I learned an important safety lesson last night while working on my layout. When using a Dremel tool with a cutoff disk, orient the tool so that the edge that’s doing the cutting is turning AWAY from you. A cutoff disk broke while I cutting through a section of model building foundation (1/8" wood sheet), and a piece of it struck me in the chest. I didn’t think much of it at first, but in the morning I found a small cut. And this was in an area that was covered by the t-shirt that I was wearing at the time. Wear a heavy flannel shirt or a sweatshirt while doing your cutting.
I think it goes without saying to ALWAYS wear your safety glasses when using power tools. Today, I will be investing in a face safety shield. This will not only protect the REST of your face, but your neck as well.
That’s one reason safety glasses are so important. Imagine how that hunk of wheel could injure one’s eye. Most other motor tool injuries heal OK, but eyes are not so forgiving.
The ones I hate are the times I’ve drilled a little hole in a finger - Hurt!!! Oh man!
I dislike those thin cutoff wheels, even the ones from Dremel (let alone the cheap knock-offs) seem to shatter if you just breath on them.
I tend toward the steel cutting wheels - now those you have to make sure are facing away or at least have no clear path to your body if the dremel gets away (including dropping it in your lap - oops, no good on that). I remember seeing a few segments on ‘How it’s made’ where craftsmen were using dremel-like motortools with steel cut-off/abrasive wheels in rather cavalier fashion - holding a pewter piece, fingers right next to the wheel when grinding off a casting spur on that piece, angling the motortool back and forth, and of course not even nicking their skin no matter how close they got (and yes, I counted 4 fingers + thumb on the other hand - they are that good) - me, I’m holding the piece with pliers to keep my fingers as far away as possible…
I use all three types of cut off wheels, because they serve different purposes. I find that the thin unreinforced wheels last longer and work better of you dress them. This has nothing to do with clothing; it’s using that little abrasive block that Dremel sells. After you get the wheel spinning in your motor tool, use that block to make it truely round and also to round the edges of the disc. It makes a big difference for me.
Safety glasses are important when using almost any tool. Back in the '70s I was building a workbench. Unbeknown at the time, a small sliver from a nail hed struck me in the eye. The next day when I realized there was something in my eye, the doctor sent me to an opthamologist since it had already started to rust.
Moral of the story: always wear safety glasses when working with tools.
Great way to learn! I too gave up on the thin cutoff discs may years ago, switched to the thicker ones. But then I discovered the larger fibreglass reinforced discs and use them only these days. They seem to last forever.
I used to use a two handed approach for control years ago. I forget what I was attempting to do but I had the part in my left hand and the tool in my right and the disk climbed the part and down the other side slicing through my finger requiring three stitches at the local hospital. Doc siad, “see that?”. I said, “so?”. he said another 1/16" and I would have severed the tendon. I said, “I see”. Now I think a little about the ramifications of where the thing will wind up in a worst case scenario.
The first time one shattered on me I was wearing safety glasses - now I wear a FACE SHIELD!!! Not just the eyes, but other parts of the face can be sensitive too - try a cut on the lip for fun!![B)][swg]
I never used to be a big advocate of safety or glasses for that matter, but lately I’ve been telling myself to make sure that I wear them when I am working with any kind of power tools. I remember one time I was using a table saw and a piece split off and flew up and hit me on the ear. Hurt like heck but if it was my eyes I would have been in trouble if I didn’t have the glasses on. Good reference, hopefully everyone heeds your warning.
I had that happen about 15 years ago when I was cutting thru the shaft of a Sagami I was installing. I didn’t wear goggles for quick little jobs like that, but a few hours later my eye was killing me. I had a scratched cornea, had to go to the EMO, get antibiotic drops, the whole works. I haven’t used a cutoff wheel without safety glasses since.
Never had a wheel shatter, but I use the fiberglass reinforced wheels. The only time I ever broke one was when I stepped on it while it was screwed into the mandrel. Otherwise they last forever.
Table saws are scary beasts for which I have a healthy respect. Goggles and a heavy apron are a must. I haven’t had any close calls, but I was cutting a sheet of .100" styrene once, and a strip about 1x10" shot back and hit me in the abdomen, and man, did it hurt. I never imagined a small piece of sheet plastic could leave a bruise like that.
This is why I use the reinforced cut-off wheels. It’s hard to break them. When I was just starting out with my Dremel I was using the thin cut-off disks that came with it. One of them broke and one of the peices made a BIG scratch on the right lens of my safety glasses. If I hadn’t been wearing them, that would have been my eye.
I like to wear saftey glasses or a saftey face shield. If you happen have a welders leather bib apron etc, it’s not a bad idea to put it on when grinding/cutting too. [:)]
Even then, I try to work so my body is not a direct target. It takes some conscious thought to begin with but once you form the habit it’s easy to remember to work with the debris flying away… at least most of the time.
I am glad your were so lucky. More decades ago then I care to count, I found this fantastic deal, a handfull of knock off dremel type grinding stones, they would shatter before the dremel came up to full RPM. I instantly remembered warning on other type’s of grinding wheels, “do not exceed a rated RPM”. There was no RPM rating on the cheepo stones, trashed them.
I also remember warning a fellow worker as he was cutting hydraulic hose’s with a cut off wheel in a chop saw (as like the dremel, except its 12 inch dia,) Ya better clamp it or ya gonna wear it. A day later he exploded the disk, he too was extreamly lucky.
Great post, you just may have kept someone else from getting hurt by reading yours…John
I had my safety glasses on. My posting was to remind us that it’s not only your eyes that need protection. That’s why I bought the full face shield, and wear something heavier than a t-shirt.
11 Months ago I suffered a life changing injury at the “hands” of a dremel. I was cutting rail with a dremel holding a diamond plated steel cutoff wheel. When done I shut off the tool and placed it on my workbench. I was unaware that the power switch had broken. As I let go, the tool came on at full speed and literally leaped into the air describing a three foot arc.
I jumped back, but in the tight space, my left hand did not come back as fast as the rest of me. The tool hit my left palm for a fraction of a second and ended up on the floor. In the next three tenths of a second I did three things.
I stepped on the tool body,
I yanked the cord out of the outlet with my right hand.
I glanced at my now numb left hand and saw the grand canyon.
Don’t worry, I will spare you all the gory details. Suffice to say the wheel had removed a part of my palm 1-1/4 inches long, ½ inches deep and 1/8+ inches wide. Diamond wheels don’t cut - they avulse (tear out) material.
Very long story short - I lost 2 ounces of blood and 2 more in ER. My friends on the squad didn’t tease me much (so I knew it was serious), took well over an hour and many stitches to close the wound while I held my own arterial pressure. I refused the offered morphene. My pain tolerance is pretty good. Never felt the stitches go in.
A couple of weeks later came the surgery. Findings:
Very good safety points there Karl. The power switch on my Dremel has always been somewhat loose, which is why I usually use it on a switched outlet. I can identify with the damage to the nerves in your hand. I grew up with nerve damage and know the limitations it places on what can be done, grip strength and control being big factors. In my case it’s not always a question of whether I have a good enough grip on something but do I have too much of a grip on it. I’ve been known to break paint brushes while picking them up. Always be extremely careful with ANY power tool. They can be very helpful in getting your projects done but they can also bring your ability to complete those projects to an abrupt end.