" Grinder Safety " Public Service Announcement

So I was in the welding supply store today, and this warning was next to the array of grinding disks and cutoff wheels...



I saw a similar thing happen in a woodshop. This waste of space coworker was standing there with an orbital sander held wide open, letting the pad achieve maximum velocity. The 5" PSA sheet of 120 grit slid off the pad at 20,000rpm and opened up his cheek like a machete.

 

No one is totally useless , they can at least serve as a bad example O yeah , nice catch

 

Yeeeoooooouuuch!

I'll ad that I never buy the cheap grinding or cutting wheels. Not worth the risks. Always name brand stuff.

 

I had a 7" grinding wheel explode on me with the guard in place, still got hit in the gut.....

I'am with Dave, name brand only after that.

Haven't had a problem since.

 

While we are on this subject, remember when you start your pedestal grinder to stand off to the side....

Name brand wheels there too....

 

Maybe this should be moved under shop safety ?

 

And never grind aluminum or brass with a stone wheel !!!

 

Ring test your pedestal and bench grinder wheels before mounting and you won't have a new one explode. Keep them dressed clean, it will also help.

Never mount your bench wheels without the paper blotters on them either.

 

Gotta google "ring test."

 

Don't stop a 80 grit disk with hand either, coworker got 8 stiches in his palm.

We have some grinders without guards. I absolutely hate them!! I need to buy a face shield. $25 is cheaper than the emotional aspect of a face injury and the medical bill.

 

Always check the RPM rating of the abrasive and match that to the tool your using, at work we mark our air tools with different colored electrical tape to indicate there RPM rating to make it easier and faster to identify, and if you want to fill your pants quick be standing there when a 20 X 8 inch wheel on a surface grinder comes apart.....yikes!

 

14 years as a Custom Knifemaker and never used a stone wheel once. everything was done with grinding belts some moving as fast as 90 mph if one broke the sound scared the crap out of me and it just stopped moving. Never got hurt by a moving belt unless I touched it with my fingers. Old boys told me horror stories about stone wheels so I stayed away from them.

 

I came across another one.

 

Trim that beard!

 

I think a tin snip would have been a better choice!

 

Iv never heard of a blotter till now. I always threw them out if I had a new wheel. which is rare. Iv had one or two wheels explode but usually right after iv grabbed it with pliers to tighten the nut. Another no-no im sure. I always wear a full face shield. Got shards in my eye twice with only safety googles. And I always use guards on the hand grinders. Mainly to keep the sparks from catching me on fire. Why not grind aluminum or brass? I know they make harmful dust and clog the stone but any other reason?

 

i plugged in a angle grinder while it was held against my side, and (unbenownst to me), locked on. that hurt, and damged a perfectly good shirt.

 

I ruined a couple shirts and socks with a wire wheel on a grinder. Feisty they are. Thats why i dont like to use the big 7" grinder that thing would kill if it got loose