Burning hands?

[Doghouse]

I am new at turning bowls, and I am working on an 8" ambrosia maple bowl right now. The lathe is set at 1100 rpm and the bevel is rubbing I am getting a nice burnished cut. My problem is that when I use an overhand grip I am burning the snot out of my hand neer my pinkie. The streamers are hot!

Is this normal? am I doing something wrong? What do you do to prevent this?

 

[oldgriz]

You think the ambrosia maple is hot.... turn some old air dried walnut... I ended up having to wear a glove on my hand to keep the shavings and chips from burning my hand....
Dried wood will be hot...

 

[Mark Mandell]

Yup, that do happen.

I use a leather work glove on my left hand which has the tips of the fingers cut off and most of the thumb. Works just fine for hot shavings as well as preventing scratches and nicks from tool rest nicks.

Mark

 

[Jim Becker]

Yep...tight fingerless glove on the left hand for me, too, when turning dry cherry, maple, etc. Those hot shavings once gave me a second-degree (blistered) burn. Never again. Please note that there are safety considerations with this kind of thing and such a glove needs to fit snugly and not have anything that can easily get caught on the tool.

 

[Doghouse]

Thanks guys, I re-sharpened my gouge 2x just thinking it was not sharp enough. Thought I was going crazy as I kept burning my hand which lead to bad technique and now I have to make it smaller due to end grain tear out.

 

[Andrew]

Is this normal? am I doing something wrong? What do you do to prevent this?

With fear of being overexposed on this issue as of late, here goes...

It's a common thing, Doghouse. You're not alone by any means.

Yes, you are doing something wrong. However, don't do something even more wrong by wearing a glove. It's a simple fix to wear a glove but it's also an extremely dangerous one. Hot and sharp chips coming off the tool is bad, yes. But losing that hand into a piece of machinery or wood is just a tad bit worse, eh? This is no idle exageration either. There is absolutely no good reason to use a glove of any type, style, fingerless, heavy, light, tightfitting, color or smell with the lathe on. Don't use it as a horrible crutch for other problems.

So, what can you do instead? Well, here are a few things to try but always take these as suggestions with safety still in mind.

- Don't use an overhand grip! Are you trying to throttle the tool into submission? If it takes so much force to keep the tool on the toolrest or in position then you're working far too hard. Change your grip to an underhand one or move it back on the tool as far as you can but still remain in control.

- Move the cutting edge around a little and force those chips flying to one side or the other and away from your hand. Many times you can just lower your handle (forcing the tool "up" the piece of wood) and putting the tool into a "shear cutting" position makes those chips shoot down and not up onto your hand.

- Change the bevel of your tool. Yes, this can help sometimes. Of course, the tool still has to do what you want it to do but sometimes a simple bevel angle change will force those chips out of the flute a bit faster and not hit your hand.

- Cut with the side of your gouge (as in a side ground gouge) if that's available to your particular grind and the work you're doing. For example, with a roughing gouge, use those wings of the tool to do the cutting (rolling it on its side) and shoot those shavings, bark, nails, lead slugs, bugs, etc. off to the side.

- There's various kinds of spray-on products for covering blisters, burns, etc. that work well. They're basically a flexible plastic that cover wounds. Spray some on your hand/fingers where the burning occurs and they'll protect your hand. What's the advantage over a glove? If this stuff gets touched by a spinning piece of wood, chuck, faceplate, etc. then it'll simply wear off your hand (not all at once either ... ouch) and not get caught ... pulling your hand into the piece of wood like a glove would do. This stuff is just like a thick patch of skin and acts much like it too. Do NOT use a bandage! Some stick far too well and are just like using a glove.

- Put a "chip breaker" (ala' hand planers) into the flute of your gouge. Chips simply fly up and never get to your hand many times.

- Use a different tool. Use a scraper if appropriate. Use a bigger tool with larger or different flute shape. We often use too small of tools to work with anyway but having a small, shallow flute in these situations can cause the chips/shavings to simply not stay in the flute and come up onto our hands causing this problem. I've noticed that bigger bowl gouges with deeper flutes dont' give me near as many problems with "chip burn" as others. Not always an option but it's still something to think about.

