Even a Dremel can be dangerous
 

Hi Guys,

In 17 years of building rc models and a couple prior to that in model rocketry, I had my 2nd workshop accident on the weekend.

I was using a steel blade with nasty looking teeth on my dremel to cut something. I knew it was the wrong tool for the job, but was rushing to get something done before heading out to the hobby shop before they closed.

Anyway, the blade grabbed, jumped and ran down one finger before digging into my palm between the base of the thumb and my wrist. I ended up with 2 very deep gashes about an inch long, most of the way to the bone before I could throw the dremel away from myself. It all happened in the blink of an eye.

4 hours in casualty and half a dozen stitches later, I'm out of action for a week. Looks like I will be hard pressed to get my Boomerang done for Mangalore jets because I rushed a 2 minute job.

I have always considered myself to be extremely safety aware in the workshop when dealing with power tools like band-saws and belt/disk sanders, but it was a little old dremel that ended up biting. Luckily, they was no nerve or tendon action so I should be able to build and fly again in a week or so when the stitches come out.

Stay safe,
Garrett

Even a Dremel can be dangerous
 

:) here is a list of mine :)

- 3 years ago, i had some newbie fly a 30 sized heli right ar me , I blocked my face with my hand the the main blade hit my thumb, dislocating it out of its joint by over 1"/// took 3 months to get my palm and thumb back to normal.

- once i dropped a sodering irong (blazing hot) on my stomach, right into my belly button hole ..

- few days ago, someone was running an engine in on a stand, and the prop ripped off and hit me 1/4 " from my right eye .. I was actually knowcked out by this !! took 7 stitches to close me up .. The prop actually chipped some bone in my skull ... I can post pics of the scar left upon request :)

- had a dremel carbon cutting wheel shatter once, and it went right at my eyes .. ( had the safety glasses on as always .. )

- got really dizzy from CA fumes once , and ended up spraining my ankle as i fell ( bought a fan aftger than one)

- did not have a vise, so i decided to hold something i was drilling ( forget what it was) 1/16" bit went in straight through my index finger, right through the middle of the joint ... pulling it out hurt like *%*& !!! that finger still gets stiff sometimes ...
i ended up buying a vise ..
- a couple slips of the X-acto here and there ... resulting in anoying cuts ...



YOU CAN NEVER BE SAFE ENOUGH !!


anyway, i feel your pain Garrett, hope you hand heal well ....

Even a Dremel can be dangerous
 

Well, that sure tops my list. I have stuck a 1/16 drill bit into a finger as well but not nearly as bad as that.

Oh yeah, I also found out some years ago before I could afford a drill press and vice that you don't hang onto a prop while drill out the hub. Fortunately, I just got a bit of a nip rather than being bitten.

In the grand scheme of things, I was lucky and can't really complain. After sitting in casualty for a couple of hours, you realise that other people are having a much worse weekend than you.

Garrett

Hobby Dangers
 

Hi This is a great topic to stress SAFETY, I too had 3 bad rc related damages to myself all in 1 week! First I was running a Ugly stick with a OS 91 surpass four stroke full throttle reached over for my transmitter and stopped it dead with my four arm Took about 50 stitches and Lucky I still can use my hand ,the next week I was cutting a 4-40 rod inside my plane and was concerned my safety glasses might fall off and cause a accident, I took them off for the final cut and sure enough got hit with a piece in my Right eye it took 3 eye surgery's " to remove the rust ring "and metal! that same night I just got a new tail pipe and set it on the counter it started to roll went to grab it and cut my thumb wide open! Im very careful and wish everyone to take the time to be safe,It seems most injury's are from not taking the time to think about what your doing and how to do it safely.

in response to "Even a Dremel can be dangerous "
 

OOOPs I acidently started a new thread
No problem - I merged the threads together; Gordon Mc.


I have a funny one.
Around 10 years ago my buddy and I were in the shop working on our models, I was drilling something out on my lap with my dremel tool and a 1/16th bit in it. I drilled through the part and into my leg around 3/8" deep. My buddy a bicker type dude very tough and big watched me do this, he's the type of guy that could take and do anything without getting sickend buy it. After drilling the hole in my leg I looked at the wound there was no blood in it for some reason just a perfectly round hole 3/8" deep, it was kinda neet! I then noticed a servo screw on the table, the long ones that hold the case together. I then screwed this screw right into the hole in my leg and low and behold the first time ever my buddy became squemish and ran for the door. LOL
Oh, those are the priceless memories!!!!

S@@ry to hear..
 

