Results 1 to 15 of 31
-
31st May 2017, 10:00 AM #1Member
- Join Date
- Mar 2017
- Location
- Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Age
- 39
- Posts
- 92
Angle Grinder Lesson Learnt (warning gory picture)
I don't consider myself a novice with power tools and definitely not a cowboy. In this instant on Saturday morning I was simply naive.
I purchased a 4" "Bad Blade Wood Carver" and suited myself up in all the usual PPE (glasses, ear plugs, heavy duty trousers and hard capped boots) and was seeing what it was capable of. Carved out a crude redgum bowl no worries, started on another piece and was struggling to get the right angle, so I did something incredibly stupid. I unscrewed the removable side grip and held the body of the grinder with both hands.
I'm not exactly a body builder but I am confident in my strength, particularly in my grip, and I had a good handle on the grinder so I got to work on that troublesome angle.
The rest is kind of a blur, but the blade went in a little deep, got snagged and snapped round hard to the left - straight into the back of my forearm. Had I been using the side grip it still would have kicked but the grip would have cushioned it and stopped it in its tracks.
The end result was a 6" gash down to the bone requiring a plastic surgeon to put me back together. By some miracle I missed every nerve and tendon in the area and I will have full functionality of fingers and hand with little or no physio or rehab. I don't even want to begin listing how many ways this could have gone worse.
For the record I always use the guard on my grinder - it was badly positioned and I neglected to check and adjust before starting work.
Please be careful when operating your grinder, especially on a new material (I've used it extensively on metal before with no dramas).
Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk
-
31st May 2017 10:00 AM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
- Join Date
- Always
- Location
- Advertising world
- Age
- 2010
- Posts
- Many
-
31st May 2017, 10:37 AM #2Senior Member
- Join Date
- Jan 2017
- Location
- Sunshine Coast
- Age
- 64
- Posts
- 212
Ouch.
That's gunna leave a mark.
Best of luck with your healing.
Yowza!
That reminds me to put the guard back on my cordless grinder!
-
31st May 2017, 11:53 AM #3Member
- Join Date
- Feb 2017
- Location
- Victoria
- Age
- 47
- Posts
- 52
As awful as that it to look at, hopefully it'll make us all a bit more aware of the possible consequences of becoming blasé with power tools. At least for today anyway.
Ive earned (still earning) a living using all types of power tools for many years on site and in all settings and situations. Up ladders etc. Sometimes I have to take a step back and re evaluate how I use them. We become lax, over confident or just stupid with experience unfortunately. That is when this sort of thing happens.
For those of us who's livelihood depends on using power tools, a blunt reminder that our hands (body??) are our most important tools and can't earn a living without them.
There is also this misconception that cordless are less dangerous than plug in tools. I know I'm guilty of it. A cordless power saw can still change your life. Some of the cordless stuff out there now is even more powerful and deadly.
As sorry as I am for your incident, Im thankful you posted it to remind us we are not invincible.
Cheers oz
-
31st May 2017, 11:57 AM #4
ouch
I got sick of sitting around doing nothing - so I took up meditation.
-
31st May 2017, 12:02 PM #5.
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Perth
- Posts
- 27,798
That's a great reminder about not removing the handle, even so you were indeed very lucky, so thanks for posting
When I decided to get into some power carving I looked at those carving blades and it took me about 3 seconds to determine that a standard angle grinder guard would simply not provide enough protection, even if used with both hands.
Take a look at the sort of guard that comes with the Arbortech industrial blade carver.
https://www.arbortechtools.com/au/in...al-woodcarver/
The amount of exposed blade is more restricted and the way it covers almost the whole blade means the chip ejection is better controlled.
Unfortunately that guard definitely limits access but if more/better access is required then the appropriate tool should be used like their mini-grinder
https://www.arbortechtools.com/au/mini-grinder/
Although I never take the side handle/guard off while using these carving tools, the smaller wheeled minigrinder can be used with far less risk one handed as it has much less kick back.
The important thing is to make sure your other hand/arm is always well out of the way and NOT used to hold the work, and that's one important reason why the handle should be used.
