3/16" stem holes in a batch of purpleheart pipes I was making when I neglected to clamp one of the pipes. I do this often but normally I drill 1/2", pull back, blow the chips out and repeat to the full 2-3/8" stroke of my cheapie Skil benchtop drill press.









It has drilled barrels of holes and still going strong.

This time however, I was trying to see if I could drill deeper in one go. Unthinkingly I didn't clamp the piece and it got away from me at 550 RPM. Ow! No real damage but that stings! Not to mention that it could have been *lots* worse.









Small "ouchie" coulda been bigger!

The bit is bent and locked in a purpleheart pipe blank beyond any extraction.









Bent and well stuck!


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## LeeRoyMan (Feb 23, 2019)

Well, I guess you won't be checking drill run out with that drill bit anymore.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

The worst workshop injury I had was from the drill press. Using a large bit, the piece was clamped, everything was as safe as I could make it (or so I thought) and suddenly there was a blur and my thumb hurt really bad. A cheap clamp broke and let the workpiece spin around whack my thumb, by night it had doubled in size and turned purple. I couldn't move it for almost 2 weeks. Now I use Bessey or Jorg clamps if safety is involved.


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## BlasterStumps (Mar 13, 2017)

I have a sore finger now also Mark. Using post hole diggers right up next to the metal building. Smashed the fore finger on left hand between the handles and the horizontal ridge on the building. I knew even before I took my glove off that I was going to have to go clean it up and wrap it. : (


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