Best all-purpose shop gloves?

September 7, 2006 8:24 AM

Best all-purpose shop gloves?

Something to protect from blisters, death by sand paper, jig saw nicks, and whatever else a machine shop can throw at me without being clunky. Does anything exist that offers protection without really losing much dexterity?

posted by sirion to Grab Bag (11 answers total)

You really shouldn't be wearing gloves when using power tools.

Search http://groups.google.com/group/rec.woodworking for gloves and you'll read plenty of horror stories of gloves getting caught in the machine and nipping off digits...

I go so far as to only wear short sleeves when working in the shop.
posted by zeoslap at 8:38 AM on September 7, 2006

I'm no pro mechanic but I wear those thin neoprene type 'Mechanix' gloves like NASCAR pit crew dudes use for shop use.
posted by fixedgear at 8:44 AM on September 7, 2006

Ditto on zeoslap's warning. First thing you're taught in shop class is not to wear gloves around the power tools. Nothing like getting your hand caught in the lathe...

Auto mechanics is a little different, though.
posted by Thorzdad at 8:50 AM on September 7, 2006

I own a machine shop and agree with zeoslap, please be carefull.
posted by Iron Rat at 8:52 AM on September 7, 2006

Wood shop? Your skin
posted by Dick Paris at 9:06 AM on September 7, 2006

And in case someone notes it says machine shop, I call the part of my wood shop where I have machines the machine shop.
posted by Dick Paris at 9:07 AM on September 7, 2006

Dick Paris, same for metalworking shops. If you're working with sheet metal, gloves are a good idea. Otherwise, not a good idea. If you're cleaning the stringy (metal) lathe-turning chips from the machine after you turn it off, gloves might be good. If the machine is running, not.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 9:51 AM on September 7, 2006

I will have to second/third/fourth the no-glove warnings on this thread, they are the potential cause of too many problems to be of any value in protecting your skin from small cuts & bruises around heavy machine tools.
posted by merkuron at 11:16 AM on September 7, 2006

I really like the leather palm mesh back SUG gloves I picked up last year. They are very similiar to these. They've been very durable without having any kind of dead spots or irritating seams.
posted by Mitheral at 12:31 PM on September 7, 2006

I really like having a pair of gloves handy when working around a shop. Mostly, it's nice for moving things around -- keeps splinters, blisters, nicks and bruises to a minimum. I actually use something like these -- basic rubber-palmed, stretchy gardening gloves. I have very small hands, though, so these are better than any tougher glove that I've tried on. For any metalwork, I borrow a pair of leather gloves from someone else. Some machines and tools you can operate safely with gloves but you should watch what other people do and be very cautious about what the machine requires. I find that even when you're using a power tool to rip into something, you miss a little bit of "feel" with gloves.

Don't forget to invest in a good pair of comfortable shop glasses. And keep earplugs handy.
posted by amanda at 2:08 PM on September 7, 2006

God. I just read the Google woodworking stuff on gloves. GO NAKED!
posted by amanda at 2:18 PM on September 7, 2006