Wierd things that have happened

[compact]

A thread for who’ da thunkit mishaps. My contribution for today: driving on lawn, suddenly a maple branch comes wheeling around my right foot and pins my foot down hard (!) against the go pedal, just as I am negotating a slow turn around the mini-ex. I could NOT lift my toe! Ended up pulling my foot in a sort of panicky way which stopped the tractor. Untangled the branch (which I had not even noticed) and went on. Later I tried to re-enact using the evil branch and the picture is something close, though The branch had been broken during removal. I am still not exactly sure how it managed to do what it did.

 

[oosik]

About ten years ago - had a smaller tractor then - Ford 1710. Out and about on the property - pulling a three pronged scarifier - creating a trail. Heard a mighty crash behind me - about twenty feet behind me and right across my "ripped trail" - - a 105 foot tall Ponderosa pine decided it was time to fall. The butt cut on the beast was 37 inches in diameter. I would have looked like a piss ant under asphalt roller had conditions been just slightly different.

There was no doubt - I knew the tree was dead but had no idea the root system was, obviously, completely rotted out.

 

[Xfaxman]

Last summer I was mowing some brush and willow trees up to 1 inch diameter. Finished the area and drove ti the barn. Went to close the door and saw drops of oil behind it. Walked around to the right side, saw a stick jammed up against the side of the engine and no dipstick!

Drove the UTV back to where I mowed, but never found the dipstick.

A Picture from eBay shows the dipstick:

And this is my machine:

 

[Creamer]

Last fall I was cutting down a 20' tall ash stump that was about 30" diameter. I finished cutting it and had backed up away from it to let it fall. When it hit it landed on some branches that had been lying there and the leveraged another branch which came right up between my legs and tapped me you know where. Not enough to hurt but another inch of leverage would have been very painful.

 

[k0ua]

A thread for who da thunkit mishaps. My contribution for today: driving on lawn, suddenly a maple branch comes wheeling around my right foot and pins my foot down hard (!) against the go pedal, just as I am negotating a slow turn around the mini-ex. I could NOT lift my toe! Ended up pulling my foot in a sort of panicky way which stopped the tractor. Untangled the branch (which I had not even noticed) and went on. Later I tried to re-enact using the evil branch and the picture is something close, though The branch had been broken during removal. I am still not exactly sure how it managed to do what it did.

Tree branches are hateful. I have had them operate my old Kubota's FEL joystick when I didn't want it operated. On an L3400 it kinda stick up there in the air where branches can grab it, and they love to.

 

[tree farmer]

It seems like the first pass of the year around my place with the brush hog, a tree limb will reach out and throw my hat under the mower. No need to stop and try to retrieve it at that point....Dan.

 

[4570Man]

Safety tip I learned from a buddy. Never work in the brush with a track hoe over the back side of the tracks. If a stick comes in the cab and hits the levers it’s going to drive you into the tree. If it’s working off the “right” end it’s going to back away from the stick hitting the levers.

 

[oosik]

Xfaxman - I know you have done something about your lost dipstick already. I have a similar problem - loosing parts, nuts, bolts, washers, etc, etc in the grass when performing maintenance. It got to be a REAL PITA for me. A lot of the lost stuff was "special stuff" and required a trip to the Kubota dealer - 60 miles, round trip.

About fifteen years ago - I'd HAD IT. I bought a cheap White metal detector and now the lost stuff can be easily found.

Laugh, laugh - since this was originally a homestead - - I also find enough big 'ol nails to sink the Queen Mary. I don't think the old homesteader ever had a problem that a handful of big nails couldn't fix.

 

[CobyRupert]

Yep, driving over sticks is like a lot of things (example: running a chain saw or a wood splitter, or throwing firewood into the back of your pickup): If you're really careful and do it correctly, you can be safe and without incident 99.999% of the time! :cool2: That's a really great number! ....unless you're doing it a million times, and then ......

 

[Ford850]

A few years ago I found a bolt in the center of my concrete driveway. It was unusual looking, fine thread and markings on the head that seemed familiar but not common. Nice and shiny, obviously a quality product, I set it aside for a few days looking at it occasionally. It finally dawned on me, the head markings were similar to some I'd seen on my Grasshopper diesel mower. That mower was approximately 8 years old, and mowed roughly 4 - 6 acres weekly, but I rarely crossed the concrete drive. It took quite a bit of research to find the actual bolt dimensions and then trace it using parts lists to the possible locations on the mower. Turns out it was the most concealed engine mount bolt from the Kubota engine, not visible and only detectable by feel. No doubt it was not torqued properly due to it's location. I did check the rest of the bolts after that too. But what are the odds of it falling out on the concrete driveway in clear view after hundreds of hours of mowing lawn?

