Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Shed blood for this hobby?

6699 views
50 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    November 2011
  • 343 posts
Shed blood for this hobby?
Posted by SUX V R40 Rider on Friday, December 14, 2012 9:19 AM
Has anyone ever shed blood for this hobby? I ask because I have, twice so far. The first time was a few months ago when I was trying to fix a turnout my hands slipped and I ran the end of a rail into my palm. Not to bad, barely required a band aid.

The second time was a couple of days ago. I was modifying the framing on the control panelI am building and the wood screw slipped and I tried to unintentionally tried to drill the phillips driver bit through my left thumb using my corded power drill at about 3/4 speed. There is a nice twisted cross shape along the edge of the nail bed of my left thumb. It is still pretty sore.

So do tell your stories of bleeding for this hobby.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 14, 2012 9:25 AM

I have given up on counting the number of cuts and bruises I got working on my layout over the nearly 5 decades I am in the hobby.

I know one thing for sure, assembling that loco kit of mine will add a number of burns to the list.

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,481 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Friday, December 14, 2012 9:29 AM

I've often remarked about the skills that are learned and improved by this hobby.

Through my mistakes, I've learned to be careful with knives and soldering irons.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
    February 2007
  • From: Shenandoah Valley The Home Of Patsy Cline
  • 1,842 posts
Posted by superbe on Friday, December 14, 2012 10:00 AM

When I was building my bench work I had a section upside down on the garage floor. I had installed support braces on three sides running horizontally with the top.

I stepped into the open sside and then decided I could do what I wanted better from the outside, Forgetting about the braces I moved to one of them and did a summersault landing on my right shoulder. My leg was also badly skinned up from dragging across the brace..

To make a short story of this my rotator cuff is damaged and my leg got badly infected. IMO the cure for the rotator cuff imo was going to be worse than living with it as is. After several antibiotics and the infection went away,

I'm limited by how much weight I can lift and for how long I can raise my hand above my head. This only comes into play when I'm under the layout or stretching my arm out for some time to do scenery.

Of course these limitations occur in the real world but who cares about that as long as the modeling gets done.

Bob

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Chamberlain, ME
  • 5,084 posts
Posted by G Paine on Friday, December 14, 2012 10:17 AM

Sir Madog
I have given up on counting the number of cuts and bruises I got working on my layout over the nearly 5 decades I am in the hobby.

I know one thing for sure, assembling that loco kit of mine will add a number of burns to the list.

I have been in the hobbby for about the same time, and it almost seems that if you don't end up with some cuts, slices, splinters, burns and sundry other "boo-boos", you are not working at it hard enough - also the number of times I have glued myself using CA. It just seems to go with building stuff; that being said, I try to work carefully and watch out for myself - do things the safe way.

George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch 

  • Member since
    June 2006
  • From: Baltimore, MD
  • 1,726 posts
Posted by CSX_road_slug on Friday, December 14, 2012 10:49 AM

OMG that occurs so regularly with me that I don't even bother keeping track of it anymore!Smile, Wink & Grin

Most of the time it's from banging my head or scraping my back when climbing out from doing maintenance work under the layout.  Also the occasional splinter.  But one time ~7 years ago when I was building my first layout, I did something - can't remember exactly what - that caused a lot of blood to spew all over my hand, I actually took a photo of it and posted it on a thread similar to this one.  Nobody was impressed, "been there done that"...

-Ken in Maryland  (B&O modeler, former CSX modeler)

  • Member since
    November 2011
  • 343 posts
Posted by SUX V R40 Rider on Friday, December 14, 2012 11:27 AM
After reading the stories from others i wonder if the incidents we have all had have more to do with using power tools, hand tool, using chemical based products and constructing something out of building materials in general than this specific hobby.

I say that because out it is possible to have an incident when framing for new drywall which involves: measuring, cutti and fastening lumber and the drywall, then painting it.

I have another hobby, cycling. Been doing it for over 30 years, have lost count of the hundreds of thousands of miles i have ridden. I cannot t remember the last time i had an unintentional incident while riding.

For the veterans of this hobby, when was the last time you had an incident or injury?
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 14, 2012 11:40 AM

SUX V R40 Rider

I cannot t remember the last time i had an unintentional incident while riding.

What the h... is an unintentional accident? If it is intentional, it ain´t no accident, Sir,

Laugh

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: North Dakota
  • 9,592 posts
Posted by BroadwayLion on Friday, December 14, 2012 12:06 PM

LION keeps a box of band-aids in the train room.

RAILROADS regardless of size are HIGH HAZARD AREAS

Hazards in this area includes

Sharp Cutting Tools
Power Tools and Soldering Irons
Paints, Vapors and Fumes
High Voltage Electricity
Moving Trains
Assorted Clutter and Poor Footing

The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.

Here there be cats.                                LIONS with CAMERAS

  • Member since
    June 2012
  • 2,297 posts
Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Friday, December 14, 2012 12:12 PM

let's see, I've shocked myself and cut myself. that's about it...for now. 

