My Stupid Problem
- Thread starter DT86
- Start date
- Views: 40097
- Status
OldMcDonald
Platinum Member
DT, Like everybody else I am pleased you were successful. I am sure that you did in fact know what you were doing, and had an idea of what you might do, but came on here for the opinion of the world at large. There might have been an outstanding suggestion that you had never thought of and you were man enough to seek the opinion of others. There was the usual mix of good and stupid comments, but something that came through in many was the urge for you to stay safe. It was obvious from the way you approached the job that you do that anyway, and yet still you were close to disaster despite your safety precautions. It happens.
Larro Darro, That shovel is a very worn coalfiller's shovel. In low height seams the fillers lay on their bellies and used these shovels to load coal that had been cut out of the seam (various ways including picks) onto a conveyor belt. Legend has it in several pits that the fillers had to take new shovels in the right way up because the seam was too low to turn the shovel over. After the coal had been removed the timber drawers moved in. That is they withdrew the timber pit props and let the roof fall so that there could be no build up of gas. My father did that job, working only night shift (6pm-2am) for over 25 years so that he could run his smallholding during part of each day.
Larro Darro, That shovel is a very worn coalfiller's shovel. In low height seams the fillers lay on their bellies and used these shovels to load coal that had been cut out of the seam (various ways including picks) onto a conveyor belt. Legend has it in several pits that the fillers had to take new shovels in the right way up because the seam was too low to turn the shovel over. After the coal had been removed the timber drawers moved in. That is they withdrew the timber pit props and let the roof fall so that there could be no build up of gas. My father did that job, working only night shift (6pm-2am) for over 25 years so that he could run his smallholding during part of each day.
KubotainNH
Veteran Member
Kinda sad that this thread has got bad enough that DT didn't want to post back on it. I'm glad the equipment is safe and looking forward to seeing pictures and hopefully reading how it came out.
stuckmotor
Super Member
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2009
- Messages
- 5,297
- Location
- Lower Up State S.C.
- Tractor
- AC WD 34 hp/3500 lbs MF 261 60 hp/5380 lbs
Ditto.
stuckmotor
Super Member
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2009
- Messages
- 5,297
- Location
- Lower Up State S.C.
- Tractor
- AC WD 34 hp/3500 lbs MF 261 60 hp/5380 lbs
Ditto.
Last edited:
Larro Darro
Elite Member
Thanks for the info. Judging from the website, I thought it must be mine related. My sister's first husband's family were from West Virginia. They had all worked in the mines. They were some tough ones back then. The hardest day on a tractor is easier than being underground. {in the OP's case, he almost did both at the same time}
OldMcDonald
Platinum Member
LD, Your final remark is funny, and can be said knowing that DT is safe. Father always said that whilst it was bad underground (and in the pit he worked in it went under the sea, so there were doors set that would close if the sea cam in so as not to kill everybody) he would never be a fisherman. Yet there were people who worked with him who went out when they could, just the same as he worked the land. We will never know whether they felt fear but did not show it, or whether they were just fatalistic. If it happens, it happens. Maybe DT has that attitude too - he took care, but accepted that the worst might occur, and as you say, it almost did.
Had I known 4 cell phone pictures and a little story would cause such a fuss.....
I had thought about hauling another M9540 up to where the incident occurred but hated the thought of adding another trip with the trailer up and back if it could be avoided. Then while thinking it over I remembered a friend that has a Dairy Farm not far from where I had been working, call him "BR". Monday night I call him, I explained how I was in need of a little help if he had the time to spare. BR was working on his silage trucks between rain showers and could leave any time I came by. Great news, I wouldn't need to call in the National Guard after all.
(BR riding in on his NH TN75)
I left around 3:30pm to head to his place and followed him down the road to the farm. After he looked it over he said the pictures didn't do the hole justice. BR thinks we can simply hook his tractor to mine and force the thing out using brute strength. I didn't think it would work but I was worth a quick try. Just about the time we decide to move on and try something else it begins to rain. Hard.
Now we were on to what was my plan, Plan A.
Unhooking the mower carefully took some thinking. Would I be able get the weight off the hitch pin or will the mower want to keep sliding into the stupid hole? I backed up just enough that I felt the slack come in the hitch, unhooked the hydralics and PTO and pulled the pin with one finger.
Now for Plan A, BR would position his tractor on one side to lift the front end of the machine while on the other side I would lift the rear. As we lift the mower about 2' off the ground we pull backward at the same time about 45 degrees apart the mower will spin 90 degrees towards him. Brilliant.
I reposition my tractor in front of the mower, pulling it by the loader up out of the mud pit and to the barn.
Nothing broke, bent or scratched any more than it already was. But I didn't think it would be.
We talked a while about my stupid hole, farming and bad investments. He mentioned his TN75 was the best tractor he'd ever had. We talked about the differences between sync shuttle and hydro shuttle, wet and dry brakes. When he said it was time for him to leave I offered him money. I had soaking wet bills in my hand (had them in my front pocket during the monsoon) but he wouldn't take a dime. "I might be stuck in a hole one day", he said with a smile. "That's fine, call me, I'll be there." I said.
I had thought about hauling another M9540 up to where the incident occurred but hated the thought of adding another trip with the trailer up and back if it could be avoided. Then while thinking it over I remembered a friend that has a Dairy Farm not far from where I had been working, call him "BR". Monday night I call him, I explained how I was in need of a little help if he had the time to spare. BR was working on his silage trucks between rain showers and could leave any time I came by. Great news, I wouldn't need to call in the National Guard after all.
(BR riding in on his NH TN75)
I left around 3:30pm to head to his place and followed him down the road to the farm. After he looked it over he said the pictures didn't do the hole justice. BR thinks we can simply hook his tractor to mine and force the thing out using brute strength. I didn't think it would work but I was worth a quick try. Just about the time we decide to move on and try something else it begins to rain. Hard.
Now we were on to what was my plan, Plan A.
Unhooking the mower carefully took some thinking. Would I be able get the weight off the hitch pin or will the mower want to keep sliding into the stupid hole? I backed up just enough that I felt the slack come in the hitch, unhooked the hydralics and PTO and pulled the pin with one finger.
Now for Plan A, BR would position his tractor on one side to lift the front end of the machine while on the other side I would lift the rear. As we lift the mower about 2' off the ground we pull backward at the same time about 45 degrees apart the mower will spin 90 degrees towards him. Brilliant.
I reposition my tractor in front of the mower, pulling it by the loader up out of the mud pit and to the barn.
Nothing broke, bent or scratched any more than it already was. But I didn't think it would be.
We talked a while about my stupid hole, farming and bad investments. He mentioned his TN75 was the best tractor he'd ever had. We talked about the differences between sync shuttle and hydro shuttle, wet and dry brakes. When he said it was time for him to leave I offered him money. I had soaking wet bills in my hand (had them in my front pocket during the monsoon) but he wouldn't take a dime. "I might be stuck in a hole one day", he said with a smile. "That's fine, call me, I'll be there." I said.
murphy1244
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2011
- Messages
- 16,321
- Location
- Ohio
- Tractor
- Kubota 1120 RTV Kioti DK-40, MF-135, Ventrac 4500Y
Good job and very nice pics!
- Status