What Attachment Scares You The Most?

[oldtimer 66]

I use these casters from TS on most of my dollies.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/titan-casters-3-in-sintered-iron-plate-swivel-caster

Not the most expensive, not super cheap either, but at 300lb capacity each, four should be able to handle an 800lb box. Worst thing is, they bind up when I'm trying to turn it and I have to be really careful not to put too much side load on them for fear they might come apart (like the cheap Harbor Freight ones do).

Three points determine a plane. If the structure is ridged then you only have 900 lbs capacity. A 4 legged sling is only rated for 3 legs. Later

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Another issue with the FEL is the possibility of crushing your foot with the FEL arm when disconnecting an SSQA implement. I have a bad back and instead of leaning over, I sometimes stand too close when lifting up on the SSQA release levers. The arm can drop to the floor suddenly if you aren't careful. I've had a couple of close calls but thankfully, no injuries.

I've gotten in the habit of relieving the hyd. pressure and not leaving the FEL joystick in the float position when disconnecting an SSQA implement.

I pretty much do the opposite and have whatever loader attachment several inches off the ground (and level or slightly curled in) before releasing the levers.

I'm sure that having the loader in float position could get exiting, and also make it that much harder to release the levers.

 

[MossRoad]

I'm fortunate to have grown up in the 60s whereby the time you could reach the clutch peddle you could operate the tractor. BUT, before then you were the guy hooking up three-point attachments and trailers. You learn a lot about leverage and staying clear of getting hurt.
It's all-dangerous work. if OSHA really knew what farmers had to do on a daily basis, we wouldn't have food.
There is no way to make everything safe.
Now in today's world clutches are going away, and tractors are easier to operate but all the dangers are still there.

I grew up with a kid that witnessed his dad get his shirt caught in a PTO shaft and it squeezed him in half. He never talked about it much but once sat and told me about it. I am 68 and still get haunted by him telling me his story.
PTO shaft shields can be a pain in the ass but are golden.
I spent 25 years as a printer on presses with open drive lines and rollers everywhere. My friend's experience helped me get through with all my fingers. I had a lot of short- finger coworkers.
I finally talked my company into making guards on the open drivelines by telling my friend's story in a company meeting. Several people left the room. I got an ass-chewing but kept my job.
Never become complacent or overconfident.

I fear the PTO shaft!

My first week working at the newspaper (spent 30 years there) I was sitting up on the half-deck using mag drills drilling and tapping rollers for new saddles to accommodate flexi plates as they transitioned away from lead plates. The press was running and sheets of paper were flying over our heads by just a few inches. The amount of spinning rollers on a newspaper print press is mind boggling. The next job involve sitting inside of running units while installing a new inking system. Your head is just inches from certain death. Boy, I kept my hair cut short, my shirt tucked in and no rags hanging out of pockets that year.

I saw a guy get his hand caught in the press just while inching it when loading plates. They had to reverse it to get it out. His hand looked just like a hand in the cartoons where someone gets it smashed with an anvil. BIG hand looked like a pancake and he turned it back and forth while looking at it in horror before they grabbed him as he fainted. Just awful. He got to keep his hand. It took about a year to get it working again. Just one of those shocking things you see over your life.

 

[MossRoad]

How about leaving your bucket with tooth bar about 6" off the ground?

View attachment 1949231

Yeah, those, and trailer ball hitches just don't move when you run your shin bone into them. OUCH!

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Yeah, those, and trailer ball hitches just don't move when you run your shin bone into them. OUCH!

And yet another advantage point for gooseneck trailers.

 

[MossRoad]

And yet another advantage point for gooseneck trailers.

I'd whack my head.

 

[RayIN]

Agree completely. The last piece of equipment (ZTR) I bought, I had to fight with the dealer just to get them to provide me with the owner's manual and engine manual that were suppose to come with it. It was also supposed to come with an instructional DVD on how to operate the equipment that they did not provide.

They would probably get a lot of people saying "I don't need no stinking lectures on how to use this....", but on the other hand, I think a lot of people would listen to them.

