Keep your mind on the job....Pleeease.

[Rookie]

I did a pretty stupid thing today ....in retrospect. Picked up a new (to me) lathe and I wanted a piece of the old something tree branch we just cut down to try out the lathe. This tree was as dead as dead in the back yard, and as it turns out, very dry and hard.

Anyhow, It was one of those times where you say to yourself, I'll just square it up on the SCMS so I can slot it in between ends and start turning. My mind was on other stuff and I am luck it turned out as well as it did.

It was a short piece with raggy ends so I just put it on the saw to square the ends up without thinking. No backing piece, and the result was the saw grabbing the wood and hurling it through the window in front of the saw. (Pic 1). Yes, that's my car on the other side of the window, and yes, there is a distinct dent in the car door now.

And please don't post replies about no guard on the saw. There was, but it ended up as in picture 2.

I was damn luck I didn't at the very least break a thumb as it shot out of the saw, and at the very most, I don't even want to think about it.

My problem was that in my head I was turning wood, not using an SCMS. I NEVER cut short pieces without using a backing piece and I haven't the faintest idea what possessed me to forget it this time.

Just please...keep your mind on what you're doing all the time. I was very very lucky this time. It will only cost me a new window, a bit of panel work, a new saw blade because three teeth went with it, and a new blade guard. And it's no lotto ticket for me this week. Luck's all used up.

[Groggy]

Thanks for the post, I'm glad you could make it! Ouch...

[John Saxton]

John, thanks for sharing the post on what must be an embarrassing incident for you and your humble expression.

Glad to hear that you were'nt incapacitated and are still with all digits etc intact.

Cheers:)

[craigb]

You'll be needing a new pair of underpants too. :D

Glad there was no real harm done

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

New lathe, eh? [ears perked] Details, mate, details!

Sounds like a bandsaw should be next on the list, too. Purely in the interest of safety, of course. ;) Much better suited to trimming ragged ends and with a new lathe in the shed I imagine you'll be doing a lot more of that sort of job.

What doesn't kill us, only makes us stronger (in our desires to not do that again! :D)

[Jedo_03]

[quote=Rookie]No backing piece. . .
I NEVER cut short pieces without using a backing piece and I haven't the faintest idea what possessed me to forget it this time. quote]

Umm... err... (how embarrassing is this. . . but)
what's a Backing piece - and when do I use it. . ?
Ummm... thanks...
Jedo

[Rookie]

Jedo if you're trimming a piece on the SCMS and you can't have both ends of that piece fully supported on both sides of the fences behind the blade, you need to put a sacrificial piece of timber behind the one you are cutting that spans both fences. That way, it doesn't get ripped out by the blade and flung through the window and your car door and make you look like, dare I say it, ....a rookie.

[Auzzie turner]

GMC-----reason

[Honorary Bloke]

Rookie,

Let this be a lesson to you. Get your CMS out from in front of the window!:D :D

I dunno, might be the right week for a lotto fling.:rolleyes:

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

I've just as much respect for a person who can turn out average pieces on "crap" tools as I do for someone who can turn out a masterpiece with top-of-the-line gear. One uses what one has to hand, and if that doesn't include a silver spoon up yer @rse, then so be it. [shrug]

Similarly, I've more respect for someone who admits fault, instead of blaming their tools. :)

[Groggy]

GMC-----reasonWhat the? I've done a ghost-post! I sent it and it disappeared so I'll re-post.

I think Rookie correctly identified the cause, and, in all fairness, it is unrelated to the brand.

[Rookie]

Ryobi..............had nothing to do with it. :(

[Stuart]

GMC-----reason
What has GMC got to do with it?

Are you inferring different brands will behave differently in the same situation?

[womble]

GMC-----reason

[havenoideaatall]

I wasn't sure what a backing piece was either. I was aware of bind, and which way a bend must sit.

I've been clamping every piece I cut to my CMS, even framing pine, I'm paranoid of some sort of twisting action.

My inexperience makes me safe in this regard, experience will tell me when I don't need to do this, but then that might be the day when I come unstuck.

Makes you wonder.

[Andy Mac]

That's a scarey incident! Lucky you didn't get injured, Rookie.
I use extreme caution cutting anything 'in the round' as in a branch or log. I don't put anything like that on the tablesaw, and can't remember actually putting a branch in a SCMS. It seems more of a tool for dead straight wood that remains in contact with fence and base at all times!! Even a bowed length of pine framing is enough to put me off! I put logs through my bandsaw, but always with part of it in contact with the bed nearest the blade. And be aware of the wood twisting in my grip...

Good luck!:D

[BobL]

Rookie, your experience reminds me of my tyro high school metal work teacher in the 1960s who parked his car right outside the metal work room. He also was a man of "ya canna have too much fresh air" so we always had the windows open. Being located right next to the windows, lathe work on cold winter mornings was particularly unappealing. One morning when we were turning punches the class clown closed the window nearest his lathe which resulted in a roar from teacher to "Open that window sonny boy". Seconds after opening the window, clown fires up the lathe and his still loose punch sails out the window and bounces off teachers windscreen leaving a lovely little divit right in front of the drivers view of the windscreen. It was still there 5 years later. The clown of course received 6 of the best on the backside with a straight edge. Ahh - those were the days.