Did you ever notice...: Off-topic discussion forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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Jan. 25, 2012 1:42 p.m. mad_machine SuperDork

That once you have torched or ground something, if you have to pick it up, you inevitably pick it up by the hottest spot?

I was working on swapping the suspension over on my C900 today. I needed to get the early spindles off to put the later ones on. I decided to replace all the Ball Joints, Tie Rods, and bushings while I am there.

So.. off came the big nut that holds the axle in.. then the ball joint nuts.. and finally the Tierod. Trouble was.. the nut for the tierod was just rotating the shaft and no amount of pickle fork leverage was stopping it.. so, I broke out my trusty Dewalt Grinder.

a few minutes later, the whole spindle assembly goes "thunk" to the ground. I put down the grinder, stand up.. and go to move the spindle assembly.. and where do I grab it? Right at the smoking remains of the tierod end.

Thankfully only a very mild burn.. it will be fine by tomarrow..
Jan. 25, 2012 1:46 p.m. Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork

Once upon a time I was building a model car and dropped the Xacto knife in my lap - I quickly closed my legs to "catch" it. It is amazing how much a 3" deep puncture bleeds when you pull the knife out of your thigh.
Jan. 25, 2012 3:50 p.m. cwh SuperDork

Like the time I dropped a hot soldering iron and caught it on the way down. And, we know what part I grabbed.
Jan. 25, 2012 3:54 p.m. MG Bryan HalfDork

I've developed a habit of wearing welding gloves when I'm making metal things hot. I'm obviously too stupid to not touch the hot part either.
Jan. 25, 2012 3:59 p.m. Otto Maddox Dork

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

Once upon a time I was building a model car and dropped the Xacto knife in my lap - I quickly closed my legs to "catch" it. It is amazing how much a 3" deep puncture bleeds when you pull the knife out of your thigh.

Don't pull it out. You get another knife and dig around the meat to loosen it.
Jan. 25, 2012 5:05 p.m. Curmudgeon SuperDork

I do the same dumb thing. I said 'let me take a look at that spark plug' once, picked it up and immediately dropped it because it was blazing hot. The technician said 'didn't take you long to look at it'.

Rick Sieman of DIRT BIKE wrote a column about the time he was drilling a hole in a plastic fender while said fender was on his leg.
Jan. 25, 2012 6:05 p.m. JoeyM SuperDork

Yup, been there. The worst was stepping backwards into a chassis tube I had been welding on just a bit before.....I felt the plasma running down the back of my calf as I stepped away and my skin stayed...

I actually keep burn cream in the house.
Jan. 25, 2012 7:11 p.m. Streetwiseguy SuperDork

You guys just need practice. After 4 decades of fooling around with hot stuff, I very seldom burn myself. I don't know if repeated torchings eventually make you pay attention, or maybe you sense the heat quicker, or what. Most of my burns now are low temp ones- Jam an arm in near something thats only a bit too warm, but golly, two hours later there is a blister...

I've cursed myself, now. Tomorrow I'll grab a freshly welded seam somewhere.