More pinblock stuff/safety

[Fenton Murray]

Right on, Nick. I'm going to paste that on the wall, I have a re-newed energy for working on stuff.
Fenton
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Nick Gravagne 
  To: 'Ed Sutton' ; 'Pianotech List' 
  Sent: Wednesday, August 06, 2008 7:58 PM
  Subject: RE: More pinblock stuff/safety


  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

   


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  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 

    To: Pianotech List 

    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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