Thank you for posting this very important Saftey item, it's so easy to forget. Just like seeing a car crash and watching the people drive off afterwards slow and cautious, and then 10miles down the road back to the same 80mph race.

eye protection
 

Man you are a sick dude.

Here is my dremel story. I was using my cordless dremel and holding it like a dental drill or a pencil soldering iron on a piece that I was holding in my left hand and which was only a couple of inches in front of my face. The tool slipped out of my hand and hit my right glasses lense smack in the middle of the lense. Had it not been for my glasses I would have lost an eye. I have worn either glasses or safety glasses when using power tools ever since.

Antony

Safety
 

wiwanczyk wrote:

here is a list of mine

- 3 years ago, i had some newbie fly a 30 sized heli right ar me , I blocked my face with my hand the the main blade hit my thumb, dislocating it out of its joint by over 1"/// took 3 months to get my palm and thumb back to normal.

- once i dropped a sodering irong (blazing hot) on my stomach, right into my belly button hole ..

- few days ago, someone was running an engine in on a stand, and the prop ripped off and hit me 1/4 " from my right eye .. I was actually knowcked out by this !! took 7 stitches to close me up .. The prop actually chipped some bone in my skull ... I can post pics of the scar left upon request

- had a dremel carbon cutting wheel shatter once, and it went right at my eyes .. ( had the safety glasses on as always .. )

- got really dizzy from CA fumes once , and ended up spraining my ankle as i fell ( bought a fan aftger than one)

- did not have a vise, so i decided to hold something i was drilling ( forget what it was) 1/16" bit went in straight through my index finger, right through the middle of the joint ... pulling it out hurt like *%*& !!! that finger still gets stiff sometimes ...
i ended up buying a vise ..
- a couple slips of the X-acto here and there ... resulting in anoying cuts ...


********************************************

Sorry, I can't keep from laughing :D :D :D :D


David Hudson


P.S. I'll skip on the pictures. :D

Try this one...
 

A good friend of mine had just completed his first home-built KJ-66 and was running it for the first time. A thrust measuring device was placed a few inches in front of the intake. The maximum applied thrust was recorded on each spool up, then the device needed to be zeroed for the next measurement. This was done by pushing a small button on the side of the scale. He misjudged the suction and had his hand sucked into the intake from ~5" away. He lost about 25% of the mass of his right index finger and the doctor really didn't have much to work with. The doctor managed keep the digit, although much thinner looking. The guy still has most of the movement but he is very lucky to have what's left. I have heard of much worse. See photo of the compressor wheel after engine tear down.

Kelly

Even a Dremel can be dangerous
 

Ha, I thought I was the only one to have drilled into myself! :spinnyeye:

Today I got in a rush. While drilling through a ball wrench tool mount, I Held the item with my hand instead of a vise and while trying to guide the 1/16 drill, the cheapo bit skipped around, right through a previously drilled hole, and into my left index finger joint.
Went through the skin, the bone stopped it, and the bit continued to run under my skin scraping right up next to the bone for about 1 1/4". Talk about hurtn like a b**ch! :eek:

Even a Dremel can be dangerous
 

Maybe you ought to take up golf instead...

Even a Dremel can be dangerous
 

ok, here it is , the pic of where i got the prop in the head ... seems like no one wanted to post a request for a pic, but i had a ton of PMs, oh you morbid lurkers you :) !



Wojtek

Accidents
 

Thought i might just as well join in! :D
Building a trainer for a buddy a long time ago. Needed to shave some ply off the top of one of the fuselage sides so I whip out the ol utility knife. Started to pull it along the edge but it started going in deeper as I went along so with one final ARGGGHHH...the knife cuts the wood off and and proceeds around the base of my left thumb!
It's like "Uh Oh, i think I just cut myself" If the knife had of been something powered, I would most definitely cut my thumb off!
23 stitches on that one! :rolleyes:
Man, did I ever feel sToOpId! :confused:
Myles

Even a Dremel can be dangerous
 

OK, I wasn't going to implicate myself, but....

Cutting 1" X 5/8" hardwood strips on a table saw. Landing gear mounts)...Blade too high, brain turned off.
JA

Hobby accidents
 

Easytiger wrote:

Maybe you ought to take up golf instead...>>

Guess what, I took up Golf last year and ended up rear ending another golf cart with mine, I hit a bump and my foot slipped off the brake and hit the gas. The other guys head snapped back so far I thought it got whip lash!!!

Oh yeah, I have had no problem with the dremel because I learned the hard way, a Homelite with a 22" bar skipped up my foot and leg. The emergency room had to send out for more stitches, OUCH that hurt but it MADE me very safety aware since then (1981).

Vin...

