Angle grinder cutting disks - cranked or flat?

[colin_p]

Megaflow said:

I have now problems with 4.5” grinders, but the 9” ones are terrifying! I’d rather use a petrol disc cutter than a 9”, petrol ones have a clutch and don’t kick back.

I've got a 9" electric one (oo-err Mrs) that I've used in the past to cut paving with a diamond disc. I call it dusty.

And indeed properly terrifying. I reckon it is second only to a chainsaw in the DIY danger rankings with the mini grinder coming 3rd.

Back onto mini grinders and wire brushes / cup brushes. Using one of those is also like doing DIY accupuncture with 15mm long bits of thick wire flying out of the thing at what must be 300mph. Worse I've had is one sticking out of my lip second only to one in the nose. Again, that'll "learn" me about not wearing a full face visor. I would have normally said "teach" but when in idiot mode...

All you want to do is drop the grinder so you can hop round making ooo-ooo-ooo noises but you can't because if you do, you know how much more you are likely to get hurt. Instead you have to tough it out for another five seconds or so with a lump of wire sticking out of your face while you switch it off and lay it down on its back. You can still make the ooo-ooo-ooo noise though.

[dhutch]

RicksAlfas said:

These are the ones I was looking at. Like others have posted I've only seen flat cutting disks and cranked grinding disks before, but these are Bosch cutting disks in either format:

Flat:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007PB1GSC/?coliid=IVH...

Cranked:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009RQ39C4/?coliid=I1Y...

Fair enough.

I have to my knowledge only ever seen/used the flat 1mm thk slitting disks, and then thicker (circa 4-6mm) grinding disks, although I have heard mention of thicker cutting disks (and deliberately referring to slitting disks not cutting discs) and they are certainly 2.5mm thick disks branded for cutting.

Cant see why you would use a 2.5 cutting disk not a 1mm but then have never tried one!

[dhutch]

gottans said:

And don't forget ear protection as well.

Yeah absolutely. It will be less rapidly catastrophic but hearing loss it awful too.

I have a pair of cans for short work, and foam moulded plugs for when I spending a day being loud, and at times have been known to wear both together. A grinder is likely the loudest thing you most DIYers will use for sustained periods. Protection is needed not just for the user but those working close by.

In terms of mechanical protection, we have all done daft things with bare hand, welding in a fleece etc, but its not clever and even for short period being careful it can go wrong.

One of the important things is to have the right kit, the other is to wear it.

I believe the correct impact rating is 1A (high energy impact) and I find the more expensive thicker ones are all 1AT which is high impact at temperature and this should be on the lens of any googles used. There is also a standard for small particular ingress which typically has foam around the frame and over the vents which as good for more involved close to or upside down work, as well as more comfortable when worn long term. Your talking £12 a pair rather than £3-5 so just get a pair and safe yourself.

I then have a good cotton overall jacket, work trousers, and if cold a padded cotton jacket.

https://www.bolle-safety.com/page/quality-and-cert...


Daniel

[samdale]

Kinkell said:

Always goggle up and wear decent gloves. I was using one handed flapping lacquer off a wheel in my other hand when it grabbed the glove and deskinned my palm. Handle with extreme care always.

Gloves and rotating equipment?

[RicksAlfas]

dhutch said:

Fair enough.

I have to my knowledge only ever seen/used the flat 1mm thk slitting disks, and then thicker (circa 4-6mm) grinding disks, although I have heard mention of thicker cutting disks (and deliberately referring to slitting disks not cutting discs) and they are certainly 2.5mm thick disks branded for cutting.

Cant see why you would use a 2.5 cutting disk not a 1mm but then have never tried one!

Thanks. Me neither. Have ordered the thin ones as I've used those before.

Good safety advice from other posters as well. Thanks.

[eldar]

samdale said:

Kinkell said:

Always goggle up and wear decent gloves. I was using one handed flapping lacquer off a wheel in my other hand when it grabbed the glove and deskinned my palm. Handle with extreme care always.

Gloves and rotating equipment?

Excellent point.

1 minute in, and contains graphic injury video.

http://youtu.be/OxC-79N7ibI

[sospan]

RicksAlfas said:

Thanks for the replies everyone. I think the butt naked except for a jockstrap and full face protection is the way forward.

These are the ones I was looking at. Like others have posted I've only seen flat cutting disks and cranked grinding disks before, but these are Bosch cutting disks in either format:

Flat:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007PB1GSC/?coliid=IVH...

Cranked:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009RQ39C4/?coliid=I1Y...

The choice of jockstrap is critical.
You need a cricketer’s one as there is a pouch to put a box into. The box usually withstands the impact of a cricket ball ( it is the worst feeling ever....speaking from experience). It should protect from bits of shattered disc.
A bonus is that the jockstrap looks as if it is full of substantial manhood that would impress the neighbours. Imagine a codpiece.....

[Camoradi]

My closest shave with an angle grinder was when cutting some bolts off on the underside of my car. I laid the angle grinder down on the driveway on it's side, then went to pick it up again, not realising that my foot was in a loop in the power cable. As I bent to take hold of the body of the angle grinder my foot lifted off the ground, pulling the cable tight and sliding the angle grinder towards me by a few inches. The switch on the side was activated and I basically picked the angle grinder up by the now rotating disk.

