Dumb Mistakes

Going to confess to a dumb act this past summer. I had overfilled a diesel fuel tank on my tractor and of course it spilled on the ground. It was attached to my round baler and sitting in the hayfield. While I had my pickup there will all the accessories, I thought it would be a good time to weld the step to the cab of the tractor that needed attention. Evidently five minutes is longer than my brain retains memory because I'd spaced the realization that there was diesel fuel on the dry ground. Yep......immediate fire surging from the welder sparks and it was under my tractor and threatening the rubber tires, me AND my pickup. No problem I thought ( I was actually thinking here).....so I proceeded to stomp it out with my feet like I normally do until I finally remembered that the ground was saturated with diesel.



Okay, I have a big fire extinguisher in the cab so I scrambled up the steps, got it, pulled the pin and squeezed the trigger and nothing happened. It was completely dead and I'd been carrying it with much pride and peace of mind for years. No problem again....I have one of equal size in the pickup. Out it comes and it gives one big spurt and quits. My water jug only had about a pint left in it and that didn't do much good but the fuel was burning off by that time and my last resort was a spray bottle of Simple Green that I use for hand cleaner. It was sufficient to put the fire out along with a little more stomping. Nobody drove by to witness the boo boo and I didn't really want to explain to anyone just what had happened anyhow.

Well that wasn't the dumbest thing I've done maybe, but it was the most recent. Welding in the hayfield isn't the smartest thing to do anyhow.....with or WITHOUT diesel fuel on the ground. I'm thinking that new fire extinguishers are in order. I do carry a 3 gallon hand sprayer with water when I salvage/torch iron.

Anyone else have a confession of dumbness ?

Man you make me cutting my self multiple times with a chisel look like nothing.

Glad you got it out, I'd tell you stay toasty, but we don't need any hay fields going up.

Sirscrapalot - Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them. - Bruce Lee

A few years ago I almost lost my life. I can now sit here and talk about how dumb it was and warn ppl the dangers of scrapping.
I save up gas tanks off of cars I scrap untill I get 15-20 and then I take a day of cutting them up. I usually fill up the tanks with water use a saw saw and no prob. I had 3 left to do, and broke my blade. I went to the basket where I keep my extras and none. So I thought I would fire up the torch,(of corse not thinking I an cutting GAS TANKS). I did fill them up with water, then pour the water out. The first one went good, cut in half at the seams no problems. The second on, (by then the water started drying and there was a little resiude of gas in it. Needless to say the tank blew up after about 5 secs of cutting. I ended up with a broke leg, and a busted chin. Had to get 4 $tiches in my chin. The torch head ended up getting broke, as well as I had to replace a window in my shop, and replace a few shelves, pick up a bunch of stuff. Goes to show that sometimes ppl start out doing something, and when something changes we tend to try different ways to do stuff, not always thinking about the outcome

Ya, I know, Mick.....that's why we call em "dumb mistakes". I wasn't concerned to much about starting a fire as I had means to put it out, but I overlooked the diesel fuel on the ground.

mseashell, glad you survived that mishap. Kinda the same syndrome I had; not thinking things through. I still want to cut 100lb. propane bottles for salvage but I think I'll run exhaust from my pickup in them. Then again I wonder if it's worth it. Maybe I should just keep wondering !!

In addition to fire extinguishers, carrying jugs of baking soda is a stress reliever. You can buy big boxes of it and I pour it in milk jugs so it stays dry. I have found I reach for the baking soda before the fire extinguisher.

On the propane tanks, my local propane man will pull the valves off for me. That is all my yard requires. He has a vise and wrenches to do it in less than a minute. On gas tanks I just shoot holes in them with my pistol and the yard takes them as is. The idea of a gas tank exploding from a lead bullet is a Hollywood myth. Don't use steel jackets or steel shotgun shells, I do not know how those react. Your yards may be different, but if not an easy solution.

When working a field I learned the hard way about fire. Tried everything to get it out, pump sprayer, rake, stomping it and as it was about to catch an old wooden rail car on fire I noticed barn tin. Fire can not burn with out oxygen and now I never go into a field without 3 or 4 sheets of tin. Makes dang quick work of fighting a fire!

