# router injury



## desertforest (Aug 6, 2011)

today i was using my router table to router tongues and grooves in boards to try and make some panels. as i was pushing the board going over the bit, i was using a sacrificial board, not a push stick. well, my hand slipped off the push board and landed right over the board over the bit. . i am thankful that i was not hurt, but i sure got scared. anyone else have a similar experience? though i have to say that i was really stupid to not use a push stick with a sacrificial board.


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## BernieL (Oct 28, 2011)

Glad to hear you're OK and that you've learned to use cheap, easy to replace, push sticks all the time. Not only did you learn a very important lesson today, but you are the hero for the day. Thanks for the post to remind every one your important lesson.


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## jharris (Jan 8, 2011)

Glad your ok DF, your post made me realize I might be a little too comfortable at my router table.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Consider it a "warning" of sorts. You are lucky. I've got many "T" shirts with holes in the front from handheld routers. Never had an injury that way. But table routers are a different breed of tool. Shapers fall into that category too.

I've had many "warnings" from a table router, and only one injury. I was making a custom kitchen with slab doors. There were vertical stripes that appeared on the doors at about every 30", and landing wherever they land (designers idea).

The doors were basically laminate, with the stripes being copper and brass, next to each other. The copper was 2" wide, and the brass was 1" wide. I cut them a bit long to cover the doors and drawer fronts. They would line up from the uppers and the drawer fronts and the base doors. Once applied the laminate and the stripes were flush, and appeared as an inlay, but they were just a good butt fit.

The metals came in 4'x10' sheets and had to first get cut on the TS. Once cut the edges had a slight dimpling, that had to get routed off. I set up a router table for jointing, using a 3/4" straight cutter. Each pass would remove about 1/32". There were stacks of strips and many passes. Couldn't really set up a feather board, as the metal was thin. So. it was fingers pushing. I was rushing and with the repetitiveness I lost my concentration for a split second, I ran my thumb over the top of the bit. It was only protruding about 1/4" at the time, but was enough to tear out a chunk of meat from the end of my thumb.

I didn't loose the chunk of meat. It kind of hung from a small piece of skin. So, I untwisted it and pushed it back into place. It was like fitting a puzzle piece. I taped it up and said to myself "Its got to heal". And with that I continued to joint more pieces. One of my employees said that it would be a good idea to go to the doctor, if for nothing else to get a script for some pain pills, because there will be pain later.

I did go, and got stitches, and a prescription. That was about 35 years ago, and the injury isn't noticeable, but still a bit sensitive.










 







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## rrich (Jun 24, 2009)

I can't remember the number of push sticks that I've made for my route table. It seems that every time I have to do an unusual routing task, a new and job specific push stick gets made.


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## desertforest (Aug 6, 2011)

Cman, OUCH!! 
yes, i realized how quickly these machines we use, and some hand tools, can cut or mangle a thumb. good to hear you didn't lose that piece Cman.


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