Toller, head on over to rec.crafts.woodturning and check out the
group. More than you could imagine about woodturning over there, and
some really stellar turners. Many are very generous with their time
and ideas and some have gotten to be friends (the kind that drink
coffee!) over the years. Lots of talk about injuries from time to
time; some serious, and some just scare the crap out of you.

I turn a lot on Jet minis, and when I get going on a turning jag, I
might turn for a few hours a day, 5 days a week. This nonsense has
been going on for several years. Two years ago I was deep hollowing
(yup.. entire possible on a Jet mini) when my bowl gouge caught on a
twisty piece of grain I had uncovered by peeling away the insides of
the vessel. It rolled the gouge over and smashed my finger so hard I
thought it was broken. It turned kinda black and hurt like hell, but
that was it. My wrist was sore for about a week.

Flying wood has shot off the lathe (for different reasons) at such
great velocity that it has left the lathe and embedded in the garage
wall. I have had smaller pieces leap to their freedom (only to find
themselves in the burn pile) and not hit the deck for about 15 feet.
According the the spinners on that group, you can achieve aboutg 70 mph
of velocity under the right conditions, and the have the math to prove
it. I believe them.

So how would your instructor react to being hit in his unprotected face
with a piece of rough, spinning wood weighing a few POUNDS going 70
mph? If you persue this, you should join local club. They will help
you keep straight.

Always wear a dust mask, even a paper N95 is better than nothing. You
will be standing right over your work all the time breathing wood dust.
Always wear a full face mask. The ONLY time I wear goggles is when it
is my turn to demo, or if I am teaching. No other time.

And as far as no one getting hurt... click the link in the message
below and see what you think. Many thanks to Owen Lowe, who tracked
this down for us.

Robert

************************************************** **********

Owen Lowe


Northwest Woodturners
Pacific Northwest Woodturning Guild
___
Tips fer Turnin': Place a sign, easily seen as you switch on your
lathe, warning you to remove any and all rings from your fingers.
Called degloving, extended hardware can grab your ring and rip it off
your finger. A pic for the strong of stomach:
www.itim.nsw.gov.au/go/objectid/2A3AC703-1321-1C29-70B067DC88E16BFC/i...