I know many turners that use gloves for one thing or another while the lathe is running. They have tons of reasons (excuses are what I see them as) for using them. At least until they get those gloves caught. I personally know of a few in that group too. They either haven't turned anything since (for obvious reasons) or don't wear a glove anymore.

"Nothing below the elbow" is something my Dad taught me early on when dealing with machinery. I've personally seen my fair share of the results of that simple and basic rule not being followed. It may never happen to you but why take that terrible chance when there are good alternatives?

 

[dkulze]

Powerful statements, Andrew. Mixed as far as agreement but have to say that your tone used towards folks who wear a glove is a bit of a turnoff. Almost quit reading a few sentences in cause of this. Just an observation.

Doghouse, if you think burning hot shavings are fun, just wait till you brush your hand against a piece that you have cut or sanded to a thin edge. Just like a meat cutting blade. More fun than a guy can handle!

Dietrich

 

[Steve Worcester]

Sorry dude, I am a hardcore glove wearer! And I use an overhand grip! OMG! I am not saying it is right or wrong, but like anything in this vocation, there are many ways to get the job done and this one works for me.

That aside, if you are using a side ground gouge, a secondary bevel will help dissipate some of the heat. Basically, just knock the bevel back a bit by hand on the grinder. Where the bottom of the bevel meets the shaft of the gouge, give it a twist on the wheel and it will give it a secondary bevel. I will post a picture when I find it.

 

[Andrew]

Powerful statements, Andrew. Mixed as far as agreement but have to say that your tone used towards folks who wear a glove is a bit of a turnoff. Almost quit reading a few sentences in cause of this. Just an observation.

Doghouse, if you think burning hot shavings are fun, just wait till you brush your hand against a piece that you have cut or sanded to a thin edge. Just like a meat cutting blade. More fun than a guy can handle!

Dietrich

Good to see that I got the tone just right (in my mind at least). It was meant to be powerful and somewhat provocative. Nobody notices a daisy along side the autoban. But you did continue reading and I'm glad for that. Notice that it wasn't simply a post saying negative things. It gave solid advice on alternatives to an unsafe device (glove) given the problem that Doghouse was having.

Will my post do any good? Who knows. I feel no ill will against a turner that wears gloves while turning. I do, however, for a turner that teaches, either by professing or by illustration/demonstration, a newer turner about this extremely unsafe practice.

I am no "Mr. Safety" by any means. I do my fair share of unsafe activities. But I've seen the end results of glove and lathe accidents firsthand several times. It's not a thing you tend to forget. And it's not like there are better alternatives to wearing a glove.

 

[Doghouse]

Well I tried the glove thing for a little while today...

It was ok, but I felt a little less control. I will have to try some other things. I guess it is just a matter of finding what works best for you. Thanks everyone for the input.

 

[Mark Mandell]

On Gloves and Safety

While I do use and recommend a glove, I do not use one all the time, and then usually only for heavy cutting operations. I do have a small personal rule that I follow and that is

"Only Steel Crosses the Tool Rest."

I know several turners who routinely move one or more fingers between the rest and the workpiece. Glove or not, THAT'S asking for big trouble in my view.

Contrary views noted, but when I'm roughing a 150 lb blank to round with my large Glazer V gouge, I'm going to be using an overhand grip and a glove (along with the rest of the body armor). There have been more than a few occasions when I've had a blank throw a heafty splinter up the flute, and were it not for the double thickness of leather on my pinky and along the heel of my left hand, I would not have been turning at all for a week or two while giving the stitches time to heal properly. As it was, the first layer of leather got torn a bit.

As always, approach any cutting operation with caution and a clear mind.

Mark Mandell

 

[C Edward Moore]

Thank you, Andrew

I appreciate Andrew's strident and forceful statements. I am glad that he cares enough about us that he put it on the line. I was raised in a rural area where you occasionally saw men with only one arm. We knew immediately that they were farmers who did not listen to the warnings about farm machinery. When cornstalks jam a cornpicker they would try to pull the cornstalk out without turning off the machine. They did not realize that when the jam is freed up the stalks will be pulled into the picker faster than they can release the stalk in their hand. Disaster.

