Thread: Your buffer will kill you.

Obviously, buffers are dangerous. I'm terrified of mine. But, not because it spins fast and can rip stuff out of my hand. Or just take the hand, too. I'm terrified of mine because of dust.

Some of you will know this, but many of you will not: if you are using a polishing motor or buffer often you need to be using a respirator, the machine should have a dust collector, and your shop should be well-ventilated. If you don't do this, you will get very sick and die because particles of abrasives and metal from the polishing will settle in your lungs. I am not kidding. A respirator on it's own is not enough; a fume hood and good shop ventilation is not enough. To scare yourself, Google metal fume fever. Ahhh!!!

My own set-up is similar to this. It works just like it's supposed to. I see this kind of set-up for sale from $300 to $500 (or thousands, if you're into 'German engineering'). That's cheaper than a funeral is here.

I am not an expert, but I learnt shop safety from my Grandfather. He was a shop teacher for 30+ years and had been working with his hands from an early age until he got Parkinson's. I am also studying goldsmithing and blacksmithing, having read the first chapters on shop safety in each book I've gotten my paws on, and have my own workshop. A safe workshop, because I'd like to be in it for a long time. In other words, I can say, without a doubt, that polishing = dust = death.

If anybody else has anything to contribute, about shop safety in general or buffer safety in particular, that'd be great. I see a lot of how-to advice, but not a lot of advice on how-to safely.