Boring Dog Holes

Be sure to read, understand and follow all the safety rules that come with your power tools. Knowing how to use your power tools PROPERLY will greatly reduce the risk of personal injury. And remember this. There is no other more important safety rule…than to wear THESE…safety glasses…

How many of us have this lined burned into our memories, able to conjure it up and recite at will? As much as this has become a joke, Norm Abrams did a lot to inform all of us on safety in the wood shop.

Add to this the mantra of no long sleeves, removing rings and other jewelry, and tying back long hair that has been beat into our heads at woodworking shows, classes, and by carnival staff while in line for a roller coaster.

So with all this stimulus to do the right thing why is it I always forget to remove my wedding ring in the shop? Sure I’m a hand tool guy so this advice doesn’t really apply…that is until you bore 42 3/4 – 1 1/2″ holes in 5″ thick stock with a brace and bit over the course of 3 hours. Let’s just say the blister under my ring is large enough that my wedding ring cut off circulation to the finger and I HAD to remove it eventually.

I finished up the planing beam accessory for my Joinery Bench this weekend and between boring out the monster mortises and installing dog holes up the leg and down the beam, my brace arm and auger bit file got a workout.

I guess my week days of sitting in front of computer running marketing campaigns doesn’t help toughen my hands after all.  Who knew?