Thread: Personal Turning Safety Kit

Originally Posted by Robson Valley

I sharpened a 12-tool set of full-sized Sorbey lathe tools, badly mistreated by owner #1. More grinder facets on the gouges than a brilliant-cut diamond. I am fairly good at sharpening and the original bevels have been restored and ground to 4000 grit. By hand. It was an absolute grunt of a job.
Owner #2 has offered me the use of his wood lathe in return.

I have no particular projects in mind yet, my mallets and gouges distract me for hours at a time.

When the time comes to do some lathe/turning, what should I be wearing?
- face shield. Definitely.
- hearing protection. No. You need to "hear" what the wood is "telling" you. A split or crack gives a ticking sound. The tools hiss when cutting properly.
- apron. Your choice but I find aprons a nuisance as the bib gets shavings down them. If you choose to wear one make sure that ALL ties are not loose.
- shirt/coat sleeves taped shut at the wrists? A rubber band will do but you need one that buttons to the neck.
- watch & ring = take them off? Definitely. Apart from the obvious catch risk, on some timbers you get a rash from sawdust trapped under them.
- hard shoes/boots Yep.

do I need gloves? We wear gloves for most of our work but on smaller stuff you don't really need them. If you wear them make sure they are a good fit. Riggers gloves are best. The stretchy nylon fancy ones wear out pretty quick around our place.
I'd appreciate any and all sediments about this matter
Thanks

Long pants or gaiters if you wear shorts as shavings down the socks get most uncomfortable.

Have fun.

Thanks :
It is winter. 30+cm snow on the ground and more coming down right this moment (well, since last 10PM). Not less than -3C. The lathe owner isn't too generous with the wood heat in his detached shop. Think I will pass on the shorts idea. Might be all of 12C - 15C in there on a good day. The beer is cold enough, just sitting on the cement floor!
"You chilly? Leave your coat on."
Sure hope some project ideas come to me soon. Do need some bottle stoppers for a spice rack.

Hi Robson Valley,
We generally dont get it that cold hereabouts. On gear and not in anyway to usurp the master , I have found that cyclists gloves (with the fingertips cut off) to be excellent. Good firm fit and still have a bit of a feel. PS. At least you dont need a frig. to keep the beer cold - good chilblain weather particularly in the shorts...brrr.. John M.

Jefferson gets it pretty cold in the Kiewa valley in winter!

Re gloves, I like a rigger's glove on the hand closest to the stream of hot chips; but with the fingers cut off at the 2nd knuckle (counting from the tip). (Thanks Hughie).

Re gloves, I like a rigger's glove on the hand closest to the stream of hot chips; but with the fingers cut off at the 2nd knuckle (counting from the tip).

it was a pleasure.

Robson Valley nice part of the world, a tad off the beaten track tho' Spent some time around Watson Lake in the 70's.

Safety is a good thing some go over board. Do what your comfortable with that gives you the level you require.Probably complacency is our worst enemy. As says tune your ears to the various sounds
.
Due to our warmer weather I do not use boots toe cap or other wise. Generally in a pair of flip flops, lately crocks. As for gloves I have a pair of half finger gloves and tend to wear both. As I often turn with both hands, a pulling cut across the face using the r/h or the same along the outside towards myself using l/h.So both gloves are useful for me.

And RV when it comes to sanding, and there'll be a deal of it as a beginner, get some protection for your airways. Wood dust is carcinogenic.

Better safe than sorry I say....

Good to see Triton innovating again.

Thank you all. I really like all my body parts, no plans to lose any of them, whether through ignorance or stupidity. Lathe work I don't know about so figured I should ask.

Lathe owner does mega sanding. His dust machine has a 6"/15cm hole and just screams.

I lived in Melbourne for 4 years (PhD/LaTrobe/Botany/Wood Anatomy), some of the very best years of my life.

We must have got 15cm snow today, all dang day long. -2C and no wind so it really was nice. I run a 3/4T GMC Suburban, factory loaded with all possible options, 4X4, and the 454cube/7.6l V8 gas engine. Cooper wet ice winter tires. Gas hog but it gets me home.
Try Google Earth and find McBride, BC. Hell, I can even see my big garden shed!!!

Happy to help a Canuck.

LaTrobe is just down the road as it happens, and I did some part-time teaching there this year in public health.

Yep, snow is nice when you can travel to it to play in. Around the neighborhood I can see it would be a bit wearing. My worst was camping out on a ski tour; it got down to -14C and the leather boots froze. Older hands said I should've tucked them into the sleeping bag overnight ... b*gger that!

Out of idle curiosity I looked up McBride BC on Google Earth.......looks a tad isolated to me

I zoomed out....zoomed out......and finally found the nearest decent-sized place. How far is Prince George from you - 300km by (icy) road?

Originally Posted by Mr Brush

Better safe than sorry I say....

Danger!! Will Robinson?

Wood dust is carcinogenic.

Very broad statement. If this were true, I should have died many years ago. Maybe some species are carcinogenic or maybe the chemicals introduced to protect the timber???. I would be very interested in seeing the evidence of this. Even so, breathing protection is certainly a good idea.
Jim

You aksed for sediments so here's mine.

I think you guys have it all wrong

- face shield : if things start to get awkward I find squinting and grimacing suffices
- hearing protection : I find this interferes with the stereo
- apron : leave that for the BBQ or kitchen
- shirt/coat sleeves taped shut at the wrists? : Not an issue for singlet wearers
- watch & ring = take them off? ; I have neither so no issue again
- hard shoes/boots : I likes me thongs or as you might know them, flipflops
- gloves? : I find those thin latex ones keep my nail polish from chipping.