turn off the shredder

[fireshawn]

I was shredding a pasture the other day and ran over some twine. I got off to cut it w/out turning off the shredder. One side went fine, the other side started winding up in the blades after I picked it up resulting in a rope burn that went to the bone on one finger, and almost there on the other one. I am just glad my angel was watching over me and that I didn't get sucked in w/ it. I am posting a picture of my hand to remind peeps that turning it off might take an extra few steps but keeping safe is worth it. I lucked out w/ only a few stitches and having to take a few days off from my real job (hard to fight fires w/ a bum hand), it could have been much worse.

 

[DieselPower]

Glad to hear you didn't get sucked in. It could have been a whole lot worse. A good rule of thumb, never work on anything when it is running and never get under anything unless it's properly supported.

 

[lug nut]

Glad it was only a couple of fingers. It could have been a lot worse.

 

[N80]

I don't get off the tractor with the pto running.

 

[GaryM]

Many newer machines have an operator presence switch that kills the engine if you get off the seat with it in gear or if the PTO is engaged.

Glad you didn't get hurt worse. Those kind of cuts sure hurt don't they.

 

[RoyJackson]

Many newer machines have an operator presence switch that kills the engine if you get off the seat with it in gear or if the PTO is engaged.

Yeah, but they can be overridden quite easily...

 

[N80]

Yeah, but they can be overridden quite easily...

Yep, and in a number of ways. On my tractor, all you have to do is lean the seat forward and the PTO will run without you being on the tractor.

I'll admit that I have done this once or twice with the shredder on. However, it was done on purpose and very carefully as I was working on the gear box. (I'd filled it full of water remover and wanted to run it a few minutes.) I got off the tractor to make sure everything looked okay and I was very cautious.

I guess I just have a healthy fear of a spinning pto shaft and I might be overly cautios, but it isn't costing me anything to be that way.

 

[Jimmyb33]

Looks like it would have been a good time to be wearing a nice pair of leather gloves too.

 

[RoyJackson]

Looks like it would have been a good time to be wearing a nice pair of leather gloves too.

Yeah...but don't use the gauntlet type...that's just something else that can be snagged by the PTO.

 

[fireshawn]

I tried to put gloves on when I went back to finish, finger was too swollen. Lesson learned, and fortunately it was only a painfull lesson, not a dead one. My machine doesn't have an operator presence switch.

 

[3RRL]

I was going to say how lucky you really are trying to do what you did with the shredder still running! Mine freaks me out just to turn it on let alone have the guts to go near it while it's running. I'm relieved to hear that was your only injury and nothing worse.

 

[JoeinTX]

I, like many of the others here, dont' get out of the seat with the PTO engaged and I still wait a bit after disengaged for the RPMs to spool down. I had a very good teacher growing-up and combine that with a healthy respect/fear for the machines that can kill in an instant and it keeps me pretty sober.

That being all said, today I saw something that gave me the shivers. A highway mowing crew was working as I sat watching at a red light and one the tractors stopped, the driver raised the shredder up full, and got off to investigate something under the mower's deck.....all while the mower was still engaged He had one hand on the deck lip as he leaned down to look underneath at whatever problem he was hearing from the still spinning blades and all as I just there and watched until my light turned green.

 

[RoyJackson]

I tried to put gloves on when I went back to finish, finger was too swollen. Lesson learned, and fortunately it was only a painfull lesson, not a dead one. My machine doesn't have an operator presence switch.

You have a 2006 Mahindra...and it doesn't have a seat safety switch???
That's really surprising!

 

[BXRICK]

My tractor has an operator presence switch, and it can be overridden by flipping the seat forward.
However, since I don't normally flip the seat forward when getting off the tractor, if I mistakenly get off the tractor with the PTO running, the tractor dies. Which is correct - I did something more unsafe than usual, and it potentially kept me from getting hurt at a minor inconvenience.

On the other hand, if the rare occasion arises where I need to get off the tractor with the PTO running, I can flip the set forward. But, this forces me to think, "I need to flip the seat forward because I am about to do something potentially more dangerous than normal." Since I'm specifically thinking about this, I am safer than if I were doing the same ol' routine.

This is true of many safety interlocks. They are a pain occasionally, but if they ever force you to think twice about what you're about to do, maybe they are worth it.

So, I think the system works fairly well.

 

[Z-Michigan]

I would never get off the seat with the cutter running - scares me too much.

At the same time, I'm not a big fan of the operator presence cutouts because there may be other PTO powered items (generator comes to mind) where they would be a big problem. I realize many, but not all, do have a bypass switch. On my tractor I have no presence cutout but I do get a warning chime if I leave the seat with the PTO engaged.

 

[N80]

That's the genious of the 'stationary pto' as Kubota calls it. Flip the seat forward and run whatever you want. Not sure how hard it would be to implement this on a tractor that had the operator presence switch but not provision for stationary pto. I think mine has a little cam type switch the overrides the safety switch when the seat is tilted up......but I don't remember for sure since it has been over a month since I've seen my tractor!

Got mowing to do though and hope to get it done Friday. Plus there's a 'cold front' moving through and its going to be nice and cool at 98 degrees. Beats 101.

 

[RoyJackson]

That's the genius of the 'stationary PTO' as Kubota calls it. Flip the seat forward and run whatever you want. Not sure how hard it would be to implement this on a tractor that had the operator presence switch but not provision for stationary PTO.

My 790 and most of the Deeres have a provision for off seat operation. It's not difficult, but the operator has to make a conscious decision to use it.

I was just surprised that Mahindra...a 2006 tractor, didn't have a "deadman" switch. However, my guess is it does and has been overridden somehow.

 

[fireshawn]

Roy,

I haven't read all of the manual but there isn't one that I have found. If there is it is currently not working or the dealer did a workaround before I bought it.

The slow down to a stop after you turn off the PTO seems to take forever, but I have been staying put w/ the seatbelt on until the PTO stops spinning completely.

 

[RoyJackson]

Roy,

I haven't read all of the manual but there isn't one that I have found. If there is it is currently not working or the dealer did a workaround before I bought it.

The slow down to a stop after you turn off the PTO seems to take forever, but I have been staying put w/ the seatbelt on until the PTO stops spinning completely.

Yeah, it takes a couple minutes for those cutters to stop...

I do suggest you thoroughly read your manual. I can't believe a dealer would over ride a safety device. The liability would be horrendous.

 

[Soundguy]

Many newer machines have an operator presence switch that kills the engine if you get off the seat with it in gear or if the PTO is engaged.

Glad you didn't get hurt worse. Those kind of cuts sure hurt don't they.

Lots of em don't either... My 2002 NH will cook right along in gear, pto engaged.. operator or not...

Soundguy