GRINDER SAFETY 101 (graphic injury video so be warned)

drivesitfar · Feb 17, 2016

Coogar: it's those kinds of stories that might save another member or reader some pain or a lost eye or worse. thanks for sharing

ALL: anybody else have a tip or sad story to share. i do need to make my fire extinguishers available. i probably own 5 of them and if i wanted to grab on in 5 minutes i'm not sure i could tell you where they are now. they also need to be filled or re certified or do you just need to get new ones and how often?

drivesitfar · May 17, 2016

ALL: so I needed to use my Milwaukee worm drive to cut some plywood and forgot to grab safety glasses or shield and ear protection. DANG it's hard teaching an old dog new tricks like thinking about SAFETY.

please protect your ears, lungs, eyes and body before you turn on power tools.

also of note please don't grind BERYLLINUM (sp?) because the dust is toxic and can cause cancer. Ping and a few other golf companies used to make clubs out of that stuff and some guys i'm sure died of cancer grinding off the soles to make the clubs work better.

these pictures and videos are only to show you what can happen and I didn't post pictures of the guys that died and not all of them were Darwin award winners.

good luck and think SAFETY

FigureItOut · May 17, 2016

Couple questions gentleman. I've recently learned that angle grinders have more than one type of guard, and you should use a different one depending on whether you're using a cut off wheel or grinding disc. How would one determine which type is on their grinder? Is there a universal type? Where might one find proper guards for a Dewalt DWE402 with the "one-touch" guard system?

Ah yes, something to add as well. I've recently learned that my wife habitually goes into my shop each night between 30-60 minutes after I'm done working. She looks around and sniffs for signs of fire or trouble brewing. This is probably something I should have been doing, and will be doing now.

Edit: I got my answer on this. I kinda geeked out trying to learn everything I could find about different grinder wheel types and their respective guards. Comprehensive, detailed info is surprisingly difficult to come by. I tried to get all the actual ANSI info on this but it turns out they want $425 to download that document.

From what I can determine, 4.5" grinders nearly always come with a type 27 guard, which has a small lip but is open at the bottom and is not suitable for the very common type 1 cut off wheels. Type 1 guards are readily available for major makes of grinder and are completely enclosed on the bottom side.

The type 1 guard I found for my grinder appears to be the right one for all Dewalt 4.5" grinders with the "one-touch" system. The part number is n311419 and it runs $9-$11 plus shipping.

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drivesitfar · Jun 6, 2016

FIO: sorry I don't have the answer to all your questions, but thought i'd kick up the thread and maybe some other members will see your post.

ALL: JUST BEE CAREFUL is the best idea and if you are at an odd angle and want to take a chance just know that something pretty bad can happen. DARWIN AWARDS are a REAL THING and just the other day a teenager working at a soils company fell into the shredder and died. heckuva a way to end a summer job raising money for college or a car.

drivesitfar · Sep 8, 2016

ALL: i'm thinking of starting a Safety 101 thread cause a lot of us that own or buy the tools we use don't have a clue what damage they can do if not used correctly. or chemicals like even a rag full of stain in it thrown on a wood bench could possibly burn down your garage or home.

also some of the new members might not know a few of the things in this thread so thought i'd bump it up.

if you have something to add or a picture of yourself bleeding from doing something not quite as safe as you thought share the pics if you took some.

one thing i do in the summer is use either my bench grinder with wire wheel or my 4 or 7.5 inch hand grinders with cup wire wheels without long pants or long sleeves on and i almost always get a few wires sticking out of me to draw a little blood. i DO WEAR SAFETY GLASSES AND A FULL FACE SHIELD THOUGH.

cheers

Gautama · Sep 8, 2016

I have a rather ugly new scar on the side of my finger because I was taking apart a hard drive enclosure and it slipped and caught me on the sharp edge. The stupid thing is that I have cut and puncture resistant knit gloves for exactly this kind of thing, but I didn't put them on because they weren't readily available. Now I'm buying another pair so that they're ALWAYS handy (pardon the pun).

