Personal Protective Equipment for Angle Grinder

last year

last modified: last year

I need to cut metal and purchased an angle grinder for that. I learned about the tool, and it was quickly apparent that this is the most dangerous piece of equipment I have ever used. The cutting disks for a ferrous metal look quite flimsy and I could easily break one with my bare hands. I saw videos of what happens when a cutting disk explodes at 10K rpm, and basically, you get shrapnel that flies out at up to 200 miles per hour. There is a professional shop worker on Youtube who has a great safety video, and he conveys a story about his dad, who ended up having an exploding disk lodge in several pieces into his abdomen, including one piece that went all the way into his spine, through the front of his body. And that guy was a professional.

Is there any level of personal protective equipment (PPE) sold that can block plastic shrapnel shaped like a knife from getting past the PPE? That might be nontrivial because normally a bulletproof jacket is NOT knife proof. So finding a jacket that could protect you from knife-shaped shrapnel flying at 200 miles per hour might be tough. What is the best available PPE for this application?

Until I learn more, I guess metal-cutting Sawzall blades will be the way to do this more safely.

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westes Zone 9b California SF Bay
Original Author

last year

last modified: last year

@HU-867564120 There is a good safety video on Youtube here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJRSkBSb5S8&t=1800s

One of the points he stresses is that the sparks should either go down, or in the direction of the operator, but clearing to the side. You do NOT want the sparks to go away from the operator, and the reason is that if the angle grinder catches onto the target, it will jump in the *opposite* direction from the sparks. So sparks running away from the operator might result in the tool's blade jumping right into the operator's path/abdomen.

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Comments (8)

PRO
GN Builders L.L.C
last year
last modified: last year
If you don't feel safe or comfortable using the tool bring it to a metal shop and they will cut it for you or get someone who is more experienced using that tool.

Never buy cheap abrasives disks for cutting metal, always use metal cutting diamond blades... that goes for every power tool, and if improperly used you can get hurt just as badly using a sawzall, circular saw, or any other tool, especially when lacking experience and even being experienced seen quiet a few experienced contractors end up with stitches or worst is not careful.

Look on the bright side, you can always go for the whole protective shebang and cover yourself from head to toe, and always use safety glasses.

Good luck
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay thanked GN Builders L.L.C
HU-867564120
last year
Angle grinders have a protective metal shroud around the cutting wheel that keeps the spray of sparks pointing away from you. This shield also keeps errant pieces of wheel away from you as well. As far as GN's comment about using diamond wheels, I suggest you look at the custom car builders on TV - they all use abrasive cutting wheels to cut metal. I do, too. Of course, using an angle grinder properly requires a strong, stable hand-hold and thoughtful planning to use safely. Besides wearing goggles, you can also wear a face shield.
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay thanked HU-867564120
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loger_gw
last year
Please! Get an experienced person to demonstrate the safe use of your tool. Then you use it in their presence. Without a background in using power tools it’s not worth the Dangerous Possibilities. Good Luck and Be Safe Sa Possible…
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay thanked loger_gw
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay
Original Author
last year
@Verbo most often we would be cutting T-posts, occasionally rebar. Once a year, I might need to cut a thicker steel post, as with a steel bedframe that is being recycled and cannot fit in a recycling can at its original length.
PRO
GN Builders L.L.C
last year
If you are doing so much cutting maybe something like this be much better for you to do the job it's much safer and they cost around $200 give or take.
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay thanked GN Builders L.L.C
loger_gw
last year
last modified: last year
.I have started using my Chop-Saw on Firewood with a Carbide Tip Blade to reduce the Vibration my hand is exposed to. With A 12 or 14” Dia Blades it’s A Zip. Set-Up on a Work Bench or Table it allows me to Stand or Sit while working wood stacked in reach. I went to this initially cutting Pallet Wood and moved into Small Hard woods that were less work to bring home 6’-8’. Long X Processing.
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay thanked loger_gw
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay
Original Author
last year
@GN Builders L.L.C I have a compound miter saw, but the metal cutting blades for those are non-ferrous / aluminum cutting blades. Everyone I talk to cautions against using these for ferrous metal cutting. Not sure why.

You are definitely right this is a MUCH safer rig.

Personal Protective Equipment for Angle Grinder

westes Zone 9b California SF Bay
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GN Builders L.L.C

HU-867564120

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Personal Protective Equipment for Angle Grinder

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