New tool!....Bad accident....and a WARNING!!

JBarGFarmKeeper · #1 06/12/12, 12:13 AM

Okay, I found a youtube video last week about using an angle grinder to trim goats hooves. It was cool and I was inspired!

I comparison shopped, read reviews and went to my favorite online tool store (Habor Freight) and ordered me one ($20). I chose the 4 1/2" heavy duty model and read all the reviews. Especially the one that said to open the gear housing and remove all of the grease that come in it and replace with heavy machine grease.

Mine arrived today! I dissected the thing. DH found the good grease to replace the YUCK grease it came with. He said I did myself a service by doing that and that it never would have lasted without doing that.

DS20 put the backing pad that I had to order separately and installed a piece of 24 grit sanding pad that I bought specifically for my hoof project. I was SET!! So, with grinder in hand I headed for the milk barn to find my favorite goat (Cream...who gave me twin bucklings this year...I am rethinking her position...naaa).

I had my glasses on and drug for my leather gloves that I keep under the counter in that barn. There was only one...the right. DS14 had them last week while pounding fence posts for my nex hoop house. In my usual impatient flair I donned the one glove and proceeded with my new toy! (That's what I call DH's new tools...TOYS...and he says...No, it's a tool!) I did Cream's front right hoof and it was FABULOUS!! The coolest thing! REALLY! Way neat. Then I moved to her back left foot. She was standing on the stanchion that is mounted to the wall so I was in a somewhat awkward position. Cream was not real sure about this and kiccked her foot to get me to let go! AAAAaaaa! In that instant...I knew I was in trouble! DD16 was there and I tucked my left thumb into the palm of my hand and wrapped my fingers around it tightly for direct pressure and I took off running.

DS14 said later...I knew it was bad because you were yelling for Dad and running...you never run.

I got to DH and told him I was scared to look...(and I still haven't! I made DD16 take pictures to document it but I am NOT ready to see it...)

DH said it wasn't as bad as he figured it would be. DS20 said, "Good job, Mom!" DD16 helped DH fix it as best they could. Lots and lots of peroxide...let's face it...that thing was just trimming goat hooves and moving 11,000 rpm...I am thinking some poop got in my thumb.

I got the nail and part of the thumb on the finger-side of my thumb. We are talking a split second!!

SO, I am saying...get this cool tool! WEAR LEATHER GLOVES ON BOTH HANDS!! and have a blast! I can't wait to get back to it. DS says it will be probably 2 weeks before I can milk again. (That's a DRAG!) I changed the baby's diaper a while ago and broke it open again. This is going to REALLY be a drag. I am NOT a good patient.

They say I will definitely have a scar. Oh, well, my thumb is still here. Could've been much worse.

noeskimo · #2 06/12/12, 12:23 AM

Inspiring:a disaster that I haven't thought of! I fell Sat, tripped over a stump of mesquite brush and fell hard. Bruised foot, bruised arm, broken rib. My face is OK because my face fell into something softer than the hard-packed ground; a pile of goat-poo compost. NO ONE should know what goat poo tastes like.Yuk I will stay away from grinders. I was thinking of a Dremel tool though.When you live in the "dry" it's not often it's easy to trim hooves.Get well soon

collegeboundgal · #3 06/12/12, 12:28 AM

good job gena!!! well, finding a toy... errr tool, that works great. not so much on ur aim... lol. glad you still have all ur fingers (most of them anyway) lol! I was thinking about doing the same thing, only with a sandbelt, and help... and both gloves...

Alice In TX/MO · #4 06/12/12, 06:27 AM

Yup yup. My hubby (a petroleum engineer who does drilling supervision) would say that you should have had a SAFETY MEETING prior to that project.

Work safe, folks!

I'm glad you're ok.

Huggs,
Alice

Backfourty,MI. · #5 06/12/12, 06:37 AM

Sounds like a really cool thing to have. I'd have to watch the Youtube video first to decide if I wanted to try it.

I'm so sorry you hurt yourself so bad but thank goodness it wasn't worse!

Ranger · #6 06/12/12, 06:43 AM

Ouch!!!!! Hope you're back to milking soon.

