The most DANGEROUS tool is already in your shop!

[@StumpyNubs]

▼ *IMPORTANT DETAILS ABOUT VIDEO:* ▼ ★THIS VIDEO WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY★ M-Power's really innovative jig system can transform your router! : www.m-powertools.com/ *My Lathe, Table Saw and Bandsaw are AWSOME! Check them out at Harvey Woodworking Machinery:* www.harveywoodworking.com/ *My hand tool collection includes premium tools from Bridge City Tool Works:* bridgecitytools.com/ *Please help support us by using the link above for a quick look around!* (If you use one of these affiliate links, we may receive a small commission) *Some other useful links:* -More videos on our website: stumpynubs.com/ -Subscribe to our e-Magazine: stumpynubs.com/browse-and-subscribe/ -Check out our project plans: stumpynubs.com/product-category/plans/ -Instagram: instagram.com/stumpynubs/ -Twitter: twitter.com/StumpyNubs ★SOME OF MY FAVORITE CHEAP TOOLS★ -123 Blocks: lddy.no/vpij -Mechanical Pencils: amzn.to/2PA7bwK -Lumber pencil: amzn.to/2QtwZjv -Pocket Measuring Tape: amzn.to/2kNTlI9 -Irwin Drill Bit Gauge: amzn.to/2AwTkQg -Nut/Bolt/Screw Gauge: amzn.to/2CuvxSK -Self-Centering Punch: amzn.to/2QvbcrC -Self-Centering Bits: amzn.to/2xs71UW -Angle Cube: lddy.no/10nam -Steel Ruler: lddy.no/10mv7 -Utility knife: amzn.to/3nfhIiv -Center-Finding Ruler: lddy.no/10nak -Bit & Blade Cleaner: amzn.to/2TfvEOI -Digital depth gauge: amzn.to/3mwRf2x -Wood Glue: amzn.to/3mqek6M -Spade Bits: amzn.to/3j8XPtD ★SOME OF MY FAVORITE HAND TOOLS★ -Digital Caliper: amzn.to/384H1Or -Marking Gauge: lddy.no/10muz -Marking knife: lddy.no/10mv0 -Narex Chisels: lddy.no/sqm3 -Stanley Sweetheart Chisels: amzn.to/3y5HDOc -Mini Pull Saw: amzn.to/2UEHBz6 -Gent Saw: lddy.no/ss2x -Coping saw: amzn.to/2W7ZiUS -Shinwa Rulers: lddy.no/zl13 ★SOME OF MY FAVORITE POWER TOOLS★ -Miter Saw: amzn.to/3gqIlQ8 -Jointer: amzn.to/3yc3gfZ -Planer: amzn.to/3mn6BGF -Router: amzn.to/3grD22S -Sander: amzn.to/3DdvD0Y -Cordless drill: amzn.to/3D9ZiIm -Brad nailer: amzn.to/3gsRkjH -Mini Compressor: amzn.to/3mvrmQr -Bladerunner: amzn.to/2Wl0TtJ -Jig Saw: amzn.to/3zetTBY -Scroll Saw: amzn.to/3gq9qDc -Multi-Tool: amzn.to/3muZuMi ★SOME OF MY FAVORITE OTHER TOOLS★ -Drill Bits: amzn.to/3B8Ckzh -Forstner Bits: amzn.to/3kk3wEI -Shop Vacuum: amzn.to/2Wkqnbl -Machine Setup Blocks: amzn.to/3gq7kDh -Counter-Sink Bit: amzn.to/37ZukUo -BOW Featherboards: amzn.to/430ldhv -ISOtunes Hearing Protection (Save $10): bit.ly/3BHYdH7 (If you use one of the affiliate links above, we may receive a small commission)

[@CONEHEADDK]

Locking triggers shouldn't be legal on those things. Drop one and it skates aound on the floor trying to chop your feet off...

[@TomsBackyardWorkshop]

Stumpy You have never been electrocuted. If you had you would be dead because that's the definition of electrocution. You had an electric shock and probably a rather minor one since you talk so cavalier about it.

[@CONEHEADDK]

@@TomsBackyardWorkshop I had 220 v go from one hand to the other recently.. Sure made me consious of my heart beat for a few hours - no change though, but scary...

[@samuelmellars7855]

That router jig is neat and all, but do you think I can modify it to hold an angle grinder? I've seen this really neat chainsaw blade disk that seems great for wood-working! /jk, I did watch the video, and the one about chainsaw disks...

[@StumpyNubs]

​@@TomsBackyardWorkshop I misused the word "electrocuted" and you misused the word "cavalier". Somehow, I think the world will go on...

[@richthomas5013]

I’m a general construction contractor. I can’t count how many times I’ve had to intervene the removal of the shroud. A plumber freind of mine who had worked for more than 40 years without a serious incident, lost his thumb when a cutting disc shattered. It cut him so quickly that he saw his thumb on the ground before he even realized he had been hit by a piece of shrapnel. Power tools are dangerous! Thanks for a great video.

[@richthomas5013]

@@bobalman I’ve been super lucky considering I used to break the rules all the time. I get it, sometimes it easier to get into a tight place or you think it’s easier to see what you’re doing but unless you’re a reptile things just don’t grow back. Glad you only got stitches.

[@Farm_fab]

I recently picked up some used angle grinders, and the first two things I did for safety were make sure they had guards, and handle grips. I also checked the cords for any discrepancies, and only after that did I use them. I've seen so many videos of folks using angle grinders missing both, and I felt like reaching into that video and pulling the cord on it and giving them a stern warning.

[@TimeSurfer206]

I worked with a guy who took the shield and anti-kickback off MY Table Saw, and then was surprised when I got mad at him.

[@patrickdix772]

As a complete amateur, I'm completely terrified of angle grinders, even though I've never used one. I've never had the need to, but have seen images of disc shards embedded into good safety glasses.

[@Rich32262]

I like the chain saw. No blade stop for kick back. I'm a retired paramedic, we called things like this job security. Don't wear a helmet on that motorcycle either, saves a trip to the hospital and keeps the coroner busy.

[@patjackson1657]

I am 73 years old with all my digits still attached, and I thought I had done about every stupid thing in the world. You showed me a bunch of stuff that even on my dumbest day I would never have tried! Thanks!

[@censured-again]

I'm 73 as well, and many years ago, I had kickback on a table saw. I have always stood to one side and let the saw do the work. One time, I hit a knot, and the board flew out of my hand and went through 3/8 drywall, 6" of insulation and 5/8 fir plywood, and landed in my back yard. I never attempted to cut a knot again. I'm glad I learned to step to one side when using a table saw.

[@KilerkRazorclaw]

@@censured-again Im only 30 but i learned a long time ago from both my father who was a mechanic and grandfather who was a carpenter anything with that much velocity should be treated like a grenade with the pin pulled. Do not under any circumstances mess around with it. It can and will ruin your and anyone near-by's day.

[@pcm9969]

@@censured-again To add to your comment, it's important to do 2 other things when using a tablesaw, don't be in a hurry and use the proper tool for the job. I was on my way to work one morning and thought I would just jump in my shop and knock off a small item I was making for my wife. I stood to the side of the saw, hip against the table and was using a push stick. A piece broke off and kicked back directly against my middle finger on the push stick, breaking the bone and spilling quite a bit of blood. This item should have been cut with my bandsaw and I was in a hurry before work. That piece could just as easily have shot back into my face or neck (I did have safety glasses on). Two big mistakes I have learned from!

[@amateurmakingmistakes]

@@censured-againI'm nearly 70 and a retired pilot turned amateur metal sculptor but before flying, I worked as a butcher. Cutting beef thigh bones on a band saw was always an exercise in rapidly pulling your fingers away when the gristle caught and the thigh bone knuckles spun along the band saw blade. That helped me respect the table saw a bit more when I use it. Stumpy's got some vids on table saws here too, that I'm sure you've seen too. Stay safe! :)

[@mbirth]

You are smart people. These kind of videos are intended to cull the idiots.

[@ShinyAnvil]

Worked for 40+ years with angle grinders, chainsaws, circular saws, lathe, power hammers, all kinds of “dangerous” power tools and pushed them to their limits within reasonable range. Had some close calls but I’m thankful every evening that I have all my fingers, toes, nails, hearing and eyesight. Thank you for posting this video and teaching everyone how to have common sense and not to make dumb decisions.

[@sullyprudhomme]

My woodshop teacher always reminded us to be just a 'little bit afraid' when using power saws of any sort. 50 years later, I continue to keep his advice to heart.

[@robertwazniak9495]

Mine did too. His premise was "If yours not a little bit afraid of what you are working with, you obviously have no clue about what you are doing." I'm 67 years old and any time I got hurt, from a scratch to stitches, I didn't respect what I was working with. Another bit of advice I picked up over the years was "you always need to be smarter than the material or machine that you are working with."

