Thread: Safety Gear!

The leather apron is certainly traditional but I wonder if kevlar et al is useful/affordable. What alternatives exist for catching 60 mile an hour razor blades coming at your chest/groin?

- Bob

Originally Posted by RobertFontaine

The leather apron is certainly traditional but I wonder if kevlar et al is useful/affordable. What alternatives exist for catching 60 mile an hour razor blades coming at your chest/groin?

- Bob

Easy solution: don't stand in line with the buffer.
Always stand off to the side. This will reduce your chances of injury greatly and discourage you from leaning into the wheel too much. Buffers are not like lawnmowers where you can lean your hip or groin into it to get through a rough spot.

Mainly I've found the visor and apron have saved me from: Table saw kickback and carbide tooth loss, sanding fap wheel blowout, sparks from grinding/sanding etc.

Couple questions:

Where is a good place to go in person to find a good leather apron? I have found Canvas and denim aprons, but will they cut it (I'm thinking in terms of grinding razors and other heavy duty applications with flying sparks and metal)?

Has anyone ever tried THIS? It looks good. I saw one today. Check out the FAQ, it looks like a serious product. Dan, I am not looking at full face respirators, but only half masks that cover your nose and mouth. They are still good/use filters etc. but I'm not ready for a huge industrial type one.

Anyone know if THESE would be alright? Particularly the twin cartridge (actually cheaper at the store) and quicklatch pro? I know it's Harbour Freight, but they meet regulations and all (not that I know much about that).

Thanks!

Go with the second product, the twin filter half mask. You can change out those filters very easily where the Neoprene thing looks cool, it also looks expensively disposable. Plus you are going to sweat into the mask and breath off a lot of water vapor.

I've only lit my jeans on fire when grinding titanium. Steel won't do it, so good stout pants and a cloth apron won't be so bad. Leather is good insurance for high speed items. I know a couple grinders who won't buff anything unless they are wearing a chain mail apron.

Hat, eye protection, and ear plugs. Ever get welding flux or some hot sparks from a grinder down inside an ear? Go ahead, just once, then you'll know why ear plugs are not just for hearing protection...LOL

Originally Posted by Mike Blue

Go with the second product, the twin filter half mask. You can change out those filters very easily where the Neoprene thing looks cool, it also looks expensively disposable. Plus you are going to sweat into the mask and breath off a lot of water vapor.

I've only lit my jeans on fire when grinding titanium. Steel won't do it, so good stout pants and a cloth apron won't be so bad. Leather is good insurance for high speed items. I know a couple grinders who won't buff anything unless they are wearing a chain mail apron.

Hat, eye protection, and ear plugs. Ever get welding flux or some hot sparks from a grinder down inside an ear? Go ahead, just once, then you'll know why ear plugs are not just for hearing protection...LOL

+1 on the half mask if you're not into the full respirators. Make sure you also get some nice goggles and a welding cap (unless you're bald or like the aroma of singed hair)

Leather aprons are commonly found at welding suppliers. Make sure you get a bib apron as the whole point is to protect as many important body parts as possible...

How To Buy a Welding Apron | eHow.com

I do most everything by hand out of necessity, so I only wear breathing masks when sawing or filing.
As soon as my workbench is ready I'll start with a cheap belt grinder and add goggles and perhaps a leather / something else apron.

I often wear mechanic's denim coveralls. They keep steel grit out of your pockets and take care of any sparks.

I wear tight-fitting leather gloves for some jobs. You have to be careful with gloves, as they can actually be more hazardous than bare skin. Don't get a false sense of security while wearing them. Welding gloves are a good idea when forging.

A full face shield is good for some jobs, too. I wear one sometimes, particularly when I'm using my angle grinder.

And I agree with everyone else on everything else.

Josh

Originally Posted by JoshEarl

I often wear mechanic's denim coveralls. They keep steel grit out of your pockets and take care of any sparks.

I wear tight-fitting leather gloves for some jobs. You have to be careful with gloves, as they can actually be more hazardous than bare skin. Don't get a false sense of security while wearing them. Welding gloves are a good idea when forging.

A full face shield is good for some jobs, too. I wear one sometimes, particularly when I'm using my angle grinder.

Okay, now hold up a second guys. If you're going to try to run a shop according to OSHA requirements the one thing you have to understand is "you will never get any more work done."

Forging (there you go Phil, obligatory forging content) and grinding are inherently dangerous avocations. Your resume is the number of scars on your arms or head. I mean, there is nothing quite like the experience of a 5000 surface feet per minute 36 grit belt wrapping itself around your head because the little teeny piece of tape at the lap joint decided to let go...

Gloves? Gloves only slow the heat down and trap slag and sparks and all manner of hot crud down the cuff so it will lay on your hand at exactly the right moment when you're trying to get some tricky special thing done to finish off the project. This causes you to angle hours of work into the abrasive and completely kack it up. This same principle applies to boot tops that were supposed to be under your pant leg.

Besides, we all know (or have yet to find out) that the human psyche is capable of knowing that an accident, like pushing your glove covered knuckle into a high speed grinder, is going to happen at least two seconds before it does. And, a real craftsman will do it anyway.

We all leave something of ourselves in the work. Even after all this time, it's painful to know that whoever said that was talking about blood, bone and meat, not spirit.

Originally Posted by Mike Blue

Besides, we all know (or have yet to find out) that the human psyche is capable of knowing that an accident, like pushing your glove covered knuckle into a high speed grinder, is going to happen at least two seconds before it does. And, a real craftsman will do it anyway.

We all leave something of ourselves in the work. Even after all this time, it's painful to know that whoever said that was talking about blood, bone and meat, not spirit.

Mike, you're a true poet.

I read somewhere that bomb squads all over the world have huge bomb proof suits with inches of flame retardant, shrapnel stopping, shockwave arresting material. All of which have no form of hand protection so that the technician can retain the greatest amount of dexterity.

On the other hand (yuk yuk) there are many bomb squad amputees.

I like my hobbies too much to risk not being able to go back to them. If you have to stop a cut midway and ruin the piece because you're not certain you can finish it safely then so be it. At least you'll be able to cut another one tomorrow. The greatest safety item in the whole shop rests between your ears. If you're suicidal, all the gloves, aprons, face shields and boots in the world won't save you.