I was doing a little work this morning and it reminded me of an incident that happened a few years back that I still think about often and helps to remind me of a safety lesson I am grateful for.
I was investing a flask a while back, and my vacuum machine wasn’t pulling the vacuum I was used to (26-27 inches of vacuum) so I added a little water around the bottom seam, which usually helps. this still didn’t give me the results I wanted, so I pressed down on the bell jar to see if I could get a better seal. The moment I did this, the bell jar exploded, actually “Imploded” and my hand went straight into the inside of the jar. Many, many tiny shards of sharp plastic went flying around my shop, some 20-30 feet away, and I had little cuts all over me. The luckiest part, which I am still grateful for, was the top of the remaining bell jar was very, VERY, sharp, and my wrist went right into the edge, not real hard, but if I was 1 inch closer, or added a little more pressure, this edge would have cut my wrist very badly, and I was working in my shop alone. I still consider myself blessed.
I have added a picture of the bell jar, look at the edges of it……
So there is my reminiscing tip of the day, the safety labels are there for a reason, and even if they don’t make sense at the time, they should be heeded.
By the way, I now wear safety glasses when I invest and when I cast…..
Now go do something fantastic!
Happy Jewelry Making
Doug