I took a shot to the face today

[Mobuck]

Son and I were changing shovels on the field cultivator and encountered a really stubborn bolt. Son's response was to tighten it until it twisted off. Seemed like an OK plan but those bolts are really tough. He was using both feet on the breaker bar as I was bracing the shank when the bolt finally let go. In one of those "I've never seen this happen before" moments, I saw the bolt rocket toward my face. It hit dead center on the bridge of my nose, skipped off the brow frame of my glasses, and continued another 5-6' before hitting the ground under the tractor drawbar. I said "OW". Son looked up and said "BLEEP". I pulled my glove off and reached up to find blood running off the end of my nose. Didn't hurt all that bad so we continued with the job until finished and headed for the house for lunch. At the house, I took a look and HOLY COW that left a much bigger mark than I'd expected.
So here's how this happened: those cultivator shovels are hard, springy steel. As the bolt tightened well past normal, the shank of the shovel was sprung toward the mounting and rebounded when the bolt broke. This rebound shot the bolt head and about 1" of the bolt shank like a bullet a distance of 3' +/- before striking my face & glasses plus another 5-6' after that impact.
I called it a lucky hit as lower might have hit my mouth and left/right would have impacted directly on the non-safety prescription glass lenses. There are just so many weird things that can happen that one can't foresee.

 

[wolfsong]

Wow! That's crazy! I'm glad you're okay and it wasn't worse. Be careful out there.

 

[hittman]

Ouch! Glad I got out of farming!

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

Glad it wasn't more serious. We never know what's going to happen. Glad you are ok

 

[nekvermont]

Never a dull moment in the life of Mobuck. You should write a book, call it "The Adventures of Mobuck".

Glad you're OK.

 

[contender]

But,, but,, but so many people just know farming is easy, and y'all are making so much money & don't do much work!

Seriously,, I'm glad it wasn't worse than it is.

But every time I hear of your exploits, or heck,, just talking with my many local farmers,, I hear enough stories of how much HARD work goes on just to be a successful farmer,, I thank them all.

 

[t-reg]

Glad you didn't get seriously hurt. Those things are always a surprise.

I got hit in the face with a 6" internal snap ring about 12 years ago. The safety glasses with the gouged lens are in my tool box as a demo to others for why we wear them.

 

[Mobuck]

Every day of farming is a journey I've been living for 55 years. The 'girl' (she's close to same age as my older Son so still a girl) who is renting my pasture this year (and hopefully for many years to come) asked me about how long I've been here doing this. Turns out her Dad is on a very similar path. I know him by name which also surprised her. Her Dad and I are among the 'old timers' in the area who haven't taken up the rocking chair.

 

[wheelgun1958]

My first choice is kroil.

 

[Dave P.]

Agreed on your first choice if time is not an issue. Second choice is a Mini-Ductor...third choice is the plasma cutter.

 

[Mobuck]

We could have spent an hour dragging the stupid thing back to the cutting torch OR spent 20 minutes retrieving the 18volt angle grinder BUT it didn't seem warranted.

 

[Gator89]

How did you record that on your OSHA log?

 

[Mobuck]

That is column 13 under OOPS.

 

[powder smoke]

To be a farmer you gotta love it! Nothing is easy when your farming!
When I was a young man I worked foe Paul Lemay a farmer not far from where we lived!
He also had a slaughter house where the would butcher beef critters and pigs!
Never a dull moment and always plenty to do! ps

 

[ProfessorWes]

Glad you're OK. Yikes!

 

[any ruger]

Me to come out of the bathroom turned early hit the door casting. Was dark.

 

[Mobuck]

When blind Son was still living at home, it was to solid rule to never leave the bathroom door partly open. It was either wide open against the wall or closed. Not so these days. I stumbled up from my basement bedroom on a bathroom trip and darned near walked into the edge of the partly open door in the dark. I would have loved to toss a bucket of cold water through Grouch Attack's bedroom doorway but that would have ignited WW3 in seconds.

 

[any ruger]

When pulling a stuck vehicle put a old tire between 2 chains you can then jerk safely.

 

[eveled]

Trying to train my sons in mechanical stuff. It seems they are always in the danger zone. I have to stop and show them. If something happens its PROBABLY coming this way,

I emphasize PROBABLY because you just dont know what is going to happen when all that stored energy is released.

Still you have to make educated decisions wear your ppe and hope for the best.

I remember my mother almost knocking herself out on a half open door in the dark. Swollen nose and 2 black eyes. Ouch!

 

[gjgalligan]

I retired from the auto industry 10 yrs ago but I still wear my safety glasses anytime I am or may be working on anything.