Angle grinder safety - tile cutting?

[justbigboned]

Hello,

If nobody minds, I'd like some advice from those in the know about safety when using an angle grinder. I have a 115mm unit.

When using it, I wear a leather apron (woodworking type), face shield, hearing protection and grippy work gloves. I typically use it to cut travertine or porcelein tiles, mostly straight cuts but sometimes I need to make curves by making many straight cuts to a curved line then chipping out by hand. I use a diamond dry cut blade, I forget the brand but it was a quality one rather than el'cheapo.

I know to hold the grinder over to the side and use the safety guard as low as possible, rather than using the bare disc.

Am I missing anything critical? The angle grinder is one of the tools I'm least experienced with so I'm open to advice as I'll be doing a fair bit of tile cutting again soon and it's been a while.

Thanks very much.

 

[Burnerman]

Pretty good really but you may like to consider a timber jig to hold the tile in, rather than by hand pressure on a surface maybe?
John

 

[bourbon]

As I have said on other threads. If you are not 100% confident in your ability to use ANY tool, Then put it back in the box and walk away from it. The NHS does not need A&E clogged up with avoidable accidents at this time.

 

[justbigboned]

Pretty good really but you may like to consider a timber jig to hold the tile in, rather than by hand pressure on a surface maybe?
John

Ahh, forgot about that. I made a small table from MDF which is then attached to a block which is clamped into one of those large freestanding vices. I then use irwin clamps to hold the tile to the MDF. It's pretty solid. Does it sound reasonable?

 

[justbigboned]

As I have said on other threads. If you are not 100% confident in your ability to use ANY tool, Then put it back in the box and walk away from it. The NHS does not need A&E clogged up with avoidable accidents at this time.

I'm confident, just not particularly experienced. I tend to be over cautious perhaps, but some tools demand it.

 

[mattylad]

If it means that you can use the grinder while both hands are nowhere near the spinning sharp disc that can remove fingers in a slip then yes that sounds reasonable to me.

You are taking way way more precautions than many seem to take, many tradesmen, DIY'rs etc. just take way way too many risks with a grinder.

Good on ya.

 

[Burnerman]

I think you have considered most things, but have you considered buying a water cooled diamond disc tile table saw?
John

 

[justbigboned]

If it means that you can use the grinder while both hands are nowhere near the spinning sharp disc that can remove fingers in a slip then yes that sounds reasonable to me.

You are taking way way more precautions than many seem to take, many tradesmen, DIY'rs etc. just take way way too many risks with a grinder.

Good on ya.

I've been that way ever since our woodworking teacher at school demonstrated kickback on a table saw by smashing a window in the classroom (intentionally), some 30 odd years ago. He was a good egg. That was back when kids were allowed to use things like bandsaws! I own quite a bit of "dangerous" kit such as a router table, bandsaw and a planer, but the angle grinder is something I only use rarely, so I like to keep myself sharp on the safety front I suppose.

Grateful to all.

 

[justbigboned]

I think you have considered most things, but have you considered buying a water cooled diamond disc tile table saw?
John

I spray it with an atomiser bottle, but to be honest, that was just to keep the dust down. I tried one of the low end table saws, Vitrax was it? It was rubbish, hence the angle grinder.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

One thing to add, especially if you aren"t using water suppression - dust mask. Anything that can possibly contain silicates really dictates some form of breathing protection IMHO

 

[HERTS P&D]

As I have said on other threads. If you are not 100% confident in your ability to use ANY tool, Then put it back in the box and walk away from it. The NHS does not need A&E clogged up with avoidable accidents at this time.

THIS IS THE BEST ADVICE ON HERE THIS YEAR!

Andy

 

[justbigboned]

One thing to add, especially if you aren"t using water suppression - dust mask. Anything that can possibly contain silicates really dictates some form of breathing protection IMHO

Another thing I forgot, I have a P3 cartridge respirator. Wearing it feels like I'm in the death zone of everest, but its effective.

and hello, glad to see you're still active here. I had a PM from you that I'd acidentally left unread, from I think 2017, wishing me happy christmas haha. I saw it yesterday.

 

[bourbon]

If your FFP3 respirator is that hard to breath through. Then the filter is blocked and needs changing. Good luck with that.

 

[justbigboned]

If your FFP3 respirator is that hard to breath through. Then the filter is blocked and needs changing. Good luck with that.

It's a GVS Eclipse P3 and was a little restrictive from brand new. I've replaced the filters a couple of times. Is that not normal for a P3? I got it for woodworking originally.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Inresponse to bourbon, it's not that..... like everyone else in the trades who is still working we are struggling to get replacement filters.