Did something dumb today.

[Old Greenhorn]

I mentioned this elsewhere, but just to get the record straight, yesterday I finally managed to put a chain on my saw backwards. First (only?) time in my life. I will stop laughing at the rest of you now.
 AT least I knew what I did the second I touched it to wood. ;D

[VB-Milling]

I mentioned this elsewhere, but just to get the record straight, yesterday I finally managed to put a chain on my saw backwards. First (only?) time in my life. I will stop laughing at the rest of you now.
AT least I knew what I did the second I touched it to wood. ;D

Its amazing how it doesn't look at all out of the ordinary until its chain to wood time   :D

[WV Sawmiller]

   You can invert and do the same thing with your sawmill band - or so I have heard. I heard about a new sawyer who did that twice and even sent them back to WM and received replacement blades under warranty. I guess when he called the customer service guru never thought anybody could miss something so obvious. I sure wish I could remember who that guy was. :

[Jim_Rogers]

I hauled some logs in to be milled up for a Cab driver who drove a Cab in Boston.
He came over with his chain saw and he told me he just had his "Blade" sharpened. As he was putting it on his saw here in my sawmill yard.

He then tried to cut some of his logs to shorter lengths, as I wall milling nearby. I watched the cloud of blue smoke pouring off his bar, and walked over to see what was going one. I noticed he had put the chain on backwards.

I asked him if the would get mad at me if I told him he put the chain on backwards. He said no. I said: "you put the chain on backwards!" :D

Jim Rogers

[Nebraska]

There is a big fiber optic cable running through my place in the pasture. If you do any digging that direction they come and watch you dig. 
Reversed saw chains, sawing into parts of the mill, flipped bands.....gas mix into the bar oil fill. Among others.... two days ago i managed to back into a board sticking out over the front of the hay rack with a nail sticking out the end, it almost cleared the tire.... didn't damage the tire as I saw it quick enough and got stopped just kissed it... "That was dumb" ran through my head... My wife wanted to mow there and asked if I could move it "quick"....didn't take the time to move it first...

[Resonator]

When I worked construction we were told it could be tens of thousands of dollars PER MINUTE that you'd be charged if a fiber optic line was cut. And reconnecting the line could be many hours, as each individual strand had to be carefully fused together. We had one road job where a line was snagged with the bulldozer, but was determined the locator company mark was off, so they took the blame. Though either way, utility markings can have a margin of error and can be 2' from either side of the line, so use caution. Anything with buried high voltage lines or gas mains they tend to call in hydro-vac trucks (also called "pot-holing") when they get close to the paint markings. These use a water jet and vacuum hose to expose the utilities and does not damage the line. 

[offrink]

My brother sells/builds buildings. Last fall they had plans made and permits were filled out and approved. They built the building and finishing up this week. They pretty much only need to dig the detention pond. Well at&t came through in the winter and put in two 4" fiber optic lines in private property right through the detention pond dig site. He has tried to get at&t to come and either move or figure out what they want him to do. Two people from at&t said to just dig them up and then whey will send someone out. Was sent to a third person and waited for 45 minutes before he was "disconnected" and was never called back. Someone is going to have a bad day soon.

[aigheadish]

Yeah, the fiber lines are no joke. I'm pretty sure that isn't what mine was but I'm glad I didn't find out. It sucks that we live in the future but still can't tell where stuff is buried 3 feet underground very well...

@offrink I don't think I'd risk it on that one. Maybe if I got a recording of the phone call where the guy says "yeah, this is Bob Jones of AT&T Unit 5549393, go ahead and dig up the lines." But still probably not. Seems like digging in a minefield.

[Magicman]

two 4" fiber optic lines

I am quite sure that this is a typo because the largest copper conductor cables that we used was 26 gauge 2400 pair and it was 2.9"outside diameter.

In today's world presently the largest fiber optic cable commonly used is 864 fibers and it is ~¾" in diameter. 

The largest available has 3456 fibers in a single cable, AccuTube+ RR Cable offers exceptional carrying capacity for high-growth, high-bandwidth applications. Optimized to help users achieve easy and cost-effective mass fusion splicing, this ultra-high-density cable helps to simplify installation and save on labor costs. In addition, this cable's significantly greater fiber density offers the ability to expand the capacity of existing pathways and allows the use of smaller, lower-cost duct systems. For example, the 1728 fiber count cables have the ability to be routed in existing 1 1/4-inch pathways, while the 3456 fiber count cables are suited for 2-inch pathways.

