You need to know how dangerous this tool is! (How it got me)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 พ.ย. 2019
- How an angle grinder can be the most dangerous tool you own- and how to protect yourself!
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No problem buddy, we see more grinder accidents in the ER than with any other tool! You are the first to address this issue that I know of! Thank you SO much!
And thank _you_ for your service =)
I think because the tool is light and relatively small that it's deceptive in its ease of operation. Like motorcycles and guns, people don't take the time to learn and master proper operation before they buy one of their own. What you don't know can permanently end your experiential education. That, of course, includes the guys (and gals) that already know the safety rules but, because they're too cool for such stuff, don't bother with them.
Taking a little time to learn safe handling and then actually practicing what you've learned will go a long way toward reducing accidents. Sometimes, though, you can do everything right and stuff still goes wrong (I read some comments here that seem to imply otherwise). In those cases, the only way to really mitigate the danger is to avoid the tool altogether. I have a grinder in my garage that was left behind by my bother in law. He was a mechanic and used it for cutting bolts and other jobs like that. More recently, though, he'd switched to a reciprocating saw (mostly for portability I think) and didn't miss the grinder at all.
A friend of mine was doing clinical rotations in the ER had a horrific case of a child and a riding lawn mower. I can't remember what the outcome was. Somehow the child, while riding with their parent, fell off and ended up getting hit by the blade.
Seems like an A9 Glove inside a Chainmail Glove would be prudent when operating such a tool. A full OSHA compliant helmet and face guard would also be recommended.
I have 0 desire to try power carving with anything larger than a dremel.
I agree
Concur. I'm quite comfortable using the angle grinder with a diamond cup on concrete or a grinding disc to cut metal, and there's no better tool for cleaning up rusty metal than a grinder with a wire brush, but I was always leery of power carving. After watching the vlog yesterday and this one today, I've permanently crossed power carving off my list.
I don't mind a certain degree of "roughing in" with about any tool that can "hog away" a fair bunch of obvious waste...
Actually "carving" however, is about details. I'll stick to chisels and mallets... thanks. ;o)
Jeffrey Clement that other type of disk he showed in his last video is WAY safer. The chainsaw blade one is deadly.
I have a chain saw attachment for my angle grinder. Never used it yet but after seeing this video from James, I plan on getting rid of it.
As someone who has been using an angle grinder every day for over a decade, I couldn't think of a more dangerous blade.
I honestly thought it was photoshopped. I've used a grinder every week for 15-20 years now and have never seen a chainsaw blade for one, or thought to use it on anything but metal or stone. It was definitely user error though as he turned the blade to wheel on the cut towards him. I've done exactly that. I'd never put a chainsaw blade on a grinder though. The whole damn thing is the kickback zone with no chain brake or spur dogs.
I'd ever use that death trap unless it was completely affixed to my hand and forearm.
"Hail to the king baby! "
The most dangerous thing I've seen done with angle grinders (and it's quite common) is to put a 7 1/2" saw blade on a 7" grinder. Of course, it won't fit inside the guard, so they just take the guard off and then tell themselves how ingenious they are as they're carving away with a naked blade running overspeed centimeters from their fingers.
Same blade but dull. Now that is a deathtrap.
I'm surprised the chainsaw type manufacturers haven't been sued out of existence. I have one of them still in the package. I'm dumping it in the trash.
@ No, no, no, don't trash it, you might have an interesting collectors item that they will me marveling at years from now, they actually ran these things in angle grinders...
Simple rule for Angle Grinders: If the sparks/sawdust are not flying directly at you or at your hands, your grinder is plotting against you.
Especially with those Lancelot blades. I used one many times years ago making 1000s of custom joint in natural structure building with round unfinished timbers. One thing I remember is the discomfort of the chips from these blades because they are large and have some speed. If you're not being sprayed by the chips you're on the the wrong side of the grinder! He's doesn't admit it was user error but he's on the wrong side the the work piece among a couple other problems. The cutter should always be pulling away from you and in the case always pulling up out of the trough away from him. Should have been able to walk to both sides and even switch hands or handle if need be depending on the area being carved.
I have hundreds of hours running angle grinders. I still went to my shop a put that chainsaw disc in the scrap pile still in it’s factory wrapper. Thank you for the warning. Heal quickly.
Send it to me!
Good thing to do, only a matter of time untill someone dies using that death trap of a tool, not to mention there are better and safer tools that will do the same job.
@@esl1402 a chainsaw with a wood carving bar?