[@daverice2426]

"Where's it gonna go?" Was what one of my bosses told me years ago, concerning what to think about when using any power tool. Totally simple and stuck with me to this day

[@Volvith]

Metal working teacher told us _"These tools are designed to work with steel, but don't worry, they'll work on flesh too"._ That and another couple wise lessons taught me to be careful of anything spinning with speed, torque or inertia. Safety guidelines are written in the blood of the innocent and stupid alike...

[@Emily_M81]

This. This this. I remember learning about the planer my school's woodshop had; the teacher explaining how to put the wood through it and then asking us to think about what that would do to our hand and arm... be a little afraid was definitely an axiom he made sure we picked up.

[@munch762]

​@@Emily_M81my old boss actually got it, he was guiding the timber, his hand gripping the side, doing repeated passes until the planer blade hit his finger tips, he lost half of the index and about the third of the other.

[@webtrekkeruk2487]

Not only a warning for new owners, but also as a timely reminder to old hands never to become complacent. Well done.

[@LiberatedMind1]

I don't think I'd ever use one, at least without a full suite of armor.

[@draconic5129]

@@LiberatedMind1 I wouldn't even use one with a suit of armor, Woodworking tools would probably still be able to injure you even when wearing armor.

[@robertdestefano1409]

the older we get the dumber we get. I'm blaming the wife. be careful all us aarp folks

[@douglasevans4871]

Get too comfortable with anything and it might be what kills you.

[@sirmalus5153]

I have a suit of armour and i am a trained fabricator. The armour of a 'typical' suit is approximately 1.6mm (16 gauge) thick over most parts i.e. arms, legs etc. with thicker on the breastplate and helmet, typically around 2.1mm (14 gauge) For glancing blows you would be mostly safe I think, but for straight-on cutting blows, your in trouble I recon. Modern circular saws have no trouble cutting metal this thick with modern blades, but a glancing blow MIGHT be deflected enough to protect you. The same with a 9" grinder with a metal cutting blade fitted though the blade might shatter, so the armour would protect you in that case unless the "flying bits" found a gap in the armour itself, of which there are plenty depending on the design and type of armour. Am I going to test it out one day? You bet your life I'M NOT!!@@LiberatedMind1

[@sgtbrown4273]

When I was a kid working in a sheet metal shop back in the early 90s, I had a wildcat angle grinder wheel explode hitting me in the stomach. It was so violent I was knocked to the ground gasping for air for over two minutes. My whole stomach and side were black for a month with swollen intestines. As a 90 pound 15 year old its a miracle i lived thru it. The metal lathe, milling machine, table saw, and the angle grinders are all off limits in my shop to my family. Thank you for putting this out because these KZbin videos are really getting out of hand. No pun intended.

[@Cacowninja]

If it's okay to get an answer how did someone save you?

[@donutdan1508]

​@@CacowninjaJesus

[@gyp.]

​@@donutdan1508lol a common medical doctor, named Jesus maybe?

[@Ln6Ec]

When someone named Stumpy Nubs warns me about how dangerous a tool is, I listen! Thanks for another great video!

[@jsollowsphotography]

As a paramedic and trauma nurse I’ve seen more than a few!! I only hope people listen to you before I see them! Thanks for your words of wisdom!

[@kenneely7899]

Seen people put 7-1/4" saw blades for a skil type saw on a angle grinder no guard. They wonder why the builder takes it away. Know someone missing a eye because of a angle grinder blade blew up on him. Everyone needs to use extreme caution with this tool.

[@MakersMuse]

I'm a lefty and I used an angle grinder for years the wrong way without knowing (they come with no instructions, the handle can be changed to the other side! How are you supposed to know?) - I'm pretty lucky to have escaped injury before finally being told by someone competent that it was backward, and the only solution is to use them right handed and suck it up. I wonder how many other tools become death sentences when used "left handed" - grinders are certainly right up there!

[@zokonjazokonja]

Handle position can be changed but I'm not sure that this is related to right-left handers. When you change position of handle to grab it you need to rotate grinder body for 180 deg, and than disc will rotate in opposite direction. This is usually used when you grind ceramic, stone or something that produce lot of dust, that way dust is blown away from you instead towards you.

[@fulconandroadcone9488]

@@zokonjazokonja I used to flip them when grinding inside of large pipers, essentially holding it upside down and disc still puling the grinder away form me. As for left and right hand I did always use it the wrong way compared to others to avoid spray hitting me.

[@Boycott_Wendys]

I'm not sure if this is a joke or serious 😂.

[@HiltownJoe]

This is one of the actual reasons why lefties have a shorter life expectency. The world is designed with the majority of righties in mind, and this leads to more accidents for lefties.

[@gabbermaikel]

@@fulconandroadcone9488you mean you allways went full sissy mode using a grinder and looked like a tard doing so. But atleast the sparky bits didnt hit you. Pure luck the grinder didnt hit you in the face then.

[@wwbit]

I love Stumpy for taking our safety seriously. I use youtube to learn new stuff and the safety part of any diy is always the hardest to find.

[@befuddledbeginner7016]

The worst effect of KZbin removing the dislike counter for me is that it becomes much harder to quickly evaluate which videos are a useful repair or diy guide or whether they are actually really dangerous or completely wrong. You can no longer see which videos have an equal or greater amount of dislikes than likes when you're searching. I lament all of the people who have been injured following "guides" because of that change, as well as those who have damaged their machines, devices cars homes etc because of it. You learn to be able to identify most dangerous techniques with time, but some dangers are more subtle but can be equally treacherous to you or to the thing you're repairing/building especially if you're new to that type of work. That is why I really appreciate Stumpy's focus on safety in his videos.

[@flyinpolack6633]

He's one of the good guys

[@Lawmanxxx]

Anyone with the nickname "Stumpy" should be listened to very closely. He has seen and done some shit, like an electrician named "Sparky" or an explosives expert named "Boom-Boom".

[@munch762]

Tellin it like it is, there are too many idiots out there with power tools.

[@yepiratesworkshop7997]

He made a believer out of me (and a subscriber!) when he did that video on those chain-saw disks made for adapting an angle grinder into a wood-carver. I'd bought a couple of them several months before, but hadn't gotten around to using them yet. After that video, I screwed them (still in their unopened original blister packs) to the wall in my workshop. That's where they'll stay. Securely screwed to the wall and with a sign that say's "Don't use these unless you think you have too many fingers!"

[@mriguy3202]

Stumpy, you made a video a couple years ago warning people about the grinding disk attachment for an angle grinder that looks like a small circular chain saw. I was cleaning the shop the other day and came across one of those that I'd purchased. Thanks to your information, I threw it away. Thanks!

[@brucehansen7949]

I bought one of them Chain saw wheels years ago, back then I was less experienced with a grinder, I had about 10 kick backs in roughly 2 minutes then I never used it again. I would say it was a matter of just a few more seconds or minutes before it got me, now I'm a millwright for a living and we use all sorts of tools, cranes, working 100+ feet in the air... and the angle grinder is still the most dangerous tool in our service truck. Torch, welder, saw zalls drills plasma cutter etc... grinder is #1 deadliest tool

[@paulstubbs7678]

@@brucehansen7949 Most dangerous, and most purchased tool, what a combination.

[@gsp911]

I wrote the exact same thing to that video back then. 🙂 I put it in my vise and destroyed it before throwing it away.

[@nativewarrior5052]

I've seen those "blades" the one my former boss has was called "Lance-a-lot" with chainsaw teeth on the edge. I never used it, but I'm also very weary of angle grinders. Useful but easily very dangerous if the wheels bind or kick back.

[@Jessienesh]

Those discs are fine when used for their correct intended purpose which is rounding out a chair bottom from very soft wood. Unfortunately no one seems to know this or care to look it up including KZbinrs

[@growthandunderstanding]

I do not own an angle grinder, but am very glad to have taken a moment to view this video. Thank you for performing a public service!

[@ReidBallardIII]

I hadn't used an Angle Grinder for work until my current job. The first time I was introduced to it, my boss told me about the guy who *used to* work in the shop. The guy was using a wire wheel on an Angle Grinder with a toggle switch. He was cleaning a shaft with a key slot on it and the wire wheel caught and kicked back out of his hand. Because it had a toggle switch it kept on going, hit his shirt, climbed all the way up his chest and across his face. He had stiches from his stomach up to the top of his head. The owner came in and threw out all the older style angle grinders with the toggle switch and replaced them with non-locking ones.

[@darkstar8827]

I've gotten my shirt caught in the spinning grinder disc and was lucky to RIP IT OFF ! before the tool reached my skin!!! (Still have the shirt, NOT the grinder)😉

[@shankarh6915]

Good grief

[@lordhelmchen616]

angle grinders with toggle switches are scary as hell. I almost had an accident with one because the damn switch decided that it wasn't in the mood to move to the off position.

[@tedkrush5661]

Was working near a guy who was using a wire cup on a 5 inch grinder. A wire came off and penetrated two layers of denim just to get lodged in his groin.

[@markgallagher1376]

It’s been an OSHA requirement for as long as I can remember that only grinders with a “deadman” switch can be used on the job.

[@lolz4887]

another aspect of grinders worth mentioning for new user is the gyroscopic effect. It does affect the handling of the tool in a way that is not intuitive to someone unused to it, and that can lead to mishandling.

