What dumb thing did you do today?

CalG · Apr 16, 2020

IT was sunny, cool and a bit breezy today. I picked a metal leaf rake out of the garden shed and thought to clean up the area around the pile of freshly split fuel wood.

DUMB!

There is a never ending amount of tree litter to rake when you live in the forests of New England! I was at it for HOURS, lawn trailer loads over the bank, and you can't tell anything by looking!

DUMB! DUMB! DUMB!

It will all be just the same next spring... You think a fellow would learn...... ;-)

I'm going to hide that rake!

oosik · Apr 16, 2020

This happened fourteen years ago. It was February and we just had a fresh snow fall. Eight inches - that's a whole lot for us. I was coming home in the Jeep. Driving into its carport stall. Cut too close around the tractor in the adjoining stall. The short vertical edge on the tractor bucket slashed the front tire on the Jeep. $178 later - all was well. The Jeep & tire were only two months old.

bearthebruce · Apr 16, 2020

November 2018 - Ice Storm hits Floyd County Virginia. Power is out everywhere, trees are down, we can't get off the mountain and get out to the road without cleaning up a lot of downed trees. We referred to this as the Ice-pocalypse.

We need to take the tractor out to help us move some of the trees and debris. Normally the garage door is lifted by the electric garage door opener, there is no problem clearing the door with the tractor -ROPS up. Little did I know that without opener holding the door, the door slips down a little. And yep, all know what happened.. . the ROPS caught the door and made a bit of a mess..

Lesson learned, do not go out the door quickly and turn to see if the ROPS is gonna clear or drop the ROPS and avoid the problem altogether..

a pic of the ice-pocalyse - beautiful but very dangerous: Browser no longer supported

Jstpssng · Apr 16, 2020

I was cleaning out the henhouse. After taking the first bucketful up to the compost pile I must have been looking elsewhere as I swung in for another load. All of a sudden I saw the coop moving, as I had numbed the open door with the bucket. Luckily it's an old wooden door and I had built the casing myself so all that I had to do was put in longer screws.
Coming back from the house with the drill/driver on the hump, I took my foot off the hydro pedal and kept right on trucking. I threw in the clutch, looked down and found the drill had fallen and was holding the pedal down.

I fixed the door and came back home, where the electric heat has the place nice and warm... I was too lazy to start a fire.

BrokenTrack · Apr 17, 2020

Usually with doing dumb things, it is because someone is trying to do unlike things.

One time I was working with a contractor who was working on my house. At the same time another contractor was hauling in gravel that I was leveling between loads with my tractor. Then since I was not fully engaged doing those two things 100% of the time, I would do some woodworking.

That was fine, except I had to change my router bit, and forgot to tighten the collet. I caught the mistake before it flew into me at 14,000 rpm, but the problem was, I had (3) unlike tasks going all at the same time (carpentry supervision, gravel work and woodworking). That is when accidents happen.

oosik · Apr 17, 2020

Learned a lesson - back when I was falling my big 'ol Ponderosa pines - for firewood. A light wind will push a big pine in ways that are not good. And it's best to park your tractor & wood trailer beyond the reach of the falling pine - until it's on the ground. Had this happen a few times but the first time taught me the lesson. Looked like it was coming down on my brand new tractor. Missed the tractor - dead center on the wood trailer. Pretty well broke all the wood side racks. They were just 2x4's and replaceable. Lesson well learned.

A picture of the bottom 20' or so of one that never got cut up. The butt cut was 37". View attachment 651416

Beeenvenue · Apr 17, 2020

Add me to the list.... last spring. A brand new tractor operator on a brand new Kioti 3510 for 14 acres. Getting a 40x50 metal barn built before eventually having a house out there. The day my barn was finished I clipped the overhead door track with my bushog going out for the first time. Gotta watch that long back end with a mower! Swinging back in at the end of the day I clipped the side near the door with the loader. Gotta watch that long front end with a loader!

No real damage done just a couple of dings on a day old barn.

In December I’m helping my son with a leaky shower faucet. He couldn’t get the cartridge out. I went to help him and he showed me what he had tried. I told him to just pull harder and then demonstrated - the cartridge loosened then shot out across the shower followed by a full jet of water (upstairs of course). What a mess before we got the main water turned off. When I told my wife she said “why didn’t you turn the water off first?” Well of course, but I thought my son had and he didn’t realize the cartridge was the “shutoff” for the shower. So now whenever I go to do anything, no matter what, she reminds me to turn the water off first.

kenmbz · Apr 17, 2020

Beeenvenue said:
Add me to the list.... last spring. A brand new tractor operator on a brand new Kioti 3510 for 14 acres. Getting a 40x50 metal barn built before eventually having a house out there. The day my barn was finished I clipped the overhead door track with my bushog going out for the first time. Gotta watch that long back end with a mower! Swinging back in at the end of the day I clipped the side near the door with the loader. Gotta watch that long front end with a loader!

No real damage done just a couple of dings on a day old barn.

In December I’m helping my son with a leaky shower faucet. He couldn’t get the cartridge out. I went to help him and he showed me what he had tried. I told him to just pull harder and then demonstrated - the cartridge loosened then shot out across the shower followed by a full jet of water (upstairs of course). What a mess before we got the main water turned off. When I told my wife she said “why didn’t you turn the water off first?” Well of course, but I thought my son had and he didn’t realize the cartridge was the “shutoff” for the shower. So now whenever I go to do anything, no matter what, she reminds me to turn the water off first.

I find assuming that the water/electricity is off doesn't work

k0ua · Apr 17, 2020

It is very similar to someone handing you a firearm. You ALWAYS check that firearm yourself. You never assume that they would have to brains to check the firearm. Why would anyone hand you a loaded firearm, with you not knowing that and ready to use it immediately? Who would be that brainless? Lots of people. You cannot assume anything. Who would be brainless enough to not lock out/tag out an electrical panel when working on a circuit? Lots of people. You have to check it yourself. YOU are responsible for a firearm when you take possesion of it. You and you alone. If I set a firearm down or are distracted for a moment I check it again and again and again. I don't trust myself. And I darn sure don't trust any one else on earth.

JasperFrank · Apr 17, 2020

I have a whole bunch of spray cans that have plugged up. Hate wasting paint. So I figured I'd just take a "Church Key" can opener and punch a little hole in the bottom, to drain out the paint: You do not want to do this.