We all have little vanities and secretly believe that WE are quick enough to avoid accidents and that we won't get our gloved hand too close to the spinning blank. And, we always manage to rationalize our little unsafe practices.

Have you thought about why they say not to use steel wool on raw wood on a lathe? It's the same thing really. Once it grabs it either acts as a garrote or it breaks a finger or two.

When using a wire to burn a groove in a tool handle have you thought about the dangers?

Thank you, Andrew,

 

[Mark Mandell]

Ed,

Do I understand you that people actually try to use steel wool on a spinning blank on a lathe? I can't fathom a reason why they would do such a thing (other than during the competition for the Darwin Awards). Of course, I can't say I understand about the "burning wire" routine either. I have a perfectly good skew that will cut a neat little groove with just a touch of the tip and another tool that will round out the bottom of that groove with another light touch, so it just doesn't make sense to me to wrap a steel wire on a spinning piece of wood and hold it there until it starts smoking, while not expecting it to do harm. I've seen fingers taken off a good sailor by a spinning capstan, I'm not about to repeat the performance with my lathe.

I use a glove not out of vanity (I'll leave that one to Michael Jackson) but for protection in limited situations. I've been working with cutting tools and wood for 40 years, still have all of all 10, and only once needed a few stitches. That's a pretty fair record.

Mark Mandell

 

[Andrew]

Do I understand you that people actually try to use steel wool on a spinning blank on a lathe? I can't fathom a reason why they would do such a thing (other than during the competition for the Darwin Awards).

I'm not Ed but Yep! Saw a fairly noted turner do exactly that about a month ago at a demo. And it caught and spun around at about 2000 rpm just as expected. I believe the exact words after that were "... hmmmm, but it's never done that before in xx years of doing it ..." I'll check the video to make sure of the quote. Luckily, no harm done this time. It could have easily been very very bad.

 

[Mark Mandell]

Saw a fairly noted turner do exactly that about a month ago at a demo. And it caught and spun around at about 2000 rpm just as expected. I believe the exact words after that were . . .

I take it his exact words before he pulled that stunt weren't "Now I am a Trained Professional, so don't try this at home . ." [The man is extremely lucky]

Do you recall what was this person attempting to demonstrate with this move?

Wouldn't be the first time I've seen a woodworking demonstrator do some nifty little trick for "crowd appeal" that is just guaranteed to be imitated by some poor schnook in the audience as soon as they get home and lands them in the ER.

Mark

 

[C Edward Moore]

Mark,

I think you misunderstood my comment about vanities. It did not refer to the glove, but to the human tendency to over-estimate one's physical abilities. The farmers I referred to thought that they were strong enough or quick enough to avoid getting their hands pulled into the picker. I'll give an example of a good friend years ago:

A very strong and sturdy woodworker needed to drill a small hole through a small piece of wood. Rather than put it in a vise he held it in his hand, knowing that he could withdraw the drill before it touched his hand. WRONG. He drilled into his palm.

This brings to mind a good friend of the sturdy woodworker. He was using an electric plane to trim a little off the vertical edge of a door that was still on the hinges. He dropped the plane AND CAUGHT IT! The whirling blades skimmed off his prints on a couple of fingers, but did no serious damage. He was so shaken up when he realized what he had done that he put his tools away and quit for the day.

This second incident was not about vanity, but these two friends are connected in my memory.

The glove issue has been raised in Popular Woodworking due to pictures of Judy Ditmer turning with a glove on.

I am refraining from making comments about gloves and style.

Truth be told, I have been known to use a truncated glove when roughing out a bowl.

 

[Andrew]

Mark,

No, I don't think he said anything like that before it happened. Maybe there should have been a disclaimer though. I'm editing the video this week so I'll check to be sure. hehe He was just trying to do some light sanding on a piece with it. Scared the heck out of me when he pulled that stuff out but he had it on there (with subsequent catching, spinning, flapping and his hand pulling back away from it) before we knew what was happening.

There's been lots of stories floating around from different clubs about some wild stuff done by demonstrators in the past. I think my favorite one so far was the guy that pulled out a circular saw to do some free-hand trimming on a piece that was spinning on the lathe. The club stopped him before he had the chance to start on that monster catch. Can't say whether it's a true story or not but I trust the folks that told me about it.

