Angle grinders – Dangerous or not

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

Not according to Doug

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

SV Seekers – Doug Jackson

Angle grinders: Dangerous or not

Building an all metal 75ft Chinese Junk in his front yard in Tulsa, USA

His video on the subject is interesting to say the least, and having been using them regularly since 2010 I do tend to agree.

i DO, however, wear full face protection, welding gloves plus a leather welding apron (heaving burnt holes in my blue dust coat and winter warmer from sparks that where aimed directly at them and me) and I check where sparks are aimed at having set fire to some newspaper in the past.

Watching his videos has been an eye opener and highlights that he is a stalwart believer in the the argument that 'safety is entirely your responsibility'.

I take my hat off to that man for his perseverance at overcoming set-backs, especially those he had when casting the propellers plus others.

His videos provided excellent viewing whilst recovering from 5 hospital trips last year and highly recommended, just watching what he has achieved and had to work out how to.

Geoff – Body and brain starting to work together at last.

[John Duncker 1Participant @johnduncker1]

There is an old adage in the sailing world.

" Fools build boats for wise men to sail"

Somewhat cruel but applicable. build log

The started building in 2006. 13 years ago. They are no way near finished.

They could have taken a 1/4 of what they have spent to date, bought a boat in 2006 and gone sailing.

The sad thing is they may make it to completion and launch only to find they don't enjoy the cruising life.

Me I love it but I have seen some sad cases of abandoned dreams. Sometimes scared sometimes ill sometimes just bored and the boat goes up for sale and they fly back to living on land.

Edited By John Duncker 1 on 17/07/2019 17:01:15

[Boiler BriParticipant @boilerbri]

Erm very dangerous. Glued together disks revolving at high speed with humans in control 💥

I have been known to get fingers in the way. Worst event was it grabbing my boiler suit and wrapping it up to a stall with very fast action. I was not damaged but did learn from the experience

Bri

[Boiler BriParticipant @boilerbri]

Erm very dangerous. Glued together disks revolving at high speed with humans in control 💥

I have been known to get fingers in the way. Worst event was it grabbing my boiler suit and wrapping it up to a stall with very fast action. I was not damaged but did learn from the experience

Bri

[john fletcher 1Participant @johnfletcher1]

Definitely dangerous. one has to really concentrate when using an angle grinder. But what a useful tool they are, I've rescued lots of pieces of steel to be used again, thanks my angle grinder. You mentioned safety clothing etc,I would also included ear defenders, what a racket they make when cutting, definitely not to be used on a Sunday , I was once using my angle grinder and the sparks hit a discarded double glazed window used as a garden frame and imbedded themselves in the glass. .John

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

ALL power tools can be dangerous. Even manual tools can cause severe injury, if used improperly.

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

When my Dad lost the end off of his RH index finger using the wood planer, whilst making patterns for the casting I sold in the shop, the surgeon made the following remark to him, that has stayed with me:

"Machinery will remove limbs very efficiently!"

Geoff – My conta temp with the circular saw was a close call.

[Stuart BridgerParticipant @stuartbridger82290]

Very dangerous in the wrong hands, especially the bigger beasts.
I was helping out on a building project at our shooting ground and was tasked with cutting concrete blocks with a large disk cutter. Not being the most physical guy, it was much too heavy for me to use safely and the torque reaction was significant. I am much happier with a chainsaw (not for block cutting obviously) for which I have been trained to use safely.

[Rik ShawParticipant @rikshaw]

I am never to happy when having to use an angle grinder. A chain saw even less so but in one workshop I have "fettled" in for a living the machinists would run a mile if a job came up for the grunty old Butler slotter. I know of at least two occasions when aforementioned machine demonstrated its taste for human flesh.

Rik

[Alan VosParticipant @alanvos39612]

I avoid them. I avoid powered grindng equipment in general. I put it down to being sent on an early 1980s half-day 'grinding wheel safety' course, despite never actually seeing one in that job, let alone needing to use one. It was of the 'scare them witless' variety. It worked

I have compromised and allowed a small bench grinder. For HSS tools.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Even a 350 watt pistol drill can take control, and twist out of your hands. .

A geared down motor, like that, can deliver LOT of torque at the chuck.

A cutting disc running at 14,000 rpm is especially dangerous.

Treat all machines with respect!

Howard

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Posted by Stuart Bridger on 17/07/2019 17:41:05:

Very dangerous in the wrong hands, especially the bigger beasts.
I was helping out on a building project at our shooting ground and was tasked with cutting concrete blocks with a large disk cutter. Not being the most physical guy, it was much too heavy for me to use safely and the torque reaction was significant. I am much happier with a chainsaw (not for block cutting obviously) for which I have been trained to use safely.