If one puts the chainsaw in the trash, please take apart so no one finds it and thinks great a free chainsaw, and uses it not knowing his dangerous this thing is.
Pat Neely thanks I went out cut in half with the torch. Problem solved.
Thank you for being humble enough to share your experience with us. You may never know how many people you spare from injury.
This is one of the reasons I subscribed. Your honesty and common sense talk along with good content. Thanks.
I watch these videos all the time...to keep me from getting complacent and just educate myself continually. Appreciate your candour, honesty like this is so so valuable thankyou
nothing with teeth should ever be put on an angle grinder. My father did that and I gave him hell for it. lol. Grinders are for grinding discs only. Thus the name of the tool. Grinding.
or cutting discs, or buffing wheels. not just grinding discs. i use cutting discs daily and never have any issues, but i would never use anything like what he was using. it just seems overly dangerous.
Thank you Mark for having the apparently only sensible comment on this video.
I've had cut off wheels bite and explode multiple times. I've learned my lesson too many times with the angle grinder. I still use cut off wheels but with caution and a guard. If they get bound up at all they can break apart and launch the grinder at you
Yes. When people are trying to do a multi hour project they are going to relax and the grinder will kickback.
There are some attachments that are not as bad, they are the more expensive attachments. I paid almost 200 for a ball gouge it works, but it is always dangerous. The scar on my face from when I was 23 can attest to that.(a metal working accident with a grinder)
Do you think a diamond turbo cup grinding wheel is safe, I used one for a masonry project earlier this year.
I was thinking about getting a carving wheel and “fooling around” it. This just changed my mind.
Thanks for your video and glad that you are okay.
Get a small chainsaw bar and a battery saw
You can try on of this wood grinding disks. Its like a rasp and not chainsaw.
12 Minutes Ago: "I need to get a blade for my angle grinder to make pallet dismemberment easier."
12 Seconds Ago: "I need to just stick to using a handsaw."
I find the reciprocating saw to be the ideal tool for that sort of work.
@@ImTheWinningest Yeah, so do I. though mine is a cheap-o that hurts my hands after a few minutes, so I'll switch over to a jigsaw, then maybe a circular saw if I'm doing a lot of pallets.
You can buy circular saw attachments for angle grinders. No doubt it would be safer than this chai saw one!
@@chrismccaffrey8256 not much safer.
Reciprocating saw is your better bet. Much safer!
This is by far the best and most important clip you have ever made. Thank you for being so clear and describing this in a no-nonsense approach. You have likely saved a good many injuries from happening. Thank you.
No matter how many times I see this encounter, I somehow sympathetically feel the pain you and others have experienced in that situation.
Thanks again for reminding us of the importance of safety in the workshop
Now, I most go into my workshop and put the blade guard back on my table saw.
The angle grinder is one of those tools that I never skip steps prior to turning the power on. I always seem to check and double check my plan of attack just because I know how quickly things can go bad. Your past two videos displayed and examined just that, very well done! I'm sorry that this happened to you and hope you have a speedy recovery. On a postive note, maybe these videos will create more awareness and prevent an injury to somebody watching.
They're scary even when using them appropriately.
@donkey ass reviews and do's I use them properly, but still scary. I'm always fearful someone will come up behind me, startle me and I'll drop it on my foot.
I wanted one of these discs for years, and I finally got one recently. Here's the irony - I bought it because I want to do some chainsaw carving, and I figured it was safer than a chainsaw. HA! Your analysis showed the physics of the thing. A chainsaw is safer because of the mass, the grip, and the kickback brake. AND - everyone knows how dangerous a chainsaw is, not like this sneaky thing.
Hope you heal well, and thanks for all the great content.
This video is literally saving people.
There used to be a larger version of that intended for petrol trimmers, quite effective for clearing brush and smaller trees (for those not into forestry, the eternal fight is having a blade that will not dull when hitting random rocks, while being able to cut through inch thick brush without any issues) . They were on the shelves for less than a year before they got "banned" (not sure if the government here actually did something or if the stores heard about some near-misses and stopped carrying them). When I first saw the angle grinder version, I thought "oh great, they made a version intended for you to hold in your hand, when the version intended to go at the end of a 2 meter pole wasn't even safe". Glad you're not hurt too severely, hope you heal up quick!
i know the grinder is probably unplugged but i start to feel lightheaded every time he rests his right hand on the top of that blade :(
Exactly what I was thinking. Should use better discipline similar to handling a firearm. Doesnt matter that its not loaded, dont point it at shit if you dont need to
Felt the exact same way
Yep - me too. Qweezy just watching it, and hoping the cord isn’t plugged in. Bad practice.