Ed,

I live and grew up in a rural community. It's kind of a novelty to see a grown man with all 10 fingers at the ag stores around here. Same kinds of things as what you've been saying. Convenience and "vanity" over safety and realism.

Not that I'm the poster-child for safety and realism either. Ha! I've just seen it and experienced it too many times to be able to be quiet about it. If it were the only way to get the job done then I feel it would be a very different matter. Still highly dangerous but we all have to judge our level of risk individually. But it's not the only or best way to deal with it and that's why I'm speaking out about alternatives.

And I'm going to do something more than just talking (preaching?) about it. Expect an announcement in about a month if everything works out right....

 

[Doghouse]

Well I have been thinking about it, and will post something soon as I see if I can patent it.

More comming.

 

[Mark Mandell]

Patents

Remember, Dog, it's been proven time-after-time that there ain't no sucha thing as "idiot proof" even if it takes a genius to figure out how to circumvent the safeguards.

Mark

 

[Andrew]

Well I have been thinking about it, and will post something soon as I see if I can patent it.

More comming.

Don't bother patenting it, Doghouse. It's not worth the hassle, time or money unless you can make some serious (and I mean SERIOUS) sales from the product.

I've held 2 patents several years ago before I sold the rights to them soon afterward. I thought it was neat to have a patent on something but that quickly wore off when I realized that patents don't mean too much in the real world.

By all means please DO work on this problem and come up with a solution though. If interested, we can collaborate. I have 2 different prototypes I'm playing with this afternoon. Contact me.

 

[Whit]

I guess I have to jump in here, as well.

As a confirmed glove user (a worn out golf glove chopped off around the first knuckle) I've been given a lot of food for thought. If nothing else, Andrew, you've made us all at least think about and re-evaluate what we're doing. Some of us may change our ways (both into and out of a glove) and some won't. But that's the whole point of these forii (is that the plural of forum? Doubt it.), an open exchange of information, opinions and advice.

Whit

 

[Mike Schwing]

I occasionally work with woods to which I am skin-sensitive. Since I always wear breathing protection when turning, that leaves my skin/hands/forearms exposed to the shavings and dust that make my skin crawl (and do other things). I'll wear surgical gloves AND long sleeves when doing this, even though everyone shrinks away in horror at that suggestion.

I'm an endurance athlete and I recognized that one of my long sleeve form fitting undergarment would work well for this. There are no hanging bits and they breathe yet keep the allergy problems at bay. Surgeons need to feel what they're doing more so than do I, so if those gloves work for them they surely work for me. Should they come into contact with a spinning surface, they simply tear, they don't have enough strength to pull your hand down with them.

Most people online (and in person) do not like to be told they're wrong and there is "absolutely no reason". (thats where I stopped reading your post, by the way). Just me, but I would have continued reading if you had said "I do not believe there is any sound reason", thereby permitting reasonable discussion on the matter, rather than presenting your post as coming from somene with a closed mind.

 

[Andrew]

Most people online (and in person) do not like to be told they're wrong and there is "absolutely no reason". (thats where I stopped reading your post, by the way). Just me, but I would have continued reading if you had said "I do not believe there is any sound reason", thereby permitting reasonable discussion on the matter, rather than presenting your post as coming from somene with a closed mind.

That quote (as long as you're "quoting") should have been "... absolutely no good reason ...". The post in question is #6 in this thread. Maybe you just read it wrong and that's why you didn't continue reading or quote it correctly. Or you see a vast difference between "good reason" and "sound reason"? Either way, it's a shame that you didn't read the rest of the post.

So, assuming that you are still reading this post, would you like to now have a reasonable discussion on the matter?

I'll not get into the small personal attack you made concerning the closed mind that you think I have until you've read the rest of that post of mine. Stating that one has a closed mind when they make such a bold statement (which has obviously hit a bit too close to home for some) is a bit presumptive, eh? Do you know where that statement has come from? Do you know the history, thought, experience, and preparation for that particular statement? You presumed to know just based on your own experience, perhaps?