SP&S modeler, 1960's give or take a decade or two for some equipment.

 http://www.youtube.com/user/SGTDUPREY?feature=guide 

Gary DuPrey

N scale model railroader 

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Alabama
  • 1,077 posts
Posted by cjcrescent on Friday, December 14, 2012 12:41 PM

SUX V R40 Rider
...

For the veterans of this hobby, when was the last time you had an incident or injury?

I've had two "bad" incidents, working on models and the layouts over the years. Had a X-acto knife with a #10 blade cut into a finger so deep it hit the bone, as well as the nerve. Healed nicely but that finger is numb from the cut site to the tip.

Second incident was I was power drilling into something, don't remember for sure, but it was some metal, and the drill slipped, and before I could release the trigger, the drill went completely thru my hand. Fortunately it missed all the bones, tendons vessels and nerves. Sure was sore for a couple of weeks!Crying

Carey

Keep it between the Rails

Alabama Central Homepage

Nara member #128

NMRA &SER Life member

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: west coast
  • 7,667 posts
Posted by rrebell on Friday, December 14, 2012 12:54 PM

cjcrescent

SUX V R40 Rider
...

For the veterans of this hobby, when was the last time you had an incident or injury?

I've had two "bad" incidents, working on models and the layouts over the years. Had a X-acto knife with a #10 blade cut into a finger so deep it hit the bone, as well as the nerve. Healed nicely but that finger is numb from the cut site to the tip.

Second incident was I was power drilling into something, don't remember for sure, but it was some metal, and the drill slipped, and before I could release the trigger, the drill went completely thru my hand. Fortunately it missed all the bones, tendons vessels and nerves. Sure was sore for a couple of weeks!Crying

You win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Alabama
  • 1,077 posts
Posted by cjcrescent on Friday, December 14, 2012 1:22 PM

Not sure I wanna!Wink

Carey

Keep it between the Rails

Alabama Central Homepage

Nara member #128

NMRA &SER Life member

  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: US
  • 437 posts
Posted by BNSFNUT on Friday, December 14, 2012 1:33 PM

63yrs in the hobby many burns, bumps and cuts. Last cut last night cuting plastic. By now you would think that would I would  to put in a new knife blade instead of forcing a dull one.  To late to learn I guess.

There is no such thing as a bad day of railfanning. So many trains, so little time.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: North Dakota
  • 9,592 posts
Posted by BroadwayLion on Friday, December 14, 2012 2:08 PM

LION does not use X-acto blades. Him uses real (sterile) surgical blades that are about 1/10th the price of the hobby shop variety, which are not even sterile!  Of course these blades have a different sort of a slot to attach them to the scalpel handle, which unfortunately will cause them to break if you apply too much pressure to the blade, but what the heck: The are sterile, so no problem.

ROAR

The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.

Here there be cats.                                LIONS with CAMERAS

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
  • 23,330 posts
Posted by selector on Friday, December 14, 2012 2:12 PM

Nothing major for me, but they include the following: scrapes, burns, piercings, contusions, and torsions. 

I have even invented swear words.   Or maybe they just sounded new, but they sure were powerful.  Acted just like a soothing balm...mostly.

Crandell

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Friday, December 14, 2012 4:26 PM

I sliced my left index finger pretty good a few years ago. I was being stupid at the time of course or it wouldn't have happened. Took nine stitches to sew my finger print back on. It is still numb. I think there are still blood stains in the garbage pail. I can vividly remember the sound of the blood squirting into the pail.

The worst part of the whole affair was having the stitches removed at my doctor's office. He has a very friendly nurse who unfortunately is a bit past her prime. Her hands shake constantly. That is bad enough when she is trying to give you a needle but when she was trying to get the tip of the stitch remover under the stitches she constantly poked me hard right in the wound! I told her to stop but she refused and kept right on proding away merrily. I guess that was payback for being stupid in the first place!

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Alabama
  • 1,077 posts
Posted by cjcrescent on Friday, December 14, 2012 5:02 PM

BroadwayLion

LION does not use X-acto blades. Him uses real (sterile) surgical blades that are about 1/10th the price of the hobby shop variety, which are not even sterile!  Of course these blades have a different sort of a slot to attach them to the scalpel handle, which unfortunately will cause them to break if you apply too much pressure to the blade, but what the heck: The are sterile, so no problem.

ROAR

I try to use them as well. Started using them when I started working in the OR in 1976. Collected many a box of them from reps pushing new blades. Now that I've been retired, I can't find a source for them. The medical supply houses here won't sell them to the public.

Carey

Keep it between the Rails

Alabama Central Homepage

Nara member #128

NMRA &SER Life member

  • Member since
    May 2005
  • From: Burlington, Washington
  • 196 posts
Posted by PHARMD98233 on Friday, December 14, 2012 5:26 PM

This brings to mind numerous hot glue burns when building the layout terrain.

The burns that keep on burning!!!!

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Friday, December 14, 2012 5:48 PM

 After 40+ years in the hobby, I lost count. Cuts, scrapes, burns, screwdriver slices, fingers hit by hammer that misses the nail, it's all in there. Don't think I've managed to glue my fingers together with CA such that I needed to use debonder or acetone to get them apart though.

