Grinding Wheel Safety

[Ted T]

Grinding wheel safety
If you have any doubt about the reliability of a grinding stone after giving a good visual inspection and a "sound test" Don’t use it!
Always error on the side of safety when in doubt”.
Think about it! If you are wrong about your analysis of its usability, it may cause you to experience everything that is associated with pain and loss of finances.
The impact of a severe injury and being out of work is not as real to people who have never had to experience it.
An intelligent person will learn from others mistakes.
Three times in my (59) years of working with metal I have seen, or experienced some bad things that have happened when a grinding wheel fractured and came apart.
You will not save any money by using a questionable grinding wheel by thinking that “I will do it just this time, then change wheels".
In a fraction of a second you may have shrapnel impacting your face and body parts.
It can change your life just like that, in the time it takes to snap your fingers.

Again, please do not risk it!
For sure; please use an appropriate safety mask (eye protection and lung protection) while grinding.
Over the long haul of time and use, the accumulation of partials can, and will count against your lungs.
A person may say it never affected me. But just take a look at them later in life when it catches up with them.
Although some may dodge the bullet, many will not.
It is not pretty thing when it doe’s catch them!

I believe we are not in this business to show how tough (resilient) we are to the products of combustion or other bi-products of friction, or gasses created during the metal fabrication process.

I do believe we all want to be safe and healthy throughout our lives.
Here is just some information that may be useful to you. It is not complete, and I suggest each person studies more about this subject for themselves!

When grinding, the small metal shavings flying off a grinding wheel are often traveling over 200 miles per hour over a distance of less than 18 inches.
The old baseball adage of “you can't hit what you can’t see" certainly holds true for anyone who thinks eye protection isn't needed.

INSPECTION, HANDLING AND STORAGE

1. Grinding wheels and disks should be inspected after they have been unpacked for shipping damage, and then “ring” tested prior to use.
2. The "ring" test consists of suspending the wheel from its hole on a small pin or finger and gently tapping it with a light tool such as a wooden screw driver handle. The tapping should occur within 45 degrees of the vertical centerline. A wheel or disk in good condition will give a clear metallic ring.
3. Large disks and wheels should not be rolled on the floor.
4. Abrasive disks should be stored in dry areas not subject to extreme temperature changes, below freezing temperatures should be avoided.
   

Undetectable cracks or fractures not visible to the eye may occur in wet wheels if they are exposed to temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

1. Breakage can occur if wheels are taken from a cold storage area and grinding operations begun before the wheel assumes room temperature.
2. Grinding wheels and disks should be stored as close as possible to areas of use to reduce handling.
   

I must sound like on old record being played over and over again.
But I cannot stress how important safety is in our craft.
I care about all of you!
Be safe!
Ted Throckmorton

[WmHorus]

Ask Sam Salvati to relate the tale of what almost happened to him one night grinding....scary things can happen. Thanks Ted for the post.