beware CLARKE GRINDING DISKS

[Matt Tomkins]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IthnhIZz71w

-- thanks to Ben Morgan for originally posting this on the MMOCYM site

[MarkyB]

Blimey, I didn't even know they had a sell by date!

[Neil MG]

Strange!

Maybe the disks are newer but it's just an old sticker updated during manufacture! Not sure how legal that is though...

He doesn't say how he is using these disks, but note that they are CUTTING disks NOT grinding disks! If he is (as HE says) trying to grind with them, then it's his own stupid fault!

[bmcecosse]

My guess is that the discs may have been dropped or crushed at some point. And yes - cutting discs are for cutting...... I have a good stock of discs from all sources - and I have no plans to scrap them just because of a date label.... I will examine them ...... and grind with grinding discs.

[Matt]

Agree what everyone else says... they are cutting not grinding discs, if you grind with a cutting disc of course its all going to go wrong.

Also, its probably not a "use by" more stock control

[daveyl]

Yep, about the difference. The cutting discs are very fragile. I was told not to apply any pressure and not to twist it in motion, by my local vendor. And hold it firmly and solidly, trying to avoid any 'kick-back'. They are no use for grinding and that is not their intension anyway.
i have found that any sort of 'exhuberant' action will cause the disc to break up. There is deinitely a knack to using them (carefully), so I can fully understand that when using them for the first time it can be perplexing.
I think I might where gloves as well as my goggles in future after seeing that Video.

[irmscher]

Looks like he has been grinding with a cutting disk and he has had kick back like you can get with a chainsaw .Obviosly no gloves were used which is very stupid in the first place

[dp]

I treat the angle grinder a bit like a small unexploded bomb these days. Padded coat with hood drawn tight, thick leather welding gloves, goggles, face mask. Really sweaty in summer but I figure that the shrapnel could do as much damage to my chest or legs as my / his hands. Imagine if that chunk had got his eye.

[oilypaws]

The 'unexploded bomb' comment is a good one!

I used to be very relaxed with the grinder - no guard, minimal safety gear. I had no idea that disks could shatter.

Thankfully I have never been injured. After reading graphic accounts of people being KILLED by shrapnel from a shattered disk, I always wear welding gloves, overalls and face shield, and I always make sure the guard is on. I highly recommend a face shield as an alternative to goggles - much better vision, and much less likely to fog up. I always wear good hearing protection and often a dust respirator underneath.

The grinder is my most useful tool, but it's more dangerous than it looks...

[MarkyB]

My dad took a notch out of his shin bone with a large grinder when it slipped or kicked, that made me a lot more thoughtful about how I use a grinder.