Always start 7" and 9" grinders away from the job, especially with cutting discs fitted, the kick can break the disc especially if it's already in a started slot.

[DustyParticipant @dusty]

Power tools are never dangerous until the moment you forget that they are.

[Mark P.Participant @markp]

Quite right Dusty, virtually all power tools can be dangerous without common sense.

Mark P.

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

If you approach power tools timidly then you will get hurt, you must be the master of the tool and be aware of all the things not to do. Resist trigger locks if fitted, if you lose your grip on the machine it will chase you round until you find the plug. Routers are scary with razor sharp cutters rotating at 28,000rpm but now I have experience and acquired a feel for the machine I use one with confidence and respect.

Mike

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Didn't think that common sense was that common, although VERY necessary for survival

Howard

[Tim StevensParticipant @timstevens64731]

A feeble tool like a jewellers piercing saw can be dangerous, too. If the blade breaks at the wrong moment (and they do) you can have a blade through your index finger. Every jeweller I know has permanent blue marks on his left fingers where this has happened. So, all tools can be dangerous, even when every caution is used.

But just sitting on the sofa can be dangerous too.

Cheers, Tim

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, not dangerous at all, but some people that use them are. they are like any power tool when used correctly and with the proper PPE and using the correct machine and discs for the job in hand they are safe. Anyone who is physically and mentally able will be able to use them safely with proper training. Observe the obvious, like not directing the sparks at flammable materials or liquids or other people or yourself. I've been using them all my working life without any serious injury, had a few sparks get in my eye over that time (They seem to get in somehow even with the best eye protection, but prompt treatment will stop long term damage) If you are unsure about using them on a particular application, then use a different method of doing the job.

Regards Nick.

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

Some years ago, we had contractors at the museum putting insulation and a second skin inside part of the building. They were cutting the modern corrugated steel with 9" angle grinders. These panels are only about 0.025" thick, but one of the younger lads managed to get a bad kick back and the disc skimmed the side of his arm. It did very little damage, just abrasions mainly. It was his first accident with the grinder, I hope he learned to respect the tool, as he was very lucky that day.

[Boiler BriParticipant @boilerbri]

So we all agree. Dangerous tool but we all probably have one 🤔

I have a few, all 110v so if i cut the cable i will not die 💥😴

I have all the options. Hard grinding soft disks flap wheels and rotary wire brushes etc

I think its one of the universal tools that is used today with caution.

Its better than a – portaband?

Bri

[Ian Johnson 1Participant @ianjohnson1]

Angle grinders are dangerous and should be used with caution.

In my teens I was recovering from a bad motorbike crash with two broken wrists and other injuries, part of the physio was to immerse my hands and wrists into a bath of hot liquid wax, which was supposed to increase circulation. Next to me was another bloke doing the same thing but with one hand.

He had cut his hand off with an unguarded 9" angle grinder, luckily his hand was sewn back on! If you can imagine holding the grinder with both hands, the left hand is gripping the sticky out handle, when the grinder gripped and spun around it cut his hand off! He was using it above head height too! Could have been a lot worse.

And I have been following the build of SV Seeker and there is no way I would go to sailing in that thing!

Ian

[WindyParticipant @windy30762]

When I started work many years ago in car body repairs we were using large electric disc sanders similar to large angle grinders.

Tom got the sanding disc on the wrong edge and promptly it jumped out of his hands and cut his wrist the artery was visible.

It was dangerous on thin metal if you didn't approach the job in the right direction. Thank God for all those air sanders a lot safer.

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

It's the video that's dangerous.

It implies that you can abuse an angle grinder and use it without a guard and nothing bad will happen.
Just about any tool with an exposed cutting edge is potentially lethal, if it's powered then it's worse. They all need to be treated with respect. I have a Dewalt battery powered vibrating multitool which is great for softer materials and you can touch the running blade without injury but even dropping it switched off it could cut an artery if it hit the wrong spot.

Another interesting point about this sort of video is that the makers are potentially opening themselves up to lawsuits, especially in the USA. You are responsible for advice you give people.

Robert G8RPI.

Edited By Robert Atkinson 2 on 18/07/2019 07:31:41

[Phil H1Participant @philh196021]

Well something isn't quite right with the angle grinder demonstration at the start of this thread.

About 6 years ago, a chap was unfortunately killed on a construction site associated with the company I was working for. I don't know the exact accident sequence but it was an angle grinder and a cutting disc. He was unfortunately killed when the cutting disc disintegrated. They are dangerous.

Phil H

[Author]

Posts