At one time, during the overhaul for replacing pipes, I bothered to work with a welder of pre-retirement age. I must say right away that he “cooked” well. The hand was full and the joints never leaked. So, when processing metal parts and dismantling pipes, he worked with an angle grinder in such a way that the spray flew not at him, but at us, partners (onlookers).
After he worked as a "grinder" he had to constantly rearrange the support handle and turn the casing. Some guys from our team were very annoyed by this moment.
In one of the long working days, during a break, in the trailer, they began to discuss an unpleasant incident. A teammate had a 230 disc clamped while dismantling a 1 1/2 "water pipe. From an abrupt stop, the disc shattered. Part of the abrasive equipment flew into our guy's tarpaulin boot and did not cause injury, only slightly ruffled the leather on the shoe. The rest of the units safely hit the protection (casing) and the impact force of the fragments was extinguished. Everything worked out that day ...
Also, in the conversation, the question was "asked" why our experienced welded cuts metal splashes push. And not like everyone in our brigade, to myself. To which he gave us advice (as an older friend) when working with an angle grinder. I'll try to briefly convey to you the meaning of the story:
Tips from an experienced welder
- In any case, when cutting metal and other materials, puts a protective cover on the tool. MANDATORY!
- Always closes the organs of vision. It is better to wear full-length masks, at least glasses should be. Necessarily!
- When cutting away from yourself, metal splashes fly out from under the disc and do not spoil the workwear.
- Rarely, but this happens, a scattered disk flies in the direction where the spray is flying. Therefore, the risk of catching fragments with open parts of the body from the abrasive is minimal when cutting from oneself.
- If you have to cut yourself, then you don't need to stand with your whole body on the metal processing line.
Important notes when working with angle grinders
Wear tight overalls. Always grip the cutting tool firmly. So that at the "impact" the grinder does not fly out of the hands. Anticipate the potential stress of the steel structure being processed. If voltage is present, use a gas cutter if possible. Don't be afraid of the tool!
Newbie tip:
On my own I will add: whoever begins to master such a device as a grinder, I still recommend to carry out the process of cutting metal "on oneself". Because you need to feel a dangerous device. Know how he will behave in a second (experience). Only after gaining the skills to work with angle grinders can you apply the "Splash from yourself" method.
I am very interested in how you work with angle grinders, tell or add a comment to the article.
From SW. Plumber Timofey Mikhailov