Thread: grinding tools?

a simple answer would be yes especially with the evidence of microfine particles being suspended in the air.
Value your eyes? Then wear goggles - i got a fragment of steel in my eye and had to have open grating eyeball surgery.
Value your hearing? Then wear earmuffs - the damage can take place over a lengthy period of time and have a cumulative effect - i don't know, but i have a mid range hearing loss which, i guess (and that is all it is) could be associated with use of grinders, chainsaws and the like.

Value your breathing? I have one lung and have to avoid all dust as the lung isn't brilliant. (The removal was due to cancer but not lung cancer NHLymphoma).

A number of complaints have only been discovered after lengthy periods of time. It doesn't make one more or less of a man to take precautions - remember the blokes who got white tip? Now we have anti-vibe gear on chainsaws. Recall the slashed faces? Now we have anti-kickback safety on chainsaws. Makes sense to take precautions.

It has taken a lot of hard work on the part of folks who cared enought to fight for OH&S standards. Think of cotton - my mother, who was a weaver, lost a finger due to lack of safety gear back in the 40's - sliced it clean off.

Notice the antikickback jigs we use with small routers or big thicknessers - makes good sense to take care. Blade guards etc etc.

Now with matters like mesothelioma and asbestos we absolutely need to be careful - check the seal on your stove - it is still asbestos?

Breathing, it's a fairly necessary habit that we have. Some folks can't do it, instead they slowly drown as the alveoli collapse - happened to my father who, it might be added, also had osteoporosis (the family couldn't afford milk when he was a lad).

There is a big difference between going over the top and taking reasonable precautions. And what constitutes reasonable changes as we discover more about the materials we live with.

Have fun turning, but please, if you won't take precautions then you might as well go back to smoking or start smoking.

It's more like that you will "assist" your workshop visitors contract lung damage.

Now that I have caught my breath after reading your very comprehensive answer (Tas), yep, I do wear my Trend AirShield when grinding/sharpening any thing on the grinder, or when cutting with hi-speed disks or die grinding tools. I wear a face shield/respirator of some sort (usually the Trend) when the air I must breathe contains anything other than air. Granted, the Trend is not suited for organic vapors (such as lacquer spray), for that I use a dual cartridge, 1/2 face respirator. Plus, I quit smoking, cold, 26 months ago.

Personally I wouldn't worry about a mask unless your going to be doing it everyday for long periods.

Definetly wear safety glasses and ear plugs. I'd never lapse on them. I'd be inclined to wear a face mask for a larger grinder, but not a small 4" one.

Jake Maaaaate Think about the logic in your statement. Somehow I don't think that the difference in size of grinding wheel is going to influence what it throws up into the atmosphere that you breathe!!!
Personally I dont like the idea of having silicone carbide particles, metal and rust particles and other crap that holds a grinding wheel together sitting in the bottom of my lungs Even so when I do a "little job" on the grinder, like I suspect a lot of woodies, I sometimes don't put all the appropriate gear on.
Stupid and lazy!!

I hope your not grinding in the work shop with all thoughs wood shavings .If so how big is your fire extinguiser and do you have a smoke alarm .( my ext is 10kg powder) I had a bad experience once with a grinder and sawdust. PS i think you will find the strands are glass fibers like in fiberglass matting .

Originally Posted by Salty

Jake Maaaaate Think about the logic in your statement. Somehow I don't think that the difference in size of grinding wheel is going to influence what it throws up into the atmosphere that you breathe!!!

I wasn't talking about the breathing side of it. What I meant by face mask is a full sheild to cover you face from flying grit striking my face.......The big cutoff grinders I've been using lately throw crap significantly harder. When the sparks hit your skin it hurts ...Leaves your skin like you've been walking through scotch thistles all day...I don't want my face coping the same thing my legs often cop. ...and the safety glasses I have arn't full wrap around. If I don't use the face sheild, the grit bounces off my forhead in under the glasses around my eyes. I'm worried about my eyes more.

Originally Posted by Salty

Personally I dont like the idea of having silicone carbide particles, metal and rust particles and other crap that holds a grinding wheel together sitting in the bottom of my lungs Even so when I do a "little job" on the grinder, like I suspect a lot of woodies, I sometimes don't put all the appropriate gear on.
Stupid and lazy!!

I might be stupid, but I'm not lazy.

I don't like the idea of it sitting there either.....but how much of it could get down there ? ..... How much actually causes problems ? Very grey area I feel.

If I was given the task tomorrow to cut up pipes like I did a couple days ago, out in the open on a farm, I still wouldn't put a breathing mask on, cause I very much doubt any of its going in. Different story if I was in a closed off room..........

For me, to worry about this sort of thing, means.......I should worry about things like breathing in car exausts (which must be floating everywhere) and passive smoking. My boss smokes. Be no conversation left at smoko if it meant I had to eat my lunch on the other side of the house. He'd probably think I was pretty weird.

I would not be to worried about grinders and such outside but definetly a marsk in side your lungs are the only ones you will own think about it