Spreading The Word

[Harv]

I'm finding out, as I'm sure many of you already have, that it's not enough to know the tractor safety rules yourself, but it's just as important to make sure that everybody who will be around the tractor also knows the score.

My wife and kids have been thoroughly indoctrinated and keep a safe distance from the tractor when it's running and are aware that danger still exists even when it's powered down. My three-year old son chastised me when I walked away from the tractor without lowering the box blade to the ground.

I made the mistake of assuming my mother's caretaker had picked up on the rules, but when I left the tractor running while I went inside to refill my Chalkley cup, I returned to find her leaning in against the loader arm to get a better look at the mechanism. She had my daughter by the hand, positioning her right in front of the rear wheel. My daughter knew the rules but assumed since she was with a grownup it was okay. I straightened them both out.

My mother is my biggest worry. I had emerged from the woods to pick up another load of crushed limestone, and when I turned to back up with my newly-filled bucket I was startled to see Mom standing a few feet away, right in my path. She had come out to check the mailbox, and when she saw me, she came over to get a closer look at what I was doing.

Mom has senile dementia and is pretty much unteachable about such subtleties as standing in back of a moving tractor. Since then I have been very, very careful when operating around the house.

There are others who simply can't be taught (see attachment), so I will have to just be more diligent about leaving my tools on the ground, and certainly looking carefully whenever I am backing up.

 

[MChalkley]

Harv - "Chalkley cup"? Yippee! I'm famous! And for something I don't have to be ashamed of, even... BTW, is it still hot enough up there for you to need to be refilling /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif that thing?

I don't know how good your mother's hearing is, but I've found that the beepers I put on (documented in the 'L4310 enhancements' thread) work extremely well. Folks that just yawn and look at you (like county officials and other forms of inspectors) as you approach move when I switch that thing on. Just a thought. And if you just rig them to a SPDT switch like I did, you only have to listen to them when you need them.

Paying constant attention, as you're obviously doing, is your best protection, of course, but every little bit helps.

MarkC

 

[Harv]

Mark -

<font color=blue>"Chalkley cup"? Yippee! I'm famous!</font color=blue>

The Chalkley cup is the greatest invention since sliced bread! Go ahead and be proud!

The weather has little effect on how much I drink in a given day -- just on what I drink. Since I grew a competition-sized kidney stone some 20 years ago (surgical removal), I've developed the habit of sipping liquids all day long. Usually it's soda pop (Diet Coke), sometimes it's water, and now when it's really hot, Gatorade.

You're right, however, a single Chalkley cup full of anything is pretty much an all day drink, but on this occasion my cup was knocked off the fender by a small but ill-tempered pine branch. Interestingly, the cup lay on the ground on its side for a few moments before the lid popped off, dumping my entire drink. I figure the violent shaking the soda pop took during the fall released all them little bubbles until the pressure blew the lid off.

Now, back on topic -- the backup beepers sound like an excellent idea. I especially like being able to disable it when I want to. I will review the thread you referenced and add that to my future enhancements list.

 

[TomG]

I almost posted on about a similar subject a couple of days ago. Happy you did, so I'll just respond. The issue is 'SPOTTERS.'

A lot of times having a spotter is almost essential--especially when using the bucket to lift things. You really can't see exactly what you're doing or where things are. It's important to have a spotter, but it's also important the spotter knows their role, and that there's good communication between spotter and operator.

Communication is by hand signals--I guess that's obvious and everybody knows the signals. However, it's important that the spotter knows that they must always stand where they can be seen by the operator, and the operator knows that nothing on the tractor moves unless it's in response to a spotter's signal. The spotter has to know that they must never come near the equipment or load unless it is at a full stop, and nothing moves until another signal is given. Oh yes, and only one spotter. Anyone else just stays away.

I'm working on it, but my wife, as spotter, drives me nuts. She disappears from my view and she tends to straighten things around when the load is moving. Meanwhile, when I was pulling a chunk of granite out of a hole, I'm feeling a little uncomfortable. There's a small group around the hole, but they're staying away as I approach. There's a guy in the hole who's going to make the hook up. All the sudden, I get the signals. I recognize them, and I know we've both done this before. I'm comfortable, because I know all I have to do is exactly what the spotter signals--nothing more and nothing less.

Just make sure that your tractor operation is safe, but also make sure that spotters are used when needed and that the spotters know what they're doing. I once hooked the rear end of a cube van twice on the same job, because the spotter figured I was clear on a turn when I wasn't.

 

[Muhammad]

<font color=blue>...on this occasion my cup was knocked off the fender by a small but ill-tempered pine branch...</font color=blue>

Uh oh, sounds like Mark needs to go back to the drawing board for a new model... /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[Von]

Maybe one with an electro magnetic base that won't let go of the cup untill the flick of a switch. Hey it could be done!

Von

 

[MChalkley]

Muhammad, I was going to ask Harv about that. I don't remember what kind of magnets Harv used. With the magnets I got from Scruffy, it's going to take a fairly major whack to dislodge it. I could even put another one on, but I don't think I'd be able to get the cup off the fender - at least not when it's full.

MarkC

 

[scruffy]

Mark, I never asked you (though I meant to) Did you have to use a screw driver or something to get them apart when you first unpackaged them? I stuck them together and gave a tug or two on them, told myself forget! We'll let Mark figure out how to get them apart! Stout little buggers!

 

[MChalkley]

Scruffy - I didn't have too much trouble. I was able to slide them sideways until I could get enough leverage to twist them apart. They definitely do the job! Thanks again!

MarkC

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: Spreading The magnets

Hi Mark,

Re. magnets:

I got some kind of small-but-powerful magnets ( on E-bay, I think) that increase in force cumulatively if they are stacked. They are thin and harmless looking, but will hurt you if your finger gets between the stack and a vise/other iron.

I don't mean "ouch",... I mean "OUCH!!"

I've got them marked "danger" and up out of little-kid reach. Amazing things!

Larry