Dangers of angle grinders

[Paddy]

I needed to grind some concrete slab edges so I bought a 4" diamond cup wheel. I have one for my 7" angle grinder and they are great.

When I first started it, I noticed some vibration. I figured after a bit of use it would settle down. After 5 min of use I stopped to give my hands a rest due to the vibration. I noticed the grinder was oozing gear grease. Then I saw the entire grinder housing was split where the screws were loose and/or missing. One missing and 3 loose.

Taking it back for sure, but could have been very dangerous/painful having the wheel and the shaft flying.

Warning, if your grinder has a lot of vibration shut it down!

 

[ultrarunner]

Was it an off brand?

The reason I ask is my neighbor went through 3 off brand cheap angle grinders in 3 days...

Bought a Milwaukee and no more problems.

 

[Citydude]

This remindes me to buy a face shield. Thanks for the reminder!

 

[Al 2]

Possibly the cutting stone or grinding wheel was out of balance. Won't take long to destroy the grinder.
Al

 

[PILOON]

On most of the low price grinders if you open up the front end, clean it out and add a quality lubricant you will enjoy a decent life span.
It would seem that the off shore el cheepos use lard or something akin to it.

 

[fried1765]

I needed to grind some concrete slab edges so I bought a 4" diamond cup wheel. I have one for my 7" angle grinder and they are great.

When I first started it, I noticed some vibration. I figured after a bit of use it would settle down. After 5 min of use I stopped to give my hands a rest due to the vibration. I noticed the grinder was oozing gear grease. Then I saw the entire grinder housing was split where the screws were loose and/or missing. One missing and 3 loose.

Taking it back for sure, but could have been very dangerous/painful having the wheel and the shaft flying.

Warning, if your grinder has a lot of vibration shut it down!

Ah yes ......painful!
Used a quality thin cutting wheel, with a 4" Makita grinder, on a piece of 3/8" flat steel.
Cutting wheel got pinched in the steel, and the broken wheel, still attached to the whirring grinder, bit me in the leg.
My jeans wrapped around the broken wheel, and stalled the grinder out.
My leg got a lovely looking 6" long gash. Still have the scar, now 3 months later.
No stitches though, and healing is complete.

 

[k0ua]

On most of the low price grinders if you open up the front end, clean it out and add a quality lubricant you will enjoy a decent life span.
It would seem that the off shore el cheepos use lard or something akin to it.

I have always heard it jokingly called "yak fat".. Not far off the mark though.

 

[Paddy]

AL 2,

Yes, definitely out of balance, Menards Tool shop brand. The grinder is a black and decker and has held up fine for several years. So not blaming the grinder.

 

[BigBoyToys]

If there's one tool that I'm the most CAUTIOUS with, it the "angle grinder" with a cut-off wheel!!! Too many horror stories and videos online. I have a Dewalt and Milwaukee and both have been flawless.

 

[oosik]

I was running one of those 4" paper thin cut-off wheel/blade on my Makita angle grinder. For whatever reason it simply grenaded. I only had on safety glasses and caught a chunk of the wheel in the face. It made a fairly deep & long cut. I ALWAYS wear a full face shield and leather work gloves when I use it now.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I can't afford those great plastic disks with the abrasive material on them. They are high quality and do last a long time. I'm guessing, the plastic doesn't grenade.

So, I have a VERY BAD HABIT of taking the thin cutting wheels and using the side. It has a little flex to it, unlike a solid stone wheel. But it will probably fail, as the second failure I had recently experienced.

I know it could probably richochet off something, but I am always just mindful of the direction it will fly apart. I do wear safety glasses, and believe a flying disk will go through a face sheild.

 

[flyerdan]

Skinny wheels (6" Metabo are the best) are quite useful, but dangerous as all get out. What usually gets them is when something binds, as they are quite delicate and won't tolerate any side loading. The key to success is to position your work so when it starts to separate it opens rather than closing on the disc, keeping your face, body and anything you don't want fragged out of the arc, keep a firm grip on the grinder and assume that it wants to hurt you.

 

[om21braz]

Speaking of vibration, hope you never have the guard on a 7" wildcat grinder come loose and get hung on the disc. Fortunately about 2 seconds of the shakes was all that happened.

 

[fried1765]

Skinny wheels (6" Metabo are the best) are quite useful, but dangerous as all get out. What usually gets them is when something binds, as they are quite delicate and won't tolerate any side loading. The key to success is to position your work so when it starts to separate it opens rather than closing on the disc, keeping your face, body and anything you don't want fragged out of the arc, keep a firm grip on the grinder and assume that it wants to hurt you.

A Metabo "skinny" disc is exactly what bound up in the steel I was cutting, and it gave me a lovely looking long slice in my thigh.