Did something dumb today.

[Rhodemont]

Hmmm..I have not done anything dumb in a while.  But then again my definition of dumb has been down graded significantly!

[Resonator]

[doc henderson]

that butt log seems much smaller than the stump.  did you take a log out of the middle?

[Resonator]

No, the tree was still intact from stump to crown. (Chunk of notch wood laying behind the stump maybe makes it look bigger). Got the tractor and hooked a chain on it and pulled it down. Some days the aim is a little off... 
Though it did give me an excuse to figure out how to post photos in the new system.

[kkcomp]

Time for my did something stupid. Was slabbing a 34 inch oak and using a mallet to tap wedges in. Got a slab off, set the mallet on top of the log. Went to pick up my handheld remote and promptly dropped it. It hit the ground just right to speed up the engine and move the saw head forward. Before I could pick up the remote and stop everything the blade caught the mallet and threw it into the blade rollers on the outfeed side. Going to take several hours and dollars to replace the parts that were too bent to straighten.  

[firefighter ontheside]

Oh no.  I hate when that happens.

[SawyerTed]

Maybe it's time for someone to come up with a remote emergency stop or a proximity sensor that would disable the remote if the operator isn't in contact with the remote?

I've wondered why an E stop isn't standard on the mills.

[fluidpowerpro]

I agree with the need for e-stops so I added 4 to my mill. One on each corner of the carriage.
I use to sell radio remotes made by Teleradio. They offer various safety options such as a time function where it will shut down an operation if there is no input for a set period of time. Another option is to shut down if the remote is out of range. The range can be manipulated by strategic placement of the antenna or shields around it, etc. You can also build in safety by programming a button as a "dead man" function. The button must be pushed and maintained by the operator for it to work. You can also program 2 buttons to create a 2 hand no tie down function. With many higher end remotes, you can get really creative with programming to accomplish various levels of safety. With low cost "garage door" remotes, not so much..

[Rhodemont]

Resonator, that is not dumb, that is standard practice. Hook up the tractor and pull it down.

[Rhodemont]

I take back my "have not done something dumb in a while" post.  The simple set on my LT35 has a plastic lever on the left. Push it forward for saw travel.  Pull it back and walk along side to bring the head back, if you let go it stops return travel.  Well after a pass I wanted to measure up where my beam was so raised the head, shut down the blade and started to walk back. I caught my belt loop on the return lever and broke it.  The head went into return mode and the sawdust chute knock me down from behind and continued on till the front bumper.  Landed in a fresh pile of sawdust so no harm except for embarrassment.  $9 new lever fix will be hear tomorrow.

[firefighter ontheside]

Well, you tempted fate...didn't you?  Glad it wasnt worse damage and no injury.

[rusticretreater]

My turn again.  Twas milling a log I was, when I lowered the two log stops alongside.  The third, at the end, having escaped previous inspection made its presence known when harkoning to its meeting with the whirring wood knife.  Now knowing many of you are in astonishment and puzzled how such an event may have occurred,  in disbelief that one could be so careless and absurd in undertaking ones task, that I dear sirs do not deign to provide further explanation except to remark "the sawmill blade hath seen better times."

Upon replacing the offending member and chastising the log stop for its misbehavior, I did resume my chosen task of making fine quality oak boards for the enjoyment and provision of the fine woodworker who does inhabit yon local woodshop not 50 paces hence.

As the cant had nearly completed generously donating its essence to the procurement of high quality lumber, I was necessitated to place the log clamps at a acute angle to hold its remaining substance firmly for the final masterful cut.  Seeing the sharp, fine tuned blade had the necessary clearance to pass safely by the log clamp tooth, I proceeded hence to complete the task at hand, oblivious to the fact that the nearby swivel bolt of the log clamp exceeded the height of the log clamp tooth however slightly. 

Twas only a scratch, a minor disagreement between two metal objects, but enough to bring to the ears that onerous and dreadful sound of the finality of the situation.  Once again I was set upon by the misfortune of chance and the possibility of another enumeration of 25 dollars lost, such is the fate of my coin of the realm. I did cry "woe, alas, alack!" as I opened another 10 pack. The boards however were splendid.

Yes, I know I'm weird. 

[Magicman]

That has to be the best and most detailed description that I have ever read about a screw up.  

Congratulations have to be in order !!!    

[SawyerTed]

Caveat Serrator....

Loosely translated, "Let the sawyer beware."

[cutterboy]

Twas a joy for me to read, however me thinks twas not a joy for you to experience.

