Had my first accident. I was turning two small Shaker-style knobs on a piece if white oak. I was using a 1" scraper between the knobs, the scraper jambed, the tuning (and both knobs) cracked and splintered. I got 6 cuts on my left hand--three cuts on the side of my hand. I stopped the bleeding within 10 minutes. I'm not sure what I could have done to avoid this accident. I have a DC variable-speed motor. Perhaps my tools could be sharper? Maybe using a shorter piece (mine was much longer than needed) of wood? I'm glad I alwasys wear a face shield.
Sorry to hear about the injury. I figure just about all accidents are avoidable. Short of a hidden time bomb, an investigation usually results in an "I shoulda known" somewhere in the process.
Start with technique. It sounds like the scraper was too high on the piece. A scraper should not catch or jam if it is below center (or pointed below the center of rotation). Any itty bitty kind of catch should bounce the edge free. A scrape is a slightly trailing cut.
If that was OK, then how thin was it where you were scraping and did you have a lot of pressure on the tail stock? Sometimes we crank down so tight on a spindle it will flex when it gets thin. Then comes chatter and sometimes too much pressure on the tool as it tries to flex away. The thinner the spindle the lighter the touch.
Also, what was the thinnest point between the tool and headstock? Sometimes we (myself included) take an area down too small then go back to touch something up and forget that all the power is being driven through a toothpick.
Not that, then maybe a dull tool and too much pressure. Even though scrapers look like they are made for a 'heavy duty' application, they are really finesse tools. Keep them sharp and use a soft touch.
Congratulations on the choice to use a face shield. Isn't binocular vision great?
The scraper was slightly below the center, but in this case the sides of the scraper were also scraping the wood. I noticed a little wood burning on the sides.
The point I was scraping was about 1/2" dia. I probably did apply too much pressure. Where I was scraping was the thinnest part of the wood.
I'm going to sharpen my tools before I do any more turning, plus apply a lighter touch.
I've been turning for a few years now, and I'm still learning. I did not expect a scraper to catch, but have experienced numerous catches with the skew. BTW my hand is feeling better and I have a little more respect for the lathe.
"Phisherman" wrote" (clip) I was using a 1" scraper between the knobs, the scraper jambed, (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Sounds like you might have accidentally caused the scraper to contact and try to cut both knobs at the same time. Having some unintended part of the cutting edge suddenly hit the wood can cause unexpected tool movement like this. DAMHIK.
A scraper is really not the tool of choice for 99% of spindle work. You will get much better results if you use a gouge or (don't tell anyone I suggested this) even a parting tool can give you a very good surface used properly. You can also investigate the 3/8 beading and parting tool if you like. Don't get hung up on trying to use a skew -- it can wait.
You can watch all the videos in the world but there is no substitute for having somebody stand beside or behind you and help you learn the motions which make for good results safely.
Had to be below center to kick the piece up, didn't it? I take that as some good food for thought, and cut with my parting or beading tool when sizing tenons. Cutting's best above center, which defends the operator from accidents by barrier and Newton.
Sounds like your piece pinched in a bit from the pressure, and grabbed the edge of the tool. Choose and use a tool narrower at least by half than the distance desired is my thought. Just remember to get those end undercuts made before you reduce the middle.
Scrapers _always_ catch. That's how they work, and why they leave such a torn surface. Before someone takes me to task about "shear scraping," that's cutting with a short-beveled edge.
Try planing with a non-skewed chisel and you'll wonder why there isn't one in every kit.
Fortunately my adventures yesterday only gave me one barked knuckle, and that from changing speeds with the belt.
Phisherman - sounds like you got in a bind - literally. The action, as I interpret from your description, sounds as though you were using the scraper like a very wide parting tool. With parters you need to create some clearance between the sidewalls so the tool doesn't bind. Make a shallow cut and then move to one side slightly and make another. Alternate side to side to deepen the cut. Also, the 1" wide tool was really putting some stress on that wood - which led to some major vibration and probably caused a quite a bit of flexing which likely triggered the bind and everything coming apart.
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