Have you ever done something really dumb?

[special-K]

Ok, here is one specific and recent dumb thing I did. Actually, more like a connected series. I'm not one to throw away and replace so quickly, especially when it comes to a well made in USA thing compared to the inferior foreign junk available these days for a replacement. So this is about my Maytag washing machine.
I know nothing about appliance repair. Years ago (like 20 or more) the machine started overfilling if you set it on medium load. No problem, just do large loads. Makes more sense and pretty much how I do it anyway. Well, one day in early summer I had some wash to soak in bleach and really didn't need the washer filled with hot water. For some fool reason I hit the medium button. Yep, overflowed. From that point on it would overflow in all settings... DUMB ME!
I asked around and learned what part needed replaced. Did some searching and no longer available. I've also been short on funds this year. I spent most of the summer filling the machine (while watching), turn off to hand wash (even had a washboard for the tough stuff/utility next to washer), set on spin so it would drain, spin, and fill with rinse water (while watching), swash it around, then set on spin to drain and final spin. Pretty convenient way to wash if it was 1850 .
So finally I search for the part used and find one on Ebay, only $25!! I get the part, put it in, and everything is great. I do all the laundry I can come up with. Then I realized when I'd pull the dial out the bottom of the control panel would pull out. I didn't get the tabs behind the flange before putting screws in on top. No problem, right?
I got dumb again. The whole time I messed with this machine I would unplug it. Every stinking time. Did I unplug it for this? NO! Sure enough... BZZT! I short something out on the body. I reset the breaker but now I get nothing from the machine... nada... dead. There are connectors to the selector at the bottom that would have been the likely point of the short. I see no burntness (I know, not a word) but figured I must have fried the control. So I find one on Ebay... $80. And I have to wait to finish a job to order it. So back to halfass handwashing.
I finally order the part, get the panel off, and start to do a sketch for all the connections before disconnecting. "Hey, why is this wire just hanging loose? That one, the one down low on the panel". And, "Well looky there. There is a female connector connected but no wire attached?". Well, I'm no appliance technician but I'd wager that loose wire is supposed to be attached to that connector. And that wire is one that comes off the power cord from the wall. Dumb again!. I now have a spare used $80 control in case I ever need it, about 1/2" less wire from the power cord, and one less female push-on connector in my electrical parts drawer. The ole Maytag is back to it's reliable self after spending $105 on a $25 repair. If I had fixed the problem 20 years ago when the level valve started acting up I could have gotten the part at the local appliance parts shop and had it fixed the same week. Oh well, that one might have gone up by now, I still didn't have to buy a new POS, and I spent less than a repairman would have cost. Oh... And I also got to experience life without modern and convenient clothes washing equipment for free!

[1976gmc20]

GMT400 6-hole 16" wheels will NOT fit on a 73-91 squarebody 4x4 even if you get somebody to very neatly plasma cut out the center holes to fit over the hubs, because the backspace is wrong.

Try it yourself if you don't believe me, but you might want to just cut out the center of ONE wheel instead of All Five!

At least I didn't go buy five new tires before I test fit it

[FleetsidePaul]

I lit my face on fire carrying a birthday cake.

A word of advice. If you have a long beard. Be careful around lit candles or you'll catch your face on fire and have a short beard.

[prairewolf]

I've 'Lernt' so much over my 56 yrs its hard to answer the question, . at about 10 I taped a shotgun load to the end of my BB gun, and stuck it in a gopher hole and pulled the trigger. walking to the the house cryin with my eyes full of dirt, I fully understood backpressure. ... later in life I learned how to borrow money. that is the dumbest adult thing I did. I just about got that out of my system. It has been and interesting 56 yrs to say the least. this month marks 15 yrs for me around this site. thanks Josh and Liz and All. life is good.

[GOPAPA]

Yeah! beginning to think this 39 Chevy was a bad mistake ..

[57taskforce]

I put a key in a wall outlet when I was 2-3 years old... I still haven’t forgotten how that felt. And I haven’t stopped doing dumb things 30+ years later!

[Steeveedee]

I absolutely love caramel. When I was many decades younger, my mom was cooking some pudding on the stove. I figured I get myself a little taste by sucking some up through a straw, figuring it would cool a bit on the way up. Nope.

[Rich84]

My parents wanted to pay for me to go to college. They were not educated. I'm not either.

[GOPAPA]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

I absolutely love caramel. When I was many decades younger, my mom was cooking some pudding on the stove. I figured I get myself a little taste by sucking some up through a straw, figuring it would cool a bit on the way up. Nope.

Steve ,,this what you did brought up a memory of what I did with my mothers cooking when I was 13 years old ..

Some one back then told me ,,if you put a bunch of baking soda in a pot of Chili ,,,it would give every one lots of gas

So , I did it one day when she was cooking a big pot of chili and she left the kitchen for a bit..

