Sometimes things just don't go right

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

I volunteered to let Rabbit Holler Flash and Scrivet store their trailer at my place in exchange for me using it if I need to. Scrivet had bought a new break away switch to replace the old damaged one, and since I had a little time today I decided to install it. The very old original mounted in a metal bracket on the outside of the tongue, but the new one just had some plastic ears on the back that screwed to the tongue or whatever to mount it. I was afraid that if I put it in the same place it may get stepped on and the little ears would not hold it, plus it looked as if it may have been in a position to be crushed by a truck bumper if someone jackknifed the trailer, so I decided to mount it on top of the tongue and the brace that goes to the jack stand. I looked around in my surplus steel pile and found a short piece of flat steel with a 90 degree bend on each end that was a little thicker than needed, but otherwise just right, so I clamped it in the big vise and grabbed my little Dewalt battery powered chop saw and cut the surplus length off. Since I did not want to to heat the trailer tongue anymore than absolutely necessary I just welded 3 small spots on each of the 2 pieces to mount it, then set the battery box/charger in place to mark the mounting holes. I ran a drill through each hole to mark it then proceeded to drill. I should have realized something was wrong when I had trouble seeing my drill marks. I was using a 7/64 bit, and it only went as far as the taper of the bit and stopped. Figuring I had a dull bit I sharpened it and also brought out another bit, which happened to be a new Titanium coated bit. Between the 2 of them I got less that halfway through the first hole. I walked back to the shed and was looking around considering my options. I didn't want to grind it off, even though I only had the brackets welded in small spots because part of it would be hard to get to due to the jack stand. I didn't really want to blow holes in it with my electric welder, since I only needed 1/4 inch holes at most and that would leave a pretty large jagged hole. At the same time I was thinking about all of this I had taken the left over piece of steel out of my vice and was looking at it wondering what it had been. I pitched it on the bench and it hit the metal frame around the edge as it went and it rang like one of the triangles we had in high school band. I just stood there and stared wondering what the that thing was from. As I turned around my eye caught the portable chop saw. Instead of 4 bolt holes, there are now 4 bolt slots.

[Rudi]

John:

I feel for you, really do . Course that was after the involuntary chuckles........

[Scrivet]

John:

I feel for you, really do . Course that was after the involuntary chuckles........

Got a call yesterday afternoon about this, If you think this is funny, you should HEAR the story as told by John. The only thing missing was him smacking the mystery iron on something. (Note to self: don't answer phone call from John today, it'll just be a very loud clang!)

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

I had ground off all the old welds and primed them, so I mounted the break a way box today. I told Scrivet if he wanted the trailer painted back to the original JD green in that area he had to buy the paint, I didn't have any.



I didn't get the wiring finished though, whoever had installed the original break a way several years ago had butchered the wiring up some, and I was laying on the ground, 55 degrees with wind blowing trying to work up under the tongue straightening out that wiring, then rain started falling in my face. I quit for the day. Some days I really believe Murphy was an optimist.

[Rabbit Holler Flash]

Hey Scrivet remind me to get John a rain coat. Wouldnt want him gettin wet workin on our trailer.