[@flyinpolack6633]

very true, they give that little jerk when switch is pressed & it spins up.

[@busylifechilllife4026]

I got wacked on the nuckle that way. Took me a year of recovery to open a jar of pickles again.

[@RossReedstrom]

​@@flyinpolack6633yes the kick is a thing, too, but what @lolz4887 is talking about is how when it's fully spun up, when you tip the spinning blade, it'll twist 90 degrees to direction of the rotation: for example, tipping the blade up or down, say to follow a curve, it'll twist along the handle axis, left or right.

[@wellscampbell9858]

Startup torque, and when repositioning. Wire cups are particularly "lurchy".

[@crunchycrispybacon]

Depends? Steel masonry and grinding stones are gentle babies (when used appropriately), and thin cutoff wheels can be sketchy, but the most dangerous by a long-shot in my experience are those wire wheels. Their wires commonly detach and shoot out at perfectly straight angles deep into eyeballs and flesh.

[@terry_willis]

Yikes! Would probably pay to get top quality wire wheels. No Harborfreight.

[@XUM4N]

This is why I never wear short sleeves while I’m in the shop.

[@RedHeadForester]

I always have thick leather gloves, sturdy goggles, and thick clothing on when using those wire brush attachments. Only been stuck by a few bits of wire so far. The most painful is, even when they don't go through your clothing, the bits that hit you in the bits...

[@fleeflng]

Ah, I must now make a video where I modify an angle grinder to hold a wire wheel. Sounds awesome.

[@kushking5354]

Yuppp i always always visor up with wire wheels 😂

[@braeburnhilliard8340]

People where I work often bash me for being extra safe when it comes to angle grinders and using safety glasses along with a face shield. I hardly ever use an angle grinder, but when I do I'm going to make sure that I take as many precautions as possible not to get my face ripped off. Thank you for taking the time to share a video promoting safety!

[@silverXnoise]

I have a decent home shop, and I worked for several years as a low voltage contractor that required routine use of power tools, frequently while on a ladder or hydraulic lift. So I’m relatively familiar with risk mitigation, and use dangerous equipment regularly. Angle grinders scare the shit out of me. Easily the sketchiest tool I’ve ever used.

[@HobbyOrganist]

Ive seen a video where a guy was using one while on a ladder to cut something overhead, it kicked back and hit him in the face and he fell off the ladder, just really stupid things!

[@richthomas5013]

Absolutely nothing wrong about taking steps to go home to your family healthy and intact every day. 👍

[@PilotTed]

I saw an image of a broken half of a grinding disk sticking through a face shield, a mere inch away from the dude's eye. Trust me, you want both safety glasses and a face shield, and don't cheap out on it either.

[@dangraf1069]

The day after I started using a full face shield while grinding I had a fiber disc explode on me an leave a huge impact mark right in the center of the shield. Money well spent.@@PilotTed

[@meltedplasticarmyguy]

Roughly 6 years ago, I almost lost my thumb from an angle grinder. I am a carpenter with a little over 26 years in the industry, and it was complacency that got me. I was working in a new apartment building, cutting notches in heavy gauge channels that had already been pinned to the concrete floor. It was January and these channels were on the exterior walls and 7 stories up, cold and wet with a biting wind. There were over a hundred channels I had to cut because the people who put them in misread the drawings. To make a long story, short, my hoodie sleeve got caught in the blade and the grinder ripped across my hand, slicing my left thumb. If I wasn't wearing my gloves, I would have 9 fingers today instead of 10, just have a pretty big scar now. I now use that as an example for safety and awareness for any apprentice comes on my jobs.

[@BoraHorzaGobuchul]

For work with thin sheet metal, I find that new cut-off saws made by Ridgid/Milwaukee/Ryobi/DeWalt are best. They are also high rpm, so quite dangerous too, but the disc is smaller, the guard not removable, and they are much lighter and handier. So very good for work in confined spaces or on roofs/walls.

[@samholdsworth420]

​@@BoraHorzaGobuchulif it's thin just use tin snips?

[@BoraHorzaGobuchul]

@@samholdsworth420 good luck cutting 3mm-thick steel strips with tin snips. Or cutting aluminum led profiles together with plastic diffuser (which often has a tendency to crack if not cut with a rotary tool or a knife). But even thin soft stuff is easier to cut with this tool than with tin snips, especially when it comes in large sheets.

[@samholdsworth420]

@@BoraHorzaGobuchul 10 gauge sheet metal isn't thin 🤣

[@BoraHorzaGobuchul]

@@samholdsworth420 it's too thin (when it's a narrow strip) to pull out an angle grinder. The smaller cut-off saws go through it like butter. But even a 1 or 2mm alu sheet will already be much less comfortable to cut manually than using a power tool. I got my tool to make a cut-out in some thin (~1mm) plastic I have covering the ceiling in my shed. Tried snips - the plastic is hard and cracks a lot. I could use a Dremel or an angle grinder, but they are very unwieldy and potentially dangerous. I could drill a hole and use a jigsaw, but the plastic is not supported in the middle and wobbles, and it's also not flat, but sort of corrugated. So I got the ridgid tool, worked like a charm, now I cut just about everything with it except wood and thick plywood where I need a clean cut, and thick metal, as those tasks are best served by bigger tools. It really exceeded my expectations, one of the most rewarding tool purchases in my experience.

[@gregatkinson7276]

Thank you so much! I have been using an old angle grinder a friend gave me and it works fine except you can no longer replace blades and no guard on it so I have been running it down to a stub when needed for different things. I will throw it away now and buy another one (with a guard) and use it much more carefully since watching this video.

[@FixItYerself]

mmm. sure 😂

[@kerryflatt5391]

James, been watching you for a LONG time, and I have to say this is one of the best (and most important) videos you've ever made. This video should be mandated for anyone that purchases an angle grinder.

[@Lakusus]

Not only that, but they should be required to watch a video filled with stupid people, who have done these sort of things, AND been injured, showing the injury. Now, granted...it MAY cut way down on sales of angle grinders, it may not. Who knows, for sure? I bet, however, that the manufacturers of these tools (and other dangerous tools) will vehemently fight it from becoming a thing as they wouldn't want to take a chance on hurting their bottom dollar. Maybe if stupid people, who try these idiotic things, AND been injured, are allowed to sue the companies, then the companies will change their minds about forcing potential buyers to watch the grizzly (and I don't mean the tool company, although they make dangerous tools, also. lol) videos before being allowed to buy?

[@kevinglennon2770]

Totally agreed. Thanks James!

[@petercoates2882]

I've had a ton of safety experience having run jobs and taught wood and metal working in an art school. One weird thing I noticed is that most people who've been injured will tell you that not only did they know that what they were doing was dangerous, perhaps half will tell you that they were thinking it when the accident happened. It's not just a matter of being educated about the facts--people have to train themselves to listen to that inner voice saying "This is so stupid...".

[@barongerhardt]

We all do stupid things, just be smart about it. Keep it to one level of stupid at a time. Choosing to use a power tool is often that first level of stupid.

[@franciscoferreira-eh1yu]

Let me give my two cents here with my personal history. I menaged to set in place a gate and need to weld some pieces of it. The thing was that I let the weld helmet in the other side of the gate. It was really few weld spots so I decided to weld with out using the protection knowing pretty well it could fuck my eyes. I decided to weld just to later in the night go straight to hospital because I could not sleep with burned eyes.

[@mmontagart]

This is an important video. I've been a welding artist for 30 years. I use angle grinders constantly. The only thing that has kept me from serious injuries is a profound respect for the tool. I refuse to remove the gaurd, let alone do any of these foolish things.

[@jerrybobteasdale]

An angle grinder is one of the shop tools that gets both safety glasses plus a face-shield.

[@Sharpless2]

this and ONLY this. I cringe when i see people take off the guard off the grinder. Ive had 3 or 5 angle grinders until now and not single time have i ever taken the guard off. On my ryobi grinder now ive modded the clamp that holds the guard to make removing it as hard as possible.

[@AYellowPepper]

Plus good gloves and ideally a Leather apron. Thats how i use all the infamous power tools... I almost lost a thumb when carving... i will allways be extra careful since then...

[@teizzz]

Very good comment. I have worked on seagoing vessels for almost 20 years, most of this time I was also the on board medical officer. Angle grinders are used on board on a daily basis, all day long. Mostly with cup wire brushes but also a lot of cutting/grinding. One of the most common injuries on board was eye injury, and i’ve treated eye injury with guys who were wearing either safety glasses, face shields or full enclosed goggles. A tiny gap is all that’s needed for a steel splinter.

[@jonathankuns9743]

​@@Sharpless2also its a osha violation to use a angle grinder without the guard

[@randr10]

I've still gotten junk in my eye from that combo. Debris flies everywhere.

[@johnford7847]

I hope a lot of people see this video and pay attention to your warnings. Thanks for creating and sharing it.

[@CONEHEADDK]

Project farm just made a test of "deadly" things for these deadly things...

