What's the worst thing that's happened to you in the workshop?

**DIYer** · Mar 4, 2015, 04:39 AM

Originally Posted by kbalch

Every project is covered in blood, but only the owner knows where!

Ken

Yes, quite true!

**augercreek** · Mar 4, 2015, 06:13 AM

I was ripping strips on the table saw all morning and all was going well until I decided to get one more piece cut from a already too thin strip, when bang the piece shot out and my index finger tip went into the blade!!! lost a little of the tip but no great damage done ! Scared the heck out of me though!!! I had been using push sticks too but the one was ripped right out of my hand!!!

**kbalch** · Mar 4, 2015, 07:57 AM

I'll admit to having always been intimidated by table saws. So much potential for mayhem. Be careful out there, guys!!

Ken

**Normbournespidermonkey** · Mar 5, 2015, 06:45 PM

I was rebuilding a series Land Rover engine when I tripped and fell, managing to impale myself, in the back of the right knee, on a 3/8UNF stud.

I became faint but managed to reach the house where, my wife, bless her took control. She was most concerned in that I have the normal old age conditions, heart and lung problems, and by this time I was in a faint on the floor, but she kept her cool and rang for an ambulance.

I subsequently learnt that although the stud had gone in deep, it had missed a major nerve, which controls the foot, and had hit the tendon, fortunately with no damage. It had also missed the femoral artery....&$!?&@..! by a whisker. My daughter, who is a nurse,
subsequently told me that had it hit the artery, I would have had an immediate loss of blood pressure, a loss of consciousness, and I would have bled out.

Anyway, a couple of days in hospital and all's well, but I certainly admonished myself about keeping a tidy workplace, I tend to be a bit of an untidy worker, leaving gear all over the floor etc.

Needless to say, the engine was completed without further incident and now takes pride of place, in the engine bay of my, in progress, series 2a landrover restoration.

Norm.

**DIYer** · Mar 5, 2015, 08:45 PM

That was a lucky miss Norm! Hope to see that restoration when it's done!

**jmayaa** · Mar 6, 2015, 04:11 AM

I have an accessible attic above my shop. Went up there one day to get something. Not all of the upstairs has been sheeted with flooring.
It's only a storage area.
Long story short,
Fell through, straddled a joist, banged up my right side pretty bad.
Couldn't do anything for a few weeks due to the bruising of my ribs.
Not only did I bang myself up pretty good, I had a big ol hole to patch in my drywall... LOL...
Then of course there are the usual things, cuts and burns.
My wife has threatened to install a monitoring system.

**kb4mdz** · Mar 6, 2015, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by Wood Butcher

I was living in Texas at the time (Dallas area), and it was during one of the hottest and driest part of the summer. I was outside the garage doing some fabrication work (cutting, welding and grinding) since I wanted to keep the grit away from my machine tools.
...........

Lesson learned...when doing any kind of spark-generating work around dry vegetation, thoroughly water down any place where you think a spark has even a remote chance of landing. And keep the hose close.

Not in the workshop, but related, 2 items:

1) Just for the record; Catalina Island Fire of 2007:

2007 Island Fire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"According to Associated Press, the blaze was started by contractors cutting steel wire with a torch for day-time only AM radio station, KBRT.[3]"

2) Courthouse in Pittsboro, NC burned down, because of some hot work in the attic:

"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsboro,_North_Carolina#Chatham_County_Courthouse_fire"

Gee, fire watch anyone?

**kbalch** · Mar 6, 2015, 03:03 PM

Originally Posted by jmayaa

I have an accessible attic above my shop. Went up there one day to get something. Not all of the upstairs has been sheeted with flooring.
It's only a storage area.
Long story short,
Fell through, straddled a joist, banged up my right side pretty bad.
Couldn't do anything for a few weeks due to the bruising of my ribs.
Not only did I bang myself up pretty good, I had a big ol hole to patch in my drywall... LOL...
Then of course there are the usual things, cuts and burns.
My wife has threatened to install a monitoring system.

Sounds painful!! Hope the drywall didn't fall on anything important…

Ken

**kbalch** · Mar 6, 2015, 03:05 PM

Originally Posted by kb4mdz

Not in the workshop, but related, 2 items:

1) Just for the record; Catalina Island Fire of 2007:

2007 Island Fire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"According to Associated Press, the blaze was started by contractors cutting steel wire with a torch for day-time only AM radio station, KBRT.[3]"

I've been up in those hills above Avalon harbor and it's dry as a bone much of the time. Hard to believe it took until 2007 for a major fire to break out.

Ken

**neshkoro** · Mar 12, 2015, 02:16 PM

I've had a number of things happen as you guys have mentioned already.
I get chills and goose bumps when I think ablut my injuries!
I'm not talking about them anuymore!