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Just wondering what everyone uses in this department as I think it is a pretty important one. Off the top of my head, safety glasses, respirator, and leather apron come to mind. Anything in particular you look for with each of these? I've seen a bunch of half-mask respirators which is probably what I'd get, but have no idea which. Right now I use pretty cheap/improvised stuff and want to get serious in this department.
I got me a half mask respirator after blowing my nose after a session at the belt sander! It was black! I also use it when I do CA coating, that stuff burns after a couple of coatings in one night!Quote:
Originally Posted by Philadelph
I always wear protecive goggles when [belt]sanding, cutting and grinding!
I'd love a leather apron, and butchers mesh gloves... those are on my wish list!
I have just about as many safety devices as tools:
- JSP PowerCap visor/respirator (best xmas gift ever)
- Leather apron
- Mechanic's gloves, Filetting gloves (steel wire mesh), Leather gauntlets, latex gloves
- Steel cap boots
- Levi's 501 jeans (anyone who works in a shop can attest a good, thick pair of jeans counts as safety gear
- Smoke detector, CO detector, Type ABC fire extinguisher, ground fault breaker outlets (I'm near the plumbing in the basement)
- Pedal switches for most of my larger tools (router, table saw, buffer, drill press)
- 1/3 hp exhaust fan in window
- 6 enclosed T8 fluorescent fixtures w/ electronic ballast (good lighting is an important but often overlooked safety precaution)
- Beeper on the door (so nobody can come in without you knowing. "sneak-ups" are high on the list of things that can cause serious accidents)
I also have countless jigs and templates that reduce the risk of injury and tons of other stuff I can't remember right now.
Awesome thread and an excellent subject.
Just as a frivolous aside, I read about three sentences into the first post thinking in terms of safety gear for shaving with a straight ... :D Just put it down to not getting that second cup of coffee this morning.
~Rich ... back to our regularly scheduled thread ...
How do you choose a particular respirator and apron? Anything that is a must?
rastewart, don't feel like the lone ranger! I was seeing how the leather apron could be good safety equipment for shaving but was having a hard time tying the safety glasses and respirator into the shaving experience. That's when the lightbulb came on.... :shrug: :w :tu
Just a reminder here fellas! This is the FORGE section lol. I think that means it's where guys talk about making razors and related stuff. Just my guess though... :roflmao
A big honking FIRE EXTINGUISHER! :wQuote:
Originally Posted by Philadelph
I need to get more safety gear. I do have cut resistant kevlar mesh gloves that have saved me from I don't know how many cuts and probably even some stitches when using the buffer; as Bill Ellis and others have said, the buffer IMO is one of the if not THE most dangerous machine in the shop. I want to upgrade and get the kevlar gloves that extend to the elbow to prevent any artery cutting.
Chris L
The apron is sized. You want it to cover as much as possible while still fitting closely and not being too heavy. Mine has leather in the front and canvas elsewhere (helps it breath a little)Quote:
Originally Posted by Philadelph
The respirator is something you want to try on before buying if you can. Make sure it's adjustable and that you have good range of motion. When you look down, as if at the edge of a table while standing, the visor should contact your collar bone (or the top of your apron should you have one). A fabric head band is a must. The cheap ones have plastic and it tends to slip off if you sweat even a little. Also, make sure you can put in the kinds of filters you'll be needing. Some respirators have weak motors and won't handle a fine filter well. Lastly, make sure the power supply is comfortable and lasts a decent amount of time. It's a real pain when your respirator dies before you're done doing whatever it is you need it for.
I forgot to mention. I have a half dozen or so welding caps lying around. Thay are great for keeping crap out of your hair (sparks, sawdust, metal filings, errant doritos...)
Yeah! Don't forget Doritos related injuries! ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by floppyshoes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4vIyL45hws
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by RobertFontaine
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
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Blue
+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
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."Quote:
Originally Posted by JoshEarl
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. :w
Mike, you're a true poet.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Blue
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.
I can laugh about it too. I have all the safety gear and use it routinely because I need my fingers and ears and suchlike to do the dayjob which pays for the fun in the shop and that leads to interesting sharp objects or colorful steels.
OSHA--pshaw. The real enemies of blademaking productivity are "shop improvement projects." Like that new vise I need to install. And the improved dust collector setup I need to install, and ...
Josh
From "How To Make Knives" by Barney/Loveless:
"And if you are the kind of person who is always having small accidents, forget all this; take up playing chess, or stamp collecting, because knifemaking is not for you!"
Anyway, thanks everyone for the suggestions. I went to a welding supply shop today and picked up a leather bib apron 24" x 42" and a 3M half-mask respirator and some cartridges. I already have good safety glasses. So now I'm all set. My fiancé feels much better about this respirator than my old dust masks consider some of the scale materials I'm using. The stuff wasn't that expensive at all either. Now to buy my grinder...
seriously, I'm calling like tomorrow.