[@FLPhotoCatcher]

Angle grinder hacks can really hack people.

[@vicbrava2410]

I'm an industrial electrician, 29 y/o. I regularly use the angle grinder to remove paint from steel to bond electrical panels to ground, and to deburr cutouts into metal enclosures to install vents and other items. I've always had respect for the angle grinder since a college training video showed a disk shatter and embed itself into a man's face through the eye. Even with this pretty simple but frequent use, I still regularly choose filing manually over the angle grinder if I don't feel good about the shape of the cut, or the location, or how I'd have to stand to do it. Best way to not injure yourself is to not use it unless it's really necessary.

[@harveysmith100]

As an apprentice bricklayer way back in 1981, we had to pass an exam and receive a certificate in order to use an angle grinder. Yes, they are that dangerous that you needed to pass a test to prove you are competent and safe. It always gave me a sense of respect for the machine. I will let you into a secret, they are still as dangerous as they were back then.

[@dustman96]

Yes, every workplace that uses them should at the least have a mandatory class on their proper use.

[@ryanlukens9280]

Probably more dangerous now because there was no TikTok video idiocy back in ‘81. Remember you talking to the world post Tide Pod challenge.

[@auntysocialist]

Our work place brought Walter in (mfr of grinding discs) to do a seminar for us all. Very interesting and eye opening, lots of nasty examples of aftermath. A few things I took away... never remove guard, never face grind with zip discs (edge grind only), always wear body and face protection, and inspect the disc before you start (or replace it)... very easy to crack a disk by rough handling the tool.

[@sunnybnk]

As a retired "offshore worker", we were sent on every course deemed to be "necessary" for your position. Whilst being informative and educational etc., they are by and large, the employer's indemnity insurance against compensation claims in the event of an "incident".

[@garywheeley5108]

Unless it's changed the only thing they teach on the course is how to identify and fit the appropriate disc speed material the one I went on was called abrasive wheel course the trainer never plugged the machine in let alone demonstrated its use 🇬🇧

[@colinweir5807]

As a semi retired fitter / machinist after 45 years, I agree with you how dangerous an angle grinder can be. These are only 4 inch grinders and thankfully not the old 9 inch grinders I used as an apprentice. Even just starting those suckers took a firm grip. No soft start up. 🐯

[@CONEHEADDK]

Still wonders me that they had/have locking triggers.. :S

[@masondegaulle5731]

Opened up my leg with a 9" and a stone blade that kicked back, and that was after nearly a decade in the trade. Not sure I'd be giving a "widowmaker" to an apprentice.

[@divemonkeys]

I was looking for someone to comment on a 9". We had one guy as an apprentice millwright (probably mid 40s at the time) that I guess liked grinding as he cut everything around a 1/4" long and would use that 9" to grind it to fit. One project he went through 3 stones where after he was gone the stone never got changed again.

[@CONEHEADDK]

@@divemonkeys "Measure twice. Cut once."

[@ChimeraActual]

I still have one of those monsters in my shop. Haven't used it in 30 years. Can't stomach trashing it, can't sell it, can't give it away, it hangs around like Marley's ghost.

[@WoodLox]

Thank you for bringing awareness. Pops been tinkering his entire darn near 74 years got a few stitches from a blown disc 3 years ago and just recently was told by his doctor he has metal shard in his eye. About 8 years ago my thumb got sucked into my shop grinder and try to plasma cut anything no regards to consumables or tool. We are priceless.

[@jivenumberfive]

The best thing I can say about angle grinders is that they have taught me so much about how to accomplish stuff using pretty much any other tool. I dread angle grinders so much that I will almost spend days figuring out how to do a job using any other tool possible

[@shawn576]

Look for a grinder with a paddle throttle (not a toggle switch). They feel so much safer to use when you have better throttle control.

[@geecee1990]

Same here. For some reason, angle grinders have always scared the crap outta me.

[@Alex462047]

You just have to use them with respect. Then you'll be fine. Remember, don't do anything stupid.

[@StinkyBlack1]

If you’re not regularly cutting and welding metal you won’t need one often. I have one but it’s been only occasionally used and it’s always pretty terrifying because you can feel the torque and rpm’s and just know instantly that it will shatter any bone it touches and make the roughest nastiest dirtiest cuts.

[@gnshp8167]

Great video as always. Even the normal discs have an expiry date, which is like three years. The resin in the discs absorbs water and they will shatter even faster.

[@NigelTolley]

Yes. Always check the expiry date on discs when you're buying or fitting them. It's on the steel collar on the thin 115 & 125mm discs.

[@mmontagart]

I use them every day. I would never even consider any of those hacks or take off the guard. Kudos for an important video about respecting a dangerous tool.

[@jacquesdespadas]

I was on a commercial construction job once where I needed to notch a piece of steel and the go-to tool was an angle grinder. There I was 30 feet in the air, well trained, paying attention, cutting carefully. And it grabbed. Went through the arm of my Carhartt, 2 sweatshirts and another shirt. I was lucky. These guys are asking for it.

[@mortenrl1946]

I think it's one of those things where.. Even if you're using it perfectly, there could be an impurity or void in the material you're cutting, so it'll always end up kicking if you use it enough. It's the same with chainsaws, sometimes they grab. But they're designed with kickback brakes for that reason. I wonder why no such thing exists for an angle grinder, something that shuts it off if it jerks sharply. But.. Can't stop a grinder instantly, it'd go flying in a million pieces unlike a chainsaw chain. Maybe angle grinders are just kinda bad.

[@Norman_Fleming]

Those things have always concerned me. I recently had a situation where it was really the best tool for the job. I purchased one, used it carefully, mindful of where contact was going to be made and so forth. It worked out, no injuries. You have ALWAYS got to respect the power/risk of any tool, and look for "how does this go wrong and kill me?" situations. Appreciate your videos.

[@spec_opsgaming]

Being cautious with power tools is great, always make sure you protect yourself, but some people want others to be downright AFRAID of the tools, when in fact 99% of injuries happen with ANY tool because someone got in a rush or they weren't paying attention or they said "nothing bad has ever happened to me before".

[@preachers4135]

Right on my man!!! I learned the lesson of speed rated attachments at an early age long before utube. After successfully fitting a 6” sanding pad to a router, because I thought sanding was slow and tedious. Seconds after flipping the switch it sounded like a 300 count package of black cats was going off and as the foam padding disintegrated from the extreme centrifugal force pieces were flying and violently hitting the walls and me! Thankfully the only permanent damage was a ruined sanding pad and from that day 32 years ago I now always check the specs beforehand. (That particular sanding disk was rated for 12,000 RPM, the router was spinning 30,000 RPM) it was a fast lesson that only took about four seconds!

[@_john_doe_]

Truly the one machine that scares the crap out of me. Guess growing up using the dremel and having it's small cutting disc explode and cut my chest as a kid was a good learning lesson, that I luckily didn't have to learn from the angle grinder, and even the dremel ones hurt like hell to take to the chest.

[@robertpearson8798]

At my old pre-retirement job there were a few angle grinders and the first thing that everyone liked to do was to remove the guard because “it got in the way”. I refused to use those and had my own for my own use with the guard intact.

[@Lawmanxxx]

My father used to call the angle grinder guard a gauge. It took me a while to get the nerve to correct him but to my surprise, he laughed and explained that if he could not see or safely cut the workpiece with the guard installed then it was time for a different tool, hence it served as a safety gauge.

[@CONEHEADDK]

As a kid 50 years ago I had the fastest illegal moped around (even in 3 gear, I took all the others - basicly a speedway frame, no brakes or lights, a 1 liter plastic gas tank, bicycle seat and a Minarelli with 7.5 hp - and tiny 105 pds me) but I ALWAYS wore a helmet.!

[@actionjksn]

There is no reason to take the guard off because it can be adjusted to get it out of your way. I leave the tightening screw just slightly loose on my mine, so that I can adjust it on the fly without any tools. It takes about 3 seconds to spin it around to another position.

[@robertpearson8798]

@@actionjksn Agreed, and I’ve moved it occasionally as well.

[@johnanthony2545]

Smart man. Had a hard disk shatter and hit me in gut as an apprentice. No guard. Good lick just bruised. I learned quick guards good pain not good. Retired sheet metal man and have built designed and installed more guards of all kinds than I can count. They are there for a reason because they work.

[@woodendog2888]

As a welder I always say a 4" grinder is the most dangerous tool in our workshop, I say this because of how complacent you get using them. No one ever safety squints and one hands a 9" grinder a 4" will absolutely maim you when you least want it too.

