Yes i am stupid for using a cheapo grinder!

[peterd51]

Hi,

I have three grinders, a B&D, a Clarke and a cheapo...I'm thinking that they all have three-way switches.

I don't usually lock switches as it's bloody dangerous...

laying under a car many years ago, with a grinder switch locked 'on', got a kick-back that flipped the grinder out of my hands and it dropped on my chest...

fortunately the disk was still facing 'up' but the sharp end was only an inch or two from my throat.

A guy I worked with used to do forrestry work before joining our IT depatment and he was into chain-saws (I have to say I'm never going to use one of those buggers!).

He told me that when using that sort of gear it's best to wear loose fitting clothing with loads of 'tassles', ie, 'shaggy jumpers' as if the wheels get too close to the body then the tassles get caught up in the moving parts and stall the motor.

Maybe furry grinding gloves would be a good idea?

Regards
Peter

 

[snowcat]

Chain saw's are a very diffrent kettle of fish to a grinder, and the conditions they are used in, One of the main injurys is from kick back from trees moving unexpectedly or hitting foreign matter, the problem is the chain will grab and continue ripping against the bar stop, also the rip severs so the cut is often worse than first thought, almost like balistic injurys (woodland trust is one of my clients so iv seen all the safety talks) They use kevlor(not sure on the spelling) on the PPE to stall the chain, pro users legaly have to do a weeks course to even start the machines,(god knows why a DIYer can buy one) climbing and other activites are extra....

You will never substain an injury of the kind(which includes limb loss, death, nerve damage ) from an abrasive wheal there non agresive so do not grab, Im sure most fabers on here have had a glancing blow from a disc, smart yes limb loss No...

The biggest injury is the one that most people forget,is an abrasive wheal shatering, especialy nasty with an off hand grinder...Along with the superfical damage, eye loss, and deep penatration of the shards of material are the more nasty...So most important are decent goggles or full face shield and "sound" those wheals especialy before dressing..

 

[Wozzaaah]

One of the main injurys is from kick back from trees moving unexpectedly or hitting foreign matter, the problem is the chain will grab and continue ripping against the bar stop

Another one I've heard of is people using a ladder that only just reaches to cut part of a branch off, branch falls, remaining branch then has less weight pulling it down so springs up above the ladder which is then totally unsupported! Yikes!

When I was in hospital for a follow up visit after my works accident the whole place suddenly went on major alert as the helicopter was on it's way in. Apparently a guy fell off a ladder while using a chainsaw and the saw fell on him! Poor chap didn't make it .

 

[snowcat]

Another one I've heard of is people using a ladder that only just reaches to cut part of a branch off, branch falls, remaining branch then has less weight pulling it down so springs up above the ladder which is then totally unsupported! Yikes!

When I was in hospital for a follow up visit after my works accident the whole place suddenly went on major alert as the helicopter was on it's way in. Apparently a guy fell off a ladder while using a chainsaw and the saw fell on him! Poor chap didn't make it .

Chain saws are nasty nasty things, Its amazing everone I know in the woodland game knows someone, who know's someone whos got a real nasty injury or has been killed by a saw... I dont think Iv got a machine in the shop that could compete with that....The problem seams once they bite your reaction time is just too slow to stop them....Id imagine the bload loss alone could kill you.....

It seams mad tho, you can barely wire a 3 pin plug up leagly, but you can can walk into a shop buy the biggest saw they sell, and as long as you only use it for "hobby use" its perfectly fine...

 

[zardoz]

Yep thats why chainsaw trousers, coat, and gloves will set you back £250 a set. They are made with special super chain clogging, engine stalling strong material and filling. Must be a bitch if your a small guy or a big un. As i have only eve seen one size and thats Large

Anyway, id just like to say even though it seems that the majority of grinders are only 2 way switches. I dont regret smashing mine to the floor. I learned my lesson and its a 3 way switch or nothing. Along with a full face visor i think. As snowy says, a disc splintering or exploding is also a risk and i wouldnt want my face behind that.

As for taking the safety guard off!! Those people must be insane!

 

[Hitch]

I dont think i have ever had the need to remove a grinder guard, if it doesnt fit in there with it, use something else.
I have had a few run ins with grinders though
If your grinders got guts, you need to hold on. Quite often use big ones in a 9", hold on tight or it'll have you
Cathing the on switch whilst changing a thin disc didn't do my wrist much good- it was about a week before i got married, you can imagine the comments regarding slashing my wrists!!

I prefer the latching switches on 5" models, as said, you can use them one handed. Ideal for deburing and delicate cutting operations.
Not sure about some of the manufactures, but i know hitachi do them with either paddle switches or locking thumb switches.

Nasty scratches you got there though Zards.

Welding gloves are ideal for using with a grinder, or the minimum of rigers. Your thinsulate gloves won't be much use, as you have found out to your cost.

