Thread: Loy Toy does battle with a modified Angle grinder and loses.

Well I have just arrived back from spending 3 days in hospital after nearly cutting my left arm off and wish to share my experience with the rest of my fellow members.

Firstly, I was going to post this thread in the moronic kiddies posts forum because of my stupidity but then decided it would be best to post it here so everyone can read my adventure and not attempt to do the same as I did.

About 3 days ago I was given the task to cut down and remove a rather large tree that had died and being an Aussie we love cutting down trees so I prepared myself with what I thought was proper tooling.

Panel saws were purchased and I managed to get the tree down in about 6 hours using this equipment (the stump was about 80cm in diameter) without hurting myself or killing any others.

This left me with a stump of about 80cm diameter sticking up around 15cm out of the ground.

As I wanted to clear the stump about 15cm below the soil surface, not removing the root system, I thought it would be a good idea to set my angle grinder up with a tungsten tipped wood saw wheel removing the very hard outer rings which left me with the soft inner pulp which is very easy to remove with a conventional saw.

Everything was going fantastic until I started to sweat profusely making my grip on the angle grinder not so solid and before I knew it the grinder jammed, whipped out of my hands over and through the outside of my left arm and lodged in my shorts just bellow my family jewels.

Now the machine was still on but jammed in my shorts, I knew I had some serious problems with my arm but my main focus was about how to turn this killing machine off before it offed my nuts.

Fortunately I could reach the extension lead and unplug the unit untangling it from its dangerous location and then I stood up and turned my arm over to view the damage.

Well I knew it was not going to be a detoll and band-aid job but thought I better check with my missus about whether we needed to go to the hospital or not.

I called out to her telling her I had cut my arm and she casually walked downstairs to view my mishap.

I have to say I have never seen the fear and shock displayed by anyone when she saw the wound and I told her it was only a cut and we could fold it over and put some tap on it.

She had a towel wrapped around my arm in about 10 seconds, had me in the car and at Bangkok Pattaya hospital in about 10 minutes still covered in bark and wood shavings.

After a 2 hour operation they repaired my tendon and partly severed bone and repositioned about 1kg of flesh that was hanging as a flap just a short time before.

Moral of the story:

1. Use the correct tools.

2. Do not remove safety guards.

3. Stop when you get tired or cannot maintain a solid grip on tools.

4. Pay a Thai to do the same job even though it will take him 4 times longer.

As the wound is quite graphic I wont post a picture until it heals a little.

Once again I was stupid to attempt to use a dangerous tool and consider myself lucky that my injuries were not a lot more severe.

As the WWF wrestlers warn: Do not try this at home..............

'Kin ell LT.

Lets see the pictures.

Is your right arm still able to lift a beer on Thursday?

Fvucking hell Mate, cant leave you alone for a year without you going and doing something like that.

Good job your lovely wife don't always listen to you , I hope you will be OK with no permanent problems from this Mate, see you soon.

Geez... glad to hear you're kind of ok, could have been a lot worse!

I think I will stick to number 4 on your list!

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

1. Use the correct tools. 2. Do not remove safety guards. 3. Stop when you get tired or cannot maintain a solid grip on tools. 4. Pay a Thai to do the same job even though it will take him 4 times longer.

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

jammed in my shorts

5. Do not wear shorts.

its only a flesh wound




get well soon.

Originally Posted by rawlins

Lets see the pictures.

Mate, the wound looks pretty graphic but I will post some with a warning.

Originally Posted by rawlins

Is your right arm still able to lift a beer on Thursday?

The right arm is as good as gold mate and I'll be right for that trip down to Soi 6 with you and Jizzybloke.

Originally Posted by larvidchr

I hope you will be OK with no permanent problems from this Mate, see you soon.

The specialist/ surgeon said I was extremely lucky as the main tendon was not cut right through and the bone was only partially cut.

Originally Posted by Satonic

Geez... glad to hear you're kind of ok, could have been a lot worse!

