I just returned home after spending my Christmas Home Depot cards. I picked
up a Makita grinder. Usually, the first thing I do is remove the safety
shield. I find it tends to get in the way. However, on this grinder, I
notice that my fingers are pretty close sometimes. I have another, I just
like two so I don't spend time changing from grinder wheel to wire wheel. I
will get a third for sanding.

How many of you use the guards, or do you take them off and put them in a
drawer?

Steve

Steve B wrote:
...
How many of you use the guards, or do you take them off and put them in a
drawer?

I used to have mine off. Then I stuck the end of my thumb into the edge
of a running .045 cut off wheel. When I got the bleeding stopped, I put
the guard back on.

YMMV,
Bob

"Steve B" wrote in message
news:_nhwf.7291$JT.4116@fed1read06...
I just returned home after spending my Christmas Home Depot cards. I
picked up a Makita grinder. Usually, the first thing I do is remove the
safety shield. I find it tends to get in the way. However, on this
grinder, I notice that my fingers are pretty close sometimes. I have
another, I just like two so I don't spend time changing from grinder wheel
to wire wheel. I will get a third for sanding.

How many of you use the guards, or do you take them off and put them in a
drawer?

Steve


OMG those are guards? I always thought they were just there to protect the
wheels in shipment..oops :-)

Rick

"Steve B" wrote in message
news:_nhwf.7291$JT.4116@fed1read06...
I just returned home after spending my Christmas Home Depot cards. I
picked up a Makita grinder. Usually, the first thing I do is remove the
safety shield. I find it tends to get in the way. However, on this
grinder, I notice that my fingers are pretty close sometimes. I have
another, I just like two so I don't spend time changing from grinder wheel
to wire wheel. I will get a third for sanding.

How many of you use the guards, or do you take them off and put them in a
drawer?

Steve

I have the guards on the little 4.5" grinders but the "HOG" has no guard. I
frequently find the guard helpfull in stabilizing a cut. Also used as a
steady rest when holding the grinder in a vise by a bolt in the handle hole
and grinding formtool shapes.

Glenn

Bob Engelhardt wrote:
Steve B wrote:
...

How many of you use the guards, or do you take them off and put them
in a drawer?


I used to have mine off. Then I stuck the end of my thumb into the edge
of a running .045 cut off wheel. When I got the bleeding stopped, I put
the guard back on.

YMMV,
Bob

Why didn't you sue the mfr for making a machine that you could take the
guard off and hurt yourself?

Steve B wrote:

I find it tends to get in the way. However, on this grinder, I
notice that my fingers are pretty close sometimes.

This is reason #1 why they do exist.

How many of you use the guards, or do you take them off and put them in a
drawer?

In my live as a angel grinder user, I maybe have used it two times
without shield. And I have used up quite a bunch of disks. The times
without shield were when there was no other way to do what I _needed_ to
do.

Hey, it's like with motor cycle helmets: You spend as much as you think
your head is worth!


Nick
--
Motor Modelle // Engine Models
http://www.motor-manufaktur.de
DIY-DRO - YADRO - Eigenbau-Digitalanzeige

Steve B wrote:

I just returned home after spending my Christmas Home Depot cards. I picked
up a Makita grinder. Usually, the first thing I do is remove the safety
shield. I find it tends to get in the way. However, on this grinder, I
notice that my fingers are pretty close sometimes. I have another, I just
like two so I don't spend time changing from grinder wheel to wire wheel. I
will get a third for sanding.

I have one of those el cheapo muffler hanger air cutoff tools which is basically
a die grinder equipped with a mandrel. It came with a sturdy Lexan guard. I used
it that way for years, then for one job it got in the way. I took it off, had to
destroy it to get it off. Never looked back.

I have a Ryobi G-1155C dating from about '86 which I bought new. It is a real
nice tool. I used it for a real long time with the guard, one time it got in the
way. I took it off, and carefully saved it in the drawer. I have never put it
back on.

I have two Makitas. One has a guard and one not. I haven't monkeyed with those.

I guess I can summarize: I take 'em off sometimes and would put them back on if
I had an awkward job where the grit would fly in my face if I didn't. No big deal.

GWE

"Steve B" wrote in message
news:_nhwf.7291$JT.4116@fed1read06...
I just returned home after spending my Christmas Home Depot cards. I
picked
up a Makita grinder. Usually, the first thing I do is remove the safety
shield. I find it tends to get in the way. However, on this grinder, I
notice that my fingers are pretty close sometimes. I have another, I just
like two so I don't spend time changing from grinder wheel to wire wheel.
I
will get a third for sanding.