@@fordblue2257 Every firearm is loaded. And I guess every power tool is plugged in...
@@kaasmeester5903 its about discipline, clearly something you know nothing about
Must watch to everyone. From beginners to experienced woodworking professionals. Absolutely the best video about angle grinder safety.
Stumpy, I can’t thank you enough for turning this situation into a learning opportunity for all. I can only imagine how much sleep you have lost replaying this in your mind. This extremely aggressive tool, selected specifically to expedite hand carving, can instantly get ahead of the operator. As you said, the operator in this case attempted to reposition the tool for the next controlled pass and bumped the cutting edge into a ridge. I suspect the operator holds the grinder with a very firm and deliberate grip during the cutting pass, and then relaxes when then repositioning for the next pass. Clearly one can never relax with this tool in hand, including when the grinder is unplugged. Time to slow down and enjoy the action of those numerous hand planes 😊. Joel.....
Thank you for stopping me from the planned purchase of this accessory , and thanks also for making me more aware of the critical need for care when using an angle grinder.
This is the 3rd video of yours that I've watched, the first was about table saw kickback, the 2nd was about your accident with the angle grinder and this is the 3rd. Instant sub. You definitely make woodworking safer with your videos.
And almost killing himself in the process with every video... guy should be more attentive.
This is such a well done video, thanks for discussing this disc. I’ve been debating getting one for a while but my professor told me not too. Been studying why and this video is a great example, hope you heal well!
Hope your recovery is on track and you're back to doing your thing! Everything about this lesson was valuable! Thank you!
Have not done much wood working yet but I bought a whole bunch of tools and I am watching a whole bunch of videos on the subject before I jump in. I thank you and others like you for sharing your knowledge and years of insight. THANK YOU. SUBSCRIBED!!!!!
Your best safety video!A must watch for even the most experienced.
Thanks James. I was looking to get one of these... I’ll stick with the other sort that you were using! Glad you’re on the mend.
Many thanks for your humility and honesty. Huge respect!
It's very helpful that you show how quickly an accident can occur, even to an experienced woodworker. This gives your viewers reason to respect the use of the angle grinder.
Using an angle grinder to carve wood seems like an accident waiting to happen.
It was done waiting.
@@christheother9088 That is just wrong. I saw the video.
It’s completely retarded. The angle grinder spins at WAY more RPMS than a skill saw...
Most carpenters in a pinch have had to break out the ol “polish plane” (side to side blade action) passing over tight grains,to loose grains can cause an easy dig in and powerful yet somewhat pretty controllable kick...
The skill saw is far more heavy,gripped better,lower Rps,and only exposes half its blade....I’ve said it since the day those ridiculous things showed up in woodcraft.
“Whoever invented the chainsaw grinder attachment should be down right friggin ashamed”
A good grinder kick is completely un-fightable,it goes where it wants to go period.
The problem is these blades just do such an amazing job at power carving, high gain high risk, I hope your fingers heal fast.
no hate her, but they guy has a million dollar wood shop and is using an angle grinder to carve wood? I don't get it.
I feel so bad that you got hurt. You're one of my favorite teachers. Hope you heal well.
Wow, thank you for this. I’m definitely gonna implement additional precautions now. Speedy recovery ✌🏼.
Thank you for that articulate, accurate and informative video.
In watching the video I do see one thing that might have helped. You had moved the grinder far to your right, causing your left wrist to bend in such a way that the grinder ripped out of your thumb and your hand had no where to go. Had you taken a step or two to the right and pivoted your right hip in toward the work area you would be able to maintain a more secure, natural grip. It is possible the grinder would have kicked out and away toward your left side rather than twist in as it did.
David Meadow I completely agree! It doesn’t look like he has the best grip on the handle when it all goes sideways.
@@chrisnash2154 That looks like an 11 amp tool. No matter if he had it in a death grip once those teeth got traction in the wood the result was a given.
@@gordonhenderson1965 While I agree with what you're saying there, I also agree with David Meadow that, if he had been standing more to his right, more behind the tool, as opposed to having it wrenched around like that to his left with a mere 'flashlight grip' on the side handle, and had his hand fully on the side handle with his forearm perpendicular to the handle, then when it did dig in and go where it wanted, he wouldn't have been there, and it would have flown off to his left, into the air, not into him.
Nope, with these chainsaw teeth cutters it goes where it wants. I have one and it will go one way till it pulls the tool then the push comes. It’s a wild ride and isn’t controllable. If you think it is, you are lying to yourself.
