Worst Ouch, Building a Model?

[Skip]

This is sort of a spin-off of Derick's "This years Darwin Award goes out to..." Hopefully we can humor his injured digit back to full function with a few laughs at our own expense. We've all done something really stupid, so let's hear about it.

I've got two to start off with.

First, I was using a Dremel "slit saw" in the flex shaft (no guard of any kind) cutting into a chunk of aluminum. Next thing I know there is a redish spray and a slight pain to the tip of my left ring finger. I quickly shut the Dremel off, examined my finger which is split open from the tip through the nail to the nail bed, not bleeding yet! My wife came to see what all the four letter adjectives, asking if she should look or not, "no just get the car out of the garage so you can take me to the ER". The Doctor thought that this was a very humorous injury, even calling another Doc over to look at it. The nurse throually enjoyed scrubbing it out with a "wire" brush as the feeling had now come back with a vengence! I was told that they didn't stitch up these type of wounds anymore they just superglue them together. They even gave me a couple of tubes so if things opened up again, I still have one in the garage and the other in the hobby room! Finger healed up nicely, it was more embarrassing than anything. Lesson learned, just use a razor saw, as in the right tool for the job.

Second, While sitting at the drawing table that I was using to build on at the time an exacto knife went rolling down the table top between my knees. Now I knew better than grabbbin the thing with my hands, I might get cut! Without a thought as the flying exacto was dead center between my legs, I quickly brought them together, with enough force to impale myself halfway up the knurled tightening ring!! Hole in jeans and leg, oops! Worst of all hole in flesh is squirting blood, just barely knicked an artery! Again ask the wife to get the car out so we can go to the ER. Evidently the Doc felt compassion or just didn't want to get blood everywhere and got me sewed up quickly! I was lucky that the cut to the artery was small otherwise they would have had to do it in surgery. Two lessons learned. First - if an exacto knife becomes airborne get out of the way and let it fall. Two - feminine hygene products are good for more than their intended use, don't be embarrassed to use what you gotta use!!

[JM485]

I went through a period of about a month where I kept on cutting the tip of my thumb with a box cutting blade. This was totally a lapse in concentration and nothing bad, but it is really annoying to have a nice cut on the tip of the finger that you use the most.

[Dave Ambrose]

For reasons I still don't understand, my parents would never get me a set of needle files. So, being the ever clever teenager, I used my Xacto knife in ways that should really never be tried. I cut myself a lot. Another week, another trip to the doctor to sew me up. My right hand is pretty scarred up to this day. It really would have been cheaper for them to spend the money on the needle files.

[RodneyBad]

outside of a few pokes and chabs with the Ole X-Acto Blade or Lil Drill Bit.

Nothing Major..

I also avoid using my Pocket Knife for a X-actro Knife..

Edited March 23, 2013 by RodneyBad

[Jantrix]

I sliced open the pad of my left thumb from stem to stern with a razor knife about 25 years ago. Since then just little nics and cuts occasionally.

[disabled modeler]

I cut my thumb to the bone got some nerves and 8 stitches.

[jerseyjunker1]

i am listening to all of these stories and believe me i have many of my own but i am getting dizzy from all your horror stories all this blood and gore i think i am going to faint as i can't take the sight of blood .

moral of story

use the right tools and be very carefull

please

[Tompidom]

Well i only cut myself once a day(if i am moddeling) but not to deep just the skin. And when i drill holes in brake disks i drill my thumb atleast 30 times Luckely nothing serious.

[mnwildpunk]

Quite I few years ago I almost cut my middle finger on my left hand completly off on sheetmetal that went right through my glove. I had it sown back on. But ever since the feeling isn't quite right so it gets stabbed poked and smashed a lot. Mostly at my model workbench.

X-acto knives are nasty little tools. Like you guys mine rolled off the bench but I didn't reach for it and it fell and like an arrow stabbed me in the top of the foot. I had just changed the blade and it was stuck in my foot a good 1/8" to 1/4" lesson learned. I always wear shoes at the bench now. Why couldn't it have stabbed the cat? Lol honestly just kidding

My boy Beau learned that razor saws are sharp on his very first model. I told him he can use the saw but not an X-acto knife cause the couple time I saw him pick-up the knife he was being very irresponsible with it. So I told him hands off! when he nicked hmself with the saw I told him be very glad it wasn't the knife!

