Workshop tips and tricks

[Benthosboy]

As a gormless apprentice, 30-odd years ago, I was given a severe rollicking by one of my mentors for putting my hands in harm's way whilst on the lathe. He told me that machine tools don't have brains and therefore have no idea what they're cutting. Wood, metal, plastic or flesh, it's all the same to a lathe, and they have no concept of humans screaming while their extremities are mangled.....

Extend that to angle grinders, chainsaws, even lump hammers, and you get the picture.

 

[Liquid Metal]

As known by everyone, you only ever have one pir of eyes (repeated i know)

Also, another one I was told when i was younger which made me laugh, but made perfect sense.......

Never ever put your fingers anywher you would think twice about putting your willy.
Ie into any mechansims, underneath anything heavy thats not secure.

Also dont wear gloves, except latex gloves perhaps, if using anything that rotates, ie drill press, lathe, milling machine, table saw etc etc

Have seen some nasty accidents over the last 15 yrs, including a young guy about 18-19yrs old who thought he knew it all, didnt listen no matter how many times he was told not to wear rigger gloves when using a very large radial arm drill press. Then eventually it happened. After drilling pilot holes, 40mm drill bit, about 80-90rpm drilling holes into a 60mm thick plate with the auto feed engaged. Went to swipe swarf away with his left hand as the drill started to cut, caught the glove on the bit which then dragged his hand follwed by his arm around the back of the machine head (trying to wrap him around it as such). Cue loads of loud screaming and panic, couldnt reach the emergency stop button as he was no longer in position to reach it, he was trying to no avail to pull his arm out in probably in absolute agony. Thankfully somebody else was close by and hit the stop button. Due to being driven by a gearbox not belts, even this meant it didnt stop dead rather slowed to a stop.
He ended up with a broken arm in about 5 or 6 places, chunk of flesh missing from the around the inside of his elbow joint and almost having his arm ripped clean off.

Another one, was somebody was punching some 20mm holes through 15mm plate using pnch station on a Geka cropper. Only had a few to do so he couldnt be bthered setting up the supports and guides, so just centre dotted the ctrs of the holes, and held the plates under the head whilst punching them, holding them along the edge that was facing him. Low and behold, goes to punch a holew, forefinger of right hand under the plate, laid sideways on between the plate and bed of the punch. Completely flattened and removed the finger from just above the second knuckle.

I know accidents happen, and sometimes we all take risks no matter how trivial or down right dangerous, but at the end of the day, metalworking shops can be bloody dangerous places, as can your own garage, and HSE rules and guidelines are there for a reason.

 

[chunkolini]

Liquid Metal says never put fingers anywhere...
I do an open art studios event every year and have some right idiots in.
One guy took hold of the handle on my fly press, fiddled with it then put his finger under the business end to show his wife what it does swinging the lever to show her the movement in the tool.
I was dying to flip the handle with my elbow. he even got shirty with me when I questioned what he was doing.
When I have visitors I tie everything with a moveable handle down so save idiots like him from themselves.

 

[the snooper]

Liquid Metal says never put fingers anywhere...
I do an open art studios event every year and have some right idiots in.
One guy took hold of the handle on my fly press, fiddled with it then put his finger under the business end to show his wife what it does swinging the lever to show her the movement in the tool.
I was dying to flip the handle with my elbow. he even got shirty with me when I questioned what he was doing.
When I have visitors I tie everything with a moveable handle down so save idiots like him from themselves.

you should have shown him the door and told him you don't need fools that may cause injury to themselves

 

[Liquid Metal]

Liquid Metal says never put fingers anywhere...
I do an open art studios event every year and have some right idiots in.
One guy took hold of the handle on my fly press, fiddled with it then put his finger under the business end to show his wife what it does swinging the lever to show her the movement in the tool.
I was dying to flip the handle with my elbow. he even got shirty with me when I questioned what he was doing.
When I have visitors I tie everything with a moveable handle down so save idiots like him from themselves.

You always get one......... but a finger under a fly press!!!! Maybe he knows how it works but has never used one in anger lol
The whole dont put your fingers anywhere you wouldnt put your............
that tickled me at the time and well i remember it 15yrs later so not a bad bit of advice i guess lol

 

[CRB]

you should have shown him the door and told him you don't need fools that may cause injury to themselves

You, MrC, would have been responsible for 'his' accident. Stupid, I agree, but the case.

 

[ford34/2]

I know accidents happen, and sometimes we all take risks no matter how trivial or down right dangerous, but at the end of the day, metalworking shops can be bloody dangerous places, as can your own garage, and HSE rules and guidelines are there for a reason.

