Lathe rips off man's shirt - GIF

**mlochala** · Apr 25, 2022, 08:05 AM

I can only imagine the other incidents and close calls this guy has probably also experienced.

**mansworld** · Apr 27, 2022, 07:14 PM

Originally Posted by mklotz

I don't think his survival has anything to do with the size of the lathe. The chuck on the lathe is so geared down relative to the motor driving it that it has plenty of torque to wind up clothing and humans. He survived because he was wearing a cheap shirt that tore easily.

The size of the lathe has got a lot to do with his survival. Big powerful lathes don't care about the quality of clothes fabric, they pull people in a FLASH to their death.

**old kodger** · Apr 28, 2022, 04:22 PM

Sorry, can't buy that one. It wouldn't matter if the lathe were the size of a centurion tank, or a myford 7, if the chuck did not slow down, it would pull you in at whatever speed it was doing.

**hemmjo** · Apr 28, 2022, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by mansworld

He fought back and held his ground against a small lathe. Had it been a big powerful lathe, the outcome could have been ugly.

Nope, he was fighting the shirt. Does not matter how powerful the machine was, the weak link IN THIS CASE was the shirt!!!!

In some other situation, the size of the machine may have made a difference, but even a "weak" lathe could have pulled someone in if the shirt did not tear away.

**Frank S** · Apr 28, 2022, 06:43 PM

even a 1/4 inch drill has the potential to do injury maybe not to the extent of life threatening but one clamped in a vice used as a lathe with the trigger locked in place is not going top stop until it is switched off.
The best thing is never, never, never reach over a spinning chuck on any lathe. I don't even change tooling on the tool post while the chuck is spinning

**mansworld** · Apr 29, 2022, 05:49 AM

You don't get it! Heavy duty lathes don't give you a FRACTION of a SECOND to fight back a powerful 10+ horse power motor.

Originally Posted by hemmjo

Nope, he was fighting the shirt. Does not matter how powerful the machine was, the weak link IN THIS CASE was the shirt!!!!

In some other situation, the size of the machine may have made a difference, but even a "weak" lathe could have pulled someone in if the shirt did not tear away.

**hemmjo** · Apr 29, 2022, 07:29 AM

Originally Posted by mansworld

You don't get it! Heavy duty lathes don't give you a FRACTION of a SECOND to fight back a powerful 10+ horse power motor.

I guess we will just have to be content to disagree on this point. Heavy duty, mid-size or mini lathe does not make a bit of difference to the shirt in question in this video. I was very clear in the message you refer to, in this specific situation, the shirt saved the man. I am not arguing that spinning machine parts are not dangerous. I am very aware of the dangers of entanglement. I personally know of one person who was killed when his jacket got caught in the PTO shaft of a farm tractor.

**Toolmaker51** · Apr 29, 2022, 12:33 PM

I've not had a serious lathe incident. One occurrence taught me. A hot day, shirttail out, wrapped the lead screw. I got sideways and backed up a bit, shirt slid off, with no evidence but funny looking stripes of lube, and most of the buttons popped off.

Most accidents involving chucks aren't chuck body, it's the jaws and corners of slots retaining them. Lots of us drag a palm on the outside to slow spindles down. It's like giving apple to a horse, fingers extended. Nothing happens. Loose fabric, gloves etc, no sensible person would do so.

A 2hp 6" chuck very well could impose an entirely different endangerment, than a 16" at 10hp. 900 RPM is 900 RPM, first and constant effect is FPM... Bad news encountering a 16", no question.

But the 6" generates a little complacency, a bit lower centerline, and typical users put associated pieces in an overhanging tray. That 6" gets into corners deeper before it bites fabric. That smaller circumference will wrap more times than 16", guaranteed.

What saved our contestant was weak material, his bulk and fast enough reaction.
Somewhere here in HMT, a high school numbskull thinks he'll strong arm a smaller lathe from starting, back gear no less. He stands in back, choking the chuck. Instant later, he's in a uncompromising position a top.

I repeat Mike Rowe's theory over and over. The "Safety First" concept is wrong, it should be "Safety Third". Depending on documents or administration is secondary to our very own awareness.

**old kodger** · Apr 29, 2022, 05:41 PM

If there is one redeeming factor for the "size of lathe" consideration, it is that a large lathe is likely to have a large chuck. A small chuck, say 4" only has a circumference of 12", whereas a large chuck say 14" has a circumference of 42"(approx) so it will, at the same revs pull you in nearly 4 tines as fast.