So What Kind of Stupid am I?

[gktilton]

While fitting an old garden tractor loader to my old B7100, I needed to move the lift cylinder mounts up about 6 inches. No problem, cut them off with the sawzall and weld them into the new position. Cutting was easy as I had already mounted the uprights to the tractor to measure for fitting everything else.

Stupid part was welding them while still attached to the tractor. I thought to protect the tires, but that upright that is 12 inches away from the fuel filter was a stupid place to weld.

No diesel on fire, but right under the filter was a small collection of Grease and pine needles, those flamed for about 10 seconds before I could get my hands on the extinguisher.

So my question to the group, is there anything under there that I should check before I put this thing back together. I already check the fuel lines and filter, no damage there. Boy do I feel stupid, been welding on cars in the garage for 10 year and never an incident, this was way to obvious to miss.

Big moral of the story is no matter what, keep a good fire extinguisher in the garage. I will be getting a new on tomorrow.

 

[fj40dave]

I cought my flannel shirt on fire once when welding......didn't know it, but smelled something "odd"....then it got warmer, and warmer, and...well, I finally put the wire feed down and saw my lower shirt burning.

No...I didn't scream like a little gurl....after all, I'm a fire man!

The garden hose did feel good though!



I doubt there was anything else you damaged with that little of a fire on the tractor.

 

[B7100hst-d]

Don't feel so bad, I caught the siding on fire using a grinder about 8feet away.
I almost always have an extinguisher w/in 10 feet or so, so it got out quick and I happened to have a little extra siding to replace the 2x3' charred area.

My wife came home and said "what happened to the grass?" LOL

I think your tractor should be fine as is, but I'd still give it a good once over paying attention to rubber and any possible plastic and not worry about much else w/such a small/quick one.

 

[Rust Addict]

I'd say if you haven't set something on fire when your welding, you haven't been welding long enough.

I made a mess of the tempered glass windscreen on an enclosed Case 560CK loader backhoe when welling the FEL arm back togther. Didn't think that the sparks hitting the glass some 8 feet back would do anything. Now if you drive into the sun you find your self sticking your head out the door to keep checking the path. On that same repair set some built up grease and hydro fluid trapped next one of the bucket pins in the arm on fire! We had removed the hoses and cylinders, so it was fun to watch it burn and boil the paint off for a few minutes. We were running a sand blaster, so we just shoveled some of the sand up and on to the fire to put it out.

 

[gktilton]

First time I ever welded was on the Farm I worked on as a teenager. The part was off the tractor, so instead of bringing the welder out and running cords I took the part into the shed, layed it on the wood floor and started welding.

No extinguisher in the shed, but a hose ran to the heifer shed next door, I broke the float valve ripping the hose out of the tank, but no real damage to the shed so the boss wasn't too mad about the valve. Ripped me a good one about welding on a wooden floor. First time I was ever asked the question "What kind of Stupid Are You". Not the last time though.

No other fires since then, but I have never welded without knowing where an extinguisher is and being within 15 feet of one.

 

[bikerdib]

I cought my flannel shirt on fire once when welding......didn't know it, but smelled something "odd"....then it got warmer, and warmer, and...well, I finally put the wire feed down and saw my lower shirt burning.

...snip

Been there and done that. I was using a stick welder making up an I-beam truss. I just had to do one final weld so I didn't bother putting on the leather bib; didn't actually remember that I was wearing flannel. Running a vertical bead I suddenly noticed it was getting brighter inside my helmet. Next thing I see is a finger of flame lick through the gap between the lower part of the helmet and my chest. I just opened my helmet and ripped the buttons off to remove the shirt. I was lucky, only the outside fuzz had caught fire up to that point so I didn't even get a minor burn. NEVER wear flannel when welding.

To the OP, remember heat rises so check above where the fire started to make sure no wires are toasted.

 

[hodge]

Lots of good stories- which proves the point- we all do stupid things. Hence the phrase "If your gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough". Don't beat yourself up- the only real stupid part is if you didn't learn anything from it.

 

[gktilton]

Lots of good stories- which proves the point- we all do stupid things. Hence the phrase "If your gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough". Don't beat yourself up- the only real stupid part is if you didn't learn anything from it.

Didn't beat myself up, finished the main mounts and plumbing this morning.

I haven't made the front mount for the braces, so I braced the front with some threaded rod through the front frame and started it up to test the plumbing and clearances.

All was good until, stupid showed up again. Decided to test the lift capacity of the loader. Was able to do 400lbs easy with the little 7100. Decided to not go higher since that was all of the weight from my weight box and the back end was looking a little light. Put the weight back in the box and lift the loader, back into the garage and then noticed the threaded rod was broken on one side. I guess I have to consider myself lucky that I didn't break anything, or hurt myself.

Will finish the front mount and get you some pictures. Anyone know the lift capacity of a factory loader on a B7100, I am thinking I will use that as a guide to how much weight to put in my weight box. Thanks everyone.