The only time I use the mini grinder one handed is when sanding.
Yes, the Arbortech gear costs a lot more than those other blades, but right now I'd say the cost is insignificant compared to what you have (or could have) experienced,.
They same issue exists with chainsaws with left hand / arm being the most likely to suffer injury and its almost always a result of someone hold the chainsaw one handed.
-
31st May 2017, 12:24 PM #6Member
- Join Date
- Mar 2017
- Location
- Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Age
- 39
- Posts
- 92
My next purchase was probably going to be a rotary tool - then you posted this.
Cheers mate it looks great! And in hindsight I completely agree re: standard grinder guards. With the amount of power running into what is in relative terms a big blade, it's just too dangerous. People can call me blade shy but I don't plan on picking up the grinder for wood carving ever again.
Putty.
Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk
-
31st May 2017, 12:28 PM #7Member
- Join Date
- Mar 2017
- Location
- Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Age
- 39
- Posts
- 92
Mate it's not a pretty sight, but yeah if it makes one person reavulate the way they handle their tools it's worth it. Can you I imagine if I'd hit an artery, or if my neighbour wasn't around to run me to the ER? I know I am never going to forget this. So grateful I got off light.
Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk
-
31st May 2017, 12:33 PM #8Member
- Join Date
- Mar 2017
- Location
- Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Age
- 39
- Posts
- 92
Don't get me wrong, I'm not rushing out to do it again, but I think the shock stopped me feeling too much pain - just felt like I'd burned myself really bad. The worst pain was immediately post-surgery! Three days later and I'm lucky enough to be surviving on paracetamol and ibuprofen twice a day.
Putty
Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk
-
31st May 2017, 01:10 PM #9GOLD MEMBER
- Join Date
- May 2013
- Location
- Rockhampton QLD
- Age
- 68
- Posts
- 2,346
Glad to see you got away with it Putty.
Ross
-
31st May 2017, 03:47 PM #10SENIOR MEMBER
- Join Date
- Dec 2011
- Location
- Buderim qld
- Posts
- 842
I was reading the replies to this thread and had a look at that carving blade you were using on the web. Then I read Bob L's reply about the Arbortech carver and totally agree with him. I have carved hundreds of Australian hardwood burl bowls using their Industrial woodcarver which worked wonderfully. For all of the carving I just used the standard angle grinder guard. Never did I experience any dig ins. I know Arbortech make that special guard but I personally found it too limiting. However, I had to make a leather guard for my arm to prevent the chips from stinging it.
Hope you are recovering well and don't be too hard on yourself as we have all made mistakes along the way.
-
31st May 2017, 04:32 PM #11Member
- Join Date
- Mar 2017
- Location
- Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Age
- 39
- Posts
- 92
-
31st May 2017, 04:48 PM #12
Putty, those things are gruesome.
They look like they are ready made for a horror story. I see these for sale on Amazon and I could only imagine the utter horror they must inflict: Lancelot and Squire Chainsaw Discs
Isnt it curious that angle grinders dont have instant cutoff or dead-man switches?
-
31st May 2017, 04:51 PM #13SENIOR MEMBER
- Join Date
- Dec 2011
- Location
- Buderim qld
- Posts
- 842
-
31st May 2017, 05:05 PM #14GOLD MEMBER
- Join Date
- Apr 2013
- Location
- Torquay
- Posts
- 4,422
All the best with your recovery
Regards
Keith
-
31st May 2017, 05:47 PM #15Member
- Join Date
- Mar 2017
- Location
- Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Age
- 39
- Posts
- 92
Similar Threads
-
Angle grinder
By Handyjack in forum HAND TOOLS - POWEREDReplies: 20Last Post: 19th July 2015, 09:47 PM -
4' or 5' angle grinder
By wodstok in forum WELDINGReplies: 65Last Post: 7th March 2011, 06:49 PM -
More care needed- warning-it is gory
By Terry B in forum SAFETYReplies: 39Last Post: 25th January 2007, 01:33 AM -
Lesson Learnt
By jugglingogre in forum WOODWORK - GENERALReplies: 15Last Post: 5th November 2006, 01:58 AM