How many of you use the guards, or do you take them off and put them in a
drawer?

Steve


None. Never. Not in a pink fit.

Honest.

*Used to*!

Until my next-door neighbour, building his house, had a wheel explode when
he was trimming some reo. Nice bloke, Erin. The scars across his jawline
really enhance his masculine image. Mind you, its kinda funny watching him
grinding nowadays, with full-face welding helmet and all...

...he says he got sick of eating only soup for six months, until they fixed
up his jaw.

YMMV

--
Jeff R.

On Sun, 8 Jan 2006 15:39:35 -0800, "Steve B"
wrote:

I just returned home after spending my Christmas Home Depot cards. I picked
up a Makita grinder. Usually, the first thing I do is remove the safety
shield. I find it tends to get in the way. However, on this grinder, I
notice that my fingers are pretty close sometimes. I have another, I just
like two so I don't spend time changing from grinder wheel to wire wheel. I
will get a third for sanding.

How many of you use the guards, or do you take them off and put them in a
drawer?

Steve



I always keep the guards on. It is breathtaking to experience a
grinder wheel disintegrate with the guard on. The guard does not
survive in a usable condition after absorbing all that kenetic energy.
You ought to ponder the consequences if it is your body absorbing the
kenetic energy. Grinders are dangerous.

Steve B wrote:
I just returned home after spending my Christmas Home Depot cards. I picked
up a Makita grinder. Usually, the first thing I do is remove the safety
shield. I find it tends to get in the way. However, on this grinder, I
notice that my fingers are pretty close sometimes. I have another, I just
like two so I don't spend time changing from grinder wheel to wire wheel. I
will get a third for sanding.

How many of you use the guards, or do you take them off and put them in a
drawer?

Steve


Bare bengh grinder guarded angle grinder

"Stephen Young" wrote in message
news
Bob Engelhardt wrote:
Steve B wrote:
...

How many of you use the guards, or do you take them off and put them
in a drawer?


I used to have mine off. Then I stuck the end of my thumb into the edge
of a running .045 cut off wheel. When I got the bleeding stopped, I put
the guard back on.

YMMV,
Bob

Why didn't you sue the mfr for making a machine that you could take the
guard off and hurt yourself?

It was my great privilege to know the legendary Bernard Pietenpol, generally
considered the Godfather of the home-built experimental aircraft movement.
I remember him telling about an acquaintance of his who was fond of
committing grinder abuse: shields just got in the way and, oh, yes, they'd
cut better if you turned them faster. Bernard said he warned the gentleman
of the dangers involved, but his words went unheeded. He added that he
attended the man's funeral a few months later.



I was in high school when we had this little conversation. It was, in fact,
part of the first real conversation I had with him. (Fortunately for me we
had many more over the years.) We were walking across the county
fairgrounds at the time, and, I'm sure, he didn't yet even know my name.



In retrospect, it is interesting that he chose this topic. To him, I was
just some local farm kid. But, like many truly great men, Mr. Pietenpol
felt a certain responsibility to pass along what he had learned.



Yes, I keep the shields in place, if at all possible. And, when it is
necessary to remove them, I take other steps to protect myself in case
something lets go (and, yes, on more than one occasion I've gotten to watch
the pieces fly...). This seems to have worked for me. I've never had to
make a trip to the emergency room (at least not over a shop injury.) and, in
fact, I recently bought a box of Band-Aids because the last box was so old
and dried out they wouldn't stick any more.



And, it is probably true that most guys who got hit by the flying pieces
after they removed the shield wouldn't sue the tool manufacturer for making
a tool from which the shield could be removed.



The real question is, would their widow sue?

Jerry

I have a 7/9 PC grinder that I used to use all the time without a
guard...always in the way. I used to use mainly a backing pad and
abrasive disks......then one day a disk came apart as did the backing
pad and it took a few stitches and a trip to the ER to get my knee
fixed........I would have put that gurad back on but it got thrown out
along the way over the years. I keep all the guards in place on my 4"
and 4.5 inch grinders though, but never think anything of using my
high speed air grinder and a 3" cutoff wheel........those guards are
always in the way, but I take every precaution to keep the wheel in a
safe position so if it does fragment my odds of getting hit is
nil.....I think!

On Sun, 8 Jan 2006 15:39:35 -0800, "Steve B"
wrote:
I just returned home after spending my Christmas Home Depot cards. I picked
up a Makita grinder. Usually, the first thing I do is remove the safety
shield. I find it tends to get in the way. However, on this grinder, I
notice that my fingers are pretty close sometimes. I have another, I just
like two so I don't spend time changing from grinder wheel to wire wheel. I
will get a third for sanding.

