Don't Fight your Lathe, She will Win

Well it has been quite some time since I have posted.  I guess I should start with my biggest screw up in a while.  While rushing to finish up a frame, I went to the lathe to face down a cross tube.  Not using my head I failed to remove my gloves and you know what can happen.  We I got wrapped around said tube, but I was very lucky.  I still have all of my fingers and my life.  It was a good wake up call though.  I broke my index finger, dislocated all but my pinkey, dislocated my wrist, and my elbow.  So here is what I am going to say to anyone who operates machinery of any kind.  Don't get too comfortable, and use your head.  Nothing and I mean nothing in your shop is worth loosing a body part or your life over.  So here are a few images of my extreme stupidity.

 My damn glove and a piece of my shirt sleeve still wrapped up in the lathe.

 Gouges in my forarm from the lathe bed not much bruising yet.

 Broke up hand hard to see all the swelling but I have really skinny hands.

Side view shows the break right before my first knuckle.

The moral of this story is use your head around machines.  Your life depends on it. I am Living Proof.