# Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?



## HerbC (Jul 28, 2010)

*Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*

This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.

First I'd like to thank each of you for the warm welcome I have already received.

My name is Herb Cumbie and I live in Panama City, Florida. I'm 61 years old. I've worked with wood off and on since I was six years old. When I was a young boy I began helping my Dad in our workshop. We made a lot of cedar "hope" chests over the years. We also made some other furniture items and quite a few sets of kitchen cabinets. When I was 13 we built our first house and we build one each summer for the next five years. My parents died in an auto accident when I was 18. In the years since then I have made a few things but got out of woodworking for quite a while. About four years ago I began to work towards getting back into woodworking.

Over all these years I have worked with just about every kind of tool and never had any injury more serious than a blister. Until March 8, 2010…

I was using my Ryobi tablesaw to rip stickers for airdrying some lumber I had just had milled from some logs I had collected over the last couple of years. Of course I had removed and discarded the blade guard shortly after purchasing the saw in 1996. Since the wood I was ripping was roughcut lumber I was wearing kid leather work gloves. I was using a pushstick. I had been ripping stickers for almost two hours. I ripped one and used my left hand to pull the remaining portion of the board back to start the next one. My hand got to close to the blade which caught the glove on my little finger and pulled the remaining fingers down into the blade…

Well, I managed to get to the local emergency room in just 15 minutes and got excellent care. The surgeon who did the repairs did an excellent job. I have feeling and movement of all four injured fingers. As the photo below shows, the damage to my index finger was so severe that the doctor had to remove the first joint. I'm going to physical rehab for the hand twice a week and the movement and control of the worst injured fingers is improving gradually.










So as I begin this blog and return to my woodworking endevours my first and strongest message to each and every one of you is to be careful. I have a constant reminder that although I have a lifetime of experience I am still capable of doing something STUPID…

Thanks for checking out my blog.

Herb


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## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

HerbC said:


> *Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*
> 
> This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.
> 
> ...


Welcome to LJ's, Herb… Sorry to hear about your accident
Absolutely Yes on your advice about Safety!! Careful, careful, careful…


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## live4ever (Feb 27, 2010)

HerbC said:


> *Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*
> 
> This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.
> 
> ...


Welcome to LJs! You'll have a great time here.

I'm saddened to hear of your accident. If you hang around the woodworking forums enough, it seems there is no shortage of long-time woodworkers who suffer a tragic injury after a lifetime of being injury-free. Stories such as yours keep us on our toes. Thank you for the reminder and I hope you're able to get back into the shop soon after a successful recovery.


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## Eagle1 (Jan 4, 2010)

HerbC said:


> *Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*
> 
> This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.
> 
> ...


Welcome to Lumberjocks. Sorry to hear about your accident. We all know that sometimes we have to remove the guards, to get something done. Thanks for the reminder about everybody needs to be careful when that happens.


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## Sailor (Jun 17, 2009)

HerbC said:


> *Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*
> 
> This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.
> 
> ...


Welcome Herb, glad you decided to join our fun little group, and thank you for the words of wisdom.

I live in Dothan Al, which isn't very far from you at all. I make my way down there fairly often to enjoy a reloaxing weekend on my sailboat that I have slipped at City Marina. Nice to meet another Jock fairly close to home.


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## rando1 (May 24, 2010)

HerbC said:


> *Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*
> 
> This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.
> 
> ...


Herb, thanks for the reminder on safety. Welcome to the team and host of overwhelming info and knowledge!


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## donbee (Feb 7, 2009)

HerbC said:


> *Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*
> 
> This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.
> 
> ...


Herb, thanks for your post.
I'm seventy seven years old and still have all of my body parts (except the ones removed on purpose).
That doesn't mean I'm smart, and I could still do something that would injure me. 
I'm as careful as I know how and if something feels scary I find some other way to do what I'm trying to do.
Still, we all need to think about the thing we should all know and understand.
Power tools, even the best ones, have a danger of harming us and we should do all we can to protect ourselves.

AS one LJer says, (quoted as well as I can remember) We should not only be protecting ourselves from injury, but also from extinction!

db


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## 8iowa (Feb 7, 2008)

HerbC said:


> *Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*
> 
> This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.
> 
> ...


