Brad Vietje
Man, I hear ya, John!

I thought I'd broken my arm when I was whacked in the arm with a corner of a pretty big square-edged crotch bowl at about 800 RPM a few months ago. Some ice slid off the roof and made a loud sound that I turned to see, and my left elbow wandered just a bit too far to the left, and THUNK! I got nailed just below the elbow joint so hard it tore a chunk of skin off and gave me quite a bruise right through my Carhartt quilted jacket. I also dropped the gouge on the concrete and had to re-grind it a few days later when I could hold it again.

Ultimately no breaks, just bad words and a few very sore days. Bad end to what had been a very productive evening, having completed two other projects beforehand. Those spinning wings are dangerous, and a project for a well-rested body and an alert mind. I should not have been working on something like that at 10 PM.

That bowl is still air drying on the floor beneath the headstock. I'll have to conquer it one of these days when it gets a bit warmer. I'll be well rested the next time...

Safe spinning,

Brad Vietje
Newbury, VT