Fiber Optic Cable

[offrink]

two 4" fiber optic lines

I am quite sure that this is a typo because the largest copper conductor cables that we used was 26 gauge 2400 pair and it was 2.9"outside diameter.

In today's world presently the largest fiber optic cable commonly used is 864 fibers and it is ~¾" in diameter.  

The largest available has 3456 fibers in a single cable, AccuTube+ RR Cable offers exceptional carrying capacity for high-growth, high-bandwidth applications. Optimized to help users achieve easy and cost-effective mass fusion splicing, this ultra-high-density cable helps to simplify installation and save on labor costs. In addition, this cable's significantly greater fiber density offers the ability to expand the capacity of existing pathways and allows the use of smaller, lower-cost duct systems. For example, the 1728 fiber count cables have the ability to be routed in existing 1 1/4-inch pathways, while the 3456 fiber count cables are suited for 2-inch pathways.

Fiber Optic Cable

I sure hope you're right. They were marked as fiber optic and were exposed by hand. I am just going by what I was told. And yes he got an email verification that he told them there were lines on private property that needed to be excavated. 

[mapleack]

My brother sells/builds buildings. Last fall they had plans made and permits were filled out and approved. They built the building and finishing up this week. They pretty much only need to dig the detention pond. Well at&t came through in the winter and put in two 4" fiber optic lines in private property right through the detention pond dig site. He has tried to get at&t to come and either move or figure out what they want him to do. Two people from at&t said to just dig them up and then whey will send someone out. Was sent to a third person and waited for 45 minutes before he was "disconnected" and was never called back. Someone is going to have a bad day soon.

If that property recently changed hands there's a good chance at&t purchased a ROW from the previous owner and the new owner doesn't know it.

[btulloh]

Good point on the easement.  Not likely they would put them there otherwise. Possible they made a mistake, but less likely. Normally would be recorded and listed on the title search results.

That could be conduit you're looking at. All the fo trunk cables around here are in flexible conduit. They ran-the conduit then came back and put in the fo cable sometime later. Interesting process they used. No trenching. Dug a hole every 25 ft or so and than ran the conduit between holes using some sort of air driven pulse thing. Somehow it was no problem tunneling blind between the holes. Had to be some sort of orientation involved. Wish I'd gotten a closer look, but not really a good spectator sport with the big compressor running.

[Jim_Rogers]

Good point on the easement.  Not likely they would put them there otherwise. Possible they made a mistake, but less likely. Normally would be recorded and listed on the title search results.

That could be conduit you're looking at. All the fo trunk cables around here are in flexible conduit. They ran-the conduit then came back and put in the fo cable sometime later. Interesting process they used. No trenching. Dug a hole every 25 ft or so and than ran the conduit between holes using some sort of air driven pulse thing. Somehow it was no problem tunneling blind between the holes. Had to be some sort of orientation involved. Wish I'd gotten a closer look, but not really a good spectator sport with the big compressor running.

That's the way they did the power line and cable line to my house. They put a sending unit in the far hole and the mole will bore to the sending unit, power by air compressor. I think the mole also pulls the wire(s).
Jim Rogers

[btulloh]

I'm just glad to know they've been able to train moles to be productive and contribute to society instead of just ruining my yard. 

[Resonator]

Reminds me of a story my aunty told me years ago...
Seems 3 moles were digging a tunnel into the farmhouse kitchen. First one yells, were getting close, I smell honey! Second one yells were getting closer, I smell sugar! Third one yells, we're really close! I smell molasses!  ;D

[JJ]

I buy couple of mole harpoon traps, but have never killed any moles with them yet, other than myself pinching my thumb testing the trigger out !OUCH! xyg!  should have posted the injury here
smiley_carpenter_hit_thumb.
Too many dry wells/tunnels after winter, trapping after mr/mrs mole has moved to next juicy grub farm I think.

