Hi!
Don't be too hard on yourself. You are surely not alone. I always consider myself a "safety nut" but still have had my share of incidents. The key is to not repeat the same one of course...........
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
"The bad part of doing the dummy thing is I knew better than to hold something small that takes a lot of pressure on the knife to make the cut. I even thought to my self “if I slip it’s going to be bad” and I still did it"I always try to keep my fingers out of the slip-path of the blades, after several ugly injuries decades ago. Indeed, I brought a metal finger splint similar to this one several years back for the few situations where there would be no way to guarentee that the fingers holding the piece would be out of the path if the knife slipped - I've used it a few times. I would've rather had those chainmail chef gloves, but they still remain pretty pricey.One thing I do fear a bit is the knife tip breaking off and jamming in my hand, which did happen over a decade ago. Luckily no stitches need, and still can't recall how it happened.
I’ve had my share of cuts on fingers and now I am always extra careful. I've noticed that an x acto knife is safer than a pocket knife. Most of my cuts have come from pocket knives, one from a hatchet. I have gotten into the habit of using vice grips, forceps, tweezers, pliers, or what ever it takes if it might be risky. I also use a cutting board when possible. I’ve had friends and family members loose fingers using power saws. I like to play guitar and do other things with my fingers so I think I’ll try to keep them safe.
Keep your cut clean and dry and it should heal fast enough.
RR_MelAny other dummies out there besides me?
Probably a lot more...than will admit it!!!! Lol.
Take Care!
Frank
Cut open my finger with a Zona saw last week.
(My Model Railroad, My Rules)
These are the opinions of an under 35 , from the east end of, and modeling, the same section of the Wheeling and Lake Erie railway. As well as a freelanced road (Austinville and Dynamite City railroad).
Should you ever need to resecure the wooden handle onto a file, please reconsider the obvious method of gripping the handle in your fist with the file upright on your workbench and inserted into the handle. When you raise the assembly and slam it down, should the file not raise with the handle and instead balance ever so briefly on end, the tapered file end will invariably reposition itself within the side of the palm of your hand to a depth determined by the relative force of your downstroke. I did this the last time I employed this method. (in 1978)
Not sure about all this. I wanted to post a question and could not figure out how to get it going so I grabbed Mel. My question is about replacing trucks. I have a lot of cars dating back to the 80's. Many have plastic wheels. I want to upgrade them and when I look at the number of HO trucks offered by Walthers, I've got no idea which to get. HELP!!!
Been there done that Mel, Missing two fingers on my right hand to a 12 inch 220 volt table saw 35 years ago.
It doesn't let me forget it for a day.
Johnboy out........................
from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North..
We have met the enemy, and he is us............ (Pogo)
There are those books on everything, but apparently no "X-ACTO Knives for Dummies" or "Saws for Dunnies" books.....
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
Yep. just put deep cut in my thumb with a razor blade last week.
aahhh the hazards of modeling.
Several week ago I embedding the entire blade into the web between my thumb and forefinger, right befiore it happened I said "This is a stupid way to do this"
I was correct in my assumption.
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein
http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/
Even if we weren't dummies our wives would think we are (conveyed of course with exquisite body English). So don't work too hard to be a non-dummy.
The REAL dummies are the guys who get payback by smirking and rolling their eyes when their wives then proceed to burn their fingers making dinner or cut themselves slicing vegetables, etc.
On a much more serious note, I recall a mention (but cannot remember the name or any details) in MR decades ago about a really well known modeler of the time who died because he used power tools in wet surroundings. As Linn Westcott said, here was a guy who knew power tools and their risks and rules as well as anyone in the hobby -- and he still made the biggest mistake of all.
Dave Nelson
bedrock Not sure about all this. I wanted to post a question and could not figure out how to get it going so I grabbed Mel. My question is about replacing trucks. I have a lot of cars dating back to the 80's. Many have plastic wheels. I want to upgrade them and when I look at the number of HO trucks offered by Walthers, I've got no idea which to get. HELP!!!
Go to General Discussion (or the other headings) and you'll see a box that says Create a New Discussion Topic.
