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Duckie, you know that I have an extremely high opinion of you, but I couldn't disagree more about an item. As you guys know, I have been into pens for years, I have tried most things available. I pour my own blanks, segment wood and acrylic blanks, make kitless pens, buff and have a metal lathe that I rarely do anything but pens. I like to try stuff, and I saw this when it came out. I have been using a 12' disc sander and a jig that utilizes the miter slot and transfer punches toi square my blanks, but I thought I might try this. I plug my blanks with Play-doh and epoxy in the tubes after painting. I put this thing in the DP and held the blank by hand to clear out the crap and maybe even square it after it was dry. I like to hand hold, for control and to let me have more control. For the traditional pen mills that was not a problem.
Almost immediately i felt like this whirling thing was like chainsaw and grabbed some groove joint pliers. About 10 seconds into hold this it grabbed/caught the acrylic and sucked my hand and pliers into the whirling carbide cutters. It happened so fast, I still don't know what happened, somehow the end joint of my trigger finger ( I was a cop at the time) got the tendons torn and to this day is kind of bent down.
I have never owned any tool that I feel this strongly about...This thing is DANGEROUS! DO NOT BUY THIS TOOL if you do do any acrylic. Now I know I am opening a can of worms, but I am the guy who is the safety guy...I religiously use eye protection...even when mowing, I use wolfe ears hearing protection for really loud tools, I have a saw stop....on and on....I would compare this thing to that chainsaw cutter for an angle grinder.....
I know I am now going to get a bunch of "I never had any problems" posts.....but one only has to look at the thing with exposed carbide cutters.....Now if you have jig that captures your pen blank and your hands are 2 feet away, it may be ok...but it is still going to catch, and you can damage the blanks.
Sorry Duckie to rain on your parade and again, I consider you a very good friend....but I disagree with you vehemently this time.....
Almost immediately i felt like this whirling thing was like chainsaw and grabbed some groove joint pliers. About 10 seconds into hold this it grabbed/caught the acrylic and sucked my hand and pliers into the whirling carbide cutters. It happened so fast, I still don't know what happened, somehow the end joint of my trigger finger ( I was a cop at the time) got the tendons torn and to this day is kind of bent down.
I have never owned any tool that I feel this strongly about...This thing is DANGEROUS! DO NOT BUY THIS TOOL if you do do any acrylic. Now I know I am opening a can of worms, but I am the guy who is the safety guy...I religiously use eye protection...even when mowing, I use wolfe ears hearing protection for really loud tools, I have a saw stop....on and on....I would compare this thing to that chainsaw cutter for an angle grinder.....
I know I am now going to get a bunch of "I never had any problems" posts.....but one only has to look at the thing with exposed carbide cutters.....Now if you have jig that captures your pen blank and your hands are 2 feet away, it may be ok...but it is still going to catch, and you can damage the blanks.
Sorry Duckie to rain on your parade and again, I consider you a very good friend....but I disagree with you vehemently this time.....
Mike