I didn't hold onto it for long. Luckily I only suffered some minor abrasions on my fingers.

[dhutch]

samdale said:

Gloves and rotating equipment?

I'm not up for an unexpected graphic video, however for the uninformed, what is the advised action.

Obviously any clothing has a risk of getting caught in rotating equipment, and often you can use a mini grinder or other without gloves.
However, often (and especially if holding the work piece in your other hand) a good set of gloves have saved me from shredding myself.

Typically i plumb for strong rigger gloves, sometimes I only have cheap rubbish ones, else if welding at the same time I'm wearing leather welding gauntlets


Daniel

[Joe M]

Cutting the old exhaust clamps off my e46 m3, glove caught the disk and got dragged in. Massive scrape on my hand and wrist, hurt like hell and my hand was stuck to the grinder. Luckily the glove had wrapped round enough to stall it, or it would have been a lot worse.

[V8RX7]

Ah - I've never seen them sold as "cranked" but all my grinding discs have been this type, I presume it's so that the metal locking plate doesn't stick below the disc to enable you to use the disc flat onto the metal.

The thicker cutting discs are reinforced with mesh hence they are thicker and safer to use as broken bits aren't liable to be flung off

The thinner slitting discs obviously cut far faster but won't tolerate abuse.

BTW I never use grinding discs any more - the flap wheel type are far nicer to use and last ages, I suppose they aren't as good for massive steel sections but I generally only play with lighter sections.

[samdale]

dhutch said:

However, often (and especially if holding the work piece in your other hand) a good set of gloves have saved me from shredding myself.

2 hazards.
1) loose clothing/gloves
2) sharp things that can cut skin.

You are mitigating against number 2 but not number 1.

1) tight fitting sleeves and no gloves.
2) don't put things in the line of fire that you don't want to get cut.
PPE should always be a last line of defence.
Take steel boots when using a chainsaw. You wouldn't put the log on your boot and cut towards it, you stand so the chainsaw never aims towards your feet. The difference in this case is that wearing boots does not introduce its own element of risk.

[227bhp]

eldar said:

samdale said:

Kinkell said:

Always goggle up and wear decent gloves. I was using one handed flapping lacquer off a wheel in my other hand when it grabbed the glove and deskinned my palm. Handle with extreme care always.

Gloves and rotating equipment?

Excellent point.

1 minute in, and contains graphic injury video.

http://youtu.be/OxC-79N7ibI

No he was wearing the wrong kind of gloves, if they were heavy leather gauntlets that wouldn't have happened.
The glove/type of glove/no glove choice is with what you are using at the time. If you're using a lathe for instance then it's no gloves at all because if that thing gets hold it'll pull your hand off or your whole hand or arm in.
An angle grinder will glance off a leather glove or it''ll be so thick that if it does get a hold it'll stall or pull it out of your hand.

[samdale]

227bhp said:

No he was wearing the wrong kind of gloves, if they were heavy leather gauntlets that wouldn't have happened.

The point is if he was working safely, there would be no need for any gloves at all.

[CrutyRammers]

colin_p said:

Similar experiences then.

I've had a lump of metal off the grinder in the eye twice in my lifetime. Both times wearing goggles as well as I couldn't wear the full face visor underneath the car. I reckon the bits got in through the side vents of the goggs.

My eyeball metal removal experiences differs though, they dug them out with a needle! Didn't get the eyeball tatoo though!

Been there. Lifted up the goggles, "oh it just needs a touch more", bang, eye full of splinters. I can highly NOT recommend it, holding your eye open while someone digs around with a hypodermic needle is quite the test of self-control.

[dhutch]

samdale said:

The point is if he was working safely, there would be no need for any gloves at all.

I hear what you saying and it might well hold true for a 9", but I've also had my hand saved my gloves more than once using a mini grinder, often your fettling something small your holding, or working in very compromised locations, or its just damn cold and wet! Plus obviously using it alongside welding.

Daniel

[227bhp]

samdale said:

227bhp said:

No he was wearing the wrong kind of gloves, if they were heavy leather gauntlets that wouldn't have happened.

The point is if he was working safely, there would be no need for any gloves at all.

No it's safer to wear the correct gloves than none at all.

[anonymous-user]

I really like the Flexovit Megaline 0.8mm slitting disks for cutting. As other have said for gods sake wear eye protection as the thin disks and and do fail if you tweek them or chip them.

[Bill]

colin_p said:

Reminds me of arc welding in rigger boots. Never weld in rigger boots.

Carpet slippers only for me now for welding.

I had a patient awaiting reconstruction of his knee after getting dragged into a stupid grinder by a Kevlar thread from his work trousers.

Jockstrap only for one of those bad boys.

[dhutch]

Bill said:

I had a patient awaiting reconstruction of his knee after getting dragged into a stupid grinder by a Kevlar thread from his work trousers.

Really? That's mad, I guess anything can happen, and Kevlar is very strong. That a 9" electric?

Daniel