Equipment damage thread.

[Stihlproincky]

Hi guys, thought I'd start a thread for equipment damage/casualties, I couldn't find a dedicated thread so here it is. This thread is for any saw, climbing, rigging, truck, trailer, or other tree work equipment that is damaged on the job. post pics and the story! Also this will allow us to share experiences with more educated individuals, so we'll learn a little something. (If the incident wasn't enough)
Here's my most recent incident.
The other day I was working on a semi complex storm damage removal. I was working on a branch off the main trunk that was 12' off the ground, mind that the tree was 3' diameter up there, the tip of this branch was on the ground, so it was under pressure. I had to climb for other branches that were well above shoulder height, so instead of getting on the ground to make 2 cuts I opted to just descend to where I needed to cut the branch. So because the branch was under tension I started the cut from the under side, it was under more pressure than I thought, so it pinched the saw. I unclipped my lanyard to reposition to get the saw unstuck, as I was repositioning I lost my balance and swung on my climb line. Swung to the end of my reecoil lanyard, then gathering my senses I looked back at my saw to see the lanyard mount ripped off. Heard husky's were bad to do this if dropped on a lanyard, but I fully understand why this happened this time. At the end of the day I could tell ya everything I should've done different.
Thought I'd share my experience with y'all to prove there's no such thing as too safe, and don't get in a hurry.

Good luck and be safe my friends!

 

[Paul Bunions]

I have a Bosch dishwasher that had the handle come loose. It was poorly designed. It has no latch. You just pull the door handle until it gives way and opens. The plastic around the handle was less than 1/8" thick, so eventually, it rips. It pretty much has to happen after a few years.

When I bought a new piece to put on the door, I also got a type of JB Weld that bonds well to plastic. I slathered it on the weak points inside the new handle so it's nearly indestructible.

I wonder if doing this to a Husqvarna saw prior to attaching a lanyard would make failure less likely.

 

[Sidecarflip]

No pictures but just shame. I left my very expensive Stihl top handle arborist saw sitting on the ground next to the bucket truck where I thought it was safe (should have put it on the deck between the chip box and cab, but didn't and my buddy was driving the loaded truck and ran the back duals over the saw and I had just bought it the week prior. It flattened it and the bar twisted up and got broken off as well.

Was gonna turn it into the insurance but I remembered I have a grand deductible so that ukered that. It went in the rubbish, nothing left to salvage.

Needless to say, I was not shelling out another 700 clams for a new one; cause I'm cheap so I bought an Echo CS top handle and I did have to modify it a tad as in an aftermarket muff and grinding off the limiter tabs but it's really a dang good saw for 1/3rd the price of the Stihl. I believe it's actually lighter than the Stihl is.

Being stupid at times is costly.

 

[Breckinridge Elkins]

Wish I has saved pictures of the 029 I felled a tree on.
I set it on a stump, then walked up the hill to fall a tree with a bigger saw. That 24" pine could have come down anywhere but it fell straight onto that stump and karate chopped my saw. The 029 flew 20' trailing parts like a comet. Fortunately I had an audience of two other guys watching. Nobody said a word. They just looked at me like, "why?"