These are the gloves for anyone interested: TenActiv Cut Resistant Gloves: 18-Gauge Composite Filament Fiber w/ Level-4 Cut-Resistance & Foam Nitrile Palms (Touchscreen-Compatible) (Item S18TAFGFN - Size 8) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TJXPZD6/?tag=atomicindus08-20

FigureItOut · Sep 8, 2016

I'll self report for accountability here. Two days ago I was sweating copper, did most of it on my bench with propane, but I was having trouble getting a good flow once I was fitting the piece on the existing plumbing. I broke out the OA, skipped all the normal safety checks I do, and finished the sweating in shorts and sandals with no gloves. It was a"just this once" moment, being frustrated and rushing.

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drivesitfar · Sep 8, 2016

FIO & Guat: great tips for Safety and if you want to cut and paste these over to the new Safety 101 thread i started please do. or i put the link to this thread in that thread, but it's hard to follow links on cell phones especially for our young readers that might need this stuff the most. thanks in advance.

ALL: here's the link for Safety 101 if you might want to post safety tips there please do.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=338827

drivesitfar · Sep 8, 2016

Mark: another thing to remember is to stand to the side when turning on a bench grinder because i hear start up is where they explode more often.

you are certainly welcome and pass on the good safety to your friends and anybody you meet cause not many know of the real dangers.

thanks

Sighss · Apr 1, 2017

Necro I guess, but wanted to say thanks.
Been using grinders for many decades w/o much care for safety, but that changes today.

jeff lary · Apr 1, 2017

Josh on Moonshiners lost one or more fingers to a disk grinder I think?

drivesitfar · Apr 8, 2017

ALL: just bumping up a safety thread for those of you that might not have seen it yet.

WORK HARD and STAY SAFE!!

Firebrick43 · Apr 8, 2017

About 17 I was using a 4.5" angle grinder to work on a buddies car. Wheel broke in two. Thankfully I was wearing a face shield. It came up through it splitting the plastic sheild and metal edge cleanly in two, stopping at my nose just barely scratching it drawing a drop of blood or two. Couldn't imagine how $&)( up I would be if I didn't have that shield to absorb the energy. The other half stuck it the drywall ceiling.

At work we have large crank grinders with 4 foot wheels. You should see one of them explode. Luckily the guards are pretty good

Also remember to adjust your grinder rest as the wheel wears. Saw the aftermath of a guys thumb when the work he was grinding went through the 3/4" gap on a 8" grinder. Piece was 1/4 which left 1/2" for his thumb. Peeled most of the skin and meat off of his thumb. Luckily the doctors saved it and after a couple of surgeries it looks some what normal except the lack of a thumb nail.

slik560 · May 23, 2017

Yowza. I have a bench grinder and a new Makita GA4530, both unused as yet. After reading this, I have another browser window open to order up some PPE to use: the Uvex face shield, gloves, ear protection, the works. I might also take a screen shot of one of the grosser accident situations and print it to tape near all of my power tools. I took a 10 hour OSHA safety course last year, and it's amazing how much I had forgotten already. This thread should be in a permanent spot. Thanks.

drivesitfar · May 27, 2017

ALL: i'm moving stuff around my small 2 car garage and i couldn't find or wouldn't spend enough time looking for my safety glasses, but i should have worn my full face shield while spiffing up this steel bench with my Milwaukee 7.5 inch with twisted wire wheel on it. luckily i didn't get a wire in my eyes or face or anywhere this time, but i usually get stuck with wires in my arms and legs when doing this so i was just shooting the dice so to speak.

THINK SAFETY and put your SAFETY GEAR where you can easily find them and maybe get a few so you can have them in several areas.

lots of good tips and suggestions and injuries on this thread if you haven't read it you should and then post up your thoughts or more SAFETY TIPS.

cheers

mbshop · May 27, 2017

I try to make sure that I use my 4.5 grinder in such a way that if the disc breaks it will not come in my direction. Can be a pain but less painfull than a serious injury. Friend was using a grinder with no shield. Not on the tool or his face. I got mad at him and then left because I didn't want to get hurt. Crazy.

drivesitfar · Sep 20, 2017

MB: i think more of us need to either convince our friends to use safer methods and safety gear or walk away from their area cause as with a drunk driver's accident it's usually the drunk that survives.