[@dimiturtabakov1108]

Here's an angle grinder safety tip I learned from experience, which could've easily ended me: Don't cut tube/bar stock, such that the cut off piece is of length roughly equal to the height of the work surface. E.g. don't cut a 65-75cm length of a pipe, off the edge of a 70cm high workbench. Ideally, you should always cut your stock on a flat surface, such that both pieces remain in place, obviously, but we've all done it - you need a 10ish cm length of pipe, you clamp or even hold down one side of it, you cut the other side off and it falls to the ground; it's a quick and dirty cut, that'll do in a pinch and, realistically, there's not much that can go wrong. If your cut off piece is so long, that the far end falls to the ground, while the near one is still being cut, you're in danger of a nasty kickback. But consider what happens, when the piece you cut off falls down, such that it now stands upright, at the level of your cut - the disk meets the sharp edge of a piece with effectively infinite thickness... At 5000 RPM! When I did that the result was a great big BANG, after which the grinder was suddenly spinning just off of my left ear. Surprisingly, the disc didn't shatter (which is probably why it kicked so hard - all that energy has to go somewhere,) but when I turned it off there was a gouge down down to it's middle. If it had gone just a bit to the right - well, I had the guard on, so it would have probably "only" busted my forehead; if it had gone to the right and I'd taken off the guard beforehand, that would've bee all she'd written (is that the right tense?) So, yeah, angle grinders - though useful, dangerous buggers.

[@CallyMayz]

that would've been all she wrote.*

[@NikoMoraKamu]

the best way is secure well everything that you are going to cut this way you avoid more problems

[@fulconandroadcone9488]

Never, ever, ever use it without proper guard. That is begging to get killed.

[@PRH123]

If you're a professional you should be / would be using a chop saw (like a miter box for wood) to do that...

[@loganmedia1142]

Definitely the scariest tool to me. I also can't understand why 115mm models commonly come with locking switches instead of a trigger. At least with a trigger the tool loses power if it is pulled from your grip. On the locking switch models it just keeps going.

[@amateurmakingmistakes]

They should stop making grinders with locking switches. I had a 9" cutting disc shatter while I was cutting overhead. It wobbled so violently that I needed all of my strength just to hold it away from me as I pulled it down: I couldn't take my thumb off the grip to turn it off, as it was going to slice me from my skull downwards. Scared the shit out of me!

[@JonathanDuddy-oq6nv]

Every time I use my grinders I think this. I hate the switches on them so much.

[@chehystpewpur4754]

@@amateurmakingmistakes hmm. too bad you didnt spend time with chainsaws beforehand. if the tool is going to harm you guess what. get it out of your hands. a new tool costs alot less then ur life just saying. also grinders used to have lever grips like die grinders. problem is you have to use your strength to hold the switch not the tool. and the big long handles you will never let go of before the tool. ive used both and the switch is safer. the not designed to kill you ones have a locking switch that will unlock itself if you sneeze too hard.

[@artor9175]

@@amateurmakingmistakes A 9" grinder is scary even when it's completely under control.

[@fulconandroadcone9488]

@@chehystpewpur4754 I worked with one 115mm that would every so often stop on it's "own".

[@wolfvash22]

New to your channel and I cannot congratulate enough for this kind of content. Is so common seeing people being irresponsible with their tool‘s usage, just because it have never happened to you in your 60+ years as a tradesman/technician/professional, doesn't mean the danger is not there and that 1/1000000 event is usually catastrophic.

[@jrrarglblarg9241]

Worst shop injuries I’ve had were from a big stationary belt sander grabbing a too-small workpiece and slamming my thumb into the belt, and long term hearing damage from “just one cut” on the chopsaw. People take scary tools for granted because they’re deceptively easy to use.

[@HobbyOrganist]

That is why OSHA rules state 1/8" between the belt and the table, or the grind stone and the tool rest on a grinder is max! because as you grind the clearance gets bigger on grinders and you can catch fingers in the gap

[@sprolyborn2554]

how on earth did you get permanent hearing damage from just one cut? you likely had some before it and you only just started to notice it after that. like how a papercut doesnt hurt until you look at it.

[@williamlux]

​@sprolyborn2554 they mean as in years of "ill do this one thing really quick" Like going to eat a snack or something and it's like "eh just one candy" and then its 30 pieces later, yknow

[@greenherooftheinterwebz7078]

@@williamlux the classic "just 1 more"

[@deang9061]

I couldn't agree with you more. I worked with a contractor who's policy was immediate termination for miss use of an angle grinder. Take the guard off, fired on the spot. Angle grinder is one of the only tool that really scares me, second is the radial arm saw.

[@fredburban8219]

Thank you for another Great video. I was in an industrial plant environment and a machinist had changed a stationary grinder wheel. Before he started it up he pulled me to the side, then reached over to start it. He stated, NEVER stand in front of a new wheel, if it has a defect it will shatter on the first start up. Another friend stated he only purchases "Name Brand" grinder wheels and avoids cheap imports.

[@Tommy.461]

Im old and was a steel worker my whole career. I remember a time before the little mini grinders everyone uses now. I had a 9 inch grinder catch and fly back at me when i was 21. It spun the disc up my left arm from my elbow to my wrist and dug in when it hit my watch band. 9 stiches with some on the inside. After that i preached the safety on them. It was great when industry finally adopted the mini grinder.

[@actionjksn]

I used the big ones back in the late 70s when I was a teenager, like 15 years old and that thing was scary. I had never seen one of the small ones till years later, I don't know when they came out.

[@Tommy.461]

@@actionjksn I would never let a 15 yo use one of the large grinders. That is a recipe for disaster.

[@campbell510]

Yep, I used a 9” grinder once. Never felt the desire to again after that.

[@twopoolpeople]

Great video! Common sense. I'm 72 and a "little of everything" hobbyist with a garage full of power tools. My 1st rule is never use my power tools when I'm tired - which is often. Oh crap! I was taught in school shop to respect the tool and never use it for something it wasn't made for. That includes non-powered hand tools. Thanks for all your reminder safety videos.

[@davidvanderklauw]

With the exception of the flat blade screwdriver

[@langhamp8912]

There might be one power tool that can be used when tired because the cutting edge causes little to no damage when accidentally touched to skin. It's the multi-tool, and happens to be my favorite tool. It was originally invented to cut casts off people without damaging them but it can do so many different and useful cuts.

[@ethanshattuck]

I learned the don't use power tools when tired rule the hard way. Now, I'm missing 1/4 of 3 knuckles on my right hand & consider myself Lucky. I still have my fingers & my life. I knew I should stop but only had 1 more piece to run through my planer... Listen to the voice in your head telling you to stop & never use any power tool when tired.

[@jeffsilvis6573]

Excellent job Stumpy I've been a fab man for 45 years and seen some dumb things as you said rpms are different on all tools but the attachments must match the tool -even the properly rated ones can have problems with miss use I got all my fingers .045 Wizz wheel on a 4.5 without a guard was popular for a minute ut not with me lol

[@jef777]

I worked with these for half a year everyday. This really reduces fear and respect if everything works fine. Thanks for the reminder, although I never even thought about installing anything else as the disks that are meant for the angle grinder. Also always hated the thin cutting discs, because of the danger of shrapnel...

[@DavidMiles-c6s]

I had a co-worker who had a ceramic disc explode on his grinder with the guard removed. A chunk of that disk went through his chest and nicked his aorta. If he had been working alone there’s probably no way he would have survived the encounter. I’m not suggesting the guard would have prevented the accident but it might have have have slowed that bit of disk down enough to limit the damage.

[@flyguy437]

I want to thank you for pointing out unsafe practices. I've gotten in the habit of using protective eyewear while using my angle grinder but wasn't thinking that the wheel can disintegrate and end up in my throat. Because of you, when cutting, I now wear my welding helmet with the "grinding" shade. Cheers!

[@x-Gingerbeard-x]

I once had a really close call with an angle grinder... I was cutting some hardened steel with a thin blade and got impatient because it was taking pretty long... So I ended up pressing too hard, the blade flexed and pinched in the steel causing it to explode in my face. I was incredible lucky I was wearing a full face shield, otherwise I would have had shrapnel in my head. I gained a lot more patience and respect for the tool after that.

[@linsen8890]

I remember well the accident you had with an angle grinder, James. It was no joke, and I'm really glad that you've recovered from that. For a long time, I refused to buy an angle grinder because I saw what happened to you. Finally, I had to do a job that just about required one, so I bought one, reluctantly, to say the least. I used it for that job, and it has sat on a shelf in my shop since then. It's just about the LAST tool that I want to use. I can't believe the crazy stuff people want to use them for. Why? Maybe to save money by not buying the proper tool for the job? I don't know, but I do know that the cost of an emergency room visit (or worse!), is much, much, much more than the price for the right tool for the job - not the mention the potentially life-changing injury.

[@77jaycube69]

I look at my grinder and say to myself, do I really really need to use that. Surely, there must be a better way.

[@flyinpolack6633]

They can be a very dangerous tool but if used properly with the guards in place they are invaluable. Biggest thing to remember when using one is to remember which way it is spinning (all of mine spin clockwise but Australian ones probably go backwards)

[@johnclements6614]

If you have any fibrous discs look at the use by date on them. The older ones are prone to shatter or if they are stored somewhere damp. You should only buy them when you are going to buy them in the next couple of months.