[Old Greenhorn]

Hail and well met oh Creator of the Rustic Stuff! Blessed are we to receive the lessons in the telling of your tale, that we may not transgress and tread lightly into the dark voids that arise within a clouded vision of haste. Alas and anon for the horrid death of your mighty and noble blade indeed and a pity for it's effect on your coffers.
 That you might sally forth once again to meet the challenges is but a testament to thy noblest of character.


We're all weird.

[aigheadish]

You guys are scaring me with your stories of mallets being thrown and getting knocked around by the returning carriage. I'm glad to hear it hasn't gone more poorly! 

I guess I did something dumb in a similar metal screechy way... I built a cross-cut sled for the table saw about a year ago. It was my first attempt and while it worked I didn't really like it. I'd seen some much simpler examples so I started taking it apart to rebuild. I removed a bunch of screws and got rid of the far side rail of wood I didn't need. Then I went to cut a 45 degree angle in it so I could cross-cut some bevels for a box I'm poorly attempting to make. "Hmm, what are those sparks, in the dust collector hose?" "Oh, I'm just slicing through a screw I missed." Dummy.

[doc henderson]

cool.

[doc henderson]

back in training when I had little time and or money, and only owned a 10-inch Ryobi chop saw, I needed to cut some meatal and realized a metal cutting blade would fit.  It worked well but should have removed the dust bag as it had areas that glowed red briefly, and then left a hole.  Only I could let the smoke out of a dust bag.  

[SawyerTed]

Many years ago we were warned by our "Polymeric Materials"  instructor about the dangers of hot non-polymeric chips in the dust collector in a "general shop"/industrial arts shop. 

Polymeric materials was a name for it when our university department was going through an identity crisis. If it was wood or plastic it was a polymeric material versus non-polymeric materials - metals and ceramics.   Those names replaced the the names Woods I, II and III and Metals I, II and III!   

Eventually, the Industrial Technology Department became 2 departments - Manufacturing and Construction Management.  The Manufacturing Department became the ECU School of Engineering and Construction Management is in the School of Business.

I blame non-polymeric materials for all of it!   

[Don P]

Same idea on a larger scale, the furniture plants here have fire detection in the dust lines and trained firefighting crews in house but the shops and smaller factory I worked in did not. We tried to keep a close eye out but every now and then a stray piece of metal made it into a machine. One of the men that took care of marketing/removing the dust at several of those shops told me to hop in one day and we went to visit another component shop I worked in. The wide belt sander had hit metal and threw sparks into the dust collector. It was similar to many of y'alls dust systems just bigger. It ran a 50 hp blower, a cyclone from the top of the truck to well over the roof, maybe 30' tall total. The grain side truck pulled in under where a shop system would slide in a barrel. The sparks and airflow got to the bin on the old International grain truck and ignited the dust inside. The reason he had me ride along. The young guys had the presence of mind to pull the truck away from the building, but it had a dump on it and they didn't dump the burning load. The truck was a crispy critter  .

Doc, my sander lost its bag to pretty much the same thing. I ran it with duct tape for a little while but it unsticks pretty quick in that environment.

[doc henderson]

I punished myself, by buying a new bag, back when that was a bit of coin.

[WV Sawmiller]

  I rode my ATV up in the woods and dragged down what I thought was an uprooted locust. Turned out it was a black walnut  and I'll salvage one small sawlog from it.  I dragged about 30' of the top down and sawed it up into firewood lengths. Then I rode back to the barn and hung my saw back up on a nail and went over to work on my next project.

  I looked back and saw the air was full of smoke apparently coming from the tack room where I'd hung the saw. I immediately realized I must have hung it up before the muffler cooled and it set the barn on fire. I rushed over to see if I could put it out and instead I found Sampson, my knock around Rat Terrier buddy was vigorously digging himself a new bed in the dust of the stall and instead of smoke what was I was seeing was dust. Sampson seemed to think it was funny but I was just relieved.

  Maybe this doesn't really count as anything dumb.

  I heard about a guy one time who forgot to remove the little key on the chuck when he put a new bit in his drill press and did not find out till he turned the drill on and the key went flying. I'm sure glad I never did anything like that.

[hilltopper46]

It's even more exciting when it is the chuck key on a lathe, either wood or metal. So I've heard....

(On the metal lathe that I heard about the chuck key hit the ways and sheared the little drive belt which is supposed to be the "fuse" in the drive train. It worked.)

[WV Sawmiller]

   Or at least "So you heard".