Arlo Mudgett | The View from Faraway Farm: Fun with the wheel of death | Columnists | benningtonbanner.com

2023-02-22 05:41:56 By : Ms. Linda Kong

Rain and snow this evening. Mostly cloudy overnight. Low 28F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precip 100%..

Rain and snow this evening. Mostly cloudy overnight. Low 28F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precip 100%. RESIN BONDED ABRASIVE WHEELS For Non-Ferrous Metal For Grinding

Arlo Mudgett | The View from Faraway Farm: Fun with the wheel of death | Columnists | benningtonbanner.com

A volunteer shapes metal plates with an angle grinder at a facility producing material for Ukrainian soldiers in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on May 7. The author writes: "One of the industry terms for an angle grinder is 'death wheel.' It didn’t get that name any other way but by accident."

A volunteer shapes metal plates with an angle grinder at a facility producing material for Ukrainian soldiers in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on May 7. The author writes: "One of the industry terms for an angle grinder is 'death wheel.' It didn’t get that name any other way but by accident."

Have you ever used an angle grinder? For those who have not, it is an electrically powered rotary abrasive wheel. The wheel spins anywhere from 3,000 revolutions per minute up to 12,000 rpm. The high speeds allow the abrasive wheel to cut through materials like concrete, stone and metal. Grinding surfaces is another function, and angle grinders get used in metal fabrication, to great effect. The angle grinder has become an essential tool for cutting and shaping metal for welding. To electrostatically weld metal, the surface must be clean and conductive. That specific process of preparing the metal by grinding is an initial step in welding.

I am an occasional amateur welder, so I naturally have an angle grinding tool. That was the only reason I bought one. Once in my possession, I began to discover all of the cool things you can cut with such a tool, and I put it to misuse immediately. About a year ago, I modified an aluminum bomber seat to fit on a go-kart that I got for my grandchildren. Both Luc and Juli were present when I used the angle grinder to hew out a chunk of the seat. I was not wearing gloves at the time. From lack of concentration or cavalier tool handling, I managed to nick my left index finger with the wheel. It was a minor injury that required some peroxide flush and a Band-Aid. Because the abrasive wheel is so fast, the minor nick took out a sliver of the fingernail, and the wound took forever to heal. I changed the bandage faithfully after cleaning at least twice daily. I also made certain that I used antibiotic cream. Fortunately, there was no nerve damage, and a year later, there is no sign of the injury except the permanent memory.

This morning I took delivery of a new dual voltage welder that I will be using in the spring on a project. It will mean more angle grinder use and lots of it. Just out of curiosity, I did a little research on angle grinder injuries. It is one of the most dangerous tools made, primarily because of the end user's poor safety precautions, but not limited to that. The abrasive wheels are also prone to occasionally fragmenting, sending shards of material into orbit from the tools epicenter. Of the 5,000 annual injuries caused by angle grinders, a percentage are shrapnel injuries. There are also head and eye injuries, amputations, deep abrasions and more.

I enjoy watching videos of people doing metal work, and they all use angle grinders. I have not witnessed any injuries, but you have to remember that these folks can edit out their stupidity. The really good video makers will leave that sort of thing in as a cautionary bit of instruction on tool use. Using almost any power tool has its dangerous side, and nothing sends a precautionary message home like witnessing a person getting injured.

What causes angle grinder injuries? Mishandling, removal of the safety guard, lack of protective equipment like safety glasses and gloves, and removal of the safety guard. Yeah, that little metal safety disc can save a lot of pain. It is also annoyingly clunky, making use of the tool awkward in some instances. Removal of the safety guard is far too common. It increases the incidence of injury exponentially. If you don’t use an angle grinder daily, you would be wise not to fool with the safety guard. I realize that many professionals remove the guard. It’s a free country, and they can do what they want, but one of the industry terms for an angle grinder is “death wheel.” It didn’t get that name any other way but by accident.

The Morning Almanac with Arlo Mudgett is heard Monday through Friday mornings on radio stations Oldies KOOL FM 106.7, 96.3, and 106.5 and over Peak-FM 101.9 and 100.7.

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Arlo Mudgett | The View from Faraway Farm: Fun with the wheel of death | Columnists | benningtonbanner.com

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