Where do you put your chuck key?

Yes, as a guitar player I'm very, very conscious of any risks relating to my hands and fingers. I hadn't thought of using the 'big red button' to ensure that the lathe couldn't be accidentally started but it makes sense. Are there any reasons why it might be a bad idea?

My chuck key is kept where the gremlins have moved it to, from it's position on the bench in front of the lathe.

Absolutely concur with the previous posts, that unless actually executing a task,

the lathe is off.

Naturally, every rule is accompanied by an exception; my concession to the above

is when drilling with the tailstock. Then I will leave it running. But, the tailstock is

withdrawn right to the other end of the bed, and I use a keyless chuck.

I don't use a QCTP, so tool changes are made with the lathe switched off.

ATB,

Daniel

Most of mine are in a row, below a shelf, at the side of my pillar drill, I use small terry clips. Easy to see if one hasn't been put away. But my muscle memory tends to return them now without me thinking about it..

It’s difficult to argue with taking the ultra safe path of putting in the estop or pulling the plug but I am pretty comfortable with the normal control stop, my start button is shielded so accidentally pressing it would be unlikely and the normal stop is a raised button but not a mushroom head. For the advocates of full isolation then machine lighting would be most useful fed separately. That’s where I am comfortable with my lathe, the mill is a different matter, fitting a cutter involves handling a hopefully very sharp cutter into the spindle, an accidental start would be devastating, setting up the work is less risky as I always drop the table well clear of the cutter if it is fitted. Although industry love written risk assessments of every task I feel that working safely is a continuous risk assessment and being lucky enough to have served an apprenticeship where the emphasis was on training and not cheap labour I feel that I can make a safe choice having weighed the consequences and likelihood of an event. So far I have not hurt myself or anyone else so I feel I might have the balance about right so thank you to the men who taught me. A risk assessment does not automatically take the absolute safest route or nothing would ever be done, it’s about doing dangerous things with the risk minimised to a practical level, a cut finger does not rate as high as certain death and a frequency of once in a million years is worth a chance. Perception of risk is funny thing, my wife happily goes out in a car but won’t fly because it’s dangerous, I think there are more factors at play than statistics though.

Mike

Well put Mike.

Just to clarify, I meant that the spindle go/stop/reverse lever is in the stop position.

I also don't go as far as isolating the machine.

As you say, there is a continuous, very conscious, yet pragmatic  risk assessment

ongoing in the activity.

ATB,

Daniel

Edited By Daniel on 11/05/2020 09:17:09

Keep phone in pocket, just in case...........

I have a telephone extension in my shed so I can answer incoming calls. There's a loss of sound quality (presumably due to the long wire between the house and shed) but it is adequate

I can also use it one-handed to dial 999 for an ambulance.

Although, DG, that has NOT been necessary to date.

MC