ALL: i thought i'd bump this thread up to see if there are any more tips, but mainly so some of the members (and lurkers) can see that even when you do use tools safely accidents can still happen, but just knowing the possibility of what could happen might save a few of us from bleeding or worse.

cheers

JohnDeere1 · Sep 20, 2017

I need a face shield and to wear eye protection I've had to many close calls and have gotten grindings or filings in my eye . Using a grinder can be very dangerous I have a Makita with the paddle power lever I like it so much better than ones with just an on/off switch. I keep the guard on nine but it doesn't help much.

Codejack · Sep 21, 2017

drivesitfar said:
MB: i think more of us need to either convince our friends to use safer methods and safety gear or walk away from their area cause as with a drunk driver's accident it's usually the drunk that survives.

ALL: i thought i'd bump this thread up to see if there are any more tips, but mainly so some of the members (and lurkers) can see that even when you do use tools safely accidents can still happen, but just knowing the possibility of what could happen might save a few of us from bleeding or worse.

cheers

Thanks for doing that, I've joined since the last time this thread was posted to, so the first time I've seen it.

Is there a "safety" section of the forum? There should at least be a sticky thread.

That being said, I have safety glasses and a faceshield (Craftsman, if you can believe it

), and insist on wearing them while grinding. I've seen discs let go, and while I haven't seen an injury, I've had to pry the shards out of things.

slik560 · Sep 21, 2017

I used my new Makita grinder, and donned safety goggles over my glasses, then the new face shield, gloves, and then learned the importance of sleeves and even neck protection. I worked on the rusty metal outdoor furniture and I got rust dust & grit everywhere the protective gear wasn't. Next time long sleeves, and something tied around the neck!

Codejack · Sep 21, 2017

slik560 said:
I used my new Makita grinder, and donned safety goggles over my glasses, then the new face shield, gloves, and then learned the importance of sleeves and even neck protection. I worked on the rusty metal outdoor furniture and I got rust dust & grit everywhere the protective gear wasn't. Next time long sleeves, and something tied around the neck!

Be careful that nothing is loose; sleeves (and even gloves on bench grinders) can get caught and grab you.

slik560 · Sep 21, 2017

Duly noted! Thanks.

drivesitfar · Sep 24, 2017

ALL: this set up looks like it has all the safety features covered at least for your head so wondering if any of you have one of these? also is there more than one brand of these cause this one looks like a fairly inexpensive import even though it's cost is a couple Benjamins.

keep THINKING and stay safe

Dennis Leigh Henry · Sep 24, 2017

Drivesit.. I didn't go back thru the picts.. but I can't tell you how many times I've ground eh tip of my finger down flat.... ouch!

drivesitfar · Sep 25, 2017

Dennis: i can't tell you how many times i've skinned my knuckles or cut my hand somehow and there was a pair or many pairs of new and used gloves almost in arm's reach. YEP, THINKING is a big part of SAFETY and maybe another thing is to take a bit more time and not rush or be in a hurry especially if there are power tools involved.

how are those calluses on the ends of your fingers now?

thanks for posting

ALL: have a safe week while you are attacking your TO DO LIST or at work.

apollo11 · Sep 25, 2017

My UVEX arrived today. For the price, it's a steal.
21.00 delivered

dsanchezanny · Oct 1, 2017

great post, gonna look into the uvex

slik560 · Oct 2, 2017

I waited for my Uvez shield to arrive before I ever picked up the grinder!

drivesitfar · Dec 29, 2017

Slik: do you really need to wear safety glasses on under your new UVEX safety shield?

i think i'm going to order a couple or maybe 3 or 4 of these so i can have them at home and at my shop in a few places.

are the sheilds replaceable or do you just buy an entire new one?

ALL: THINK SAFETY BEFORE YOU TURN ON THE POWER!!

Bigwheels · Dec 29, 2017

Wow i watched the video. The timing was perfect because my nine year old grandson is coming over today to work on his knife building project. He will be using hand files and the vise only and maybe some hand held sand paper until I can get a face shield for him. One of my employees had a 4 inch grinder with a diamond blade blow up and then kicked back and hit him in the face 1mm from his eye went right through the face sheild and got him life flighted to the hospital. Scary stuff.

bcexplorer · Dec 29, 2017

Great thread. I used grinders for years knowing nothing about the dangers, 7 years ago I got a job that made us periodically watch safety videos, and my eyes were open. I got appropriate ppe for home right away.

