Hand Protection

[CJT]

Hello, this became very relevant to me again last night. While roughing out the shape with my dremel, the wood rasp bit caught the wood and traveled down and across my fingernail and part way up my finger. These high rpms can really do a number on flesh. Good news, the blood didn't get on the carving.

 

I'm interested in suggestions for safe hand protection while carving with rotary tools. I'm concerned with fabric based gloves, since some bits (particularly wood carving bits) can catch the fibers and end up causing even more damage. My first thought would be to try a thin leather glove, but I imagine that would make it almost impossible to hold onto the piece with any confidence. Perhaps a leather archery (three fingered) glove?

 

Very best,

CJ

[Janel]

Hi CJ,

 

I am sorry to hear of your injury, and hope that it will not keep you from working. You are on the right track with considering gloves. Light weight leather might not last long, but is replaceable.

 

When I begin a carving with my micromotor and roughing out bits, I wear gloves with tough leather, perhaps goat skin that I acquired from the hardware store. They are not tight fitting, since they are small men's gloves, or perhaps medium and loose fitting. I am still able to grasp the piece with them on, especially having had the same fingernail and flesh experiences and wanting to avoid the really big one that could put me out of work for a while.

 

Elsewhere on the forum discussion has been had regarding how we hold our work. I use a white variety of "poster putty" the kneadable tacky sticky stuff that aids in putting things on walls without tape. It comes in white, yellow and blue, from various manufacturers. I prefer the neutral white kind, perhaps by Elmer's, though am unsure at the moment. I use the whole packet, knead it into a lump and stick it onto my carving peg. The material being carved then has an extra means of entrapment to the degree you allow it.

 

Another aid are "bench cookies" by Rockler. They are hockey puck shaped with soft foam rubber designed to be non-skid. They are stackable to some degree and can add elevation that allows grasping the material being carved from different angles and more directional approaches with the micro-grinder.

 

Be aware of the grain of the wood or material being carved. One direction, with the grain works great, against the grain is very catchy and causes the tool to travel unpredictably.

 

Being all too familiar with the catch and travel of the high speed grinder bits I always wear gloves or suffer the consequences as I learn about the form as it is set into the grain direction of the wood. I also wear ear plugs and work in front of a dust collector on high speed, which is also tricked out with plexiglass panels to keep flying bits out of my face. The work and tools may be small, but the injuries can be very big if one does not practice a safety routine while using the high speed micro grinders.

 

Janel

[Antoine LM]

Bonjour Janel,

 

Thank you (once again) for all this information and experience you are sharing.

As a complete beginner I find it quite instructive and informative.

 

I have a set of gloves I just acquired but I am afraid they are a little on the light side.

Need some thicker gloves to protect fingers and hands.

 

 

L8r,

Antoine

[CJT]

Thanks Janel! I'll see what the local hardware store has in terms of light weight leather gloves. I'm even considering cutting away the palm-side fingers except for the fingertips, thinking that might offer protection to the back-side of my hand (where I carved myself) while letting the bare palm-side hold onto the piece. If I figure out such a thing, I'll share it here.

 

I wouldn't have thought about the putty stuff. It sounds much like making a type of dop-stick tool (like with cabochon making) and seems like it could help solve some of these problems. Next time I'm out, I'll try picking up a pack of putty. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

 

Vest best,

CJ

[alain]

For protection ,

You have , Kevler Gloves , Cut Resistant Gloves ,

website ,

http://www.envirosaf...ant-gloves.html

 

and butcher gloves , braided stainless steel ,

website ,

http://www.ebay.com/...+gloves&_sop=15

[Antoine LM]

Bonsoir Alain,

 

Right now I have about the same gloves:

http://www.envirosafetyproducts.com/kevlar-latex-coated-glove.html

 

They seem to be quite resistant to knifes, just gave them a try on purpose

When I get a chance I will post you a picture of them.

 

L8r,

Antoine

[CJT]

Great! Those Kevlar gloves work well for hand carving, but I would avoid using them with any motorized equipment. If the rotary tool bits grab onto the weave, it could cause damage to the gloves, your tools, and your hands. That's why I posed the question under this context. Luckily, most rotary tools don't have much torque, so it's unlikely to take your fingers off (as a drill or lathe would), but I would only use such protection when carving things with knife tools.

 

Good advice though! I will use it when I pick up the detailing knives.

 

Very best,

CJ

[Tony N]

sorry to hear about your mishap i would sugest going to a saftey supply shop and talk to them they might be able to help or try the thin mesh glove butchers use i hoope this helps all the best and keep up carving

[Janel]

Thinner leather gloves would be better than no gloves. I've used them as well, but gravitated to the thicker leather, which seems to last. I think that the thin ones were taken for other uses and were never returned.

 

Janel

[Ed Twilbeck]

The best safety advice is to keep your cutting blades SHARP and clean , know where your cutting edge is going into and out of what you are cutting. If you have to force your tool to cut in is not sharp, or you are going against. Cut your material the way it wants to be cut.. They are gloves made for wood carvers to prevent you from cutting your skin. .They are not for use with rotary tools.

Power tools like Dremel and others that are rotary and use different rasp and cutters will catch the wood , once again keep them clean and replace them if they are dull . Speed control use a slower speed with the coarse cutters, if you have to force your tool something is not correct,, you are going against the grain or your bit is dull or clogged. Leather gloves are ok but they need to be tight fitting with no loose ends or excess material. Burrs and cutter will grab loose fitting cloves. The carving gloves have a mesh type weave that will grab the cutters and the burrs.

Take your time and go slow, let your tool do the work,, you just guide your tool .

[SileIndigo]

I don't use any hand protection when I'm using a micromotor or flex shaft; I think it would make it too hard to hold onto my carving. Those Saburr carbide burrs sure do hurt when you slip and get your fingers, though!! Good thing I heal fast!! ; )

When I'm scroll sawing or band sawing I wear some "cut-protection" fabric gloves with rubbery fingers and palms. They've definitely saved my fingers from cuts on a number of occasions, and make me feel a lot more comfortable when I have to get in close proximity to the blade when cutting out something small.