Herb:

Best wishes for a speedy recovery. Thanks for posting your experience. Perhaps it will help others to avoid injury.

According to emergency room personnel it's the professional and experienced woodworkers that they see more often than the newbie. Rush to deadlines and fatigue are often contributing factors.


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## jockmike2 (Oct 10, 2006)

HerbC said:


> *Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*
> 
> This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the reminder, but I just had two of my own, double stupid accidents. One two days before xmas 2009, hurrying to make presents, in which I lost the tip of the tip of my ring finger on my right hand. Then about 2 months ago I racked the first two fingers on my left hand, back side, accross the blade on the same TS. I found out my fence was crooked, but I wasn't using featherboards, I was using a push stickk, but I also have a blade guard I promised my wife I would start using, which I stopped shortly after I started because of the hassles it caused. It is now back on and I'm writting a letter to Hitachi to see if I can get an aftermarket fence that is straight. I've worked over 40 yrs with TS's w/o an accident except hitting my thumb with a hammer. LOL, who hasn't. Good reminder anyway. Thanks and I feel for you and that's how I felt STUPID!!! CARELESS, AND ANGRY AT MYSELF. Let it go, It can happen to anyone, with just a lapse in consintration. Best of Luck and Welcome, Jockmike2, call me mike.


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## HokieMojo (Mar 11, 2008)

HerbC said:


> *Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*
> 
> This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.
> 
> ...


Not to start a huge argument about Sawstop, but do you think this would have prevented your injury when your hand touched the blade or do you think the blade being yanked down into the cabinet would have still caused serious injury (because your glove was hooked on the teeth). I'm just curious about your thought on what happened.

Welcome to the site and I hope you find yourself at home here!


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## HerbC (Jul 28, 2010)

HerbC said:


> *Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*
> 
> This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.
> 
> ...


HokiMojo,

Based on my limited knowledge of the SawStop technology, I believe that if my saw was equiped with that system it would have significantly reduced the extent of my injuries.

On the other hand, a few simple steps would have greatly reduced the potential for this accident:

1. I should have been Using a properly designed and installed blade guard system.
2. I should not have been wearing a glove.
3. I shold have taken more frequent breaks to minimize the tendency to "zone out" which occurs when permforming repetative tasks.

Thanks for your question. I think the SawStop technology is great. I don'y want to argue either, but the existance of the technology does not relieve the user of their individual responsibility to NOT BE STUPID…

Herb


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## woodcrafter47 (Nov 24, 2009)

HerbC said:


> *Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*
> 
> This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.
> 
> ...


Sorry to hear about your injuries, Hope and pray for speedy recovery,I know about shop injuries, band saw got my right index finger,nothing serious ,but a reminder for me ,Be careful and don't get in a hurry.
glad to have you here on LJ's.


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## ClayandNancy (Feb 22, 2010)

HerbC said:


> *Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*
> 
> This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.
> 
> ...


I've been very fortunate that the two accidents to my left thumb, one on the band saw at 18 yrs. old, and the other at 54, only left the tip with a scar. Stupid me. My only concern with Sawstop saws is that it might make us over confident about injury prevention. It is our responsibility to pay attention at all times to what we are cutting and how we are using these powerful tools. I believe impatience, familiarity and fatigue are our worst enemy's. Remember, you can't buy fingers at Rockler or Woodcraft.


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## HokieMojo (Mar 11, 2008)

HerbC said:


> *Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*
> 
> This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the reply. I can't argue with any of your points. I guess what I was mostly trying to determine (for quite some time now) is whether there are injuries that could be worse as a result of having a sawstop than not. Kind of like the airbags on a car injuring someone. The airbags save many many lives, but I was just intrigued to know. I hope the injury doesn't have too many lingering pains. Thanks again!


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## brunob (Dec 26, 2006)

HerbC said:


> *Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*
> 
> This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.
> 
> ...


Always sorry to hear about the other persons troubles. Hopefully we'll all learn from it. Thanks for posting.


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## ClayandNancy (Feb 22, 2010)

HerbC said:


> *Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*
> 
> This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.
> 
> ...


HokieMojo I wonder about wearing the gloves would it have made it worse? Would it drag the hand in, then touch the finger, activating the stop and then dragging the hand down as the blade drops? Just my bored mind thinking.


