Oh, you poor thing!
Ice ice ice...

I almost stabbed myself the same way poking a hole with a screwdriver. Now I know -- always face the sharp pointy thing away from my body and hand.

Knocking on wood--So far so good for me. I use a utility knife on the cutting board in the kitchen.

I cut myself so many times when I was rehabbing our condo, so Ive become VERY AWARE to the dangers of knives. I remember yelling at myself "DONT BLEED ON THE PAINT". I had to knock off early that day and was shopping in Homedepot with my left hand held up in the air to help the bleeding stop.

I have to disagree with you on the drill. I use milk gallons almost exclusively so I think the drill is the easiest method. I cut my containers 3/4 of the way around and then stack 4 inside each other. I then drill four holes in the four containers just on the edge of my table. Hands are no where near the drill bit and it is quick. Find some good gloves maybe, but keep the drill.

Here is a link that might be useful: Keep on Drillin'

I use a battery (4 AA batteries) operated drill. It has enough power to drill through most plastics, but not enough power to drill throgh me. I have slipped many times, but have never broght blood. Much safer than knives!! Hope you heal soon!!

I used to use a glove like that for cleaning a slicer when I worked in a deli. I never realized how pricey they are!!

The easiest and safest way to handle a milk jug is to use scissors to clip off the corners. All you have to do is pinch the corner and clip! I've realized that those silly jugs can be a bit tough to hang onto, when sharp objects try get through that plastic. They slip and slide if you're not extra careful, so I no longer even try.

I use a ginsu bread- knife for slicing "Vs" in the bottom edges of my jugs. I've only lobbed off a little chunk of thumb once.

I hope the OSHA people aren't hanging around this thread...

ohh that must of hurt such a sensitive area!

YIKES~ouchey wah wah! Keep an eye open for infection please! The tetanus shot wouldn't have done anything for that part. If it makes you feel any better, I once worked with an ER doc who had to have her finger reconstructed BECAUSE SHE STUCK IT INTO A RUNNING INSINKERATOR!
On that note...I stick the bottom of the milk jug into the sink opening and stab through with a steak knife and twist...seems to work great and I don't have flesh anywhere near the knife. Good Luck...and watch for infection! (nurse paranoia)

omg, ollierose,
that sounds awful. Do take care of that.
I'm kinda timid with this. I found some clear bottles which I thot would make great containers, but when I tried to scissor them [which is easy to do with the gallon water jugs I use] I found much more resistance. Maybe I *could* have done it, but in those cases where one is applying a lot of pressure, easy for the knife/scissors to slip...so - I'll save them for someone who maybe has a better cutting tool.

ellen, I bought a utility knife at the dollar store, and for a tough plastic container I heated the tip on my (gas) stove.

It will turn the knife sooty, and make a stink though.

I'm doing okay - definitely keeping a close eye on it for infection.

I thought the drill was a great choice until this happened. I think I'll leave the drill for those that are braver than I am - I'm quite scared of the drill at the moment!

OMG - ollierose - good idea to keep a watchful eye - I nearly burned a hole in my hand using the soldering iron - "it's always somethin'" :0)

Carrie

Ollierose, I hope it heals up quickly! I've stabbed myself with tools, but not when wintersowing.

I use to use power and hand tools full-time for my job, and I definitely don't use a drill on 2-liter bottles. I don't use a knife on them either. I too have noticed that I have to press hard, and then the tool can slip off and hit me. I use sharp scissors that sort of "grab" the plastic on the 2-liter bottom bulges. I make a snip, jam the scissors in, and twist.

Anything that has you pushing the tool away from you, like into the sink drain or into a worktable, as some people describe, sounds good to me. If it could slip and hit you, please find a different way!

Well, I thought I was doing great this year. I switched to drilling holes instead of burning them with an ice pick like last year when the pick slipped and stabbed me in the web of my fingers. Then tonight I was cutting some stakes and actually snipped the palm of my hand open with the scissors. Yikes! I guess I'm not safe with any pointed object.

