Keep Your Fingers Clear of the Angle Grinder (Warning - Pic Included)

Yah, I've made a habit now of putting on safety glasses and leather gloves when doing fabbing work. Have to get into a habit of wearing a leather coat/smock, as I've ruined a bunch of nice shirts by spraying them with sparks while angle grinding/cutting... The glasses habit is going well, as they fit under my welding helmet (so I don't have to take them off to weld), now I find myself forgetting to take them when I leave the shop.

What's stupid is I bought a ~$100 leather welding jacket, except it doesn't button together easily, the arms are too short and wearing it over a long sleeve shirt, it works the arms of the shirt up, which I find annoying... I have to go and buy another one that actually fits me.
 
Been there, done exactly that a few years ago! It is amazing how fast the grinder removes flesh! A microsecond is enough!!! My doctor put 2 stiches and I was as good as new in a few weeks!
 
Yah, I've made a habit now of putting on safety glasses and leather gloves when doing fabbing work. Have to get into a habit of wearing a leather coat/smock, as I've ruined a bunch of nice shirts by spraying them with sparks while angle grinding/cutting... The glasses habit is going well, as they fit under my welding helmet (so I don't have to take them off to weld), now I find myself forgetting to take them when I leave the shop.

What's stupid is I bought a ~$100 leather welding jacket, except it doesn't button together easily, the arms are too short and wearing it over a long sleeve shirt, it works the arms of the shirt up, which I find annoying... I have to go and buy another one that actually fits me.

Hello dave_r_1,
Try a leather apron of the type metal polishers and blacksmiths use,they are comfortable,do not restrict movement and in hot environments do not cause heatstroke. Arms tend not to get sparks plus you have ready access to pockets in normal cloths and they cover the most important part which can catch fire under some circumstances to the great hilarity of observers.
 
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I've been cut dozens of times using them daily . Yes some needing stitches did I get them no. Couldn't afford the bill.
The bill ...
Fortunately, ER in a public hospital in Australia is free. And very competent too.
I did have to pay for the crutches once (skiing accident with metal edges), but otherwise ... free.

Cheers
Roger
 
I almost cut the family jewels off with an angle grinder on my birthday about 7 years ago, didn't get deep enough to draw blood but I had a few clear marks and a huge hole in my pants. Things I learned that day..... NEVER GRIND WITH A CUTOFF WHEEL!!! and never use a grinder that doesn't say Metabo on it. Sorry guys no pictures.....
 
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Hello dave_r_1,
Try a leather apron of the type metal polishers and blacksmiths use,they are comfortable,do not restrict movement and in hot environments do not cause heatstroke. Arms tend not to get sparks plus you have ready access to pockets in normal cloths and they cover the most important part which can catch fire under some circumstances to the great hilarity of observers.

I'll see what's available around here. An apron would likely work fine for grinding, but I'll also need something to go over my arms when welding.

With me, they go together. Weld. Damn. Cut. Move it a bit over, Weld. lather, rinse, repeat.
 
This happened a few months ago while I was doing some precision grinding with my angle grinder. When it happened I felt it right away but still had the grinder running and couldn't drop it. I had to shut it off and put it down safely, instead of throwing it aside. Then quickly go and clean all the crap out before the pain started. I contemplated going to see the doc but opted not to. I was concerned that it might not heal well since there was a bit of flesh missing and the white thing in the cut looked like it might be a nerve that could end up healing itself to the skin and that might be a long term issue with sensitivity. In the end it turned out fine although there is some sensitivity when it gets cold.

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I just saw this. Grinders can be wicked, back in 78, June 19 to be exact, I was 17 years old about to turn 18 the next day and I was working tie-ends on a job outside Port Huron. We were working on 26" .380 wall pipe and I was grinding beads (root pass) for my journeyman with a Milwaulkee 7in grinder and no guards (we took them off to get room to grind the bottom of the bead. Contractor bought cheap grinding disks and as I was cleaning up the bottom, the disk shattered and the grinder kicked back, cut through my face shield, my safety glasses, had and into my skull above my right eye. I stopped the grinder and reached up to my eyebrow when blood running turned my vision red and my shirt was quickly soaked. Some of the hands held me back from a mirror with shouts of "he'll go into shock if he sees it". So the pipeman drove me 80 miles to the nearest ER and the doc sewed it up, 22 stitches outside and 20 inside. Can barely see it anymore. Happened faster than a rattler can strike. ever since, I have healthy respect for fast spinning disks. (I also never used a Milwaukee grinder again, square headed POS, never had the issue using B&D grinders, before or since)
 
I almost cut the family jewels off with an angle grinder on my birthday about 7 years ago, didn't get deep enough to draw blood but I had a few clear marks and a huge hole in my pants. Things I learned that day..... NEVER GRIND WITH A CUTOFF WHEEL!!! and never use a grinder that doesn't say Metabo on it. Sorry guys no pictures.....


Errrmmmm....YIKES!!
 
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My brother nearly cut his left arm off with a 7" angle grinder. Went down to the bone on the inside of his arm where all the tendons and nerves run. He spent hours in the O.R. getting his arm put back together. Doc said he would be lucky to get 50% of his arm's use back, but he worked hard in the rehab and ended up with 90-95%.

He has since passed away though from ##%*&@@@ brain cancer at age 59. I miss him dearly, every. single. day.
 
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