If I should say something like "There is no good reason to jamb your hand into the jaws of a spinning scroll chuck" then maybe most people can agree on that. Maybe there have been some turners with experience with that particular problem and they just know that it's not a good idea. For the rest of us, it's kind of a no-brainer to think ... "Hmmmm, that doesn't sound like a good idea". Or perhaps if a statement such as "Don't eat tacks" is made then a person has a closed mind about eating tacks. Yes, that one was silly but the point is... just because someone has a different opinion and makes a statement about it doesn't mean that mind is closed. It may very well mean that that mind has had experience with it. You can make a similar statement regarding the good use of gloves if you want. Just please don't start labeling when you have little to no basis to judge that mind.

My mind was open enough to supply Doghouse with alternatives to wearing a glove for his given problem. A closed mind is, to me at least, one that is not open to other possibilities. Safer ones in this case. My mind was open enough to relate the inherent risks with wearing a glove in that post and subsequent ones in this thread. My mind was open enough to realize that some turners do wear gloves and I'll respect their rights (if not their choice) to do so. My mind was open enough to not simply sling mud at opinions that are not my own. My mind is open enough, still, to attempt to have an open discussion on this topic with anyone willing to do so. I'm more than willing to discuss the use of surgical gloves. I have experience with using them as well.

If doing these things means that I have a closed mind on this subject, then I'll wear that title proudly.

 

[Mike Schwing]

Andrew, I took great care in using proper newsgroup/forum etiquette when responding to your post, my direct intent being avoiding personal attack. I specifically said ....

"rather than presenting your post as coming from somene with a closed mind."

This is considered in its electronic form not to be a personal attack. Note that I said "as coming from someone", not that it "came from someone", or that you "have a closed mind". Rather it specifically states that you worded your text in the same manner that someone with a closed mind would have.

Of course you can read between the lines, but my use of proper internet etiquette insulates me from charges of "personal attack".

 

[C Edward Moore]

Mike,

While you may not have committed an "internet crime", I read your note as being like a lawyer who states "While I am not saying that the officer is dishonest, ...". Legally, the lawyer has not made the accusation, but there was a clear intent on the part of the lawyer to plant the idea that the officer is dishonest. If it was not your intent to suggest (implicitly) that there was a closed mind involved, then why bring it up?

It is clear to me that Andrew has given a lot of thought to the glove issue and his strong feelings simply tell me that he has seen enough evidence for him to make the conclusions about gloves that he shared with us. And I thank him.

It is equally clear that you have a reason to wear a glove that is thought out beyond the level of a fashion statement. Also, you wear a shirt that would seem to minimize the risk of catching your sleeve. By the way, I found shirts at Sam's Club made by Pluma that fit the forearm snugly and come to the middle of the forearm, leaving lots of the wrist exposed. And, I thank you for sharing your reasons for your choices.

 

[Mike Schwing]

Ed, guilty as almost charged.

You bring/we bring up a good issue that is more and more relevant these days. Owners of web forums are successfully being sued by people who have been "flamed" for defamation of character, slander, liable, etc.. even though they may not have been involved in the exchange.

It is a sad fact that one must think so carefully about wording to legally insulate them from such action. Were I not so careful, it indeed could expose me to liability, besides being not a nice thing to do/say.

 

[Andrew]

Disregarding the he-said I-meant-to-say junk

Let's just get down to it, shall we? I do feel strongly about this matter. So strongly, in fact, that I am going to make this open and honest offer....

I will put on a demonstration and discussion to any individual, group, club or association (does that cover everybody?) anywhere in the world on the dangers AND alternatives to using a glove while turning. You'll see exactly the why's and wherefor's of what's being talked about here. Yes, you'll see it all happening live and in front of you. Not just talk, but a demonstration of it all. The good, the bad and the ugly. There are no easy answers and I welcome and encourage proponents of the use of gloves to present their own views at these demonstrations as well. Let the attendees make up their own minds! They can choose the level of risk that they wish to take with some facts (on either side of the issue) as their guide.

I do ask that you or your group pay shipping (auto gas, rail/air/boat/mule ticket, whatever's cheapest for you) but that's all. I can sleep on the bed of the lathe (a small surcharge for seeing it done on a Mini lathe bed!) and chew on my skew for dinner.

