Assumptions We Make - both right and dead wrong

In the DIY world, users solve problems in sometimes truly creative and ingenious ways, all in an effort to "make it work." It's important to know, and EXTREMELY important to know in some cases, that not everything a DIY'er does is done according the the book of established practices. And some of it is just plain dangerous. The thoughts expressed below highlight just a few of them...

• I'll do it just this one time. Typical uses of this assumption are by people who try climbing too far up on a step ladder or overloading an extension ladder with too much weight, using too-small of a gauge of extension cord to power a device, standing on the back of a pickup truck while your buddy drives it only a few feet, standing on a swivel-chair to hang some lights in your office or on the fender of your car to replace a bulb in the garage, etc. This is just common, everyday being stupid. Don't take shortcuts. Instead, do it right.

• It's just a little voltage -- it won't hurt. Famous last words. You don't need to see a spark to witness harmful electricity. Look it up sometime. "How much voltage does it take to hurt someone" is a good place to start. You'll find that it doesn't take very much at all. The 12-volt battery in your car has enough energy in it to weld metal! Be safe. Don't just "touch" things to see if they're carrying any electricity.

• Hmmmm...maybe I'll try this wire... Electricity is not very forgiving; you often only get ONE chance to get it right and if you're wrong, that may be the last chance you'll ever get unless you're lucky enough to have paramedics standing by to revive you. Don't just touch things with your fingers or with electrical testing equipment without knowing what the heck you're doing.

• CAT-5 plugs and jacks Just because a cat-5 network cable plug "fits" into a jack, don't automatically assume that the jack is a network jack. In the DIY world you can seriously damage equipment by assuming that a jack is actually for a network cable! DIY hobbyists use common network wire in lots of ways and sometimes they use it to carry electricity while other times, the cable may even be used as a rope tie. But here's the bottom line: FIND OUT WHAT THE JACK IS BEFORE YOU PLUG ANYTHING INTO IT!!!

• It's just a little spray paint. Inhaling permanent, potentially carcinogenic particles isn't good. The human body doesn't do well with paint inside the lungs and it's cumulative throughout your life. Use appropriate protection gear when working with spray paint and even better, do it outside where you have plenty of fresh air.

• I don't worry about a little sawdust... That's bull. Protect yourself. You only get one pair of lungs.

• It's just a little gasoline spill, no big deal... If you're a pyromaniac you're probably comfortable with this assumption. Gasoline is used for automobiles for a reason: THE VAPOR IS EXPLOSIVE! What's more, gasoline is proven to be a carcinogenic liquid and inhaling its fumes is most definitely not a great idea, even if you like the aroma.

• I'm a big guy -- I can take it! Don't play the macho-man card in the DIY world -- it can get you killed. And worse, it might kill someone else, too!

• This looks like an electrical plug. I'll try it. Unless you absolutely know that a wall outlet is carrying the proper voltage, don't just plug something into it. Electrical codes have specific requirements for 120vac, 220vac, and even 12vdc current. DIY'ers sometimes don't always follow proper electrical code and think "I'll try this just to see if it works and I'll fix it later..." but all too frequently put it off and it never gets fixed. Buy a couple common, inexpensive electrical testers and USE them!

• I keep blowing this circuit, so I'll just use a bigger fuse. Sometimes this is right thinking but sometimes it's not. Replacing a 10-amp fuse with a 15-amp fuse on a circuit that's designed to carry 20-amps can work fine. But putting a 15-amp fuse on a circuit that's designed to carry only 10-amps can be disastrous and cause a fire. Evaluate the circuit's potential before making any changes to it.

• This has a normal A/C plug so it must use house current. Not necessarily. A 2-prong plug can work with either AC or DC electricity -- find out what the device needs before you plug it into that socket.

• The wide blade on the plug is always ground. Nope. Big mistake. The wide blade on a 2-prong plug should be the "NEUTRAL" connection but that's not at all the same as the "GROUND." Some DIY'ers don't even pay attention to which is which when they make extension cords or replace cord ends, so you have to use caution here, too. An inexpensive tester will tell you if the cable is okay.

• It's just a little tingle when I touch the case. I'll fix it later. This is disaster just waiting to happen. There shouldn't be any tingle, anywhere, ever. If there is, cut the power immediately and fix it.

• "I love the smell of napalm in the morning" Unless you're Robert Duvall, you don't get to say this.