Just remember. Doing it once is making a mistake. Doing it twice is being a dumb @.

Welp, I fall in the second, seeing as me an my chisel have had several fights.


Sirscrapalot - Better to be a smart ass then a dumb ass. - Someone at some point in time.

Originally Posted by mseashell

A few years ago I almost lost my life. I can now sit here and talk about how dumb it was and warn ppl the dangers of scrapping.
I save up gas tanks off of cars I scrap untill I get 15-20 and then I take a day of cutting them up. I usually fill up the tanks with water use a saw saw and no prob. I had 3 left to do, and broke my blade. I went to the basket where I keep my extras and none. So I thought I would fire up the torch,(of corse not thinking I an cutting GAS TANKS). I did fill them up with water, then pour the water out. The first one went good, cut in half at the seams no problems. The second on, (by then the water started drying and there was a little resiude of gas in it. Needless to say the tank blew up after about 5 secs of cutting. I ended up with a broke leg, and a busted chin. Had to get 4 $tiches in my chin. The torch head ended up getting broke, as well as I had to replace a window in my shop, and replace a few shelves, pick up a bunch of stuff. Goes to show that sometimes ppl start out doing something, and when something changes we tend to try different ways to do stuff, not always thinking about the outcome

Ok, along the same lines but not related to scrapping: My first big boo boo I remember is when I decided to "help" my Dad by filling up the gas tank just like I saw the guys at the gas station do (this is 40+ years ago). So I unrolled the garden hose and did my best "fill 'er up" routine. Dad comes running out the house in heavy panic mode yelling at the top of his lungs. I didn't know what I was doing wrong, but by the tone of his voice I had a feeling that the belt was coming off. Eventually my Dad calmed down, spoke gently to me and explained that it was wrong to do what I was doing, and why. He could tell I was expecting some discipline, but just laughed and said he did the same thing when he was a kid. I figure I was about 5-7 years old and still remember it clear to this day. I don't remember if he had to have the car towed or had someone come out to drain the tank, but I'm sure it wasn't a cheap boo boo to fix.

LOL - we should have a thread for the times our dads should have pulled off the belt. I am sure we would be surprised by the situations.

Several volumes if we all combine them.. lol. Something new for the SMF shop! "1001 Things you should have been belted for but weren't"

I smell top of the charts for that one.

Sirscrapalot - Has had to pick out his own switch..don't choose the thin one.

Originally Posted by corycouch

I wouldn't even know where to start, I could write a book

I know my dad could write a book. For me selective memory is a blessing according to my mom.

Originally Posted by shendog

Ok, along the same lines but not related to scrapping: My first big boo boo I remember is when I decided to "help" my Dad by filling up the gas tank just like I saw the guys at the gas station do (this is 40+ years ago). So I unrolled the garden hose and did my best "fill 'er up" routine. Dad comes running out the house in heavy panic mode yelling at the top of his lungs. I didn't know what I was doing wrong, but by the tone of his voice I had a feeling that the belt was coming off. Eventually my Dad calmed down, spoke gently to me and explained that it was wrong to do what I was doing, and why. He could tell I was expecting some discipline, but just laughed and said he did the same thing when he was a kid. I figure I was about 5-7 years old and still remember it clear to this day. I don't remember if he had to have the car towed or had someone come out to drain the tank, but I'm sure it wasn't a cheap boo boo to fix.

To me, the best part is how your dad handled it.

Originally Posted by Sirscrapalot

Several volumes if we all combine them.. lol. Something new for the SMF shop! "1001 Things you should have been belted for but weren't"

I smell top of teh charts for that one.

Sirscrapalot - Has had to pick out his own switch..don't choose the thin one.

Just think today's generation could start a thread "1001 things you should have been counseled for but weren't."

Originally Posted by Patriot76

LOL - we should have a thread for the times our dads should have pulled off the belt. I am sure we would be surprised by the situations.

The only time my Father took his belt off was when he made me. That was the only part of my life he was there for.