[TooOld]

About 20 years ago while using a Dremel with a cutoff wheel on it , my little Yorkshire Terrier decide to jump on my lap ( completely unexpected ! ) . I won't get too gorey here but right now I'm looking at a scar that goes from the tip of my left thumb , under my nail , and along the top of my thumb for about an inch . To this day only one half of my thumbnail ever grows ! Pretty weird

[Deathgoblin]

Absolute worst was cutting about a quarter inch into my finger tip while disassembling a kit using a scalpel blade.

[Lunajammer]

Never been blooded.

[slusher]

Dropped the hobby knife and ended up sticking sticking straight up in the top of my foot. Cut a 2 inch gash in my thumb. last few years have not had any cuts and mishaps...

[Gramps2u]

I razor sawed my hand a few years back the doc wanted $400 dollars to start then he said he would discuss the remaining balance. The cut was only 2 inches long. The wife drove me home we did our own fix with some handy dandy peel & stick stitches from Walgreen's. I move out of the way when possible LOL then again I move slowly!

[philo426]

I will get the rare nick but I am very careful with my Dremel so no problems thus far!(knock on wood)!I keep both metal drawers of my workbench open as I work so if the exacto knife rolls it will go into the drawer and not in my foot or leg..

[Blown03SVT]

Thankfully I have never done damamge that required a hospital visit. But I have definitely poked and fillet a few fingers. Most of the worst injuries I have succumed too have been from either cooking or working on my 1:1 cars.

As a side note... when I did my year in the Afghan sandbox the guys and gals that did convoys carried tampons with then to stop bleeding should someone get hit. They kept them in their medi-pacs they carried on their IBA's.

Edited March 26, 2013 by Blown03SVT

[Deano]

Never been blooded.

You had to say that. didn't you? Now, IT WILL HAPPEN!

[Lunajammer]

You had to say that. didn't you? Now, IT WILL HAPPEN!

Oh, that's as sure as losing the lottery. Okay, the closest I came happened during my year modeling professionally, a barrel bur on a motor tool ripped across my knuckles. Stung like a mother (in-law) but didn't require treatment.

[rigbuilder]

Few years back I was using my x-acto to cut the top of a 57 belair slipped and severed the nerve that runs into my left pinky finger. Finger still works just can't feel anything. Never finished the belair unfortunately. I don't chop tops anymore.

[uncle potts]

Two - feminine hygene products are good for more than their intended use, don't be embarrassed to use what you gotta use!!

While on vacation in a friends borrowed condo , I broke the glass soap dish in the shower. Cut the top of my foot open, requiring 7 stitches, there were no bandages, thank god for the ladies "supplies" under the bathroom vanity. Not model related, just wanted to confirm that they work very well.

[rmvw guy]

Probably my worst hurt was when I was a kid and before I learned what a hobby knife was, I used double edge razor blades I snuck out of the medicine cabinet. I remember trying to cut the doors out on an old AMT '32 Ford 5-window. I never told my Mom, I cut my hand wide open and probably should have had stitches but, some how kept it hidden until it healed.

[ToyLvr]

My story sounds like Ron's.

As a kid, I didn't have a hobby knife, never heard of an Exacto or whatever.

Was using a razor blade to trim something on a model, slipped, sliced open my thigh (summertime, was wearing shorts, sitting on the floor). Successfully hid the injury from my parents. Should have had stitches. Still have a big scar.

And just to think that my parents thought model building was a nice, safe, indoor activity to keep me out of trouble....

[Pro Wrench]

I make my living with my hands and as such have mangled them more than most would care to know about. BUT that's also why I am particularly careful when I am working on models and have never had any mishaps worse than gluing my fingers together with CA. Well, I did glue my tongue to my bottom lip trying to be a cheapass and blow the excess CA out of a clue tip.

[forthlin]

About 10 years ago before I started wearing glasses I was gluing a part & flung super glue into my eye. I had to go to my eye Dr. & He put my head in a vice like thing & scraped it out. No fun & very painful.

[tabsscale1]

Worst pain I ever had at the model bench happened when I dropped a airbrush bottle full of lacquer thinner in my lap. Think I Broke the record in getting my pants off and getting into a shower to wash it off.