There are many mentions on the site about the dangers of wire wheels.  Here there are wire wheels on the bench grinder, the drill, and the 4-1/2 inch hand held angle grinder.

Today the scoop shovel was getting a brushing so it could be oiled and ready for winter.  It was cool enough outside for the old shop coat.  One side of the shovel was completed and 1/2 way through wire brushing the other side, when there was a thump and the grinder stopped.  It ATE about a foot of the end of the coat sleeve and wound it up and around the wire wheel.  Wound it tight enough that you had to take the coat off, then remove the handle on the grinder to even start to rescue the jacket.  Even then it was a chore to unwind and recover the jacket sleeve.  The sleeve is none the better for wear and still serviceable.  More importantly the sleeve jammed and stopped the wire wheel and grinder with no personal damage.

We keep hearing about the dangers of wire wheels, and they do exist.  The wire wheel will grab on to anything available.  

Keep reminding yourself that a wire wheel especially, as well as any moving part, is always looking for an opportunity to do damage.  It is up to you recognize the danger and figure out how to avoid it.

I have been cleaning off our patio furniture with a wire wheel on a angle grinder and have been hit with quite a few wires flying off, and have been hit everywhere. If I wasn't wearing safety glasses it would have had them in my eyes more than once.

I have found that wire wheels that have the twisted wires (like short pieces of wire cable or rope) tend to shed less than the ones where the wires are radial and only held in by pressure of the 2 base plates.  Also, wheels are rated for a maximum rpm and I beleive that some angle grinders can exceed that.  Wear PPE and assume that anything in the plane of rotation will recieve shed wires.  And don't be afraid to retire and old wheel that is shedding.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

  It's probably been said before, but be careful with angle grinders in corners and always be aware which way the wire wheel is spinning, using common sense with respect to material edges.  They catch fast and will rip the grinder out of your hands and go who knows where.

Vise to hold the object; two hands on the angle grinder.  Goggles and face shield and leather apron!   I lucked out and have a slow speed "weak" bench grinder for my wire wheeling.  When we argue about a piece I "win".

On 11/25/2022 at 7:42 PM, George N. M. said:

And don't be afraid to retire and old wheel that is shedding.

  I think the cost of wire and grinding wheels in general is why some use them down to the nub, but it's a false economy in the long run if you wind up in the emergency room with a wire stuck in your eye or worse.

  A low speed/low power grinder would have been a prudent choice in a few situations I can think of....

A few decades ago a friend over by Vail was cleaning up a chain with the wire wheel. It grabbed the chain and he found out just how many blows it took at 7200 rpm before he even realized what was happening. He got hurt pretty bad. We called him Bear but he earned a new nickname of ChainBear...

Be careful with a wirewheel at all times.

Many decades ago I was using a cup wheel on a 7 1/2" angle grinder on rusty floor plate. It was elevated at about belly height. I was well aware of the direction of spin and edges. What I wasn't aware of was the suction from the wheel. It sucked up my t-shirt and wrapped my arms in a knot. It looked like a dozen cats did a burn out my belly. No major injuries thank God.

  Steer clear of the trigger lock while using wire wheels!