This is a rule that I implemented in my everyday woodworking career. Before I made it my top woodworking rule, my projects always fell short of expectations....Always.... I was reminded of this yesterday when I had a small safety issue that could have been worse.
So here it is. If at any point during a build, be it during planning, buying materials, milling materials and finishing you ever hear yourself say or think "It will be fine if I...." Stop everything you're doing and walk away from the project for a few hours, or even the rest of the day. Your body has just shown you the number one symptom of imgonnascrewthisuponpurpose syndrome. I've had symptoms like this show up such times as cutting a piece too short and saying "It will be fine if I just shorten all the pieces." or skipping that last sand down with 400 grit, telling myself "It will be fine if I skip this." Or even worse.
Yesterday a buddy of mine asked to borrow an old miter saw of mine. I pulled it from storage and put a blade in it, I decided to cut a test piece just to make sure it worked well. I grabbed a 1/4 inch piece of scrap, lined up my cut and realized I wasn't wearing my safety glasses. I thought "It will be fine just for this small cut." Right when I said that I looked and there was a pair within reach so I put them on. When I turned on the saw and began to lower it, the nut that moves the blade guard had become stuck to the housing, so the blade guard didn't move. The blade touched it and it literally exploded. After what sounded like a shotgun shot, shards of sharp plastic were thrown in all directions, some landing as far as 20 feet away. Luckily nothing hit my face, but my arms have several small cuts on them from the incident. If I wasn't wearing my glasses, I don't know what microscopic piece of plastic might be lodged in there.
So that's my tip. Do with it what you will.
So here it is. If at any point during a build, be it during planning, buying materials, milling materials and finishing you ever hear yourself say or think "It will be fine if I...." Stop everything you're doing and walk away from the project for a few hours, or even the rest of the day. Your body has just shown you the number one symptom of imgonnascrewthisuponpurpose syndrome. I've had symptoms like this show up such times as cutting a piece too short and saying "It will be fine if I just shorten all the pieces." or skipping that last sand down with 400 grit, telling myself "It will be fine if I skip this." Or even worse.
Yesterday a buddy of mine asked to borrow an old miter saw of mine. I pulled it from storage and put a blade in it, I decided to cut a test piece just to make sure it worked well. I grabbed a 1/4 inch piece of scrap, lined up my cut and realized I wasn't wearing my safety glasses. I thought "It will be fine just for this small cut." Right when I said that I looked and there was a pair within reach so I put them on. When I turned on the saw and began to lower it, the nut that moves the blade guard had become stuck to the housing, so the blade guard didn't move. The blade touched it and it literally exploded. After what sounded like a shotgun shot, shards of sharp plastic were thrown in all directions, some landing as far as 20 feet away. Luckily nothing hit my face, but my arms have several small cuts on them from the incident. If I wasn't wearing my glasses, I don't know what microscopic piece of plastic might be lodged in there.
So that's my tip. Do with it what you will.