JusBidniss Analogous to how to safely hold a chainsaw, but with these disks you are always cutting with the equivalent of the chainsaw kickback zone, which all safety courses tell you to avoid. Risky.
I bought one several years ago for my construction business and really liked what it could do. I hit some concrete and dulled the chain and it's been sitting around ever since. Probably for the better.
I was at Harbor Freight just this weekend, and saw that very blade. I thought to myself that I don't think I would ever use it.
It takes a lot of courage to admit failure, and wisdom to teach about that failure. Thanks very much for this video.
Hi. I've often thought about getting a carving wheel with no particular job in mind, they just look handy to have in you're arsenal. I have now completely changed my mind and wouldn't want one as a gift. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you! I always wanted one of those, for my grinder. I am so glad I never got one. Thank you again.
Already saw yesterday's video...and made comment. I will say again, I hate that you got hurt but, this incident has likely saved my life cause I was wanting one of those things. But if YOU , of all people, can get that badly hurt with one....I have no business with one. As I have said before, I am a novice at best and nerve damage has me 100 percent disabled. Combine those two facts and that makes that thing my death were I to try it. Thanks for these videos. Literally life savers.
Takes balls to do this job and this proves it.
Hope all will be well and hope people look, listen and learn. Get well soon SN!
Its a shame you take this warning as you have. Buy a LOW powered grinder. And hang onto it like its a slippery eel. This in itself makes it alot safer. Battery powered grinders often have less torque. However i do not understand your circumstances so we make wise judgement for ourselves. Using those paticular blades or any carving type blade is always more dangerous but flap disks for instance are more forgiving. Never be lulled into a false sence of security though with any power tool.
I have one of those chain saw angle grinder blades. It is still in it's package and now it will always stay there. Thanks !
@@hopefilledsinner3911 100% disabled due to nerve damage to my spinal cord in my neck. I wasnt expected to live or walk if I did. Wouldnt matter the power, with unreliable nerves, anything could go wrong. Here's the thing, Stumpy is a master craftsman and is a premium professional....if it could happen to him like that, a total novice with some very bad nerve damage would be suicide to try. Plain and simple. As for holding on like its a slippery eel, there are times that the harder you try to hang on, the more likely its gonna slip out of your control. Not to mention that doing that will compromise your control and keep you from letting go when you should if you can in time. Iam disabled and a novice but I am also 54 years old and seen quite a few things in this life. No, I agree with Stumpy, this tool should not be out there, there are other options that will do the job without near as much risk.
Likewise.
Thank you for producing this video and ALL of the safety-related videos you have produced over the years. Your videos have made my use of wood working tools safer and have made me respect the inherent power and potential danger with many of the tools that I use. I understand that accidents can happen but "stepping back" for a moment and thinking about what I'm about to do and asking myself if this is the absolutely safest way to do it, along with safety-related videos, have made me a more confident woodworker.
Thank you once again for your safety videos. I found the shots of the accident difficult to watch but took on board all your analysis of the incident. I’m glad you didn’t get more badly hurt.
WoW..! That was one crazy ride.. I’m glad your okay & teaching your experiences to others. 👍
Glad you are doing well ! I used an angle grinder at work for 30 years. They are like holding a bull by the horns. Stay safe keep the helpful videos coming
Glad to see these honest talks about risk and safety.
Thanks for having the courage to post. I've been tempted to buy one of those cutters but they seemed too dangerous. No more. Hope you heal completely.
Your TH-cam name was almost a direct description of Your hand
I always assumed it was a semi humorous reference to the stories of woodworkers losing fingers.
@@mysterymanforu well yeah but it would have desribed him directly if that was any worse of an accident
10-4 on that!! In fact, I changed the sign in my shop from 'THINK SAFETY' to 'THINK STUMPY NUBS' !
Beat me to it.
I’ve seen this chain carving disk. Was thinking about getting one, after watching this video, not so much anymore. Thanks for the info.
I wanted one also, just never got around to it. I definitely am passing now. Thanks 🙏 for the video. Signed - The ten fingered man.
Thank you so much for sharing this; glad you’re not worse off. You got my attention, I never use the angle grinder without some anxiety, so I will take even more steps to reduce operator error.
Thank you for sharing. Respect to the power tools, especially the angle grinder. Glad your injury wasn’t any worse than it was. Keep up the great work with your channel. It’s great to have an intelligent, grounded, well presented, informative wood working channel.
And just like that I lost any interest I might have had in doing power carving with an angle grinder. Great video James, thanks.