ChiniMiniRex · #7 06/12/12, 06:52 AM

A few years back a friend of my who is an accomplished chainsaw artist, and general Jill of all Trades did the very same thing using an angle grinder to trim her horses hooves. She lost grip on the tool and dropped it on her finger - it was an awful sight! Took the tip of her finger off and half way down her nail. Literally burned it off from the speed, and cauterized it. It wept and looked gross for a few days, and then got better eventually. Grinders work great for hoof work, and they do cauterize any small bleeds that you would run into, but also keep in mind that they cause heat - and sometimes the animal will react unexpectedly to the heat it feels through it's living hoof! Be careful and be prepared - then have fun with your shortcut!

Kelly

Alice In TX/MO · #8 06/12/12, 06:54 AM

Sherry in Iowa · #9 06/12/12, 07:42 AM

Wow..that could have been worse than it ended up. I am sorry you got hurt..I'd pack that wound with honey and cover it to make sure you don't get an infection!

I just had to clip a hoof...been dry here and oye..it was hard to get trimmed. Ever see a fat lady down on her knees begging a hoof to break while applying profound pressure to a hoof cutter? Dear husband was holding Rita..I can only imagine what he and the goat thought!?

Hope you heal quickly!

Minelson · #10 06/12/12, 07:55 AM

Thanks for the warning...sounds like something I shouldn't use. Like the Sawzall my hubby has forbidden me to use ( I still sneak it sometimes)
I sure hope that heals up quickly!!

JBarGFarmKeeper · #11 06/12/12, 08:09 AM

Thanks all...it is pretty sore this morning.

Yes, Alice, we,too, have "safety meetings" with our drivers! I missed this one...

About 30 seconds before this happened DD16 says when I do that, I'm going to wear gloves on both hands. Duh!

DS20 is in the National Guard. He came home from AT (annual training) with this bit of wisdom. He said his Lt. told him that when they failed to correctly complete a task/mission he would say, "Fail, seek shade, drink water, call higher." I think this one was a "FAIL".

Kelly, you described it well. There was little blood. They say it is the width of the sanding wheel/disk (1/16-1/8") and about a 1/4" deep. There is a "chunk" gone and it went through the nail. Bummer.

I was telling the kids last night that several years back a very pretty lady whose husband owns the local salebarn (cattle) was grieving her finger. She got it caught in a log splitter. OUCH!! She looked at me sadly and said, "They don't grow back..." Nope.

Thanks again for the well-wishes. Yes, that is the video. They say that necessity is the mother of invention. Maybe my son (14...the one that keeps telling the little children that he is a 'genius') will invent something to help me restrain the foot of a goat!

Alice In TX/MO · #12 06/12/12, 08:33 AM

If he comes up with that, he'll make a million dollars. Put me in line for the first one! Should I send a deposit?

where I want to · #13 06/12/12, 08:34 AM

Ewee- owie owie ouch. I live in fear of machines that go fast. I knew there was a reason why.
Hope it gets all better fast.

yarrow · #14 06/12/12, 09:16 AM

ouchie!!!! just ouchie!!!! poor thumb... thumbs are important... and as busy as your life is.. you need BOTH of yours... sorry you got hurt..

susie, mo ozarks

andabigmac · #15 06/13/12, 09:06 AM

Ouch ouch ouch. I read this whole post with one eye while cringing. I guess I was waiting for blood to come shooting out of the monitor.
Hope you heal quickly.

Still cringing.

JBarGFarmKeeper · #16 06/13/12, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andabigmac

Ouch ouch ouch. I read this whole post with one eye while cringing. I guess I was waiting for blood to come shooting out of the monitor.
Hope you heal quickly.

Still cringing.

Hey, bigmac! Try this on and then cringe!!! This is the profile of my "new" thumb...I liked the old one better...

New tool!....Bad accident....and a WARNING!! - Goats

Minelson · #17 06/13/12, 03:06 PM

OUCH!!! That is going to be sore for awhile! owie owie!

Oat Bucket Farm · #18 06/13/12, 04:29 PM

OUCH! Glad it wasn't worse though.

Goat Servant · #19 06/13/12, 04:41 PM

Oh Gena! AAack & OWIE! When you mentioned only finding the right glove I was hoping you were a leftie.

Both of us have wounds just from the trimmers, which taught us early on to always wear a glove on the hoof holding hand. We use a grinder here too I love it.

Alice In TX/MO · #20 06/13/12, 06:07 PM

Oh, I feel that. Makes my stomach hurt.