doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Not SxS related, Surgeries

I'm really sorry that you got hurt. I hope everything works out okay for you in the future.

Sorry to hear that. I use them all the time. I’ll be more careful about keeping the guard in place. Had yours been removed?

I hope for complete recovery for you. Thanks for the timely reminder.

I don't run a guard on any of my grinders as they get in the way. Have had many zip cuts blow apart over the years. Never been a problem other than ruining a perfectly good disk (however I DO wear a face shield when using them). However, in this case, I was at a neighbours [lace helping hi install a set of sprayer booms that he purchased from me. The ease on one of the rams would not fit and the mounting pedestals needed to be ground a bit. He suggested just grinding the ram eye but I suggested grinding the mount instead so should the ram fail and need replacing, the replacement would slip right in. He went to his shop and came back with an angle grinder with about an 8" zip cut disc (on a 5" grinder) as it was the only disc he had big enough to read into where the grinding needed to take place. When I saw that I thought "that looks like an accident waiting to happen" and said "I'll do it" since I have had a LOT of experience with zip cuts. Of course, zip cuts are NOT made to grind on the flat but to cut on the edge (and they don't grind well at all anyways) AND I knew that that 8" disk was NOT made to run at the RPM that a 5" grinder runs at. I started to grind, feathering the trigger to keep the RPM down and to putting much pressure on the disk. Took a LONG time to get much grinding done (didn't need to take much off anyways). Last try-fit suggested that I only needed to remove a few thou to get a fit so went back to it. I must have lost patience because I started to keep the power on a bit longer allowing the disk to gain RPM. As I took the grinder away from the work, I inadvertently kept my finger on the trigger and as soon as the disk cleared the work and came to full RPM, the disk shattered. If I was alone, I would have bled out in just a few minutes. Even if I was wearing high cuff welding gloves it would have likely prevented the damage. As it was, since I was not at home I was not even wearing my usual face shield. Plat stupid games, win stupid prizes. That was a year ago last Oct (so about a year and a half ago). Still have no feeling in the outside of my left hand. If it had been my right hand, THAT would have been a REAL problem. I consider myself VERY lucky.

James:

Be thankful that you do have a few hens clucking about. Recovering alone wouldn't be much fun.

Licenced to kill: That looks frightful!

close to 50 years ago, i trimmed off about half an inch of my right thumb, in a jointer - doing something i knew was not smart...but "being careful". a few weeks later, wearing a thumb guard over the resulting bandages, i attended a union meeting whereupon, one of the "old" members (verlin was probably in his 60's) asked me what had happened. i explained, and he replied....i did something like that myself ONE TIME. that comment is still a sharp and clear memory - and i have repeated this story many times over the years....in hope that others might learn from my mistake (the very best way to learn).

i'm right handed, and the resulting "shortage" somewhat limits my dexterity on safeties (particularly greener side safeties). but, even worse, in recent years i've become fond of hammer guns, and cannot reach over and cock both hammers simultaneously - so i'm reduced to cocking the right, shoot, and then quickly as possible reach up and over to cock the left for a possible second shot. luckily, i am not dependent on my skill/speed to provide my groceries...

another story...50 plus years ago i was visiting with a retired motorcycle mechanic friend, and we were discussing the tendency to rush things, cut corners, generally risk outcomes to save time - and the fact that those actions are often counter productive. kenny closed the discussion with an old quote - familiarity breeds contempt - i ain't forgot that one either.

worked with a half cherokee bricklayer back in college days, who swore there was an old indian saying....too soon old, too late smart.

"good judgement comes from wisdom, and most of that comes from bad judgement."

hope the nerves repair themselves, and full feeling and use returns.

best regards,
tom

Thanks for the detailed explanation, LTK. I can see where the 8" cut-off disc on a little grinder could cause problems. I don't think the ones I use on my little angle grinder are over 4". Too much flex and too much speed on the outer edge when you get that big. That's something I won't forget. I take my guards off often, too. But, I do wear eye protection. And I agree, guards get in the way, especially of your being able too see what you're cutting off. I only use the cut-off discs for that, not for removing surface thickness. That's for a side-grinding disc.

Regardless, I'm sorry for the injury you received and I thank you for being open about how and why it happened. It may well prevent it from happening to someone else.

Best wishes to you, SRH

Ouch! I live with a nurse who worked the ER enough to make her afraid of most power tools and pretty much anything with an engine. She did talk (force?) me into getting rid of the PTO screw log splitter. We have to get some basic safety training at the office because we spend time on construction sites. Statistically ladders and extension cords are by far the most dangerous tools we own.

We have all taken shortcuts one time or another and for the vast majority of times never suffered as much as a scratch. But things like what happened to you should make us all stop and think. I know I have taken way too many chances with small boats, in nasty conditions, when hunting, too many chances with power and even hand tools doing things I knew were not really smart or safe. And for the most part gotten away with things. The rest did require stitches but nothing more major than a bit of healing and a tetanus shot. Sorry for our injury and hope for a full recovery in time.

Graybeardtmm, I can't give you any sympathy or advice about power tools, but I can give you a suggestion about operating a hammer gun. Don't cock the right hammer first. Cock the left hammer on the flush or on the mount, and the right hammer will be much easier to cock for the second shot because you don't have to reach across the gun to cock it.