Stupid things you've done in the shop

[HowardH]

I have something to add to my list today... [embarassed] [embarassed] [embarassed] I was using my Jet DC to hand clean up around my router table and set my remote control transmitter for the remote DC switch on the table.  Next thing I know, whoosh! It's sucked up and gone!  By the time I can react, it's too late and I hear the DC impeller chewing it up into little pieces.  Rockler only gives you one remote with their system so I gotta go down there tomorrow and see if they have a replacement.   I suppose when I stuck my hand in the way of a moving band saw blade one time wasn't too swift either...   [blink] [blink]

 

[peter halle]

I feel for you.

A number of years ago I was running a tree service company and one day while chipping tree limbs I smelt a different pleasure smell.  Nobody recognized that species of wood.  It turned out to be Nokia. My cell phone

Peter

 

[HowardH]

Yes, it sucks... not only the DC.  [unsure]  Rockler may force me to get the whole thing.  If so, I'll get the Shop Fox version which is not only less expensive, it's got two transmitters! 

 

[richard.selwyn]

I was cleaning off the surface of my combination machine with the extractor. There's a series of rings with a small round steel plate to cover the shaper - when it arrived upstairs into the blades of the extractor it made a lot of noise and dented the extractor housing.  [embarassed]
Thinking about remotes and extractors, I bought a cheap remote for the extractor recently to try to save a bit of time.  I couldn't sleep a few nights ago - there was a vague noise bothering me.  The extractor (which is in the building across the courtyard from my house) had turned itself on. As it's a 3kw motor that cheap remote was suddenly becoming expensive - and it was -5 degrees Celsius when I had to run across, open up the shop and unplug the remote.
So at least two stupid things with the dust extractor, but if only they were the only stupid things I'd done in the shop........
The only thing that age and experience seems to have brought is that I now recover a bit more quickly from my stupidities and get on to finding a solution rather than dwelling on what a xxxx I've been.
Richard

 

[billg71]

I have something to add to my list today... [embarassed] [embarassed] [embarassed] I was using my Jet DC to hand clean up around my router table and set my remote control transmitter for the remote DC switch on the table.  Next thing I know, whoosh! It's sucked up and gone!  By the time I can react, it's too late and I hear the DC impeller chewing it up into little pieces.  Rockler only gives you one remote with their system so I gotta go down there tomorrow and see if they have a replacement.   I suppose when I stuck my hand in the way of a moving band saw blade one time wasn't too swift either...   [blink] [blink]

I was cleaning off the surface of my combination machine with the extractor. There's a series of rings with a small round steel plate to cover the shaper - when it arrived upstairs into the blades of the extractor it made a lot of noise and dented the extractor housing.  [embarassed]
.....

You guys need to get a cyclone in front of those DCs........  [wink]

Bill

 

[HowardH]

Maybe a dust deputy.  I did see where Woodcraft sells the replacement remote for $21.95.  I guess what's where part of my $50 gift card is going.  I'll use the rest on abrasives.  I'm finally getting low on some different grits.

 

[MarkF]

My shop is in an attached garage with an 18ft overhead door on a track.  It uses a remote controlled motor to raise and lower it.  My assembly table was located under the track.  I built an 8ft tall bookshelf and had it standing on the assembly table while I'm in the house eating lunch.  My wife drives up and needs to put something from the car into the garage.  I hear a very loud crash. 

 

[Deansocial]

what took the hit the door or the bookcase?

 

[Guy Ashley]

Whilst clamping up a set of very large oak french doors, I was having one of those clamping nightmares and there was loads of Cascamite pouring out of the clamped joints onto the plywood workshop floor.

My terrier had been laying in his bed next to the woodburner and whilst my back was turned he moved away from the fire and went under the sawhorses supporting the clamped up door.

I didn't notice a problem until a few hours later when I switched off the workshop lights and got no response to the usual whistle and call to go home.

Hearing the worrying whimpering and indignant growling I realised something was wrong, and on finding him under the door discovered he was firmly glued by the tail and backside to the floor!! [scared] [scared]

Man's best friend soon turned into a somewhat homicidal maniac, snarling and gnashing his teeth as I tried to release him using a stanley knife. So now I have a slightly bald and highly traumatised dog and a strangely hairy workshop floor!

No lasting damage fortunately, well apart from the fact he only sleeps with one eye closed, never turns his back on me, and goes somewhat ballistic if I pick up a Stanley knife!  [sad] [sad]

 

[Brice Burrell]

...My terrier had been laying in his bed next to the woodburner and whilst my back was turned he moved away from the fire and went under the sawhorses supporting the clamped up door....

Great story Guy. [thumbs up]

 

[junk731]

Thank you Guy, my wife and I had a good laugh over that one.

John

 

[MarkF]

what took the hit the door or the bookcase?

The bookcase hit my sharpening bench and a 6" grinder when it fell.  Left a few big dents on the bookcase.  Nothing a wet terry towell and a hot soldering iron couldn't handle and no door damage.

 

[Wonderwino]

As far as cyclones on dust collectors go, I have one of those Woodstock International trash-can lids on a metal 30 gallon can.  It has saved my bacon several times when suck up something I shouldn't have.  All the big pieces fall in the can, which I can dump out in the compost pile to sort.  The bag on the DC does not need to be removed and dumped as often, either.  [big grin]

 

[Rob Z]

The standard I have adopted with my crew is that they need to preface a phone call to tell me that something's happened by saying Hey Rob, no one's been hurt but....  .....

The first time one of my guys called me and started off with a scared voice "Rob I was using the circular saw and...."  Of course, it flashed through my mind that some one lost a finger or worse.....my heart stopped for what seemed an eternity....and it turned out that he had somehow run the blade of the saw across the framing nailer and cut the housing around the piston.  Simple fix for my tool repair guy, and everyone got a laugh later.  He was scared when he called because a previous boss used to fine the guys or fire them when they made a mistake, and he thought he would lose his job.  It's taken me a while to get it through their heads that tools can be replaced and there isn't anything that I own that I care more about than someone's finger, eye,  etc.

We've had other mishaps with tools and material, and now they've gotten the message to call me and say "No one's been hurt but..."

The way things go somedays, I'd like to recreate Peter's tree chipper bit with my   cell phone.

 

[MarkF]

As far as cyclones on dust collectors go, I have one of those Woodstock International trash-can lids on a metal 30 gallon can.  It has saved my bacon several times when suck up something I shouldn't have.  All the big pieces fall in the can, which I can dump out in the compost pile to sort.  The bag on the DC does not need to be removed and dumped as often, either.   [big grin]

A friend connected one of those lids on a metal trashcan and a Fein vac, got a blockage in the hose and this happened:

 

[erock]

...My terrier had been laying in his bed next to the woodburner and whilst my back was turned he moved away from the fire and went under the sawhorses supporting the clamped up door....

Great story Guy. [thumbs up]

TOO FUNNY!  The other day my wife asked "why don't you take a dog in the shop with you?"  I didn't want anything to happen to one of them ( I have two pits and a german short hair pointer mix)  so I told her that I would never have a dog in the shop with me.  I told her this story, we laught and she said "ok....NO dogs in the shop"  Thanks for sharing that one Guy.
Eric