      JJ

[Ianab]

That's the way they did the power line and cable line to my house. They put a sending unit in the far hole and the mole will bore to the sending unit, power by air compressor. I think the mole also pulls the wire(s).
Jim Rogers

They have installed new fibre and replaced the water main down our street over the last couple of years with direction boring. 
Interesting to watch as the first crew come along and mark all the other services, I assume with ground penetrating radar or ultrasound? Different paint on the footpath / lawn / road to show what's there, along with it's depth. So they were dodging water, gas, copper phone and sewerage lines.
Then they dig a small hole at each drop point, and push the bore to the next one. I think they then drag the conduit or pipe back with the drill?  The drill is fully steerable, and when they use it another guy is walking along above the drill tip with some sort of detector. He signals the operator, left /right / up / down to avoid other services.  Big compressor truck then blew the fibres or their draw wire down the conduit. Then they had a mini-me walk behind drill to run the individual fibre drops from the main conduit, under the lawn / fence / footpath up to each house.
It seems about 99% accurate. They did hit someone's water pipe up the street, and a gas pipe over the other side of town. But not too much carnage for over 1,000 houses. 

[Ljohnsaw]

When they mark the streets around here prior to boring, it looks like a full fledged Star Wars battle with the crazy symbols they use.  They make orange diamonds with vertical bars on each side - looks like dozens of Tye Fighters flying all over the streets. :D

[Tacotodd]

Don't worry (to much) about putting the chain on backwards guys. If you've ran a chainsaw enough, IT'S happened! 

I've done it, twice that I can immediately think of. Once when I had NO idea how to sharpen and once recently when I did. The first time I was just dogging in and was cutting powering (forcing) my way through. The second time I noticed IMMEDIATELY. I don't try to power the chainsaw through any more and I noticed REALLY quickly that it wasn't "sharp". I made a really quick inspection and saw what the problem was. What a boneheaded move. BUT guys, it does happen. I have developed a good habit of putting my bar oil in first so that I never run out, BUT I did manage once to somehow  : put in fuel mix in their instead. I caught it when I started to put fuel in and I realized "where is my fuel?". That's when I realized, hey dingleberry, you just put this now found mix in the wrong place. It happens. None of us like to admit it, but that's the way it goes.

[HemlockKing]

I mentioned this elsewhere, but just to get the record straight, yesterday I finally managed to put a chain on my saw backwards. First (only?) time in my life. I will stop laughing at the rest of you now.
AT least I knew what I did the second I touched it to wood. ;D

Did that one not too long back for the first time also ;D. I knew immediately what I had done, I just stopped and laughed at myself  :D

[HemlockKing]

Don't worry (to much) about putting the chain on backwards guys. If you've ran a chainsaw enough, IT'S happened!

I've done it, twice that I can immediately think of. Once when I had NO idea how to sharpen and once recently when I did. The first time I was just dogging in and was cutting powering (forcing) my way through. The second time I noticed IMMEDIATELY. I don't try to power the chainsaw through any more and I noticed REALLY quickly that it wasn't "sharp". I made a really quick inspection and saw what the problem was. What a boneheaded move. BUT guys, it does happen. I have developed a good habit of putting my bar oil in first so that I never run out, BUT I did manage once to somehow  : put in fuel mix in their instead. I caught it when I started to put fuel in and I realized "where is my fuel?". That's when I realized, hey dingleberry, you just put this now found mix in the wrong place. It happens. None of us like to admit it, but that's the way it goes.

Honestly if I half to "power a chainsaw" through any cut it just puts me in the sourest mood, I'd rather not get any work done. That super satisfying feeling after a fresh sharpen and sink the bar into the wood like butter and she just PULLS you into the log, ahhh no better feeling than that, always a audible "she ADMIN LANGUAGE EDIT cuts" from me and a smile.

[HemlockKing]

I hauled some logs in to be milled up for a Cab driver who drove a Cab in Boston.
He came over with his chain saw and he told me he just had his "Blade" sharpened. As he was putting it on his saw here in my sawmill yard.

He then tried to cut some of his logs to shorter lengths, as I wall milling nearby. I watched the cloud of blue smoke pouring off his bar, and walked over to see what was going one. I noticed he had put the chain on backwards.

I asked him if the would get mad at me if I told him he put the chain on backwards. He said no. I said: "you put the chain on backwards!" :D

Jim Rogers

Drives me nuts hearing "blade"  :D
"Keep the blade sharp" I have also heard?  :D ;D

[Chuck White]

Not a blade, it's a chain!

[Old Greenhorn]

Maybe the fella has a chainsword?  :D :D :D That would most likely have a blade, right?

[HemlockKing]

That’s what I was picturing  :D a power head with a old sword blade coming from it