Worst mistake you've made?

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Wow it musta been some truck 400 k truck ? Cummins ? I mean I have rebuilt my f350 two times but I bought a extra for parts etc. So far I replaced the motor, tranny,and rear end,shocks, front king pins and radius arm bushings and lower control bushings, radiator, steering sector, rear lights several times. Clutch two times too! Its time to re- do king pins. I figure I have 7 k in it total but then I did all the work. I still like it more than a payment:eek:


I knew nothing about fixing stuff. Every part on the engine went except the turbo and alternator. Radiator, tranny, many u joints, rear end, oil pan, manifolds, front end, wheel bearings, etc.

Every time I took it out of service I lost work and was laid up for a week or so. The oil pan took the shop 4 weeks for some reason.
 
I'm a baby climber so there will surely be more **** ups soon ^^.

The worst thing so far was climbing with a loose chain and having a chunk of wood get tightly stuck between my chain and bar when cutting a medium sized limb. Also was not wearing spikes and was using a bull rope as a saw lanyard (i know, i know..). Got yanked hard across the trunk and around the tree and nearly put my face into my chain.:omg:
 
I knew nothing about fixing stuff. Every part on the engine went except the turbo and alternator. Radiator, tranny, many u joints, rear end, oil pan, manifolds, front end, wheel bearings, etc.

Every time I took it out of service I lost work and was laid up for a week or so. The oil pan took the shop 4 weeks for some reason.

Was it from the plant in Mexico?,,just asking,,
Jeff
 
This wasn't something I did but happened to pass by right after it happened. A guy dropped a tree into the road and broke the back window out of the neighbors Subaru as he went by.
 
Bout a year ago I threw a 70' pine spar across a back yard in between two decent size water oaks. I was In a hurry and chased my face cut. My shot was about 10 feet to far to the right, the spar landed in the crotch of one of the oak trees and split it from about twenty feet all the way to the ground. The split off oak then smashes a big dogwood and landed on the roof of the house.

Still haven't lived that down.
 
Bout a year ago I threw a 70' pine spar across a back yard in between two decent size water oaks. I was In a hurry and chased my face cut. My shot was about 10 feet to far to the right, the spar landed in the crotch of one of the oak trees and split it from about twenty feet all the way to the ground. The split off oak then smashes a big dogwood and landed on the roof of the house.

Still haven't lived that down.

Lol...I bet that was a site to see!

I smashed a shed a few years ago while the h/o watched...I apologized, he told me not to take the blame, he thinks the kids weren't pulling on the rope hard enough...sounds good to me.
 
Third year climbing. Climbed a dead tree tied off in the top walked out on a limb. 30' or 40' fall. Bounced off the ground twice. Broke my wrist and pelvis. Back to climbing 2 months later. That was almost 11 years ago. Nothing more serious then that.

Almost had a huge oak tree sit back and almost fall back on a huge glass wall and people. Ropes broke off the two track hos that were pulling it over. When the ropes broke I about puked....Got her down without physical damage.....Fun times!

I haven't had any crazy things happen to me in years. I have seen plenty for sure.
 
So what's the worst mistake/ dumbest thing you've done/ damage made? Everyone's done something I'm assuming, especially when learning

Let's hear the stories boys!


For me it was a few weeks back, took a big 30 foot lead out of a black oak in one shot ( about 5 feet too long). And the wind took the end and brushed it down the power lines, knocked out the power for a block lol. No harm to anyone or downed wires. PSEG came out and was done in 30 min. But that's about it, scared the **** out of my ground guy though!
Wrapped a rig line around my hand for a small top, or so I thought. Flew right into the base of the tree from about 20 feet or so away needless to say it didn't feel to good. I was new, they told me after, thanks a lot guys
 
A friend of mine was working with a California Conservation Corp crew in Shaver lake appleridge estates clearing overgrowth, one of our local tree contractors happened to be working nearby removing a very large pine with a nice lean toward a 2 million dollar home. The guy made all of his cuts and was using tree jacks to fall it away from the house but the hinge broke and the tree went through part of the house and moved it off the foundation partially. My friend had to go find the guy after he ran off into the woods screaming and crying. No bond or insurance.
 
Worst thing I did was when using a come along when falling an oak. It went where I wanted it to go but if I didn't have make another cut to release the hinge I would have been laying dead where that come along was at.
 
been in business for over 15 years, never anything serious until early last year. trimming a red maple under the shade of some large oaks. branches are all supper lone but skinny, like 3 to 5 inches in diameter, 20 feet or longer. I wasn't very careful (or thinking hard enough) as I make the cut. As the long tip broke off, I was hold on toe the stub. It bounced back up hard and tore some minor mussels in my left shoulder. Hurts like hell for 5 min. still doing PT for that now!
 
if we are not limiting ourselves to tree related mistakes... i took a girl home at curfew time so her parents wouldnt get mad when i should have laid the seat back and stayed out all night ;)

ok, work related mistakes... Working for an underground utility company i knocked out the entire state of South Dakota University private fiber internet link. we were installing new fiber optics in the ditch and working for the phone company. it was our responsibility to locate the existing telephone cable but this one never showed on a single map and also expressed by all of the locating points. nobody knew it was there and there was no clues to its location... at least not until i wrapped it up on the back-reamer on my bore machine. ive never seen so many vehicles pull up with flashing lights and no visible accidents
 

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