Author Topic: Machine safety  (Read 5907 times)

Offline John Rudd

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Machine safety
« on: March 02, 2010, 04:23:22 PM »
I must re-iterate the need for extreme vigilance when using a manual crank for threading...

Last night I needed to thread a piece of bar with an M6 thread, out came the hand crank that fits into the spindle of my Chester 9*20, it only needs a nip up with a 13mm A/F spanner and thats it sorted. Thread cut on the bar and I'm ready to clean up....

So power back on the lathe by resetting the Emergency Stop switch and away we go..(there are two other steps required before the machine will run I might add....)

There was a lot of noise and a tin of WD40 fell to the floor before I realised what was happening!!!

I some how managed to catch my left hand on the rotating crank, fortunately I was wearing some thin gloves else the damage may have been worse...

I hit the EM Stop before the machine had managed to build up too much speed......

In my haste to complete the job I forgot to remove the crank from the spindle much to my own suffering!!!

I might add, I usually remove the spindle drive belt to prevent me doing such stupid things, but this time I thought it was only a 2 min job to thread the bar.......

I'd have posted pictures of the injury to my left hand but thought it may have caused some distress, I leave it to your own imagination

Be warned gents, these things can bite real hard if you get it wrong..I've learned a lesson which could have cost me my fingers or worse..

I cant stress how conscious we need to be when operating machinery..

Please,  Be Safe.....

John ( aka Fingers...  :P  )
« Last Edit: March 02, 2010, 04:29:00 PM by John Rudd »
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Offline John Hill

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Re: Machine safety
« Reply #1 on: March 02, 2010, 04:43:30 PM »
Thanks for the reminder John. :thumbup:

I cut my finger just the other day,  I was putting a drill press column into its base and I had one finger underneath to feel when the column got to the bottom.   :wack:  Of course it moved suddenly at the last moment and the result was blood on the floor. ::)
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Offline John Rudd

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Re: Machine safety
« Reply #2 on: March 02, 2010, 04:52:32 PM »
Sorry to hear of your accident, John....

Just goes to show how a little distracted we need to be before something bites...

I bet the air was blue as well as the ground being red...Just hope you didnt lose too much claret :) and suffer too much pain...

After the belt I got yesterday, I thought I may have broken fingers...but it wasnt that bad after all...Like I said, I think the gloves helped ( even tho' we should wear them... )
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Offline andyf

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Re: Machine safety
« Reply #3 on: March 02, 2010, 05:27:25 PM »
Johns, sorry to hear you have both been in the wars. I try to remember to unplug the lathe when using my hand-crank as a reminder, but sometimes think "It'll just take a couple of minutes...".

After reading John Hill's original post, I'm now definitely going to replace my crank-shaped crank with a plain wheel. Then, if I do start the motor with it in place, there'll be less chance of injury, and it will be better balanced so my little lathe won't dance around.

Andy

 
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I've cut the end off it twice, but it's still too short

Offline Darren

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Re: Machine safety
« Reply #4 on: March 02, 2010, 06:00:27 PM »
Thanks for the reminder, had my son round for the weekend using the lathe again. I'm like a parent with a baby. He's very competent for a 15yr old but it sure makes me nervous all the same.

Then back on my own it's all relaxed and worry free. Thanks for the reminder that we must still be vigilant.

Hope your hand is OK  :(
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Offline John Hill

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Re: Machine safety
« Reply #5 on: March 02, 2010, 06:04:56 PM »
I guess its a sign of approach old age but I am a lot more careful than I might have once been.

There are two switches to control my shaper, one on the machine and one on the wall and although I just use the machine switch to adjust the feed and suchlike if my fingers are going anywhere near the path of the ram I switch off both.

For my lathe I have hidden away most of the chuck keys and I am trying to train myself to always check that the key in use is in its place before starting the spindle.  I have avoided making a handy shelf above the lathe in case I am tempted to lean over and get clothing tangled and I never allow cleaning rags near the machines when I am working playing.

On the other hand, paint brushes live a hazardous existance in the shop as I use them instead of fingers for flicking chips and coolant from where I do not want stuff like that to be.
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Offline AdeV

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Re: Machine safety
« Reply #6 on: March 02, 2010, 06:12:28 PM »
I can only echo everyone else's sentiments and hopes that your hand heals nicely.

I got my own wake-up call not long after getting the mill; having changed a cutter, I fired the mill up, and felt a "thwack" on my wrist, and the cutter fell out... I'd managed to leave the spanner on the drawbar. Because after I'd changed the cutter, I went and made myself a coffee... I was lucky - my wristwatch took the impact (killed it stone dead), I got away scot free.

The main reason I didn't do any milling tonight was because I'm absolutely knackered; and being tired doesn't mix well with dangerous machine tools...
Cheers!
Ade.
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Offline Brass_Machine

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Re: Machine safety
« Reply #7 on: March 02, 2010, 08:55:06 PM »
Wow John & John... glad you are both OK. Thanks for the reminder to be safe. We all need it from time to time.

Hope you heal fast.

Eric
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Offline usn ret

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Re: Machine safety
« Reply #8 on: March 02, 2010, 10:35:49 PM »
Maybe it is time to go back and review "Ouch, that's gonna hurt!!!" Shred had made up a character with attitude and teeth and placed on his mill as a reminder that just about everything in a machine shop can hurt you in a hurry. There are some good safety reminders there also. Heal soon and get back to making swarf.
Cliff :beer:


http://madmodder.net/index.php?topic=1241.0
« Last Edit: March 02, 2010, 10:51:21 PM by usn ret »
If it isn't broken your not looking hard enough!

Offline doubleboost

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Re: Machine safety
« Reply #9 on: March 07, 2010, 05:33:00 PM »
I was buisy cutting a coarse thread on my bantam lathe .
It was only 20 mill long so i was cutting it by hand (gear box in neutral turning the chuck manually)
The job went very well the nut i was using for a pattern screwed in nice and tight .
The last thing to do was to face the job off.
I turned the tool post around set up the tool put the lathe in to gear then switched the power on .
The lead screw was still engaged. with the spindle running at 800 RPM the result was instantanius the tool crashed in to the chuck i hit the stop button and stood well back , the noise was sickening thank fully the damage was not to bad .
The job is scrap the tool finished and the chuck jaws maked (under pants well soiled)
It takes only  a split second laps in concentration to turn a pleasure in to a disaster.
Regards
John