Dumbest thing I've done lately

[std]

I seem to remember a thread about dumb things we've done. I thought I would share the latest dumb thing I did. Make that the series of painful dumb things I've done.

I was in Texas the last couple weeks for some Legend racing. When we're not racing, we work on the bosses toys. I was making to make a step for the back of his H1 Hummer so it is easier to get into the bed. I find some 1/4" steel and cut it with the plasma cutter. Now I need to sand the edges. I put a new belt on the belt sander and was adjusting it and I don't know what I did but I stuck my fingers right into the belt. A little blood, but mostly sanded down finger nails and a bunch of pain. And I ruined my last belt!

I bend the metal 90 degrees and go to the drill press to do the mounting holes. Jimmy comes up and says "Are you going to helicopter some parts?". You'll never guess what happens next. As soon as I touched the part with the drill bit, it caught and spun around and smacked me on the side of the wrist. No blood, but way more pain and a bruise about 3" x 3" a couple days after the swelling went down.

Don't stop reading, the best is yet to come!

We just moved onto a new shop a couple weeks ago. I get back from Texas and start helping put stuff away and sort out some of the electrical we need. Whenever the compressor kicks on It's way to loud, so we start to build 7' x 12' a room around it. We lay out the walls on the floor and I nail them together. The other guys were doing something so I grab the short to move it out of the way. I get it about chest high and it slips out of my hands and lands right on top of my right foot. That was some bad pain. the kind that gives you an upset stomach. I had to sit down immediately.

I drove myself to the hospital(cause I'm a guy, not a sissy) and guess what. I broke my foot. First metatarsal. Lots of bruising and swelling. That was last Wednesday. I go to a specialist tomorrow.

All that in a week. I think I'm done with pain for the year.

[Scott Liggett]

I'm thinking you need to wear a helmet whenever you get near a tool. :D

Three words: Steel Toed Boots.

[Bamfster]

Time for a vacation.....

[A/Fuel]

[Screaming Detroit]

I was working on my motorcycle adjusting the carbs, 74 XS650 the electric starter doesn't work,so I was using the kick startand were it bolts on the motor it cracked and spun sideways. So instead of fixing it right I did the quick fix and buzzed a quick bead of weld over the crack put it on, kicked the motor over about 3 kicks the lever broke of went in my leg made my calf into hamberger spent 3 hours in the ER on crutches out of work for a couple of days

[std]

I've never missed a day of work because of an injury. I get all the usual bumps and cuts and bruises you would expect from working with my hands, but I've never had a streak like that. And the only one that slowed me down was the broken foot.

I don't especially like the forced vacation.

[Brad54]

I've gone to the ER once in my adult life, because I couldn't get the fish hook out. Other than that, my rule is pretty much if a stitch or three will close it, don't bother. I broke my toe in the shop, but didn't need them to tell me, and they weren't going to put a cast on it. I'm usually pretty careful though, so I avoid a lot of injuries.
However, last week, I was reheating some food in the oven, and since we were all out of glass dishes, I put it in a metal pan with lid. Pulled it out of the oven just fine. Got the steak on the plate, set it down grabbed the rolls out of the toaster oven, then noticed all the good, buttery drippin's in the bottom of the pan. "Well I can't let THAT go to waste! I gotta put it on the steak." Grabbed the handle, swung it over the steak, and realized something was very wrong.

2nd degree burns across the palm of my hand, all five fingers (with blisters on the tips), down the side of my index and little finger, and honest-to-God left a finger print on the underside of the handle.

After trying to tough it out for an hour, I finally went to the ER. They put some creme on it that was amazing, wrapped it up like the Hamburger Helper mascot, gave me a shot in the ass for pain and a prescription for oxycodone.

That was the dumbest thing I've done in A LONG time!

As for helicoptering parts, if you aren't going to clamp it down (and I often don't), then you MUST set the work piece up on the table so that the far end comes to rest up against the drill press's pipe. It's our instinct to set the piece up to our right, but when the drill grabs it, it now slams into us. If we set it up so the piece spins away from us and hits the pipe, then you have a much better shot at avoiding injury.

-Brad

[HotRodLadyCrusr]

Brad's so tough he didn't even go to the hospital when he got hit by a car a couple of years ago :o

[Schtauffer]

I took a call from a guy today who wanted to get his garage door open after his wife hit it with the car and jambed it part way open. I warned him to be careful, because if the springs let go they will break your arm or head or whatever is closest. He said (I kid you not), "Ok, I'll use a sawzall and wear a bicycle helmet."

[Brad54]

Brad's so tough he didn't even go to the hospital when he got hit by a car a couple of years ago :o

The guy was only going 35mph when he hit me. I didn't see any bones poking through, and I could still (mostly) walk, so what was the point? Ace bandage on the ankle, a couple advil, a good night's sleep, and I was good to go. Memphis to Atlanta the next day (luckily it was my gas pedal ankle and not my clutch foot), and an enthusiastic "Hi honey, I'm HOME!" when I got there.

Twice. ;)

My ass and elbow hurt for a week or ten days, I limped bad all the time for about that same period, and every morning for six months. I'd take the car over the burn any time.
-Brad