Think about maybe building your grinder. I'm in the process of gathering my materials now. Plans, Fasteners and Motor...Check! I'm picking up the tube steel and flat stock on Saturday. Then, it's off to a local guy's machine shop next week for some reasonably priced precision square end cuts. Then.....back to my drill press for drilling the holes. I'll definitely post pics when I'm done.Quote:
Originally Posted by Philadelph
Chris L
She'll feel a lot better when you blow your nose after a day in the shop too. Unless you really want to gross her out, in which case, don't wear the mask. The female reaction can be quite humorous and dramatic. LOL.
Oh, yeah, one more thing I got from Bob Engnath. Do not eat brussels sprouts and then belch into the mask.
I would/do use different mask or at least separate sets of filters for particulate and vapors. The filters for vapors have a relatively short life span and somewhat pricey so I try to get the most out of them. I would keep the filters in a bag made for filter or respirator storage. I would also get in the habit of checking your mask fit every time you put it on by putting your hands over the filters and sucking in to make sure you have a good seal against your face.
Isn’t OSHA that town in Wisconsin?
I know it is not safety gear but every time I have visited the emergency room it has been from being stupid or complacent with machinery.
Charlie
I work as a butcher, so I wear a plastic apron covered with a cotton apron. I wear a demin or heavy flannel under it. For really bad toxic gasses/fumes, I actually have a surplus gas mask that I use. For hand protection I use a chain mail glove that is the same model I use for work. If I have a bad feeling I use a Kevlar glove under the chain mail, as a "just in case" extra bit o' protection.
I have an ad in the FS/FT forum if anyone is interested in the stainless mesh gloves. I know this is not the appripriate place, but I thought I'd just throw it out there. I'll TTT it in case anyone is interested.
I once spent an afternoon shooting handguns, trying different cartidges etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Blue
At the end of the day I blew my nose...
That was a real wakeup call regarding the effects of gunfire in an enclosed space.
EDIT That should be the effects of gunfire while being at the rights side of the gun. Being on the wrong side, black snot would probably the least of my worries :hmmm:
:roflmaoQuote:
Originally Posted by Mike Blue
Also, never eat broccoli and fart in a haz-mat suit.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Blue
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaver...I-IanSuit1.jpg
Quote:
Originally Posted by floppyshoes
I think I read a statistic one time that said 9 out of 10 "accidents" were foreseen by the injured craftsman, and that they occurred because he continued to do the dangerous task, thinking "it should be fine".
Then again, good judgment is usually only gained through experience, which almost always comes with it's fair share of small injuries resulting from the experience you have yet to acquire. :)
(safety gear: half mask respirator and clear plastic full face shield for grinding, gloves for forging though not essential, 2 or 3 strong fans to keep air circulating in the garage/shop with all doors open, jeans are the norm for most days.)
No thanks lol. I thought about all that hard already. Wasn't worth it in the long run for me. I want precision tracking and a variable speed motor which I'm getting. I've seen lots of grinder plans and don't think any look as good as buying one. The one Bruno posted I think looked ok, like the KMG but it would have been such a hassle to build considering if one hole ends up being slightly off, so does the whole grinder. The tube plans (end product) just look cheap to me and not too reliable. Besides that, the guy I was with yesterday was showing me everything about his Bader and it was fantastic. Plus I like the fact that it comes with a motor which drives the grinder straight on rather than from a pulley that you have to setup yourself. So I called Bader and am picking up my order from their shop in two weeks (since that's when I'll be going near them). It wasn't as much as I thought it would be considering all the stuff I'm getting also. I think for me, saving the trouble of building one, picking a motor, finding one for a good price and getting all the contact wheels I'd want and then setting it up so that it runs well is totally worth the extra price. Add to that the quality and support you get and I'm sold.Quote:
Originally Posted by Chrisl
Nothing wrong with that :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Philadelph
If I had the moolah I'd buy a bader as well and be done with it.
Unfortunately, that is not an option.
So in my caseI'll either build one myself, or I save up and try to get someone to buy me a KMG for me, as they don't sell overseas.
Once upon a time, when I was in college, one summer I worked in a foundry as a grinder. The machines we used were huge. I'm trying to remember the dimensions, I remember it was a two wheel model, the wheel we worked on must have had a 18-24" diameter and the belts I think where 3" X at least 80". The only safety gear we got were welders gloves when we were grinding molding gates from bronze bearings. I wore glasses in those days and as I was music major in college I wore ear plugs on my own. No apron, no face shields, no steel tipped boots, (some of the flanges we ground weight 110 lbs.) I have scares on my right forearm where a broken belt swiped me as I reached to shut off the machine to change a nicked belt. It was a sand molding foundry for aluminum, brass and bronze. We did not use respirators. It seems like I made it that summer with just the arm swipe. Now, tell me there is no God.
Even though my equipment is nowhere near this intense, I still try to approach it about like I would a rattlesnake.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenrup
There was a great quote in C.S. Lewis' book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. One of the main characters asked if Aslan, a lion who was the ruler-king of the land of Narnia, was "safe."
"No," came the reply. "But he's good."
That's a bit like my grinder. :) Always be respectful and you'll be OK.
Josh
This should fall under safety as well & what I was taught as a tot. No loose fitting garments / loose sleeves etc......
Sorry if this has been mentioned.