So I almost cut my arm off with an angle grinder

[boilerguy666]

Originally Posted by elliot_peas

I had taken the guard off to remove floor bolts, forgot to put it back on, and was using it overhead to take the ceiling panels down. I lost my grip when it got caught and it landed in my shoulder. Now I might have to sell the bus to pay for the medical bills.

PSA don't be a dumbass like me!


Anyway, do y'all have advice about getting the ceiling panels off without major injuries? Other than "put the guard back on" because I don't think I'll have the arm strength to hold that thing any time soon and also I'm just not ever putting it over my head again. I tried tapping the rivets with a drill and it works for the slightly rusted wall panels but the ceiling enamel makes the drill bit just bounce around. Maybe I can take it off with a wire brush.

Anybody near Asheville want to come give me a hand? I'm scheduling friends as spotters for the next time I pick up a power tool.

This is what I did to remove the ceiling panels from a 2003 Blue Bird Conventional. I used an air gun with a punch attached on the rivets and punched them in. I then used the same gun with a chisel attachment against the heads and popped them right off. You will need a second pair of hands to catch the panel as is comes down which can be a bit awkward as it will release quite quickly.

[cadillackid]

what cut-off wheels are good? the one that exploded on me was a dewalt wheel.. and I wasnt even on it hard.. luckily the guard caught the fragments but im interested to know what wheels seem to have the best chances of staying together in your guys experience?


-Christopher

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

what cut-off wheels are good? the one that exploded on me was a dewalt wheel.. and I wasnt even on it hard.. luckily the guard caught the fragments but im interested to know what wheels seem to have the best chances of staying together in your guys experience?


-Christopher

We used like 6-8 HF cutoffs doing Roll Your Own. And lots of grinder discs.
None exploded and we didn't exactly baby them.

[Tango]

Hate to admit it...but the wheels from The Depot are a better grade than those at Horrible Fright. But I usually stock up at my steel supply house with their brand. Cheaper than HD, more than HF but can't recall a name.

[BlackJohn]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

what cut-off wheels are good? the one that exploded on me was a dewalt wheel.. and I wasnt even on it hard.. luckily the guard caught the fragments but im interested to know what wheels seem to have the best chances of staying together in your guys experience?


-Christopher

I do not think it's the wheels being cheap or expensive...it's all about technique. You flinch or something, poof, you loose. That wheel has to remain straight in the cut, not wobble to the side and jamb, catch or put one in surgery.



John

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by BlackJohn

I do not think it's the wheels being cheap or expensive...it's all about technique. You flinch or something, poof, you loose. That wheel has to remain straight in the cut, not wobble to the side and jamb, catch or put one in surgery.



John

THIS^

I've literally cut steel for decades. I've used the expensive stuff and the cheap stuff. Run what ya brung.

[Tango]

I agree that technique is 95% of the problem but have also seen that the really cheap wheels will tolerate far less before coming apart. Like some others here been chopping all kinds of steel for several decades.

[EastCoastCB]

Pretty sure the shop I worked in used Radnor stuff.
I'm not saying HF stuff is great. But it gets the job done and its cheap and easy to get. they do wear down a bit quicker than the good ones.

[Ninjakitty]

Also have to make sure the blade is rated for the grinder. Different grinders have different speeds. The words of what the ratings are called cannot make it past my foggy brain. But if your grinder will spin at "X" speed and the cut wheel is rated for less, you may have a bad time.

In my youth, I used a grinder with a wire wheel and no type of protective gear. Well, it shot off towards my face and I got my arm up in time for my wrist to take the brunt of it. Scars not too bad now, but this scar is about 12-15 years old.

Now I always wear gloves, safety glasses, face shield, and leave the guard on.

[cadillackid]

ive had wires fly out of wire wheels before. face shields, gloves and long sleeves have kept me from having to dig wires out of myself..

