Accidents that happened during lapidary ?

Hahaha. I'm with Mel here. Just earlier today, I twisted my ankle something fierce while collecting up one of our cricks here. The rocks were slippery and the melting ice/snow even more. Then again, I'm just a tumbler, so I'm less prone to get myself with saws and so forth.

Rocklicker got popped here on his homebuilt tumbler here the other day. Belt guards are advised! Warning - don't click here unless you can handle a little gore!

forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=Pictures&thread=36492&page=1

I must join Revco and Mel. Two weeks ago as I headed up a steep and muddy slope, my vehicle started spinning and I almost went over a cliff, that surely would have flipped my car. Proceeded to escape from this predicament only to get the car stuck and walk about two miles into town for a tow truck. I should add that after almost going over a cliff the hike was a pleasant diversion and the $200+ tow truck bill didn't even cause me to blink an eye. All the while my dog, who get extremely bored when I am rock hunting, slept in the back seat.

If this thread is still going, rattlesnake season will soon be upon us where I live. My stories likely will improve as the hazards increase.

I still have a small scab on my nose where a piece of airborne petrified wood hit me (after I hit it). I got a full face mask. Not to be outdone, a piece of quartz smashed into my knuckle and left a bruise and "dome" about quarter size on my left hand. The cuts and scrapes don't even count anymore!

I thus far only tumble. I am a cabber/slabber wannabee, so as soon as finances permit I will add stories of black eyes, missing fingers and chipped teeth.

Susan

Cholla in the leg while collecting, been there done that with Rodney and Jamie in AZ,LOL. Cut fingers, reaching into cut obsidian....very sharp.....wearing safety glasses is probably the biggest warning to give people, I know I tend to forget to wear them while cabbing and little pieces of rock can really fly when grinding. Oh and I accidentally bumped my 2 litter of water I keep to fill the cabbing machine, on to the electrical strip, good reminder to have your equipment plugged in to grounded outlets, LOL. And respirators when cabbing abalone, malachite and other hazardous materials.

Amber brought up a good point, and a reminder that I mean't to post something last week. I hate wearing safety glasses, but eye protection to me is the most important. Here's my way around that........

The only accidents I have had working with my equipment is the small friction burns/scrapes that many of us have experienced working with sanding / grinding wheels and drums. When collecting I have cut my hands on sharp edges many times. Gloves prevent this but often I an to excited about grabbing a piece and don't realize there is a sharp edge. I hit my thumb once when collecting leaf fossils. The ground at the location is normally stable but with a little water turns into a slip and slide. I was using a rock hammer to split layers and the action of moving the hammer was enough to cause me to lose my footing and as I slid I hit my thumb instead of the rock. If it is slightly wet I won't even try to access that location.

I was collecting up in the mountains. At one point I stopped and I was on a simple little grade. It was not steep at all. Somehow I lost my balance and as I went down I put my left hand down to brace myself. It ended up on a spanish dagger cactus. It hurt, but I still continued on for about another half hour. All of a sudden my hand started to cramp up. Sort of like holding a ball without the ball in it. I decided to leave for home and try to take out the cactus point at home. On the way the pain started to kick so I went to the doctor. He was closed. My wife took me to ER. They cut into the hand and couldn't find the point. They gave me pain killers and I had to wait two days for a visit to a hand doctor. For those two days the pain was unbearable. From the bottom palm of my hand to the tips of the fingers it felt as if bolts of high voltage electricity was going through it. Finally the specialist saw me, and scheduled me for surgery. Another two day wait. I ended up having the same type of surgery as when you have carpal tunnel syndrome. He found the two inch point deep inside my hand. It had lodged in between two bundles of nerves and every time the point touched them, the extreme pain would shoot out. Luckily no lasting damage was done and I have full use of my hand.

Condor

Knock on wood, I've haven't had an accident yet. Just the usual lost skin from working with SiC belts.

As for diamond saw blades, you can push on them pretty hard with a finger tip and you might get a friction burn at worst.

Chuck