Lobby Dosser said:

Greg G. wrote:

It's a small Jet
mini-lathe, so the probability of serious injury should be somewhat
reduced.

Greg,

The degree of injury is related to the speed of the lathe and the mass of
the object thrown, not the size of the lathe. IIRC, the Jet mini has a
speed range of about 500-3000, so you are working in the same speed
range as much larger lathes. The prime difference between the mini and
larger lathes is the size of object that can be turned. But, a 4-6 ounce
chunk of wood flying off a mini running at 3000rpm has the same injury
potential as the same size chunk flying off a larger lathe at the same
speed.

Actually, the injury potential would be related to the speed of the
lathe, the weight of the broken piece, and it's distance from the
centerline. ;-)

I understand what you are saying, however my point was that due to the
smaller diameter of things you can FIT over the bed, the risk is
reduced. The kinetic energy contained in a broken bowl edge, for
instance, is far less for a smaller diameter than a larger one. I
didn't mean to imply that there was NO danger, only that turning a 5"
vessel at 500RPM is far less dangerous than a 12" bowl at 1000RPM.

I ran a piece at higher speeds just to see what it was like. I didn't
even put a tool to it. It was just too fast for comfort. I cannot
imagine why you would use anything other than the two bottom speeds on
the Jet - at least for things over 1" in diameter. Having also worked
in the mechanical/automotive world, I have a great respect for things
that spin at high RPM - and what can happen when things go awry.

I used to build 10,000 RPM Rotary engines as well as more conventional
automotive engines. A flywheel disintegrating at even 4000 RPM is a
frightening and possibly deadly experience.

Someone once said that the difference between a table saw and a lathe is
the lathe can kill you. I've got an old face shield I keep as a reminder
of the dangers of turning. It has a nice gouge from a 4 ounce or so chunk
of bowl right about where the edge of my scalp would have been had I not
been wearing it and even with the protection, the impact was enough to
make me dizzy - like getting hit with a bullet while wearing a
bulletproof vest.

Now don't go and say that... I have a shop full of scary sharp
motorized tools, and occasionally someone posts a picture of some
bloody, severed appendage. It gives me the willys everytime I look at
that WoodWorker II sticking out of the tablesaw spinning at 4000 RPM.

Stories of carbides tips flying off blades and oak boards sticking out
of concrete block walls. Gee - maybe I should go back to collecting
Lepidoptera and assembling 1000 pc. puzzles. :-\

But I try to be careful, and never work when tired. I've been
fortunate to have avoided major injury in my life, and have done more
personal damage with a freshly sharpened chisel than anything else.
Here's to keeping it that way!

I don't want to rattle you, but you need to be as concerned about safety
on your mini as you would on a larger lathe. The safety habits you build
now will last you forever.

I hear you!

Thanks, Oh Slippery One!


Greg G.