I've been using a Dremel for a few years, and I just got my first angle grinder a few days ago, but haven't really used it yet. I've used them plenty times before though, just never owned one..
I'm glad I saw this video because my brain seemed to think that a grinder is pretty harmless compared to "big saws", and that it's just a big Dremel.
It's funny how the brain can trick you into thinking things are safe, just because you've never seen them at their worst. A lot of new drivers also have this lack of fear if they've never been in a car accident. A good dose of fear is very educational.
Thanks!
Thank you for this video. I've been thinking of purchasing one the last few weeks. Now I don't need one. Be safe and heal. Build on. Will continue to follow you.
I'm so glad that you're doing okay and you weren't injured worse! I don't know what I'd do without your videos! Angle grinders have always scared me and I've only used one a few times, generally with my husband around. He's a Metal worker so he has like 5 angle grinders.
2 years ago i got one of these and it ate my arm up! 100% should remove these from the market. I did a cut with mine and it was fine because i had the wood propped up infront of the cut so it wont bind and i had the guard adjusted and everything. But half way through my cut the grinder was suddenly not in my hands anymore. I looked down and it was tangled in my shirt sleeve. It snagged so violently on that wood that it just shot out of my hand. I moved my sleeve and found out it ripped and 4-5 in gash in my forearm and down to my bone. It was absolutely disgusting because those jagged teeth made my forearm look like hamburger meat. I was losing so much blood and because my girlfriend is vary squeamish i had to calm down and vary calmly poke my head in the house and ask for a old shirt NOW and get me to the hospital NOW! I didn’t tell her what happened the whole way because I didn’t want her to pass out if she saw it and not be able to drive. It took alot of stiches and now i have a huge scar because it removed so much meat from my arm so my body had so fill that huge gap with all scar tissue. The cut was about an inch wide and now 2 years later the scar is 1/2 to 3/4 in wide. Do not! Do not! DO NOT EVER but this blade!!! Im a big strong guy and i had a 2 hand hold on this and i had no control over it. The dr said my long sleeve shirt could have been what saved me because the shirt got tangled in it when it hit me and stopped it but if I wasn’t wearing a long sleeve shirt she believed my flesh wouldn’t have slowed it down enough and it could have hit me in the face or neck and at that point she said I wouldn’t have ever made it to the hospital in time. I will continue to tell this story until i see people stop buying these blades. I even post this on an amazon add for this in the reviews. I got it at harbor freight and i went there weeks later and showed them the pics and what happened and they wanted to pull them off the shelf but ofcorse this never happened. Let me know if anyone wants to see the pics and I will figure a way to post them somewhere!
vanja zecevic thats what im thinking. I don’t even know what made me think it was a good idea to buy it. Now that I think about it it had bad idea written all over it lol
I'll take a look, add Imgur link
Johnny James how do i do that
@@jimboneutron8399 just Google Imgur you can upload pics, it gives you a link to copy and paste. If you look at another comment somewhere here, another guy has a pic of his injury, it ran all the way up the front of his shirt and hit his neck!. Hold on and I'll reply with a link of my biggest scar which I have tried to warn people about how oven doors only take 20kg to topple am oven, it acts as a lever. When I was a kid I had boiling water topple over with the stove when I meant on the oven door. Experiments of mine later on showed it only takes 20kgs to topple a stove with a lot of water on the back burner.
so you are %100 convinced that it is inevitable that you will injure yourself if using one of those blades?...
dont get me wrong, it sounds like your accident was extremely serious.
However, my thought process tells me this isn't any more dangerous than a Chainsaw... (i understand that saws have a break, but a chainsaw is just as unpredictable as a that grinder in the wrong hands.
I believe that with the right amount of understanding and experience, these tools they can be just as safe as any other powered cutting tool... After all, there is a whole industry that thrives on using exactly that and loggers dont seem to all be missing limbs or phalanges.
Sorry you had that accident James. I also have been a victim of a freak accident when my index finger touched a router bit in a trim router spinning at 30 k rpm. I was simply wrapping my hand around the bottom when my finger went into the tool opening of the guard. It sure taught me a good lesson after loosing my finger print for a few months. I'm glad you are doing better. Peace.
Thank again you for posting.
Hope for a full recovery.
I appreciate it that you are sharing your (bad) experience with us to keep us safe! I learned alot from this video ... thanks from NL.
So glad "Stumpy Nubs" did not become a reality. Hope you heal quickly.
What a legend, giving us the play by play of his own misfortune.