[@JamesWilliams-en3os]

I hear ya! I am an ER doc, and I am scared spitless by many, many power tools. I sold my old Delta table saw years ago because of the number of finger and hand amputations they cause… I now have a Sawstop, and I love it, but I’m still super cautious with it and use safety glasses and often a full face shield in addition to all the usual safety measures like push sticks, Irving knife, etc. I do as much of my woodworking g with hand tools now as I possibly can. It’s slower, but it sure is safer, quieter, and very satisfying.

[@JamesWilliams-en3os]

I fully endorse this message. James, thanks for sending out this video! As an ER doc with over 30 years experience treating trauma, I can say with confidence that while table saws cause more amputations than any other power tool (the trauma literature proves this), I have seen an enormous number of terrible lacerations caused by grinders. The one power tool I will never have in my shop is an angle grinder (I’m not a welder, so I have that luxury). Eye injuries from angle grinders are by far the greatest safety hazard. Grinding metal produces hundreds of tiny high-velocity shard of hot metal every second. This rarely causes permanent loss of vision, but it’s very painful and in some cases causes permanent loss of visual acuity. If you grind metal, I encourage people to wear full coverage goggles and a face shield.

[@fleafrier1]

As a metal fabricator for 25+ years I’ve got thousands of hours running these things. It never ceases to amaze me when I see someone running one with bare hands. I’ve had a cut off wheel split in two before and while it felt like someone hit my hand with a hammer, it didn’t cut through my leather glove. Stay safe out there.

[@alan62036]

One of my mentors doesn't wear them. He says he can't find gloves that fit his fat hands

[@Demonlord468]

I had a cutting disk explode on me and put 15 stitches in my left hand WITH gloves on... Now I wear Welding Gloves when running a cutoff disk.

[@JillandKevin]

As a sheet metal contractor (retired), I TOTALLY agree with your video!! I lost a good friend a couple of years ago from something even more simple and "safe". After 70 years of being a professional metal artist, he was polishing a knife blade on a buffing wheel. The knife caught on the wheel and broke, then flipped around the wheel sending the blade 7 inches into his chest. He was dead within minutes. He broke the age old rule of not standing in line with the wheel. And that was a BUFFER, that turns WAY slower than an angle grinder!!! I also watch in horror people using an angle grinder for a metal saw. Many year ago I was doing that, and SLIGHTLY tipped the grinder. I woke up a couple of minutes later with blood pouring out of my face!!! Grinders are NOT saws!!!

[@ivankuzin8388]

We used to cut metal ductwork with angle grinders all the time when I was working in HVAC installation. And those things can be big, like up to a 1m in diameter. We also were given no-lable Chinese grinders with cheap Russian disks - how I managed without injuries is just puzzling.

[@JillandKevin]

@@ivankuzin8388 I was cutting a piece of 1-1/2" angle with a 7" angle grinder once. There I was cutting, and suddenly woke up on the floor with blood coming out of my cheekbone. I DO remember thinking "I wonder if this could go wrong?" YEP! IT COULD!!

[@ivankuzin8388]

@@JillandKevin It was my fist job out of high school. We weren't taught proper safety working with grinders, but I just always felt that these things are dangerous, I always had a guard thingy on, always used glasses (unlike most of my colleagues! And we didn't have face shields), and tried to make sure I was never in line with the disk, tried to work with it kinda on a side from me. Oh, and one more crazy thing we were doing - we were cutting threaded rods a lot, to hang ductwork/units to the concrete ceiling above, and fresh cut has a sharp edge, that will not allow you to screw the nut over it, so we were told to smoothen the cut end of threaded rod with a *side* of a disk (of angle grinder). After a short while disks were down to bare reinforcement fibers on a side, so we would throw them out then, but some worked too long with the same disk, until it became transparent in places between the fibers. Maybe those Russian disks were not that bad after all (Luga abraziv, for those who know)

[@PeopleAlreadyDidThis]

Buffers and wire wheels can be just as dangerous as grinders. I once saw a length of roller chain grabbed by a wire wheel on a 1 HP buffer motor. The chain flailed around the shaft, invisible due to its speed, until the imbalance broke the cast iron motor housing and the pieces fell to the floor, ripping the internal lead wires in two, mercifully stopping the motor. The chain beat the hell out of everything it hit. The operator kept his fingers and skull by a miraculous combination of reflexes and luck. The chain would have cleaved his skull like Gimli’s axe. It takes extreme attention and care to not snag a workpiece on a cloth buffing wheel, too. Once it snags, it’s ripped out of your hands and thrown somewhere at the speed of light, especially with the 3450 RPM buffers. I use grinders all the time, but I can’t imagine buffing a knife.

[@shawnbowser9187]

Project Farm just did a video on dangerous angle grinder attachments. He definitely did some sketchy stuff, but he made sure we knew not to try at home

[@johnc6042]

Was grinding a poor weld when I’d just started playing around with fabricating. One of the metal “grapes” flew off and caught me in the throat. Left me with a new appreciation for grinders

[@danbgt]

I grew up around my dads shop. He was a “can do anything grew up in the Great Depression” type guy. A commercial glass glazier by trade. He had a shop full of big, loud, scary tools. I have my own diy home shop now. I’m 73 and have all my limbs in tact for the simple reason that all those tools scared the crap out of me. I was taught that certain tools are to be used for certain tasks.

[@robertm348]

Every store should have this as required viewing before purchasing a grinder. They are phenomenal tools in the hands of someone that knows how to use them, but also phenomenally dangerous in the hands of someone not properly trained to use one.

[@BoraHorzaGobuchul]

Won't work since it's tl;dr for people who are prone to such exploits. Making them view actual accident footage with their eyes stapled open mechanical orange-style might work better, but will still not guarantee results. Many people are just plain dumb.

[@kazhilly]

Many years ago now I had a job to do with an angle grinder, so I bought a big angle grinder. I read the manual, and spent about a Week looking at it, pressing the switch on and off a few times, before I gathered the courage to use it. It’s always good to have what I call a “healthy dose of fear” towards power tools, and the angle grinder is definitely the most scary power tool by a Mile. Good video!!!!

[@weremodel]

Thank you, Stumpy, for the passion shown in this video. I have had an incident or two with an angle grinder and they are not to be f'd around with. Keep posting . 65 years old, 47 as a carpenter and still have all of my fingers and thumbs, after the wounds had healed.

[@tlsoftlacca]

My friend just recently recovered from an angle grinder accident. He used a chainsaw disc on it, almost bled out on a roof. He said it wasn't even necessary to use it for that cut, he could have brake the last remaining bit with his hands. And then the kickback happened. He used many discs before but he said never use it again. And that you can buy in any tool store around here. Imagine the devastation that these hacks can do.

[@picketf]

I am using a chainsaw disk as well. The instructions on mine said to use it in low rev angle grinders only at the lowest setting possible. Like tree root buring tools it's not the speed that will carve the wood but the high torque. At 500-1'000 revolutions per minute a kickback can be contained if you have a firm two-hands grip. Also most people don't know it but the bigger the angle grinder the slower it actually turns because of higher torque.

[@spaceted3977]

Those Chainsaw Discs are not for Angle Grinders, they are for Brush Cutters !!! You have no protection against Kickback with an Angle Grinder !!!! With a Brush Cutter, kickback just pushes the Machine to the Right !!!!

[@rambo8863]

chainsaw disk should just not exist, even on a brush cutter that thing is a singel weak link away from hurling a chain after someone in a 360 degree radius. with a chainsaw the chain can only hit someone 15 degree cone infront the of the chainsaw, much easyer to handel.

[@spaceted3977]

@@rambo8863 The Chain Links are Rivetted on to the Blade. I have one but I only use it for clearing Brambles. I would never use it near anyone. There is a Metal Guard inside the plastic guard for using Saw Blades. But an Angle Grinder spins a lot faster than a Brush Cutter. Brush Cutters are not designed to use on your average lawn. You need to wear Chainsaw Boots, Leather Gloves and a Good Helmet with a Face Guard, and a Leather Chest Guard, (welders apron.)

[@78consecratedcardsofart78]

Great video. I was using a gas powered cutoff saw with a 16” disc to remove temporary steel rails on a commercial roofing job. It was barely dawn and no work lights. Stupid idea when you can hardly see what you’re doing. As I struggled to keep the cutoff disc in the kerf I couldn’t see but felt the disc binding. Before I knew it, the wheel fractured and hit me in my shins. I was injured but nowhere near as bad as I could have been. It is critical to inspect cutoff discs and be certain they are stored properly. They must stay dry as well. It is tempting to use an old beat up disc on my angle grinder, but I learned my lesson years ago on that roofing incident. Also, do not, I mean never, use a power tool in poor lighting or any situation where your vision is obstructed. Never toss cutoff wheels in the tool box. You can’t always see the fractures and learn the hard way.

[@paulalmquist5683]

I bought an angle grinder recently. It has been used only a couple of times so far. I was unaware of the kick back issue or how fast the disk turns. I will keep these lessons in mind as I use it in the future. Thank you for your concern for our safety.

[@pete4693]

I had no idea. I've never used an angle grinder, but I have been acquiring tools. I'm sure somewhere down the road and angle grinder mate coming to my life. Thank you very much for helping me. Keep all my digits and face.

