Need some advise

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ashaw

Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2004
Messages
1,590
Location
Phila, PA, USA.
I broke my arm last night. Nothing major but need a way to turn with a cast on. I have a large and important order to get out by the end of the month. I figure I be at 50% for about 4 weeks.

Thanks

Alan
 
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Not sure how you can hold and control the tools. You will find out by trial and error. One suggestion though, practice holding and moving the tools with the lathe off until you get a feel for how to move the tools. No sense in getting anything accidently caught by a rotating blank. Oh, and another thing, use scrap wood, initially, when you do power up the lathe.

Remember safety is important, don't move on to the next step/level until you are comfortable/confident with the current one. No order is worth getting mangled up for.

Paul in AR
 
I would say don't do anything for at least 10 days. Give your arm time to start healing the break. It's still possible to move and twist your arm to some degree even in a cast. Have you though about letting your client know you can have some of the order ready and explain the circumstances?

Do you have somebody that can be doing the drilling and glue ups for you as you wait several days?
 
Which arm was broken?

If it is your turning hand, I think you better inform your client and ask if the deadline can be extended. Otherwise, contracting it out may be a good option.
 
I had my fourth knee surgery back in sept. I went out in oct. and tried to turn.. I just couldn't get comfortable. I bought some bar stools and tried that.. I finally just gave up.. I waited tell my knee healed enough to stand for a while.. I know this doesn't help you.. But good luck and don't push yourself or you might take even longer to heal..
 
Originally posted by ashaw

I broke my arm last night.
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Holy hell, what kind of pens are you turning over there?! [:p]

Having had a few broken bones myself, here's what I think...

If you plan on just stuffing a chisel up into your cast, at least rough up the handle a little to add some tooth to it, so when it starts to get itchy up there, you can just grab the blade with your other hand and wiggle it for blessed relief. Also, you might want to stabilize the cast with a little CA for when the tool grabs - you don't want that blow-out to transfer to the cast and cause major damage.:D

Other than being humorous (or stupid, as the case may well be), I'd definitely contact your buyer and explain the situation. I can't imagine that someone would hold such a catastrophic event against you. Like the others, if the contract requires that you finish by a certain date, look for help here!

If they're just normal pens, I'd be more than happy to help you out, just let me know what you need. I could commit to 10 pens or so by the end of December, providing they're not made out of wombat antler or something weird like that. Lean on us, my one-winged friend, that's why we're here.

I don't know that I'd work with that wdcav1952 fellow, though. Word has it that he can't even turn 20 feet of toothpick and veneer without buckling under the pressure. heh
 
I broke my wrist years ago. found a job in construction a week later. I also earned my EMT Rescue Certification on both land a water with it on. Land required carrying a full grown man 1000 ft. down a steep rocky mountain side and through a barbed wire fence to a first aid station. I do agree with giving it a rest for the first 10 days or so. after that have the doctor set a skew in the next cast. By the time it is off you will be a master with the skew. hint, don't sleep on any water beds. Finally you know what the doctor said when the patient told him "it hurts when I do this" the Doc said "then don't do that". You are the best judge of what you can or cannot do. A broken bone has a way of feeling fine at the moment, but is planning tons of revenge for later, so take it slow at first. By the way, the only thing I did that ever caused my arm to hurt, I tore the cast off with my bare hands at one point. my unbroken arm hurt immediatly, the broken one did O.K. til the next day.
 
If you have a metal lathe, you could at least get the blanks round and near final diameter with cutting tool in the tool holder. Final shaping could be done one handed with 80 grit gouge.
 
thanks everyone. I fell friday night at my part-time job. I had a concussion from the fall and the arm was fine. got the call yesterday afternoon that my wrist was broken. still no pain in the hand. at first i was not gone to cast it but my wife made the argument to cast it. I will get the permitted cast on it tomorrow. i what them to cast in pr:) so when it comes off at least i have some more material to make a pen.:D

i wish i had a metal lathe right now but will had to still for my skew right now.
 
After I ran my thumb into the small bandsaw, I jammed the gouge into the brace and turned my surgeon a pen. That was my right hand and it came out pretty darn good.
 
Well if it's a wrist, you have just a forarm cast, right? You should be able to turn with either hand using a skew, I switch left to right all the time. Try using the broken wrist to just hold the skew down and use your good arm to control the tool. A bit of a nussance, but managable. You could flip the blanks around (easy between centers) so you turn in the same direction.
 
Alan,

How many you need? Farm it out - I'll take some (no charge, just tell me what you need done). I'm sure I can find a couple other volunteers to do some. While none of us will do it EXACTLY the way you would, we can probably manage to be as good as you are with one hand!!!

Send me an e-mail describing the job. I'll help you get it done and none of the participants will steal any of your account knowledge in the process.

Stuff happens, let us help!
 
Originally posted by jssmith3

I'd be happy to help too Alan.

Janet :)

I'm recovering from surgery on both feet but can still sit at the lathe and turn. Hang in there and don't push it.
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See there, Alan!!

Now you can quote on some beautiful, flowery ones, too!!!:D:D
 
If they are a common style and wood, some might be able to turn them for you and send to you for finishing. That way it's still your finish and anyone that helps isn't doing all that much of your work.... just the 2-handed part.
 
The pens are part of a new limited edtion I am making for the Phila Pen Show. Alternative Ivory and churchill style. Plus I am making all of the pen boxes.

The other pens are for my various dealers. I am going out to shop now and see what trouble I can get into[:I].
 
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