Working with an angle grinder.

[Racers]

I have found wires from cup brushes imbedded in my arms.
Should have my overalls on.

Pete

 

[Spindle]

Guard on, always on. Only ever removed if I'm using a wire wheel, in which case I always use gloves.

Hi

A wire brush will shed wires in use, ergo it's arguably more liable to cause injury than a grinding disc - why on earth would you remove the guard?

Regards Mick

 

[Flatlander]

Guard on, always on. Only ever removed if I'm using a wire wheel, in which case I always use gloves.

Hi

A wire brush will shed wires in use, ergo it's arguably more liable to cause injury than a grinding disc - why on earth would you remove the guard?

Regards Mick

Easy. Two reasons. First, I only ever use a cup brush, and the wires are outside the guard anyway. Second, because quite often, its used in tight spaces, and the guard gets in the way.

 

[Stu_2]

Given up using safety specs, and now use a full visor instead.

Never needed to take the guard off yet, but I would if I needed to on a small grinder, but not on a 9".

 

[graduate_owner]

I've found a really useful thing - narrow cutting discs. They look so thin and feeble but they really work well, they cut away minimal steel and really seem to last. They will break if not used carefully but I find them great. It also means I use them in preference to my 9" grinder, which is safer.
Getting back to the main thread though, yes I often substitute face mask for goggles in which case I use ear plugs instead of ear muffs. I do find the guard gets in the way when using a wire brush, so I usually remove it. I have often felt pin pricks in my skin which, on investigation, turned out to be wire from the wire brushes embedded in clothes and sticking through to the skin.

The main thing though is that with an angle grinder I am always very careful and treat it much as I would my chain saw, table saw or planer. I have seen a number of people being careless, in particular no eye protection. And most people I know only have one pair of eyes.

K