# Take the drill out of the tailstock when you're done drilling



## willthedancer (Feb 22, 2017)

Unless you like trips to the sawbones for stitches.

Reaching past a drill is .......

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## strantor (Feb 22, 2017)

pulled a stuck collet out of the spindle once; when it came free I jabbed the back of my elbow into the live center I left in the tailstock. Wasn't anything to consult a doctor over, but it conclude my lathe operations for the day. Good thing it wasn't a drill bit.


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## MrDan (Feb 22, 2017)

willthedancer said:


> Unless you like trips to the sawbones for stitches.
> 
> Reaching past a drill is .......



Been there, done that. Ow.


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## Ulma Doctor (Feb 22, 2017)

done it


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## stupoty (Feb 22, 2017)

live centers and drills  are a good one for a spiky accident , owch

Stuart


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## Uglydog (Feb 22, 2017)

Like this?





Daryl
MN


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## higgite (Feb 22, 2017)

Is it cruel to "like" the posts in this thread? 

But, I've been there, done that, too, and got the bloody tee shirt. And that's not meant as a British expression, that's literally a bloody tee shirt.

Tom


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## fretsman (Feb 22, 2017)

lol, yep, I did this ONCE..........never again......


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## Ben Nevis (Feb 22, 2017)

Also known as a case of turner's elbow.....

BTDT


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## Frank Ford (Feb 22, 2017)

While teaching the intro to milling machine class at TechShop, I warned the students of the danger in leaving an end mill in the collet, and as I talked, I gestured over at it, neatly slicing the back of my hand, just enuf to draw a bit of blood and a few chuckles. . .


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## brasssmanget (Feb 23, 2017)

I leave a center drill bit in a chuck stored in one hole of the collet rack, and I've scraped that thing many times reaching for something else in the rack. I now cover it with a thick doubled piece of rag.


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## stupoty (Feb 24, 2017)

Frank Ford said:


> While teaching the intro to milling machine class at TechShop, I warned the students of the danger in leaving an end mill in the collet, and as I talked, I gestured over at it, neatly slicing the back of my hand, just enuf to draw a bit of blood and a few chuckles. . .



Ha ha I do that so often I keep the plastic caps that come with a lot of dormer end mills and pop them onto the end mill before I go in to do measuring.

chunks of packaging polystyrene is good to pop onto spiky things to help with visibility and also not spiking ones self 

Stuart


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## gheumann (Feb 25, 2017)

Not only have I learned the hard way to remove whatever is in the tail stock (I use end mills in it too, and they're even deadlier) I  ALSO remove the tool on the tool post every time when not in use. Took me a long time to learn that.


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## ch2co (Feb 25, 2017)

Better question. Is there anybody that hasn't done this? 

Grumpy for a reason


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## Ralphxyz (Feb 25, 2017)

Frank Ford said:


> While teaching the intro to milling machine class at TechShop, I warned the students of the danger in leaving an end mill in the collet, and as I talked, I gestured over at it, neatly slicing the back of my hand, just enuf to draw a bit of blood and a few chuckles. . .



What I am finally learning is that once you have performed your operation every thing has to be placed somewhere. You use a hammer you set it down (somewhere). The thing to learn is since you have to set it down somewhere set it down in it's place.
Put it back where it belongs!!


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## Norseman C.B. (Feb 25, 2017)

Well I can say that I have never done anything like that
in my experience....!! 

                                           And if you believe that I've got a bridge in Brooklyn for sale at a smokin good price.....:mooning:


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## T Bredehoft (Feb 25, 2017)

I thought of this thread when I was using my turret lathe and encountered a 1/16 drill bit while moving my hand from point a to point b. Gotta be more careful, can't go around removing tools i'm going to use again.


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## davidpbest (Feb 25, 2017)

STAFF EDIT: [WARNING - this reply is NOT for the faint of heart or the SQUEAMISH!!! Graphic images of serious injury are contained within]

This happened to me on Thursday night about midnight.   This was the setup - 3/4” end mill running at 1500 RPM.   I had just squared off the end of the small stainless steel part, then loosened the vise, reached around behind the cutter to remove the part (very stupid), and in a flash, my finger was grabbed by the clockwise-rotating end mill which pulled the finger through the 4mm slot between the side of the vise and the cutter.




The result is shown below, taken in the ER about an hour later.   If you're squimsh, DO NOT click on the photo.   I lost a lot of blood and was pretty weak, thankfully my daughter was home and got me to the hospital pronto, not sure how I could have even called 911 alone.   The end of my index finger was basically put through a meat grinder, and the last digit bone was crushed into pieces.   The fingernail and tissue below it were badly severed and ultimately removed completely in the ER.   Joints and tenons appear to be functioning, and nerve damage appears confined to the inner right side of that finger.  Not clear what the longer term prognosis is, but I'm expecting the last digit on that finger will have to be amputated.

