How to Put a Disc on an Angle Grinder
Angle grinder is a useful device, which should be in the arsenal of any master. It allows you to perform a range of complex and important tasks, but use it with caution so as not to get injured. The rules for using an angle grinder will be described in this article.
An angle grinder can work properly without endangering oneself, it is possible only to be extremely assembled and attentive. The device should not even be picked up, being unhealthy, tired and intoxicated. Inattention can cost you a lot when using a grinder. In some cases, negligence leads to very serious injuries, and sometimes to the death of a negligent master.
The main condition for correct work with the tool is the use of glasses and a protective casing. The work of an angle grinder necessarily leads to the scattering of sparks, metal fragments, scale and abrasive particles. If you do not protect your face and eyes, there is a high chance of injury. It is best to use a mask or goggles. The fragments and sparks from the angle grinder fly along complex paths, so they can fly under the glasses if in some part they are not tight enough to the body. The mask is best used with a safety net, since during operation there is a possibility of separation from the circle of fragments that fly at high speed and can penetrate unarmoured protective equipment.
Now all new angle grinders come with a casing, which is required for use
The first barrier between the grinder operator and the spinning wheel is the protective cover. In practice, circles are often destroyed during operation, which usually occurs due to jamming of the circle in the slot. The casing is fixed on the tool so that it protects the person from sparks and possible fragments in case of their appearance. The casing must be fixed on the machine as reliably and firmly as possible in order to completely eliminate the likelihood of its spontaneous rotation. Of course, working with the casing is more difficult and less convenient than without it, but when removing this protective screen, you expose yourself to unnecessary danger.
To work with an angle grinder, you need not only a casing and a protective mask, but also hand protection. Mittens or gloves. Your hands will be very close to the spinning circle, therefore they should be protected from sparks and all kinds of fragments. We recommend using thick leather gloves or gloves to protect your hands; cotton products cannot protect you reliably.
When processing concrete and stone materials, it is also necessary to use a special respirator. It will protect the respiratory tract from dust. All your clothes should be wide and well tucked, any dangling part of the clothes can be tightened in a circle rotating at high speed, and cause injury.
The angle grinder allows you to perform different types of work, process various materials, and for each of them should use an abrasive tool specially designed for this. Using the wrong circle, you increase the likelihood of a split and endanger yourself. Never place disks larger than those designed for this model on the device.
Small angle grinders are distinguished from larger ones by a higher rotational speed of the disk. Circles of large diameters can simply not withstand too high rotational speeds and collapse. This applies to both new circles, and used, and because of this, decreased in size. Another reason to abandon large circles is that to use such a disk you have to remove the casing that protects the operator, and this is completely unacceptable. Over, large circles create a large load on the tool nodes. It wears out faster and can soon fail.
You can put the disk on the angle grinder if it matches the device used and does not have any damage. Cracks, potholes, chips and other violations of circularity or plane significantly increase the likelihood of a back strike and the resolution of the circle during operation.
Diamond blades for angle grinder should be chosen at least medium in price and quality
For safety reasons, it is completely forbidden to install saw blades for wood on angle grinders. Very often, such actions lead to tragic consequences, so do not repeat the mistakes of others if your life is important to you. Sawing wood with an angle grinder should not be for several reasons. Firstly, a tree is a heterogeneous material in which there are knots, and sometimes foreign bodies, such as nails, because of which the circle can break at high speeds. Secondly, such work is simply not practical. Because of the high revolutions, the wood discs will quickly become dull.
In order to use the angle grinder safely, after installing the disk, it is necessary to check the operation of the device at idle at maximum speed for 60 seconds. During testing, the circle should spin freely, with minimal vibration, without touching the protective cover.
It is equally important to qualitatively fix the workpieces before work. The dead weight can rarely guarantee complete immobility of the object, therefore it is best to fix the materials in a vice or clamps on heavy structures. Do not attempt to handle objects held in your hands. This will violate two safety requirements immediately, which state:
- 1. The angle grinder must be held with both hands.
- 2. The workpiece to be machined must be fixed.
Holding the workpiece by hand, you increase the likelihood of displacement of the part and jamming of the circle. You should completely eliminate the bending of the workpiece in the area of the cut, especially if it can narrow the cut. This will almost inevitably cause a disk clamp and a kickback.
Despite the danger, the angle grinder can be used safely if safety precautions are taken and no errors are made. To do this, hold the tool with only two hands. With a reliable hold of the device, even a back strike will not lead to a strong displacement and loss of it from the hands. It is also necessary to ensure that the position of the whole body is as stable as possible, without the risk of losing balance.
Work with the device so that the power cord is always away from the rotating circle. If the cord is near, you can cut it, in addition, it can be pulled to the disk, which will create a danger of short circuit or a sudden stop of rotation with displacement of the tool.