This is a completely serious offer! If you want names of people to attest to my demonstrations and fitness to travel beyond the asylum then I can provide that too. Contact me.

Everything else is just fluff,

 

[Whit]

Internet Etiquette?

I guess I'll have to demonstrate my ignorance again. What is "proper newsgroup/forum etiquette?" Where does one learn about it? I've always figured courtesy and good manners would be appropriate, and recognize everyone's right to disagree or not, as they prefer. Is there more?

Whit

 

[Mark Mandell]

Whoaooo, Hoss!

Andrew and all,

Let's us step back a pace or two here, uncock them Squirrel Guns, and approach this a bit differently and without becoming radicalized and personal.

Andrew, with my personal dedication to "fear" of machinery with exposed moving parts, I well understand (and will defend) your position and desire to lobby against any practice which you deem hazardous, including my use of a glove when turning wood on a lathe. I would caution you, however, against placing your views on a message-board in absolutist terms. It will, as it has here with Mike and others, most likely result in your potential audience "tuning you out" as a likely fanatic and thus blunt, if not block, your message. It is one thing to express feelings and opinions; it's quite another to state them as Devine Pronouncements with any potential disagreement relegated to further evidence of Satan's Minions. I appreciate your offer to go anywhere,anytime, but I've no doubt that you're more than smart enough to know, before you made your offer, that nobody's going to pay to ship you and your lathe to Hawaii to demonstrate how to amputate a limb with a wood lathe.

Mike, I sense that your response was fueled more by Andrew's tone than his content. Since I made the first "glove recommendation" that prompted his post, I could have easily interpreted his perition as a personal, albeit poorly vailed, attack on me and anyone who thinks (or looks) like me. I chose not to do so because I chose to read to the end of the message and evaluate it as an entirety rather than just get pissed off at his apparent expression of intolerance for opposing views. In my view, your message about protection from sensitizing compounds and allergic reactions to wood could have been better expressed as a necessary exception to a proposed safety rule. You use a barrier glove and clothing to allow you turn at all, and you've intellegently chosen items which minimize the risk that Andrew is trying to sensitize people to. You two may be on the same side if you'd give each other a chance.

I shall now get the $#** off my box and go turn some wood. Since I'm finish turning tonight and have become better at directing chips and debris with the angle of my tool, I won't be wearing My Glove.

I will, however, be wearing my safety glasses as always.

Mark Mandell

 

[Andrew]

" I appreciate your offer to go anywhere,anytime, but I've no doubt that you're more than smart enough to know, before you made your offer, that nobody's going to pay to ship you and your lathe to Hawaii to demonstrate how to amputate a limb with a wood lathe. "

I just got back from a demonstration this evening and have 2 offers waiting which I fully expected none, ever. Apparently they are from private individuals and not clubs, organizations, etc. Details will be worked out tomorrow I suppose. Hawaii is certainly a pipe-dream! HA! I just didn't want to leave anyone out so they'd think I was excluding them as well. hehe And I won't be amputating MY limb, that's for sure. There will be a dummy arm/hand used among other things to demonstrate. Hey, maybe nothing will happen. We'll see. Nor will I be taking a lathe with me. At least for these 2 offers, I'll be using their own equipment in their own shops with their own types of woodturning being used. No use "loading the dice" to prove a valid point and offer solid alternatives.

In no way was my original response to Doghouse a response to your post. I didn't quote you or refer to your post in any way. That's how you'll know in the future if the post is mine, by the way. If I'm going to include anyone else or their post in my own posts, you'll be really sure about it. hehe I'm not one to sneak around. I put it on the line, hopefully and usually, with tact and grace. But there are just some issues where you have to make a stand. This is one of mine it seems. While the message was forceful, I was, frankly, trying to reach a different audience than what may be thought of. I have little hope of changing one sides' mind. It's the others that I have hope for and tried to reach. Again, maybe I did. Maybe not. You play your hand and see what happens.

Daisies + autoban = nothing
Autoban + woodturner + gaboon ebony = pileup
Autoban + a burl sticking it's head up above the crowd = maybe some thought provocation.

