Lathe accident (please activate subtitles)

**machining 4 all** · May 1, 2021, 09:43 AM

I hope this video can be useful for many people!

**WmRMeyers** · May 1, 2021, 02:14 PM

You are lucky you lived to tell us about it. It is a bad idea to count on luck, since some of us do not have it. Thank you for telling us, as I know it must be hard to admit fault.

Bill

**machining 4 all** · May 1, 2021, 03:59 PM

WmRMeyers, fortunately it's not me in this video! I shared it here due to the relevance of the fact that it can happen even with the most experienced!

**WmRMeyers** · May 3, 2021, 07:03 PM

Originally Posted by machining 4 all

WmRMeyers, fortunately it's not me in this video! I shared it here due to the relevance of the fact that it can happen even with the most experienced!

Well, thank you for posting it, and thank HIM for being willing to post it where you could find it to show us. Everyone needs a reminder of the stakes in the games we play.

Bill

**Floradawg** · May 3, 2021, 06:53 PM

Rule 1(debatable) Never leave the chuck key in the chuck.

Rule 2(debatable) Don't have loose hair or clothing dangling.

Rule 3(debatable) No jewelry on the hands or wrist. There are many things to consider for safety when operating a machine tool. I'm not really sure of the order of the rules.

**WmRMeyers** · May 3, 2021, 07:02 PM

Originally Posted by Floradawg

Rule 1(debatable) Never leave the chuck key in the chuck.

Rule 2(debatable) Don't have loose hair or clothing dangling.

Rule 3(debatable) No jewelry on the hands or wrist. There are many things to consider for safety when operating a machine tool. I'm not really sure of the order of the rules.

IIRC, that is the exact order we were taught in my class.

**dbat74** · May 3, 2021, 07:35 PM

Common sense comes into play here as well. But if common sense was so common more people would have than not.

**WmRMeyers** · May 6, 2021, 02:10 PM

Originally Posted by dbat74

Common sense comes into play here as well. But if common sense was so common more people would have than not.

"Oh, I've done that thousands and thousands of times, and nothing ever happened." If you do something not so smart, and it doesn't go bad the first time, how do you know it was a bad idea? Eventually you'll figure it isn't a problem because nothing bad ever happens. Until it does. I collect aphorisms. Here are a couple of them on experience:

Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement.

The only reason I know anything is because I've done it wrong enough times to START to know better

The problem with gaining experience is that sometimes the result of gaining that experience will kill you. Was a young lady died some years ago working alone in a college machine shop. Ivy League, IIRC. Got her long hair caught in the chuck on the lathe she was using, and died. I know she was told that was dangerous.

My school will throw you out of the class if you keep making safety mistakes like that, and the instructors WILL call you on them. We aren't allowed to use the machinery unless an instructor is there.

And as others have commened, common sense is not so common as you'd like to believe.

**dbat74** · May 6, 2021, 08:07 PM

What's with the shaper on your p/u tail gate? That is a shaper right?

**Frank S** · May 5, 2021, 08:41 PM

It looks like a piece of sq. tubing mounted on a pivot with a half cylinder attached to it and yes it would be used for slowing the chuck the evidence shows a slight wear or discoloration to the chuck where it has been used.
I bought a little 10" Southbend back in the mid 60s that had an oak 2x4 on it about like that with a treadle to step on.
Even many newer lathes do not have a spindle stop brake on them.
That scar on the guys neck could have been caused by a ribbon chip. Just the other day while hogging off some parts the chip breaker I had on the tool became dislodged and a long ribbon chip began to form. The lathe I was using doesn't have a brake either, normally I can ignore them but running a 0.250" cut 0.025" feed rate @ 1000 RPM. When the insert becomes a little dull or the chip breaker doesn't do its job those ribbons can turn deadly very quick.