Kids, Don't Do this at Home

[Nelson]

Thanks Guys,

I got to spend 6 hours in the ER. The Dock spent @30 minutes pulling out debris. He also put me on some heavy anti-biotics and told me it would probably get infected anyway, so" come back Friday"

The hard thing is to keep all that protection on. Only a minute before I took the right glove off and neglected to put it back on.

Just about any high speed grinder is nothing more than a rotary hand grenade. So be wary.

Randy

Randy,

Sorry you went through that- not pleasant at all...

From what you are saying, it isn't that preventable either, except for keeping the glove on, which won't help much- the scrapnel will easily penetrate a leather glove too.

What exactly were you working on at the time?

Regards,

Nelson

 

[Starlight Tools]

Nelson

Welding gloves are a must, Grinding gloves are highly reccommended. They protect against the UV rays, the heat and the spray of shrapnel.

It is machine tools that gloves are a taboo. It is like that poor girl from the university, if a glove, a shirt sleeve, hair or jewelry gets caught in a moving object like a lathe spindle, milling cutter, drill bit etc, then it will wind up like a cable around a winch reel and suck you right into the machine. Since the machines are so heavy, they will do major damage.

An angle grinder while dangerous, usually will just grind down the tip of the glove, rather than grab and pull.

Also the worst damage from grinders is when the wheel explodes and sends bits all over the place. An exploded wheel will rip through a leg and sever an artery, or remove the jewels.

Walter

 

[Nelson]

Also the worst damage from grinders is when the wheel explodes and sends bits all over the place. An exploded wheel will rip through a leg and sever an artery, or remove the jewels.

Walter

Having said that Walter, I trust you won't laugh when you see a photo of me using my new DeWalt grinder (which is on my wish list in another message on the board http://hobby-machinist.com/index.php?topic=1697.0) wearing a suit of armour including chain mail.

I neither want to bleed out from a femoral artery strike, nor lose my nads from an exploded grinder wheel.

Regards,

Nelson

 

[randyjaco]

I was cleaning up some welds on some 3/4" square tubing. There was very little lateral force being exerted. Nothing grabbed or got bumped. Even though the wheel was rated at 13,300 rpm and the grinder at 11,000 rpm; the wheel let go due to centripetal force. The wheel was either weakened by something or was defective from the start. This was the second wheel that let go on me in 6 months.

The guard was not much help since the wheel was offset just enough to extend past the guard. The reality is that even if the guard completely covered the wheel, the flimsy aluminum would have only slightly deflected the shrapnel. There still could have been rebounding pieces of stone headed to other parts of the body with ample force to do damage.

I have one of those new Uvex face shields. It is very comfortable and is not prone to fogging. Ironically it must have some sort of force field around it because it has yet to get its first scratch. Either that or my body has a much stronger magnetic field that protects the shield 8^)

Randy

 

[mosedawg56]

Just out of curiosity, where did you buy the grinding wheels?

 

[Tony Wells]

I've had pretty good experiences with angle grinders and such I think. I buy premium disks or wheels, ring them, check their balance and mount them carefully. Another thing to remember though is to be careful how you set the grinder down. Never stress the wheel or disk. And I don't know for sure, but maybe it makes sense....I have been told never to stop them (after you release the trigger) by jamming them on a piece of scrap or anything. Just let them coast down.

I've yet to have one go to pieces on me....hope to keep it that way. I've been ground on a bit now and then. What fabricator or machinist hasn't? A few scars build character.....worked for me, I'm quite a character!

Randy....I wish you hadn't done that.....but I'm fairly certain you wish it even more.

 

[GK1918]

One more, 15ysr or so ago we fabed a structure. One employee ground all welds with the 4' no
problem. Then the plan to clean up the assembly for paint with a full size grinder. We buy 3M
7 inch stick ons by the case. These grinders run about maybe 1000. That disk came off and just
about slit his throat. He looked like a cat attack him. So no more since then went back to the old
big flat head screw disks. Howabout some one here invent a angle grinder brake. They still put them
on the floor spinning like a top into their ankles. Stik ons alright for palm sanders thats about it.

 

[Ray C]

Randy,

Just saw this post... Very sorry to hear about your misfortune. Hope you're not on the bench too long.


Ray

 

[randyjaco]

Thanks Ray,
I am doing fine now. No long term damage. I now just hand tighten the disks. THE WRENCH IS ONLY FOR LOOSENING!!!
I have learned my lesson.

Randy

 

[Ray C]

Welding... What fun... What other sport has potential blindness, electrocution, severe burns, poisoning, abrasion hazards, high rate of tripping/falling, pinch/crush hazards, explosion, impaling... Gee, did I miss anything?

Glad you're still in once piece.

Thanks Ray,
I am doing fine now. No long term damage. I now just hand tighten the disks. THE WRENCH IS ONLY FOR LOOSENING!!!
I have learned my lesson.

Randy