Who wears a wedding ring while working in the garage?

[PonyX]

My stepdad always used to tell me stories about people who wore rings in the garage and ended up losing a finger cause the ring got caught on something. Have YOU or someone you know personally ever injured themselves because of a ring. How about any other injuries while working on mechanical stuff? Besides using jack stands does anyone have any safety tips for working on vehicles?

[Longhorn Man]

there is actually a whole section dedicated to shop safety on here.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/f...splay.php?f=89

[cdowns]

the only jewlery i own is a medical alert bracelet and only wear it on trips or out to events (stays in my pocket at car shows as i dont want to repair paint)// was brought up with the no jewlery or baggey clothes in the shop syndrome from a very early age// saw a guys longsleeve shirt get caught in a lathe once, another guy trip over his untied shoelaces and fall on a hot exhaust collector , those are two that come to mind

[Joe67]

Thread moved to shop safety

There are times when it can be dangerous.

[BarryB]

I knew a guy. Who was an owner of a service station. He was wearing his class ring, While working on a car. Some how it got caught not sure on what, But it didn't just take his finger. He lost his hand as well.

[7387chevys]

Originally Posted by BarryB

I knew a guy. Who was an owner of a service station. He was wearing his class ring, While working on a car. Some how it got caught not sure on what, But it didn't just take his finger. He lost his hand as well.

bulky class ring comes off when working on stuff that could grab it/or get it warm/or when painting

[Trucks]

My thought is why are people sticking their hands around the fan and belts while a car is running? That seems to be the problem not the rings. Its almost like an "urban legend". The one where he's jumping off of a peice of construction equipment is somewhat different, as that type of thing seems to have happened out in the open.
The scare people tell me i syou will get your hand stuck (say behind a starter or something) and not be able to pull it out. Wierd stuff.

[RSRXION]

3 different horror stories here...

A friend of mine was adjusting the timing on his 460 Falcon. Somehow he got his wedding ring between the positive side of a 12 volt coil and a ground. It burned about a 1 inch section out of the ring. After the 3rd degree burns healed, ne never wore it again. It was VERY nasty !

My boss at my off duty job jumped down from a stake bed truck and hung his ring on the bedside about 8 feet from the ground. It was a tilt bed style 1 ton with 4 foot metal sideboards. The weight of his body coupled with the ring hung on a bolt end yielded a degloved ring finger. Degloved means turned inside out. It was VERY , VERY nasty !

I had just removed a car from my flat bed trailer and was picking up the chains , ramps etc... As I threw the ramps on the trailer, my ring got caught on the angle iron ramp and cut my finger to the bone from the middle knuckle to the knuckle nearest my hand. I've never worn one while working since and I don't wear one when on duty at the FD.

Each of these stories are 100 % factual. I was present during all 3 events.

Just my .02 , Dean

[TruckinDaddy]

Well, If Dean comes around, I think I'll take mine off from now on!

Each of these stories are 100 % factual. I was present during all 3 events.

Just my .02 , Dean

[BowTieOgre]

I usually take mine off mostly for safety reasons but also to avoid damaging it OR anything I might touch. Ive been careless when wrenching, had my hand slip and hit my truck...left a nice ding where my ring hit it. FOD

[72freak]

I have been married for 5 years and dont own a ring for that very reason. I work with my hands all the time.....I told her not to waste her money. If your signifacant other does not understand the hazards...dont marry her.

I bought a 1968 1 owner parts truck in Tn. a few months back. We cleaned it out a low and behold in the glove box was a wedding band. I contacted the guy I bought it from and he sounded puzzled. His dad was the original owner had taken it off working on it in the garage 10 years earlier and could not find the ring. He was glad to get it back!!!

[PonyX]

Originally Posted by 72freak

I have been married for 5 years and dont own a ring for that very reason. I work with my hands all the time.....I told her not to waste her money. If your signifacant other does not understand the hazards...dont marry her.

I bought a 1968 1 owner parts truck in Tn. a few months back. We cleaned it out a low and behold in the glove box was a wedding band. I contacted the guy I bought it from and he sounded puzzled. His dad was the original owner had taken it off working on it in the garage 10 years earlier and could not find the ring. He was glad to get it back!!!

That is a neat story. Those other stories were all pretty nasty. Thanks Dean. I will make sure to take my ring off from now on. I can be a little accident prone sometimes. A couple of weeks ago I was drilling some holes and I was holding onto the piece with my left hand and as the bit was going in it caught something and the whole thing I was holding spun around. My left thumb got caught between two pieces of metal. It caused a deep cut and almost tore the nail off. It is getting better now.

[corn]

Ive been working on cars for almost 30 years & now run CNC machines & have always worn a ring. Never had any problems but I can also see the danger in it. Anything can happen, with or without a ring as far as that goes. Ill take my wedding ring off the day Im no longer married.