The machine must not be allowed to go until the movement of the disc has completely stopped. If you do not fulfill this requirement, you can catch on a rotating disk for any objects or surfaces. You can only switch from one work area to another place with the machine turned off, otherwise the circle can grab your clothes. In case of interruptions in the power supply network, the angle grinder must be turned off from the outlet, otherwise it can turn on uncontrolled when electricity is restored.
Do not forget that during operation the discs can become very warm, they should not be touched until they have completely cooled down. Make sure that all unauthorized persons are at a safe distance from the instrument, because abrasive particles can harm not only you but also others.
The angle grinder can start work. It is possible to make contact of the rotating disk with the material or the workpiece only when the spindle reaches full revolutions, otherwise the disk may jam. Manufacturers of devices recommend cutting so that the tool always moves in the same direction in which the mounted disk rotates. So you protect yourself from the sudden exit of the circle from the slot made.
Think seven times. Cut one off!
Many users do not comply with this recommendation, since with such a tool, a stream of sparks from under the circle hides the markings applied to the workpiece. If you lead the device in the opposite direction, you can easily control the accuracy of cutting, but because of this, the violation of safety precautions does not cease to be such. And when choosing between convenience and security, it is better to give preference to the second.
It is extremely important to ensure the correct position of the tool throughout the entire process of its use. The fishing line should not rest against the operator, it should pass by, away from you. In case of jamming, jamming of the circle, the jet movement of the apparatus will continue away from the person. When cutting, you do not need to press the tool hard, give the angle grinder the ability to perform cutting yourself. A heavy load on the device can lead to distortion and even jamming of the circle. Your task is to direct and adjust the tool, you need to click on it only sometimes and not very much. Never turn on the tool if the circle is located in the cut, cutting metal and other materials in this case with a high probability will end with a back strike.
It is imperative to comply with safety regulations during grinding work. You do not need to use very thin circles for grinding, as well as cutting wheels that are not designed to perform such work. They can break. Grinding should be done with the edge of the disc at an angle of 15-40 degrees to the surface. The tool should be moved with moderate pressure forward and backward. After installing a new, unused disk, it is better to work with it in one direction first. Forward. If you take it back, it can crash into the work surface. After rounding the disc, they can work in both directions.
For cutting tiles, stone and concrete substrates, use special circles. When working with these materials there is a lot of dust hazardous to health. It is best to organize an automatic dust extraction using a construction vacuum cleaner connected to a protective casing. Otherwise, be sure to use a respirator. To reduce the amount of dust, it is necessary to ventilate the room during operation, as well as to suppress dust with a stream of water, which is sent to the cut. For this you need an assistant.
Angle grinder can be used for various works, including for chipping. When cutting walls, in which there may be reinforcement, as well as elements of utilities, you must be especially careful and careful. If the disc comes into contact with such elements, a short circuit or reverse shock may occur. Therefore, before carrying out work in unfamiliar places, one should definitely study the presence of communications in the walls.
No combustible materials or flammable liquids should be inside or near the working area. Keep away from the angle grinder the product and any objects that could be damaged by sparks and abrasive fragments. If such things cannot be removed, it is best to cover them with a wet rag. In humid rooms, for use, an angle grinder should be connected through an RCD. Only in this way can you guarantee the prevention of electric shock.
Never trust outsiders to work with angle grinders if you are not sure of their qualifications and ability to follow safety procedures.
The kickback is a sharp, sudden rejection of the angle grinder due to jamming of the rotating circle. It represents the greatest danger to the operator, as it is usually accompanied by the destruction of the disk. When the disk is jammed, the reactive displacement of the tool is carried out in the opposite direction to the rotation of the disk. Most often, a back strike occurs due to erroneous actions by the operator or a direct violation of safety precautions by him.
Our recommendations will help to avoid such a problem as a back strike or, if it occurs, to avoid serious consequences. Always use standard handles to hold the tool and do not hold it with just one hand. Stand firmly on the ground so that you don’t lose control of the tool if you drop it. Always stay away from where the tool will move in the event of a reverse impact. When moving the angle grinder in the direction away from you, it can bounce right at you.
Special care should be taken when processing edges and corners. A back strike often occurs when the cut is completed, when the last jumper connecting the two parts of the same object is cut. In such a situation, in order to avoid problems, it is recommended not to finish the cut to the very end, it is better to remove the circle from the opening and cut the jumper from the back. If the device is stuck, it should be turned off and carefully removed from the cut.
Despite all the difficulties and dangers, you are quite able to independently operate an angle grinder. Just follow our recommendations, they will help you perform cutting and grinding without any problems.