[Spridgets] Only a fool uses an angle grinder without a guard

Wed Apr 9 09:58:30 MDT 2025

 I think it was Richard Pryor who stated something about fire being very inspirational?Learned my "fire" lesson from using the removed carpet from the Jaguar showroom remodeling at work , in my garage to end working on the cold concrete floor!  One hot welding spark and I never welded without an extinguisher after that point.  Although I must say , having a carpeted garage was pretty nice.  The showroom carpet was a very low pile so my jack rolled effortlessly as did my creeper.   ChuckBeen there , broke that....fixed that...broke it again....and fixed it again!   
    On Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 05:10:53 AM EDT, GUY DAY via Spridgets <spridgets at autox.team.net> wrote:  

My tale of woe from angle grinder use is when at the bench and not noting the direction and distance the sparks were going.  Straight back towards me, stood in one spot next to the bench and wearing nylon/cotton overall's.  The upshot was that I set myself on fire.  Concentrating on the workpiece and with warmth from my stomach area only slowly getting greater, my first distraction was smoke rising and masking my vision of the work detail.  I looked for the cause and saw clothing in the area round my belly button on fire.  No room on the bench to throw a quickly turned off grinder that was still rotating so I held onto that with one hand and used my welding gloves encased left hand to pat my stomach.  By now I was in full panic mode and found myself trying to use my right hand to put out the flames and pat the burning area with the still rotating disc on the grinder.  Thankfully I was able to resist that after a very close encounter and the flames went out either because their feeding source had ended or the glove patting worked - or both.  I wasn't burnt, clothing under my overalls saved me from that and even though it happened decades ago it was a lesson still remembered.

Best wishes to all

Guy R Day 

------ Original Message ------
From: spridgets at autox.team.net
To: spridgets at autox.team.net
Sent: Wednesday, April 9th 2025, 06:39
Subject: [Spridgets] Only a fool uses an angle grinder without a guard

Only a fool uses an angle grinder without a guard and yesterday I was that fool.
While I have several angle grinders, I need one more before I no longer have to change the occasional disc from one type to another.  The usual dilemma is which grinder to change the disc on so that half an hour later I’m not changing it back again.  I’d had a fairly well used hard disc on one grinder and had removed the guard to get into a tight spot while working on the Sprite’s floor pan replacement.  I was now replacing the garage roof and needed a thin cutting disc to cut through some old J bolts and other fixings and fitted a full-size brand-new thin cutting disc. It wasn’t long before I cut through my glove and into my finger.  The cut isn’t very deep and I guess the gloves helped.  Of course, I didn’t immediately put the guard back on it and had to have a near miss before I did.  I realised at that point it might not have had the accident if I’d used a smaller disc.  So, I’m sharing my stupidity in the hope others won’t be the fool, albeit a ‘lucky’ fool that I was yesterday and use a angle grinder without the guard.

 Daniel the sometime fool
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