Unfortunately, the real world just isn't like the 1985 Cub Cadet brochure showing the smiling salesman in the pressed white shirt with CC hat showing the nice lady all the features of her new machine.

I'm a firm believer in reading and comprehending operators manuals before using a machine.
I know a lot of the contents are lawyer speak, but that's life.
The piece of equipment that makes my back stiff is being the ground man when using a post hole digger attachment.

Many years ago dad knew a very big man, 6'2" 300#(my guess), he was very strong.
He failed to disengage the PTO, got off the tractor to clear a hay blockage as it entered the baler. He got too close to the PTO shaft and it snagged his bib overalls.
He grabbed the baler and tractor wheel, and the shaft ripped his overalls off his body. He said it happened in less than a minute and was grateful to be alive.

 

[MossRoad]

Not to make light of it, but anytime I think of spinning machinery, this clip from Home Improvement comes to mind...

With that said, all rotating machinery needs to be respected. I know a guy my age that lost his arm to a PTO shaft incident with a corn chopper when he was a teen. Pulled it right off, ball out of the socket and all. Lucky he didn't bleed to death in minutes. That was about 50 years ago. He's still farming.

 

[Gator6x4]

Rotary cutter or Bush Hogs and Post Hole Diggers heighten my awareness sensors. Never operated a Stump Grinder. But they also look dangerous.

Corn picker and hay balers are two dangerous things also. Safe if one doesn't try to clear or work on when operating. Dangers if one tries to clear them when running. Many farmers have been injured trying to clear a jammed corn picker when trying to pick damp corn at night.

 

[Hay Dude]

I was always a bit uneasy about my round balers and fire.
I had 2 small fires that could have been disasters if just a few more seconds went by.
I square bale now, and they have a lower possibility of fire.

 

[oosik]

My first chipper - Wallenstein BX42S. I hooked it up( 3-point only)and then opened the chamber to check the four blades. Yup - sharp as surgeons scalpels. Closed it back up and went thru this exercise. Could I possibly reach those blades by reaching down the intake chute.

NOT possible. I'm just too large and my arm is too short - by six inches.

SO.... with the purchase of my new 2009 Kubota M6040 - I upgraded to a Wally BX62S. The intake chute was bigger in diameter but also much deeper. Even standing on my head - my hand is eight inches short of reaching those uber sharp blades.

However - I DO have an ULTIMATE respect for my chipper. Get that tree started - let go of that tree - step back. Step back also reduces the chance of being "b itch slapped" by the top of the tree as it is pulled into the chipper.

 

[Runner]

However - I DO have an ULTIMATE respect for my chipper. Get that tree started - let go of that tree - step back. Step back also reduces the chance of being "b itch slapped" by the very top of the tree as it is pulled into the chipper.

Agree it is comforting to know you can't (easily) reach the rotor on the BX42. Also agree on getting out of the way IF the unit is self-feeding. However, on mine, without hydraulic feed, as the knives wear, it's ability to self-feed fades and I need to assist branches into the rotor.

If I have to be close enough to push them in, I find I'm much less likely to be "slapped" if I'm holding on to the branch, preventing it from flipping back and forth and/or rotating.

Another source of injury I've found is from the vibration from holding onto a branch to feed it (or prevent it from hitting me). I find that the best way to prevent it from battering my hand is to hold the branch by the smallest part that isn't likely to break. This works because it usually doesn't take much pressure to feed the branch, just gentle push in most cases. The smaller parts are more flexible and don't beat my hands up as much.

 

[oosik]

I thin my pine stands - every couple years or so. Around 800 small( 1" to 6" on the butt) pines - down the chipper chute. The ONLY trees here on the 80 acre homestead - Ponderosa pines.

I found - right off - you DO NOT handle pines with bare hands. Slowly but surely - that rough pine bark will take the hide right off your hands. Good pair of gloves is essential.

There is something to said for only chipping "clean" trees. Meaning trees that have no dirt, sand, mud, etc on them. I've used and chipped over 4000 small trees with the BX62S. The four blades are still exceedingly sharp. The pines are very soft wood and are clean. One of these days I may need to reverse the blades to the back side.