Everyone knows that you need to be careful when working with metal. Corners are sharp, shavings get everywhere, power tools can spin and throw pieces of metal; so it’s kind of obvious you need to be careful. But how about handling the other materials?

I was out in my shop going through a shelf of lumber looking for a piece of Purple Heart for an upcoming headphone amp chassis. While doing this, I was up on a step ladder pulling heavy boards off the shelf and not paying attention to what I was doing. I was moving many different species of hardwoods attempting to get to the one piece I wanted.

Then I reached up without paying too much attention and grabbed a rough plank of African Wenge Wood. (See the chassis of the Dummy Speaker Load for an example.) And to make matters worse, I was not wearing gloves of any type. For those of you not familiar with this particular wood; in its rough, unplaned form, it tends to have long and very sharp splinters that easily dig into even calloused skin. In addition, the wood has an oil in it which stings in cuts. So here I was, balanced on the top of a step ladder, a heavy board in my hand, and a palm full of sharp & painful splinters. I didn’t fall, but only because I grabbed the shelf with my other hand to steady myself.

So after digging splinters out of my stinging hand, I though I might remind folks to remember to be careful and take precautions. I don’t consider pieces of wood particularly dangerous, but not paying attention to what you are doing can be. Even in the simplest of situations.