Wire cup brush in die grinder

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kennyb

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Had a fellow in the shop install a wire cup brush on his right angle air powered die grinder. Was using it to remove some hardened gasket material in a tight spot. First, you never put a wire brush in something that revs that high. Second, you always wear safety glasses when using a die grinder, he didn't. A wire came out of the brush and puntured his eyeball. It was sticking out about 3/8 of an inch. The only good thing is that he's going to be alright. Sometimes you just have to really think before you do things. Another one I remember from years ago. A friend of mine was working at a building supply company. A customer asked about a large Porter Cable hand held belt sander. Ed puts it up on the counter and says "wait till you feel the torque in this baby" and reaches down behind the counter and plugs it in. Well, the last person who handled it had locked the trigger in the on position. I think it had 80 grit on the belt and it took off like a top fuel dragster. The fellow caught it on his chest just as the cord reached it's end and the plug pulled out. Left a heavy mark on the countertop. Scared the s**t out of everyone. The guy bought the sander. We still laugh about that one till today, but it wasn't funny when it happened and it could have ended real bad.
Ken
 
Hi Kenny,
Your belt sander story reminds me of a woodworkers show in London a few years ago, where they organized belt sander "drag races", well, it amused a few people and appalled some others.
Ned
 
I heard a story about a guy who got a metal splinter in the eye, got the splinter out but then his eye was watering and he thought it was just the eye's normal reaction to a foreign body. It turns out that the watering was the aqueous humor leaking out the eyeball, the splinter had punctured the eye. When he woke up the next morning his eyeball was deflated, irreplably damaged and he lost the sight of that eye.
I also once had a one-eyed workmate who lost an eye as a kid, shot in the eye with a rubber band.
Take care,
Ant
 
Good post, awful, unfortunate stories but something everybody can learn from hopefully. I remember using a wire brush in a dremmel and could feel the bristles pinging out onto my skin. You don't realise how dangerous they are at the time. Those cutting discs are dangerous too, usually shatter if you move at all.

Nick
 
you should use a full face shield and long sleeves with wire brushes, steel or brass, you only have two eyes
 

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