Angle Grinders Are Dangerous

East Branch Knives

East Branch Knives

Joined
Feb 5, 2014
Messages
169
I had an abrasive cutoff wheel come apart on me yesterday. I got lucky; the piece that hit me got me right in the meat of the calf muscle, taking out a pretty nice divot, about an inch long and an inch deep. If it would have hit me in the neck it could've been all she wrote. Not to mention other vulnerable parts of the anatomy that could've been obliterated.

I know a lot of guys use these to cut bar stock and rough out blanks because they're cheaper than a portaband or metal cutting bandsaw. In the future, when I use the tool, I'll be wearing the thickest carhartts I own, a leather welding apron and welding gloves, and a face shield, maybe a cup too (seriously, I can't even imagine...). I will also be absolutely sure I don't bind or flex the wheel.

I know the dangers of this tool are well documented here and other places. Just a friendly reminder for the newer guys.
 
I've used a lot of 4 1/2" X 1/16" cut off wheels without incident. Am I lucky or are people using bad technique or lower quality wheels? I buy mine from home depot.
Glad it wasn't worse for you!
 
Thanks, Happy you survived it.
Lucky for me, Over the years, I had alot of fragments nearby, But always miss hitting me.

I might Google images of "grinder accidents" to get my daily fill of gory pictures for the day.
 
did you have the guard on? whether cutting or grinding, i always check where sparks and chunks of wheel could go and stand accordingly. glad your injuries were not severe
scott
 
100%.... i use one to cut a lot of stuff out and make sure i never have my gonads or face/neck in line with it; SERIOUSLY. i don't cut anything unless all my bits are not inline with the blade as i've seen what they can do when they come apart as well. my buddy had 13 stitches in his wrist and a gash in his deep freeze from one years ago
 
"F" angle grinders for cutting. I only use one for sanding disc.

I have known to many people that got jacked when a grinding or cutting disc came apart.
 
AVigil said:
"F" angle grinders for cutting. I only use one for sanding disc.

I have known to many people that got jacked when a grinding or cutting disc came apart.
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Oh yes. A guy on facebook around my area posted a pic awhile back of a cutting wheel that came apart and hit him on the side of his mouth.
It was a seriously gruesome injury. Required many stitches and now hes scared for life.

After seeing his injury I really pay extra attention when using grinders now.
Never put the wheel in a bind and never use excessive force when pushing the wheel through metal.
 
In the course of my use of grinders I've had a few come apart on me. Sometimes it has nothing to do with technique or binding. Sometimes they just come apart. Maybe due to imperfections in the wheels, storage, getting bumped by something while not in use or any numbers of things. I've experienced some thankful small not serious injuries. Always keep your body out of the line of rotation if possible and where PPE.
 
A clear full face shield or welding hood with the welding lens flipped up is useful. Trying to use an autodarkening welding hood for protection does not work so well since the sparks are enough to darken the lens.
 
I've cracked and broken a few over the years, but it was always from knocking the tool off the bench, or asking too much from the wheel/getting impatient. As long as you let the wheel do the cutting, be mindful to avoid binding, and use the machine as intended, the chances of a mishap are next to nil. And ALWAYS check the wheel before you hit that on switch.
 
knife to a gunfight said:
I've cracked and broken a few over the years, but it was always from knocking the tool off the bench, or asking too much from the wheel/getting impatient. As long as you let the wheel do the cutting, be mindful to avoid binding, and use the machine as intended, the chances of a mishap are next to nil. And ALWAYS check the wheel before you hit that on switch.
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That^^^^^^

I only use mine for grinding, and with a thick grinding wheel. While wearing a face shield and leather apron.
 
I knew of two people who was killed or gutted both within one year locally where the wheel disengaged and flew apart gutting them. Bleed out instantly. Ain't nothing fool proof just saying. One had the guard in place the other didn't. Didn't matter.
 
Angle grinders scare the sh&t out of me. That's probably why I haven't had and serious mishaps despite using one all the time. I've broken lots of cut off discs and I have to say that 99% of the time it was because I was doing something wrong. I'm just mindful to stay out of the path of the wheel. Only thing bad I ever had happen was to burn a 8" hole in the leg of my heavy coveralls. Didn't burn my leg somehow

-Colin
 
Angle grinders have their place- but it isn't in a knifemaker's shop.
They don't do any knifemaking chore well, and they are damned dangerous.
Use the proper equipment. Knifemaking is dangerous enough as it is.
 
Angle grinders do a good job, hogging billets flat and clean between restacks or for hogging ladder blades flat. Many serious pattern welders have 7" and 9" grinders with snagging cup stones for that. I have a big auto surface grinder with coolant and still my big angle grinders are a lot faster.
Other than that, there are better tools for every job.
 
I still use a Dewalt angle grinder with cutoff wheel for some jobs but I have made it a practice to wear a face shield, hearing protection, and a leather shop apron. The most important protection in my opinion is to not stand directly behind the grinder. I use a wooden Jorgensen clamp in a vise to hold my steel and since I am right handed I stand to the left of the grinder and cut straight down. My grinder has a guard on the top half and I make sure my body is not under the bottom half. Larry
 
While I respect and sympathize for those that have been injured, I have worked with angle grinders in both an industrial setting and at home(which is now my workplace) for almost 3 decades.

I don't quite understand how angle grinders are these "dangerous, don't belong in a knife shop" monsters waiting to burst one of your nads. Use it correctly, wear the gear. I've had many cut-off wheels come apart without injuries. What you need to realize is that these aren't heatguns, dremels or hand drills. They should be treated with as much respect as a 2x72 grinder, drill press, lathe or welding unit. Their size and portability must be what is letting folks put their guard down.

Get a good model with an adjustable "second" grip handle, use the guard(most are adjustable, too) clamp your work down and always be mindful that what you are trying to accomplish is on the agreeable side of physics. I will often run the entire cut in my head before the real thing... and have changed my approach because of potential issues.
 
Ditto on what Rick said.
I used boxes and boxes of 1mm cutting wheels without problems (pferd, the best imho) you need to learn the do's and don'ts.
The cutting disc accepts NO lateral forces, so no curves, only straight lines and be patient, if the cut is long is better to do multiple passes that cutting the whole thickness, the disc last longer also.


Pablo
 
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