How many of you use the guards, or do you take them off and put them in a
drawer?

Steve


--
\\\|///
( @ @ )
-----------oOOo(_)oOOo---------------


oooO
---------( )----Oooo----------------
\ ( ( )
\_) ) /
(_/
The original frugal ponder! Koi-ahoi mates....

With the guard on, I can put down the angle grinder without having to
wait until the blade has completely stopped. The guard does double duty
as a rest stand. It rarely gets in the way.

Jordan


How many of you use the guards

"Steve B" wrote in message
news:_nhwf.7291$JT.4116@fed1read06...

How many of you use the guards, or do you take them off and put them in a
drawer?

At work the only guys who keep the grinder guards on are the machinists
(they use them to deburr blocks). All 150+ toolmakers do not use guards.

We use our grinders to form stamping dies so there's typically no room for
the guard anyway.

It's been my experience that wheels basically never come apart if used
correctly, and we use wheels by the case/crate. The only time I've heard of
this happening is when someone is pressing *really* hard or bouncing the
wheel on the work. I've never had a wheel come apart. We use Sait and
Rhodius wheels.

Mind you, these are 4" and 4-1/2" wheels on pneumatic grinders. I don't
think I'd go without a guard on the 7" machines.

Regards,

Robin

I do a lot of things that are very safe. Things I would not recommend
others do. And I think I have removed the guard on an angle grinder
in order to fit it in a tight place. But I never have the guard off if
I can possibly avoid it.

I also use my larger grinder in a cross body hold described by Randy
Zimmerman in sci.engr.joining.welding. He said he was taught that by a
safety engineer at some job.

Dan

Jordan wrote:

With the guard on, I can put down the angle grinder without having to
wait until the blade has completely stopped. The guard does double duty
as a rest stand. It rarely gets in the way.

Jordan


How many of you use the guards

Ack! You're supposed to put the grinder down wheel-up. Putting it down
wheel-down can launch it or something you didn't see on the table at
high speed.

Pete C.

"Speechless" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 8 Jan 2006 15:39:35 -0800, "Steve B"
wrote:

I just returned home after spending my Christmas Home Depot cards. I
picked
up a Makita grinder. Usually, the first thing I do is remove the safety
shield. I find it tends to get in the way. However, on this grinder, I
notice that my fingers are pretty close sometimes. I have another, I just
like two so I don't spend time changing from grinder wheel to wire wheel.
I
will get a third for sanding.

How many of you use the guards, or do you take them off and put them in a
drawer?

Steve



I always keep the guards on. It is breathtaking to experience a
grinder wheel disintegrate with the guard on. The guard does not
survive in a usable condition after absorbing all that kenetic energy.
You ought to ponder the consequences if it is your body absorbing the
kenetic energy. Grinders are dangerous.


Out of all my gizmos and power stuff, I think that the grinders are the
nastiest and most dangerous of them all.

BY FAR!

Steve

Not ideal I know, but I've been doing it for years - gotta watch where
you put it!

Jordan

Putting it down
wheel-down can launch it or something you didn't see on the table at
high speed.

Pete C.

On Sun, 8 Jan 2006 15:39:35 -0800, "Steve B"
wrote:

I just returned home after spending my Christmas Home Depot cards. I picked
up a Makita grinder. Usually, the first thing I do is remove the safety
shield. I find it tends to get in the way. However, on this grinder, I
notice that my fingers are pretty close sometimes. I have another, I just
like two so I don't spend time changing from grinder wheel to wire wheel. I
will get a third for sanding.

How many of you use the guards, or do you take them off and put them in a
drawer?

Steve

All guards in place, except for the air die-grinder cutoff wheel.
Those thin wheels are pretty lightweight so it's no big deal when
one breaks. I've had that happen several times. However, an
exploding angle-grinder wheel would definitely be an "event" where I
want some metal between me and the shrapnel. I've never had that
happen, but I know it can and does happen.

Consider this: on a 4-1/2" dia wheel at 12,000 RPM, the peripheral
velocity is about 160 mph or 235 ft/sec. That's a bit more than 1/4
of the velocity of a .45ACP bullet, and wheel shards could easily
have greater mass.

Steve B wrote:
I just returned home after spending my Christmas Home Depot cards. I
picked up a Makita grinder. Usually, the first thing I do is remove
the safety shield. I find it tends to get in the way. However, on
this grinder, I notice that my fingers are pretty close sometimes. I
have another, I just like two so I don't spend time changing from
grinder wheel to wire wheel. I will get a third for sanding.

How many of you use the guards, or do you take them off and put them
in a drawer?