Even a Dremel can be dangerous
 

Stay away from me you weirdo! :p

Even a Dremel can be dangerous
 

the old dremel bit in the hand deal .hu! YEAH ME TOO!!!!!
I THINK EVERY ONE HAS DONE IT

HOW ABOUT THE XACTO IN THE FINGER OR TRIMING THE FINGER ?
i got use to that allready i can tell how long it going to take to heal, since it happens so much!

Even a Dremel can be dangerous
 

dremel actually stopped producing the metal saw disks a few years back because of the countless accidents and law suits ...
only saw disks you can get now are not made by dremel ... seems like this is a frequent deal ....

Wojtek

Damn Dremel
 

I was using a new metal blade on my dremel to cut out some new landing gear, and oops it slipped and took off my left middle finder tip, right at the knuckle. Doctor couldnt reattach it. I have some healed picks if you want to take a look.

the usual
 

I also have done the slip of the razor knife a few times. (On minor wounds I have found that a little CA can fix it.)

Have drilled into the hands ,leg and fingers nothing major.

A couple of years ago I was turning some aluminum landing gear parts on my lathe. I found that a long sleeve loose fitting shirt and a fast moving lathe is not o good mix. I stopped it with my head and chest 6-8" from the spindle. (I guess you could say I was eyeballing the part) A couple of arm bruses.

Flying a chopper a few years ago in a football stadium with a couple friends, landing on the field then coming by us to (impress them) I had to stick my foot out to stop it to keep from hitting them (wind gust)and broke 3 toes (THAT HURT) for about 3 months.

A friend and I was flying choppers and he was holding it by the boom watching his blade tracking .No faster than I said HEY THAT LOOKS DANGEROUS "WACK" 80 stiches later. The sad/funny part is he is th FAA inspector in theese parts.

Got a good laugh, thought I would post a couple of mine.

and another...
 

Many years back a fellow at my field decided he was too impatient to let the rotor slow down on his heli. With TX in his left hand, he reached over and went to touch the center of the rotor. Before he got all the way, the left thumb slipped and the heli flew right up into his hand, damn near cutting his thumb clean off. Amazing, he drove himself to the hospital and all is fine again. I bet its a bit stiff though. :)

Another friend had a P-40 Warhawk ARF outfitted with an OS .70 4-stroke. The plane was sitting a tail restraint device and he ran it up with an electric starter. The engine somehow started backwards and jumped back a few feet even though it was a 4 stroke. He jumped for it, at which time the motor righted itself and lopped his thumb off when it surged forward. He had it reattached and still flies today at an age of 81 ( and damn good for his age too... :D )

Kelly

Even a Dremel can be dangerous
 

I keep CA with me in the first aid kit in the car .... Its almost the same chemical formula as that liquid stitch stuff some hospitals use ...

More realy to keep the blood off the car than stop bleading, because if its bleading to badly, itts gota be #911 ....



Wojtek


ps, I had a very convenient cut once, I was cuting the tip of my CA bottle open, slipped, and cut myself, the CA on the blade sealed the cut before any blood was even seen :) hurt like heck though !


Wojtek

Even a Dremel can be dangerous
 

After seeing a hockey player get his forehead put back together with a little green bottle of ZAP on TV, we have never looked at the stuff the same. I have heard that cyanoacrylate was developed during the Korean War as a field bandage, but I think that one is an old wive's tale. At any rate, I have patched up my fingers many times with the stuff. Zip it up and keep on going.
I cut the end of my finer off with an X-Acto blade once, and simply stuck it back on and sealed the edges with ZAP (I'm stubborn about seeing doctors). It healed up ok, but now my finger print is out of line---its kinda neat. You can see where the tip was separated and where the it grew back crooked.
Luckily (not smartily) I haven't had any major accidents in the shop. I was sitting at a table once working on a P-40, and brand new X-Acto blade (round handle) rolled off the table and landed right in my thigh---blade deep.
That new blade sank into my leg like hot butter and stood on end like something out of a hobby-horror flick. REEK REEK REEK!!!!!

Even a Dremel can be dangerous
 

ok now, this is the jet forum ...


any jet blast stories here ???


I saw a guy once with a burn scar on his lower leg, it was from walking behind his turbine powered jet as he was running it up .. maybee he is on this forum :)




Wojtek

Even a Dremel can be dangerous
 

Back when I was still flying helis, I was running up my Ergo 60 to a high idle while crouched behind it to observe something. Suddenly, the engine just died as I felt a sharp pain in my left gonad. In 30 years of flying R/C, the very first time I have EVER had a glow plug come loose from an engine and blow out, it hits me in the nuts. Damnest thing! Better wear a cup!