More pinblock stuff/safety

[Nick Gravagne]

Ed and all,

 

Exactly so! I have not used the pinblock cutter, but I have assisted others
on several occasions. The tail of the piano was pushed against the wall to
resist rearward force applied by the router operator. My job was to help
steady things even further against any movement of the piano.

 

Many fine points have been raised RE the safe use of power tools and a safe
environment in which to use them. May I add a few more?

 

1)       In our shop, and the many times I have worked in David Vanderlip's
shop, we hold to the idea of what we called "regrouping". This means that
after every major task (or mini tasks to a point) we make it a rule to stop
the work, clean up (especially the floor), put tools up, get ready for the
next phase, and go wash our faces. When we return it almost feels like a new
day. It is amazing what benefits this discipline will yield, safety being
one of them.

2)       Our body and physical structure is our primary power tool. And it
too can keep running like an orphaned bandsaw by way of daydreaming and
otherwise not paying attention. 

3)       The shop is a dance floor. At the risk of positing too-fanciful an
idea, have we given enough thought to how we actually move through and
around the shop? Is it haphazard, frantic, careless; or is it controlled and
steady, disciplined, almost ballet-like. 

4)       We all can't take dance or acting lessons, but we can and should
know how classically trained dancers and stage-trained actors think. It
becomes second nature after a while, but such artists always know where they
are in space and time. And this means not only their entire frames, but arms
and legs, hands and feet as well. And they know the stage sets they are
working and moving in completely, and they "see" not only what is in front
of them, but what is behind them. 

5)       Try this: next time in the shop pay attention, in an exaggerated
way if necessary, to all your movements. How far are you from the workbench,
from the door? Have you reached for that drill with your palm down or more
like reaching out to shake someone's hand? I know this may sound ridiculous,
but try it. The possibilities and personal customizing are endless. Once
this catches on you will develop a new sense as to where you are in time and
space. Safety will follow, as well as a heightened awareness of the features
of your best power tool. You!

 

Cheers

 

Nick Gravagne, RPT

Piano Technicians Guild

Member Society Manufacturing Engineers

Voice Mail 928-476-4143

 

  _____  

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Ed Sutton
Sent: Wednesday, August 06, 2008 7:03 PM
To: Pianotech List
Subject: Re: More pinblock stuff/safety

 

The work piece (in this case the piano) needs to be firmly fastened down.
You don't want the piano to start wandering while you're working on it with
a router.

Ed S.

----- Original Message ----- 

From: Fenton Murray <mailto:fmurray at cruzio.com>  

To: Pianotech List <mailto:pianotech at ptg.org>  

Sent: Wednesday, August 06, 2008 9:25 PM

Subject: Re: More pinblock stuff/safety

 

Will,

What has 3 eyes, and 19 fingers? Two old fa*** in a piano shop. I think
we're both saying safety first. I've gotten very serious about safety in the
last 10 years or so and would love to see the subject pursued on a thread. I
hope I'm corrected on some of this and learn something.

More on the router in this inherently dangerous procedure.

Router should be:

Variable speed ( I think this bit is limited to about 12000 rpm )

2 handles

An additional safety feature depending on your preference is a foot operated
switch.

Also, on the subject of ear, eyes, and lung.

This stuff is critical not just to protect these three body parts but for
overall quality and safety. Think about a guy using a grinder with no eye
protection, he closes his eyes and looks away from the work and he grinds
away. How do I know that? 8 years ago I had a piece of wire off the wire
wheel pulled out of my eye. Face shield for this stuff, a good one. Safety
promotes quality work because your environment becomes controlled and you
can see and focus on your work with out being scared of what your doing. I
was in the hospital a few months ago with a respiratory infection that went
into pneumonia that started to affect my heart, all from working in someone
else's shop for a few days with filthy air and no mask. I can't fool around
with this stuff anymore or I'm done. I'm putting in a cyclone with .5 micron
filters as per Terry F. recommendation from ClearVue Cyclones. 

You've got to have rules like:

Never leave a band saw running while you go do something else, you don't
hear it because the vacs on, you don't see the blade because it's moving.
Don't clear the pieces off the table till the blade stops. I love power
tools, I enjoy overcoming the potential danger by learning how to safely use
the tool. 

With a lot of tools the most dangerous thing the tool can do is kick back,
knowing and understanding how that happens and how to avoid it will greatly
increase safety.

I'm done.  For now.

Fenton

 

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