This was a stupid accident.  I was tired, wanted to finish the job and got in a hurry.   Lesson learned:  turn off the machine before putting your hands anywhere close and if tired or in a hurry, stop and come back tomorrow.


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## ch2co (Feb 25, 2017)

Thank you. Warnings of this kind are more likely to get it through our collective thick skulls that you need to be cautious.
Here's hoping that you heal well and quickly.


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## markba633csi (Feb 26, 2017)

Sorry to hear about your wound David-  Working late, tired, in a hurry.  Perfect recipe for an accident, whether driving a car or a machine tool.  
Mark S.


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## jpfabricator (Feb 26, 2017)

Heal quickly. God bless.

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## Downunder Bob (Feb 26, 2017)

ch2co said:


> Better question. Is there anybody that hasn't done this?
> 
> Grumpy for a reason


Probably not or else the've just started out machining.


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## willthedancer (Feb 26, 2017)

David, mend well! 

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## wawoodman (Feb 26, 2017)

Big owie, David! Get better soon!


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## Terrywerm (Feb 26, 2017)

I guess I am just lucky, as I have not had any issues with items left in the tailstock. I do push the tailstock to the far end of the bed when I am done with it though, something that was taught to me in high school machine shop many years ago.


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## Downunder Bob (Feb 27, 2017)

Something I have to be particularly careful with as my lathe is so short only 16" between centers. so even pushing the tailstock to the end doesn't really get it out of harm's way.


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## Analogr (Feb 28, 2017)

Ralphxyz said:


> What I am finally learning is that once you have performed your operation every thing has to be placed somewhere. You use a hammer you set it down (somewhere). The thing to learn is since you have to set it down somewhere set it down in it's place.
> Put it back where it belongs!!


I've put many a screw driver, pliers, or wire cutters in my back pocket. It's kinda hard on the ole' seat.


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## Terrywerm (Mar 1, 2017)

Analogr said:


> I've put many a screw driver, pliers, or wire cutters in my back pocket. It's kinda hard on the ole' seat.



I did that once (well, more than once) with a wrench while I went in to get a cup of coffee. Came back out and was going to get back to work, but could not find the doggone wrench. Hunted high and low for it, cussed, swore, carried on like a wild man, could not find the wrench.

Finally one of my sons said, "Hey pops, what's that in your back pocket?"

That was about ten years ago, and he still reminds me of it from time to time, the little brat.


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## Groundhog (Mar 1, 2017)

I don't care where a cutting tool is hanging out of which machine, some part of my body will find it. So much so that I keep a bottle of skin "super glue" on the top of the tool box.


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## xman_charl (Mar 1, 2017)

getting tired of cuts...
might just wear gloves all the time?

Charl


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## Downunder Bob (Mar 2, 2017)

xman_charl said:


> getting tired of cuts...
> might just wear gloves all the time?
> 
> Charl


Problem is, gloves aren't always safe around moving machinery.


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## xman_charl (Mar 5, 2017)

well, got several cuts on my right hand now

from handling metal, put a piece in mill vice, bam, cut top of hand

mill wasn't even on yet!!

Charl


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## gheumann (Mar 14, 2017)

I was taught gloves are a BAD idea. You feel less, so your reflexes are slower - and they aren't where your brain thinks your hand actually is. They can get caught and pull you in. 

"I don't care where a cutting tool is hanging out of which machine, some part of my body will find it." That's ME, TOO. 

I learned the hard way (and re-learn every so often) I remove tools from the tailstock as soon as I'm done with them.


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## rock_breaker (Jun 12, 2017)

When it is cold in the shop I will occasionly wear gloves due to the cold metal but really worry about moving parts & tools. Back-handed a 1/8 drill bit in the tailstock 2 days ago.


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## Downunder Bob (Jun 13, 2017)

rock_breaker said:


> When it is cold in the shop I will occasionly wear gloves due to the cold metal but really worry about moving parts & tools. Back-handed a 1/8 drill bit in the tailstock 2 days ago.



Ouch, I'm sure we've all done this at sometime. When I worked as a marine engineer we mostly wore gloves because of the heat. most metal surface sin the engine room were 55 to 60 c and parts of the engine could be 80 to 90c. way too hot to touch..


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## KBeitz (Feb 26, 2020)

It's not just the tools.. As a fabricator one of the first things I do is
to grind all sharp spots off everything if it's mine or not...


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## Aukai (Feb 26, 2020)

If David had a glove on, more than likely it would have gotten much worse as the glove kept rotating with the end mill. He at least still has his finger. Keep the finger above heart level to help alleviate some of the throbbing David, heal well sir.


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## higgite (Feb 26, 2020)

Still a valid subject to comment on, guys, but check the date.   

Tom


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## Aukai (Feb 26, 2020)

HAHA, one of my old ones came back up too, but safety cannot be repeated enough IMHO.....


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