pic: David on the drill press

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What is wrong with this picture?

Clamps?! Unless there’s a tightened fastener holding the part in place I can’t see…

I count three things.

Something about the clamping system makes me cringe…

Dangly jewelry… could pose a choking hazard… and is a serious fashion faux pas

I’ll amend my post slightly and say IF the drill press is on and IF he’s actively drilling a hole, then there are safety issues. I will admit it’s a little hard to tell from the photo and it’s possible the student is just lining up the part for placement without the press being on. In which case I’m hopeful the clamp(s) would be the next step :slight_smile:

  1. Lack of clamping, unless there’s something I can’t see.
  2. Can’t tell if the necklace is in fact tucked in. If it is not, that’s a hazard.
  3. Something goes wrong, and the press retracts, his head’s going to get hit by the lowering handle.
  4. Can’t tell for sure, but it looks like he may be using a drill press and drill bit as a mill and mill bit. You might get away with the first one, if you use a mill instead of a drill bit. You don’t want to do both, though.

He is in fact wearing safety glasses, which is a good thing. However, they can’t protect you completely.

As a Occupational Medicine physician, I have soon numerous injuries involving foreign objects in the eye even with the use of safety glasses, or welding shields. The problem is that metal or wood fragments land on the safety glasses’ frame and when removing the glasses, the fragments fall into the eye.

One solution is a piece of double-sided tape on the top edge of the frames if you are grinding or sanding.

Lets make the 2010 season accident-free!

Gloves?

Incorrect. Gloves are in fact a safety hazard when used in that type of proximity to a rapidly rotating object, such as a drill or mill bit. Same reason as long hair and necklaces.

I’ve done both of these, the first one hurts. The second one I didn’t realize until someone mentioned it (there is a reason I don’t machine) I had mixed up a drill bit for a mill bit on the mill. Nothing broke thankfully but the teacher was pretty sure that was only because I was cautious and not forcing it to cut much of a soft material. (Ok, look, I COULDN’T force it, I weighed in at a whopping 80lbs and had to get a ladder to change the bit)

So, in my way too informed opinion, DON’T DO EITHER OF THESE!

Clamp that thing down, it may seem relatively harmless but anything spinning at >1000 rpm is dangerous add into that the likely hood that it will fall off and fling at you and you are in trouble.