Steve

The guard is off my 4" angle grinder right now , while I use a wire brush to
remove paint . As soon as the paint is removed , the guard goes back on . It
would have stated on , but the wire wheel rubbed it , almost burned the
grinder up .

--
Snag aka OSG #1
'76 FLH "Bent Lady"
BS132 SENS NEWT
"A hand shift is a manly shift ."
shamelessly stolen
none to one to reply

On Sun, 8 Jan 2006 15:39:35 -0800, "Steve B"
wrote:

I just returned home after spending my Christmas Home Depot cards. I picked
up a Makita grinder. Usually, the first thing I do is remove the safety
shield. I find it tends to get in the way. However, on this grinder, I
notice that my fingers are pretty close sometimes. I have another, I just
like two so I don't spend time changing from grinder wheel to wire wheel. I
will get a third for sanding.

How many of you use the guards, or do you take them off and put them in a
drawer?

Steve

On most of them..I pull the guards. On the Makita I snarfed at an
auction for $5..I pulled it. The first time I used it..I took my righ
index finger down to the bone on the main knuckle joint. I fished in
the shop trash can for the guard and put it back on. That wheel runs
Way too close to the handle

Btw..takes weeks to heal that kind of cut.


Gunner

The aim of untold millions is to be free to do exactly as they choose
and for someone else to pay when things go wrong.

In the past few decades, a peculiar and distinctive psychology
has emerged in England. Gone are the civility, sturdy independence,
and admirable stoicism that carried the English through the war years
.. It has been replaced by a constant whine of excuses, complaints,
and special pleading. The collapse of the British character has been
as swift and complete as the collapse of British power.

Theodore Dalrymple,

On Sun, 8 Jan 2006 15:39:35 -0800, with neither quill nor qualm,
"Steve B" quickly quoth:

I just returned home after spending my Christmas Home Depot cards. I picked
up a Makita grinder. Usually, the first thing I do is remove the safety
shield. I find it tends to get in the way. However, on this grinder, I
notice that my fingers are pretty close sometimes. I have another, I just
like two so I don't spend time changing from grinder wheel to wire wheel. I
will get a third for sanding.

How many of you use the guards, or do you take them off and put them in a
drawer?

I use a belt sander or angle grinder, but whe nI was using rotary
grinders, the guards were always in place. You're referring to the
plastic windows above the wheels, oui?

When working on a buffing wheel, I use both mask and face shield.
(Metal/dust/abrasive grit tend to hurt under your eyelids.)

When using the sander, I usually have the DC on and a face shield,
goggles, or just my eyeglasses.

"Be the change you want to see in the world." --Mahatma Gandhi
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
http://diversify.com Website Application Programming

On Mon, 09 Jan 2006 03:11:25 -0600, with neither quill nor qualm, Don
Foreman quickly quoth:

Consider this: on a 4-1/2" dia wheel at 12,000 RPM, the peripheral
velocity is about 160 mph or 235 ft/sec. That's a bit more than 1/4
of the velocity of a .45ACP bullet, and wheel shards could easily
have greater mass.

OK, raise your hands: How many of you guys are going to start
hanging your welding aprons over the grinder so you remember
to put it on before grinding from now on? g

Kin ewe say "scatter shield"? I knew you could.

"Be the change you want to see in the world." --Mahatma Gandhi
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
http://diversify.com Website Application Programming

Hi Dan

Can you please describe?

Jordan

wrote:

I also use my larger grinder in a cross body hold described by Randy
Zimmerman in sci.engr.joining.welding.

AND, I gotta say .............

I have NEVER had a disk blow up on me. I don't push the small ones that
hard, don't sit it down on the disk, and inspect it before use. One ding
out of the rim, and I toss it. They're just too cheap.

I know they blow, just haven't had one blow on me.

Yet.

Steve

Jordan wrote:
Hi Dan

Can you please describe?

Jordan
I was hoping you would find Randy's description. But here
goes...........

With the angle grinder sitting with the guard and disk down and the
handle with the switch toward you, put the other handle on the left
side. It probably is already there. Let us call that handle A and the
handle with the switch handle B.

Now grasp handle A with you left hand with you thumb away from the
grinder body and you arm parallel to the grinder body. Hold the
grinder out in front of you on your left side,and cross your right arm
across your body to grasp handle A. Now just lower the grinder down so
it is on your left side , and the disk is to the left of your left
foot. The disk has the axis horizontal and if the disk were to explode
the parts would all stay on the left side of you. The first couple of
times you use it this way it seems awkward, but now it seems perfectly
natural. I hope you can understand that description.