Thanks for sharing this. This is a tool that I personally did not see as such a safety issue but you’ve opened up my eyes for sure!!!
Glad I saw this! Not getting one of those now ! Thanks fir the heads up
Seen these, decided they look too dangerous so never bought, didn't know why, now I do. Thanks for posting!
Glad you're recovering. I know it took a lot of courage to edit this footage and relive such a difficult accident. Be well.
really appreciate you sharing this. Really like the technical aspect of how tools work which can help keep people safe
Thank you for your presentation and the use of the accident footage. Both items were easy to understand and create a powerful case for caution in the workplace. Heal well and happy woodworking.
Thank you for mentioning the dangers of grinding with a wire wheel and your clothing. I was about 17 when I was using a very old heavy grinder with a cup brush. The wire brush caught my shirt and pulled so violently on it it knocked me to my knees and I thought someone had hit me on my shoulder with a baseball bat. TUCK IN YOUR SHIRTS!!!
Dennis White Over the last few weeks I’ve noticing myself making stupid moves a couple of times. My shop is getting a ‘No loose clothing. No drawstrings. Button up!’ sign tonight.
@@davidhawley1132 That's a wise move David. The hard part is on really hot days. I'm 66 now but that day stuck in my head.
It was so close in getting me too. It kicked back at me and went straight to my left thigh. Luckily my cellphone was in my pocket and stopped it from cutting into me. An angel was looking down on me that day for sure. 🙌
Not an angle grinder but a grinder angel
This is precisely why I wear titanium boxer shorts. Wedgies hurt like hell and going to the bathroom is a chore but you've protection where you need it.
There's a big artery in that region, if properly severed you're unlikely to survive.
i Angel
... then the battery blew. ;)
Thank you for sharing your experience and warnings about being careful!
Thank you so much for this post. Glad your ok. Seeing that kickback gave me chills.
I had a similar issue with my dremel. While i did not get hurt, i did get careless sharpening a lawn mower blade. After a minor kickback, i re-evaluated how i held it and my stance. After that, no more issues. I keep my grinder for cutting so i don't use it much. My inexperience makes me respect the tool even more.
Never liked the look of those blades anyway. Chainsaw blades belong on a chainsaw.
And chainsaws have a chain brake. Grinders don't.
...where they are still, just as dangerous...ever see a chain saw kick back that sends the chainsaw straight at your face/head? It does happen!
@@hdrjunkie ; It boils down to watching what you are doing and never getting arrogant.
I absolutely hate chainsaws. I am more scared of them than any other tool. I use them regularly, but after each time I feel like I've just won at Russian Roulette. This gimmick on a grinder shouldn't be legal, and as soon as I saw it I knew bad things were going to happen. Grinders are my other least favorite tool to use, and that's with a friction disc on them. God damn, why would you want something capable of removing a finger in half a revolution, spinning at 9000rpm an inch from your hand with only minimal control?
And only then out of absolute necessity
In Australia we call this setup a “Meat Axe”.
True mate. There's so many videos on TH-cam with people using grinders without the guard it not even funny. Those Arbotech discs are super dangerous.
@@johnellison3030 my boss uses his grinder with no guard, no handle, no safely glasses. It's a miracle he has reached 74
Daniel Budd is that an electric or an air powered grinder?
Maybe we can start calling it the Darwin Blade =)
James Anthony Nicely done.
Glad you are healing with all fingers. Serves us all as a sobering reminder how easy an injury happens
I love your calm, clear delivery. After seeing this video, I will avoid using an angle grinder with cutting teeth. Until now, I have only used mine for grinding; never even considered it for cutting wood. I'll keep using it only for grinding. You may have saved me an injury.
I've used one of those for years and while they are effective in removing a large amount of material quite quickly, they are extremely aggressive. For me, the trick in using it is to never..NEVER, push forward with it.. always pull it backwards, and use light strokes.. you push that cutter blade forward and it's going to be violent every time
i agree, light pull strokes the way he was positioned. still good infotmation.
@@juanporter4137 there are no teeth on that side of the tool. so what is the point
I said my piece on the other video, but I remember when a piece of wood I was positioning on the router table just brushed against the spinning bit. One second it was in my hand and next it was flying across the yard leaving me with [thankfully] just a bruise. You really don't believe in the speed and force until you experience it - and you have NO reaction time [for those who still think they can react quick enough] to do anything to avoid becoming a statistic. Guards etc should not give you a sense of security, they should just be painted red, to remind you of the inherent danger EVERY power tool conceals. Wishing you a full recovery, James esp that tendon, and thank your god it wasn't worse.