[@nostrilnick]

An angle grinder is one of the few power tools I've used where I injured myself (thankfully, just a minor cut). I'm extraordinarily wary of my table saw and chop saw blades, always looking at my hands during the cut. My circular saws are probably the devices I'm most timid around, having had several instances of kickback. Oddly enough, the most typical way of cutting myself is either with a knife, hand plane, or chisel (once requiring an E-room visit with the last one). Why I chose the sport of woodworking is beyond me, what with my history with pocket knife cuts. Great video as always.

[@dustman96]

I came very close to losing fingers with a table saw, someone I know cut a major artery in his leg with a circular saw. ANY fast spinning blade should be given the utmost respect.

[@marekward6202]

I've been taught to put discs in an angle grinder with the label facing up, when the tool is on the bench. One can see what the disc was designed for on the label (Ally or steel) even after the face has a bit of wear. . There's always one isn't there 😄I couldn't agree with you more. Nice to hear my thoughts on some of these crazy videos put so clearly👍🤗

[@brianruane8505]

Well done for this video! I am a surgeon in a UK hospital (and a keen woodworker!) Unfortunately, I have had too many occasions where I had to amputate fingers, open abdomens and chests all because of machine tool injuries and probably most - if not all - could have been prevented!! Using angle grinders without safety glasses is the cause of most injuries in my experience...!!

[@amateurmakingmistakes]

Great video, Stumpy! I've had both cutting and grinding discs disintegrate, and I'd never hold an angle grinder above head height again, especially not the 9" angle grinder, which is just so much harder to control than a smaller grinder when a disc shatters! Now I wear an impact resistant full face shield, and when using wire brush wheels, I'll also wear safety goggles underneath the full face shield - because the wires that break off can and do shoot up under your full face shield. Also, keep your face away from the axis of the discs, and use guards and gloves. It's also cheaper to spend money on safety gear than it is to go to the emergency department.

[@greenherooftheinterwebz7078]

"It's also cheaper to spend money on safety gear than it is to go to the emergency department." and if you have free health care where you live like I do, don't forget things like, recovery, rehabilitation and possibly even acceptance of now permanent modifications of your body because you decided to skip on safety gear. at best you get hurt and the doc fixes you up real quick, maybe you even loose a finger. at worst you die, don't play games with powerful equipment.

[@stephennind4414]

Cannot believe how many people use these with the guard removed. Easy way to lose fingers.

[@CONEHEADDK]

I'd like to see how well safety glasses actually work against a heavey half of one of thinnest discs.. I've seen a pic of one, where the disc stopped very close to the eye ball - At least leave the guard on for sure..

[@drstefankrank]

I'm already scared to use one with the guard, all proper discs and PPE.

[@jonmccormick6805]

@@drstefankrank If the disc is chipped, throw it away. Also ALWAYS keep the motor between you and the cutting disc - don't flip it around ton see what you are doing.

[@1packatak]

@@CONEHEADDKprovided the person has put certified safety glasses on!!

[@CONEHEADDK]

@@1packatak I bet most people don't check for certifications, and I also bet there are a lot of copied tjayna stuff out there..

[@locomokko]

In over 30 years of professional work, and highly trained in safety, the only injury I've ever suffered is from an angle grinder. Still one of my favorite tools of all time, drop your respect for it for even a microsecond, and BAD things happen. Great video. Scott from Japan

[@GenderSkins]

One of the most important safety tips I ever learned, was never work on anything when you are distracted or when there are things or people around that are distracting. That includes being tired, as exhaustion can be a distraction that gets you seriously hurt or killed.

[@Aaron-nj4ou]

Great video. In most of those scenarios it would be safer and cheaper (in terms of money and time) to just get the proper tool. As a mechanic I used an angle grinder a lot. I see a lot of people who don’t understand the difference between a cutting disc and a grinding disc. Always a good idea to use a full face field with a grinder. Glasses are the absolutely bare minimum.

[@esbrasill]

Yup, if you put sideways force on a cutting disc it may blow up in your face

[@randr10]

Also keep the shield on. It's cheap insurance. The shields typically rotate, so you can use the angle grinder in nearly any position you can without one. If you can't use it without taking the shield off, don't use it at all.

[@thepfeiffer5106]

An angle grinder was my go-to tool for everything and after using it for a few years I don't use it anymore because even though I never hurt myself it was so exceptionally easy to have it kick back or make a slight mistake and catastrophically change your life.

[@cirkutpersonal]

Thank you for this video, James. I'm relatively comfortable with most power tools including the table saw (my father has owned a milling & solid surfacing company for nearly 30 years), but the angle grinder to this day is one of my least used tools because of the sheer power and speed. I'll gladly spend another 10 minutes doing things another way instead of spending a couple minutes with an angle grinder. The safest tool is the tool don't use!

[@kumoyuki]

Every time I think I need to buy an angle grinder...I find another way to get the job done. Those things are *SCARY*

[@brandonhoffman4712]

They are actually really usefull. Metal cut offs Diamond blades (from rough turbos, to fine finish) Cup wheels (surface prep) Wire brushes (various types) Even diamond braised cylinders (used to mill holes in stone) I'm sure there more uses. I've seen mini wood blades for them, but f that! (That's a death wish!) The worst an angle grinder has done to me is cut into my nail a little and into that soft finger zone a little. I won't lie it hurts, like some kind of bamboo fingernail torture. But like 4 times in 20 years. Only 2 hurt bad enough for the pain to be remembered, but still a minor flesh wound. I've got a cut on my hand that hurts worse from God knows where right now and I haven't seen any blood from it, like a big paper cut.

[@dickjohnson9582]

An angle grinder is nowhere near as a dangerous as a table or circular saw. One thing to mention besides safety glasses is to wear a respirator becuase the disks are silica based. No one ever mentions that and idk why. Never once heard it in any one of my trades classes or on the job or even on youtube. Keep the shroud on. Other than that and keeping cutting disk perendicular to your work so it doesnt shatter its really not that dangerous.

[@mortenrl1946]

@@brandonhoffman4712 I feel like there should be some kind of design option to make them safer tools, like the kickback brakes on chainsaws. But obviously it'd need to function differently, you can't stop the disc from spinning instantly. I'm sure somebody will have a clever idea someday.

[@brandonhoffman4712]

@@mortenrl1946 you know. You might be onto something there. Some software, potentiometers (movement), compass (direction), gyro (orientation). You might be able to make a smart angle grinder. Im guessing $350-$450 depending on whether you want variable speed or not.

[@mortenrl1946]

@@brandonhoffman4712 On a chainsaw it's fully mechanical! But I'm worried that stopping the disc in a split second will make it shatter spectacularly. It would need a "sheath" to extend or something, maybe using the momentum from the grinding disc to snap into place (instead of those expensive single-use explosive solutions).

[@algi1]

When someone says you should "hack" a tool, that's already a red flag. Tools aren't supposed to be hacked. Tools are supposed to be used for what they are meant to be used.

[@macforme]

And there is the problem,... there are videos on the interwebs 😂 advocating and showing people how to alter their already dangerous tools. Yahoooos that see them think that it would a great idea ....and proceed to alter their lives ( and bodies) forever.

[@mycoolcar]

Dude, you’re a champ. This video is so well put together. You demonstrate your points so clearly. It’s got me thinking what other tools I can use that are not an angle grinder (I don’t use the grinder very often, but reducing it more might be a good idea).

[@WC3fanatic997]

I know that for anything that doesn't require insane amounts of speed and power, a normal Drill/Driver can be used for pretty much anything. Besides drills and bits, I've used it with grinding and cut-off wheels too, which works great for smaller stuff. Larger things take a bit longer, but considering it's spinning at 2,000 RPM or less, it's not nearly as hazardous to your health, which I feel is a perfectly acceptable tradeoff.

[@mycoolcar]

@@WC3fanatic997 I cut threaded rod from time to time, but not often enough to need a specific tool for it. Might try the reciprocal saw instead of the grinder next time. Drill attachments are a good idea, I’ll look into them.

[@Richard-mz7qu]

Thank you for your excellent video on angle grinder safety. This is just one reason why I follow your channel. You provide great instruction and reviews, but this video is particularly valuable because it is like a public safety message for all angle grinder owners. I appreciate your commitment to safety and your dedication to helping others learn. As always, well done!

[@ericsmith1319]

This is both Fantastic, funny, and very sad. Thanks for your public service. It amazes me that it has come to a point that we need to do this. I don't have kids but I imagine the internet can be a very bad educational tool at times. Your videos are very well made. Good job.

[@Hibbo89]

The angle grinder is one of the only tools I will actively look for another way of doing things. Happily do it by hand than get one of these out. However, I have just bought a battery one (the same one as in this video strangely enough) and feel much more confident with it. Potentially as it has a kickback brake and speed control so I can wind it right down. Plus I’ve only actually used it with a diamond stone cutting blade to wet cut some granite.

