I was turning a barrel yesterday and created quite a "birds nest" right underneath the chuck. I usually keep my machines clean and knew I should remove the chips. As I was about to do this an errant long chip grabbed the bird nest throwing it into the chuck jaws. This in turn flew up and grabbed the little pull string of my six foot shop lite above the lathe which came crashing down on me. It all happened in a matter of seconds and I wasn't hurt(just my pride). A word to the wise KEEP YOUR MACHINES CLEAN ! Now I have a big mess to clean up and a new shop light to install. Be careful everyone.

JHolland

This is one of the best reasons to use chip breaking, carbide inserts.

I did what happened to you MANY times in the 70's and 80's when the shops I worked in were to cheap to buy tool holders and inserts.

Frank

It's easier to replace a shop light than part of your anatomy. Glad you weren't hurt.
Murphy's always waiting!

A long long time ago I heard a story about a guy who always left the chuck key in his lathe. Until one day he forgot to remove the key before starting the machine. The key hooked his arm near the shoulder, tore it off. The unfortunate mans arm spun around and hit him in the head, killing him. 

Be careful. 

         Joe.

Wood working tools are quite unforgiving also. A momentary lapse in awareness/judgement resulted in this with a jointer.

Fortunately I still have my fingers, but not all the feeling they should have. This picture is from late in the second day. I shot a 249 Saturday AM (early in the second day) all bandaged up. 

If it doesn't feel right, don't do it.

Jerry_H

A long long time ago I heard a story about a machine shop that hired a cowboy to run a lathe. He was a real cowboy with a huge belt buck and cowboy boots. One day he left a chuck key in the chuck. When he turned the lathe on the chuck key grabbed his belt near the belt buckle, tearing it off. It spun around and hit the unfortunate cowboy in the head, killing him instantly.

  Be careful out there. 

      Joe.

My kinda funny story is this.......... I worked with an other machine shop and they had a young guy with at least shoulder lenght hair. He ended a cut on the lathe and bent down to look at the part. His hair caught in the chuck and pulled him in, it knocked him out, cold! Fortunately he had turned the lathe off before he bent down.

My only serious accident was in 2002, I worked on a lathe with a bad switch. It was the type that used a 18" lever on the lathe bed as a on/off/reverse switch. I was remachining a tractor spindle, between centers. I had finished turning the spindle and was using a file to blend the unmachined welded area into the rest of the spindle, standing next to the chuck. The lathe came on in reverse and the upright part of the spindle caught my coveralls and started pulling me, up and in, while beating me at 275 rpm. It don't know how I got away from it but, landed 3 or 4 feet from it. I really thought that when I looked down at I would see my guts hanging out. I still have a 2" dia. place on my stomach, in a raised scar and 3, now repaired hernia's.

I had been putting it in neutral when working near the chuck and over the bed but, I was in a hurry and It got me.

I had told the company about the bad switch for months but, they acted like it was no big deal.

Frank

Thanks for all the stories guys. We all have done things we probably shouldn't have with less than optimum results. The bottom line is just be careful and  and take your time and never loose respect for the machines and what than do and can do to you. The most prized project is not worth being hurt. I will always remember the worst accident I ever witnessed in the shop(when I worked with the Boeing Co). It is too long to go into here but the person almost died from his injuries. So just be careful.

JHolland