Getting a Grip on Grinders

A grinder can be an intimidating power tool. To be more confident and safer while using one, here are some of the most common angle-grinder mistakes, and how best to prevent them.

- By Grant Spolander

It feels like everyone I know has an angle-grinder horror story to share. Most of the time it's a 'friend of a friend' story, but that doesn't make them any less terrifying. While I've had a few close calls myself, these days I seldom get the skriks when using a grinder. Part of this has to do with practice as well as exposure to the tool, but mostly, it's that I no longer fear them.

As I stated in the grinder comparison article in the March/April issue, in my experience most angle-grinder accidents happen when the operator isn't confident in what they're doing. Of course, that doesn't help first-time angle-grinder users, as it often takes time to get comfortable with the power tool.

If you're new to angle-grinder operation, here are a few tips as to why things typically go wrong, and how to prevent them.

THE RIGHT DISC FOR THE JOB

Here's a common scenario often plays out: You're using an angle grinder to cut a piece of steel with a dedicated cutting disc that's much thinner than a regular grinding disc. Once the steel is cut, you choose to de-burr the edges by grinding them smooth.

But, instead of taking the time to swap the cutting disc for a thicker grinding disc, you think to yourself: 'Ag, it's just a couple of edges. I'll just use the cutting disc and press down gently.