 

[Codafile4]

Health & Safety is for DIY'ers as well as professionals, it cuts and hurts the same, most DIY'ers leave the handle and the guard off, thats asking for trouble. and obviously you have all proved that in one way or other, before operating this type of equipment read the safety sheets that comes with it or better still - take a Wheel Abrasive Course.

 

[bill_gj]

Malcolm, ref "proper Bosch" --- it was my experience with fuel pump motors that I was quoting from. Even that has now moving away from Europe. My pump sources were at one time Liverpool, Michigan and Stuttgart, then they moved to Hungary. Now I believe they're in India.
The sad thin is, the pukka designers made the things and developed the highly automated and accurate processes, and then the bean counters gouged out the money and transplanted the products to 'low cost labour' sources. Talk about do yourself out of a job.

 

[snowcat]

Malcolm, ref "proper Bosch" --- it was my experience with fuel pump motors that I was quoting from. Even that has now moving away from Europe. My pump sources were at one time Liverpool, Michigan and Stuttgart, then they moved to Hungary. Now I believe they're in India.
The sad thin is, the pukka designers made the things and developed the highly automated and accurate processes, and then the bean counters gouged out the money and transplanted the products to 'low cost labour' sources. Talk about do yourself out of a job.

Cummings "Bosch pumps"= Mexico

 

[Hitch]

Cummins... smokey old rubbish

 

[ian of fev]

only ever had one incedent with the grinder i was helping my freind this summer modify his trailer and i was cleaning up inch box with a flap wheel in the grinder yes the guard was on had my overalls on and welding gauntlets on but i was kneeling on the floor with the metal wedged and all of a suden sliped with the grinder in one hand and grinded my leg first just thought id riped my overalls till i looked about five mins later oh dear inch gash about 3mm deep so lesson to be learned take just a couple of mins extra thought secure things properley in the vice and reduce the chance of hurting yourself

 

[snowcat]

Cummins... smokey old rubbish

No there not the C serries is a lovely lump, used in load's of the construction gear especialy nice in the loading shovels wound to around 400hp, drop the oil every 500 hours and there be as good as gold.....I would rate the B and C cummins as 2 of the most reliable plant engines ever used..

 

[zzr1200]

Cummins... smokey old rubbish

Cummins>Eaton>Rockwell, one of the best combinations for a HGV.

Agree with Snowcat maintenance is the key.

 

[SC_BK]

Yep thats why chainsaw trousers, coat, and gloves will set you back £250 a set. They are made with special super chain clogging, engine stalling strong material and filling. Must be a bitch if your a small guy or a big un. As i have only eve seen one size and thats Large

Actually if you go to a stihl stockist, they do a big range of sizes though most of the time they'll need ordered in.

I've got a big waist and small legs, and managed to get a well fitting bib n brace trousers


Unlike, for example, butcher's chain mail gloves they aren't there to protect you from being cut. Within miliseconds of the chain entering the fabric the trousers spool out all this cord which clogs up the sprocket. Stopping the chain almost instantly (we hope.....)

 

[Hitch]

MAN is the way forward Snowy, they've kicked Cummins in the nuts with their nice new common rail stuff.

 

[snowcat]

MAN is the way forward Snowy, they've kicked Cummins in the nuts with their nice new common rail stuff.

the common rails are all well and dandy, manfacturers love em because they look good on fuel figures, and they love to quote the boost figures actual Hp and boost Hp, and of course the tier 4 and 5 compliance blah de blah,... But a big block with a big turbo with a big intercooler thats proved itself for nearly 20 years give me any day...

The bloady volvos, Cats and Scania's have all had issues with the common rails, along with the powershift boxes they attach to em... give me something that can be fixed with a hammer and a leatherman anyday

 

[Hitch]

Not a fan of Perkins then? They must be the simplest of the lot!


Were going off topic here
I shouldnt encourage this kind of behaviour

 

[snowcat]

Not a fan of Perkins then? They must be the simplest of the lot!


Were going off topic here
I shouldnt encourage this kind of behaviour

Nahh bad starters dont know why....

and from you hitch a mod....shame on you

 

[dutchman]

No there not the C serries is a lovely lump, used in load's of the construction gear especialy nice in the loading shovels wound to around 400hp, drop the oil every 500 hours and there be as good as gold.....I would rate the B and C cummins as 2 of the most reliable plant engines ever used..

How about Isuzu. Are they any good?
Now that I think of it, does Komatsu build their own engines?

 

[snowcat]

How about Isuzu. Are they any good?
Now that I think of it, does Komatsu build their own engines?

Oh the Isuzu's are brillant like all the japenese built stuff, not sure if they build anything big tho??

Yep preaty sure the komatsu buy in short blocks depending on the machine.. the dozzers look built round a cummins, but not 100% sure on that...Id imagine they put some hyundi plants in there diggers, they always seem to share common parts..