Help required (coz I got less fingers!)

[Learner Les]

Well not quite a whole finger gone or part of one but a bloody nasty cut! Using my jointer (that I have never been happy using) to square some 400x50x20 timber I slipped and badly cut my finger. Now do I persevere with the nasty beast or hand plane, and where can I find information to do either method properly (and safely)?

 

[Paul Chapman]

Hi Les,

Sorry to hear about your finger.

If you want to go down the hand plane route, there are plenty of really good DVDs available which explain the basics. David Charlesworth and Rob Cosman both do some good ones. A very good one that's recently come out is "How to use a bench plane" by David Savage http://www.finefurnituremaker.com/planepublic.htm

Another option would be to ask a forum member nearby to show you how it's done.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Ironballs]

Not good Les, hope you're not too badly hurt. How about telling us a little about your accident and your technique when using the jointer. I'm very comfortable using a planer, but then I have been shown how to use it properly

 

[jimi43]

Don't feel alone...my neighbour who was a long serving cabinet maker in the village had some serious horror stories of a moment's lack of concentration leaving the user with fewer digits than they started with...in some cases none.

I must admit...I am not comfortable with my planer/thicknesser and tend to be over cautious with it accordingly. I think it is the grab that gets me.

The thicknesser part is something I feel safer with now I have tuned my old DeWalt...it sucks it in one end...churns it up and spits it out the other end nice and parallel and smooth. You would have to be a real plonker to go poking your digits far enough in that mode to do any harm!

Planing flat with a No.7 takes a bit of getting useful to get it right but it is worth sticking with and the results can be much more satisfying...though not as quick for production work!

Try it....you might just get on with hand tools! While you still have some to use it with! :wink:

Jim

 

[Shrubby]

Sorry to hear about the accident Les
Google WIS17 for guidance on the safe use of a planing machine

Matt

 

[nanscombe]

I think this may be the link referred to

A PDF entitled "Safe use of hand­fed planing machines" by the HSE

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/wis17.pdf