Sorry for the lengthy post... Friday night after I got home from work my wife had a present for me She told me that I deserved it! I love my wife! (I've hand split 6-7 cord for the last 3 years). Which I still love to split by hand, but I suppose it was time to get a splitter since I've run into more wood than I can keep up with with the fiskars. Ok fast forward to Saturday morn. I was havin a blast with this thing! I was splitting some hickory and oak to get a nice start to the 3 yr stacks. I got a bit less than a cord split and stacked I then decided to start workin on a second row.. I picked up a big round of red oak which was a 19" by 30" crotch, started walking toward the splitter, tripped and fell. The oak round pinched my right thumb and pointer finger between it and a locust round. I ripped my glove off and realized I better call my wife and tell her I'm headed to the er. She unfortunately happens to be a Pa at the er. So I get the works. Here is a picture of my thumb after they reset the bone I unfortunately didn't get a shot of it while the bone was sticking out lol. Anywho... Turns out I broke my thumb in a couple places, and fractured the tip of my pointer...my wife stitched me up this morning after the swelling went down enough to do so. Only took 8 stitches. (Minor for me). I have to follow up with the surgeon in 4 days blah blah blah! After I got my head on straight this morning, I managed to split and stack a little over a cord and a half of locust and ash before the rain made me quit.
1. What a cool gift 2. You had a bone sticking outa the thumb!?!?? 3. And then after its fixed ya get right back to splitting ?!?!? Sorry to hear of the mishap. Very nice stacks. I would have soaked that injury for sympathy and R & R for a good month....
well you're back together and working again thats good. a before picture would if been neat. seems like a bad month for splitter operators. you know its partially her fault for buying that splitter, odds are you would of never went to split that piece with the fiskars.
Splitsnstacks, you get a (bad sense of humor I know) sorry you got hurt that sucks. .. kudos to you for having a great wife.. is she a nurse? I asked my wife to sew me up she said NO! had to do it myself... But nice splitter! Broken thumb and a nice splitter a thumb will heal..
Haha the sad truth is, I would have tried with the fiskars. It's not her fault at all, I was rushing around and being careless. I wish I could say that I learn from all of my mistakes, but I surely don't. It could have been way worse. I even declined anyfer kinda pain treatment because it was nothing that the yuengling brothers couldn't take care of! Besides, if'n I wouldn't have got right back to splittin it would have been torture looking at partially finished stacks!
Actually, great sense of humor! Haha. No my wife is a pa (physicians assistant) basically a doctor without the crazy mal practice insurance... Well and high pay lol. She has Sewn me up more times than I care to admit.
I guessed.. PA are better then doctors... my grandmother was WW-11 army nurse she in my misspent youth fixed many of my ah chit.. moments
Second splitter mishap in the last few weeks around here and I am about to drag mine out and get busy.....better put on steel mesh gloves I guess.
Splitsnstacks that is a terrible thing to happen. Especially after getting the great gift of the new splitter. On the other hand, I will caution you in that many times one will blame themselves; like your wife taking it hard because she bought you the splitter. Please make sure she is okay. No doubt being a PA she did not take the injury too hard but still, it is you and not someone else. Pamper her and love her. Then, get yourself healed so you can use that wonderful machine! Oh yes, I can't let this go until I mention that I hope you have learned already that the best way to use that splitter is to stand it up! Even God meant wood to be split vertically! Notice that even this guy is splitting vertically!
Seeing these hand injuries should make everyone think a bit more when moving rounds and running splitters. We did an assessment at work and high bar was hand injuries, they bought Hex Armor gloves for everyone plus a pair for home. HexArmor® I was adverse to the idea, but these gloves have proven impressive. I have the chrome series cut/impact you can punch a steel wall and not feel it
Basod, those gloves are awesome! I will definitely be lookin into getting a pair. Although this injury took place while "splitting" it happened 30+ yds away from the splitter, so no dumb mistakes with the machine. I simply tripped over my feet transferring too big of a round up the hill. Backwoods, my wife is a very caring/loving person, but when it comes to me hurting myself it's got to be fairly severe for her to show much sympathy lol.
Backwoods savage, yes I've used it both vertical and horizontal, and I have to say it is much easier vertically.
Splitsnstacks, you got a great wife I came down with pneumonia 6 month a ago and went to see wife primary care PA.. she asked me who my DR'S were I gave her answers... They are all surgeon's .... well of course if I don't need screws, plates then why see a Dr? Sara Primary care physician) laughs and I am now a patient...
I understand, and reiterate NO PPE, those gloves included, would PREVENT a hand injury - they could lessen the severity. Our first line of defense is between our ears.
Welcome aboard Splitsnstacks . Would've been better if you only had pics of the present, but...oh well. Slow down and savor the moment!
Last time I smashed a finger was cuz ,I fell down movin my 190 lb electric splitter , thumb ended up between bottom rail of splitter and pallet
What a doozy Splitsnstacks Glad ya got fixed up! And then back to it before "healing" up? In a good way
Get and use a pair of pulp hooks. You'll never 'touch' a round again. Just don't swing them in the same plane as your body. Pulp Hook | Pulp Hooks | Log Handling Tools | www.www.baileysonline.com.com
