MID SOUTH WOODTURNERS GUILD
Founded 1997
Special note: many online videos, websites, demonstrations, and experienced professional woodturners exhibit unsafe practices and procedures. Do not assume that what you are observing is correct and safe.
Do not assume the items your purchase are safe, even if they come from a reputable vendor or manufacturer. Some people believe international laws and US laws require the sale of safe items.
The truth is laws alone do not.
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Safety is and always will be the responsibility of YOU the user.
"Often when someone is injured, we immediately look for the rule that that person broke and tell ourselves that the injury could have been avoided and that we don’t have to worry about being injured because we would never do that. But this is probably the most dangerous attitude of all because it leads us into a somewhat arrogant overconfidence that is a perfect setup for injury."
- An Unfortunate Reminder by David DeCristoforo
Links to safety related items shared by MSWG members.
Fractal Burning
AAW has deemed that fractal (a.k.a Litchenberg) burning kills people.
Please read and understand the American Association of Woodturners warnings about Litchenberg (Fractal) burning.
Accordingly, as an affiliate chapter of AAW, MSWG no longer conducts any demos or activities that involve fractal burning or the tools used for fractal burning.
Whenever we get a chance, we talk about the dangers of fractal burning and bring the AAW stance on fractal burning to the attention of our members.
However, on rare occasions someone may bring a turning for the Instant Gallery or Show-n-Tell that has some fractal burning on it.
We have not explicitly forbidden members from bringing those pieces to one of our meetings but if they do, they are only to discuss other aspects of the turning (i.e., shape, type of wood, finish, turning technique, and/or the piece's intended function/purpose).
As such on this website you may find individual turnings in the Instant Gallery, Newsletter, Show-n-Tell, and/or Member Photo Galleries that display or appear to display fractal burning.
Let us not forget Joan Kelly's death and the safety lessons she taught us.
For those who do not know about Joan's death, here is a summary by her husband Ernest Kelly.
"Many of you are already aware of Joan's dreadful accident on May 4, 2011, but I will give a brief account: Joan was turning a heavy bowl blank on her lathe. It flew to pieces and one large piece struck her in the face and forehead causing profuse bleeding and underlying injuries to the face and skull. I found her within what must have been a very few minutes, called an ambulance, and applied a compress. She got to the hospital having lost a great deal of blood and requiring transfusions. She immediately went into surgery. Over the last ten days, her blood pressure and other vital signs have generally stabilized. We hope that the swelling is decreasing, and Tuesday a lumbar puncture lowered the pressure on the brain dramatically. We pray for a good recovery, but she has not yet regained consciousness. She is receiving outstanding medical care."
Skip Wilbur (President of MSWG at that time) had to write the following:
"It is with great sadness I report that our dear friend and club member Joan Kelly went to eternal life today. The injury Joan sustained two weeks ago was too much for her body to overcome. Please keep her family in your prayers, they have been through a lot. There will be a memorial service Saturday morning at 11:00 at Balmoral Presbyterian Church."
Read more about Joan Kelly in this book (click on the book image to download)
