Can I die using a mill/lathe?

[rod_k2]

Nah,i'm just kidding. I can't die using a mill/lathe,right?

Right?

The thing is...When I see you guys work,I think it is absolutely beautiful,but...It seems sorta dangerous to me!

I mean,my uncle suffered an accident while doing some things with wood,and he broke both arms...
He was using a machine that looked like this:

I don't know it's name in english,but it is very dangerous...You can easily lose a finger using it!

I know,we must use safety mask/googles/gloves but...Should I wear a bullet proof vest+helmet and a shield??!

So,how badly hurt can I get while using one of those things?

[its not unusual]

So,how badly hurt can I get while using one of those things?

when i do some stuff on lathe i'm using THIS :



or this


Aleks

[mikemechanic]

Your kidding right? You could die sitting on the couch watching the game. Using any tools, equipment, etc means using common sense and safety. Never wear loose fitting clothing, know where the on/off switch is in case of emergency, eye protection is a must.

If used incorrectly a lathe or mill could seriously hurt you but if you use your common sense and follow the manufacturers safety guidelines you should be ok. I never wear a vest or a helmet but do wear safetly glasses.

Mike

[rod_k2]

Originally Posted by mikemechanic

Your kidding right? You could die sitting on the couch watching the game. Using any tools, equipment, etc means using common sense and safety. Never wear loose fitting clothing, know where the on/off switch is in case of emergency, eye protection is a must.

Nah,nah,I know!
But the thing is: While machining,the piece can fly away like a bullet and pierce my skin?
Can I lose an arm while using it?
What are the biggest dangers of machining?
Is it kinda dangerous,or am I just paranoid?

EDIT: Mmmm,I'm starting to agree 100% with my sig...

[G.A.S.]

again, what mike said.
The majority of accidents on a mill plainer/shaper like this is from over confadence.
Trying to cut corrners or doing a sloppy job.
Not paying attention could cost you your life on any job.
Truthfully, Your being paroniod, Learn the ropes and you will do just fine.
Take your time, rushing will get you 2 to 100 stitches in a hurry.
there is one way to do a job and that is the right way.
safety first.
I myself grind reels for reel mowing equipment. One, there razor sharp and the grinder will remove more than metal.
Know everything about the peice of equipment you are useing.
Look ahead for any potential danger. common sence will tell you not to stick your finger in a machine that will destroy wood so you look for the safest way to compleet any job.
Go for it, there amazing machines .

[rod_k2]

I just spoke to my father,and he said that lathes are very secure...I'm feeling a bit more confident now!
Of course,there is the common sense that is to not put a finger where things are spinning quickly,or something like that,and we got to use the safety equipment!

Thanks for the help guys!
And no,I wasn't joking! I'm a bit of a scared person!

[gionc]

The lathe is not for sure very secure. You'll easily broke a finger or lost it, expecially doing jobs with files to smooth out your part. Just pay attention.

[mike@af]

I jammed a file through my palm on the lathe two years ago if that makes you feel any better. Makes you think twice about being extra cautious.

EDIT: Wait, we want more machinists. Mill's and Lathe's are almost just as that teddy bear you slept with when you were 2 years old.

[mrehmus]

Of course you can die at the 'hands' of a lathe. Just don't operate it safely.

-Leave a chuck key in the chuck and turn it on. The key may be thrown across the room.
-Don't secure a part in the lathe and watch it get jerked out.
- wear long sleeves, rings, watches, hair, etc. and get them caught in the chuck or workpiece.

However, operating a lathe is probably safer than driving to work each day.

Best way to learn is to take a class if you can. Second is to read about it, watch videos and find someone who knows how.

Best defense is common sense.

[brad_26]

yes you can alittle common sence goes a long way

dont leave the key in the chuck
make sure chuck is tight
dont look at 90 degree angle with the chuck if your are turning the work piece even with side shields
WEAR safty glasses always
no loose clothing,rings,jewlery or gloves
NEVER use a rag to hold a piece of round stock steady between centers..use cardboard if you must hold it to prevent chattering.
if using a file hold it properly with a handed on it the pointy end hurts...
make sure the tail stock is tight ..

.... ive seen a 31 inch barrel blank come out of a cnc lathe at work thank god it went into the back shield and not out ...

[Decs0105]

Originally Posted by rod_k2

Can I die using a mill/lathe?

Sure, if you try hard enough

Just be careful (pay attention, wear safety glasses etc..) and you should be fine... especially with these "small" hobby lathes!

[bobss396]

You can get hurt standing BEHIND someone using a lathe. It used to be a common practice to use parallel bars to set material square in a chuck, but you had to remember to remove the bars before turning it on. Lathes in shops used to be arranged so you never worked inline behind another lathe.

I know of one guy that was killed on a very large engine lathe operating at a slow speed. His lab coat got caught in the leadscrew and it dragged him in and he was basically beat to death with the lathe chuck. There was no one close by and it was not noticed for hours.

You can also get hurt in CNC milling machines as well as CNC lathes that have the door lock mechanisms bypassed. There are precautions to take, but avoid going into or reaching into a CNC machine if it is in operation.

I've been in the business for 27 years and have had some cuts on my hands, but that's about it. I've never been cut by a moving tool, only by tools that were at rest or from sharp edges on parts.

Bob

[MPWR]

Really, you can die using a bed.

Machine tools certainly can and have taken lives. I'm sure more many machinists have been killed in traffic accidents than actually using tools, but machine tools do require attention and care to operate. To put it into perspective, when I was instructed I was told that the most dangerous tools in the shop I used were (in this order) the belt and disc sander, the drillpress, the bandsaw, the lathe, and the mill. The shop foreman had known some people to get rather messed up by unsecured workpieces on the sander and drill press- the sander in particular, as usually workpieces aren't secured in any way when being sanded.

You might be hard pressed to kill yourself with a minilathe, but serious injury is possible. For example, lathe filing is a useful but potentially dangerous procedure. If the file you're using is struck by one of the rotating chuck jaws, the file can easily fly out of your hands and it you in the face, chest, hands, etc. You do not want to get impaled by the pointy end of a file- so always use file handles!

They're not inherently dangerous, but like many things there are hazards to using them thoughtlessly or carelessly.

[freakray]

The only fatal accident I am aware of involving a lathe was actually due to the operator of the machine wearing loose fitting clothing while working and then leaning over the workpiece to adjust a coolant nozzle without shutting the machine off. His shirt caught in the workpiece and pulled him over the machine, I am sure you can figure out the rest.....

Anyway, moral of that true story is that you should NEVER operate a machine tool while wearing clothing which could be caught in it.

[j.bain]

Now here is something that will keep you on your toes, when your next at the lathe.

Now this site comes with a strict warning, that if you are squeamish in any way at all, DO NOT OPEN THIS LINK. This site is totally gruesome and those that could be offended, DO NOT OPEN IT, but it is factual and could happen at any time.

BEWARE, machinery bites and has NO feeling.

http://www.b0g.org/wsnm/articles/This+Is+Twisted