Brad Naylor":14gkl4fz said:
I'm following this thread with interest as this is my first venture into spindle moulding. Mine came with a load of blocks and cutters but old ones without limiters. Do I chuck them out?
If you've got the time, an silly person's guide to spindle blocks and cutters would be appreciated!!
The chuck it out thing depends on your status. If you are trade and anyone else ever use your spindle, then you've really little choice in the matter - the law requires positive locking (wedge locked) cutters with chip limitation, either with limiters or by dint of the block design (such as the Armadillo). There's an HSE sheet
here which is worthwhile taking a look at if you want to understand the whys and wherefores. Personally I'd recommend having limiter tooling, partly because without it I'd be missing one of my thumbs if I'd not been using it (overhead router accident, but the principles of safety tooling design are the same).
If you are self-employed then the regs become a bit greyer in that you're unlikely to be inspected unless you have an accident, in which case you could still be prosecuted (according to the HSE their remit applies to
all workplaces, employers or no) although your biggest problem is likely to be that your insurers will seek to reduce the level of your payout if they can on the grounds that you have exposed yourself to greater hazard than necessary. Not so bad if you're only off work for a few days, a bit worseif you suffer an amputation.
If you're an amateur then you can do what you like, although I would suggest that you bin any square cutter blocks, French cutters (and I really used to like them), slotted washer/collar blocks, etc and carefully examine any of the older Whitehill blocks for wear. Whilst the original Whitehill blocks were described as "safety" blocks in the 1930s, that was in comparison with square cutter blocks after all......
As a good primer for safe use of the spindle, might I suggest that you take a look at
this sheet?
Scrit
