Sittin at home tonight after an evening at the ER. Nothing too serious, but. . .

I've always relied on my trusty spectacles to protect my eyes when working with wood. Grinding metal?? That's another story.

So the kindly woman doctor had to come at my eye with her own little grinder. Seriously, it was a gentle Dremel.

The eye heals fast, so I'm okay, and the speck was tiny, but not very comfortable. And needless to say, this was not how I intended to spend my Friday night.

Just a friendly reminder, 'cause we all get lazy now and then.

Happy Wrenching,

Tom

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'82 240D, 215,000 +
Classic White, Regenbogen

Ouch, glad to hear you're OK.

I know that smarts, I worked in a machine shop during high school (I don't think there was any eye protection on the premises back then), and we all got hot metal chips in our eyes from time to time. The guys that worked there were really good at removing them by dragging a little loop of hair across you eye and catching the chip (seriously). The good old days.

I'm glad there is no long-term damage.

The two most important things to a mechanic are his/her hands and eyes. Keep them safe. Saving a few seconds isn't worth loosing a body part.

I can't count how many times my glasses have saved my eyes from dirt, oil, tools, nuts, bolts, etc...

I once spent three hours infront of a mirror plucking a feather out of my eye that came from my pillow.

I know a fellow that got antisieze in his eye, after rubbing it with the back of his dirty hand. Went to the ER and they sent him to an eye doctor, it is very hard stuff to get out, he was laid up for over a week. Take care! There are many dangers lurking in the auto repair biz!

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'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!

I remember splashing Trichloroethylene in my eyes, rinsing them out, and going back to work.

Best of luck with your recovery - I'm glad there wasn't any permanent damage.

Last week I went to my mechanic's shop to deliver a part for the work that's being done on my 91 350SD, one of his friends/co-mechanics came in with his hand in a sling - he had cut off THREE of his fingers that day in another mechanic's shop!! As a professional saxophonist who depends on his fingers DAILY for his living, just the thought sent shivers down my spine...
He said they gave him a 75% chance of keeping the fingers, but there was no way to determine how much or even IF he will have the use of the fingers if he is lucky enough to keep them. Oh man, it makes me nauseous just thinking of it.......

Anyhow, that's why it is ultimately worth it for me to pay someone to do this work on my auto - I simply cannot image something like that happening, much less can I even afford to be out of work for any extended period due to injury. Call me a wuss, but at least I'm a non-injured, fully intact wuss who can still play saxophone! Speaking of which - if you like jazz and/or saxophone check out my music on my website - www.RustyBlevins.com

Geez Craig. Sounds like you were lucky to get out of there alive.

Really though, such a tiny speck of metal can cause a lot of hours of misery.

Thanks for your well wishes, they say it'll be in good shape in 3 days.

T

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'82 240D, 215,000 +
Classic White, Regenbogen

We never know the dangers lurking. I took the old 126 I've parted out to the scrap yard. When they unloaded it the shattered the glass. Glass dust covered me. I guess my reaction was quick I closed my eyes soon enough.
I can only imagine what an eyefull of glass would do.

I had a speck of metal dug out of my left eye a few yrs ago. Man, I'll never forget that.

i use my "redneck sunglasses" or shooting glasses made by realtree when doing any work where something can fall into my eye.. plus they just look cool.. i have yet to figure out this auto dimming welding helmet too..

In addition I have the yellow tint safety glasses and it really seems to brighten up what your working on,if you are in the market for new safety glasses have a look at them.

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85 300sd SOLD ,85 745i,95 740i,1972 Suburban,1938 International

Been there done that. Grinding on something I was fabricating and had a speck of steel lodge in my cornea. Man did it hurt. Of course it lodged close to the center so it has a slight effect on my vision. Wasn't wearing my glasses. A very stupid move. Now I wear them most of the time, and always if I am working with metal.

The opthomologist went at me with the grinder too!

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Doug

1987 300TD x 3
2005 E320CDI

Man I feel your pain!

The last time that happened to me I went to the ER where they dilated my eye. Then they put some kind of dye in and searched with some kind of special light.
They eventually got it out, a small sliver of metal. But boy did it hurt.

The very next day I started my vacation by driving from New York to Cape Cod with one eye closed.

Also, when I was in High School a friend of mine lost 3 fingers on the radiator fan blades. OUCH!!

DAnny

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1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

OBK member #23

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Thank you for the reminder.

Added to Safety & health

Safety & health
Health & Safety


Have a great day.

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ASE Master Mechanic
asemastermechanic@juno.com

Prototype R&D/testing:
Thermal & Aerodynamic System Engineering (TASE) Senior vehicle instrumentation technician.
Noise Vibration and Harshness (NVH).
Dynamometer.
Heat exchanger durability.
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Technical Quality Auditor.
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1985 300SD
1983 300D
1984 190D
2003 Volvo V70
2002 Honda Civic

https://www.boldegoist.com/

Have had metal, oil, coolant, um... all sorts of crap in my eye. Not fun. I always wear glasses when wrenching.

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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

I once filled my ear up with gasoline while pulling the engine on a VW. That was painful.

I often get careless and skip the glasses when grinding, but this "eye grinder" that they use to clean out your eye gives me the creeps. I better polish up those safety glasses! Thanks for the PSA

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine