July 16, 2010, Newsletter Issue #125: Woodturning And Lathe Safety

Tip of the Week

As with all power tools, safety is number one. Here are a few common-sense tips on staying safe when working with this particular piece of equipment:

Beware of loose clothing, long hair, dangling jewelry and any other object or part of your anatomy which could get caught up in the moving parts.
Be sure that the lathe and other power tools are properly guarded and that the guards are securely in place.
Never attempt to change the speed of the lathe, or to adjust any part of the timber while the lathe is still in motion, even if it is 'only' freewheeling to a stop.
Always be sure that all items such as chuck keys, tommy bars etc. are removed before the lathe is started.
Stand to one side when you start the lathe so that if any loose bark flies during work you're out of the line of fire.
When mounting a new timber, rotate the job through 360 degrees by hand, then start the lathe at its slowest speed to allow you to check that everything is secure. Only when you have done this test is it safe to set the lathe to the normal turning speed.
Check the lathe speed before switching the lathe on to avoid the risk of starting it while it is set to run at too high a speed.
Always read the instructions. When you understand them fully, only then start to use the machinery.

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