And watching the video he had an excellent reaction time. Basically as soon as it ran across his fingers he was letting go and putting distance between him and the spinning blade of death. He has good reaction time, problem is it's just too fast to react to.
Great evaluation, and I do agree with your conclusion. I was planning on getting one of these to shape a chair seat, but after viewing this - no way! I know using our tools do bring risks, but in most cases these risks are manageable with the use of guards, learning defensive positions and procedures, and sometimes just plain awareness. That thing is just a really bad accident waiting for a victim. It took real courage to share the cause of your injury and it is appreciated. Thanks
Thank you so much for sharing your experience and thank you for all those useful information. I will make sure to adopt all the precautions next time I use such a grinder.
When I was a wee lad me dad says to me don’t ever lose the fear or respect of it (what ever it’ is) that’s when it will get you
Thank you for being so honest!! I hope you heal soon!! Cheers PS I’m glad you didn’t become your channel name!!! 😂😂
Stumpy, This post was a wake-up call for me. I used several versions of hand grinders on wood and metal, many of which were large and heavy and was very careful with them. Then, along came the "four inch" angle grinder that seemed to be a toy after using a seven and 1/2" for years. Today's clip reminded me to think about how this "toy" has treated me over the 58 years that we have worked together. Over the years, the injuries that I have had were due to the toy grinder were 12 and that's about 30 % of all my tool wounds. Thanks Bud.
Much appreciated. Clearly, though, not a “freak accident”, but a likely outcome with a tool that is intolerant of less than perfect operation. You seem to have apprehended how you contributed to this outcome. Given time, all too easy for any operator to suffer a similar calamity- especially when not committing to every hedge against such a mishap. Skill and experience cultivate expectations- which may lead to compromised decision making, such as adopting an expedient posture rather than reorienting work or switching tools/techniques. Demonstrations- such as yours -are priceless for bridging the experience-expectation gap. Thanks again.
An angle grinder was going to be my next investment. I think I'll take a pass on that one. Thank you so much for putting out videos on safety. I've been feeling my way through safety in my shop for years, with no mentor to teach me or pass on their wisdom. This series of safety videos is absolutely what I needed as I'm out there working every day with woodworking power tools. Common sense and a healthy dose of realism has kept me injury-free over the last 25 years. Thankfully, my immortal years are behind me. But it's incredibly helpful to no longer speculate or be in the dark about the capabilities any given tool has to injure me, and how. Thank you illuminating those dark areas and for this series. I'll be watching every single episode.
I'm old enough to unfortunately be very familiar with Murphy's Law. Until they have had an accident with power tools, many people do not know the power of electrical motors. They spin at very high RPMs and can instantly cause a very bad day. I've split the end of my finger on a table saw and drilled a quarter inch bit all the way through my finger. I know what it's like driving to ER with a rag wrapped around my fingers. James is absolutely right that all the precautions can't prevent the freak accident. The best added insurance is to be focused and vigilant at your work and anticipate that whatever could go wrong, will go wrong.
Angle grinders add to the "fun" by having bigger faster motors than most of our other hand tools + a gearbox to multiply that torque and turn it 90* to the angle you're holding it in.
I always tell people getting into power tools "Familiarity breeds Contempt" and then "Pride comes before the fall".... No how sweet you are to a tool it is still there to kill you..
No matter how familiar you are with a tool or machine, complacency is your worst enemy... I have been around mechanical equipment, machinery, and tools my entire adult life . I have heard many tales about, witnessed,and even experienced what can happen when things go wrong in a split second. Several years ago this happened to me when I was performing routine maintenance on a machine I was completely familiar with and had performant the maintenance item very many times with no problems. My hand was Severely injured just like James's because I was complacent for only a moment. I was also lucky in that I did not lose any fingers but I do have nerve damage I will have to live with for the rest of my life. It is a constant reminder to what can happen when you don't pay attention and stay focused. I know I was very lucky.😰 I still have all of my fingers.👋
Thank you! I am sure you have saved more than one person from a serious injury. You are doing a good thing here.
Really appreciate your safety tips. Maybe they deserve their own playlist.
I bought one of those wheels and I never used it.. After watching your video, I never will. Thanks for this video..
Thanks for taking the time to film and share this. I've used an angle grinder for years, but thankfully never experienced the kind of thing you've shared here. Consider your experience a lesson learned for at least this viewer.
Recovering from an angle grinder injury at the moment. Heavy well fitted clothes saved my life. I got well sliced up. Thank you for your tutorials
Thanks for sharing. Working at Construction industry. Seen at those blades at the shop but never at site. And that is how I plan to keep it!
