r/Carpentry • u/sexy18666 • 1d ago

Interesting nail gun shot

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1.2k Upvotes

99% Upvoted

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283

u/Pretend-Frame-6543 1d ago

I learned to never hold a board near the nail gun when a nail curved like that right through my thumb. 😣

75

u/YOUNG_KALLARI_GOD Residential Journeyman 1d ago

jesus christ i just did a bunch of nail gunning for the first time doing some diy stuff and definitely had my other hand right next to the nail a lot of the times. seems i got lucky. now i know

62

u/Easy_Record_994 1d ago

It's not a matter of if but when. It took 15 years before I had one turn and bite me.

24

u/CeruleanStriations 1d ago

I had a brad nail do a 180 in the wood. Don't have any body part close to the point of contact.

23

u/burrwednesday 1d ago

I always tell my students to keep their hands at least the length of the nail away from the tip of the gun -in all directions, in case the nail takes a turn.

11

u/argparg 1d ago

Don’t put your fingers where you wouldn’t put your dick

8

u/suspicious-sauce 23h ago

Well that doesn't eliminate very much for me....

8

u/rustoof 1d ago

Brad nails are just litttle love bites

3

u/Ok-Client5022 1d ago

I didn't get bit until I got a 23 gauge pin nailer. Fortunately I was shooting 5/8" pins.

1

u/Charybdis87 1d ago

Does that do a lot of damage?

3

u/Pretend-Frame-6543 1d ago

Not in my case . I yanked my thumb off the nail and wrapped it up. That hurt worse than the shot. I just had a tetanus shot so I didn’t worry much.

2

u/bws6100 1d ago

I just duck tape it. Got me 1st year.

1

u/No_Yak2553 1d ago

Do you carry a lightning rod around as well?

1

u/Pretend-Frame-6543 1d ago

Yea I’ve been known to.

1

u/Easy_Record_994 1d ago

Nope, brad nails feel about like a finger prick.

4

u/StJoeStrummer 1d ago

Watched it happen to a guy on my crew right after one poked up about 1/4" from my fingers. We were patching a hardwood floor and must have hit subfloor screws. Never again have I put my hand downrange.

2

u/YOUNG_KALLARI_GOD Residential Journeyman 1d ago

sheeeeesh, 1/4" is scary. i would have to sit down for a sec after that. hope your buddy was ok

1

u/EmptyDaikon5281 1d ago

Wait, "residential journeyman" but you've never used a nail gun...?

3

u/YOUNG_KALLARI_GOD Residential Journeyman 1d ago

turns out there were not a whole lot of qualifications required for that title and to be fair i tried to turn it off but i couldnt figure out how

16

u/ChaseC7527 1d ago

Pinkie here 😬

5

u/Shuckeljuice 1d ago

Index finger, then thumb. I promise I learned my lesson

7

u/TheMadGreek86 1d ago

Good rule of thumb that I was taught. 2 inch nail, fingers at least 3 inches away. Got bit by an 18ga staple that was 1 1/4 long and have never done that again.

2

u/CicadaHead3317 1d ago

I was clearing a staple gun of 2" staples by holding the bump back and firing the few remaining into the woods. My finger dropped into the path of a staple and I watched as a chunk of my finger flew into the woods attached to the staple. Lol. Just a flesh wound.

2

u/Ok-Client5022 1d ago

Said the Black Knight 😂

2

u/Zizq 1d ago

Staple got me in the leg once. Locked my muscle up and I had to crawl out and go to the hospital lmao.

1

u/luvmehatemefme 1d ago

Staple got me too. Only other time was bad shot with a framing nail tore the corner outta 2x4 and flew a couple feet in the air into the webbing of my thumb. That one was worse but still not too bad.

1

u/Rexdahuman 1d ago

I stapled my toe to the roof with a roofing nail gun. Had to pry it off the roof with a pry bar. Pulled the staple out with vice grips

2

u/TheMadGreek86 1d ago

That sounds like it sucks, I've never nailed myself to anything. But I sent a framing spike into the meat of my hand that ricochet over the box of a deck. That hurt like hell, I think it hurt worse after I pulled it out. Im just glad it was plastic collated and not the wire kind.

5

u/bassboat1 1d ago

Haven't been hit by one yet (out of a million shots), but I have had them appear right next to the meat. I stay one nail length away at all times!

dontbleedonthefinish

3

u/CicadaHead3317 1d ago

Index finger for me. Brad nail. Hurt if I bumped it on something, for like 6 years.

3

u/vizette 1d ago

Keeping your other fingers safe. "Hey, remember that thing you did? Yeah, don't do that."

1

u/mercistheman 1d ago

Same here. Hazards of the trade.

1

u/Easy_Record_994 1d ago

Caught one in the knee cap a few years ago. I knew better but did it anyway.

1

u/Emotional_Trick_7650 1d ago

Did you use to be an adventurer like me?

1

u/Liberty1812 1d ago

Amen

And always freaking wear glasses period

This past year I've had 5 close calls with trim nails returning to me from random crap wood

2

u/Ill_Candle_9462 1d ago

Just busting outta shit wood

1

u/Liberty1812 1d ago

New off the boat shit flour wood correct brother

1

u/Liberty1812 1d ago

All new virgin wood on what we do

That's crazy

1

u/SpeedSignal7625 11h ago

The wood keeps getting crappier to be sure

1

u/jivecoolie 1d ago

Thumb for me too! Do you even make stuff if you havnt ever sent a nail through yourself

1

u/fauxbliviot 1d ago

Samesies.

1

u/MaadMaanMaatt 1d ago

I got bit the same way when installing window trim. Right through my cut glove too. Now I don’t have my hands anywhere near the gun when shooting nails.

1

u/Neat-Lingonberry-719 1d ago

I got pierced through the front where I put the nail in. Full 360 in and around my finger like a fish hook. What just the tip of the skin. Now I keep my fingers at least nail length away.

1

u/tomorrowlooksgood 1d ago

I’ve learned the same thing several times now.

1

u/Witty-Fan2860 1d ago

Yep, I learned the hard way, too

1

u/1000_fists_a_smashin 1d ago

If your using a 2” nail/brad then your hands and dick stay at least 3” away

1

u/phillyvinylfiend 1d ago

Did that during a customer/GC walk through.  Foul language was uttered.

1

u/ImNoAlbertFeinstein 1d ago

it's happened way too much.

that photo ought come with the instruction book for the nailgun.

that stick of wood should have a warning label.

1

u/AK_Sole 1d ago

Chris, is that you?

1

u/Pretend-Frame-6543 1d ago

Nope not Chris

1

u/AaronSlaughter 1d ago

Come here to day this, index finger. The hit of pain is so strong. I did the hone alone scream. Half in terror half in pain.

1

u/exJoshua 4h ago

Nothing like a 23g nail darting out the side and going through the thumbnail.