Ever do something so stupid you wonder if you should be left unsupervised?

[Skyman]

Nice Nova and garage. Bummer about the stumble and tumble. Hope you're soon fully healed. Got more pics of that Nova?

 

[Recountry2]

Nice Nova and garage. Bummer about the stumble and tumble. Hope you're soon fully healed. Got more pics of that Nova?

Thank! I would have to dig around and see. Hoping I can get done with it this week as this 3 month project turned into a 6 month and still haven't even installed the overdrive yet....lol. All is good except for the knee still can't take a knee on it....Got some pics of the Nova...

 

[Skyman]

That's a fine looking Nova.

 

[PassnThru]

I was on a ladder installing cabinets in a friend's new pole barn shop in OK. Had to scalp a couple of posts to get the cabinets to sit plumb.. His only
Sawzall blade was dull, it got so hot it started smoking so I set it aside, then promptly set my arm down on top of it reaching for a chisel...perfect imprint of the Sawzall blade on my right forearm...

Didn't notice it right away did you?
I was using the blower on the driveway right outside the detached garage one day. It's a big area so I was going up and down the apron to clear it of grass clippings. When I got back to the garage I notice a bolt laying on the ground. Right outside of one of the garage doors. Obviously that concerned me - so I picked it up to determine which vehicle it came off of and where it goes (like it would be obvious to me).
Turns out it was one of the bolts holding the muffler on the blower. Which had been running for quite some time and had just fallen off.
Funny how for a few short seconds everything is fine and then your fingers have blisters on them.

 

[TOWLC]

Ah shoot it finally happened, I forgot the drain plug while changing oil on one of our tech’s trucks today. Luckily I remembered before I poured the whole jug in, in fact I think I only lost half a liter.
And while this is the only time I’ve done that in over ten years of oil changes, I’m a little disappointed in myself.

I did this a little while back with a full 5 gallons of hydraulic fluid on my skid steer. Was getting late and I decided to leave the plug out and let it drain completely overnight. Came out the next morning and started filling it, not noticing it all dumping out the bottom until I reached for the second 5 gallon bucket.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Bonehead move of the morning....



Loaded without hooking up the truck....

 

[TOWLC]

Bonehead move of the morning....



Loaded without hooking up the truck....

I have that same trailer. Good thing the axles sit so far back or you'd have found out sooner!

 

[Fav Onefour]

Saddest thing about this thread is that I've done so many already listed.
I sure have a lot of scar tissue and a couple of short fingers.

They say, "Learn from your mistakes". I should check into Mensa membership. I must be brilliant from all the life lessons.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I have that same trailer. Good thing the axles sit so far back or you'd have found out sooner!

Yeah. I know. As the back tires hit the bed, I felt the front end get light. I stopped, looked up, saw my truck sitting about 30 feet away and just thought......shittttttt.

I quickly tried to process what would happen if I backed off the trailer....I felt the odds were better to keep pulling forward, set the brake and get out of the trailer to hook up the truck.

 

[PCustoms]

Yesterday I was standing on the "Not A Step" step on the ladder.

In flip-flops.

Thought about this thread and decided to at least change my shoes.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Yesterday I was standing on the "Not A Step" step on the ladder.

In flip-flops.

Thought about this thread and decided to at least change my shoes.

Crocs ?

 

[PCustoms]

Crocs ?

What I may have lacked in common sense I made up for in style

 

[LOW1]

I could write a book on things I've tried to run through a snowblower.

We used to have sled dogs, and once I was snowblowing around the doghouses (no dogs present!). I managed to **** up one of the dog chains - wrapped it around the auger about 5-6 times before I got 'er shut down. Would've been nice to take the snowblower into the warm garage to clear the jam, but no, I was firmly tethered to a doghouse. That one took a while.

Back in the day when they came in paper and not digital form my snowblower really liked to eat newspapers. A thick Sunday paper can be hard to remove with frozen fingers.

 

[dcg9381]

I just installed a ball valve and a port to be able to force-blow out the AC condensation line.
I installed it right in front of the door to access the air filter, so I can't change the filter.

Pretty sure I'm only getting dumber.

 

[WillyBoy]

I wasn't there but I saw pictures at a discussion of construction screw-ups.

