In message <404B45D8.8060605@nycap.rr.com>
          Steve Nordhauser <digital@NYCAP.RR.COM> wrote:

> I found the broken
> wire, reached up for the soldering iron and proceeded to pick it up by
> the wrong end.
Yee-OUCH!
I've done that. The last time it happened was about six years ago - that was
the incident that caused me to buy a soldering iron stand.
Quick hint: the Antex all-plastic stands don't last very long. The ones with
a weighted plastic base and a spring to hold the iron last ages IME.

> After the seared flesh smell dissapaited, he decided
> that maybe he would go back to his office and let me concentrate.
Well, I suppose that's one way to get rid of your boss, even if it is an
incredibly painful way.

> That
> is now my first level of testing a technician - hand them a soldering
> iron and see if they grab the right end.  So far, I'm the only one to
> fail this.  Only once, however.
I've had:
  Numerous second-degree burns to my fingertips from various soldering irons
  Third degree burns from a short-circuited cable on a sealed lead-acid
    battery. Guess what - the fuse didn't go pop. Turns out there was a bit
    of wire stuck in the fuseholder.
  Second degree burns from the base of my thumb to the tip of my index finger
    on my right hand. Caused by picking up the soldering iron from the wrong
    end
  Two puncture wounds on the back of my right hand from a pair of falling
    tinsnips. Did I mention these tinsnips were 1.5kg heavy duty things
    dropping from a height of 7ft 6in?
  First degree (very minor) burns from a shorted lithium battery. Thankfully
    the battery was almost kaput.
  Minor cuts and puncture wounds from an exploding capacitor. Not a big one
    though.
  A few blood-blisters and cuts from a fan that decided to rapidly
    disassemble under power. One aluminium fan impeller straight into the
    side of my hand. Might as well have been a circular saw blade - it nearly
    took off one of my fingers!
And that's just the ones I can remember! Not to mention the numerous first-
and second-degree burns I got from overheating semiconductors. Beware the
heat that lurketh in powered transistors, for it be very good at cooking
flesh.

Later.
--
Phil.                              | Acorn Risc PC600 Mk3, SA202, 64MB, 6GB,
philpem@dsl.pipex.com              | ViewFinder, 10BaseT Ethernet, 2-slice,
http://www.philpem.dsl.pipex.com/  | 48xCD, ARCINv6c IDE, SCSI
... "Bother", said Pooh, as he accidentally deleted his message base.

--
http://www.piclist.com hint: PICList Posts must start with ONE topic:
[PIC]:,[SX]:,[AVR]: ->uP ONLY! [EE]:,[OT]: ->Other [BUY]:,[AD]: ->Ads