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

HerbC said:


> *Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*
> 
> This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.
> 
> ...


I am very sorry about your accident with the saw and I whole heartily agree - I do not wear gloves or rings around machinery. I once witnessed a man have his fingers wound around a drill press spindle and he nearly lost 2 fingers. I have used woodworking and metalworking machinery for 40 years and now I'm 60 but I still have all of my fingers. However, I also know that all it takes is one foolish move, one slip of concentration to have a serious accident. I have seen one or two on here boast about how they will quit using their equipment when they can't operate it safely in a way that they believe it can't happen to them. Not me, I know it can happen to me and hope it never does. Even safe drivers have wrecks.


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## MadJester (Sep 30, 2011)

HerbC said:


> *Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*
> 
> This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.
> 
> ...


You're story is very moving Herb…I think a lot of times, people loose sight of the danger of the machines we use. I have a very healthy respect for all my tools…not fear (because if you use an electric tool with fear in mind, all you're gonna do is get injured and you shouldn't be using it…) Even when I mentioned in my blog that I cut myself, 99% of the time, I am very aware where my fingers are…it's that 1% that gets ya….and it only takes a split second to do it…I hope it hasn't put you off of working in your shop!!


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## SeaWitch (Nov 5, 2011)

HerbC said:


> *Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*
> 
> This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.
> 
> ...


I'm really sorry to hear of your accident, but glad that it has turned out pretty well. The other day I was drilling something in an awkward position and I was holding the screw with my gloved hand. I have no idea how, but my (loose) glove got caught in the chuck, and as the chuck turned the glove got drawn up tight against it. I didn't get hurt-but I had a good scare and a reminder that it only takes a fraction of a second to have an accident…....Thank you for sharing.


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## HerbC (Jul 28, 2010)

HerbC said:


> *Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*
> 
> This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.
> 
> ...


Susan,

Yes, it's the moment when you're not thinking that'll get you… I'm still hacking away at it, although I don't have a "shop" space. At the moment my old Ryobi tablesaw and my Rigid miter saw are in the back yard. I'm currently working on a cabinet/stand for an old Craftsman contractor saw that I paid $35 for about a year ago. I'm doing that work in my carport which is currently also in the middle of renovations (turning it into a garage (no, dear wife, that's going to be a garage, not a shop… I might store some tools and wood in there but it won't be a shop, no, never…))

SeaWitch,

Hopefully sharing my tale will help one person avoid the consequences of the type of mistake I made. Maybe it will be you. Thanks for checking out my blog.

Be Cafeful!

Herb


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## joebloe (Feb 13, 2012)

HerbC said:


> *Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*
> 
> This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.
> 
> ...


I think most of us that has done any wood working has had something happen to us,some major ,some minor.Let me tell you about mine,I was building some cabinets,and was in a hurry{DON'T GET IN A HURRY USING A TABLE SAW,lesson #1}I was ripping some 1/4 " plywood,Pieces that where left over from a prior job,any way it got kicked back at me and hit me square in the stomach,knocking my fat butt to the floor,and knocking the wind out of me.When I could breath again I decided it was time to turn the saw off,but I wasn't going near it.I crawled like I was in a battle zone to the front door of the shop,as if it was going to find some thing else to throw at me.My breaker box is next to the front door and thats where I shut it off.For about 2 weeks I had a bruse across my stomach that seemed to change colors daily,I look back now and laugh at myself for crawling to the breaker box,even though it's no laughing matter,it could have been worse.The board that was kicked at me ,with it's semi circle cut in it ,is now mounted on the wall above the breaker box as a reminder that we work with tools that are dangerous,have no conchence,and they don't forgive mistakes.Be careful out there,the fingers you save are your own.


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## dontrushme (Jul 23, 2012)

HerbC said:


> *Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*
> 
> This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.
> 
> ...


Herb,
Sorry to hear about your accident. Hope all continues to be good with you.

I had a incident to the one John Brazie describes.

I was cutting a small piece of 1/8" hardboard on a radial arm saw. Lucky for me, I was standing off to one side. Well, one second the hardboard piece was there, and then it wasn't. I heard it hit something, but I could not find that piece of hardboard, although I kept looking for it. About three weeks later I needed to get something from the closet in the adjacent room. There it was! The saw put that piece of hardboard clean through the sheet rock between the two rooms!