After the HVAC equipment for a large commercial building had been installed and tested, someone decided that the room needed a 1/2 inch copper water pipe directly across the middle of the filter housing door.
The only way the filters could ever be inspected or replaced was by first cutting the water pipe out of the way.

 

[Wrench97]

I just installed a ball valve and a port to be able to force-blow out the AC condensation line.
I installed it right in front of the door to access the air filter, so I can't change the filter.

Pretty sure I'm only getting dumber.

So you're positive the rest of drain line is glued together really well down stream right?............

 

[dcg9381]

So you're positive the rest of drain line is glued together really well down stream right?............

Not for long as I have to fix it. I wouldn't put over 10-15 psi in it anyway.

But yes, because I cut out the contractors system that had it feed the bathroom sink.

 

[Ray-CA]

 

[FullRaceMerc]

In my 20s I worked for a restaurant equipment service company for a couple of years. I had my ups & downs while there.

After the HVAC equipment for a large commercial building had been installed and tested, someone decided that the room needed a 1/2 inch copper water pipe directly across the middle of the filter housing door.
The only way the filters could ever be inspected or replaced was by first cutting the water pipe out of the way.

One of the "ups" was when I was called out to a large warehouse where another company had installed their refrigeration. All the walk-ins were running warm. Odd that they were all warm at the same time.

They had 10 or 12 walk-ins with all of the condensers run to a single room upstairs. Inside the building. Closed up tight in the room. I think it was 140⁰ in there. Instant diagnosis. No testing required. Equipment no can cool in that kind of heat.

That day we propped the door open & set up fans to blow the heat into the warehouse. Long term they added forced fresh air ventilation to the room.

Another "up" was a new walk-in that wouldn't cool enough. It was built outside. Not in a building. Directly in the sun. Uhhh... I think I see the problem. Even though they were well insulated, they couldn't compete with the BTUs from the sun. I tested the equipment. It was working fine. But couldn't keep up with that fireball in the sky.


Those made me think I was pretty smart.
This proves that was not the case.



The biggest "down" was on a small walk-in install at a new Taco Bell. It was mostly done. It was late in the day & my last stop. I was tired & eager to head home.

I was there only to solder the lines & set the vacuum pump to run. Routine. We used oxy acetelyne torches to silver solder. I started, but the regulator went wonky. No problem, I had a mapp torch on the truck as a back up. I grabbed that torch, & since the tank felt light an extra tank.

With the oxy torch, which burns its own oxygen, we had gotten into the bad habit of working with the walk-in door closed. Most of the time we were trying to keep cold food cold while we worked on a problem.

The mapp gas torch breathes the same air as I do. Inside that little walk-in the torch started out fine, but after awhile it wouldn't burn hot enough to flow solder. I figured that almost empty tank was done, so I swapped to the spare & kept going. Still no go.

I was tired, & just wanted to wrap up. I couldn't figure out what was wrong. Eventually the torch wouldn't even melt solder directly in the flame. I decided I'd have to go try to locate a replacement regulator. Boy, was I tired.

I opened the door, felt the rush of fresh air, & realized what I'd done. Dope. I almost did myself in.

I propped the door open, grabbed the contractor's fan & aimed it into the walk-in. I went outside & breathed for a few. Then went back & soldered it up with mapp gas. I was done & had it under vacuum in a few minutes.

I've been very aware of the need for fresh air in the 40 years since.

 

[rharman]

Just came across this and figured it was appropriate to post here....

 

[atch]

If I needed another tee shirt that would be one for me.

 

[mjeff87]

Cut my grass yesterday, mower was having some carb issues. I unscrewed the little drain screw from the float bowl and set it on the front of the mower and proceeded to screw around with the carb for a bit. Finished that, pushed the mower back out into the driveway and grabbed the blower to clean up all the grass clippings. Yep, completely forgot about the little screw and washer...commenced to blowing and sent it into low earth orbit somewhere over the south side of my lawn. I get to go buy a new one after work today from the small engine shop that's nowhere close to my house.

