Injury - Crushed finger in implement u-joint

[greenmojo]

3 weeks ago, while building the pasture for the flying cow (different thread)...

I wanted to get the auger hooked up the night before starting work on it, so I could begin drilling post holes early in the morning. I was in a rush and it was getting dark. Dumb, dumb.

The PTO shaft was not yet hooked up to the tractor, and it was a bit dirty / rusty from sitting all winter / spring.I picked up the yet a few times to drop it and knock the dirt out of it, and finally I lifted up as hard as I could to throw it back down, and didn't realize that my finger had slipped up inside the u-joint. I felt it pinch, then the u-joint rotated, and the auger tipped toward me to rest against the three-point, and that was enough pressure that I literally heard a crunch so loud, it sounded like I bit into a carrot.



I dropped it, pulled my finger out and it initially felt like a good smashed finger. I pulled my glove off, and immediately noticed it wasn't straight, so I straightened it.

I knew it was broke, but wasn't sure how bad, so I went inside, iced it, wrapped it and took some ibuprofen.

The next morning, I have a dentist friend who was curious how bad I broke it and let me put my finger up on his X-ray machine...



Turns out I crushed it into more than 8 pieces... It's slowing me down.

Nice little lesson in taking things slow.

~Moses

 

[CalG]

ouch!

 

[breadtrk]

I've smashed some fingers, learned about gloves too. None of that would have helped you.

Does it feel better now?

 

[greenmojo]

I've smashed some fingers, learned about gloves too. None of that would have helped you.

Does it feel better now?

It's healing up, but still a bit sore. Another couple of weeks and then I get to choose when they will re-break it to set pins.



~Moses

 

[kcflhrc]

It's healing up, but still a bit sore. Another couple of weeks and then I get to choose when they will re-break it to set pins.

View attachment 429338

~Moses

Does this make you feel any better? Brush hog 3 point collapsed on my right thumb.

 

[MoKelly]

Very sorry.

You are right, bad things seem to always happen when you are tired, its late in the day and you are in a rush to get finished. We all know that in our brain but we still do foolish stuff.

Hope it gets better as fast as possible.

MoKelly

 

[Industrial Toys]

Sounds like something that would normally happen to me!

It always amazes me how fragile the body actually is.

Where does Holleywood find all these guys that are indestructable?

 

[oldpilgrim]

you run a farm and your hands and nails are THAT clean?

I'm calling shenanigans.

 

[5030]

That thing is ugly (not your finger, don't care about that) the U joint and the coupler and from what I can see the slip splines. Own a grease gun? I suggest you use it before and after you put your digger away for the winter..........

 

[roadhunter]

I do not like hooking my auger up for the fear that I will end up doing something like you did.

All I cans say is that there is a reason most construction equipment does not use a 3 point hitch or a PTO like they do on tractors. I do not look forward to hooking up the auger at all as it is always a PITA it seems.

If I ever do it over I will buy a hydraulic unit for the FEL. Much easier to hook up, more down pressure, and you can even reverse it if you get stuck.