This is a prime example of why I hate seeing guys using angle grinders without blade guards all together. They think that they can over power the grinder if it catches or because they hold it off center that will save them from a injury. This shows that reaction time is no where near fast enough to avoid this kind of thing and freak accidents can't be anticipated.
My first thought is that this video should be considered by wood-working and apprenticeship programs as part of a curriculum on Safety. At face value the presenter is providing a scenario based on personal experience. I don't see the presenter trying to make an excuse for something that could or could not have been prevented. Things like this should be shared for those who are inexperienced as it could be used as a teaching aid. As far as stance, grip and other perceived factors go, I did not see any carelessness or absence of forethought. Shit happens. I appreciate the focus on physics.
I do wish I had said more about how using the side of the disc is safer than the toe. I don't believe it would have helped in THIS case because the kickback was so violent it would have spun that grinder like a top. But it may help in a lot of other cases. But I added that to the comments above. Anyway, thanks for the kind words :)
I do see a mistake in his positioning. He was working over the top of his piece and grinding somewhat towards his body with a thick slab between him and the tool giving him a false sense of being safe. His left wrist,arm came in contact with the top of his piece and yet he kept carving. That continuation cause him to slightly loosen his grip with the left hand right before it climbed up and over. I would have carved from opposite side, with the tool perpendicular to your body and the action furthest away from you. The carve result would be exactly the same with left and right hands switched and the direction of carve and rotation would be the same. Just my experienced opinion.
@@jimkemp5174 I noticed the same thing. I have many years of experience with grinders polishing and shaping stone, cutting metal etc. I don't think that blade was meant to be used at the angle he was using it. I must admit i haven't used one yet but the whole situation looked goofy. Usually you can tell which position for a tool of any kind is going to end up being dangerous and the high side of that looked awkward as well. It seemed like he was dragging it.
@@johnsrabe I might post this more directly but the critical error was placement of the guard. It should have been rotated so the the "push/kickback" side of the cutter would not contact the work.
"I don't see the presenter making an excuse for something that could or could not have been prevented."
7:34 Hmm.. 🤔
Thank you for sharing this information. I appreciate you taking the time to do this ....
Stumpy, I applaud you for having the nerve to discuss your accident in the hope that someone (everyone?) learns from them. I've been on the receiving end of a couple workshop accidents myself over the years.
I was just looking at one of these blades last week,glad I didn’t get it.
I really hope you heal quickly and completely, James. The timing of this video is perfect because I planned to order one those manglers. I honestly hadn’t thought about the potential for injuries.
Thank you for sharing your experience.
Thanks for this video I recently bought that attachment to try to learn sculpting however after watching yours and a few other videos I have decided that it is going to go straight in the trash!
Firstly, thanks so much for posting this and we are all happy that the incident didn't make your moniker valid!
I did read your READ BEFORE COMMENTING. But I still think that there are two issues to address.
You do say that you would be tossing that chainsaw disk, but then you go on to explain how to use it safer. The Lancelot is just plain dangerous (this is from someone who climbs trees with chainsaws) and I feel that the real takeaway from your video should be DON'T. I know that most of your discussion was general angle grinder safety, well said and I did learn from that, (thank you). And, from scanning the comments, many have come away from the video with that warning anyway (thank you). And it's a free country, mostly.
I disagree with your description of the physics/dynamics of the incident as described in the video. The Lancelot disk is designed for kickback. Period. On a commercial chainsaw bar, maybe 1/4th of the tip radius is considered the kickback zone (not counting bow bars). The Lancelot kickback zone is 360°. All of it. I know that there are those who have used it for years without incident, but there are plenty of safer alternatives. I use an Arbortech (no financial connection; not even sure where they're made) for feet on turned bowls and hogging out bowls on some spoons. A real pleasure to use and infinitely safer.
These are minor quibbles. I'm mostly an anarchist, but I wouldn't have a problem with the Lancelot being banned or sued out of existence. Please know that I appreciate this brave and important video.
When I first got into wood working I had a friend who taught me how to use a wood lathe, and he had one of those chainsaw disc. He told me "This thing is Dangerous!" He told me not to get one. I allways thought of him whenever I saw those and I never bought one. I'm glad your ok and pray for your full recovery!
Sorry for your accident and glad you are ok. Thank you for the video, I just removed the blade from my HF shopping cart! I was just going to use it for cutting branches but I guess the saws all sawzall will do fine.