Funny I come in from the shop and see there is a new reply to this (now) relevant thread. Had a minor shop mishap tonight. All parts are still intact. I am also still intact. Most of my blood stayed on the inside, and what didn't did not get on the project (I am sure that was a primary concern).
So, what happened?
Some time ago (years), I made a 6" sanding disc for my lathe using a piece of baltic birch ply and a faceplate. PSA sandpaper sticks nicely, and when it gets too gummed up (the ply), it is pretty easy to resurface. Primarily, it is used to square pen blanks, but it is also useful when I need a disc sander, and it is not a big enough job to warrant changing out paper on the 8" disc/belt unit on the other side of the shop. That was the case earlier this evening. I needed to do some rough, rapid, material removal. I put an 80 grit disc on, screwed the sander to the spindle, and went to town. Low speed on the lathe (250 tonight), and things were going well. Then I must have applied too much pressure, angled the workpiece, or something as it got launched out of my hands. Since I was no longer holding anything but that message had not fully registered in my brain, my hand kept moving. The pad of my right thumb encountered the EDGE of the sanding disc. I immediately pulled back, but enough contact was made that I got the mother of all paper cuts. Lots of red. Of course it is a finger, so it bled. A lot.
Shut off the lathe, over to the first aid kit, out with the bandaids and some antibiotic ointment (I was not overly concerned about cleaning it at that very moment, as I wanted to contain the blood drippings so I could finish buttoning up the shop - I had decided once my thumb hit the disc that I was done for the night). First go was a failure - having opposable thumbs is a great thing, until one is not usable. Second try worked better. Now it is more properly cleaned, bandaged, and throbbing wonderfully. Not deep enough to require a trip to get a stitch or two, or to deal with superglue to close it (which, unless you have the medical stuff feels exactly like you just poured liquid fire into the cut). Some more ointment (after washing thoroughly), a square of gauze, some paper tape, and a finger cot to help hold it together.
This is my right thumb. I use one of the Logitech wireless trackballs (the M570, to be exact). With my right hand. If you are familiar with that particular device, then you know that your thumb is what you use to move the trackball. I think I need to pull out a regular mouse and sync it to this receiver.....
It did make me think of what I would have done had the injury been more severe. After the initial cursing, of course.
), I think she calculated the energy expended by the chunk at somewhere in the range of 120 joules. The standard for the turning face shields was, I believe, somewhere in the neighborhood of 6 joules. No, I am not missing any digits in that number. Six is the number. The riot helmet clocked in at 111 joules. This is all non-penetrating impact, from standardized testing per the applicable standards (ANSI for the turning shield, I forget the standard body for the riot shield). Sobering information.
