The following was forwarded to the web site by Martin Groneng as a reminder to all of us not to take our safety at the lathe for granted!
I was dismayed to read about the following on a penturning news forum I follow. I was able to find out more and share this tragedy with you all and suggest we review our turning practices. A recent fatality to a turner near Hamilton occurred. Please refer to the following link to the Flamborough newspaper http://www.flamboroughreview.com/news/article/267516 .
There are a number of comments and discussion of lathe safety on the Canadian Woodworking forum at the following link http://forum.canadianwoodworking.com/showthread.php?t=27959 .
Subsequent follow-up by a forum moderator from the AAW determined that the accident was the result of an apparent catch with resulting tool breakage and separated piece of flying wood that caused a fatal blow to the head http://www.aawforum.org/vbforum/showthread.php?t=6321 messages 8 & 9.
The thing we should all take away from a tragedy like this is that we are working with a power tool with the potential for serious damage to life and limb. We should all remember the comments from John Van Kessel after his lathe accident as well as the story Doug Magrath tells of his friend and turner in the States that was hit by a flying piece of wood. We have even seen lathe parts fail during guild demos.
We all know the potential for damage a table saw, a band saw, or a router can do and we perhaps take the lathe for granted - DON'T - as we have seen, it too can injure, maim, and KILL!
PLEASE, PLEASE, BE CAREFUL, give this tool the respect it deserves! Take particular care of the condition of your billet of wood with the emphasis on cracks, splits, and inclusions.
A regular review of turning safety guidelines is a must and for this reason I have attached a copy of the AAW lathe safety guidelines. PLEASE READ THEM BEFORE YOU USE YOUR LATHE THE NEXT TIME!
Turn safely!
Bob,
Editor, TVWTG
London, Ont.