 

[k0ua]

A few years ago I found a bolt in the center of my concrete driveway. It was unusual looking, fine thread and markings on the head that seemed familiar but not common. Nice and shiny, obviously a quality product, I set it aside for a few days looking at it occasionally. It finally dawned on me, the head markings were similar to some I'd seen on my Grasshopper diesel mower. That mower was approximately 8 years old, and mowed roughly 4 - 6 acres weekly, but I rarely crossed the concrete drive. It took quite a bit of research to find the actual bolt dimensions and then trace it using parts lists to the possible locations on the mower. Turns out it was the most concealed engine mount bolt from the Kubota engine, not visible and only detectable by feel. No doubt it was not torqued properly due to it's location. I did check the rest of the bolts after that too. But what are the odds of it falling out on the concrete driveway in clear view after hundreds of hours of mowing lawn?

You should have went immediately to the nearest store and bought a lottery ticket.

 

[Industrial Toys]

A metal detector is a must have for lost parts. But also a home built flame thrower to make small lost parts findable in grass.

Biggest tree I think I ever cut at that time. My almost new Stihl 036 saw got pinched as the tree fell. The saw fell out as the tree detached, and then bounced on the saw destroying it completely. .

 

[/pine]

A metal detector is a must have for lost parts. But also a home built flame thrower to make small lost parts findable in grass.

Biggest tree I think I ever cut at that time. My almost new Stihl 036 saw got pinched as the tree fell. The saw fell out as the tree detached, and then bounced on the saw destroying it completely. .

Boring Company flamethrower shipments to start in two weeks

 

[Xfaxman]

If you are going to use a flame thrower, get this one. The World's First Ever Skid Steer Flamethrower | Skid Steer Solutions

Also handy for starting burn piles. :laughing:

 

[banc123]

6 years ago this year June 30th, I kept my tractor at a farm where we camped near my hunt club 2hrs from home. Unknown to me someone had hot wired my Ford 4000 and in the process messed up the neutral saftey. I cranked it while standing next to it like a 1,000 times before and it imediatley fired and ran slap over me with fluid filled tires. Crushed my pelvis and ribs and then the tiller attached smacked me in the face as the tines crawled over my bare legs (shorts). Had been on blood thinners for year from a blood clot after a knee surgery. The small county hospital didn't have my blood type. Ended up getting a helicopter ride ($48,000) back to the big city 2hrs away, spent 2 weeks in ICU and then 4 weeks in a rehab hospital.

Lesson , never ever, never ever, turn that key when you're not in the seat. Things that shouldn't happen do happen.

 

[oosik]

Wholly cow - I guess there must be a legit use for that big 'ol weeny roaster.

banc123 - your vivid description makes my poor old shoulders ache. I occasionally will start the tractor while standing along side - I'm going to quit that!!! Medivac copters go for $24K per hour. You know - I'm not all that sure that I'm worth that much. I think I'd make sure the insurance was going to pay or just tell them to "leave me here" and see how it works out.

 

[coldsteelva]

Wholly cow - I guess there must be a legit use for that big 'ol weeny roaster.

banc123 - your vivid description makes my poor old shoulders ache. I occasionally will start the tractor while standing along side - I'm going to quit that!!! Medivac copters go for $24K per hour. You know - I'm not all that sure that I'm worth that much. I think I'd make sure the insurance was going to pay or just tell them to "leave me here" and see how it works out.

For you folks that live in rural areas, the other helpful TBN folks turned me onto 'Helicopter Insurance' - yes, it is pretty much like it sounds. If you know who your local air evac provider is look them up online and see if they offer insurance or 'memberships'.

I live in an area serviced by PHI (AirCare is the callsign) and for just $200, anyone living under my roof is covered for helicopter transport via their service (nationally) for 5 years. Living in rural areas, or where traffic is awful - anything larger than a paper cut has the potential to warrant a helicopter transport. If your insurance caps out, you might be on the hook for a huge, life affecting bill. By having this membership, the provider will accept ANY insurance payment as payment in full. If me, my wife and son NEVER use it, then I have done my part to sustain this vital lifeline for others.

 

[oosik]

I live very rural and at the same time only 25 miles from Spokane. Ten years ago the wife had a life threatening experience. A VERY enlightening experience for me. It was not that she needed helicopter transport - it was that it took the paramedics an hour to arrive at my front door after they were called.

Not much I can do about that situation. It gives a person reason to pause and reflect though. I've often thought of subscribing to heli transport out here but it takes a paramedic or doctor to authorize this transportation. If I can call for help and live to see the paramedics - I probably don't need helicopter transport either.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I think I live on a flight path for the air ambulance. The Orange one of which management STOLE millions from the Ontario Tax Payer. Anyway, anytime I see or hear one, I have to wonder what someone did now?

 

[oosik]

Neighbors son got caught up in one of their round balers. Not life threatening - but pretty embarrassing. He was stuck there for about five hours. I guess he was lucky - he could have been baled. Working on a problem while the tractor was still running.