[Sleddgracer]

Originally Posted by Gdog 5651

Have been doing metal fab work for 40+ years and I have all 10 fingers and toes. Whenever I can (which is almost always) I use the guards that came with the tools always eye protection I was not too good about ear protection until my 50's hence my needing 2 fairly powerful hearing aids.When I raised the roof on my bus I removed the rub rail and forward and rearmost ceiling panel rivets with a 40grit flap disc took almost no time and was a very smooth operation and took two discs and left a nice smooth surface for refinishing.

I'll have to try that - I have a two speed angle sander/grinder, a high speed angle grinder, and a very high speed, lightweight, zip cutter - I love the zip cutter when fabricating things -it's light and fast and easy to be accurate with - but that big sander/grinder with 40 grit paper sounds worth a try

[Gdog 5651]

Originally Posted by Tango

I agree that technique is 95% of the problem but have also seen that the really cheap wheels will tolerate far less before coming apart. Like some others here been chopping all kinds of steel for several decades.

Technique is part but if you pay attention to your usage I think you will see that a quality cutoff wheel lasts quite a bit longer than cheaper discs I don't know if the longevity makes them more or less economical but I also know that better quality cutoff wheels are thinner and make thinner kerfs than HF wheels when I am just lopping off chunks HF wheels are ok if I am caring about the cut and it's a small amount quality wheel larger amounts plasma cutter. Gene

[MambaJack]

So I remember when this thread came out and I was like man, i am super careful, pretty experienced. shirley that wouldn't happen to me.

Tonight i was cutting a piece of angle for my propane rack with a cutoff wheel, and the grinder kicked back caught on my shorts and I ended up with a very very lucky significant, but shallow cut on my inner thigh. No gaurd, I had taken it off to get into some tight spot somewhere. stupid is...

It wasn't great, but could have been a bad bad deal, still coming off the adrenaline. so much for learning from others peoples mistakes. Thanks to the op for posting in the first place.

whew

[Frogpondfoug]

Let's see the wound

[MambaJack]

Could have been way worse

[Danjo]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

what cut-off wheels are good? the one that exploded on me was a dewalt wheel.. and I wasnt even on it hard.. luckily the guard caught the fragments but im interested to know what wheels seem to have the best chances of staying together in your guys experience?


-Christopher

You know they have an expiration date? I never knew why. Maybe this is why?

[PNW_Steve]

Knock on wood... I have not used any blood via the angle grinder.

I did try and kill Asetechrail with one. I learned a new level of respect.

I was cutting one of the lift brackets off and got hung up. It yanked the grinder out of my hands. It flew out of the window and nailed Kent square in the chest. I think that it nearly knocked him down. He shrugged it off like it was nothing. I felt terrible.

[musigenesis]

So far my only angle grinder accidents are 1) cutting through some of the wires leading to the back while removing my ceiling panels, and 2) an indirect accident where I cut a bit of metal off the end of a piece of angle iron I was bending and shaping, and then somehow managed to scrape the hot end of the cut piece along my forearm, making a nice three-inch-long burn.

[PNW_Steve]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

THIS^

I've literally cut steel for decades. I've used the expensive stuff and the cheap stuff. Run what ya brung.

I had very limited experience with an angle grinder when I started this project. I'm learning....

I had some Norton cutoff wheels on the shelf. I put a previously used Norton to cut the back roof. I got to about the halfway mark and dinged the cutoff wheel. I used four Harbor Freight wheels to finish it.

The portion of the cut made with the Norton was much straighter than the portion cut with the HF wheels.

I don't know squat about cutoff wheels but I do know how they worked for me.

[Doktari]

That sucks. Hopefully she made a full recovery. Was that a carbide cutoff wheel in the picture? I’ve seen carbide blades that say for ferrous metal.
I had such death grip on my angle grinder I had to go the emergency room to unclench my fists from it. Not really but you get the point. The thing scares me obviously. The HF cutting wheels in my town might be different. I can’t get them to blow apart try as I might.
Chain mail,.... she might be onto something. What about Kevlar? I just bought a Motorcycle. Maybe I’ll use the the protective gear when cutting as I don’t have much else.