I calculated that the tip of the blade was traveling at about 100MPH! So that piece of hardwood was just a blur as it traveled past me into the next room.

Gives you pause- think where you are before you turn on any machine!

Stay safe,
Ralph.


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## sheetzy (Jun 27, 2012)

HerbC said:


> *Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*
> 
> This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.
> 
> ...


the only reason I made the drawer with the tails out was for looks only. again thanx for the comment.


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## Garver (Mar 6, 2014)

HerbC said:


> *Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*
> 
> This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.
> 
> ...


Actually they did a great job fixing up your hand. Amazing what the docs to day can do. Its good thing your in the south, if you lived up here in northwest WI you would end up with pain in winter time due to weather front and changes. Happy you took the time to worn all of us about tool safety.


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## Ghuda (Jul 7, 2014)

HerbC said:


> *Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*
> 
> This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.
> 
> ...


Herb,

Thank you so much for this post, and helping other people to remember we all do something with real danger and the potential for real injury, if not worse….

I have been fortunate for many years, but thats not to say I have not spilled plenty of my own blood in my shop. I used to say "if I didn't bleed a little, it wasn't a good project". That sure seems like a pretty stupid way of thinking these days.

Thank you again for your post, god bless you and speedy recovery.


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## Dan658 (Dec 3, 2014)

HerbC said:


> *Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*
> 
> This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.
> 
> ...


I think you did a great service by posting this. It goes to show that we all have momentary lapses in judgement and it can happen to anyone no matter what you think and who you are.


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## Bermuda_Les (Jan 13, 2015)

HerbC said:


> *Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*
> 
> This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.
> 
> ...


Yes we all have had some bad experiences. I'm sorry for your injuries, but it's a good lesson that you shared. Stay safe!


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## Geo68 (Jul 10, 2019)

HerbC said:


> *Blog Post #1: Ya'll Be Careful Now, Ya Hear?*
> 
> This is my first blog post here at LumberJocks.
> 
> ...


Herb,
My sympathies on your injury and loss. I just joined too, looking for glue information on laminating pressure treated 2×6s to my 4×6 post uprights already supporting a deck for increased strength, since I'm going from 24oc to 12oc framing in preparation for Ipe planks.

In coming across your comments, it made me actually sign up, since I recently (three months ago) lost the first digit of my right middle finger in a power tool accident (exhaust side of wood chipper- raised exhaust flap to remove chips clogging the exit, and did a swipe across the steel guard with my right hand).

I have used power tools all my life, am now 68, but had not used a wood chipper before. I still haven't figured out what blew out the flesh on the under side of my fingertip, damaging the bone, requiring the amputation of the nail, almost to the first digit. I do not believe I touched any moving parts inside the guard, as I only swiped my hand across the outside of the guard. I believe either the vibration of the unit caused the sharp edges of the guard holes to do the damage, or perhaps a flying piece of super hard manzanita exiting the machine did the damage.

What I realized was this: 1) I had been using the wood chipper on my own, working slow and undistracted, and had no problems; 2) the day a friend helped me it changed the dynamics of the work, speeding it up, as he was hauling the branches to me, and I was just sending them through the chipper so fast it got very backed up. While working at a faster pace, I didn't think as I went to the exhaust side, lifted the exhaust flap that directs chips to the ground, and swiped with my right hand rather than with my boot, to clear the clog, as I had done previously. Instantly the damage was done.

Although I had read the operation manual and safety cautions, and although the exit flap had fingers and a big red circle with a line through it, I just didn't "see" that and proceeded.

So, 1) realize that more people working on a job changes the dynamics and working faster can more easily lead to inattention and injury; 2) realize that with a new tool just reading the instructions doesn't mean you have internalized all the safety precaution and made them a habit; 3) I think it would help if manufacturers also included or had a link to their website of particular cautions to take or things NOT to do. 4) a lesson I had learned and wished I had applied was this: before every job every day ask yourself: what potential situations could arise today in the work I am doing? then: what am I going to do to mitigate those safety issues?

regards to all.
Geo

Anyway, my typing is a little slower, my finger


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