To briefly address your question (although I suggest you re-post it as a stand alone question), if you like the look of the current trucks and they fit well on the car, why not just replace the wheels with metal wheels? The Walthers catalog offers many options for 33" (old freight car) and 36" (passenger car and modern heavy freight cars) wheels. Kadee sells good ones that some guys do not like because the wheel treads are darkened (I grind off the tread darkening with a wire brush in a Dremel Tool). Intermountain makes good wheels too. There are many good brands. There is also a tool called a Truck Tuner that reams out the bearings in plastic trucks to accept different axles and makes the truck very free rolling. MicroMark sells it.
If you are determined to replace the trucks with all metal you'll want to know something about freight car trucks, and that really gets beyond the scope of this brief reply. They vary depending on era and the different manufacturers of prototype trucks all had their own "look" -- how fussy do you want to be? These days all trucks are roller bearing but they still vary by load capacity and other details. Again unless you are prepared to do some research maybe it is smarter for now to stick with the trucks you've got and just replace the wheels.
We're all dummies at different times and in different ways. If there's a modeler who says he hasn't cut himself or made a foolish and painful move, then he's a beginner or a liar. There are things I know pretty well, but if you ask me a question about DCC, you'll get a more reliable answer by asking your Brite Boy. Yes, THAT Brite Boy.
This morning I fell flat on my back because of a foolish move. Not smart at my age. Fortunately, I wasn't hurt seriously, but this evening I'm getting angry messages from parts of me that I didn't know I had.
Tom
Well it is unrelated to model railroading, but I learned the hard way NOT to get between 2 squirrels whenthey are arguing.
Not sure where to start :
So here it goes. Years ago I used to work with my tools as a carpenter. From that time I have-
Nailed two fingers together with a spiral framing nail ( hit a knot and shot out the side )
Nailed my knee - Shooting a framing nail into a joist and again it shot out the top and into my knee - took a trip to the hospital to get that one out.
Nearly cut the tip of one finger off ( sawzalling and old metal window out and it hung up and then jumped out and came across my finger - still running )
Deep cut into my right knee - ( Gaurd hung on the worm drive saw from the ice and caught the coverals and pulled right into the knee - lots of stitches )
Hanging drywall on metal studs got going to fast and ran a screw through the drywall, through the metal stud and then through my finger - ouch -
My boss wonders why I am so paranoid about safety on the project !
YGW
Have one of those scars on the palm of my hand. I was trying to remove a crazed up canopy (had not heard of canopy glue) when I was 8 and stuck the knife right in my hand.
That's not being a DUMMY. It's battle damage! Just tape it up and get back in the fight!
From: "Been There Done That"
Last week I blew 2 bulbs and fried a decoder. That was a $50 mistake I didn't need.
This appears to be an OUCH ! thread.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
CajonTim!
Good attitude! Damn the torpedos!!
I have a left index finger with limited feeling because I did exactly what Mel did. I remember thinking very clearly to myself that "I shouldn't be doing this" but of course stupidity prevailed and I sliced the end of my finger wide open.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
I have more scars on my body than a battle-proven WWII veteran. OK, the biggest one comes from a triple by-pass surgery I had to undergo recently, but those on my hands and arms and thighs were earned through model railroading. How on earth does one get wounded in action on a thigh? Never be in the way of a dropped blade!
Whenever I get out a power tool, something pointy and sharp, or - even worse - my soldering iron, my wife has that sinister smile on her face and reaches out for the first aid kit!
Have fun with your trains
Julian
Modeling Pre-WP merger UP (1974-81)
There are those who would suggest that you have to be a dummy to be in this hobby in the first place. Or, to quote Firesign Theatre (1971), "I think we're all Bozos on this Bus."
[quote user="RR_Mel"]
Been there done that. Most of my injuries in the past year have been jamming sharp rail joiners into my fingers when trying to put them onto rail. Ouch.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
In addition to the usual assortment of exacto cuts and solder burns, there's when I was very new to Sherline machines. Reached in to grab the fuzz off the part in the machine, just as it stopped spinning... Nope!
Turns out it was just BEFORE it stopped spinning! Them there milling bits cut going sideways all the way up the shank. Only a band-aid and tape cut thankfully. That coulda been nasty. Now I wait.