[@sabbic]

My router is still the scariest thing in my shop to me for the same reason as you highlighted about the grinder discs. If that fiber disc or router bit comes apart, it's a grenade. My table saw scares me but I know how to mitigate most of the risks by using guards and push sticks and such. Grinders and routers, your hands and face are right there waiting to be eaten.

[@affliction1979]

Using quality router bits can greatly reduce the risk of the bits shattering or keeping the carbide from flying off.

[@georgeprout42]

I bought a cheap (Aldi) track saw and haven't used my table saw since. I clamp it all down and if the saw does decide to kick back (unlikely, there's nothing to bind against), it's not leaving the track and nor is the material going to be flying back at me. Even if the saw did somehow come up then the blade is the far side to me. From a safety perspective I like that arrangement.

[@officialtree5245]

Ur not kidding. I used a router bit a while back for flush trimming, didnt really do enough of the checks and stuff, and it shot out of the wood, destroyed my piece, and shot a blade into the wall. Luckily i didn't get even a slight cut, but that was the closest i came to death at like 14

[@egeoeris]

Holding such raw power just feel so terrifying, I also had to make a router table as I wasn't comfortable holding it too close me for everything.

[@ndschwartz]

I tend to agree with you as I had an incident just last week when I was using a top bearing flush cut bit with a template. The bit somehow caught, the router kicked back and wrenched out of my hand and the spinning bit hit me right in the center of my sternum. I was wearing a sweatshirt which got all wrapped up in it and stopped the router which immediately caught on fire while still attached to my sweatshirt… Somehow I came away with only a small red mark on my chest. Complacency and lack of patience almost cost me dearly.

[@fulconandroadcone9488]

A tip for grinder discs, make sure they never get wet. When they trap moisture they really do like to explode on you.

[@giantfactory]

Wow, was just using my angle grinder today. I've never had an accident but I've never done more than just cutting old screws and nails. This still makes me aware that I need to not get complacent.

[@dand3975]

Always use safety glasses And a full face shield when using a angle grinder Or bench - pedestal grinder No exceptions. Do not ware gloves, even Mechanix gloves.

[@TheUhblackhawkmtp]

So many great ideas. Get a corded angle grinder so you'll always have an improvised tourniquet nearby.

[@kooale]

Aaaaaaaggghhhh!!!!

[@hughbrackett343]

Also, keep the wrench with you so you can twist the cord tight enough.

[@mattelias721]

I don't know if you're being sarcastic or not... but damn, yes, you're absolutely correct.

[@rmar127]

On a job many years ago, we had a series of tyre storage racks that had to be disassembled. The boss thought the quickest and easiest way was to cut them up with an angle grinder. Gave the job to one of my work mates and i and after a quick discussion on the safest way to do it, we got to it. Another co worker thought we were having a lot more fun at our task than he was having at his, kept coming over wanting a turn. Neither of us were keen to give him a go as he wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. So he went whining to the boss and said we were being mean. So the boss came over and paired him up with me (my patience level was a little higher than my workmates) and told me to show him what we were doing and to let him have a go for 5 minutes. Reluctantly i showed him the process, explained exactly where we were making the cuts and why and told him that the blade was nearly done so watch me for a bit and after i change the blade he could have a go. Well a few minutes later the blade was ready to be replaced so i turned the grinder off, put the tool down and headed to the power outlet to unplug it. Just as i was about to unplug it i turned around and there the moron stood holding the tool by the blade. So instead of getting him to do any work i told him that we needed the boss before we could get going again. When Scott came back with the boss, i told him that there was no way in hell i was letting him anywhere near the tool as he’d just picked it up by the blade whilst still connected to power. So i told the boss to give him another job, because he was not getting anywhere near power tools. Scott didn’t last long. I wasn’t the only one to catch him doing moronic things.

[@canoeman42]

Good video! I can’t believe some of the things that people try. I am an 81 yr old dentist who just sold all my wood shop power equipment yesterday and am getting ready to move into a retirement center. It was a beautiful shop and I could do most anything I wanted in it. The first rule I had when building the shop 20 years ago was never work when I was tired; nothing I would ever make was worth the loss of a finger, or worse. I am closing shop with all 10 fingers. An additional rule that my wife was aware of was to not walk in and ask me anything when equipment was running, I didn’t want to be distracted. As a dentist we had equipment running at 3-400,000 rpm routinely, but we also had disks that ran at a crawl for laboratory work. We learned with them that they could easily bind and shatter so we learned to work into the material making a channel that was wider than the disk so it wouldn’t catch. I owned an angle grinder that would loosen and spin loose when shut down so I discarded it. I have another one now but have hardly ever used it, I just don’t feel comfortable with it. I had a router with a chuck that seemed to loosen so I tossed it too, spinning bits are just too dangerous. The place we are moving to has a fully equipped shop, except for a table saw. I guess that is by design. Anyway, I am back to a hand tool worker with ten fingers. If I watch the chisels, I should be fine. Thanks for the video and reminders.

[@johnwhitley2898]

Safety first, second, and third. Thanks Stumpy! I watch the videos wondering when the disaster strikes. Like most everyone here, a mild hiccup with a 4" angle grinder being used safely with all guards in place scares me. That extra handle is installed, awkward or not. What ever stupid is happening , no way it's worth the agony of an accident. Thanks again!

[@جمالزيادة-س7ر]

You are truly a wonderful person. I benefited a lot from this video, which showed me how much I was somewhat negligent about safety matters when using the angle grinder. I learned a useful lesson from you today. Thank you and regards.

[@keithwhite2764]

Keep up the good work. You're definitely saving lives and limbs.

[@SonOfPatriots]

That broom one with the grinder cord laying in the water was unbelievable

[@loveisalliam]

I’ve never seen such a clean neat workshop looks like a museum piece.

[@houstonsam6163]

Really appreciate your consistent emphasis on safety.

[@3henry214]

This video should be included with all angle grinder sales. Anyone that has used a Dremel tool with a cutting disc on it that had it "grenade" on them, has only experienced a "minor" example of what an angle grinder is capable of. I was very thankful that I was wearing a full face shield when that thin quarter shaped cutting disc on my Dremel self destructed. I've only recently learned what I didn't know about using my Makita angle grinder, I've stopped using it because the time savings are not worth the risk.

[@loganmedia1142]

Those little cutting discs are harmless as long as eye protection is in place in my experience. However they do indicate how dangerous something much bigger could be.

[@sambrown8224]

I'm in the marine industry and this tool is in every toolbox if you work with steel. That being said, we have a healthy respect for it. 15,000 RPM is no joke. Especially when so many people DO NOT KNOW there is a right way, and a wrong way to just hold it. Not to mention the "Holding the piece in one hand and the tool in the other" stuff makes me cringe.

[@johnjones4825]

Another thing to remember is to remove the paper label off your new discs. After using my grinder for more than 10 years, I had (in the last 3 weeks) 2 labels come off. Not dangerous to fingers (aside from a GT paper cut!), but will either take your eye out or as least seriously damage it. On the same job, I also cut/grazed the same finger 4 times in one day with a flap disc. Not my grinder there, but my boss' one with, of course, no guard on it. I refused to use it again and brought my own one from home the next day.

[@cheddafaceboiii8252]

That flap disc saved you fs.

[@tinkeringinthailand8147]

I used to work with the safety shroud off and I was adamant that I had the experience to do so. Then, a cutting dis shattered on me, I was lucky enough that none of the pieces came my way but after seeing the damage to my ceiling I put that safety shroud right back on all my angle grinders. It aint worth it :) Great vid SN's.

[@dustman96]

Should always be used and adjusted properly.

[@robertshorthill6836]

I had a good friend that had a grinder kick back that hit him about 4" away from his belly button. He was wearing shorts. His wife took him on a trip to ER that lasted over 1 1/2 hrs. I don't know what he did, but there was a lesson to be learned. As I don't own an AG, to me a chain saw could be considered just as dangerous if used carelessly.

[@jfgreen1959]

I’m fascinated by the tool organization behind you, I hope you have a video on that.

[@MJPilote]

Have had angle grinder blade exploded and the piece embedded in my face visor. Was one of the scariest things ever, I was infinitely glad about wearing the full visor and not just glasses. Wad the last time I have taken the shroud off, and every time I see a grinder without it I remember to tell what happened to me and how lucky I was.

[@carlah97]

Thank you so much for this video. I had an angle grinder for a short while and just didn't feel 100% comfortable using it so gave it away to a contractor friend. I really want to do some power carving to create more organic shapes in my wood working and am looking for every power tool alternative to accomplish this that is not using an angle grinder. Any advice out there would be helpful!

[@philliprickman1394]

Sanding discs aren't scary looking, but I've touched a finger and it didn't take but a millisecond to dig a deep gouge in my finger. I've also let a grinding wheel hit me in the chest which gouged out a nice chunk of flesh.

[@lhpl]

There is (was?) and old Chinese torture method called "Death by a Thousand Cuts". Sure scraping against a fixed abrasive surface may scratch you a little. But when the surface rotates at 10k RPM, it will scratch you a little every six milliseconds, and a thousand cuts can be applied in six seconds, turning a slow torture death into a fairly quick one. Speed kills.