"The more difficult the process, the more satisfying the product" - my dad used to feed me that line anytime I was struggling with school work, or some other difficult project.
While this might be a very simple project, it definitely tried my pain tolerance and patience.
I'll admit I have been having a bit of anxiety about accidents after having seen how quickly this one happened. I lie awake at night reliving the moment and the sights and that sound of my saw going through my bone! I don't mean to be dramatic, it was honestly a life changing moment. I see accidents everywhere right now. I drove my mother in law to the airport today - first time doing any long drives since the accident and all I could think was how even a minor collision could result in major pain like I went through recently. Don't get me wrong, I have a high pain tolerance and I realize that I got very lucky and that there are MANY people in worse situations than I -but all I got is my life, so it's all I got to go by! And this is the most severe accident I've ever had in a shop or otherwise for that matter.
It wasn't hard to go back into my shop... I've been anxious to get back at it. What is hard is actually pushing the wood through the saw - both physically and mentally. The hesitation and nerves are something I've never dealt with in woodworking.
I cannot tell you how much appreciation I now have for the roles your fingers play in everything you do... Simple tasks I thought I'd be able to handle like properly gripping a hammer or chisel, or even squeezing a couple blocks together so I could scribe a line across them. You don't realize what a spaz you are with your non dominant hand until you, say, try to hold a motor in place with your gimpy hand while screwing it down with a hand that has maybe only operated a screw gun 5 times before.
All things that would be easy as pie 2 weeks ago are now very difficult and very humbling.
While the old me would look at these blocks of wood and notice that a couple of the holes are off centre or that I burned a couple faces while sanding - the current me is pretty proud that I was able to:
A) get my lathe running
B) learn some basic turning techniques with my left hand, supported by my right wrist keeping the finger out of harms way should it catch.
C) take chunks of maple and walnut from rough square lumber to 7/8" smooth spindles with some basic detail.
D) make 7/8" rips on a table saw using a push stick in my gimpy hand, also cut dadoes using my sled holding the pieces down with my right hand.
E) use my BANDSAW for the first time since the accident and remember how awesomely safe and useful this machine is when not used moronically.
D) centre and drill holes on my drill press and sand the pieces smooth without sanding my splint down too.
And most importantly I did all of this safely and without further injury.
It was not without frustration and a fair amount of pain but it's a step in the right direction!
I'm Not looking for pats on the back, this is more just me patting myself on the back and hopefully inspiring anyone who's struggling with injury or arthritis or whatever to keep finding ways to SAFELY make sawdust. For example, I wrapped and taped a towel around the handle of my mallet so I can comfortably hold and (sort of) swing it with my right hand. I also realized that squeeze clamps make quick and easy substitutes for fingers when trying to line things up for marking.
I think my fear is a good thing. I don't want to forget how quickly bad things can happen when you let your focus lapse. And I also know that the physical pain will help keep me from over exerting myself (this is not the kind of pain you wanna push through.... My tendons will just snap again haha)
I'm not done with this thing yet - still have to make a game board and a box (or one that doubles as both).
I promise this is the last time I talk about my finger and from now on I will just post wood pics again
Thanks for the support, teasing and advice. You guys are awesome and this group is the best thing on the internets.
Bee
*Related: best agm battery
While this might be a very simple project, it definitely tried my pain tolerance and patience.
I'll admit I have been having a bit of anxiety about accidents after having seen how quickly this one happened. I lie awake at night reliving the moment and the sights and that sound of my saw going through my bone! I don't mean to be dramatic, it was honestly a life changing moment. I see accidents everywhere right now. I drove my mother in law to the airport today - first time doing any long drives since the accident and all I could think was how even a minor collision could result in major pain like I went through recently. Don't get me wrong, I have a high pain tolerance and I realize that I got very lucky and that there are MANY people in worse situations than I -but all I got is my life, so it's all I got to go by! And this is the most severe accident I've ever had in a shop or otherwise for that matter.
It wasn't hard to go back into my shop... I've been anxious to get back at it. What is hard is actually pushing the wood through the saw - both physically and mentally. The hesitation and nerves are something I've never dealt with in woodworking.
I cannot tell you how much appreciation I now have for the roles your fingers play in everything you do... Simple tasks I thought I'd be able to handle like properly gripping a hammer or chisel, or even squeezing a couple blocks together so I could scribe a line across them. You don't realize what a spaz you are with your non dominant hand until you, say, try to hold a motor in place with your gimpy hand while screwing it down with a hand that has maybe only operated a screw gun 5 times before.
All things that would be easy as pie 2 weeks ago are now very difficult and very humbling.
While the old me would look at these blocks of wood and notice that a couple of the holes are off centre or that I burned a couple faces while sanding - the current me is pretty proud that I was able to:
A) get my lathe running
B) learn some basic turning techniques with my left hand, supported by my right wrist keeping the finger out of harms way should it catch.
C) take chunks of maple and walnut from rough square lumber to 7/8" smooth spindles with some basic detail.
D) make 7/8" rips on a table saw using a push stick in my gimpy hand, also cut dadoes using my sled holding the pieces down with my right hand.
E) use my BANDSAW for the first time since the accident and remember how awesomely safe and useful this machine is when not used moronically.
D) centre and drill holes on my drill press and sand the pieces smooth without sanding my splint down too.
And most importantly I did all of this safely and without further injury.
It was not without frustration and a fair amount of pain but it's a step in the right direction!
I'm Not looking for pats on the back, this is more just me patting myself on the back and hopefully inspiring anyone who's struggling with injury or arthritis or whatever to keep finding ways to SAFELY make sawdust. For example, I wrapped and taped a towel around the handle of my mallet so I can comfortably hold and (sort of) swing it with my right hand. I also realized that squeeze clamps make quick and easy substitutes for fingers when trying to line things up for marking.
I think my fear is a good thing. I don't want to forget how quickly bad things can happen when you let your focus lapse. And I also know that the physical pain will help keep me from over exerting myself (this is not the kind of pain you wanna push through.... My tendons will just snap again haha)
I'm not done with this thing yet - still have to make a game board and a box (or one that doubles as both).
I promise this is the last time I talk about my finger and from now on I will just post wood pics again
Thanks for the support, teasing and advice. You guys are awesome and this group is the best thing on the internets.
Bee
*Related: best agm battery