What's the dumbest thing you've ever done?

[mattinky]

My dad and I were cutting some firewood one day, I had a bunch of logs stood up on end splitting them with a maul - I had one that was being a real pain so I really put my back into my next swing and the maul slipped out of my hands and missed my dad's head by no more than an inch........I learned a valuable lesson that day. Matt in KY

 

[B_Turner]

In terms of chainsawing I have been a genius as compared to some other aspects of life.

But: Once I was on Bainbridge island in a huge log yard on a day it was closed (with permission) by myself cutting big blocks out of a huge pile of 34inch+ madrone logs. The owner had intended to make boards out of them and naturally the madrone wasn't cooperating. But as a turner I love madrone.

So mistake #1 was working a tall logpile by myself.

I was bucking a 20 inch long round from a log near the top of the pile (climbed up maybe 5 logs to get to it) on a 36 inch log. I thought the log was suspended cleanly. Made the bucking cut and the kerf opened up a bit and then stopped. I popped on the chainbreak on my 395, and reached into the crack to pull roll the round free and let it fall down to where I could get it later. The log shifted on the pile, grabbing two fingers on that hand. I wasn't sure quite what to do, as my cellphone was on the ground on my toolbox. Somehow I managed to pull out my hand, which hurt like bloody he!!. But I had paid alot of money to get to the island on the ferry with my trailer, so without using those two fingers I finished the day.

I wish I had a picture of what they looked like later. Even though I had gloves on, the fingers had crisply defined wide dark purple bands on both fingers where the wood had squeezed the blood right through the skin. Where the finger actually was touching the wood it was the normal color. Really weird. Even my wife thought it looked cool.

I have renewed respect for cutting on woodpiles. And I never reach into the cut anymore on big wood to pull it free. Some things you only need to do once.

 

[rb_in_va]

Very timely for this story.

When I was about 16 I decided to get the family Christmas tree from the woods behind the house. I went into the woods armed with an axe, and looked around. I didn't find anything that looked suitable. At last I found a tree that looked like it had a pretty full top. The tree was about 20-25' tall. So I cut it down, the cut the top 7' or so out of it. It looked much more scrawny close up than when it was at the top of the tree, but I figured I would take it back to the house and see what the family had to say about it. As I was walking outside the fence of our pasture all three horses took off in a gallop, they got a little too close to the fence, and the one closest to the fence got pushed into it. The horse rolled over the fence (barbwire), and came out on the other side. I did not know at the time the horses got spooked by me carrying the tree. None of the horses got hurt, but we spent the day fixing the fence. After all that, I told my folks "I don't really like this tree. Maybe we should go buy one." To which they disagreed. After all that trouble we were using my scrawny tree that caused all the havoc.

 

[Cedarkerf]

Took out a "HAWTHORN" tree in sections. Enough said. Taking out a giant cedar blow down on an electric fence that was severd. Grabbed choker in one hand and skidder hook and hot wire in other hand. OUCH! Felt like getting smaked in the chest with a sledge hammer dead center. Amazing how little effect an electric fence has when you are insuulated with rubber boots but when straight to ground from one arm to the other take my word for it. Its got kick. Heres a clue: Turn the D%MN fence off.

 

[Schultzz]

Really Stupid Move

Many years ago I tried to start a fire in my friend's fireplace using gasoline as an "accelerant". Threw match in...... BIG BOOM.....BIG MISTAKE......found myself on the other side of the gameroom. Deathly silence, then "what happened"? Try explaining that.

 

[Justsaws]

Many years ago I tried to start a fire in my friend's fireplace using gasoline as an "accelerant". Threw match in...... BIG BOOM.....BIG MISTAKE......found myself on the other side of the gameroom. Deathly silence, then "what happened"? Try explaining that.

Last winter one of the men I used to work with came in with a bright red face, a hat and no eye brows or any other facial hair. I looked at him and he said,"Leave me alone". I started to chuckle and finally asked if he got his wood burner going and he nodded. We all had a good laugh as he told his story and lamented his ways. Lesson learned by all, doubtful.

 

[rb_in_va]

Took out a "HAWTHORN" tree in sections. Enough said. Taking out a giant cedar blow down on an electric fence that was severd. Grabbed choker in one hand and skidder hook and hot wire in other hand. OUCH! Felt like getting smaked in the chest with a sledge hammer dead center. Amazing how little effect an electric fence has when you are insuulated with rubber boots but when straight to ground from one arm to the other take my word for it. Its got kick. Heres a clue: Turn the D%MN fence off.

