Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

aggie79 wrote: I plan to finish the new workbench I was building ASAP.

I was actually wondering what you were out there working on!

Update: my finger is healing well. It still looks funny - probably always will - and still hurts when I touch something, but that pain is decreasing by the day.

2bits wrote:

aggie79 wrote: I plan to finish the new workbench I was building ASAP.

I was actually wondering what you were out there working on!

Thomas - besides making the garage look better, the intent of the cabinets and workbench were to better organize the garage so I could start build #2. I'm hoping to start back on the bench in a couple of weeks, but it will probably be after Loyd Park.

Take care,
Tom

Glad you are healing Tom! Just be grateful for the feeling you still have in the finger, even though it is pain, it shows that you still have a finger to hurt!!

It's not looking like I am going to be done in time for Loyd park. I knew it was a stretch. It's not like I am moving a house or anything (Oh wait I am!). I will do my best, we will see.

Deleting forum hiccup = duplicate post

aggie79 wrote:Update: my finger is healing well. It still looks funny - probably always will - and still hurts when I touch something, but that pain is decreasing by the day.

Tom -

Three years ago I caught my right thumb (and I'm right handed and a carpenter) in a machine that roll forms metal siding. It ripped off the nail and flesh to just behind the first joint but left the bone and most of the muscle intact. The ER sewed down some loose skin then refered me to an orthopedic surgeon. I had stopped at a convenience store for a cup of ice for the part that was severed but the ER Doctor just threw that away.

The next day the surgeon performed a revision amputation where more of the damaged flesh is removed then took a strip of skin about 6 inches long from my arm and did a graft, basically wrapping it around the exposed stump like those thin fruit roll snacks.

It took about six weeks to heal and everthing turned black and sloughed off. A nail grew back but looks more like a claw. The grafted part is always numb but there are a couple of very tender parts that feel like stepping on a nail if I put any pressure on them.

When I left the ER I stopped to pick-up RX for antibiotics and pain. I asked for some extra plastic bags and wrapped them around the bandages. Feeling no pain from whatever they used to deaden the thumb at the ER I went back to work and was swinging a hammer like before except I couldn't grip it tightly enough that wouldn't fly off a time or two.

After the surgery the next day I rested a day then went back to work. I had to switch to a roofers hammer with a wrist strap and bought a smaller battery operated screw-gun because I couldn't wrap my bandaged hand around the one I had been using. There was some pain for quite a while but more of a nuisance than disabling.

I trained myself to be ambidextrous to relieve some pain but mostly to be prepared if I suffered any additional injuries - I still operate the machinery.

The new thumb is about 1/2 an inch shorter than before, weird looking, but functional. Could have been much worse.

M C

Glad it's healing up Tom. Injuries like that can take a while to heal for sure. Been there, Done that, got the t-shirt and the scars to prove it. But ya still gotta love a good power tool.

On a lighter note, think of it this way: scars are just like tattoos, but with better stories

Well, I got back up on the horse. Today I finished the project I was working on when I cut my finger on the table saw. I made a few cuts on the saw to finish the counter and then hung the cabinets. These are my new garage cabinets.



The cabinets are steel cabinets I got on sale/closeout from Sears. They are not as stout as I would have liked, but saved me a lot of time over building cabinets. The countertop is a 1-1/2" thick oak butcher block from Ikea. It is 97" long. I cut the width down from 25" to 19" to match the cabinet depth. (At a price of $169 for the countertop, it was a lot cheaper than if I tried to make one myself.) The "pegboards" are punched and folded galvanized steel. All that is left to finish this project is to install electrical outlet strip and undercabinet lighting, and to finish the counter with tung oil.

And then #2 build can start! (Actually I probably wait until after the fall camping season.)

Take care,
Tom

Nice Tom very industrial! Glad your doing better my friend!

Cliff

Tom, That is an awesome looking workstation!

Dang it Tom
I guess you can add me to the list too Just to think that i built an entire camper without so much a scratch - then it happened. i was putting some fabric on a the doors of a new cabinet in the camper. This was the last door to be finished and i was trimming an edge using a utility knife and straight edge. it was the last cut when my finger got in the way.

Wanna guess what's under the bandage??


Yep - stitches due to a really sharp utility knife - at least I didn't bleed on the fabric

Ouch Scott! I bet you let out a little blood. Keep it wrapped and change the dressing often.

Got the stitches out yesterday. Still have a little numbness in the finger - Tom, when does the feeling return?

Scott,
Good to hear the stitches are out. I wish I could tell you when the feeling returns. The only touch sensation I have is tingling. My doc says that is from the nerves still trying to repair themselves.
Tom

Tom and Scott, it took me close to two years before feeling came back to my fingertips. May not be 100%, but pretty close. For a long time i couldn't feel a nut, washer or small object when i picked it up--what a weird sensation, but i don't notice any differnce in my fingers now. Healing and nerve repair just takes time.

Btw-- the cabinets look nice. I never finished the wine rack i was making when i had my slip up.