I believe accidents are caused, they dont just happen. Even when buildings fall down-its for a reason its not fate.-Good risk assesment now should highlight all risks, its then up to the employee to abide and work within the parameter, add in extra pprecautions but never cut any corners or do anything you shouldnt that is in the document. Read the document, understand it and then sign it to say you understand. If you dont agree tell an imediate superior and dont start work till its sorted.
Stan

Sadly common sense doesnt seem to prevail any longer.Thers no shame in being ignorant but there is a lot of shame not been willing to learn.

 

[chunkolini]

I did put my man right and show him what might have happened.
Now when I have visitors I do a quick flt round and think how could this idiot injute himself. It is always adult males showing their manliness to their women, children dont fiddle, women dont fiddle, always the cocky males.

 

[Liquid Metal]

I believe accidents are caused, they dont just happen. Even when buildings fall down-its for a reason its not fate.-Good risk assesment now should highlight all risks, its then up to the employee to abide and work within the parameter, add in extra pprecautions but never cut any corners or do anything you shouldnt that is in the document. Read the document, understand it and then sign it to say you understand. If you dont agree tell an imediate superior and dont start work till its sorted.
Stan

Sadly common sense doesnt seem to prevail any longer.Thers no shame in being ignorant but there is a lot of shame not been willing to learn.

Couldnt agree more

 

[the snooper]

I believe accidents are caused, they dont just happen. Even when buildings fall down-its for a reason its not fate.-Good risk assesment now should highlight all risks, its then up to the employee to abide and work within the parameter, add in extra pprecautions but never cut any corners or do anything you shouldnt that is in the document. Read the document, understand it and then sign it to say you understand. If you dont agree tell an imediate superior and dont start work till its sorted.
Stan

Sadly common sense doesnt seem to prevail any longer.Thers no shame in being ignorant but there is a lot of shame not been willing to learn.

common sense no longer prevails, compensation claims are the norm and people seem to sway towards getting compensation rather then taking a little more care in the first place

 

[Liquid Metal]

common sense no longer prevails, compensation claims are the norm and people seem to sway towards getting compensation rather then taking a little more care in the first place

Think youve got a point there, but I dont think ill be putting my fingers or any other part of me on the line for a few grand at any point soon lol

 

[the snooper]

I did put my man right and show him what might have happened.
Now when I have visitors I do a quick flt round and think how could this idiot injute himself. It is always adult males showing their manliness to their women, children dont fiddle, women dont fiddle, always the cocky males.

you need a sign, if you have come along to touch and fiddle with things, make sure its the door handle on your way out

 

[the snooper]

Think youve got a point there, but I dont think ill be putting my fingers or any other part of me on the line for a few grand at any point soon lol

me neither but I seems to happen

 

[ford34/2]

Some one mentioned, never put your fingers into anything or anywhere you wouldnt put your willy in-- (sorry if this is bad language-- feel free to moderate)

Stan

 

[Spark plug]

My uncle was a fitter at a sewing factory before they all moved away. The company he worked for had an automatic £50 compensation, if a worker got a needle through their finger. He says some workers would do it on purpose regularly.

 

[brightspark]

job im on at the mo has 20 blokes working there. joiners plasterers plumbers my app electrician .half the wiring is getting altered and turned off and the other half kept on wires everywhere .u need eyes up your ar...se to make sure everyone is safe as well as doing your own job , can be a bit stressfull sometimes under pressure

 

[Wallace]

I did put my man right and show him what might have happened.
Now when I have visitors I do a quick flt round and think how could this idiot injute himself. It is always adult males showing their manliness to their women, children dont fiddle, women dont fiddle, always the cocky males.

Try doing a short induction round the workshop with a bag of finger sized carrots to show how easily injuries occur, any donkeys that cut themselves also get a carrot to take home!


First day on site as an apprentice in the forging industry I was told not to pick up any forgings despite how cold they might look!

Workshop Tip for Today...... Slacken your hacksaw blade tension off when not in use and learn to tighten the blade correctly each time you use it and which way round the blade faces to cut efficiently. Also, a 12" blade gives away a poor user by only having a 6" wear mark in the middle! (10" blades are available for those with a short stroke!)

 

[Sidewinder]

It was drummed into me 30+ years ago never put your fingers (hands) anywhere you would not put our dick!
I have remembered that to this day, and still have all my fingers, however, I did get a piece of steel in one of my eyes, and came close to loosing it, luckily however, the vision is still good enough to drive by with glasses.
Luck, not judgement though.

I know & agree that some of the H&S nonsense is just that, but, a LOT of it is there to keep you in one piece and undamaged between the time you get to work and the time you go home.

 

[the snooper]

job im on at the mo has 20 blokes working there. joiners plasterers plumbers my app electrician .half the wiring is getting altered and turned off and the other half kept on wires everywhere .u need eyes up your ar...se to make sure everyone is safe as well as doing your own job , can be a bit stressfull sometimes under pressure

any arguments yet

 

[brightspark]

nahh there all blokes that have worked together for years and get on ive worked with a few that got arsey but i soon put them wise ,just cut there power and make them suffer