I believe everyone is very familiar with the angle grinder. It is one of the most powerful and commonly used tools in the toolbox. We have developed the use of the angle grinder to the extreme. With the angle grinder, it will There is no work that cannot be done.
It can be said that it is a universal artifact, drilling, grinding, cutting, and sawing are omnipotent. It can grind workpieces of various materials, and can also cut almost all commonly used materials such as concrete, stone, brick, and various metals.
Angle grinder is a hand-held electric tool. The full name is angle grinder, also called angle grinder or disc grinder. As the name implies, it is used for grinding. However, the saw is not its original design intention, so it is easy to cause accidents during use.
The angle grinder mainly has the characteristics of small size and high speed, which also makes it more efficient; but at the same time, it is these two characteristics that make it very dangerous and cause countless safety accidents. People either love it or hate it.
Let's take a look at how to use the angle grinder safely, and what safety precautions the angle grinder has under different working conditions.
The structure and working principle of angle grinder
First of all, we must understand the structure of the angle grinder. The angle grinder is mainly composed of handles, protective covers, cutting/grinding discs, and pressing flanges.
The angle grinder uses alternating current or direct current (rechargeable battery) as the power source to drive the motor to rotate at high speed to drive the cutting disc or grinding disc to rotate.
Angle grinder use safety
Check before use
Before using an angle grinder, first prepare yourself for protection, angle grinders can generate a lot of dust and sparks, that's why you should be fully equipped with protective clothing, including tough gloves (no braided gloves), protective boots, goggles and dust mask.
There are also many tiny debris flying out at an alarming speed during the operation of the angle grinder. Without adequate protection, you will face the risk of serious injury.
You should also make sure you're not wearing any loose clothing, long hair, and jewelry that could get caught in the angle grinder while you're working.
Clean up the working environment to ensure that there is no combustible material that may be ignited by flying sparks. It is also very important to provide adequate ventilation for the workplace, so that the generated dust can float out of the room, thereby reducing the damage to the operator's respiratory system.
Every part of the angle grinder should be inspected, especially the saw/grinder, which is also a crucial step, as a damaged saw/grinder can cause personal injury.
Fix or clamp the workpiece to be processed, and whether the parts on the angle grinder are loose, and use the flange to fasten the saw/grinder on the angle grinder.
Standard operation when using
When using an angle grinder, you should always have a firm grip on the handle, and if it starts to slip, turn it off and readjust immediately; don't use too much force when using the grinder, rely on its speed and a little more force to get the job done.
When polishing and grinding the angle grinder, keep it at a certain angle with the workpiece, so that the grinding disc part contacts the workpiece better, and gradually adjust the angle and handle posture, so as to avoid sparks and grinding debris to yourself.
When the cutting blade wears too much, it should be replaced in time. Usually, it needs to be replaced when half of the diameter is consumed. When changing or checking the saw blade, please be sure to unplug the power plug. Also, never use the abrasive blade for cutting.
Do not disassemble the protective cover of the angle grinder at any time. When using it, always let the side with the protective cover lean towards the operator. If you must remove the protective cover to work, then find a professional alternative tool to use. Do not use it just to save trouble. Risky use.
Which operation is better, forward push or reverse pull, when cutting? When pushing forward, the saw blade and the machine will gradually move away from you, and the debris will also fall to the ground, while when pulling backward, the debris is more likely to splash on you, and it will also increase the risk of explosion, so for safety, Generally, the forward cutting method is adopted for cutting.
In addition, when buying an angle grinder, many merchants will match various saw blades, including woodworking saw blades. In our impression, the angle grinder can saw all kinds of hard stone, concrete and steel, so It is certainly no problem to saw wood with it.
The actual use is also like this. At the high speed of the angle grinder, the wood can be easily sawed, but at the same time there is danger. When the woodworking saw blade encounters hard objects such as knots and nails, the angle grinder It will rebound instantly, and the hands cannot be controlled at all, which may damage the angle grinder and saw blade, or endanger personal safety.
At a high speed, the grinding wheel cuts by relying on the contact of many small particles with the workpiece. Although the cutting is slow, the reaction force generated is very small; the woodworking saw blade has large saw teeth and a large reaction force. If you encounter the rebound force generated by hard objects at high speeds, your hands will not be able to control it at all, which is also the cause of many angle grinder accidents.
Therefore, it is not safe to replace an angle grinder with a woodworking saw blade as a hand-held electric tool for cutting wood.
After using the angle grinder
When finishing work, cut off the power first, and wait for the saw/grinder to stop turning before putting the angle grinder in a safe place.
When leaving the workplace, check the surrounding environment to avoid sparks or high-temperature iron filings igniting surrounding objects and causing fires after leaving.
If the best tool is used improperly, it may become the most dangerous tool, and this is not about the tool, but the safety awareness of the operator. I also hope that everyone can regulate when using angle grinders or other tools. With proper use, you will always be able to stay away from danger.