Angle Grinders and Gloves

[2shane]

I didn't say anything about using a 9 inch grinder without the guard - the boss always operated the large grinder (with a diamond wheel), always with the guard and handle and the grinder was the kind with a deadman's switch at the tail.
Neither did I say anything about using an abrasive cutting disk - we didn't use them - as you point out they can get lethal. We used stones of varying descriptions and rarely at anything close to full speed.
My point wasn't that you can put anything that fits, for instance a circular saw blade, in a grinder and use it safely. It was merely that there are a lot of bold generalizations being made on this thread by people who don't seem to have the experience to provide such a broad view. My experience is certainly limited to a very narrow range of grinder usage in a very specific role but I stand by every point on that post.

Yeah I probably miscontrued it... even just a bit.... and probably the important bit.

To be honest I kind of read "BIIIIIG angle grinder, no guard...." and carried on form there.

Not that the carry on wasn't useful, in it's own right, and I am not sure what you mean by STONE wheels... as in are they re-enforced abrasive wheels... or diamond type steel wheels.

What all the peeps are saying is that it's basically dumb to use a grinder without guards.

And it's the people who use the angle GRINDERS wiht the THIN FLEXIBLE "CUTTING" wheels or disks, that's because the disks are made to be driven perpendicular through a job, on a rigid and heavially guarded cutting machine, and it's the ignorant or stupid people who then fit them to angle grinders...

The angle grinders are meant to use disks that are designed for SIDE loading...

You press down on the side of the disk...

But when the CUTTING disks are used, some people do use them as GRINDING disks.. (OMG.......... Noooooooooooo) or they go cutting with them.. and they jam the disk or twist the disk in the slot - and some times the disks go BANG.

In respect to solid metal wheels with bonded diamond grit on them.....

I reckon they would be pretty safe.... and sure I could crap on about the ONE in a billion wheels....of bad alloy steel with bad heat treatment etc.. or pull my prose about no saw teeth etc...

I mean I wouldn't like to have a live one land in my lap while I am sitting down for lunch...

But I could easially think of much worse....

So using one of the SOLID METAL wheels without a guard... on concrete... Hmmmmm
I would do it if I had too..... but I wouldn't like it...

I mean you can get / make up big fast spinning flywheels with polished covers... which spin with the wheels.. like on some Hardly Rideables....

As long as the drive belt is securely and robustly guarded so ones footsie cannot be fed in between the belt and the clutch or motor sprocket... rubbing ones clothed leg against the spinning cover is not an issue.

But I'd still rather have the whole transmission covered.

Sooooooo yeah... I got it a bit wrong... .


But for the adventurous amongst you... I used to notice how easy it was to STOP a 4" grinder... being driven by a 550W motor and so I saw a 4" tungsten tipped saw blade and went, "Hmmm that's a good 1 1/4"'s or so of cutting gear, and I had run the idea past a few salesmen who went white and said "OH Jeeezers - thou art hexxed by the Debil - Run! Run it's Satan incarnate" and I thought, I get the impression that most of these handlers of the tool, do very little grinding and much handling of the tool... the reaction wasn't based upon logic or experience.

Soooooooooooo I went and tried it..

And using a little saw blade in a 4" angle grinder... well I would not let it run amok, like I ALWAYS check that it isn't turned on BEFORE I plug it in......

But when it's deliberately jamed there is NO kickback.

Think Broomstick.. and 500W blender... the blender JAMS and there is no reaction to even flinch about....

The little saw grinder, is a great way of doing lots of fast or accurate cuts in timber, or ply and masonite.

Chopping up pallets, fencing or disposing of timber etc... brilliant.

BUT at the same time, it doesn't have self releasing switch, so I wouldn't use it with anything other than with a firm grip with both hands, close to the body, and the feet firmly planted on the ground....

And I can see a lot of good reasons for USING a proper and most especially a higher powereed saw, with a proper self retracting or closing guard, on a proper electrical saw.........

But I wouldn't use a BIG SAW in a 230mm angle grinder...... (over head, in one hand, standing on a bar stool...)

NFW.....

That's KAPITAL N as in NO FW.

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Actually the SAW is perfectly safe in the little grinder.... It will never explode, there is NO kick back.... etc... perfectly safe... and the more I thought about it... it's really not perfectly safe....

It's still an exposed saw blade., and when it spins it cuts.

Annnnnnnnnd what if the day ever comes, when I am using it and I do trip over or get a shock or something.... sure it won't kick back etc... but if I land on it while it's running... it won't jam then.

And all this talk about Angle Grinders... both of my grinders are small 550W 100mm and a 650W 120mm

One of the things raised about SAFETY gear was the use of a FACE SHIELD..... to protect the head and neck......


Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm methinks it's time to get a proper face shield and a proper circular saw with proper guards.


I guess one of the things about safety is that I find myself contemplating using a nicked extension cord.

It's not a big deal in dry and clean environments...

And a few years down the track... you forget all about the tiny nick in the extension cord...


But what happens on the day you use the same cord in the laundry and it floods.....

And that cord is lying in the pool of water......

And you run in there with bare feet and touch the metal wash basin....



Methinks it's time to get a face shield and a proper saw with a proper safety guard.


Time for an upgrade.

[toddles]

Yeah I probably miscontrued it... even just a bit.... and probably the important bit.

To be honest I kind of read "BIIIIIG angle grinder, no guard...." and carried on form there.

Not that the carry on wasn't useful, in it's own right, and I am not sure what you mean by STONE wheels... as in are they re-enforced abrasive wheels... or diamond type steel wheels.

What all the peeps are saying is that it's basically dumb to use a grinder without guards.

And it's the people who use the angle GRINDERS wiht the THIN FLEXIBLE "CUTTING" wheels or disks, that's because the disks are made to be driven perpendicular through a job, on a rigid and heavially guarded cutting machine, and it's the ignorant or stupid people who then fit them to angle grinders...

Yeah - no worries. AND I know what you mean about the cutting disks. I post some pics of what I use as a safe alternative to a small angle grinder with abrasive cutting disks attached. My brother still works in the concrete repair crew so I'll take some photos of the equiptment we use safely in the grinder soon and post them too. I should also mention that all our grinders had variable speed adjustment and using the correct speed for different wheels is important - both for the safety and the quality of the job done.