# freak accident



## treemonk (Mar 16, 2006)

Hey guys i' m really new to this site but I have been visiting alot before i became a member. One thing is for sure i never thought i would be writing here. But on Monday My business partner and I went to do our first contract. We spent all winter to get ready get proper insurance and get the equipment we needed. We have been in the field for about 6 years and we are certified arborist. Anyway we bought an old whisper lite chipper 1965 but was all rebuilt 2 years ago. It took us a long time to buy it because they are very scary machines but could not find any thing else so we bought the thing did some maintenance to it look at the blades they looked OK so we did not play with them. But on Monday we where cutting down a big red maple and every thing is almost finished we had maybe 1/2 an hour of work left to do when on of the blade broke to pieces and one of the pieces flew in my leg about 1/4 inch from my family jewels not the best felling as you can imagine but to make this long story short the piece of metal did not touch any thing but fleshy was 6 hours in the hospital they took it out from the other side of my leg. I should be good and back at it in a few weeks. So guys when you work around a chipper please be careful and always expect the unexpected.


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## Kneejerk Bombas (Mar 16, 2006)

Very scary. That could have been a Loraina Bobbit story.
I never liked those Whisper type chippers because you're standing there exposed to those spinning knives.
Did you have the belting curtains hanging in front of the knives?
Glad you're ok.


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## sjkezar (Mar 16, 2006)

*Old equipment*

I all realization, we all can't buy new equipment. However, extreme caution should be taken when buying and using used equipment, especially chippers and aerial lifts. Many advancements have been made in chipper design, and for good reason. Even though the old chipper was rebuilt and running fine, that does not make it safe. Please take the time and spend the extra money for new equipment whenever possible. Look for advanced safety measures and design. Because when it comes to the family joules or your life, a little extra dough is worth it.
Thank you and be safe.


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## treemonk (Mar 16, 2006)

*curtains!!!*



Mike Maas said:


> Very scary. That could have been a Loraina Bobbit story.
> I never liked those Whisper type chippers because you're standing there exposed to those spinning knives.
> Did you have the belting curtains hanging in front of the knives?
> Glad you're ok.


Yes we did have the curtain in front of the blades but it went trough it. When it happen i saw the sparks and then the payne. So the curtains where no match for that piece of metal.


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## NYCHA FORESTER (Mar 16, 2006)

If it hit your leg in the femoral artery area you would be dead....... Bled out!


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## treemonk (Mar 16, 2006)

NYCHA FORESTER said:


> If it hit your leg in the femoral artery area you would be dead....... Bled out!


I know that was my biggess worry after I knew my privates where ok


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## clearance (Mar 16, 2006)

I have chipped hundreds of loads into Whispers, they are pretty simple machines. Get all new blades, they are made out of forged steel, they fracture from a reason, like big rocks getting chipped. Put them in and torque them to the right ft.lbs.. Life goes on, you are a lucky man.


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## Kneejerk Bombas (Mar 16, 2006)

treemonk said:


> I know that was my biggess worry after I knew my privates where ok


LOL! Not to make light of the situation, but I find it amusing that your first concern was your package, *then *you worried about whether or not you were about to die.


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## Kneejerk Bombas (Mar 16, 2006)

clearance said:


> I have chipped hundreds of loads into Whispers, they are pretty simple machines. Get all new blades, they are made out of forged steel, they fracture from a reason, like big rocks getting chipped. Put them in and torque them to the right ft.lbs.. Life goes on, you are a lucky man.


Yes, when buying a new or used chipper, the cutting bar, blade clearance and torque should be checked. You don't know what idiot worked on it last.


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## treemonk (Mar 16, 2006)

clearance said:


> I have chipped hundreds of loads into Whispers, they are pretty simple machines. Get all new blades, they are made out of forged steel, they fracture from a reason, like big rocks getting chipped. Put them in and torque them to the right ft.lbs.. Life goes on, you are a lucky man.


Your write that is what we are doing the blades are on the way they should be here Tuesday. and like you daid life goes on and the show must keep going after i'm able to walk properly


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## treemonk (Mar 16, 2006)

Mike Maas said:


> Yes, when buying a new or used chipper, the cutting bar, blade clearance and torque should be checked. You don't know what idiot worked on it last.


Lesson learn the hard way we knew the guy that we bouht it from but like you said the torque and blades should have been checked with more care


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## Kneejerk Bombas (Mar 16, 2006)

Another thing that came to mind, you are supposed to be standing to the side when you're feeding the chipper. They have those warning stickers on the newer chippers that show a square area behind the chipper where you shouldn't be.
Were you standing directly behind the machine?


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## clearance (Mar 16, 2006)

Mike Maas said:


> Another thing that came to mind, you are supposed to be standing to the side when you're feeding the chipper. They have those warning stickers on the newer chippers that show a square area behind the chipper where you shouldn't be.
> Were you standing directly behind the machine?


Excellent point, good you brought it up.


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## treemonk (Mar 16, 2006)

clearance said:


> Excellent point, good you brought it up.


 Very good point.I was doing it right it happen when cross the chipper to go on the other side and i was about 10 to 15 feet away. just wrong place wrong time.
teaches me to more carefull and to be more ayare of where i will be standy or crossing or feeding in the chipper


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## BlueRidgeMark (Mar 16, 2006)

Anyone remember this from 7th grade metal shop?


*"Never stand in the plane of a rotating part."*


I don't know if it's possible to follow that advice with this kind of chipper and still feed it, though.

Glad you're ok.


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## Kneejerk Bombas (Mar 16, 2006)

treemonk said:


> Very good point.I was doing it right it happen when cross the chipper to go on the other side and i was about 10 to 15 feet away.


The warning sticker shows an area about 6 foot by 6 foot, not 15 feet! The concern is not having the operator getting sucked into the feed chute.
I'd say you were operating the chipper in a safe manor, it was just bad luck.


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