Went ahead knowing it was wrong

[retailer]

How many know that what they are about to do is wrong but still go ahead anyway ?
Some years back I used to visit an old chap and help him out with metalwork projects, I had to open out a 3/8 hole in a bronze casting that was about 4inx4inx4in, I set it up in the drill press but didn't bother to clamp it down, just before I drilled I looked around to see the the old chap had retreated and was hiding behind the door, knowing it was wrong I went ahead, the drill bit promptly grabbed, spun the casting out of my hand fair and square into my chest. I dropped to the floor gasping and wheezing, the wind knocked out of me toally along with very bruised ribs. As I got up the old chap came in laughing saying" I could see that happening", I didn't say it but was thinking the same thing.

 

[rdhem2]

And you are much wiser for your efforts.

May others take heed!

 

[skyline1]

I too learned about the drill grabbing antics of bronze the hard way. When I was still at school I was drilling a Gunmetal casting which I had clamped but nowhere near solidly enough. It did the usual thing and grabbed the drill. It spun on the machine for a second or so then the eccentricity snapped the drill. It flew across the shop like a bullet, Missed my metalwork teacher by inches, and embedded itself in the door by which he was standing.

I thought I was in for a major telling off (I deserved one). But in his usual calm style he wiggled the casting out of the door, brought it over, and simply said "Clamp it down laddie". He walked off and nothing more was said about it.

An incredibly cool and measured response considering that a couple of inches further over and it would have buried itself in the side of his head not the door.

Whenever I drill bronze now I remember those wise words and always do "clamp it down" very firmly!

Regards Mark

 

[Generatorgus]

I almost lost a finger many years ago when I tried to make one of the holes in a piece of pipe hanger strap bigger. The thought that it might grab did cross my mind but....

GUS

 

[OrangeAlpine]

I needed to enlarge the bolt hole in a battery cable while it was still on the car. Copper. I selected the proper drill, chucked it up, thinking "This thing is going to grab". It did, peeling a thick hunk of skin off the top of my left thumb knuckle. Just another time that I should have gone to the emergency room, but didn't.

So far, I'm zero trips, about a jillion reasons for one. Just wasn't raised with that mentality. The emergency room was for people in danger of dying, not loosing a little blood or having a nasty scar. I guess the definition of "emergency" has changed over the years.

Bill

 

[Shopguy]

Many years ago I tried drilling out the threads in a 3/8 inch NPT tee fitting held in a really small drill press vise and of course not fastened down. Result as you may have guessed, threw the vise into the wall making a large dent. Scared the crap out of me. The boss was not impressed when it was found that the spindle of the light weight drill press was also bent. From our experiences and those of others we gather wisdom.
Ernie J

 

[MachineTom]

Many years ago, will doing a valve job on an engine. I had all the valves sitting next to the grinder with the wire wheel. My tool box was across the shop with my safety glasses. Being the usual unbreakable young gun, you only needed glasses for grinding, but I walked over and got them anyway.

Fired up the grinder put the first valve to it, and the wheel came apart, it will sound impossible but I swear I saw the wires bouncing off the lens, I surely felt the wires that stuck in my face.

I believe, I believe!!

 

[gartof]

Learn from the mistakes of others you will not live long enough to make them all yourself.

 

[dalem9]

A lad was trying to sharpen a drill on a grinder while still in the drill motor . The drill broke off and ended up in his neck, He won't do that again . Also a man turned on his torches and having not turn off the regulaters the sudden pressure change blew up the gage , the plastic lens went through his neck . He also will not do that again . So we all know the right way to do things but we don't Dale

 

[rake60]

The BIG things will get you too if you get reckless.

I was drilling 1-1/2" hole in a compacting ram to prepare it for tapping on a Carlton 8' X 19"
drill press, identical to this example.

The radial arm is 8 feet long and the column is 19 inches in diameter.

The 1-1/2" drill bit got so dull on the 4th hole that the power feed would stay engaged.
It was the last hole and almost done, so I decided to force it through manually.
The bit broke and I fell face first into the ram. An hour and few stitches later, I returned to work,
sharpened the bit and finished the job.

Didn't save much time with that idiotic move.

Rick

 

[Propforward]

How many know that what they are about to do is wrong but still go ahead anyway ?

Oooooooooooh yeah. Too often.

These days I try and listen for myself saying "should be OK".

Seems like that phrase precedes accidents all too often.