        --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Friday, December 14, 2012 6:16 PM

Randy - There's still time for the CA! Don't give up hope just yet!DevilSmile, Wink & GrinLaugh

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

  • Member since
    July 2007
  • From: Pottstown PA
  • 1,039 posts
Posted by rdgk1se3019 on Friday, December 14, 2012 6:30 PM

Just keep in mind.......this is not a hobby in which you want to sit naked at your work/model bench.

Dennis Blank Jr.

CEO,COO,CFO,CMO,Bossman,Slavedriver,Engineer,Trackforeman,Grunt. Birdsboro & Reading Railroad

  • Member since
    September 2012
  • From: Fraser Valley, BC
  • 538 posts
Posted by Rastafarr on Friday, December 14, 2012 7:27 PM

Did my damndest to take my finger off with a hunting knife the other night. Was using it to strip a section of bus wire for adding feeders, knife slipped, finger in wrong place, blade stopped when it hit bone. Guess I should consider investing in suitcase connectors.

As Gary Busey said, never pet a burning dog or fry bacon naked...

Streamlined steam, oh, what a dream!!

  • Member since
    November 2012
  • 613 posts
Posted by UPinCT on Friday, December 14, 2012 7:38 PM

I'm like George.  Always in trouble with the CA.  BTW if you do cut yourself CA works great.  Make sure its the non toxic kind.

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Carmichael, CA
  • 8,055 posts
Posted by twhite on Friday, December 14, 2012 7:45 PM

X-acto knife + wooden car kit=Slice and Dice.  I always keep a plasma bag and an IV tube handy.


Tom

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: Ozark Mountains
  • 1,167 posts
Posted by dragenrider on Friday, December 14, 2012 10:43 PM

rrinker

 After 40+ years in the hobby, I lost count. Cuts, scrapes, burns, screwdriver slices, fingers hit by hammer that misses the nail, it's all in there. Don't think I've managed to glue my fingers together with CA such that I needed to use debonder or acetone to get them apart though.

        --Randy

 

 

Strange....I've glued my fingers together and to my projects more times than I can count on nine...er..ten fingers!  Embarrassed  

As for injuries...just the minor cuts and scrapes.  I'm my own best paramedic and my wife is a nurse. 

The Cedar Branch & Western--The Hillbilly Line!

  • Member since
    November 2007
  • From: sharon pa
  • 436 posts
Posted by gondola1988 on Friday, December 14, 2012 11:28 PM

I also have a perfect little circle where the moto tool and a 1/8 drill bit entered my left hand just missing the first knuckle. I was a carpet installer for almost 30 years and I cant begin to remember all the cuts and @#$%@$@#'s. One I can remember my knife slipped and cut the whole end of my left thumb off, It was a pure white carpet in the furthest corner when I did it, lucky I didnt put a drop on it. Wraped it with good ole duct tape, you can almost see the scar and sometimes the feeling comes back LOL.Jim.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: North Dakota
  • 9,592 posts
Posted by BroadwayLion on Saturday, December 15, 2012 6:38 AM

cjcrescent

BroadwayLion

LION does not use X-acto blades. Him uses real (sterile) surgical blades that are about 1/10th the price of the hobby shop variety, which are not even sterile!  Of course these blades have a different sort of a slot to attach them to the scalpel handle, which unfortunately will cause them to break if you apply too much pressure to the blade, but what the heck: The are sterile, so no problem.

ROAR

I try to use them as well. Started using them when I started working in the OR in 1976. Collected many a box of them from reps pushing new blades. Now that I've been retired, I can't find a source for them. The medical supply houses here won't sell them to the public.

Moore Medical (mooremedical.com) They will also sell you band-aids.

ROAR

The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.

Here there be cats.                                LIONS with CAMERAS

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Southwest US
  • 12,914 posts
Posted by tomikawaTT on Saturday, December 15, 2012 3:24 PM

Some things I have learned:

  • Never flick excess solder off the end of the gun while wearing shorts.
  • Get ALL THE WAY OUT FROM UNDER the benchwork before attempting to stand up.
  • Freshly-filed switch points are SHARP.
  • Paper can be as dangerous as a razor blade.

Why that last one?  The last bloodletting injury I had involved making waybills for my car card/waybill car distribution system.

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - as safely as possible)

  • Member since
    March 2012
  • From: Central Absurdistan
  • 1,179 posts
Posted by kbkchooch on Saturday, December 15, 2012 3:40 PM

Let's see

Drilled my fingers? Check

Cut fingers or hands? Check

Grinder debris in the eyes? Check

Grabbed a soldering iron by the wrong end? Check (just last week!)

Dripped hot solder on myself soldering under the layout? Check

Had a Dremel slip and contact flesh while still at speed? Check

Fingers glued together or to a project? Check

Rolling Exacto knife rols off of workbench to land blade down in your shoe? Check

Lucky that all these did not require professional "repairs". Just the wife with a 1st aid kit.Yes Gotta love it!Big Smile 

Karl

NCE über alles! Thumbs Up

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!