Fe-Wood Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 I decided today was the day to replace the flat belt on my 100 pound LG with "V" belts. I didn't want to get into a big project but I had some time, so go for it! So I get the Backhoe to use as the lift to pull the shaft off the top. No big deal... I get the belts on the shaft and set about putting the thing back together, everything is going fine, another good day in the shop...On and Off again on the backhoe while I'm getting the shaft into position. Safety First- Better do the controls from the seat....thats what its there for and I don't want to herky jerk anything around. OK, looking good! Jump on down for last little nudge into place. As I stepped of the the back of the Backhoe and was walking down the stabilizer ram, the back of my jacket hooked over the left/right boom control........ OH XXXX!!!!!!!!!!!..... Quick, get it out...... Ever helplessly watch destruction in slow motion... You get the idea. Shaft nicely wedged into the top arms of the Hammer and over she comes I never realized how strong my old cast iron forge was. After pushing 2 100 pound 1/2 full propane tanks over and a few not so explosive items out of the way my hammer came to rest on the edge of the forge. Mind you, I had a 10 gallon oil quench tank, a 5 gallon bucket of 50-50 acid and water, my propane forge with a 20# tank, a 250# broken anvil, a 25# sack of coal and a variety of other junk stacked around that side of the hammer because I haven't had it running. It pushed all that out of the way just like that. All said and done. My forge had one leg bent to about 2 degrees. Nothing broken, dented or destroyed. As it was coming to rest I realized I was potentially crushing 2 100 pound propane tanks and the thought of never running that hammer did cross my mind... No matter how safe you think you are being.... I started chastising my stupidity until I realized how lucky I was! Needless to say, I did the clean up and the rest of the assembly while operating the boom controls from the ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chyancarrek Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Dang, Fe, Are you shooting for first place in the max damage done in one fell swoop award? So glad to hear you're ok and that no serious damage was done!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Another GWB Great Working Backhoe) story with a happier ending than Frosty's, Happy New year, you can appreciate it now, these incidents tend to give you a new perspective on life. Stay safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Boy I'm glad my name doesn't start with an *F*! I hope you ran out and bough me a lottery ticket! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNewman Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Any backhoe I have operated had a lever that locked the controls when it was dropped down. If yours does not have this maybe you should fab one up. Many of them on even fairly new machines are very simple almost crude it would not take much to make one. Then the key is to use it every time, many are situated so that it is difficult to get off without locking the controls. Just be glad you did not get pinched between the boom and the machine and that you didn't have someone standing beside the hammer. The bucket moves so fast when swinging it always annoyed me when people stood close to the edge of the trench in line with the bucket swing, all it would take is a seal to blow, a pin to break/fall out or me to misjudge by a fraction of a second and someone could be badly injured or killed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstermetal Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 I decided today was the day to replace the flat belt on my 100 pound LG with "V" belts. I didn't want to get into a big project but I had some time, so go for it! So I get the Backhoe to use as the lift to pull the shaft off the top. No big deal... I get the belts on the shaft and set about putting the thing back together, everything is going fine, another good day in the shop...On and Off again on the backhoe while I'm getting the shaft into position. Safety First- Better do the controls from the seat....thats what its there for and I don't want to herky jerk anything around. OK, looking good! Jump on down for last little nudge into place. As I stepped of the the back of the Backhoe and was walking down the stabilizer ram, the back of my jacket hooked over the left/right boom control........ OH XXXX!!!!!!!!!!!..... Quick, get it out...... Ever helplessly watch destruction in slow motion... You get the idea. Shaft nicely wedged into the top arms of the Hammer and over she comes I never realized how strong my old cast iron forge was. After pushing 2 100 pound 1/2 full propane tanks over and a few not so explosive items out of the way my hammer came to rest on the edge of the forge. Mind you, I had a 10 gallon oil quench tank, a 5 gallon bucket of 50-50 acid and water, my propane forge with a 20# tank, a 250# broken anvil, a 25# sack of coal and a variety of other junk stacked around that side of the hammer because I haven't had it running. It pushed all that out of the way just like that. All said and done. My forge had one leg bent to about 2 degrees. Nothing broken, dented or destroyed. As it was coming to rest I realized I was potentially crushing 2 100 pound propane tanks and the thought of never running that hammer did cross my mind... No matter how safe you think you are being.... I started chastising my stupidity until I realized how lucky I was! Needless to say, I did the clean up and the rest of the assembly while operating the boom controls from the ground. Wow... yeah glad thats as bad as it ended up.... Ive been a part of similar things.. always one of those, "yeah I should have been more careful" after, but never much thought of things going wrong... As I have gotten older Ive slowed down and taken a longer look at things like this... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted January 8, 2010 Author Share Posted January 8, 2010 Good call on the control lock Jnewman I'm gonna look into that! I do have dogs that like to ride with me sometimes..... Ya, I'm "usually" very considerate about the potential dangers of what I'm doing. I work alone more often than not. I'm up and down off the back end of the backhoe all the time doing "other" work. Just so happens, this time I hooked my jacket... AND I was trying to be careful too!!!! I am glad I didn't have someone standing near by. I would be devastated if I was responsible for someone else's physical pain and suffering. Emotional P & S is different Thomas, I didn't think about the lotery ticket, sorry :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 Don't feel too bad, but you're often the cause of much of my pain and suffering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 Life is scary but the immediate thought of how close death was is even scarier! Dang that was close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 Fe, glad to hear that you are OK. That must have jump started the adrenelin!! Just glad to hear that you didn't get hurt or tear anything up too bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefarm39 Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 It's amazing how fast it can all go south, isn't it! Glad the consequences weren't too bad. I think about this kind of stuff a lot, because like most if us, I work alone most of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Nothing Quite like the sound of machinery cycling when it SHOULDN'T to help one colour one's undergarments to a browner shade! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted January 12, 2010 Author Share Posted January 12, 2010 Nakedanvil- Sorry I cause you pain and suffering- but thanks for causing me XXXXs and gigles A fair trade? Fe-wood- Glad to be alive for another day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clinton Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 Glad to hear you are ok that corner there you call the black hole may be time to clear it out. fork lift is alot better with the controll a little walk behind would be a good addition to your shop. I can take that monster off your hands maybe be safer that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matto Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 glad you are ok. after you changed your pants and got every thing cleaned up and back in order and sat back and thought about the day, bet you wish you would of asked your buddy to come and HELP. that is a problem i have to, but i'm working on it. many hands make light work. also help with multi-tasking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
territorialmillworks Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 Fe-wood, you are one lucky smith.....beside, 457 other viewers are grateful that it didn't happen them. Glad to know that you're OK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted January 13, 2010 Author Share Posted January 13, 2010 Ya, I did and do feel lucky. I have sence put the hammer back together and spent part of today adjusting things. Boy, when that hammer body starts winding up and everything starts clacking and smacking.... I wish I had Monsters 88# Striker.... I posted that story to remind people how easy and fast things can go south :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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