stop and think first....

[rayiow]

i am in the process of painting and rebuilding my yamaha 8hp, and i stripped everything except for taking the prop off as it was seized solid (or so i thought!!!), i have been trying for about 3 whole weeks to try and prise the black cap in front of the prop, i've used loads of wd40 tapping it, swearing at it and it would not even budge so i had given up ever getting it off and so i have been looking aroung for a second prop(i did'nt want the shear pin to go on me when offshore and not be able to get the prop off) when today i was just about to get the grinder out when for some strange reason i descided to TWIST the cap instead and guess what happened mmmmmmmmm yes the dam thing came off,i'm glad my mates were'nt about.my only other embarassing moment last yr seagull engine in my boat at the pontoon me and my mate in the boat both with winter suits on, i tryed for 3/4hr to pull start it(bench test was perfect)but no, mate wanted to help but i said NO but eventually i gave in tired/hot/sweaty wanted to go home,his turn he put one hand on the tank and i knew what i had forgotten and he new it lol... turn the FUEL TAP ON...i wont forget that in a hurry, so when things don't go to plan STOP AND THINK, i am learning fast

 

[JB]

Re: stop and think first....

Been there, Ray.<br /><br />Before starting a task I now review the mistakes I have made in the past to be sure that the next one is the first time I did that stupid thing.<br /><br />Doesn't help much.

 

[Mr.Ladyfish]

Re: stop and think first....

LOL @ JB. Sometimes I amaze myself coming up with new screwups!

 

[jtexas]

Re: stop and think first....

Mr. Lf, not a single topic from you in Stupid Human Tricks? You know it's not healthy to keep all those secrets bottled up inside.

 

[demsvmejm]

Re: stop and think first....

My motto is "Learn from others' mistakes, you don't have time to make them all yourself." <br />It's also alot cheaper <br />And not nearly as humiliating

 

[beezee28]

Re: stop and think first....

Stop and take a breather. Sometimes this help us to refocus our attention and go at it in another direction.

 

[tomatolord]

Re: stop and think first....

had a neighbor call me over one day to help him start a power washer he had rented...<br /><br />He was beet red and sweating like a pig - saying he had tried for the last hour to start it with no luck <br /><br />I gave it 2 pulls - looked down flipped the switch to on and it fired right up.<br /><br />His daughter burst out laughing!!<br /><br />I looked at him and said "any more problems I can help you with?<br /><br />

 

[NYMINUTE]

Re: stop and think first....

Always an opportunity to be stupid. Rarely do I miss those moments. Always a participant, never an observer.

 

[bryanttj]

Re: stop and think first....

When I pulled my boat out of storage this spring I had a hard time getting my boat started and when I did It would not Idle. A neighbor stoped by to see if he could help. He worked with the boat tring to get it to work properly and asked me did I take the spark plugs out recently? I said yes, when i winterized it? Then I realized I had accidently swaped the #3 wire with the #4 wire. Duh! She purred like a kitten after that.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: stop and think first....

Yah, well, my 80-year-old Dad is the master at watching a guy do something stupid for a long time, then stepping up and straightening things out very quietly.<br /><br />Last time I took him fishing on my new (to me) boat, I went to start the crummy little Sea King 5 hp I use as a kicker so we could troll a while.<br /><br />I jerked on that stupid outboard's rope until the sweat was running down my face. It's always been a hard starter, anyhow, and I was ticked. It's not nice for an outboard to embarrass you like that in front of your Dad.<br /><br />So, he says, "Let me spell you, son." I give up and let him step up to the motor.<br /><br />He reaches down to the deck, picks up the fuel connector from the little plastic tank, connects it to the motor, pumps the bulb and the thing fires on the first pull.<br /><br />Doh! He has this silly grin on his face that he always has when he's caught you doing something stupid. I laughed my butt off at myself.

 

[Frankhanhart]

Re: stop and think first....

same here... I do the 1-2-3 before starting. Main switch on, kill switch in place, turn the key.<br />Last time I tried to start it, it didn't go...kept repeating to my self " I did that da*n 1-2-3!!!".<br />After 10 minutes convinced myself to do it again and not just "think" it. It was the oooold killswitch of course . AAh well, at least nothing wrong with my short-term memory....eeh, wahtever.

 

[beezee28]

Re: stop and think first....

Been there and done that. The other day I was mowing the lawn and the lawn mower blade caught some string and wove itself to the shaft. Stop the engine and pull the cable to the plug out before removing the string on the shaft. When I finish with that I proceed to pull start the mower and it would not start for the longest time. Wife walks around and she ask me what is the cable hanging loose at the front. Duh! the cable to the plug... Next put and the mower starts right up until lawn was done. Don't feel left out...