[Lugnut64052]

Originally Posted by corn

Ive been working on cars for almost 30 years & now run CNC machines & have always worn a ring. Never had any problems but I can also see the danger in it. Anything can happen, with or without a ring as far as that goes. Ill take my wedding ring off the day Im no longer married.

I'm the same way. Every once in a while I'll have a close call, hook it on something slightly and think "I really should be taking it off," . . .

About ten years ago I was prying on something heavy under a hood. I think it was the rear head on a Chrysler minivan. It finally popped loose and banged my hand against the inner fender, crushing my ring. The inside curve got bent into a "W" shape. I ran in the house, slopped some dish soap on it and just did wiggle it off before my finger swelled up. Hurt like hell. So far that's the closest call I've had.

[WyoRoadDog]

I wear mine on a chain under my shirt, always, unless I'm going out to dinner or such. I work around a lot of electric equipment and power, making it a real hazard. My wife completely understands, she bought the chain.
I also won't wear any passes or such on a lanyard around my neck, I always clip it to a belt loop. I got hung up once by a lanyard, and had to break it to get loose.

[crusher311]

i have to go with wyoroad dog i am not married but i have had many rings my exgf gave me a ring to ask me to marry her and she gave it to me on a thin chain because i work on airplanes if it is a easy to break chain it gives befor your neck just make sure it breaks easy hehe i had to find that out the hard way hehehe thay hurt if thay dont give

[LUV2XCLR8]

I agree w/ Corn, I realize the dangers, but I plan to stay married also

[68C10]

Many years ago I accidently touched the negative and positive terminals of a battery with a combination wrench. The wrench touched my ring, while hot, and shorted out. Needless to say the silver ring was an excellent conducter and heated right up. It melted into my finger. I stress the into portion. It had to be surgically removed ... the ring, not the finger. For many years after I never wore a ring.

I do now but I don't do much mechanical work anymore ... which is why my truck still isn't done.

Maybe if I took the ring off .....

[woodridge]

Safety is the first thing we cover in class. I have a picture that was distributed by the Royal Air force that shows a hand with skin on the ring finger up to the first joint, just bone up to the second joint and the rest of the finger laying beside along with the ring that pulled it off. It really gets the point across.

Oh yeah, mine comes off and goes on my key ring when in the shop.

[prairewolf]

At work it is advised in safety meetings not to wear rings or necklaces.
the safety meeting roster is signed by all.
at least then the Big Corp. has all possible legals covered.
my Wife used to be the Human Resource/Safety Director at the same place so
she understands.

i am getting a little better at remembering to wear it at other times though.
i did not get a wedding ring till i was 39 yrs old so it is not habit yet.

i love my Wife and Son

life is good

[70rs/ss]

I had my class ring turned into a taco from a PTO shaft on a tractor. I am a righty and the wedding band is on the left, so I do not usually have wrenches in that hand. I know it can happen, but my dayjob is behind a desk in an air conditioned office, so I only machanic in my spare time. No, you shouldn't wear any jewelry when doing phisical stuff, but to each their own. BTW degloving does not sound fun.

[JQ-72]

I with you Cornfed and XCLR8 - been married going on 7 years and my ring has NEVER been off my finger. I guess I'll wear it to my grave. I've parted out and wrenched on 60+ trucks since I've been married and have had no issues, yet!!!
Joshua

[Phuloi68]

When I was a lot younger (and could jump) we were playing basketball. I went up above the rim a little and when I came down my ring caught on one of the little curly que thinks that held the net and ripped off much of the skin and meat from the finger. I was lucky it didn't rip the finger off, Or leave me hanging.
Also, my dad was using a torch cutting something and some slag got in his glove somehow and stuck to his gold band. It burned his finger to the bone all the way around his finger cause gold is such a good conductor.
if you are wearing a ring while working on moving machinery or on electrical stuff, it can cause a bad injury. Where I worked for many years, you were subject to discipline if wearing rings or jewelry while working on moving equipment.

[Huck]

I tried to explain to my wife that not wearing a wedding ring was not a negative butttt---I worked on machines for a few years. One day we were visiting some busienss and when we left, we had to walk down several flights of metal stairs with a metal bannister. Well in our rush, my wedding ring got caught on the banister, cut the finger to the bone and the ring went from round to egg shaped. I bleed like a pig (what does a pig bleed like?) anyho
A year or so later, my dad who worked on cars/trucks all his life, managed to short out his battery with his metal band watch--he got a permanent tan all the way around his wrist. Actually melted the watch movement!!
My wife doesn't seem to mind my ringless finger anymore---and in fact, cares less and less the older I get-----I often wonder why this is but then I forget what I was wondering about!!hehehehe

[project1971]

I have been an automotive tech for 16 years now and been married for 10 of those years. 5 in the begining and 5 now (much better wife now) I have done all fields but specialized in light line for most of it. I haven't had an instance where my ring has gotten caught yet....... yet. I know it can happen I have been lucky i guess. I do have to agree with Cornfed, I adore my wife, who has a degree in industral safety actually, and chose not to take mine off. Just my opinion.