Dan

On Sun, 8 Jan 2006 15:39:35 -0800, "Steve B"
wrote:

I just returned home after spending my Christmas Home Depot cards. I picked
up a Makita grinder. Usually, the first thing I do is remove the safety
shield. I find it tends to get in the way. However, on this grinder, I
notice that my fingers are pretty close sometimes. I have another, I just
like two so I don't spend time changing from grinder wheel to wire wheel. I
will get a third for sanding.

How many of you use the guards, or do you take them off and put them in a
drawer?

On every power tool I have the guards are all in place. I can see
special situations where the guard on a hand grinder would get in the
way - but if you ever pull the guards, I strongly suggest armoring up
like a Roman Gladiator - face shield, jacket and heavy gauntlets,
apron and boots... And when you get done working on that special
situation, you sit down and put the guard right back on.

God only gives you two eyes, two ears, 10 fingers and 10 toes etc.
to last you a lifetime - it's your responsibility to keep them all in
good working order. Replacements aren't a practical option,
especially on the eyeballs.

Push Sticks are disposable and easily replaced, fingers are a lot of
work to replace and often never work quite right again.

Same thing goes with the tip safeties on pneumatic nail guns, fences
on table saws, blade guards on circular saws, yatta yatta yatta. They
were all installed for a reason, and the reason to take them off or
bypass them (even temporarily) needs to be really important.

Call me a stick in the mud, Call me a Cab, I don't care. ;-)
Because I can count to 10 without taking off my shoes, and when I do
take them off I get all the way to 20 before stopping. And I can see
my shoes, in Stereo. And I can hear the Flyback Transformer softly
whining on the TV...

-- Bruce --

--
Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net.

In article _nhwf.7291$JT.4116@fed1read06,
"Steve B" wrote:

I just returned home after spending my Christmas Home Depot cards. I picked
up a Makita grinder. Usually, the first thing I do is remove the safety
shield. I find it tends to get in the way. However, on this grinder, I
notice that my fingers are pretty close sometimes. I have another, I just
like two so I don't spend time changing from grinder wheel to wire wheel. I
will get a third for sanding.

How many of you use the guards, or do you take them off and put them in a
drawer?

Steve

I only have the little air grinders. I have one dedicated cutoff
tool with a guard on it. I hate getting a face full of flaming hot
sparks, and I use the guard as a brace on occasion since it's very
rigid. I also have an adapter for my die grinder. I use it for those
times that guard would get in the way, which is pretty rare.

--
B.B. --I am not a goat! thegoat4 at airmail dot net

wrote:

I hope you can understand that description.

Perfectly!
Only problem is how I explain this to the orthopedist I will be
wheel-chaired to this afternoon ... :-)))


Nick
--
Motor Modelle // Engine Models
http://www.motor-manufaktur.de
DIY-DRO - YADRO - Eigenbau-Digitalanzeige

--Depends on the scope of possible injury I guess. I *never*
get hands near the planer or the tablesaw blades for instance, but the
grinder's glass shield had to go because it really does get in the way.
Actually I got rid of the grinding wheel and opted for a belt grinder,
which I consider safer. As for lathe and mill prudence is the best
guide; i.e. long sleeves rolled up, dust collector on when fumes are
present, etc.

--
"Steamboat Ed" Haas : Whatever happened
Hacking the Trailing Edge! : to Tom Nelson?
http://www.nmpproducts.com/intro.htm
---Decks a-wash in a sea of words---

Bruce L. Bergman wrote:

Because I can count to 10 without taking off my shoes, and when I do
take them off I get all the way to 20 before stopping.

Me too! But continuing to count witih the toes, I need some further
protection: A gas mask!


Nick
--
Motor Modelle // Engine Models
http://www.motor-manufaktur.de
DIY-DRO - YADRO - Eigenbau-Digitalanzeige

Thanks Dan

I'll try that.

Jordan

The first couple of
times you use it this way it seems awkward, but now it seems perfectly
natural. I hope you can understand that description.

Dan

In article _nhwf.7291$JT.4116@fed1read06, Steve B
wrote:

I just returned home after spending my Christmas Home Depot cards. I picked
up a Makita grinder. Usually, the first thing I do is remove the safety
shield. I find it tends to get in the way. However, on this grinder, I
notice that my fingers are pretty close sometimes. I have another, I just
like two so I don't spend time changing from grinder wheel to wire wheel. I
will get a third for sanding.

How many of you use the guards, or do you take them off and put them in a
drawer?

Steve

No guards here.

I still have 9-1/2 fingers left.

-Frank

--
Here's some of my work:
http://www.franksknives.com/