Some great positive discussions here!

drivesitfar · Dec 29, 2017

Wheels: glad this thread and it's information might have helped you!!

BC: yep once i started learning more about how to SAFELY USE POWER TOOLS and TOOLS IN GENERAL i've been pushing safety tips as often as i can. i grew up around some pretty handy guys that never used safety glasses or ear protection and thought it was a waste of time and money.

hence me starting my bench grinders for one example and grinding on a piece of steel maybe a lawnmower blade without using even reader glasses that i graduated to.

ALL: if this thread helps one of you or you can remember to pass on this information to others that it will benefit I'm HAPPY.

cheers

slik560 · Dec 31, 2017

drivesitfar said:
Slik: do you really need to wear safety glasses on under your new UVEX safety shield?

i think i'm going to order a couple or maybe 3 or 4 of these so i can have them at home and at my shop in a few places.

are the sheilds replaceable or do you just buy an entire new one?

ALL: THINK SAFETY BEFORE YOU TURN ON THE POWER!!

I guess technically the safety glasses might have been over-kill, but one of the many vids that I surveyed recommended both. the UVEX sheilds are replaceable. They pop out and in. Replacement inserts should be available.

Kevin

drivesitfar · Jan 1, 2018

Slik: you know i've seen plenty of pictures of chunks of wheels sticking through face shields so maybe not a bad idea to wear goggles inside your masks. I need to wear glasses that won't stop much so I might check to see if I can get safety prescription glasses for my next pair.

ALL: THINK before you turn on those tools and I hope you all have a safe and happy 2018.

drivesitfar · Mar 3, 2018

All: it's almost spring so thought i'd bump up this thread for those of you that haven't read it yet or watched what a grinder or almost any power tool can do to you if you are not careful.

good luck and let's all pass on along the knowledge of Safety especially to the younger generation that gets very little if any shop classes in school.

cheers

slik560 · Mar 4, 2018

Speaking of setting examples for the younger generation, it does not help when some of the auto 'reality' shows on Discovery and Velocity show an idiot using a grinder with either nothing or just safety glasses.

Bldmovs · Mar 4, 2018

slik560 said:
Speaking of setting examples for the younger generation, it does not help when some of the auto 'reality' shows on Discovery and Velocity show an idiot using a grinder with either nothing or just safety glasses.

Irks my nerves every time is see it.

drivesitfar · Aug 9, 2018

ALL: I took the guard off my smallish 6 inch old Black & Decker bench grinder that I have on a stand and I took the safety guard off. it maybe keeps me form getting my cheap rubber gloves stuck that usually just get a bit of material wired off, but it can throw off wires so i'm usually wearing a full mask (yep I still forget or don't use it). i'm really aware that flying wires can get me and have on occasion when i'm wearing short sleeves or shorts, but the other day I had a quick job and thought I could just do it with my regular glasses on and when a wire zinged off my forehead I grabbed the safety mask. I really need to buy some magnifier safety glasses.

I'm asking if others might have had an issue or seen one with someone using rubber gloves with the grinder guard off that might have had an issue. It's another thing I do that isn't maybe the best, but I think I'm ok is since I took the guard off I use cheap rubber gloves that are fairly tight fitting so and when I get my hand in too close the wire wheel just starts scraping off the rubber to give me a bit of a warning instead of chewing on my skin.

anyway I thought I'd kick up this thread cause we ALL NEED TO THINK A BIT SAFER when we work around power tools and/or chemicals.

STAY SAFE!!

ReggieR · Aug 9, 2018

I wear a Hypertherm/sellstrom with the flip down shade 6 for torch work if needed. Or 4 screws and just wear the shield if you dont use torches or plasma

drivesitfar · Jan 16, 2019

ALL: bumping up the thread so maybe a few of the members that haven't seen it might and especially the younger guys that are buying old grinders that didn't have shop class with some good instruction here's a few warnings and tips.

STAY SAFE!!

GRINDER SAFETY 101 (graphic injury video so be warned)

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