 

[Wrench97]

Cut my grass yesterday, mower was having some carb issues. I unscrewed the little drain screw from the float bowl and set it on the front of the mower and proceeded to screw around with the carb for a bit. Finished that, pushed the mower back out into the driveway and grabbed the blower to clean up all the grass clippings. Yep, completely forgot about the little screw and washer...commenced to blowing and sent it into low earth orbit somewhere over the south side of my lawn. I get to go buy a new one after work today from the small engine shop that's nowhere close to my house.

He'll have to order it for you so you'll get to go back another day this week.......

 

[bobbuilder440]

I borrowed a buddy's folding cherry picker last week. I unloaded it into the garage but had to take it to the other side. That door was too small so it was back out the overhead door and into the walk in door.

This thing has already mashed my buddy's thumb almost to the point of losing part of it. As I tried to move it, it slide forward and I basically rode it to the floor. As I went in the front door, this thing was equally being mean trying to get me. I felt like a little kid playing with something that I shouldn't have been touching.

After he came out, we both agreed the thing has a death wish and is trying to kill somebody.

I also borrowed friends cherry picker and didn't really pay attention to how it went together when we were taking it apart ot load it in a small truck (much too small). And yeah-- got home, put it together the way i thought it went but must've had some support brace backwards or something. Lifting a subaru engine out my buddy is laying down on the ground guiding it in and all the sudden you hear it make this creaking noise as it slowly starts to bend then it fails immediately and missed my buddies face by like 3 inches. it was around 4-5ft off the ground the engine as well-- and not even heavy a little subaru engine so be careful with cherry pickers they aren't safe if you aren't sure they're put together right. This was more of an issue with older ones that didn't fold that you had to take bolts off to move around. I have the whole incident on video as well as I was trying to get a gcool video of engine going in the car just always been too embarrased to share it because you see me like keep pumping the jack and the engine isn't going up anymore the arm is just bending forward and i don't notice then right as it fails im like ohhhh shhhhhhh***** but can't get out fast enuogh for my friend to move...

also not proud but that was my first headgasket (on my own subaru) and installed one side upside down and on first start up soaked entire outside ground of motor oil as it gushed out and my friend was yelling shut it off! as i was like just so stoked it started up and seemed to be working great. haha engine came out much faster second time.

 

[notenuftoys]

When my son and I were reviving his 95 Miata, we had fits with getting the oil pump to seal. (Turns out it was a bad block.)

As we're pulling the engine for probably the third time, my son is laying underneath to guide the transmission, while a friend of his and I were tilting/lifting the engine.

Suddenly my son starts to yell "we forgot to drain the oil!!!" as transmission oil starts to pour out of the tail and he's shuffling as fast as he can on his back to avoid getting covered.

At that point we were committed, so now there's a stain on my garage floor that will always remind me of that moment.

 

[Wrench97]

When my son and I were reviving his 95 Miata, we had fits with getting the oil pump to seal. (Turns out it was a bad block.)

As we're pulling the engine for probably the third time, my son is laying underneath to guide the transmission, while a friend of his and I were tilting/lifting the engine.

Suddenly my son starts to yell "we forgot to drain the oil!!!" as transmission oil starts to pour out of the tail and he's shuffling as fast as he can on his back to avoid getting covered.

At that point we were committed, so now there's a stain on my garage floor that will always remind me of that moment.

Once many years ago I pulled a turbo 400 out of a 67 GTO in my parents garage without a jack......convertor slipped off the front of the pump and dumped red trans fluid all over my chest....I must have expressed my displeasure too loud as Mom pop into the garage to see what all the fuss was about just as I stood up one look at the red stuff dripping off me she ran inside to call the ambulance as I'm yelling in the door to the kitchen it just oil mom no blood involved........

 

[pima67]

Another senior moment! A while back I bought a oil analysis kit. Sometime after I changed the oil. Had the used oil jugs sitting around and apparently forgot about the oil analysis kit. After looking at the used jugs for awhile I took them to Autozone. I'm done (at my age) crawling under the EXP to change oil so will take it to a local shop (not a quick change one). Hopefully I can talk them into putting a little old oil in one of my unused analysis bottles.

 

[dchawk81]

Bonehead move of the morning....



Loaded without hooking up the truck....

As the USPS says "If it shits it fips."