Lathe rips off man's shirt - GIF

Lathe rips off man's shirt. This is why we have seen HMT members warning about not putting a shelf behind a lathe, so that you never reach across it.

Plus there are lots of opportunities for dog or mask jokes here.

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Previously:

https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...2828#post97238
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...4907#post80809

How can that happen? Judging from the neat floor and sandals in a machine shop, this guy is very safety oriented.

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Originally Posted by EnginePaul

How can that happen? Judging from the neat floor and sandals in a machine shop, this guy is very safety oriented.

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Oooo, tacky, but i like your style.

Machine shop? I hope those are steel toed sandals.

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Originally Posted by carloski

Machine shop? I hope those are steel toed sandals.

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case hardened toenails.

Yes but he is being such a good little drone and wearing his politics mask

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Originally Posted by Frank S

Yes but he is being such a good little drone and wearing his politics mask

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It's a case hardened mask.

Well the fool was dam lucky it was just his shirt. So now ya know, never, NEVER reach across a spinning lathe chuck.
I have seen a man with long hair scalped by a lathe chuck.

How hard is it to remember to not reach across a running lathe?

Lucky he was wearing a cheap spit through fabric shirt, had it been a good quality synthetic fabric it would have turned to rope and reeled him in.

On a serious note, this is a perfect example of why so many of the items we purchase from some other countries vary so much in quality from item to item. For example our recent discussion of the varying quality of holes in trailer hitch ball mounts.

So many of the products are made in shops similar to that. They have purchased old worn out equipment, hire cheap labor to run it, turn out low quality parts and sell them cheap enough to run quality companies out of business. These foreign companies do not have to cover costs medical insurance, sick days, vacation time, environmental issues, employee retirement plans, etc.

I am not blameless, I purchase those items also as they fit my needs. Often there is no alternative. However given the current world situation, it is very troubling, on more levels than just the danger of getting a shirt ripped off.

Ending on a bit of humor, they are required to wear "break-away" type safety shirts in that factory. See how well that works.

He fought back and held his ground against a small lathe. Had it been a big powerful lathe, the outcome could have been ugly.

After seeing this, you can understand why other countries go a bit over the top with Elf'n'Safety.
We're always moaning about how much our High Vis and steel boots are going to save you from an accident sitting in an office chair at your desk.

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Originally Posted by mansworld

He fought back and held his ground against a small lathe. Had it been a big powerful lathe, the outcome could have been ugly.

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I don't think his survival has anything to do with the size of the lathe. The chuck on the lathe is so geared down relative to the motor driving it that it has plenty of torque to wind up clothing and humans. He survived because he was wearing a cheap shirt that tore easily.

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Originally Posted by Gadgeteer

How hard is it to remember to not reach across a running lathe?

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So you've never done something dangerous or ill-advised because of a momentary distraction?

Post has appeared here before. IIRC, my comment, the dog was first to react in alarm.

I just noticed, that could not have been too long ago, the shirt has 2016 printed on it.

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Originally Posted by hemmjo

I just noticed, that could not have been too long ago, the shirt has 2016 printed on it.

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https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...ator-gif-88222 Nov 13, 2021, 01:54 PM by Altair

I doubt he got the shirt new. Figure the shirt was worn a couple years before it was donated, then shipped to some charity etc. Just speculating of course.

He shouldn't consider sourcing wardrobe elsewhere, he knows where to buy lucky shirts. Twice lol.

I can only imagine the other incidents and close calls this guy has probably also experienced.

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Originally Posted by mklotz

I don't think his survival has anything to do with the size of the lathe. The chuck on the lathe is so geared down relative to the motor driving it that it has plenty of torque to wind up clothing and humans. He survived because he was wearing a cheap shirt that tore easily.

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The size of the lathe has got a lot to do with his survival. Big powerful lathes don't care about the quality of clothes fabric, they pull people in a FLASH to their death.

Sorry, can't buy that one. It wouldn't matter if the lathe were the size of a centurion tank, or a myford 7, if the chuck did not slow down, it would pull you in at whatever speed it was doing.

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Originally Posted by mansworld

He fought back and held his ground against a small lathe. Had it been a big powerful lathe, the outcome could have been ugly.

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Nope, he was fighting the shirt. Does not matter how powerful the machine was, the weak link IN THIS CASE was the shirt!!!!

In some other situation, the size of the machine may have made a difference, but even a "weak" lathe could have pulled someone in if the shirt did not tear away.

even a 1/4 inch drill has the potential to do injury maybe not to the extent of life threatening but one clamped in a vice used as a lathe with the trigger locked in place is not going top stop until it is switched off.
The best thing is never, never, never reach over a spinning chuck on any lathe. I don't even change tooling on the tool post while the chuck is spinning

You don't get it! Heavy duty lathes don't give you a FRACTION of a SECOND to fight back a powerful 10+ horse power motor.

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Originally Posted by hemmjo

Nope, he was fighting the shirt. Does not matter how powerful the machine was, the weak link IN THIS CASE was the shirt!!!!

In some other situation, the size of the machine may have made a difference, but even a "weak" lathe could have pulled someone in if the shirt did not tear away.

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Originally Posted by mansworld

You don't get it! Heavy duty lathes don't give you a FRACTION of a SECOND to fight back a powerful 10+ horse power motor.

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I guess we will just have to be content to disagree on this point. Heavy duty, mid-size or mini lathe does not make a bit of difference to the shirt in question in this video. I was very clear in the message you refer to, in this specific situation, the shirt saved the man. I am not arguing that spinning machine parts are not dangerous. I am very aware of the dangers of entanglement. I personally know of one person who was killed when his jacket got caught in the PTO shaft of a farm tractor.

I've not had a serious lathe incident. One occurrence taught me. A hot day, shirttail out, wrapped the lead screw. I got sideways and backed up a bit, shirt slid off, with no evidence but funny looking stripes of lube, and most of the buttons popped off.

Most accidents involving chucks aren't chuck body, it's the jaws and corners of slots retaining them. Lots of us drag a palm on the outside to slow spindles down. It's like giving apple to a horse, fingers extended. Nothing happens. Loose fabric, gloves etc, no sensible person would do so.

A 2hp 6" chuck very well could impose an entirely different endangerment, than a 16" at 10hp. 900 RPM is 900 RPM, first and constant effect is FPM... Bad news encountering a 16", no question.

But the 6" generates a little complacency, a bit lower centerline, and typical users put associated pieces in an overhanging tray. That 6" gets into corners deeper before it bites fabric. That smaller circumference will wrap more times than 16", guaranteed.

What saved our contestant was weak material, his bulk and fast enough reaction.
Somewhere here in HMT, a high school numbskull thinks he'll strong arm a smaller lathe from starting, back gear no less. He stands in back, choking the chuck. Instant later, he's in a uncompromising position a top.

I repeat Mike Rowe's theory over and over. The "Safety First" concept is wrong, it should be "Safety Third". Depending on documents or administration is secondary to our very own awareness.

If there is one redeeming factor for the "size of lathe" consideration, it is that a large lathe is likely to have a large chuck. A small chuck, say 4" only has a circumference of 12", whereas a large chuck say 14" has a circumference of 42"(approx) so it will, at the same revs pull you in nearly 4 tines as fast.