On 8 Oct 2005 03:08:04 -0700, "Charlie Self"
wrote:


Juergen Hannappel wrote:
TWS writes:

Fun description, Thanks. Good luck with the follow on projects.

One question though, how did you cut your thumb making a mortise?
That takes exceptional talent.

Really? I'm pleased to hear that I am exceptionally talented...


Me, too. I've got a small hook shaped scar on my right thumb that's
nicely faded after about 35 years, but it came from a chisel that
bounced out of a mortise when I wasn't doing what I should have been
doing--paying attention.
Well, there ya go, since you are both exceptionally talented, you've
proved my point ;-)

I would still like to know (since I'd rather not learn from my own
experience) how you can cut a thumb cutting a mortise. I can
understand how it could be done if the workpiece is not clamped down
well enough and slips. If the workpiece is clamped down then I see
two ways to cut the mortise:
1) you are slicing the mortise so you are guiding the chisel with one
hand and driving the chisel with the other - I can't see how the
fingers get in the way in this case.
2) you are chopping the mortise so holding the chisel in one hand and
striking the chisel with a mallet of some sort. Charlie mentioned
bounce so I suppose I could visualize guiding the blade of the chisel
with one hand, the chisel bouncing out of the mortise AND his hand,
and then falling back and cutting a finger. Is this how it occurred?

Trying to learn from the 'masters',
TWS