I remember crawling through an electric fence during a rainstorm. My shirt had gotten soaked. I guess I must have brushed the electrified strand. We had the pulse type of electrifier. When it hit it felt just like that, a sledge hammer in the back. Not fun.

 

[a_lopa]

went garuntor on a vehicle,you guessed it!

 

[bobbyb13]

Sheep thieves

First off, get your mind out of the gutter. This is pre-Navy, wife, job and kids. On a Sat night a group of 6 young men decided how funny it would be to steal a sheep and put it in Pete's service station, service bay that all us idiots had access to. While in the process of procurring said sheep, the farmer apparently had no sense of humor. He opened up on us with a scattergun, while running like a wild man I ran out over a inground silo, 12 feet down later covered in cow crap mud and other stuff I don't want to remember, I got up ran to the truck and back to town we went. After being hosed off at the car wash I was taken to the local emergency room, 28 shot removed from my arse and legs, broken wrist, 12 stitches, and everbody wanting to know what happened. I figured that dad would finish me off, but he couldn't stop laughing long enough to beat me to death, as I deserved.

 

[maveric944]

just bought 2 more saws on ebay, after i promised today to be careful with the pennies,, looks like sneaking them in the workshop while she's in bed:bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: why do i keep doing it?:bang:

 

[ciscoguy01]

Sheep???

First off, get your mind out of the gutter. This is pre-Navy, wife, job and kids. On a Sat night a group of 6 young men decided how funny it would be to steal a sheep and put it in Pete's service station, service bay that all us idiots had access to. While in the process of procurring said sheep, the farmer apparently had no sense of humor. He opened up on us with a scattergun, while running like a wild man I ran out over a inground silo, 12 feet down later covered in cow crap mud and other stuff I don't want to remember, I got up ran to the truck and back to town we went. After being hosed off at the car wash I was taken to the local emergency room, 28 shot removed from my arse and legs, broken wrist, 12 stitches, and everbody wanting to know what happened. I figured that dad would finish me off, but he couldn't stop laughing long enough to beat me to death, as I deserved.

I'd never tell another single person that story again dude, lmfao... :fart: :jawdrop:

 

[bobbyb13]

sheep

Well cisco they wanted to know the dumbest thing you ever did. Thar it is.

 

[Bob Wright]

Where do i start, #1, I was bumper skiing on a VW bug, smoking the Converse All Stars on the pavement, when i went to let go my class ring hooked on the bumper and ripped my finger off, the hospital was only 5 blocks away.
#2 Riding on the bedside of a '67 Ford Bronco and my buddy goosed it, landed on my head.
#3 Working on a plumbing job inside my dumb waiter 3 floors up, my foot slipped and i ended up in the cellar with an 18" pipe wrench chasing me down. My wife saw me go past the door @100 mph and almost pissed her pants laughing....Bob

 

[B_Turner]

just bought 2 more saws on ebay, after i promised today to be careful with the pennies,, looks like sneaking them in the workshop while she's in bed:bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang: why do i keep doing it?:bang:

Lakeside and his colleage at the dealer were suggesting to me that my wife would not be able to count past 3 or 4 when the color of the saws is the same. I'm think I'll test that soon. I never get away with nuthin, somehow though.

Reminds me of an CS class years ago where I read about a study that determined that crows could only count to 7. Kind of clever how they figured it out, I think.

 

[1953greg]

when i was bout 25: was in a hurry feeding hay out of the bed of pickup (w/ truck in 2nd gear and coon dog riding on the tool box). truck turned a little to the side and down hill. so i jumped out to get to the door. fell in the snow. jumped back up (pretty good shape then) and got my hand on the open door but chickened out. steeper n steeper was the hill. i hollered for the dog as he went by but he just staired at me!!! 200' later the truck crashed n the bottom of a 4' deep ditch.

when i was 18: me and another guy detonated 50# of dynamite in a small lake. made a he!! of a splash!!!! and we were deluged w/ water as we only had bout 150' of det wire.

this thread wil never end!!!!!

 

[turnkey4099]

Ah yes, the things we did as kids. Me and a couple buddies went up to Cavendish Idaho to resurrect a Model B ford ?mid/late 30s?. Pulled it out of the bushes and up and down the road aways but no start. Decided to tow and coast it down to Ahasaka. That is about a 7 mile down grade on fairly narrow paved mountain road. Wouldn't think it would be much of an operation but we discoverd we only had one working front brake on the pedal and one on the rear with the hand brake, of course opposite corners. Laughed our heads off all the way down with one driving and braking, me operating the handbrake.

Harry K