I poured it in ,,how much I forget and got the heck out of the kitchen ...she told others later that she could not for the life of her figure out,,, that when she came back into the kitchen the chili was boiling over with foam all over the top of the stove and down unto the floor ...I never told her ,,and wished I had of... Something Really Dumb comes to mind

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by GOPAPA

Steve ,,this what you did brought up a memory of what I did with my mothers cooking when I was 13 years old ..

Some one back then told me ,,if you put a bunch of baking soda in a pot of Chili ,,,it would give every one lots of gas

So , I did it one day when she was cooking a big pot of chili and she left the kitchen for a bit..

I poured it in ,,how much I forget and got the heck out of the kitchen ...she told others later that she could not for the life of her figure out,,, that when she came back into the kitchen the chili was boiling over with foam all over the top of the stove and down unto the floor ...I never told her ,,and wished I had of... Something Really Dumb comes to mind

Good thing you didn't tell her. You still probably wouldn't be able to sit down!

[FleetsidePaul]

Anyone ever not pay attention and put foil in a microwave?

I have.

In my defense some drinking may have been involved at the time.

[The Rocknrod]

Gee, I'd have to make a list.

[Steeveedee]

I bought a nice black coffee mug when I worked at the Lockheed Skunk Works. It had a gold leaf skunk logo on it. I went to reheat some coffee without thinking about the gold leaf. Put it in the microwave and fired it up, then immediately shut it off when I got blue ionization and crackling noises. The skunk is still there but it has lines through it where the gold leaf fried off.

[LEEVON]

I did something just like that with a business checking account. The bill was $5,xxx and I was using auto pay and typed $50,xxx and didn't realize it until I got the email notification. No problem I thought, so I called the bank and they were like "sorry, call the vendor". Of course I had to pick a global huge vendor to make this mistake (British Petroleum). They were easy to talk to but they said, sorry we can't stop it but we'll send you a refund check for the difference. I argued and argued but that's what it came down to. So I had to wait for the check to clear, then wait for a refund. It was a nail biter and I type much slower now when paying bills!

[1976gmc20]

I made a $100 math error one time and was so busy working that I didn't reconcile my checkbook for several months. It was fine as long as there was plenty in the account but one month got a little low - lower than I realized, of course!

So I accidently wrote a NSF check. The good and bad part about it was that I was having dinner with some friends while he opened some mail and then he says "oh, I know who this guy is" and hands me the check: embarrassing!

[Sheepdip]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

I bought a nice black coffee mug when I worked at the Lockheed Skunk Works. It had a gold leaf skunk logo on it. I went to reheat some coffee without thinking about the gold leaf. Put it in the microwave and fired it up, then immediately shut it off when I got blue ionization and crackling noises. The skunk is still there but it has lines through it where the gold leaf fried off.

My Uncle (long gone) also worked at Skunk Works during the SR-71 Blackbird era as an electrical engineer.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by Sheepdip

My Uncle (long gone) also worked at Skunk Works during the SR-71 Blackbird era as an electrical engineer.

I was there for the F-22 when it was in competition with Northrop. Worked on the F-117A and some other things. I was in the Electromagnetics Division doing "low observable" testing.

[72c20customcamper]

Done lots of dumb things usually starts with “ Here hold my beer and watch this”

[FleetsidePaul]

I was driving back from the store yesterday. My car seemed like it was in low gear. I kept checking it and it was in drive. I thought my transmission was going out on me. It was so sluggish and jerky.

Turns out The emergency brake was still set. I never released it.

Lucky for me that the market is on the corner really close to my house so I didn't drive too fast or too far. But the brakes still smelled when I got home.

[lousyflyer]

I bought a washing machine manufactured by Whirlpool under the "Admiral" brand with a tub drive mechanism called a "Splutch".

They should have called it a "Tumor"

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Man do I have you beat

[special-K]

I bought a truck in California, flew out to drive it back. Before leaving I made sure I had the certified check and important papers in a big envelope all together. I get out there, check the truck out, time to settle up and go. DOH!! I forgot to pack that envelope!!! what a mess? Dumbest thing I ever did!

The guy was really cool, and trusting. He let me take the truck w/o the title, I send the funds when I get home, and he'd send the title. It all worked out. We both were put at risk. He was out a truck with no money and I had a truck I needed to come up with a title for... 3,000 miles away. Then it went his way when he got all the money and still had the title. I was very relieved when I received that title and that transaction was finally complete. Driving the truck cross-country went without a hitch.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Dumbest things I've done involved injury. I've done plenty of dumb things on principle, but wouldn't trade them.

[Boog]

Well, chicks dig scars.

[67C10Step]

Learned at the age of 13-14 that ANY amount to gasoline in a pot bellied stove is too much. No eyelashes or eyebrows when I came back from that trip.

My goodness, I could write a book on 'learning' experiences.