hope to get some quick help on welding a gate

[Welderpaul]

How did you manage to turn doing an inch of weld into this chaos?

Hope the leg gets better.

 

[Badger1bear]

Reckon you need to find a safer hobby and a friend that can do these sorts of jobs for you

 

[PTvor]

Pics 1 and 2. I can't see the weld. Someone put a couple of ragworm on it before you took the picture. If it holds against the sort of force you are going to put on it, it's good enough. You weren't welding a cooling pipe for a nuclear reactor. No one is likely to be injured if it fails.

Pic 3. I don't mind looking at blood and bone, as long as they are not mine. I don't know what to say apart from that you can't be casual when you are using angle grinders and use good quality discs, keep a good hold, take shallow cuts, and don't force it. Use PPE, but I've never thought that chainsaw trousers were a part of it for grinders.

Get well soon.

I don't do emoticons, but I'm not unsympathetic. It could just happen to any of us no matter how careful we think we are.

 

[roofman]

reference to post 22...ime willing to swap your welder for all these i have

 

[Richard.]

OMG that was not a successful days work. This goes to show these things are bloody lethal and you should take more care. Don't blame the discs. Yes I've had cheap nasty discs give and break on me also but you should be using it in such a way that if that happens it doesn't fire at you. Your lucky it wasn't your face.

 

[J.B. Welding]

That's a fair angle for v up, but if it works for you. I run pretty near square with only a minor push personally. Are you running up so steep for any reason?
2.5 most likely for that plant, I should use a good rod though no rubbish

Aye it's steep but really helps to burn in deep when there's a lack of power to hand. Won't produce a pretty weld but helps get it in there.

Very lucky with that leg oh my goodness it looks painful. Grinders are so dangerous and pinching the blade is a major cause of failure with any disk-use a vice and always make sure the cut will open up (no pun intended) not close onto the blade. Hope you recover soon!

 

[angellonewolf]

yes yes i know i was lucky but accidents happen believe it or not i only had 2 cuts to do both about less than an inch and i did say to the medic should have put it in a vice he said if you had and it kicked it could have been in your head and i do a lot of work day in and day out for over 20 years plus and only had 1 trip to hospital we all just need to keep in mind how this can happen and do what we can to prevent thing but with all the measures in the world things will happpen

i posted this in the hope it would make any one do more to prevent an accident not to get unhelpful comments but i do appreciate constructive comments and discussion

 

[Richard.]

Aye it's steep but really helps to burn in deep when there's a lack of power to hand. Won't produce a pretty weld but helps get it in there.

Very lucky with that leg oh my goodness it looks painful. Grinders are so dangerous and pinching the blade is a major cause of failure with any disk-use a vice and always make sure the cut will open up (no pun intended) not close onto the blade. Hope you recover soon!

Wise words and doing this will avoid future accidents. As said above if the cut grabs and tightens it will either cause the grinder to kick back or in your case shatter the blade and send it flying.

 

[Richard.]

not to get unhelpful comments but i do appreciate constructive comments and discussion

Which comments are unhelpful. People showing concern for your well being and advising on better technique to avoid further accidents?

 

[mike os]

Ouch... very lucky

 

[PTvor]

Which comments are unhelpful. People showing concern for your well being and advising on better technique to avoid further accidents?

His leg's been cut open and he's in no mood for humour.

When I first bought an angle grinder in 1984, it scared me to death so that I'd only use it very cautiously and when there wasn't any other option. Since then familiarity has sort of bred contempt. I almost always use goggles and try to be aware of the axis of the disc, and try to keep off it, even if it doesn't make for the best cuts. As for pinching, I've come to think that when there's any question of that, the last bit is best done with a hacksaw. I don't use a full face visor. I might now. 9" grinders still seriously scare me as do chainsaws.

It strikes me that using an angle grinder is a bit like keeping a pet black mamba. Most of the time it would be happy enough and wouldn't particularly want to hurt you, but it could turn on you in a second and that's just its nature.

 

[PTvor]

Yes, accidents happen. The fact is though that most 'accidents' aren't very accidental at all........

Being scared of tools is almost on a par with being overconfident and blasé with them. Confidence with respect is the only way imo. Also my opinion is that there's no such thing as a dangerous tool, only dangerous operators - as if to back this up, people have been killed by trousers.

Yes, but you have to get to that position and i submit it's best approached from fear rather than contempt.

I work every day with (and use at home) tools that if mistreated will not think twice about maiming or killing me or anyone else within range. If I stick my hand in my wood chipper I know damn well it's going to end up 20 feet away from my wrist and never be the same shape again. I'm not scared of it though, I just use it with awareness and take appropriate precautions because I'm the only person who can ever be responsible for my actions.

Oh, as an aside - chainsaw trousers are very unlikely to work as protection against a grinder, they aren't cut proof...

I thought they worked by unravelling and stopping the chain and were certainly a lot better than nothing or jeans. It's a point in dispute which can be sorted out by experiment. I'll supply a 9" grinder and the trousers, you supply the legs.

 

[PTvor]

I said I would provide the trousers and the grinder, and that was clearly within the context of the experiment. Applying your logic you can have the trousers and the grinders to whatever specification is usually available and I'll have your legs as the part you put up for grabs. I have an idea such a contract might not be enforceable, so is moot.

 

[J.B. Welding]

Possibly 'better' rather than 'best'. If you're truly scared of something you'll not use it properly.

I maintain that the best way is respect for the capabilities of whatever you're holding.

Probably akin to possessing and using a firearm. Fear it and you will miss every shot. Respect the fact it could easily' blow your head clean off'

 

[PTvor]

Possibly 'better' rather than 'best'. If you're truly scared of something you'll not use it properly.

I maintain that the best way is respect for the capabilities of whatever you're holding.

But how do you you learn that respect? Actually learn it. Being told it is only part of the story.

 

[PTvor]

Probably akin to possessing and using a firearm. Fear it and you will miss every shot. Respect the fact it could easily' blow your head clean off'

It's different because with a firearm the immediate danger is not to you, it's to others.

 

[PTvor]

You don't really need to 'learn' to respect something if you assess it.

As the subject seems to be grinders I'll stick with that - you have something in your hands that will quickly and easily cut through metal/concrete/walls with the appropriate disc fitted. Now, chances are that all of you is much softer and easier to cut than any of those materials. Just in that, is respect not automatically due?

If that thought makes you scared of it, either leave it alone or get someone to show you how to use it properly and safely.

These were more or less along the lines of my thoughts when I bought one 30 odd years ago. There wasn't anyone around saying that at the time.

 

[PTvor]

So what? A 600 nitro express would have broken her shoulder and there's no immediate reason to believe she received more than a sharp tap on the forehead.

I think we are dealing with the seductiveness of danger here and somewhat different cultures.

 

[Badger1bear]

either leave it alone or get someone to show you how to use it properly and safely.

My thoughts exactly

 

[angellonewolf]

in the morning a different light comes to mind still airing on yes in respect the bit of metal i was cuttting i could have used a have used a hack saw will have more of a think on that one but we all do things some times we regret but again just to say

think on what you can do to to stop any accidents