Thanks mate but I reckon I was 1cm away from having my plumbing lopped off.

My wife actually showed me my shorts and it was a very close call.

Originally Posted by Norton

5. Do not wear shorts.

They saved my nuts Norts.

Lesson learnt now.
Grinders use grinding wheels.
Get well soon.

Damn! It sounds like you were lucky. Additionally it looks like your wife is great with emergencies!

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

4. Pay a Thai to do the same job even though it will take him 4 times longer.

Glad to hear that it seems that you will be alright. Rule Number 4 definately applies!!

Cheers TP.

Glad to hear it ended up as good as it could have. Good on the wife for taking care of you quickly. Heal quick and see you on the 15th mate.

Glad to hear you're ok (more or less) LT.

^ Thanks fellas, and yes it was a close call and my wife really was absolutely calm, apart from the scream she let out when she first saw the wound.

In fact when they laid me out on the bench in the casualty ward I had a group of doctors come and have a look and through their mutterings, frowning and chin rubbing I heard them mention ajarn so then I knew it was serious.

When he arrived I told him to just stitch it up there and then and I wasn't staying in hospital overnight.

He told me if I don't follow his instructions I could die as the wheel went into the tendon and bone and severe infection was possible so I should shut the F...Up which I did.

Anyway all is good, Bangkok Pattaya Hospital Nurses are very good but the food is shite.

"Many of the" Bangkok Pattaya Hospital Nurses are very good "looking", but the food is shite.

Yes and yes.

Originally Posted by larvidchr

Many of the" Bangkok Pattaya Hospital Nurses are very good "looking",

One of the reasons I refused the offer of a sponge bath mate. Would have taken one of their eyes out if you know what I mean.

In fact I reckon they let the trainee's service me as I doubt there was not one nurse over the age of 22 or over the weight of 48kgs.

No wonder my blood pressure readings were all over the place.

80 cm trunk. A Somchai would cost about a grand to take that out using nothing more than a hammer, a hacksaw and oh, probably an allen key.
A cleverer somchai would have probably paid you to let him take it out root an all.
I never do dodgy things here, I won't even climb a ladder. The risk-reward ratio just doesn't make it attractive.

My BiL was using a grinder with a saw blade the other month, it kicked back at him and cut him open from belly button to sternum, looked like someone tried to gut him.

Glad the boys survived intact, easy on the piss though, alcohol kills antibiotics. I had an infected wound here once,it nearly ate away my foot before they got it under control.

Well I'm off outside to get rid of the rest of that stump and will report back when the job is done.

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

and will report back when the job is done

Hopefully

Originally Posted by Satonic

Hopefully

Fok that for a does of salts.

I ventured into the sun for about 10 minutes and almost fell over.

Best I leave it to the wife and prepare myself to go out for a few beers.

Take it easy, LT, and get well soon.

Your advice was spot on. Could add more but really here think outsourcing all that stuff is the way to go. Angle grinders are mean, meaner when they get loose. That is not Thailand specific. Deadly tools. Blade will always grip at odd angles.

Very glad you are still good to go and boys and they will get you out and about. oOr at least put different mischief on your face for the missus. Sorted one way or another.

Ps 15 cm stump,%!?....it was too small anyway, even or an Aussie. Nonetheless, dig around it, let the Thais hackaway then pull the fucker out with the truck.

The tree stump was at least 80cm or 30 inch diameter and we had to pull the stump out with a utility.

What was left was a short stump and roots and we decided to remove the stump only to about 6 inches below the lawn surface and turf over the top of it.

Good plan and 99% finished until the weapon slipped out of my hands.

I have actually just looked at the circular blade and noticed that around half of the tungsten teeth have fallen off making the blade far more prone to jamming as does a blunt saw.

Just goes to show that steel is far harder then skin and flesh and one has to respect that fact.

LT leave it for the young men a we are getting to old for that.
I find that I can not do things the same as when I was young.
Any way hope a speedy recovery.
PS the bar are closed today.