You just happened to reply sooner than I did to Doghouse and I hadn't even read your post when I was doing my reply. I had to wait awhile before I hit the "submit reply" button to be sure I really wanted to go through this yet again.

The labeling, message tone, arbitration, and all of that is just deflecting from the message and the discussion of the facts of the issue. I'll restrict myself to those on this topic from now on.

 

[Dave Daniel]

Back on Topic

I use gloves. I use an apron, I use a faceshield, and I use safety glasses. I wear protective equipment.

Here's a link with the gloves in action: http://www.splintershop.com/images/how-to/naturaledgebowl/WalnutBowlPic04.jpg

I've found the gloves give me the opportunity to work literally all day turning pieces without any shaving burns or wood reactions.

 

[woodwish]

Regarless of all the proper/improper web etiquette posted before, I will go along with Dave above on this issue. When I first started turning I was burning my hand with a green piece while rough turning. I looked for a quick answer and grabbed an old pair of sailing gloves. These look a lot like Dave's fingerless leather gloves except they fit tight and have a nylon mesh back. I think bike riders also use the same ones. I use them regularly and have no fear of being injured, just seems like one more item of personal safety equipment.

For the record I taught wood shop for many years and still have all 10 fingers. Never had a student loose a finger (or any other body part) on a power tool. Had a girl cut her thumb off on a paper cutter in my office one day but that is another story. Yes, she had it reattached and is now an art teacher at our school. We are still friends except when I tell others about how she got that bad scar on her hand

Ray

 

[Hugh]

At first I was not going to get in the middle of this one! But then I thought about it a bit. I am not going to say what I do is the right thing or not. I just know I have been wearing a fingerless leather glove on my left hand for turning for many years. Has saved me from the burning debris, and a bunch of other things while turning. I am realy glad I am wearing it when my hand slightly bumps into my chuck - I figure it is my early warning system that I am getting too close to my chuck. Have never had the glove catch on the chuck or turning wood. I now do not feel comfortable turning unless I have the glove on. I buy mine at the auto parts store - split cow hide gloves (around $5/pair). I cut the fingers down and hand sew up the joints so the glove does not fall apart. I am so cheap that I even take the right hand glove and turn it inside out (makes it a left hand glove) and use it also. Wearing the glove has saved my left hand from many cuts, bumps and hot shavings. Put me down as a vote for wearing a glove whenever I turn.
Hugh

 

[Andrew]

Everyone,

Mark Mandell, in a different thread, said...

"PS: Please also be sure to post your no-charge No-Gloves! demonstration schedule, especially if you'll be appearing in the metro NY, NJ, Eastern PA, Connecticut area."

I put it into this thread (as well as my reply) to keep things sorted. So, ....

Well, as I said earlier in this thread, my offer was taken up by 2 individuals and, now, possibly by a club. The individuals have graciously set up times in late October to give me time to prepare a proper, objective demonstration. One is in the Memphis, TN area and the other is in the Kansas City, KS area.

The club demonstration is very tentatively scheduled for the November timeframe and it will be here in the Midwest. I've heard over the past week of 3 clubs that have addressed this issue with their club members just because of this thread. Awareness has been raised to some degree and for that I am grateful.

No demonstration offers as of yet for the Northeastern States. You and/or your organization(s) could be the first, Mark! As I said before, this is a completely serious offer. You may feel it's a non-issue though.

It's a shame that the huge safety risk of glove use has to be such a sensitive one for some minority of woodturners. It doesn't really need to be. There ARE alternatives and I presented several of them much earlier in this thread. As a woodturner mentioned to me just recently ... "Safety equipment is very important. But, if used improperly and inappropriately, can be just as much or more of a safety risk."

Since this thread started, I've had 7 more people come up to me and relate their own stories regarding this problem when wearing gloves while woodturning and many many others regarding rings, watches and gloves when working around other woodworking/metalworking machinery. I knew of several regarding the glove/woodturning problem beforehand (which is one reason for my stand in this issue) but it seems it's even more of a problem than I had realized even in my own small woodturning universe.

Anyway, there's the reply to your P.S.