Ouch!!Ouch!!Ouch!!! That hurt to even read about! So many nerves in your hands and fingers. The only wintersowing injury I've had is from tripping over a lasagna pan. I keep forgetting that those cheap garden clog things make my feet even bigger and more clumsy. No major injury and, most importantly, I managed to fall away from the ws containers.

I went to a seed swap last week-end and people there told me that metal bits work better than wood bits at drilling through plastic jugs. I was glad to find that out because my wood bits just weren't cutting it! My drill is now my friend. I'm still scared of my wood-burning tool, though. Don't know why, just scared.

Wasn't winter-sowing, but was cutting small skewers into short lengths to use as plant labels last spring and cut off the tip of my (hmmm..., which finger has that scar?) index finger. OH MY, it did hurt. Took off nerve endings and couldn't feel the piano keys under that finger for MONTHS. Was so happy when I began to feel again!

Drill-happy Diana
(Who is now only allowed to play with the kindergarten scissors.)

I'm worried about falling on my a## on the ice carrying containers outside. So far, so good,but it's just a matter of time....

Be careful bakemom, we need ya here! :)

No WSing casualties here yet, but I fell smack on my butt the other day going out to the compost pile. Maybe this gardening thing is more dangerous than one would think?

So far I've used a short awl tool on my Swiss army knife to make most of the drainage holes, which is pretty safe because the pointy end "grips" the plastic and doesn't slip. Also tried a drill with a wood bit. Both of these work okay but they make holes with sharp edges. Last fall I bought a soldering iron 1) cuz I figured it would be even easier to make holes and 2) to make holes with smoother edges, because I raise Monarch caterpillars in the same salad boxes used for WSing and the sharp edges could harm the little cats.

I have a soldering iron that I use. It fell and I reached down to get it and grabbed the hot end (not sure what was going through my head when I did that). When I dropped it because it was hot, it burned the rest of my fingers. Thankfully it was my right hand as I'm left handed.

Well, today is by far worse than any day so far. I do believe I have some nerve damage and infection. I got my antibiotics today and have started taking them, so I'm not worried about infection anymore. I am very concerned about nerve damage though. I'm light-headed and my hand is having shooting pain, , numbness, tingling, etc. I think the thumb is in the worst shape....

Sorry to hear of everyone else's injuries. The things we go through for our precious gardening!

Hope you get better real soon.

sounds like most all of us (me including) should not be allowed to use power tools sharp things etc.
I terrable using a straight razzor. You know to clean paint off glass and a 1000 other things. Yep get my self every time.

Babkemom, I have to tell ya. when the ice was bad here a bit back. I was opening the pack door. I have a slab there. I would sit them down and push the jug back away from the door w/a broom. B/c I slid earllier in the day when I went to sit some out. I ended up doing all of them that way . Then when the ice melted. I wnt out an moved them where I wanted them.

Hope everyone here takes care, no matter what "tool" they choose for the job.
Bonnie

Hope you're doing better today Ollierose. I'm afraid to ask how big the drill bit was. I got the crawlies up my back when I read what you did. I can see how that would happen since the bottom of 2 liters are rounded. I use a sharp pointed knife to make holess and I'm very careful where I put my hands in case it slips instead of going in.

Don't hesitate to bug your doctor or nurse with questions if you're not sure it's healing right. That's what they're there for.

Ollierose, I hope you don't have nerve damage. It is not unusual, though, for an injury like that to hurt more in the days following the event than right at the time or a day after - seems as if our bodies go into shock a bit at the time.

I actually changed to a drill from a soldering iron, because I suspected the fumes I was generating with the SI were probably toxic, and I was doing a number of containers. I use small one-lb. margarine size containers, though, which I think are easier to stabilize while drilling than 2-liter or milk jugs would be. If you are going to use a drill, you may need a vise or something (I am not a tool girl, sorry) to hold the container while you drill.

((((Ollierose))))

Just a thought: If you have a health store nearby, maybe you could buy the smallest, cheapest jar of Pycnogenol capsules they have. (There is usually a NOW brand for around $10). It's a powerful anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory, it will probably help with the healing and the pain.
I'm usually rather skeptical about herb pills & stuff, but so far I've been really impressed with Pycnogenol (I use it for pain in our family).

(((hugs))) again
aj