Grinding disc explosions
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 251
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix USA
Grinding disc explosions
Just thought I would bring this up before anyone else got hurt.
A brother of a friend of mine was grinding on a car trailer, when his grinding disc exploded! The disc severed his jugular vein and he nearly bled to death before they could get him to the hospital. He has been in the hospital for a month now, has had two strokes, with a good possibility for more. His car hobby and his working career are gone. He will be lucky to be able to take care of his own daily needs from now on.
Let's list some safety procedures:
Keep the guards on all power equipment.
Never put yourself in direct line of spinning discs.
Check for cracks and chips in discs.
Wear protective equipment(face shield,goggles,clothing.etc)
I know there are more, let's hear 'em
And stay safe!
A brother of a friend of mine was grinding on a car trailer, when his grinding disc exploded! The disc severed his jugular vein and he nearly bled to death before they could get him to the hospital. He has been in the hospital for a month now, has had two strokes, with a good possibility for more. His car hobby and his working career are gone. He will be lucky to be able to take care of his own daily needs from now on.
Let's list some safety procedures:
Keep the guards on all power equipment.
Never put yourself in direct line of spinning discs.
Check for cracks and chips in discs.
Wear protective equipment(face shield,goggles,clothing.etc)
I know there are more, let's hear 'em
And stay safe!
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 592
Likes: 0
From: BC, Canada
If it's a bench grinder don't use it to grind aluminum. Use extra caution cutting overhead.
A friend of mine was just using a zip cut disc on a grinder and working on something overhead. The grinder slipped out of his hand and fell on his leg, seriously cutting it. He required 48 stitches to close the wound.
A friend of mine was just using a zip cut disc on a grinder and working on something overhead. The grinder slipped out of his hand and fell on his leg, seriously cutting it. He required 48 stitches to close the wound.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,643
Likes: 8
From: NE Texas
Originally posted by 460f250
If it's a bench grinder don't use it to grind aluminum.
If it's a bench grinder don't use it to grind aluminum.
Junior User
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 76
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From: Ontario, Canada
Here're a few for when you're messing around with fire...
Leather is your friend.
(slag goes where it wants...)
Know where the steel you're cutting will land.
(was glad to be wearing my steel toes when I cut the back of the frame off a truck...)
Know what's behind that plate you're cutting.
(guy I was working with at the time cut right through his oxy line...coulda been REAL ugly...)
Again: Leather is your friend.
(same guy has some rather interesting scar tissue on his fingers...)
Leather is your friend.
(slag goes where it wants...)
Know where the steel you're cutting will land.
(was glad to be wearing my steel toes when I cut the back of the frame off a truck...)
Know what's behind that plate you're cutting.
(guy I was working with at the time cut right through his oxy line...coulda been REAL ugly...)
Again: Leather is your friend.
(same guy has some rather interesting scar tissue on his fingers...)
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 9,359
Likes: 1
From: Hampstead, NC
Good rule of thumb is that if you drop a grinding/cutting wheel, be it for a bench grinder, hand held angle grinder or a gas/electric cut off saw, replace it before using it. Your life/limbs are much more valuable than a $2-$20 grinding/cutting wheel. You can do the ring test on it, hold it up with one finger by the arbor hole and lightly rap it with a wrench. If it "rings" it's OK to use, if it makes a dead "thud", throw it away. Always inspect all grinding/cutting discs before each use, especially if someone else has used the tool before you.
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 145
Likes: 0
From: Cross SC
Make sure the rpm's on the grinding wheel match the rpm's on the grinder. The rpm's on the grinding wheel can be lower but not higher than the max rpm's on the grinder.
Always wear safety glasses and a full face shield.
Aw to be 10 foot tall and bullet proof again. These are lessons learned the hard way.
Always wear safety glasses and a full face shield.
Aw to be 10 foot tall and bullet proof again. These are lessons learned the hard way.
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Elder User
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 714
Likes: 1
From: Zville, Ohio u.s.a.
Mike W is correct, this also applies to all soft metals, such as those brass drift punches that mushroom after so much use. Use a hacksaw or sawzall, not cutting disk.
Smitty7, did you state it correctly when you said the rpm's on the grinding wheel can be lower but not higher that the max rpm's on the grinder, or is it the other way around. I don't know, but it sounds odd that way, just checking.
Smitty7, did you state it correctly when you said the rpm's on the grinding wheel can be lower but not higher that the max rpm's on the grinder, or is it the other way around. I don't know, but it sounds odd that way, just checking.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 251
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From: Phoenix USA
Originally posted by smitty7
You're right, the rpm's on the wheel can be higher than the rpm's on the grinder, but not lower. Thats the second mistake I've made this year.... no wait I'm wrong ...again!
You're right, the rpm's on the wheel can be higher than the rpm's on the grinder, but not lower. Thats the second mistake I've made this year.... no wait I'm wrong ...again!
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 693
Likes: 0
Something that has bothered me.
My handheld grinder has always been used with a grinding wheel with no problem.
I bought some of the cutting disks and put them on the same grinder.
The cutting disk seemed to be impossible to get centered on the grinder so they always wobbled when you looked at them at slow speed.
The holes in the middle are the same size on both the grinder and cutoff wheels.
Is there something I missing or do people just use these things with them off center on the grinder?
I still used the thing to cut some exhaust pipe but kept a distance from it in case it did explode.
My handheld grinder has always been used with a grinding wheel with no problem.
I bought some of the cutting disks and put them on the same grinder.
The cutting disk seemed to be impossible to get centered on the grinder so they always wobbled when you looked at them at slow speed.
The holes in the middle are the same size on both the grinder and cutoff wheels.
Is there something I missing or do people just use these things with them off center on the grinder?
I still used the thing to cut some exhaust pipe but kept a distance from it in case it did explode.
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 800
Likes: 0
From: Ontario, canada