Milwaukee plastic light abuse

[ISurvivednmu]

How can this plastic light stand up to this abuse of dropping and put under a loader bucket without breaking? One would think the plastic would crack somewhere?

If this is possible, then why does most plastic **** break?

 

[ISurvivednmu]

And why do the YouTube videos show up as links rather than the video?

 

[rlitman]

... One would think the plastic would crack somewhere?

If this is possible, then why does most plastic **** break?...

There are many hundreds of different types of plastic. Some are brittle, some (like this light) are not.

I'm certainly not amazed, but I am still impressed.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

1 they pressed down flat and square

2 Fumes from all that unsealed OSB must be getting to those guys, that tractor is a little over 7K, COG is well behind the front wheels, so downpressure is maybe 2k?
I'd have put a block before sliding that battery in though.

 

[Loscaldazar]

There are many hundreds of different types of plastic. Some are brittle, some (like this light) are not.

I'm certainly not amazed, but I am still impressed.

+1

Some forms of plastics are stronger in certain ways than certain types of metals (usually things like cast aluminum).

So many different forms, and yes, plastic is generally weaker than almost any metal, but there are a few exceptions...

 

[firworks]

And why do the YouTube videos show up as links rather than the video?

If you want the video to show up in your post, go to the YouTube video and hit Share > Embed. Then copy the code that it gives you and paste it into your post here. It doesn't work in every board here though. I know it does work in General Tools though.

 

[FigureItOut]

1 they pressed down flat and square

2 Fumes from all that unsealed OSB must be getting to those guys, that tractor is a little over 7K, COG is well behind the front wheels, so downpressure is maybe 2k?
I'd have put a block before sliding that battery in though.

I noticed that too, if the light had given way he'd have lost a hand, unwise. And yes, flat and square. If you stand on a pop can and are careful to place your weight on it evenly it will hold all your weight. Step on it unevenly and it crumples like a, well a pop can.



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[firworks]

He likely would not have lost a hand or been injured (except maybe by exploding plastic shards). He put the tractor in powered down and not in float as it lifted the wheels off the ground and because float would only show the weight of the bucket. You can see the front tires are about an inch or two off the ground. The light is 10.5" tall. If the light failed, it would not fail to 0 height, and also the bucket would probably come down a few inches and rebound back up. Think of it like this, If you put the tractor on a 2" block of wood, then set the bucket to be ~10" off the ground. If you drove off that 2" block of wood, would the bucket hit the ground? No it would bounce downwards and come to rest somewhere around 6-8" off the ground.

 

[FigureItOut]

He likely would not have lost a hand or been injured (except maybe by exploding plastic shards). He put the tractor in powered down and not in float as it lifted the wheels off the ground and because float would only show the weight of the bucket. You can see the front tires are about an inch or two off the ground. The light is 10.5" tall. If the light failed, it would not fail to 0 height, and also the bucket would probably come down a few inches and rebound back up. Think of it like this, If you put the tractor on a 2" block of wood, then set the bucket to be ~10" off the ground. If you drove off that 2" block of wood, would the bucket hit the ground? No it would bounce downwards and come to rest somewhere around 6-8" off the ground.

I have no reason to doubt what you're saying there, but, would you do that? I wouldn't.

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[firworks]

I have no reason to doubt what you're saying there, but, would you do that? I wouldn't.

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I "think" I would. Can't say for sure though because I didn't do it. If I was really worried about it I'd probably put a few 4x4s near the sides of the bucket but he wanted to show that the light would still function under the load.

 

[FigureItOut]

I "think" I would. Can't say for sure though because I didn't do it. If I was really worried about it I'd probably put a few 4x4s near the sides of the bucket but he wanted to show that the light would still function under the load.

I'll admit I'm illogically cautious about such things. I don't feel comfortable ever with heavy things above body parts, even with proper precautions taken, or when the physics don't pose any actual danger.

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[Ole Slewfoot]

One of the tractors I work on, an operator became trapped by the bucket, and eventually he realized help was not going to show, got a stick, reached up to the bucket lever, and chopped himself in half to end it. It probably shouldn't have got him, just like the tire flex probably would not land it on your hand.

 

[firworks]

I'll admit I'm illogically cautious about such things. I don't feel comfortable ever with heavy things above body parts, even with proper precautions taken, or when the physics don't pose any actual danger.

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Well there's always some danger with over head (over... hand? ) loads and there's always danger pretty much with everything we do. I'm not trying to say it's safe to do what he did, just trying to get people considering the situation instead of bandwagoning on "He could have lost his hand!". I see it a lot in particular on any video featuring jack stands, or tablesaws.

Also if you want to see a guy who gives no shits about what people think is safe, check out PhotonicInduction on YouTube. He's like a drunken british dockworker mad scientist. He clearly knows what he's doing or he would have blown up himself and his whole neighborhood by now.

 

[ISurvivednmu]

1 they pressed down flat and square

2 Fumes from all that unsealed OSB must be getting to those guys, that tractor is a little over 7K, COG is well behind the front wheels, so downpressure is maybe 2k?
I'd have put a block before sliding that battery in though.

I have been around tractors my whole life and 7K seems light..... So I looked it up.

Per John Deere, the 4x4 ship weight for a cab is 8,700 pounds
I cannot find the loader weight, but most were at least 1,500 pounds
The 83" bucket for that loader weighs 743 pounds per JD.

So, round numbers, that is just shy of 11,000 pounds using JD. I have no clue how to calculate the force applied.

All I know is that either way, even if it was 1,000 pounds on it, I would be impressed.

 

[Ign]

As others have said I'm impressed but not shocked because it was loaded straight down. If it was crooked or wonky I bet it would have folded up. Think crushing an Al can from the top vs crumpling the side.

As for the OP's question about "plastic **** breaking," there are so many different kinds of plastics. Take a look at wireline trucks pulling pipeline liners through long lengths of pipelines to see how tough HDPE can be, not to mention the fusing ("welding") process to join two lengths. That said, I have no idea what plastic the Milwaukee light uses. For $300 retail it better be good.

 

[racingtadpole]

The light is basically a cylinder. A cylinder (or any shape tube really) in compression is, as demonstrated in that video, somewhat resistant to collapse when loaded in compression.